Into the Fire

Fire Storm is Book 2 of the Kaely Quinn Profiler series by Nancy Mehl. 

In the latter part of Book 1 Mind Games, Kaely Quinn (aka Jessica Oliphant) experiences a positive reunion with her estranged brother Jason. Being the wife, daughter, and son of a serial killer broke up their family with their mother becoming distant after moving the three of them away from their home because of the community's reaction to them. The question that followed Kaely through the years: "How could they not have known what their husband/father was and had been doing?" The nightmares she experienced over the years were laid bare in her final near-death experience at the end of that story. 

In Fire Storm Kaely's filled with anxiety after receiving a distress call from her brother regarding the serious illness of their mother (Marcie). On her way driving to her mother's house from St. Louis to Darkwater, a small town in Nebraska, she's consumed with dread since her estrangement from her mother has never been mended.

When Kaely arrives, things are just as she imagined between her and her mother, and her plans not to stay at the house are thwarted when Jason explains he needs a bit of a break from the constant care he's been giving their mom. With no encouragement from her mom, she's not looking forward to her stay at the house. And it appears her mom feels the same about her visit.

Kaely discovers there have been a series of fires in Darkwater not attributed to arson, but her analytical mind immediately spots a pattern and gets pulled into the scenario. However, her FBI creds hold no authority or jurisdiction in Darkwater, and it isn't until a volunteer firefighter neighbor of her mom's shares her concerns that she is able to speak to the local fire chief. 

Through the emotional rollercoaster of Kaely's family dynamic accelerated by the addition of her partner Noah Hunter and an assignment to assist in a drug cartel case 100 miles away, Kaely is forced to assess how much her job defines her. 

Returning to Darkwater, credible evidence, danger, and revelation regarding the fires result in another life and death situation for Kaely while Noah is sidelined. 

Nancy Mehl has written another compelling mystery with plenty of suspects and twists. There's unexpected conflict at the conclusion between Noah and Kaely, setting the stage for Book 3 Dead End coming in March of 2020.

Father, please provide all that Nancy needs to write the stories you have just for her to tell. Encourage and uplift her as she does what you have for her to do. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.