Into the Fire

Sara Mills writes a 40’s mystery matching a female Private Investigator with an Irish-Italian FBI Agent, both of whose mothers try to get them married off at every possible opportunity.

Alexandra Fortune, who insists people call her Allie rather than Miss Fortune for obvious reasons, begins this story with a sweltering sleepless night in August resulting in her 12 block walk back to her office from her apartment in the middle of the night in New York City, circa 1947. There’s an unopened file on her desk which has beckoned her to open it since she received it in the mail, and she both hopes and fears it holds the information she seeks.

A sharp, repeated knock on the glass of her door turns out to be a fearful woman who wants to hire her because she says she’s being followed, claiming someone is trying to kill her. Judging from the woman’s appearance, Allie is sure the woman can’t afford her fee but listens to her tale anyway. After giving her the three rules, the woman pulls off her belt and plucks a hundred dollar bill from inside the seam. She gives Allie three days to find out who is after her.

Allie’s high society mother is appalled at her daughter’s choice of occupations and when she makes it apparent at their weekly Wednesday dinner that Alexandra is to attend one of her formal fund raisers, Allie meets FBI Agent Jack O’Connor. Before long they discover they’re working on the same case for different reasons and combine forces to solve what becomes a dangerous recovery of ancient jewels. Allie makes a deal with the FBI for one thing: she needs to know if someone from her past is alive or dead.

Sara Mills captures the noir aspects of private investigation with just the right nuances from a female’s point of view in a man’s occupation during this era. Allie knows her nickname by the local law enforcement is P.I. Princess but she is immune to name-calling, confident enough to hold her own in assessing situations and people. This particular case stretches her limits, though, and there are times when she is grateful for her new partner’s strengths and knowledge.

Woven throughout this story are flashbacks to Allie’s youthful experiences with one person whose star-crossed relationship with her has never been placed in the “closed” file. Her life changed because of him and there are loose ends and heartbreak tied to him. When she discovers that the information she desires—if she can get it—is only partially going to satisfy her, she realizes the real source of her life’s hope and direction.

I bought this debut novel to support Sara Mills when her husband passed away a very young man, leaving her a widow with three young children. If I hadn’t, quite frankly, I would’ve missed a treasure of a story in the beginning of at least a two book series because, yes, you guessed the reasons: it’s somewhat historical and it’s quite short. This is a well-written and entertaining story, a suspenseful mystery perfectly set after the war ended in the late 40s with memories dating back ten years.

In yesterday’s post regarding romance I emphasized that not all writers can handle romance. This story isn’t focused on romance, but at the heart of it is a moving love story. For me, there were moments of tears as Sara perfected the intensity of youthful irrationality, attraction, and tragic love. What little true romance there is? Done exceptionally well. Perhaps because of Sara’s personal loss after the publication of this book, Miss Fortune wrenched my soul even deeper. The ending to this story couldn’t have been better. On to the second novel by this talented writer: Miss Match.

Father, all I can ask is that you strengthen Sara Mills, encourage her, and continue to comfort her in her tremendous loss. Sorrow requires so much of us, and without your strength, it’s impossible to get through it. Please bless this lovely writer in all areas of her life and keep her safe from all harm. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.