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California Fire and Life
An insurance claims investigator, Jack Wade speaks the language of fire. He can walk into charred remains and know where the flames ignited and why. Now Jack is investigating a claim he knows isn't just fraudulent, it's murder.
The house was a multi million-dollar beauty looking out over the Pacific. The woman died in her bedroom, her alcohol-soaked blood baked on to a $350,000 canopied bed. It's a case Jack could turn away from but won't--because old scores need to be settled. So Jack takes the plunge into a world of crime, ambition, and evil he never knew existed under the bright California sun. And for Jack, getting out again is going to mean fighting fire with fire. . . .
The house was a multi million-dollar beauty looking out over the Pacific. The woman died in her bedroom, her alcohol-soaked blood baked on to a $350,000 canopied bed. It's a case Jack could turn away from but won't--because old scores need to be settled. So Jack takes the plunge into a world of crime, ambition, and evil he never knew existed under the bright California sun. And for Jack, getting out again is going to mean fighting fire with fire. . . .
408 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
360 people are currently reading
1640 people want to read
About the author
Don Winslow
112 books7,420 followersDon Winslow is the author of twenty-one acclaimed, award-winning international bestsellers, including the New York Times bestsellers The Force and The Border, the #1 international bestseller The Cartel, The Power of the Dog, Savages, and The Winter of Frankie Machine. Savages was made into a feature film by three-time Oscar-winning writer-director Oliver Stone. The Power of the Dog, The Cartel and The Border sold to FX in a major multimillion-dollar deal to air as a weekly television series beginning in 2020.
A former investigator, antiterrorist trainer and trial consultant, Winslow lives in California and Rhode Island.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
A former investigator, antiterrorist trainer and trial consultant, Winslow lives in California and Rhode Island.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 357 reviews
April 18, 2025
FLASHOVER
Jack Wade conosce il linguaggio del fuoco: sa parlare quella lingua e sa ascoltarla. Sa interpretare le tracce che un fuoco si lascia dietro. Lo ha fatto prima per l’ufficio dello Sceriffo, poi, quando l’hanno cacciato perché voleva proteggere un testimone, ha cominciato a farlo per una compagnia di assicurazioni. E adesso sono dodici anni che lavora nel settore privato: ma sempre a stretto contatto con fuoco e fiamme.
Don Winslow mette a frutto la sua conoscenza nel settore: infatti, tra i vari mestieri che ha esercitato prima di dedicarsi full time alla scrittura, c’è anche quello di investigatore assicurativo nel settore degli incendi dolosi. E le pagine “tecniche” con nozioni di fisica e chimica nelle quali spiega vita, morte e miracoli del fuoco e degli incendi, sono tra le più belle e interessanti dell’intero romanzo.
Cinquecentocinquanta pagine da cui è difficile staccarsi, che fanno dimenticare anche il sonno. Con ritmo e colpi di scena, e quando le cose si complicano per il protagonista e per il lettore, secondo la “regola Spielberg”, ecco prontamente arrivare un altro rischio e pericolo e colpo di scena. Tutto ciò mi ha fatto perdonare l’eccesso di enfasi che qui e là ama spargere.
Luca Briasco lo definisce un capolavoro. Non so se sia così: ma è un crime solido e ben costruito, piacevole e avvincente. Quindi, sì, forse nel suo genere, è un capolavoro. Per me, insieme a L’inverno di Frankie Machine è il miglior Don Winslow letto finora.
Jack Wade conosce il linguaggio del fuoco: sa parlare quella lingua e sa ascoltarla. Sa interpretare le tracce che un fuoco si lascia dietro. Lo ha fatto prima per l’ufficio dello Sceriffo, poi, quando l’hanno cacciato perché voleva proteggere un testimone, ha cominciato a farlo per una compagnia di assicurazioni. E adesso sono dodici anni che lavora nel settore privato: ma sempre a stretto contatto con fuoco e fiamme.
Don Winslow mette a frutto la sua conoscenza nel settore: infatti, tra i vari mestieri che ha esercitato prima di dedicarsi full time alla scrittura, c’è anche quello di investigatore assicurativo nel settore degli incendi dolosi. E le pagine “tecniche” con nozioni di fisica e chimica nelle quali spiega vita, morte e miracoli del fuoco e degli incendi, sono tra le più belle e interessanti dell’intero romanzo.
Cinquecentocinquanta pagine da cui è difficile staccarsi, che fanno dimenticare anche il sonno. Con ritmo e colpi di scena, e quando le cose si complicano per il protagonista e per il lettore, secondo la “regola Spielberg”, ecco prontamente arrivare un altro rischio e pericolo e colpo di scena. Tutto ciò mi ha fatto perdonare l’eccesso di enfasi che qui e là ama spargere.
