Customer Reviews

Smoke Eaters: A Thriller

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If you thought Andreae's Lee Squires series was poorly written and characterized, wait until you read this one!

I read this book because it concerned forest fire fighters and is very much in vogue, considering the fires in the western states this summer. It also purports to be a crime mystery. Well, the first 40% of the book concerned a great deal of data describing the characters and the setup of a forest fighting unit. The heroine is one of those "up against the glass ceiling" characters, in both money and position. I was ready to put the book aside because of the lack of crime until it happened. It wasn't one but five deaths. The plot then picked up as the investigators (heroine, cop, and the forest service investigative team) all tried to solve the mystery forensically. Then it got really interesting. And, the ending was NOT the usual hackneyed ending I have come to find in so many recent novels. As a matter of fact, I thought the ending was surprising.

So, if you like characters and fighting underdogs, as well as forensic crime-solving, I recommend this book.

Christine Andreae weaves a web of wonder in this her latest effort. I can honestly say that I literally could not put this book down. I laughed outloud at some points and found myself sobbing at others. I found that although I knew virtually nothing about firefighting, I could relate very strongly with the heroine in this book. I also have much more respect for the men and women who have been battling the summer blazes in the west. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates great writing, a compelling story, fabuloulous character developement and an overall fantastic read. I hope it gets made into a movie soon!

A female incident commander, her missing-in-action firefighter son, macho firefighters not sure they can follow a woman, a sexual deviant whose turn-on is fire, and an assortment of other interesting characters make this fast-paced action-mystery about fire in the Montana woods a real reading pleasure.

A plot crackling with excitement, a determined and likable protagonist, complex characters, an atmospheric setting, and a heart-stopping climax make this story about fire and those charged with containing it a great read. Mattie McCulloch becomes the first woman given overall command of a fire team. She has to deal not only with the life-threatening blaze but resentment from her male colleagues, a sexual predator with a penchant for arson, a firefighting son who has problems with a mother as boss, and an attraction to a married reporter. As the plot picks up steam, its hard to put down, and when you have raced through to the end, you wished you had slowed down and savored the prose of a writer at the top of her craft. Ranks right up there with Nevada Barr's "Firestorm." Another good book in this genre is Judith Van Gieson"s "Hotshots."

No detail of fire-fighting or human nature escapes the notice of Christine Andreae, the author of Smoke Eaters. Those who love her "Lee Squires" mysteries will love Smoke Eaters, the story of a woman leading a fire crew, dealing with loss and battling personal demons along with a major forest fire. For those who haven't read Andreae's earlier mysteries, this dramatic suspense story is a good place to start. Every word rings true. Along with the courage and strength of the female fire commander is the dark voice of a madman who comments through his journals on day to day life at the fire command post. He can only be someone that Mattie, our heroine, depends on. The slow unraveling of his mind keeps the internal action as tense as the fiery disaster. You will love Smoke Eaters.

Whether the reader is a firefighter who loves to read books about a fire setting or an avid mystery reader, this book will not let you put it down until you reach the last page.

The Justice Peak, Montana fire is raging out of control. In charge of putting out the conflagration out is Mattie McCullogh, the first female firefighter commanding a Forest service team. Already struggling with her male peers who demand the brass fire her and a hostile media expecting impossible miracles to occur, Mattie also worries about her son being in the front lines in the war with the inferno.

When her son's team dies in what is obviously arson, her superiors sacrifice Mattie to the public howling and fire her. To her surprise, her son's body is not recovered. Unable to sit back and accept being a scapegoat, Mattie begins her own inquires into finding a serial arsonist. She also plans to find out exactly what has happened to her son. Along the way she finds some help, but is unaware that her foe is watching and waiting.

SMOKE EATERS is a non-stop action filled plot that takes the readers on a wild ride from page one to the climax. The characters are fully developed and their reaction to the environment feels genuine to the point that the audience will swear they can smell, see, and hear the inferno. The taut story line will receive much acclaim from critics and fans as Christine Andreae has written one of the years top thrillers.

Harriet Klausner