I've been a fan of Emerson's mystery novels for years, but recently dug into a trio of suspense novels that are a departure from his Thomas Black series. Emerson's a Seattle firefighter, and this novel and the other two take the reader inside the workings of a big-city fire department as they investigate and fight fires.As usual, he has great characters who are at the center of the story and keep the pages turning.This book is about a series of arsons that are about to destroy a veteran firefighter's career, when instead he should be hailed as a hero. He uncovers a conspiracy that is threatening to topple the tallest building in Seattle, and only his understanding of how the fire-fighting world works will help him save it from coming down.
When you're a fire fighter, you literally need someone to watch your back. (Okay, not literally. They can't see your back because of the smoke. But someone better at least be keeping track of you, and you of them.) The scary thing here is that if a fire fighter is actually targeted by one of his own, you can believe he's history.And it happens in this story.If you like thrillers that leave your fingertips sore from gripping the edge of something, here's your novel. Keep your smelling salts handy if you are inclined toward the vapors (pun intended).
What do You think about Vertical Burn (2003)?
Standalone thriller. This novel follows a four year gap and 16 novels in the P.I. Thomas Black and Fire Chief Mac Fontana series. Although the author was a firefighter with the Seattle FD, he seems more comfortable with the series format than this standalone firefighting thriller.Firefighting Thriller - John Finney and his partner are trapped in a burning warehouse. John escapes injured but his partner dies and the future chief lies about the rescue effort. John suspects arson and then a conspiracy involving firefighters. Efforts are made to discredit him and then to make him look like an arsonist.
—Ed
