Wow! This was such a great book! The characters were well developed and Nancy did a great job of continuing to show personalities that were human and flawed. There were some great twists and turns along the way, and I enjoyed seeing the characters growing in their trust of each other . Well written by the author, who I have come to expect superb writing from! Well worth the read.

I was given a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a good thriller but not Mehl's best. This is also the first novel I've read featuring Kaely Quinn. I found her conjuring up characters to talk to a little disconcerting. I know some of us had imaginary friends in childhood but to have one as an adult is quite odd. I would rather that Quinn talk to the Holy Spirit to obtain information about villains.

I also had some trouble in the end believing the final points of the plot and the people involved. Some of the characters were not who we readers thought them to be and it seemed a bit unrealistic that so many were fooled by them. Also, the very end, well, I felt the set-up was just too unrealistic.

Mehl's character development of Quinn is done well. She is a good FBI agent because of events in her childhood. Her character is a good model of one currently being driven by events from the past. Readers will find other characters with the same motivation. That part of the plot would be good for discussion.

While I don't think this is Mehl's best novel, I do like her writing style and will look for more from her. I may skip any more in the Kaely Quinn series as I personally don't like the character.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

I patiently anticipated the release of this book after reading the first book in the series last year! I was not disappointed and was hooked all over again! Nancy Mehl has created an amazing Character in Kaely Quinn! Yeah, I think the way she profiles is a bit out there but it just makes for an interesting story! 
I'm already wanting to pick up Book #3, Dead End due out in March 2020!!! Woot!!


I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

The second in the Kaely Quinn series. She is a former profiler for the FBI, she grew up in the home of a serial killer and neither her or her brother or mom knew it. She takes time off to go help her brother take care of her mom, who has cancer, in Darkwater, Nebraska. While there she discovers there is a serial arsonist on the loose. With the help of her partner, Noah Hunter and her brother she investigates and in the process must fight for her life. Has a lot of twists and turns to it, full of suspense.

Fire Storm is the second book in a series featuring Kaely Quinn, trained as a profiler, but because of her irregular methods is currently serving as a special agent out of the St. Louis, MO, office of the FBI. Though there are many who question her methods, her supervisor, SAC Solomon Slattery, has grown to appreciate the skill and talent she brings to her work with the FBI.

Though the relationship she has with her mother is not great, Kaely Quinn still wants to make the effort to travel to Darkwater, Nebraska, before her mother’s health deteriorates. She has been granted time off and as the story begins, we find her on the road to her mother’s home.

Stopping at a small diner to eat before going home, Kaely picks up a local paper and is intrigued by the front-page story that describes a series of fires that have hit homes in Darkwater. The local fire chief attributes the fires to misused space heaters. Kaely’s intuition tells her something more sinister is going on.

During the course of the plot, we watch the faith of three characters being challenged as they and the local police and fire departments seek to identify the arsonist that is attacking families in the Darkwater community. Jason, Kaely’s brother and most solidified in his faith is not immune to the pain around him. Kaely’s faith is growing but finds it challenged as she faces her mother and the arsonist. Noah, Kaely’s FBI colleague and partner (and boyfriend?), is the youngest believer in the group and is watching the others as they respond to their faith.

The book will easily find a home in the church or public library. Its intensity matches that of criminal minds and fits naturally after Nancy Mehl’s earlier Mind Games.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Fire Storm, written by Nancy Mehl, is book 2 in the Kaely Quinn Profiler series. If you are already a fan of this series, this book is one that you are going to love! If you haven't started the series yet, Fire Storm, can absolutely be read as a stand alone book, but be warned, you will want to read Mind Games soon after so you can find out about Kaely's interesting past.

The Plot of Fire Storm
Kaely Quinn is an FBI profiler and has never had a great relationship with her mother. So when she receives a phone call from her brother Jason, she is forced to make a hard decision. He tells her that their mom is really sick. She had cancer and had beaten it, but now the cancer is back and has progressed to stage three. She has started an experimental treatment but the doctors have warned there is no guarantee. Jason tells her that he thinks she needs to see her before...well that she just needs to come. He also needs help caring for her because he is exhausted from being the only one and the fact that she refused to go into a facility for help with her care.