Luca Briasco lo definisce un capolavoro. Non so se sia così: ma è un crime solido e ben costruito, piacevole e avvincente. Quindi, sì, forse nel suo genere, è un capolavoro. Per me, insieme a L’inverno di Frankie Machine è il miglior Don Winslow letto finora.
October 9, 2021
California Fire and Life is the book that comes right after
The Death and Life of Bobby Z
in Winslow's oeuvre, toward which I was semi-lukewarm, and is a couple back from
The Dawn Patrol
, which I liked a bit. In it, Winslow shows the growth curve that eventually landed him with
Savages
, which is the good news here.
Jack Wade isn't quite the archetypical Winslow surfer-slacker semi-hero; he's actually fully employed as a fire claims adjuster with the titular insurance company, and is even good at it, something Winslow usually reserves for his criminals. Wade's assigned to investigate a fire in the mansion of megarich property developer Nicky Vale. The fire not only caused seven figures in damage, but it killed Vale's uber-hot wife. This turns out to be one of those cases that everyone tells Our Hero to not investigate, but he does anyway, and finds out that -- shock horror! -- nothing's as it seems.
The things Winslow did well in the other books, he does well here, too. He nails the vibe of late-20th-Century Dana Point and Laguna. The settings are drawn with enough detail for even the most committed flatlander to picture in his/her mind's eye. The dialog is naturalistic and sounds much like what you'd expect coming from characters such as these. The prose is loose-limbed, opinionated, profane, and bursting with color, while not quite as out-there as was Savages. Some of the supporting cast (including Wade's boss and his lost love) are fully-realized characters, something Bobby Z had a problem accomplishing, and the author left out a few of his stock character types, which is also commendable. The bad guys are, as usual, very, very bad, but this time there's a reason for it, unlike in The Dawn Patrol, where they were bad because that's what they were.
Even though he's now a working stiff, Wade has the requisite painful, soiled past, complete with lost love. He's not quite as personable as Boone Daniels or Tim Kearney; he's more about competence than charm, which is refreshing. It's interesting to watch him do his very technical thing and use science to tease out the clues to the crime. Fans of forensic procedurals might actually dig this novel. Winslow gives us a fair amount of background in arson investigation (possibly more than strictly necessary) disguised as the saga of Wade going through the academy in his past life. When something breaks right for Wade, it's usually because he earns it, another nice change from Bobby Z.
Where'd the fifth star go? When Winslow gives you backstory, he doesn't sprinkle it out with a teaspoon -- you get chapters of backstory, and while it's relatively entertaining to read, it stops the story cold. Wade has a couple of genre-required pointless confrontations with Vale that just make Our Hero look like a dolt. The ending turns into a near-literal Götterdämmerung, and a few too many of the plot problems become, shall we say, self-correcting.
California Fire and Life isn't a bad way to become acquainted with Winslow, and is perhaps a better start than Bobby Z for established fans to explore the roots of his SoCal/surfer noir works. The arson angle makes for a different sort of crime story, and the words go down like a fresh margarita. If you've read later Winslow and haven't picked up this earlier book yet, get to it.
Jack Wade isn't quite the archetypical Winslow surfer-slacker semi-hero; he's actually fully employed as a fire claims adjuster with the titular insurance company, and is even good at it, something Winslow usually reserves for his criminals. Wade's assigned to investigate a fire in the mansion of megarich property developer Nicky Vale. The fire not only caused seven figures in damage, but it killed Vale's uber-hot wife. This turns out to be one of those cases that everyone tells Our Hero to not investigate, but he does anyway, and finds out that -- shock horror! -- nothing's as it seems.
The things Winslow did well in the other books, he does well here, too. He nails the vibe of late-20th-Century Dana Point and Laguna. The settings are drawn with enough detail for even the most committed flatlander to picture in his/her mind's eye. The dialog is naturalistic and sounds much like what you'd expect coming from characters such as these. The prose is loose-limbed, opinionated, profane, and bursting with color, while not quite as out-there as was Savages. Some of the supporting cast (including Wade's boss and his lost love) are fully-realized characters, something Bobby Z had a problem accomplishing, and the author left out a few of his stock character types, which is also commendable. The bad guys are, as usual, very, very bad, but this time there's a reason for it, unlike in The Dawn Patrol, where they were bad because that's what they were.
