Cover Image: Fire Storm

Fire Storm

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

When FBI profiler Kaely Quinn's mother is diagnosed with cancer, Kaely takes time off work to go to Dark Water, Nebraska, to help her brother care for their mother. Upon her arrival, she learns of a series of fires in the small town, attributed by the fire chief to misuse of space heaters in the frigid winter. But Kaely is skeptical, and a search for a pattern in the locations of the fires bolsters her suspicions.

After yet another blaze devastates a local family, Kaely is certain a serial arsonist is on the loose. Calling upon her partner from St. Louis, Noah Hunter, and her brother's firefighter neighbor who backs Kaely's suspicions, Kaely and her team begin an investigation that swiftly leads them down a twisted path. When the truth is finally revealed, Kaely finds herself confronting a madman who is determined his last heinous act will be her death.

This is the second book in the Kealy Quinn series. It's not necessary to read the first book in the series. But it would be helpful as the characters backgrounds are explained more.

Kaely is still trying to overcome what her father did years ago. The only way she know how to do that is be a bull dog for justice no matter the cost. In this book Kaely has taken a few days off from the FBI to visit her mother who has cancer. While there she stumbles upon a serial arsonist.

I recommend this book to every one who likes a great mystery.

I was given this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

Was this review helpful?

This book is every bit high octane as the first book in Mehl's Kaely Quinn Profiler series. With many suspects, twists and turns, it's hard to guess whodunnit! We get to see further inside Kaely's unique mind and more hints of romance between her and Noah.

If you're looking for a book to devour, this one is it!

* I recommend reading book 1 first. The murders are tied up with each story but the introduction to Kaely and some of the personal story overlaps and builds.

*I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Was this review helpful?

Wow! Let me just say that again. WOW!



After reading the first book, Mind Games, in the Kaely Quinn Profiler series I figured it would be hard to compete with such an amazing book. But scooch over Mind Games, I need to make room on my favorite's shelf for Fire Storm right beside ya!



First of all, you need to read them both. So don't just pick up Fire Storm and start reading. It would probably work all right as a stand alone book, but trust me, you do not want that. You should start from the beginning so you can fully get to know Kaely Quinn. She's such a deep character and there's some back history that you don't want to miss.



In Fire Storm Kaely heads to see her mom who's health is failing fast. While there she finds herself on the case of a serial arsonist. When her mother's house burns, Kaely realizes that the arsonist has her in his sights. Can she figure out who it is before it is too late and will it cost her the relationships that she has been trying to salvage?



You kind of know as you're reading the story how it's going to turn out. At least the "who done it" was pretty clear for me, but there were so many twists and turns and fast pace suspense that had me on edge until the very end. This is the perfect example of the kind of book I love. I didn't want to put it down and a matter of fact, I didn't. An all nighter was pulled just so I could finish.



I cannot wait until the third book in this series is released. There's no doubt in my mind that it will be as excellent as the first two!



***Thank you to Bethany House for providing me a copy of this book. I was not required to give a review and all opinions stated are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Kaely Quinn, behavioral analyst for the FBI, answers her brother’s plea to take time off from work and help out with their mother. Kaely and her mother don’t have a good relationship, but Jason made it sound like their mom might not survive this round of cancer. As a Christian, Kaely knows she needs to reconcile their relationship. But after almost losing her life earlier in the year, she doesn’t know if she has the emotional energy to do the hard work.

When she arrives in Darkwater, Nebraska, her mom seems worse off than she expected—and her brother near the brink of exhaustion from his caregiving duties. When Kaely glances at the local newspaper, she’s convinced a serial arsonist has come to town. She’s suddenly torn between stopping evil, reconciling with her mom, and Jason’s need for shared caregiving duties.

Special Agent Noah Hunter worries about Kaely, his sometimes partner in the St. Louis field office. He’s not looking for a relationship—he still hasn’t recovered from the death of his first love, but Kaely has become a good friend. He offers to take some time off and hang out with her in Darkwater as soon as his current case closes.

Instead, his boss gives him a temporary assignment out of Omaha and calls Kaely back from vacation to assist Noah. The unusual assignment gives them time to pursue the serial arsonist while assisting in the takedown of a drug cartel.

Only it appears that the serial arsonist has started to pursue Kaely. Who can Noah and Kaely trust in a town full of secrets and will they make a fatal mistake in who they choose.

This second book in the Kaely Quinn Profiler series will keep you riveted to your chair. You don’t have to read the first book in the series (although, why not?) in order to enjoy this title. I love how Mehl delves deep into characters, their emotions, and motivations. Kaely, a Christian, struggles to do what she knows God wants her to do. Noah, a skeptic, realizes Kaely’s relationship with Jesus has made him question his rejection of God.

Was this review helpful?

