Book Review: Fire Storm by Nancy Mehl

I’m putting out two reviews this week, playing catch-up.

Kaely and Noah Hunter are back in Nancy Mehl’s second release in the Kaely Quinn Profiler series, Fire Storm. If you read my review of the first in the series, Mind Games, you know how much I loved that book.

In Fire Storm, FBI agent and profiler Kaely Quinn is called by her brother to her mother’s home in Darkwater, Kansas to help care for the cancer-ridden parent. It’s a task she prefers not to take on as the relationship between mother and daughter is strained. It doesn’t help that the town is plagued by a series of fires that Kaely believes are arson and not the accidents they’re being labeled.

When Kaely begins to unofficially investigate the fires, she calls upon her partner, Noah, to join her in Darkwater. Involuntarily lost without her and bored with his current assignment, he jumps at the chance.

I didn’t find Kaely quite as intriguing in this one as I found her in Mind Games, though Georgie is still a critical factor. 🙂 Though I understand why, to me, she didn’t project that lone-wolf quality that made her fascinating in the first story. Also, in response to her mother, she came off as self-absorbed. Noah described her as selfish. I agree, but I also understand she’s unusually flawed.

That said, we get a better peek into her family life and into Noah’s reluctant interest. Also, the whirlwind of suspects makes guessing the identity of the bad guy like playing a game of whack-a-mole. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, another suspect pops up.

I’m giving Fire Storm 4.5 stars. It’s not as good as the first book but worth the read, especially for those who like their suspense light on the spiritual element and with a mere hint of romance.

Warning: This series should be read in order!