Even though he's now a working stiff, Wade has the requisite painful, soiled past, complete with lost love. He's not quite as personable as Boone Daniels or Tim Kearney; he's more about competence than charm, which is refreshing. It's interesting to watch him do his very technical thing and use science to tease out the clues to the crime. Fans of forensic procedurals might actually dig this novel. Winslow gives us a fair amount of background in arson investigation (possibly more than strictly necessary) disguised as the saga of Wade going through the academy in his past life. When something breaks right for Wade, it's usually because he earns it, another nice change from Bobby Z.
Where'd the fifth star go? When Winslow gives you backstory, he doesn't sprinkle it out with a teaspoon -- you get chapters of backstory, and while it's relatively entertaining to read, it stops the story cold. Wade has a couple of genre-required pointless confrontations with Vale that just make Our Hero look like a dolt. The ending turns into a near-literal Götterdämmerung, and a few too many of the plot problems become, shall we say, self-correcting.
California Fire and Life isn't a bad way to become acquainted with Winslow, and is perhaps a better start than Bobby Z for established fans to explore the roots of his SoCal/surfer noir works. The arson angle makes for a different sort of crime story, and the words go down like a fresh margarita. If you've read later Winslow and haven't picked up this earlier book yet, get to it.
September 4, 2014
One of the joys of reading is discovering a novel where the author taps into his or her own peculiar obsession, takes aim and with the expertise of an Olympic archer, hits a target dead center. This is what Don Winslow accomplishes with California Fire and Life. I came to this book by way of Savages and while I had similar problems with the climax, Winslow showed better quality control with this earlier title, enough to qualify for five stars.
Jack Wade is a former arson investigator with the Orange County Sheriff's Department, now a claims adjuster with California Fire and Life. Wade climbs off his longboard in the surf of Dana Point to investigate a blaze at the Newport Beach mansion of real estate mogul Nicky Vale that's claimed the life of Vale's miserable wife Pamela. Jack's expertise tells him that the county is wrong -- the fire was not caused by vodka and cigarettes -- and Pamela's charitable work saving the beaches Jack surfs compels him to dig deeper into her death, with the help of his ex-lover, sheriff's deputy Letitia del Rio. Insurance scams, the Russian mob, Vietnamese gangs and double crosses rapidly come into play.
Winslow bounced around life before he began publishing, one of his jobs being private detective, which lead to arson investigation and later, using his storytelling ability to testify before juries in arson cases. You can almost sense him jumping up and down at a typewriter unloading his expertise about fire school, arson (I love the detail that house pets found outside a burned house are a clue the fire was arson, arsonists always let the dogs out) and insurance scams, along with the undeniably laid back beach city vibe of Southern California, which as a resident of Sonoma Beach, Winslow knows well.
California Fire and Life is insatiably readable. Winslow loves the "return" key and punctuates his pages with terrific wit, one-liners, slang, nicknames and oddball characters, moving at a fast clip. The tenuous relationship between Jack and Lettita is probably the most poignant in Winslow's fiction; beyond entertainment, I wanted to keep turning pages to find out what would happen to the couple. I could've done with a climax that had as much panache as the dialogue -- in Winslow World, characters tend to assemble like a theater production and kill each other in the end -- but it's a minor complaint in what up until that point was a highly entertaining read.
Jack Wade is a former arson investigator with the Orange County Sheriff's Department, now a claims adjuster with California Fire and Life. Wade climbs off his longboard in the surf of Dana Point to investigate a blaze at the Newport Beach mansion of real estate mogul Nicky Vale that's claimed the life of Vale's miserable wife Pamela. Jack's expertise tells him that the county is wrong -- the fire was not caused by vodka and cigarettes -- and Pamela's charitable work saving the beaches Jack surfs compels him to dig deeper into her death, with the help of his ex-lover, sheriff's deputy Letitia del Rio. Insurance scams, the Russian mob, Vietnamese gangs and double crosses rapidly come into play.
Winslow bounced around life before he began publishing, one of his jobs being private detective, which lead to arson investigation and later, using his storytelling ability to testify before juries in arson cases. You can almost sense him jumping up and down at a typewriter unloading his expertise about fire school, arson (I love the detail that house pets found outside a burned house are a clue the fire was arson, arsonists always let the dogs out) and insurance scams, along with the undeniably laid back beach city vibe of Southern California, which as a resident of Sonoma Beach, Winslow knows well.
