What do you think?
Rate this book
Red Flag Warning: A Serial Arson Mystery
Los Angeles County is burning! A serial arsonist is setting the parched hills on fire. Plunge into the infernos, and face the heat, smoke and danger with the men on the fire lines. While NiteHeat prowls in the darkness, setting fires and taunting investigators, the Los Angeles County Fire Department's Arson Unit struggles to find the fire setter and stop the devastation.
301 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2010
6 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Kurt Kamm
12 books217 followersAbout Kurt Kamm
Malibu resident Kurt Kamm has used his contact with CalFire, Los Angeles County Fire Department, Ventura County Fire Department and the ATF, as well as his experience in several devastating local wildfires, to write fact-based firefighter mystery novels. He has attended classes at El Camino Fire Academy and trained in wildland firefighting, arson investigation and hazardous materials response. He is currently riding with Los Angeles County Fire Department’s famed urban search and rescue task force. He is a graduate of the ATF Citizen’s Academy
One of the Malibu fires, the 60 mile-per-hour Santa Ana wind-driven Canyon Fire, burned to his front door and destroyed the homes of several neighbors. Kamm said the lessons he learned from the County Fire Department while writing his books helped him save his home.
Kurt Kamm has built an avid fan base among first responders. Each of his firefighter mysteries features a firefighter in a particular discipline (wildland, arson investigation, paramedic, hazardous material response, and search and rescue). His first novel, One Foot in the Black (2008) has become a favorite of firefighters. Subsequent novels, Red Flag Warning: A Serial Arson Mystery (Aberdeen Bay, 2010) and Code Blood (MCM Publishing, 2012) have won numerous fiction awards (see attached summary). Kamm’s latest book, Hazardous Material, will be released in May, 2013. He is currently attending search & rescue training and working on his fifth novel.
For further information on Kurt Kamm visit his first responder/author website http://www.kurtkamm.com/
Malibu resident Kurt Kamm has used his contact with CalFire, Los Angeles County Fire Department, Ventura County Fire Department and the ATF, as well as his experience in several devastating local wildfires, to write fact-based firefighter mystery novels. He has attended classes at El Camino Fire Academy and trained in wildland firefighting, arson investigation and hazardous materials response. He is currently riding with Los Angeles County Fire Department’s famed urban search and rescue task force. He is a graduate of the ATF Citizen’s Academy
One of the Malibu fires, the 60 mile-per-hour Santa Ana wind-driven Canyon Fire, burned to his front door and destroyed the homes of several neighbors. Kamm said the lessons he learned from the County Fire Department while writing his books helped him save his home.
Kurt Kamm has built an avid fan base among first responders. Each of his firefighter mysteries features a firefighter in a particular discipline (wildland, arson investigation, paramedic, hazardous material response, and search and rescue). His first novel, One Foot in the Black (2008) has become a favorite of firefighters. Subsequent novels, Red Flag Warning: A Serial Arson Mystery (Aberdeen Bay, 2010) and Code Blood (MCM Publishing, 2012) have won numerous fiction awards (see attached summary). Kamm’s latest book, Hazardous Material, will be released in May, 2013. He is currently attending search & rescue training and working on his fifth novel.
For further information on Kurt Kamm visit his first responder/author website http://www.kurtkamm.com/
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 5, 2010
"Red Flag Warning" is a story told from the point of view of many different characters including arson investigator Jim Kendall and serial arsonist NiteHeat. The fires NiteHeat sets are getting more and more devastating and with few clues and even fewer suspects, Kendall and his team are running out of time. The Santa Ana winds are approaching and if NiteHeat isn't caught, all of Los Angeles County could burn to the ground.
While all the characters are all well-developed and interesting, the fire itself is the most intriguing character in this book. Author Kurt Kamm obviously spent a lot of time researching fire and he uses this knowledge to bring the fire to life in a way that makes it feel like a living, breathing organism. It is also obvious that he has spent some time around firefighters as the interactions seem authentic and the terminology used seems appropriate. I also liked that there were several legitimate suspects that could have been NiteHeat and that each one was well-developed. I was kept guessing until the end as each character had a psychology that I could see as being conducive to an arsonist.
I really did enjoy this book and had a hard time putting it down. My only complaint was that the tying up of all the loose ends seemed rushed. It was almost like the author had to avoid going over a certain number of pages, suddenly realized he was getting close to that number, and decided to wrap it up as quickly as possible. Or maybe I just didn't want the book to end. Either way, I wasn't entirely sure of the arsonists' identity until it was revealed during the climax of the story so I do have to applaud Mr. Kamm for keeping me guessing.