So Kaely takes time off from work and travels to Dark Water, Nebraska. She receives a chilly hello from her mother, and her brother is ready to take some time off of caregiving so Kaley finds herself alone to take care of Marcie with all their old baggage still in place. In the local newspaper, Kaely reads about a series of house fires in Darkwater that are being blamed on space heaters that are helping to heat peoples homes in the frigid winter. Kaely finds it hard to believe that these are all "accidents" given the pattern in the locations of the fires. She shares her suspicions with her brother and he introduces her to Sam who is a volunteer fire fighter to get his take on things.

Sam agrees that something suspicious is going on, but warns Kaely that the two people who have the power to invite the FBI in on the investigation will never go for it because of a past issue. So Kaely talks to her partner Noah and he talks to their boss and they find a way to possibly work on this together but not in an official capacity. Noah and Kaely will be working out of the Omaha FBI office on a special assignment in North Platte doing surveillance. That will give both of them time to also work on the arson case in Darkwater.

As Kaely is working on 2 cases now, her brother gets very angry that she keeps taking off to work, when their mother is so sick and he needs family help to keep their mom alive. Kaely can't understand that Jason doesn't see how important this work is with people dying, and soon she will find that her own life may be in danger by getting involved.

A Must Read Mystery
Fire Storm is a thrilling suspense book that keeps you guessing until the very end. New leads turn your assumptions on their head and those characters shift between hero and possible villain. I highly recommend this book and be ready to enjoy a new way of profiling a criminal.

I couldn’t wait to read this book as book one in the series, “Mind Games,” was so thrilling. It didn’t disappoint. Because of the big reveal at the end of book one, there wasn’t as much surprise in this book although her “process” did seem to take an interesting turn. I would have enjoyed seeing her use her unique process a little more in this book.
I enjoyed the growing friendship and trust in Kaely and Noah’s relationship. Because of significant betrayals in her life, it’s hard for Kaely to trust and let people in, even her family members. Kaely gets called home when her mother is sick. She is forced to consider what really matters. I appreciated the effort Kaely made to improve and grow in her relations.
The suspense is great. There is a real sense of urgency as the danger escalates. I didn’t want to stop reading and I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
If you haven’t read “Mind Games, “ I’d encourage you to read that one first. Thank you to Bethany House for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Kaely Quinn Profiler series:

Book 1: Mind Games
Book 2: Fire Storm

5 Stars: 5/5 Stars

Well, I didn't think it was possible for Nancy Mehl's second book in the Kaely Quinn Profiler series to be better than Mind Games, book #1, but it is! I was on the edge of my seat as I read and very anxious to discover the identity of the arsonist and stop him !!! I love Kaely Quinn. I think she and I could be friends if she actually existed outside the pages of this delightful book. Is book #3 ready yet???
I received a copy of this book from netgalley and Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Firestorm is book two in the Kaely Quinn Profiler series written by Nancy Mehl.
Summary: Kaely needs to go to Dark Horse, Nebraska. Her estranged mother is very ill, and it’s time to take care of her family. But once she arrives, a curious string of house fires grabs her attention, and her FBI profiler instincts go on high alert.
Can she figure out the true cause behind the fires, and will she be able to mend her relationship with her mom-even when the past keeps getting in the way?
My Thoughts: I liked this book. I did not read the first book, and I don’t think it was necessary to do so (although, now I want to!)
The author does a wonderful job of building suspense throughout the book, and keeping you guessing as to what’s really going on. The characters are interesting, there are plenty of plot twists, and overall, it is a good book.
If you enjoy law-enforcement/mystery novels, this book will probably be right up your alley.
I would like to thank Bethany House for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you!

From the first time I read about Agent Kaely Quinn in Mind Games, I was fascinated by her character. Mehl has a way of keeping me at the edge of my seat as the mystery unfolds. Not only are we dealing with solving crimes, but Kaely Quinn has enough emotional goings-on of her own to keep me invested and turning the pages. Boy! It took a while for my heart rate to get back to normal at the end of this thoroughly entertaining book.  The pace throughout the whole book is perfect and Mehl gives us just enough clues to keep us guessing. Brilliantly plotted and excellently executed.

I can't wait for the next book in the series. I need to know what happens next!

I anxiously anticipate book 3: Dead End

I got a copy of this book on NetGalley and my opinion is my own.