An intense, thrilling suspense novel by Nancy Mehl. Fire Storm can be read as a stand alone novel, but readers who want to understand more about Kaely Quinn’s background will definitely want to read book one in the series, Fire Storm, first. The romance thread in this book is very light, and the storyline focuses primarily on Kaely’s job as a profiler and finding out who is the serial arsonist. The clues dropped throughout the novel all make sense once the arsonist’s true identity is revealed. An enjoyable read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

Was this review helpful?

Come along with a FBI profiler as she begins her second book in a series trying to pin down a serial arsonist. Kaely Quinn goes to Nebraska to help her brother care for her mother who has cancer and finds herself incredibly suspicious of a series of fires happening in the area, supposedly due to space heaters. Kaely knows better. She and her partner Noah must find the arsonist begore he escalates.

This reads somewhat like an episode of Criminal Minds; however, I missed book 1 in the series and found myself struggling a bit with this because it seemed I was missing a lot of back story. I also just couldn't connect with this character. I do own the first book so maybe I can connect better when I read it.

*My thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book via Net Galley. The opinion stated here is entirely my own.

Was this review helpful?

Book 2 in a series, Fire Storm continues the story of Kaely Quinn, profiler for the FBI. In book 2, Kaely returns to her mother's home to help her brother, Jason, care for her mother who is fighting cancer. As she arrives in her mother's hometown, she reads about recent fires in the community. Kaely and her FBI partner Noah start investigating the fires. Intense, suspenseful, edge-of-your-seat adventure as Kaely and Noah fight against time to discover the arsonist before he destroys more homes and kills more innocent people. Great book!

Was this review helpful?

“Monsters may not deserve compassion,” Kaely said softly. “But everyone gets forgiveness from God if they want it.”

“The end game is to kill him.”

“‘Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the candlestick. Jack jump high, Jack jump low, Jack jumped over and burned his toe.’”

First off, I really enjoyed Kaely’s first book, Mind Games, by Nancy Mehl. Even though I easily guessed the killer in that one, I thought the writing was really good, the action intense, and just a really good thriller. Unfortunately, Fire Storm didn’t match that same intensity. Maybe because serial killers are more interesting than serial arsonists!

While there were some good moments that held promise (i.e Kaely and Noah teamed up again, the creepy Jack Be Nimble poem sent after the fires, and some family dynamics), I felt it was slow paced and ultimately a letdown. Even Noah’s presence in this book was disappointing. I thought the beginning 20% or so held promise, followed by a slow 60%, and a final 20% of couldn’t put the book down. The ending was kinda satisfying, though I’m sure I could poke some holes in it if I really wanted to. I did appreciate the Christian aspects.

Such a shame this was a letdown for me considering I thought this was going to be one of those series that was must-read and would keep getting better and better. I’m sure I’ll read Book 3 in hopes that Mehl can deliver a more complete thriller and not one with just small storms of fiery intensity.

* I received this book free from Netgalley and publisher Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

Check out more of my reviews on my blog!
https://wadeurspider01.wixsite.com/website

Was this review helpful?

Kaely Quinn is one of the most unique and interesting characters I've ever read about. In Fire Storm we get to know her and her family better when she returns to Nebraska to care for her sick mother. When there's a string of suspicious fires around town, Kaely questions whether they're accidents like the officials have ruled or if there's something more sinister going on.

I'm not gonna lie, the first book in this series was spectacular, one of the most suspenseful books ever. To say my expectations were high for this one would be an understatement. Was it as good as Mind Games? Not quite. Occasionally, things felt robotic and stilted, and the ending was abrupt, feeling a bit rushed. But in no way does that mean this was a bad read. I did, mostly, enjoy it. It was nice getting to see more of Kaely's family. I felt like I was beginning to understand her better. And the mystery was good, keeping me invested and trying to figure it out alongside Kaely. I finished it in two days which is fairly quick for me.

Despite the few issues I had with this book, I still plan to continue the series. I want to know what happens to these characters. Plus, I just read the synopsis for the third book and oh my! Sounds like it's gonna be a doozy!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

Fire Storm is the sequel to Mind Games, and if you haven’t read this, I highly recommend it. Best not to read this series out of order. I loved Mind Games as hoped Fire Storm would deliver the same high action suspense. I was not disappointed in the least!

Fire Storm starts off with Kaley heading to Nebraska to help take care of her ailing mother. Of course, all of her family drama weighs on her, and she immediately becomes involved in an off-book investigation. A serial arsonist is on the loose and Kaley begins to work up his profile.

Fire Storm delves deeper into Kaley’s character, and readers see her internal struggles with her relationships, especially with her mom but also Noah. How can she trust anyone after her tumultuous past? Kaley struggles with how overly-dedicated she is to her profession, at the risk of hurting others in her life.

