Fire Fight in Shelter Rock

by Alan Miller

The husband-and-wife team of award-winning reporter Mort Ahrens and his law professor wife, Danni Rose, are an unlikely couple to continually become involved in conflict, but inevitably, conflict seems to find them, immerse them in its web, and just as inevitably, force a conclusion. When Mort is assigned to research and write a feature on the book-banning hysteria gripping the nation, it brings him to Kansas, Mississippi, Florida and a host of other states. With his assistant Alison Powers pursuing answers in a Midwest city, seeking to find out why a weekly newspaper was raided under false pretenses in an effort to shut it down, their quests coalesce, and joined by Danni, end up in an exciting series of events which include a poisoning, a priest who forsakes his vows, a sinner seeking redemption, an unlikely romance, a group of religious book-banning leaders who are not as righteous as they profess, multiple threats, intimidation and violence to librarians and bookstores, a devious and corrupt politician, attempts to stifle literature, the murder of a famous author, courtroom tension, the death of an attorney by a disgruntled adversary, an attempted carjacking, sessions in a psychologist’s office, a crisis on a Ferris wheel and much more. Challenges seem to constantly present themselves to this unique couple, but the solutions involve humor, pathos, and in this case, challenges to the very foundations of democracy.

262 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 13, 2024

Reviews

[Emelia Hendrix · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this one up on Kindle Unlimited after the description completely grabbed me, and wow what a ride. Mort Ahrens and Danni Rose are the kind of couple you can’t help rooting for, not because they’re perfect, but because trouble just finds them in the most unexpected ways. This story takes the current book banning chaos happening across the country and spins it into a fast-paced, layered mystery that feels both timely and unsettling.

Between Mort’s cross country assignment and Alison’s investigation into a newspaper raid, the plot branches out in all directions before weaving back together in a really satisfying way. You get everything here poisoning, corruption, secrets within religious circles, unexpected romance, courtroom drama, and even a Ferris wheel crisis of all things. It sounds like a lot, but the author balances the chaos with humor, heart, and a real sense of purpose.

What I appreciated most is how the story highlights the power of literature and the danger of those trying to silence it. The stakes feel real, but the characters’ resilience (and sometimes their sheer stubbornness) keeps you hooked.

If you enjoy mystery/thriller hybrids with social commentary, strong character dynamics, and plenty of twists, this is a great KU pick. I’m glad I grabbed it.

[Chris Norbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read on a timely topic, book banning and censorship. I'll wager that the vast majority of authors are against banning books, (I certainly am), so it's easy to presume a novel about the topic will depict the conservatives who push for banning books as evil, demented, anti-democracy, control-freaks with no respect for the Constitution. But Miller paints them fairly. Yes, they are "radical" but he shows most of them to be fairly normal people who sometimes go too far (murder, violence, lying) for a cause they believe in.

The pace is rapid fire, with the MCs, Mort, Danni, and Allison, hopping from one state to the next in pursuit of the newspaper story and to stand up for the people they think need their help. If you're interested in current events reading on hot topics, this book is worth a look.

[Liora Ellington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fire Fight in Shelter Rock is an engaging, timely thriller that blends investigative grit with sharp social insight. Mort and Danni are a wonderfully dynamic duo grounded, intelligent, and constantly pulled into conflicts that reveal the darker corners of contemporary America. The exploration of book-banning, corruption, and political hypocrisy is handled with nuance and urgency, all wrapped in a plot full of tension, humor, and unexpected heart. The story’s twists poisonings, raids, courtroom drama, moral unravelings are fast-paced yet thoughtful, making each revelation hit with purpose. A compelling, multilayered mystery that champions truth, resilience, and the power of storytelling.