California Fire and Life is insatiably readable. Winslow loves the "return" key and punctuates his pages with terrific wit, one-liners, slang, nicknames and oddball characters, moving at a fast clip. The tenuous relationship between Jack and Lettita is probably the most poignant in Winslow's fiction; beyond entertainment, I wanted to keep turning pages to find out what would happen to the couple. I could've done with a climax that had as much panache as the dialogue -- in Winslow World, characters tend to assemble like a theater production and kill each other in the end -- but it's a minor complaint in what up until that point was a highly entertaining read.
September 1, 2018
Implausible Plot, Amateurish Protagonist
1.5 stars
I bought this when I'd just read Don Winslow's thrilling, realistic novel from 2015, THE CARTEL. Unfortunately, At the time, I didn't realize that he wrote this novel in 1999. As much as I relished The Cartel, I disliked California Fire & Life.
The basic premise seemed interesting. Protagonist Jack (a fire insurance claims adjuster) finds evidence indicating the antagonist homeowner (a Russian immigrant) set his home on fire with his wife inside to murder his wife and collect the proceeds on homeowners' and life insurance policies.
While the plot twists thereafter seemed to build up suspense, the author began to take multiple narrative shortcuts which lacked verisimilitude. Just a couple of illustrations: First, Jack is repeatedly belligerent and absurdly disrespectful to everyone in the novel: the antagonist, Jack's superiors, law enforcement, so much so that the author reduces Jack to a childish twit who obliterates all credulity and sympathy. Think, Lloyd from Dumb and Dumber* when the motorcycle cop yells and points to the right, "Pullover!" and Lloyd responds, "No, it's a cardigan, but thanks for noticing." Seriously. This would be the kind of juvenile response Jack in this novel would give.
The other example is the insurance company's assembling and preparing for, in an afternoon, a full-blown mock trial with opening statements by plaintiff and defendant, presentation of evidence and testimony, closing arguments and a jury deliberation, all for the purpose of deciding whether to pay an insured his entire settlement demand of $50 million made that very day for refusing to pay the policies. Something like this would take weeks to put together and a quickie would take a few days. If this were not implausible enough, the narrator/protagonist starts giving a count from the mock jury's hand-held meters for each and every sentence made in openings from each side's lawyers [e.g., "well, that got a 4 pro" or "uh-oh, looking at a 10-con, that didn't go over so well"]. At that, I rolled my eyes (literally, not figuratively) and hit delete. The book had passed from unrealistic and sophomoric into the realm of nonsense.
On a positive note, I learned a lot about arson and fires.
*This novel is not a comedy.
1.5 stars
I bought this when I'd just read Don Winslow's thrilling, realistic novel from 2015, THE CARTEL. Unfortunately, At the time, I didn't realize that he wrote this novel in 1999. As much as I relished The Cartel, I disliked California Fire & Life.
The basic premise seemed interesting. Protagonist Jack (a fire insurance claims adjuster) finds evidence indicating the antagonist homeowner (a Russian immigrant) set his home on fire with his wife inside to murder his wife and collect the proceeds on homeowners' and life insurance policies.
While the plot twists thereafter seemed to build up suspense, the author began to take multiple narrative shortcuts which lacked verisimilitude. Just a couple of illustrations: First, Jack is repeatedly belligerent and absurdly disrespectful to everyone in the novel: the antagonist, Jack's superiors, law enforcement, so much so that the author reduces Jack to a childish twit who obliterates all credulity and sympathy. Think, Lloyd from Dumb and Dumber* when the motorcycle cop yells and points to the right, "Pullover!" and Lloyd responds, "No, it's a cardigan, but thanks for noticing." Seriously. This would be the kind of juvenile response Jack in this novel would give.
The other example is the insurance company's assembling and preparing for, in an afternoon, a full-blown mock trial with opening statements by plaintiff and defendant, presentation of evidence and testimony, closing arguments and a jury deliberation, all for the purpose of deciding whether to pay an insured his entire settlement demand of $50 million made that very day for refusing to pay the policies. Something like this would take weeks to put together and a quickie would take a few days. If this were not implausible enough, the narrator/protagonist starts giving a count from the mock jury's hand-held meters for each and every sentence made in openings from each side's lawyers [e.g., "well, that got a 4 pro" or "uh-oh, looking at a 10-con, that didn't go over so well"]. At that, I rolled my eyes (literally, not figuratively) and hit delete. The book had passed from unrealistic and sophomoric into the realm of nonsense.
On a positive note, I learned a lot about arson and fires.
*This novel is not a comedy.
June 28, 2017
"You don't get personal, you don't get emotional. Whatever you do, you don't get involved. You do the job and the rest of the time you surf."