This fabulous suspense tale that takes you into the mind of an arsonist as Kaley works to hunt down the villain. If you love intricate story lines with surprising twists and turns, be sure to pre-order your copy of Fire Storm (release date is 8/6). If you haven’t read Mind Games, definitely start with this - it’s one of my all-time favorites and if you are a fan of suspense, both novels will give you a thrilling, action-packed story that leaves you desperate for the next installment.

I received an ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Author Nancy Mehl's second book in the Kaely Quinn series, "Fire Storm," will not disappoint fans of the series focusing on the work of an FBI behavioral analyst. Full of edge-of-the-seat suspense, rich, realistic characters, and interesting plot twists, the book proves to be a great weekend read. After her brother calls her to their mom's hometown to help care for their ill mother, Kaely Quinn finds herself curious about the number of suspicious fires that have been set around the small town. She quickly finds herself in the middle of a mystery, trying to balance time with her ailing mother while hunting down a potential serial arsonist. While fans of Kaely Quinn will find a few answers to their questions about her, they'll have to hang on for the next installment, because other questions are left unanswered. It's a satisfying ending, though you'll be left disappointed that you have to wait months for the next book to find some answers. . . like, what about her "imaginary" friend Georgie? And what happens with Noah? We'll just have to wait and see! But I'm sure Mehl's next offerings in the Kaely Quinn series will be just as exciting as the last two have been. Now we just have to hang on and wait.

Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for this honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Over time, I have had the chance to ready many books by Nancy in the past and decided it was time to try out another story by her. This being book 2, I didn't realize that this is merely a continuation of her life and job with the FBI.

She returns home to be with her mom and brother, but to be honest, more of the story was focused on the arsonist that was in the town of Darkwater. Just the name of the town was ominous.

Because I had not read the first story in this series I was unaware of the event that had happened prior, assuming it was discussed there. It sounds like Kaely has growing issues that she hasn't hashed out herself, and each book builds upon that. It does make me wonder how many stories will be in the series, Kaely Quinn profiler.

There was one sentence in this entire book where it left me with a "huh?" On my kindle, it was chapter 48 and it was (to not do a spoiler here) when they came into contact with the arsonist. The sentence that had me befuddled was "Tell me had planned to give me what was due me." I still can't quite understand that sentence, whether a word was left out or something.

Anyway, because I had not read the previous story I couldn't understand Noah's presence in the story. In addition, why add the part of them in Omaha on a case, it didn't add anything to the base story.

That said, I did enjoy the build up of the drama and the end uncovering as to what was going on. There was a twist at the end that I wasn't expecting, so that in itself was a surprising bit.

All in all, I enjoyed the story and just wish that the end of the book didn't end on the last chapter as it did. But... I guess it was the way of segwaying into Book Three.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Was this review helpful?

3.5 stars for this suspense novel by Nancy Mehl. This is book 2 in the Kaely Quinn Profiler series. This book stands alone and reading book 1 is not necessary (nor is book 1 spoiled at all in this book, other than eliminating a suspect), but I would recommend it to get the full story behind the family dynamics in this one. In book 1, we learn that Kaely is the daughter of a renowned serial killer. She has changed her name and become a behavioral analyst with the FBI so that she can catch monsters like her father and lock them away. In book 1, someone was out to make her pay for her father's sins. Here in book 2, we see a bit more of the broken family her father left in his wake. Kaely's mother is sick and her brother has been taking care of things, but he finally calls on Kaely because he needs help. Upon arrival, Kaely gets swept into a suspicious string of arsons, and can't help but try to solve the case.

This book had a good story-line, an intense villain, family drama, and even a little bit of a hint of romance. My reason for not giving it 4 or 5 stars was that some of the conversations were stilted and some of the writing felt a bit "choppy" to me. Not drastic, but it just didn't flow as well as some other books I've enjoyed. Also, there were a lot of people downplaying what I thought as a perfectly plausible theory and calling it insane. And there was a lot of repetition of that particular conversation. But, in spite of that, it was an overall good book. There was also an underlying theme of letting go and forgiveness. I would recommend to those who enjoy inspirational suspense and mystery.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Bethany House publishers for an advanced E-copy of this book. I was not required to write a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Wow this book was intense! I got my heart racing many times. Once I picked it up I did not want to put it down. It was so fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat.
I loved the first book in this series and could not wait to read the second. It did not disappoint! It was just as good as the first one and I'm excited for the third.
Nancy Mehl is an amazing writer. Her stories are always well written and very suspenseful. The romance and the faith aspects weave in with the suspence very well and nothing ever seems to overpower anything else.
I highly recommend this book and series to anyone who enjoys Christian Romantic Suspense.

Was this review helpful?

