Wild Inferno (Berkley Prime Crime Mysteries) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "In his last conscious moment, the burning man spoke three words..." (more)
Key Phrases: fire camp, lunar standstill, star woman, Sandi Ault, Momma Anna, Grampa Ned (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. The dramatic background—wild fires spreading near Colorado's famed Chimney Rock at the same time Pueblo people are gathering there for an important ceremony—and a smoother blending of plot and Native American lore and rituals make Ault's sequel to her impressive debut (Wild Indigo, 2007) a richer novel than her first. Jamaica Wild, the Bureau of Land Management agent known for her wolf companion, Mountain, and her ability to attract trouble, enters a fire area to locate an old Ute called Grampa Ned. Instead, she finds a smoldering firefighter who can only utter Save the grandmother before he collapses. Later, the discovery of Grampa Ned's burned body and an unusual artifact provides more mystery. Readers will share the author's obvious admiration for the skill and bravery of the fire teams (many composed of Native Americans) as they battle fires in such rugged terrain. Ault credibly charts Jamaica's education and indoctrination into the ways of the Pueblo people, leaving her poised for the next phase of her promising career. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

“Fans of Nevada Barr and Tony Hillerman will snap this up.”
—LIBRARY JOURNAL

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Berkley; Reprint edition (March 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425226387
• ISBN-13: 978-0425226384
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #143,734 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wild Inferno is Hot, April 22, 2008

By	Story Circle Book Reviews (www.storycirclebookreviews.org) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wild Inferno (A WILD Mystery) (Hardcover)

Throughout Wild Inferno, the haunting message that someone, or something must be saved shows clearly. But who is the grandmother mentioned by the burning man ("Save the grandmother"), and why did he risk his life to get the message out before slipping into a coma?

In this second book of the series featuring BLM agent Jamaica Wild, a wildfire erupts on the Southern Ute Reservation. We learn the dramatic stories of wildland fire fighters who give their all to save the forest and the native people. This glimpse into the life of firefighter teams is an amazing tribute to these unsung heroes. As liaison between the Native Americans and the fire fighting command center, Jamaica finds herself once again embroiled in a tug of war and a mystery. Honoring the ancient rituals and people of the various tribes can be trying when you have flames roaring at your back and people who don't want to leave a ceremony that onlys happen about once every eighteen and a half years.

Murder seems to be afoot, and Jamaica must find the grandmother mentioned in the cryptic message before more people are hurt. As if that and her duties of fighting an inferno were not enough, add Jamaica's wolf, Mountain, who makes his way into the fray with her adoptive Ute grandmother and adds delightful distractions. The frustration of learning things "the Indun Way" doesn't make it any easier when battling nature, investigating murder, dodging political bullets, evading an armed stalker, and trying to keep herself and her loved ones sane and alive.

This book has plenty of action and thrills laced with great background details, well developed characters, and a really fun who-dun-it to solve.

by Rhonda Esakov
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fast-paced mystery perfect for any solid mystery collection., April 4, 2008

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wild Inferno (A WILD Mystery) (Hardcover)

WILD INDIGO introduced the Bureau of Land management agent Jamaica Wild to the investigative mystery world: she returns here with a new set of challenges; but no prior familiarity is needed to appreciate her routine and focus. A wildfire on an Indian reservation leads Jamaica on a chase after a killer - compounded by an out-of-control fire and clues which lead her to a troubled past. Intrigue and mystery make for a fast-paced mystery perfect for any solid mystery collection.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Real heroes depicted in this terrific novel, February 13, 2008

By	Voracious "Avid Reader" (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wild Inferno (A WILD Mystery) (Hardcover)

Wildland firefighters are truly heroes. There isn't a station house where they show up for work or all hang out every day. They could be your neighbor, someone you wouldn't ever recognize as a hero. Wildland firefighters come from all over the country to help when an area is rampant with wildfires. They put their lives on the line for little or no recognition. Wild Inferno tells a great mysterious story but also showcases some of America's unknown heroes. You can tell that author Sandi Ault is the real deal. She knows all to well from the inside out what life as a wildland firefighter is all about.

Thank you wildland firefighters for saving our forests!