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Porter Cassel #1
Day into Night
When forest fire forensics expert Porter Cassel is called in to help catch a serial arsonist who goes by the name “Lorax”, he must juggle his official investigation with a personal the Lorax’s modus operandi resembles that of a long-dormant ecoterrorist who planted the bomb that killed Cassel’s fianceé. His personal investigation creates friction with the Mounties, who have jurisdiction over the latest series murders. As the search continues, Cassel finds he has more to worry about than just a turf battler, when he is framed for the murder of one of the suspects in the case. How will he prove his innocence, as well as discover the identity of the arsonist?
456 pages, Paperback
First published May 12, 2006
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29 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 11, 2025
4.25
Could've been shorter, but overall pretty good!
Could've been shorter, but overall pretty good!
May 13, 2013
Opening sentence: By the time I arrive, the fire has grown to an area the size of a small city.
From this alarming opening, and in breath-stealing smoke and ash that quickly feels all too real, we follow forest fire investigator Porter Cassel through his preliminary search for a point of origin. The fire is an arson, one of a string started in similar fashion by someone who knows just how to take advantage of natural fluctuations in wind and humidity, and the crews all know they are in for a long battle.
For Porter, the battle quickly becomes personal. Not only do the arsonist’s signature materials match those of the eco-terrorist known as the Lorax, but the fire boss is none other than the father of Porter’s girlfriend, who died in a previous Lorax-engineered explosion. As the smoke streamers turn black, blocking out the sun, Porter searches among the locals, the tree huggers, and the fire crews for any possible leads to the identity of the Lorax.
With one fire under control, the long, hot summer looms ahead, providing endless opportunities for another big blaze. Suspects are many, and another explosion costs another life. Porter spends too many hours in his truck, too many more in meetings of an inter-agency task force, and runs afoul of more than one disgruntled citizen in his determination to solve the explosions and resolve his guilt over his girlfriend’s death.
The author spent ten years working for the Forest Service in Northern Alberta as a Ranger, a timber cruiser, and a firefighter. He knows his terrain, tools and crews, and the behavior of a forest fire, better than anyone writing mysteries in Canada today. “Day Into Night” is both a primer on forest fires and a gripping personal quest for truth.
From this alarming opening, and in breath-stealing smoke and ash that quickly feels all too real, we follow forest fire investigator Porter Cassel through his preliminary search for a point of origin. The fire is an arson, one of a string started in similar fashion by someone who knows just how to take advantage of natural fluctuations in wind and humidity, and the crews all know they are in for a long battle.
For Porter, the battle quickly becomes personal. Not only do the arsonist’s signature materials match those of the eco-terrorist known as the Lorax, but the fire boss is none other than the father of Porter’s girlfriend, who died in a previous Lorax-engineered explosion. As the smoke streamers turn black, blocking out the sun, Porter searches among the locals, the tree huggers, and the fire crews for any possible leads to the identity of the Lorax.
With one fire under control, the long, hot summer looms ahead, providing endless opportunities for another big blaze. Suspects are many, and another explosion costs another life. Porter spends too many hours in his truck, too many more in meetings of an inter-agency task force, and runs afoul of more than one disgruntled citizen in his determination to solve the explosions and resolve his guilt over his girlfriend’s death.
The author spent ten years working for the Forest Service in Northern Alberta as a Ranger, a timber cruiser, and a firefighter. He knows his terrain, tools and crews, and the behavior of a forest fire, better than anyone writing mysteries in Canada today. “Day Into Night” is both a primer on forest fires and a gripping personal quest for truth.
September 25, 2017
This book is the first one this author has written but I sincerely hope it won't be the last. He has a wonderful way with words and makes a fairly simple plot eminently readable. His hero, Porter Cassel is very loveable and I look forward to reading about his further adventures as a firefighter in Alberta.
April 14, 2023
Excellent book. Well written, well researched, suspenseful, exciting. Kept me wondering right to the last. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a read that keeps you thinking.
July 2, 2013
I'm not exactly sure how to rate this book. This is definitely one of those times when half stars would come in handy! Perhaps it's more 3.5 than 4...
I don't remember how I ended up with this ebook in my Kobo app, maybe it was on sale or something, but it's been sitting around awhile, silently adjuring me to pick it. I finally did. And I did at a time that suited my mood. I needed something not heavy on the brain, something escapist, something Canadian. And most of all a good story. This one fit the bill.
However, there are some unrealistic elements, sort of like those 1970s' cop shows when the hero takes a beating that would floor giants and somehow keeps on ticking. Those kinds of unrealistic elements would normally be non-starters for me. But I rolled right over them, practically not caring, twitching away my scathing disbelief. There was also a feeling of skimming right over the emotions. I wondered at one point if it was a diction problem or that the character himself doesn't connect well to his own emotions and so the author had mimicked that for the reader or if the author was sort of skirting around because he was more interested in the plot and action. I'm still not sure.
On the positive side, I had a good sense of the characters. The hero is well drawn. The author cleverly misled the reader. The setting of forest fires during a hot summer was enjoyably different. It didn't have boring bits that would make one want to skim. And the ending in its nuanced greyness without being absolutely depressing like some mysteries these days, suited my Canadian heart. I've borrowed the second in the series from the Toronto Library and hope to begin reading it soon.
I don't remember how I ended up with this ebook in my Kobo app, maybe it was on sale or something, but it's been sitting around awhile, silently adjuring me to pick it. I finally did. And I did at a time that suited my mood. I needed something not heavy on the brain, something escapist, something Canadian. And most of all a good story. This one fit the bill.
