Falls Like Lightning [Paperback]

Shawn Grady (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2011

When hotshot smoke jumper Silas Kent gets his own fire crew, he thinks he's achieved what he's always wanted. But a lightning-sparked fire in the Desolation Wilderness of the Sierra Nevadas has his team in a plane before they can even train together.

Pilot Elle Westmore has been called up to drop the crew into the heart of the forest infernos. A single mother of a mysteriously ill six-year-old, she can't imagine her life getting any more complicated.

It doesn't take long for things to go very wrong, very quickly. A suspicious engine explosion forces Elle to make an emergency landing. Silas is able to parachute to safety but soon discovers his crew can't be trusted. They're hiding something, and now Silas is on a race to save himself and Elle from the flames--and from a more dangerous threat: his own team.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Shawn Grady has served for more than a decade as a firefighter and paramedic in Reno, Nevada, where he lives with his wife and three children. He was named "Most Promising Writer" at the 2008 Mount Hermon Writers Conference and is the author of Through the Fire and Tomorrow We Die.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers; Reprinted edition (July 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764205978
• ISBN-13: 978-0764205972
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #727,129 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Shawn Grady signed with Bethany House Publishers in 2008. He was named "Most Promising New Writer" at the 39th Annual Mount Hermon Writers Conference.

Shawn has served for over a decade as a firefighter and paramedic in northern Nevada. The line of duty has carried him to a variety of locale, from high-rise fires in the city to the burning heavy timber of the eastern Sierras.

Shawn currently lives in Reno, Nevada. He enjoys spending time in the outdoors with his wife, three children and yellow Labrador.

Visit Shawn's website at www.shawngradybooks.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dive into this one, July 21, 2011

By 

Michael A. Berrier (Carlsbad, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Falls Like Lightning (Paperback)

Shawn Grady is a talented writer who's hitting his stride with Falls Like Lightning. Here he combines an exciting story with a setting in the Desolation Wilderness that's compelling for anyone who loves the outdoors. Add in his personal experience as a firefighter to inform the development of the smokejumper who's the main character and you have a story that's great fun to read about believable and multi-dimensional characters in extreme peril. I hated putting this book down and enjoyed every line.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Feel the flames and heat in this action adventure!, July 19, 2011

By 

Pirate2240 "Kat" (Victorville, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Falls Like Lightning (Paperback)

If you're a fan of fire-fighters, smoke jumpers or pilots who run the risk of helping either fight fires in the forests, then Falls Like Lightning is for you. Two separate stories collide as Elle fights her demons from the past when she is called to be a pilot for the latest fires in Lake Tahoe. More experienced than anyone else over the terrain, she accepts the job. Little does she know it will involve flying over the same area where her father's plane crashed and was never found.

Silas Kent doesn't realize that Elle is about to become his pilot for the latest fire-fighting he's been called up to deal with. Dealing with a past relationship that didn't end well for her, he feels pulled in making amends with her why he left so many years ago. What he doesn't plan on is that she has a daughter who is very ill and seeking a diagnosis to help determine the cause for her seizures.

In the midst of these fires, a band of fire-fighters has come across the Independence Gold, that will make all of them rich beyond their wildest dreams and they have been called into the area where the mine is located to fight the fire. Only the two people on board they weren't counting on were Elle and Silas.

I received this book compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and LOVED it. I could actually feel the heat from the fires surrounding them and the raging smoke filling the air. I felt the author has such an eye for details that make this story every bit as believable as if you were watching the latest on the news instead of reading a great fictional story. This one rates a scorching 5 out of 5 stars. This is my second book by Shawn Grady and loved this one as much as the first.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 WHERE THERE IS SMOKE AND FIRE THERE IS LOVE! FALLS LIKE LIGHTNING BY SHAWN GRADY..., October 9, 2011

By 

April A. Renn "aarenn(AprilR)" (Henderson, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Falls Like Lightning (Paperback)

FALLS LIKE LIGHTNING by Shawn Grady is an exciting inspirational suspense set in Desolation Wilderness,in the Sierra Nevadas.It has smoke,fire,faith,smokejumpers,pilots,suspense, mystery,secrets,loss,deceit, murder,plane crashes,hidden gold,loss,betrayal, a bit of romance and a plane full of drama. This is the story of Smokejumper Silas Kent and pilot Elle Westmore making amends for the past,a raging forest fire,a betrayal,and their desire for survival. While both Silas Kent and Elle must come to grips with their past,they also must resolve to their losses. With a strong hero,heroine and a believable plot this is a must read. "Falls Like Lightning" will have you turning pages from beginning to end as these characters build a fire full of drama,smoke and love. Readers of suspense,inspirational,mystery, romance will enjoy "Falls Like Lightning". This is my first read by this author but will not be my last. Readers who enjoyed Colleen Coble's Smoke Jumpers (Fire Dancer) will enjoy Shawn Grady's "Falls Like Lightning also. A great read that has a few twists and turns as well as strong characters. Received for review from the publisher. Details can be found at Bethany House and My Book Addiction Reviews.