City of Fire

[Lesa Holstine]

Robert Ellis' latest thriller packs a powerful punch. Don't read City of Fire late at night, particularly if you're in the house alone.

LAPD Detective Lena Gamble is 29, and alone in the world. Her brother, David, had been murdered five years earlier. Lena has the time and willingness to work on the latest horrific crime investigation. She and Hank Novak, her partner on the Homicide Special Squad, are the officers responsible for the investigation into the murder of a woman found in her bed. Although all clues point to the husband, Lena soon realizes there might be a link to a previous murder. As she starts to make the connections, she realizes they're looking for a serial killer, a man soon dubbed "Romeo."

As fire season starts in LA, the Santa Ana winds fan the flames, just as Ellis builds the book's tension up so much it's almost unbearable. Lena realizes she's not only looking for a serial killer, but at the same time, she's looking for her brother's killer. And, someone in the police department wants to shut down that case, and label it solved. She no longer knows who to trust, and she doesn't want to become another victim.

Pack this book for summer vacation because you won't want to put it down. But don't read City of Fire late at night.

Robert Ellis' website is www.robertellis.net

City of Fire by Robert Ellis. St. Martin's Minotaur, ©2007. ISBN 978-0312366131 (hardcover), 368p.