- Don Winslow, California Fire and Life
The book moved and sometimes it even burned. This isn't top-shelf Winslow, but if you are looking for a quick summer read while the grass dries up and the Santa Ana winds are blowing hard and you are wondering if your home is fully covered for fire, perhaps this is the book for you. Or not. This book had a couple strengths and a couple weaknesses.
Strengths:
1. Winslow can write. He understand storytelling and knows how to develop characters and push the narrative quickly along. After page one, the gas is poured and the match is essentially lit.
2. Winslow can research. He loves the details. He enjoys the technical aspects of the books he is writing. More often than not he seems to get it right, or at least close enough that the average reader isn't going to catch onto areas he is guessing at. My guess? Fire science is not quite as air tight as he makes it seem, but still Winslow sets it up well enough for the book to engage.
3. Winslow respects the reader. He isn't condescending, but he still understands what he is writing is fiction and essentially entertainment. So, he entertains.
Weaknesses:
1. Sometimes he takes short-cuts that seem don't quite hold up. In this book it is probably the back foot of the plot. He is focused on the fire, corruption, and the Russians and less focused on the law, Insurance, and bureaucracy, so he tends to compress and make some pretty wild jumps. But...OK. Fine. It is a minor point.
2. Sex. While he is unapologetic, unabashed, and unashamed about his sex scenes, his boldness would almost work better in smaller doses. Two or three scenes make it more gratuitous and less bold. He doesn't write poorly about sex (writing about sex is HARD) but he doesn't quite know when to turn it off (or at least down).
- Don Winslow, California Fire and Life
The book moved and sometimes it even burned. This isn't top-shelf Winslow, but if you are looking for a quick summer read while the grass dries up and the Santa Ana winds are blowing hard and you are wondering if your home is fully covered for fire, perhaps this is the book for you. Or not. This book had a couple strengths and a couple weaknesses.
Strengths:
1. Winslow can write. He understand storytelling and knows how to develop characters and push the narrative quickly along. After page one, the gas is poured and the match is essentially lit.
2. Winslow can research. He loves the details. He enjoys the technical aspects of the books he is writing. More often than not he seems to get it right, or at least close enough that the average reader isn't going to catch onto areas he is guessing at. My guess? Fire science is not quite as air tight as he makes it seem, but still Winslow sets it up well enough for the book to engage.
3. Winslow respects the reader. He isn't condescending, but he still understands what he is writing is fiction and essentially entertainment. So, he entertains.
Weaknesses:
1. Sometimes he takes short-cuts that seem don't quite hold up. In this book it is probably the back foot of the plot. He is focused on the fire, corruption, and the Russians and less focused on the law, Insurance, and bureaucracy, so he tends to compress and make some pretty wild jumps. But...OK. Fine. It is a minor point.
2. Sex. While he is unapologetic, unabashed, and unashamed about his sex scenes, his boldness would almost work better in smaller doses. Two or three scenes make it more gratuitous and less bold. He doesn't write poorly about sex (writing about sex is HARD) but he doesn't quite know when to turn it off (or at least down).
March 25, 2010
This is one of Winslow's earlier books, and while it is not as good as The Power of the Dog, The Winter of Frankie Machine, Dawn Patrol and some of his other later work, it's still a very good read with well-drawn characters and a great climax. You'll also learn more than you ever wanted to know about arson investigation.
March 28, 2008
naw, it ain't nearly as good as Power of the Dog, but fuckit, what is? winslow's a goddamn badass (second only to ellroy in contemporary crime) and the russian prison/KGB training sequence is reason enough to read this book... yeah, there's some cliches and a nice helping of cheese, but it's all so fucking cool and fun and smart that i'd take winslow's duds (of which i have yet to come across) over most writers' prizewinners...
September 6, 2016
A terrific and vastly entertaining novel.
Jack Wade was a fire investigator for the Sheriff's department, that is until he beat a confession out of a suspect and perjured himself. Since then he's been an outstanding claims investigator for California Fire and Life, and walking the straight and narrow. His only other passion is surfing.
A multi-million dollar mansion burns, a beautiful wife is dead inside. The place was full of antique furniture. The Sheriff's investigator says it's accidental. California Fire and Life is on the hook for millions of dollars. Jack Wade knows it's an arson murder.
We learn a lot about arson, and arson investigation, in the course of this novel. I found it fascinating. Everything ties in to Russian and Vietnamese gangsters. Set up traffic accidents, and phony Doctor's tests to bilk the insurance company. Along with a conspiracy that goes further than even our hero suspects. Many twists and turns, and there are several moments where it looks as if Jack will never come out on top.
Capped off with a heartbreaking, beautiful, but tough as nails ending.