However, there are some unrealistic elements, sort of like those 1970s' cop shows when the hero takes a beating that would floor giants and somehow keeps on ticking. Those kinds of unrealistic elements would normally be non-starters for me. But I rolled right over them, practically not caring, twitching away my scathing disbelief. There was also a feeling of skimming right over the emotions. I wondered at one point if it was a diction problem or that the character himself doesn't connect well to his own emotions and so the author had mimicked that for the reader or if the author was sort of skirting around because he was more interested in the plot and action. I'm still not sure.
On the positive side, I had a good sense of the characters. The hero is well drawn. The author cleverly misled the reader. The setting of forest fires during a hot summer was enjoyably different. It didn't have boring bits that would make one want to skim. And the ending in its nuanced greyness without being absolutely depressing like some mysteries these days, suited my Canadian heart. I've borrowed the second in the series from the Toronto Library and hope to begin reading it soon.
March 9, 2013
I was incredibly excited to read this, but I'm sorry to say I was deeply disappointed. I technically didn't finish it, but only got about a third of the way through before I decided to put it down. I admit that my review is heavily biased; I have been working for SRD (previously the Forest Service) in Wildfire Management since 2008. I am an Information Officer (public relations), but I'm currently finishing off my BSc in Forestry so I can become a Forest Officer eventually. Saying that, I've gathered an intimate view and sincere respect for how Wildfire Management practices are carried out in our province.
There are just too many glaring inaccuracies and exaggerations for me to read and enjoy this in good conscious. I started to try and explain some of these, but I found I couldn't do so without ranting about literally everything from radios to timber inspections! In addition, I found the main character unbelievably arrogant, irresponsible, and utterly impossible to sympathize with. I will, however, point out that most employees (myself included) absolutely love their job and their colleagues, and are incredibly proud to wear the uniform. :)
I understand that it's a murder mystery meant for a public audience, so perhaps it is a good read for someone not familiar with subject material, but I personally couldn't bring myself to enjoy it. I hope that anyone who picks this up and reads it cover to cover (along with the two sequels, which I also own) realizes that its just a story and absolutely NOT an accurate representation of how wildfire is managed in Alberta.
There are just too many glaring inaccuracies and exaggerations for me to read and enjoy this in good conscious. I started to try and explain some of these, but I found I couldn't do so without ranting about literally everything from radios to timber inspections! In addition, I found the main character unbelievably arrogant, irresponsible, and utterly impossible to sympathize with. I will, however, point out that most employees (myself included) absolutely love their job and their colleagues, and are incredibly proud to wear the uniform. :)
I understand that it's a murder mystery meant for a public audience, so perhaps it is a good read for someone not familiar with subject material, but I personally couldn't bring myself to enjoy it. I hope that anyone who picks this up and reads it cover to cover (along with the two sequels, which I also own) realizes that its just a story and absolutely NOT an accurate representation of how wildfire is managed in Alberta.
December 30, 2016
The description and technical fire and firefighter lingo isn't too difficult to understand while bringing you into his world. I found myself wanting more fire descriptions and to learn more about the methods which gives Dave Huggelschaffer an edge over other author's. His writing style is new, unique and I hope there are more in the future. I found the characters were solid and easy to picture. The mystery was well put together with a few good unpredictable twists. .
As a whole I found this book not too bad. Some parts were a little too mature content for my liking, but for a mature book I found it really interesting and engaging. I wasn't my favorite out of the three but it is a good introduction to the series and I hope to see more from him.
As a whole I found this book not too bad. Some parts were a little too mature content for my liking, but for a mature book I found it really interesting and engaging. I wasn't my favorite out of the three but it is a good introduction to the series and I hope to see more from him.
March 2, 2010
A mystery set in western Canada, the main character is an ex-forest ranger, part time arson investigator whose fiancee was killed three years before by an eco-terrorist's bomb. Now there's a serial arsonist out there setting forest fires on extreme fire danger days and the eco-terrorist has struck again. Porter Cassel (our hero) wants to solve both mysteries. He's a great character, too. Very real. He gets dirty, does stupid stuff, gets drunk and gets into bar fights, has hangovers, and is also a guy who is nice at heart and actually quite likeable.
August 20, 2013
A great summer read! Engaging from the first page. I love how Hugelschaffer plunges us right into the middle of the action, and orients us using every sense - he tells us how things look and smell and taste and feel and sound. I also enjoy the intense masculinity of the setting and context. Cassel is a little hard-boiled for my taste, sometimes, but otherwise he's fantastic! Can't wait to read the next one!
July 14, 2012
Not bad. Porter Cassell, the hero, is a bit too hard-boiled for my tastes so not my favorite protagonist in a mystery/suspense series. Plot was interesting enough but the writing style not my favorite; I think it was the over use of similes and I didn't like the italics all over the place either. I'm not thinking I'll be trying the second one in the series.
July 19, 2014
Dave Hugelschaffers writing is great. He adds just the right amount of humor to his work, and the settings he chooses for his stories are just right!
December 31, 2012
An interesting book about fire fighting in northern Alberta. Mystery, suspense and gives a real sense of life on the line fighting fires. I really liked it.
June 30, 2013
Finally finished it. Took a while as it was a cheap buy for the Kobo and no pressure to get through it. Not too compelling and doubt I'll read another. Mystery, Canadian content, not fab writing.
May 28, 2013
Good story, but way too long.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews