Out of the Flames

Rebecka Vigus
Lulu Publishing (2006)
ISBN 9781430309116
Reviewed by Tammy Petty Conrad for Reader Views (9/06)

If you complain about not having time to read, pick up this book. It flies! What starts out as string of arson fires, develops into a complex operation on both sides of the law. Jake Robbins, an investigator for the Fire Department, teams up with Detective Rachel Adams to solve the crime. The story really becomes interesting when a young child is found in a hidden room in one of the burned out buildings. She holds the key to discovering the arsonist’s identity. Can her rescuers keep her safe till they discover what she knows?

I enjoyed being a fly on the wall during the investigation as it became more involved and the ingenuity of the perpetrator became evident. And I bonded with Milt, the desk cop who was a whiz on the computer, but not exactly the bravest cop I’ve come across. I appreciated that his confidence grew as he contributed to the outcome of the operation.

“Out of the Flames” has a straightforward style. The chapters alternated between one on the developing story with our two leads and another covering the arsonist’s activity. It was creepy reading about him watching out the window as one building burned and an ambulance arrived.

The realistic characters moved the story forward. There was the grandfather who had lost his wife but was still able to care for his grandchild, Lupe. And many officers, good and bad, including the chiefs of both departments. But I was surprised that a romantic connection was made so quickly between the lead characters given the short time they worked together.

People who enjoy mysteries will read this, but they may question some things like why a six-year-old with a broken leg isn’t confined to her bed or struggling with crutches. Or why the officers guarding the safe house, didn’t notice that the inhabitants were gone for several days. Sometimes it seemed the story was too simplistic or rather there weren’t enough complications in the investigation. Everything was wrapped up in one chapter, half a page long. I wanted more of a struggle in “Out of the Flames,” probably because the story hooked me and I wanted to keep reading.

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