Inferno [Paperback]

Trish Shields (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2003

Dray Khalkousa, a Chicago firefighter from a local fire hall, finds more than she bargained for when she meets a homeless woman, Abby Dean. An ardent affair soon deepens into a soul connection that neither woman can explain. As the layers of Dray's tormented heart are slowly peeled away, Abby realizes that she's not the only one who needs saving.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Trish Shields is the parent of three children - two daughters ages 9 and 17, and a son who is 15. She has studied creative writing under Matt Hughes, Canadian author of 'Fools Errant', 'Downshift' and 'Fool Me Twice' and creative writing and Fine Arts at Algonquin College in Ottawa, Ontario. After growing up in Europe she traveled the United States and Canada extensively. <P>'Soul Speak', a book of poetry from Renaissance Alliance Publishing, was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award for 2001. Other poetry works include the anthology 'Time of Trial', regarding the events of September 11, 2001, and ‘Oval Victory’ from Hidden Brook Press. Dare2Dream, a Division of Limitless Corporation, has also recently published a book of her poetry called 'Spirit Harvest'. 'Inferno' is Trish’s first fiction work published with Baycrest Books. <P>Trish currently resides with her partner and children on Vancouver Island.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Baycrest Books (November 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972845011
• ISBN-13: 978-0972845014
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,480,498 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Better Luck Next Time, January 26, 2005

By 

K. Johnson (Twin Cities, MN) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Inferno (Paperback)

The story behind this book is good. However, the book itself is only mediocre. Dray is a firefighter with a disturbed past, but a stable present. Abby is struggling to survive, not quite homeless, but close. They meet, they feel an immediate attraction, they struggle with the attraction, then they give in to it. Simple, common, formula... On the plus side, the author seemed to accurately portray the life of a firefighter and medical care for severe burns. Her writing is not trite, nor is it difficult to follow. This was okay for a first book, but is far from a winner.

The basic plot was interrupted by flashbacks of a previous life (circa WWII) that added nothing to the story. Once the characters gave in to their feelings, the book should have ended. However, it dragged on for another 100 pages or so. As for editing, there were several obvious errors - these tend to be very distracting for me.


Recommended for a long flight or somewhere you expect to do a lot of waiting around, accompanied with a cold soft drink and a bag of pretzels.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Great Promise Little Success, June 3, 2006

By 

husbian readaholic "catiam2001" (IA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inferno (Paperback)

This book had such great potential and it was all just wasted. The Xenaesque nature of the main characters with the broken story lines and flashbacks which popped up without rhyme or reason. If this were food I would at least be able to get the bad taste out of my mouth but this book just sticks with you. Ughh!!! Better luck next time

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!, July 8, 2004

By 

Shirl (Bethesda, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inferno (Paperback)

For a first novel, this was a real treat. The character development and story line were excellent. I especially liked the fine editing. So many novels of this genre leave a lot to be desired in that respect, but this was very carefully crafted. My only mistake was putting it down halfway through to go to bed. I was so engrossed in the story and the characters, I had a sleepless night. You better believe I read it to it's conclusion the next day. The author obviously did her homework on both firefighting techniques, burn treatment, and the psychological aspects of the job. Being the daughter of a firefighter myself, the story had a very visceral affect on me. This book had a little bit of everything...love story, overcoming tragedy, and even some past life mysticism. I heartily recommend it.