Jack Wade was a fire investigator for the Sheriff's department, that is until he beat a confession out of a suspect and perjured himself. Since then he's been an outstanding claims investigator for California Fire and Life, and walking the straight and narrow. His only other passion is surfing.
A multi-million dollar mansion burns, a beautiful wife is dead inside. The place was full of antique furniture. The Sheriff's investigator says it's accidental. California Fire and Life is on the hook for millions of dollars. Jack Wade knows it's an arson murder.
We learn a lot about arson, and arson investigation, in the course of this novel. I found it fascinating. Everything ties in to Russian and Vietnamese gangsters. Set up traffic accidents, and phony Doctor's tests to bilk the insurance company. Along with a conspiracy that goes further than even our hero suspects. Many twists and turns, and there are several moments where it looks as if Jack will never come out on top.
Capped off with a heartbreaking, beautiful, but tough as nails ending.
August 2, 2011
This is my 3rd Don Winslow book and I've loved every one of them ----- Savages, The Death and Life of Bobby Z, and now California Fire and Life. The pages turn quickly, I'm laughing, I'm shocked, I'm sad, I'm going through all kinds of emotion. What a ride! This is a story about Jack Wade, a claims adjuster for California Fire and Life Insurance Co He gets assigned to a major fire in a Laguna Beach mansion, which was reported by the wealthy owner and which supposedly killed the owner's wife, who is blamed for accidentally causing the fire by smoking, while drunk in bed. Well, as Jack investigates the fire, all kinds of conflicting evidence and people start mounting up! The Russian mafia and Vietnamese get into the act, and just when you think you have the good guys and bad guys all figured out, you don't!
So........I'm headed to the library to look for my next Don Winslow book!
So........I'm headed to the library to look for my next Don Winslow book!
January 8, 2019
Early work that emphasises the attempt to ape Ellroy's casual narrative style, relies heavily on info dumps that you're either on board with or not, like hey great the inner workings of insurance companies, dig?
The apparent need and desire to be "clever" and link everything and everyone, every plot strand and every action to the protagonist, like some giant conspiracy, is one of my least favourite tropes of this genre and Winslow dives in to it head first here. I was finding it middling to OK early on but then when a distraught relative of the deceased is "revealed" to be the investigators long lost love I was already checking out. It doesn't really improve from that point either because more and more of these "coincidences" are revealed through a slow moving narrative to an inevitable conclusion that doesn't reward the patient or impatient reader alike.
Happily Winslow gets much better than this.
The apparent need and desire to be "clever" and link everything and everyone, every plot strand and every action to the protagonist, like some giant conspiracy, is one of my least favourite tropes of this genre and Winslow dives in to it head first here. I was finding it middling to OK early on but then when a distraught relative of the deceased is "revealed" to be the investigators long lost love I was already checking out. It doesn't really improve from that point either because more and more of these "coincidences" are revealed through a slow moving narrative to an inevitable conclusion that doesn't reward the patient or impatient reader alike.
Happily Winslow gets much better than this.
November 28, 2011
All I have to say is, "too much information." And usually that's not the case. But with Don Wilson's California Fire and Life, it is totally the case. There's so much more information on fires: cause of, investigation, residuals and effect, chemical compounds, ending results, and everything in between, than I ever wanted to think about, let alone know. I don't really care about fires, commercial, residential, arson, natural, or even the misnomer, "act of god." I mean I'm sure I'd care if I was in one and/or I was burning up and yeah… but I'd like to think that I'd be more inclined to getting my ass out of said fire, than document any reason for, or Fahrenheit of, or use of accelerants, or whether or not it was the whim of some bored deity. And because of this aforementioned abundance of information there were pages (read: plural) where I skipped ahead, ignored, agonized over, and now: am bitching about. And yeah, the title is California Fire and Life, so any moron should've figure out the book might just possibly have a lot to do with a bit of fire insurance, and maybe even some life insurance, and the first sentence: "Woman's lying in bed and the bed's on fire" should have clued me in. But I now have to totally admit that it was an airplane book. I mean, I picked up California Fire and Life off a friend's bookshelf to read on a cross country flight, that of course was delayed (2 fucking hours, thank you Delta), and there I was stuck with the damn thing – longingly looking at the horrifyingly bad "best sellers" being offered in the LAX concourse newsstand. And then I'd go back to reading: "What's known in the trade as a BLEVE, a boiling liquid evaporation explosion. Also known as a chimney effect. The fire ignites at the point of origin, and the super heated gases rise and form a fireball." Fuck me. It's nice that Wilson knows how to do research. Obviously he's very thorough. But could you dumb it down a notch? Just say, the damn fire started. Because there's already enough useless information trapped inside my brain, I don't need to know all the particulars a Pyroanalyst needs to know.