WOW! This was an explosive read-literally! This book kept me on my toes and guessing at who the culprit would turn out to be in the end. It had plenty of fantastic twists and turns that made it nearly impossible to put down. I love Kaely-she is such a fascinating and unusual character. Her processes are so different and make for exciting reading. I am EAGERLY waiting for book 3 in this set. I can not wait to see where Nancy takes us next in Kaely's adventures.



I received this book from the publisher and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own

3.5 stars

After the utter brilliance of Mind Games (definitely read this first to get to know Kaely), the second book in Nancy Mehl’s Kaely Quinn series had a lot to live up to. And, unfortunately, for me, it fell short.
The first three-quarters of the book are slow going. While I enjoyed getting to see some of Kaely’s family dynamic, that’s not why I pick up a romantic suspense read. Both the romance and the suspense seem to take a back seat in Fire Storm.

Noah is back and it feels like their relationship takes two steps forward, three steps back throughout this book. It’s stilted at times and downright uncomfortable at others. And the search for the arsonist was slow going until the final 20% of the book.

While I didn’t love this one like I did the first (nor did it contain the jaw-dropping surprises), the synopsis for the third book will definitely bring me back to Kaely’s world for the series finale.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

“He waits, hidden in the shadows of the tall stately trees that line the street.”

Opening lines of Fire Storm by Nancy Mehl

At the end of Mind Games, I couldn’t wait to start the next one and Fire Storm doesn’t disappoint! Nancy Mehl is in fine form from the start. Kaely has driven to care for her ill mother with whom her relationship has been strained for years. Her brother, with whom she’s only recently reconnected , is helping with her mom too and their relationship is under pressure with past hurts rising to the surface. To this, a recent spate of home fires is added and Kaely immediately sees its more than just coincidence. She determines she has to help the small town find out what’s really going on.

As a suspense novel, to give more of the story would be to spoil it. Putting it down, once begun, was impossible and I recommend a cuddly German Shepherd is near to hand, the villain of this one is truly chilling. I loved the psychology in it, the twists in the mystery and the supporting characters are well-developed but my favourite part was the interplay between Kaely and her FBI partner Noah. Trust is hard to build and Nancy unpacks this complex topic beautifully with these two.

Forgiveness, guilt and redemption are looked at through the lens of Christianity and it’s elegantly woven into the story. The mystery’s ending is satisfying but once again, I’m eager for the next book in the Kaely Quinn Profiler series! It’s a five out of five on the en-JOY-ment scale and highly recommended!

Mehl has scored again with this great book in the Kaely Quinn Profiler series. The first book Mind Games was on serial killings and this one on a serial arsonist. Kaely Quinn is a very unique character in the way she comes to conclusions in her job as a behavioral analyst with the FBI. She is the daughter of a renowned serial killer and because of this she has changed her name. Kaely is estranged from her family and has recently been in contact with her brother. Now she visits her mother who is dying with cancer and while in this small town of Darkwater finds multiple fires are taking place. This causes Kaely to think perhaps arson is the cause. Noah, her partner is contacted and together they begin to investigate the fires and this causes tension with her brother as he feels like she is neglecting their sick mother. Suspense at it’s best and lots of action in Mehl’s latest thriller…… I am grateful to have received a copy of Fire Storm from Bethany House in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review and received no monetary compensation.

Once again, this Kaely Quinn thriller was hard to put down. I enjoyed getting into the psychological side of an arsonist's thinking and seeing how Kaely tracked this one down. It seemed to drag a bit in some of the hospital scenes to me, and the final scene/wrapup felt rushed, but the book held my attention enough that I didn't wind up skimming it, so that's saying something. I do hope we get more of Kaely's dad's story/wrapup in the final book in this series and see how she learns to integrate her unique talents into a more day-to-day life. Another good addition to an interesting series; one of the few Christian fiction mystery series with recurring characters that holds my attention..

