What Burns Within (Leisure Fiction) [Mass Market Paperback]

Sandra Ruttan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2008 | Series: Leisure Fiction

One year ago, a brutal case almost destroyed three cops. Since then they've lost touch with one another, avoiding painful memories, content to go their own ways. Now Nolan is after a serial rapist. Hart is working on a string of arsons. And Tain has been assigned a series of child abductions, a case all too similar to that one. But when the body of one of the abduction victims is found at the site of one of the arsons, it starts to look like maybe these cases are connected after all....

"Ruttan is talented in the way that a natural musician is talented, making all the notes seem effortless." --Crimespree Magazine

"A taut, crackling read with switch-blade pacing." - Rick Mofina, internationally best-selling author of A PERFECT GRAVE

"Sandra Ruttan writes with utter ferocity. Twists and turns that stun and dialog that absolutely crackles with wit and authenticity. With each page, Ruttan delivers the goods. WHAT BURNS WITHIN is a nonstop chiller of a mystery that keeps you turning the pages." - GREGG OLSEN, New York Times Bestselling Author of A WICKED SNOW

"Ruttan combines devilishly clever plots with genuinely empathic characters..." - Russel D. McLean, Crime Scene Scotland

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Three Vancouver constables—son-of-a-sergeant Craig Nolan, bombshell in the boys' club Ashlyn Hart, and stolidly antisocial cop Tain—are drawn together as the rapes, arsons and child abductions they're working on respectively converge. The three, who have a beef over a prior case gone bad, must get over their personal differences and chase scant leads before another raped woman, burned building or missing girl turns up. Ruttan manages to keep the multiple leads and seconds on the same page admirably: she doesn't drop too many clues in their laps or allow the tension to flag. The child abduction and sex crime aspects of the story are handled without exploitation or kid gloves; the straight proceduralism from Ruttan (Suspicious Circumstances) serves the story well through the rewarding climax. (May)
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From the Author

WHAT BURNS WITHIN follows the investigations of three plainclothes RCMP officers who work the streets in British Columbia's lower mainland.

Constable Ashlyn Hart is working on a string of connected arsons.

Constable Craig Nolan is hunting a rapist.

Constable Tain is dealing with a series of child abductions.

Ashlyn, Tain and Craig have worked together before, a tough case that holds a lot of bad memories. It's been months since they've seen each other, all assuming they'd just remind each other of a time in their lives they'd rather forget.

When the body of one of the missing girls is recovered at one of Ashlyn's arson scenes it's the first hint that there's a connection between the cases, but this is an investigation where things aren't always as they seem and when a police officer becomes the latest victim of the serial rapist all three cases collide, with deadly consequences.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 355 pages
• Publisher: Leisure Books (May 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0843960744
• ISBN-13: 978-0843960747
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #467,557 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Police Procedural!, May 12, 2008

By 

Lesa Holstine (Glendale, AZ) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What Burns Within (Leisure Fiction) (Mass Market Paperback)

What Burns Within by Sandra Ruttan marks the debut of a police procedural series, one that is a must-read for anyone who appreciates the genre. The reader follows RCMP Constables Tain, Hart and Nolan through the investigation of three difficult cases, until the officers discover their cases converge.

Tain, Hart and Nolan are three officers who "share a common tendency toward insubordination and independence." They were split up due to fall-out from a difficult case. Now, the Vancouver officers have tough new cases. Tain is dealing with child abduction cases in which young girls have been snatched off the street. Ashlyn Hart works arson fires, until the body of one of the abducted girls is discovered in a fire. And, Craig Nolan is handling the investigation into a serial rapist. Despite their supervisor's attempt to keep them apart, the three investigators discover common links in the cases. Suddenly, they're in the middle of a case that could blow up for the Vancouver RCMP.

Ruttan has created three strong-willed characters, strong officers with a dedication to their job, and an unwillingness to deal with fools. They may share that trait, but Ruttan has given them distinct personalities and backgrounds. She skillfully handles the minor characters as well, from Sergeant Daly to key witnesses, and the abducted girls. The cases are fascinating in this excellent police procedural. What Burns Within is an outstanding debut for a new series. Fans will be waiting for the November release of the follow-up, The Frailty of Flesh.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ms Ruttan is off to a great start, June 13, 2008

By 

Lynne C. Fraser - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What Burns Within (Leisure Fiction) (Mass Market Paperback)

This book is a wonderful first entry in a new series. Full of action and great characters the story flows to a very logical conclusion that is not at all easy to guess. Keeps the reader wondering - excellent book!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Crime Wave, May 1, 2008

By 

Ted Feit (Long Beach, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: What Burns Within (Leisure Fiction) (Mass Market Paperback)

The author is a native of Vancouver, CA and a co-founder of Spinetingler Magazine, an online e-zine devoted to mystery literature. Her background serves her well in this initial entry in an expected series of police procedurals featuring Vancouver police officers.

This minutely and tightly constructed novel has the RMCP striving to solve a series of arsons, child abductions and rapes which, on the surface at least, appear to be unrelated. Three officers previously had been assigned to one difficult case together and have a history. Now each is working his own separate crime until the body of a young abducted girl shows up at an arson site. Now, everything becomes intertwined.

The novel is a classic police procedural, with detailed descriptions of each step along the way. The interactions of the protagonists and human emotions are finely told. The dialogue and writing are excellently presented and the story gripping. Further efforts in the series are greatly anticipated, and the book is highly recommended.