However, I will say that even with ample opportunity to find another book, I did finish this one on the return flight.
However, I will say that even with ample opportunity to find another book, I did finish this one on the return flight.
January 26, 2010
I love how Don Winslow writes - a kind of cool swagger (Jack, the protagonist, is a surfer, after all) but still on the side of the good guys. I loved all of the stuff about fire science - how fires burn, what telltale signs they leave behind, how fire investigation works. The plot, while a bit circuitous, was also A+ - I LOVE when I can't tell what's going to happen.
Here's an example:
"Dinesh Adjati looks like Bambi.
Not the older Bambi, Jack thinks - the one who kicks the rival buck's ass at the end of the movie - but the younger Bambi, Thumper's little buddy.
Dinesh has these big, brown Bambi eyes and long eyelashes and he's slender and has brown skin. However, he also has a Ph.D. in chemical engineering, so to the extent that he resembles Bambi, he's DOCTOR Bambi."
Here's an example:
"Dinesh Adjati looks like Bambi.
Not the older Bambi, Jack thinks - the one who kicks the rival buck's ass at the end of the movie - but the younger Bambi, Thumper's little buddy.
Dinesh has these big, brown Bambi eyes and long eyelashes and he's slender and has brown skin. However, he also has a Ph.D. in chemical engineering, so to the extent that he resembles Bambi, he's DOCTOR Bambi."
November 8, 2015
This is a fascinating thriller involving arson. I am an attorney who is also a certified arson investigator - not that I've had to use this training very frequently - but it was obvious to me that Don Winslow has extensive training and experience in this field. Clearly, he knows his "stuff." Beyond his knowledge of the subject matter, he's a very good writer. This book is fast paced, but not at the expense of character development. Believable dialogue. Easy to get caught up in this one. It left me longing for more Don Winslow.
February 10, 2018
3.5 Stars
A little more than I needed to know about fire/arson investigation. Don't get me wrong, there were some interesting points.... Some good twist & turns, nasty villain's. But I really liked our hero, surfer dude Jack Wade. In typical Winslow style, wisecracking, bulldog till the end....smarta$$.
A little more than I needed to know about fire/arson investigation. Don't get me wrong, there were some interesting points.... Some good twist & turns, nasty villain's. But I really liked our hero, surfer dude Jack Wade. In typical Winslow style, wisecracking, bulldog till the end....smarta$$.
July 7, 2021
The first chapters were so great, I thought it might end up in five-star territory.
Sadly, the author didn't follow up on that, and while it was still very enjoyable, some of the great parts of the opening (the science, especially) weren't followed up on, and less interesting developments came in.
Spoilers:
Ultimately, the author fell into the crime thriller trope of accentuating the hero's (and supporting heroine's) wonderfulness by surrounding them with an exaggerated amount of horribleness.
Disappointing, even if it was enjoyable.
Sadly, the author didn't follow up on that, and while it was still very enjoyable, some of the great parts of the opening (the science, especially) weren't followed up on, and less interesting developments came in.
Spoilers:
Ultimately, the author fell into the crime thriller trope of accentuating the hero's (and supporting heroine's) wonderfulness by surrounding them with an exaggerated amount of horribleness.
Disappointing, even if it was enjoyable.
September 29, 2024
3,5
Erstes Mal Krimi gelesen :0
Erstes Mal Krimi gelesen :0
January 5, 2020
Actual rating 4.5 stars
High quality entertainment as is standard with Winslow's books.
I learnt ALOT about fire and insurance investigation.
The last 50-odd pages were a rollercoaster.
High quality entertainment as is standard with Winslow's books.
I learnt ALOT about fire and insurance investigation.
The last 50-odd pages were a rollercoaster.
January 8, 2018
Winslow si conferma come uno dei migliori scrittori di thriller degli ultimi anni. Probabilmente, “la lingua del fuoco” non è al livello dei suoi romanzi più famosi ma è comunque una lettura appassionante.
Questa volta la storia non si svolge nel mondo del narcotraffico bensì in quello delle truffe assicurative. Il protagonista è Jack, un liquidatore di danni di una grossa compagnia assicurativa californiana che si trova a dover esaminare il caso dell’incendio della casa di un ricco imprenditore russo in cui è rimasta uccisa la moglie. Jack è un vero esperto di incendi e capisce subito che l’incendio è doloso ed inizia ad indagare con grande scrupolo per denunciare la truffa e in questo modo pesta i piedi a tantissima gente. La vicenda si complica con il coinvolgimento della mafia russa e vietnamita, del KGB, della grande speculazione edilizia.