All in all "Red Flag Warning" was a good read that I would recommend to anyone with an interest in firefighting mysteries or psychological mysteries. I guarantee it will keep you intrigued until the very end.
While all the characters are all well-developed and interesting, the fire itself is the most intriguing character in this book. Author Kurt Kamm obviously spent a lot of time researching fire and he uses this knowledge to bring the fire to life in a way that makes it feel like a living, breathing organism. It is also obvious that he has spent some time around firefighters as the interactions seem authentic and the terminology used seems appropriate. I also liked that there were several legitimate suspects that could have been NiteHeat and that each one was well-developed. I was kept guessing until the end as each character had a psychology that I could see as being conducive to an arsonist.
I really did enjoy this book and had a hard time putting it down. My only complaint was that the tying up of all the loose ends seemed rushed. It was almost like the author had to avoid going over a certain number of pages, suddenly realized he was getting close to that number, and decided to wrap it up as quickly as possible. Or maybe I just didn't want the book to end. Either way, I wasn't entirely sure of the arsonists' identity until it was revealed during the climax of the story so I do have to applaud Mr. Kamm for keeping me guessing.
All in all "Red Flag Warning" was a good read that I would recommend to anyone with an interest in firefighting mysteries or psychological mysteries. I guarantee it will keep you intrigued until the very end.
July 15, 2010
California's Santa Ana winds are blowing nothing but trouble in to Los Angeles County. On their own, they are a formidable force to be reckoned with, but add a fire-crazed arsonist and you've got a truly explosive situation. That's the situation Fire Captain Jim Kendall is in now. Kendall, just back from a leave of absence following the suicide of his daughter, is the chief arson investigator.
Kendall and his men determine that a fire at Porter Ranch was deliberately set by an arsonist. The only clue is a red apple timer. Fearing that more fires will be set, Kendall looks for suspects including Father Dom, a "priest" who offers his help to Kendall, but who also has access to arson tools.
Readers are introduced to Mikey Yoder, a young man who steals firefighting equipment while impersonating a firefighter; Donna Demko, formerly known as Darnya Demko, local weather reporter who is the adopted daughter of Kendall's friend Mark Demko, now deputy chief of the fire department; and Ruffy Lozano, a night supervisor for the county 911 dispatch center who yearns to become a firefighter.
Investigators' fears turn into grim reality when the perfect storm of hot, dry Santa Ana winds and an arsonist's chicken timer explode into one of the county's worst fire maelstroms.
Author Kurt Kamm keeps readers guessing in this fast-paced mystery. The suspects include some real whack jobs, but Kendall is a stand-up guy with a love of York Mints and readers will be cheering him on. Kamm definitely knows his way around a fire and the Southern California terrain and he does a bang-up job of passing that information along to readers.
I highly recommend this book for readers who love a good mystery with plenty of action.
Kendall and his men determine that a fire at Porter Ranch was deliberately set by an arsonist. The only clue is a red apple timer. Fearing that more fires will be set, Kendall looks for suspects including Father Dom, a "priest" who offers his help to Kendall, but who also has access to arson tools.
Readers are introduced to Mikey Yoder, a young man who steals firefighting equipment while impersonating a firefighter; Donna Demko, formerly known as Darnya Demko, local weather reporter who is the adopted daughter of Kendall's friend Mark Demko, now deputy chief of the fire department; and Ruffy Lozano, a night supervisor for the county 911 dispatch center who yearns to become a firefighter.
Investigators' fears turn into grim reality when the perfect storm of hot, dry Santa Ana winds and an arsonist's chicken timer explode into one of the county's worst fire maelstroms.
Author Kurt Kamm keeps readers guessing in this fast-paced mystery. The suspects include some real whack jobs, but Kendall is a stand-up guy with a love of York Mints and readers will be cheering him on. Kamm definitely knows his way around a fire and the Southern California terrain and he does a bang-up job of passing that information along to readers.
I highly recommend this book for readers who love a good mystery with plenty of action.
November 27, 2010
I recieved this book after entering a drawing. A serial arsonist is starting fires. Fire Captain Jim Kendall is trying to track down the arsonist before he starts another fire. Suspense builds when his investigation leads to crazy, kooky suspects. An entertaining read.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews