The Fourth Corner of the 9th Room [Paperback]

Bradd Hopkins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1999

A diabolical arsonist sets a fire too hot to put out, and he’s on the loose, killing firemen. Hopkins incendiary who-done-it will keep you turning pages to the end. And just when you think you’ve got it figured, the author speed shifts into high gear with a twist that will leave you breathless! Don’t start this book on a weekday!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Born in Jackson, Michigan in 1948, Hopkins lives with his wife Rebecca in Central California where he is fire captain. The Fourth Corner of the 9th Room, is his second novel. Navassa is his first.

In The Fourth Corner of the 9th Room, he draws on nine years of experience as an arson investigator to weave a story of a diabolical arsonist driven by a deeply disturbed past and the investigator who must track the criminal down. He transports the reader almost subliminally into the inner circle of that unique group of men and women who call the fire ground home.

Product Details

• Paperback: 335 pages
• Publisher: Russell Dean & Co; 1st edition (October 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891954229
• ISBN-13: 978-1891954221
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,951,965 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Talented new author, July 20, 2000

By 

Cheryl Kravetz (Palm Beach, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Fourth Corner of the 9th Room (Paperback)

Author Bradd Hopkins has written a compelling story in his book "Fourth Corner of the 9th Room" drawing on his many years of experience as a firefighter and arson investigator. Set in California, it is the story of arson investigator John Randolph Barent and fires so hot they can't be extinguished. Barent is set up to look like the arsonist and must not only find the arsonist before he kills again, but he must prove his own innocence. Hopkins' characters come to life for the reader and his plot is well developed. The author's interest in writing began Christmas 1992 in Tucson, Arizona, when on a rainy night, he, his wife and some friends were sitting around talking, listening to the rain, discussing the ways of the world. It took about five years to write his first book, "Navassa," and he said by doing so he has found his passion. "This is what I want to be doing for the rest of my life," Hopkins said during an interview at Classic Bookshop in Palm Beach. "Firefighting is great. I'm right on the edge of retirement and it's been a very rewarding career. I've had a lot of excitement." Hopkins has spent the past 28 years with the San Luis Obispo, California, Fire Department where he is a fire captain and an environmental emergency training consultant for several major oil and petrochemical companies. Before joining the fire service he served in the United States Army Ordnance Corps, Special Weapons, where he worked with nuclear fusing and firing systems, active material, and guidance system testing, and associated explosives. His responsibilities included decoding defense communications for the Southern European Task Force in Italy. When he first sat down to write "Navassa" he didn't really know what he was doing. But, he soon learned. Drawing on early journalism experience, he knew his grammar was tight, but he said he had no idea the kind of commitment he was about to make with his first book. His second book, "Fourth Corner of the 9th Room" is a thrilling tale about a series of high tech fires set by a diabolical arsonist who is intent on killing firemen. Hopkins expertly sprinkles the plot with twists and turns and even for those who like to read the first chapter and then read the last chapter to see what happens in a hurry, the ending will be a surprise. A relatively new author, Hopkins is still honing his craft. "Fourth Corner" is sprinkled with registered trademark signs next to a brand name, something that can send readers, especially reviewers, into screaming fits. He said he only wanted to give credit where credit is due, but he has learned not to do that again. No more trademark signs. One of the key inspirations for "Fourth Corner" came when several Seattle firefighters perished in a blaze too hot to put out. "That sent a ripple of concern through the entire fire service," Hopkins said. "What if everybody started building fires you can't put out? That was a very diabolical thing in my experience and I wanted to give that tool to my bad guy to make him badder. When I heard about those fires, I knew immediately how it had been done because of my military experience. "The twist in the story comes from a real case," he said. "Of course, I twisted the real case to fit my book." "Fourth Corner of the 9th Room" has an exciting, fast-moving plot that will keep you turning pages well into the night.