Life is cold in this chiller/thriller by Nancy Mehl. Fire Storm, #2 Kaely Quinn Profiler Series, takes place mostly in a town called Darkwater. It is winter, and as cold as winter can get. Relationships are cold, too. Omaha doesn’t want Noah and Kaely’s help. Kaely herself is having trouble dealing with the chilly relationships between herself and her brother and her cancer-stricken mother.
Conversely, it’s hot in town. Multiple fires lead Kaely and Noah to believe that arson is the cause of Darkwater’s destruction. Jason gets hot under the collar when Kaely puts her job before her family. Kaely feels the heat as the fires increase without a viable suspect. I raced to read this exciting, terrifying novel as quickly as I could. Only the need to function kept me from pulling an all-nighter to discover who really was behind the evil visiting the town. Mehl manages to tie up loose ends realistically and bring things to a satisfying conclusion...until she masterfully inserts a dangling issue that may create a cliffhanger for books to come. Faith, fear, trust, unbelievable tension, and the mind of a madman combine to make this a thriller you won’t want to put down.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This in no way affected my opinions, which are solely my own.

Kaely is taking some time off to help her brother Jason care for their mother. When arriving in the little town of Darkwater she learns that the town is being terrorized by a serial arsonist. The local police doesn’t believe in this story and will not accept the help of the FBI. Kaely is looking into the case on her own time and when her partner Noah is coming to help her, she’s sure they will get to the bottom of the fires. Soon it’s not only houses burning down but Kaely’s life is threatened. Once again Noah has to stand by and see her endanger her life. But this time he won’t be quiet about it and Kaely has to make a decision which could cost her her new partner.
I loved the book. Kaely’s character is very complex and there is still so much to learn about her. I really hope that Noah is up for the challenge Kaely presented him with. Looking forward to find out where the story goes from here. Highly recommended.

FBI Agent Kaely Quinn prefers the title of Behavioral Analyst over Profiler. She is an expert at reading people and has a very unique method for piecing together data to identify UNSUBs. Kaely's partner, Noah Hunter, accepts her unorthodox methods, but not her propensity for putting her work before anything, including her own safety.

In Fire Storm, the second book in Mehl's Kaely Quinn Profiler series, Kaely picks up a newspaper as she draws close to her destination of Darkwater, Nebraska immediately recognizing the possible presence of a serial arsonist in the small town where her mother lives. Although she has come to relieve her brother in care-giving for their mother, Kaely ends up embroiled in not one but two cases as Noah joins her to offer his assistance. Fragile family relationships are stretched as is her relationship with Noah as Kaely once again throws her whole being into finding the bad guys.

Fans of suspense and psychological thrillers will be pleased with Mehl's latest offering. I am grateful to have received a copy of Fire Storm from Bethany House in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review and received no monetary compensation.

I met Kaley in the previous book in this series, and what a smart, caring woman she is, and you can’t imagine all that she has dealt with in her life. This book does not disappoint, and we get a deeper look into what makes her tick, and wonder how she does what she does.
If you like non-stop action this book is constantly making you duck your head, and you will be guessing as to who the culprit is, right to the end, and boy was I fooled.
I love the way the author’s mind works and she keeps me page turning, with my mind trying to guess the outcome, but never quite guessing the total picture.
I am not so patiently waiting for another book in this series!

I received this book through Net Galley and Bethany House Publishers, and was not required to give a positive review.

OOOOOH This series is G O O D!!! If you want to read my review of Book 1, Mind Games, you can find it here. It covers a lot of the points that I also cover in this one, such as the villain POV, the profiling, and minimal romance, which I all enjoyed.

While I don't think I enjoyed this one quite as much as the first one, this one was similar enough that a few pages in, I remembered what happened. The plot twist that happened in this book wasn't as dramatic as the one in the first, since it was almost alluded to in the main part of the story. However, the smaller twists in the story were SO GOOD: I was on a voice call with my friends while reading and I may or may not have SQUEALED when I got to it. It was GOOD.

The romance and family themes were slightly stronger in this book than the previous one, but it wasn't enough that it really took away from the story. The main focus on the book was Kaley and the arsonist (and Noah, of course), and I realllly liked that!

It did feel like the story kind of wrapped up too quickly: I wasn't too huge of a fan of that, but it sufficed. Overall, I wasn't quite a fan of this book as much as I was of book 1, but I still really enjoyed it and will be looking forwards to book 3!

My Rating-
4/5

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review; I was not required to write a positive review.

This review first appeared on: https://losingthebusyness.wordpress.com/2019/08/07/book-review-fire-storm-by-nancy-mehl