I love Nancy Mehl’s suspense stories and the FBI agents that populate them. This is another story about Kaely Quinn. She takes time off to go care for her sick mother and immediately notices a patter to recent fires in the small town where her mother lives. Her partner, Noah Hunter, decides to take some time off and come help her since he is feeling lost without her. The more they look into the fires, the more suspicions they have and the more dangerous it become for them to pursue the answer to the mystery. This story has a lot of twists and leaves you guessing till the end . I read this story non-stop because I had to know the ending and I refuse to cheat and look at the back first.

I received a Kindle copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I loved the first book and was blown away by the second book! Wow, this was an amazing book with exceptional plotting done to build the suspense and twist the reader through this mystery. I was literally guessing out loud trying to figure out who was behind the fires and why. Then we see why, and the ahh moment blends the ties of the story together.

Overall, this book was the epic suspense I needed for a weekend read. There wasn't a moment I wasn't thinking about this book and the plot line, then I thought about it after finishing it. It will keep you up to the last page and guessing to the last line.

Was this review helpful?

Nancy Mehl has been a hit-or-miss author for me, but I fell in love with Mind Games, the first book in her newest series, Kaely Quinn Profiler. So, of course, I was thrilled to get an advanced copy of the second book in the series.

Unfortunately, in many respects, Fire Storm didn't hold up to the stellar quality of story that its predecessor did.

Fire Storm focuses a lot more on Kaely and her family than the suspense\mystery aspect of the story. And while I liked that fact at times, I wish the suspense had played a larger role in this book, as it did in Mind Games. That being said, there was still a goodly amount of suspense, just not as much as I expected. Also, considering the amount of air time the storyline with Kaely and her family got, the resolution was quite disappointing in that regard, as not much was resolved.

The romance between Kaely and Noah picked up a bit more in this book, although it still played a very backseat role, which I very much liked. This is not your typical romantic suspense novel. Still, I was hoping for some resolution between these characters by the time the story ended, but that didn't really happen either.

Mehl did a great job building up the storyline to and through the climax, but after the climax, we had less than 10% of the book to wrap the story up, which was nowhere near enough. If more time and care had been taken to ensure that all of the many storylines Mehl had running were wrapped up, my rating would have been 4 or 5 stars, but because I was left feeling so disappointed by the end, I had to lower my rating to 3. I understand that this is a series and there must be some storylines left open to continue on in book 3, but everything was left too open, in my opinion.

One other aspect I was disappointed with: the spiritual themes. Mehl brings up some very intriguing, and even somewhat controversial themes in book one, so I was excited to see what she would do with those themes in book two. Unfortunately, nothing much was done in that regard. I would have loved to see the author attribute these themes to spiritual warfare, but instead, they were never really addressed. There is still room to do that in book three, I suppose, so I'm still hoping that will happen.

All in all, this story is a very fascinating story, it just ended poorly, in my opinion. I still look forward to continuing Kaely's story in book three. I don't mean to bash this story, as there are still a lot of elements I appreciated in it. This review is simply my opinions, so take them with a grain of salt and check out Fire Storm for yourself! :)

Was this review helpful?

I absolutely loved this book! I really enjoyed the first book in the series, and this one didn't fail to disappoint, either. I ended up reading this book in two days because I couldn't put it down! Nancy Mehl had me engrossed from the first page to the last!

This is the second book in the Kaely Quinn Profiler series. Kaely is a profiler with the FBI. She has had a rough childhood and carries a lot of baggage with her. However, some of this baggage really helps her solve some tough crimes. In this book, she travels to a small town called Darkwater to spend some time with her mother and brother. While there, she encounters someone who is setting a lot of house fires. So, of course, Kaely gets involved in solving this crime! There is a lot of twists and turns along the way. And there is a big twist at the end. I hope Nancy Mehl continues to write more books in this series. Nancy Mehl continues to be one of my favorite romantic suspense authors! I highly recommend all her books!

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

Another nail biter! This book will keep you engaged until the very end. I did read the first book in this series and I do think it’s necessary to fully understand what’s going on within the circles and relationships of Kaeley, the main character’s life. The back story matters. I do hope the author continues to write more in this series!

Was this review helpful?

FIRE STORM by NANCY MEHL is an exciting thriller with a strong Christian message about forgiveness, trust, families and relationships.
In the story we come across many of the characters that we met in Mind Games, plus others who live in the small town of Darkwater, where Kaely is helping her brother look after her mother. Will this time in Darkwater be a time of reconciliation between her and Marcie, or will their strained relationship never be resolved?
With the onslaught of fires in the town, and several people losing their lives, Kaely soon gets involved, with her partner Noah, in trying to solve the case before anyone else dies.There are several possibilities as to who the villain is, and we are kept guessing while Kaely uses her rather unusual profiler skills to try and uncover the arsonist.
I can really recommend the book as an exciting and enjoyable read.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Was this review helpful?