Il romanzo si sviluppa con grande ritmo e continui colpi di scena. Inoltre, sebbene anche in questo romanzo Winslow riprenda lo schema dell’uomo tutto d’un pezzo che si trova a combattere, anche con metodi poco ortodossi, per i suoi ideali contro tutto il sistema, la storia è originale e coinvolgente.
La storia è inframezzata da discussioni estremamente dettagliate sui meccanismi che portano allo sviluppo di un incendio e sulle principali tecniche utilizzate per frodare le assicurazioni. Queste parti, però, non annoiano e sono funzionali allo sviluppo della storia. Si vede che dietro c’è un grande lavoro di ricerca ma, in questo caso, anche tanta vita di Winslow stesso, che prima di affermarsi come scrittore è stato un perito assicurativo.
Questa volta la storia non si svolge nel mondo del narcotraffico bensì in quello delle truffe assicurative. Il protagonista è Jack, un liquidatore di danni di una grossa compagnia assicurativa californiana che si trova a dover esaminare il caso dell’incendio della casa di un ricco imprenditore russo in cui è rimasta uccisa la moglie. Jack è un vero esperto di incendi e capisce subito che l’incendio è doloso ed inizia ad indagare con grande scrupolo per denunciare la truffa e in questo modo pesta i piedi a tantissima gente. La vicenda si complica con il coinvolgimento della mafia russa e vietnamita, del KGB, della grande speculazione edilizia.
Il romanzo si sviluppa con grande ritmo e continui colpi di scena. Inoltre, sebbene anche in questo romanzo Winslow riprenda lo schema dell’uomo tutto d’un pezzo che si trova a combattere, anche con metodi poco ortodossi, per i suoi ideali contro tutto il sistema, la storia è originale e coinvolgente.
La storia è inframezzata da discussioni estremamente dettagliate sui meccanismi che portano allo sviluppo di un incendio e sulle principali tecniche utilizzate per frodare le assicurazioni. Queste parti, però, non annoiano e sono funzionali allo sviluppo della storia. Si vede che dietro c’è un grande lavoro di ricerca ma, in questo caso, anche tanta vita di Winslow stesso, che prima di affermarsi come scrittore è stato un perito assicurativo.
September 3, 2017
If you are interested in fire investigations, this is absolutely the book for you. When I say this book goes truly in-depth into the subject of fires, I’m not kidding. And it’s not only about fires but also about claim adjusting and insurance manipulation and significant corruption.
I absolutely loved the characterization. There was humanity, and fragility to some of the characters and then there was cruelty and coldness to others that was so palpable, it was sickening. As a reader, you can only root for Jack Wade, a claim adjuster for California Fire and Life, who investigates the fire of a beach house and the sole occupant, Pam Vale, perishing in it. Jack senses that there’s something fishy going on and he intends to get to the bottom of it, especially when he discovers that his former girlfriend, Letty del Rio, is Pam’s half-sister. Unfortunately for Jack it’s like tilting at windmills and pretty soon, it all goes downhill from there.
As for the subject matter, this read was not my cup of tea; too technical on some details. Luckily the author’s wit and humor made up for that. I especially enjoyed the complexity of the relations between the characters, for instance between the main the character, Jack Wade and his supervisor, Director of Claims, the very peculiar ‘Goddamn-it’ Billy. I will not say more on the subject. Just to say, that I felt immense, immense sadness, at times in this book.
My question is : is the battle against corruption ever going to be won?
I absolutely loved the characterization. There was humanity, and fragility to some of the characters and then there was cruelty and coldness to others that was so palpable, it was sickening. As a reader, you can only root for Jack Wade, a claim adjuster for California Fire and Life, who investigates the fire of a beach house and the sole occupant, Pam Vale, perishing in it. Jack senses that there’s something fishy going on and he intends to get to the bottom of it, especially when he discovers that his former girlfriend, Letty del Rio, is Pam’s half-sister. Unfortunately for Jack it’s like tilting at windmills and pretty soon, it all goes downhill from there.
As for the subject matter, this read was not my cup of tea; too technical on some details. Luckily the author’s wit and humor made up for that. I especially enjoyed the complexity of the relations between the characters, for instance between the main the character, Jack Wade and his supervisor, Director of Claims, the very peculiar ‘Goddamn-it’ Billy. I will not say more on the subject. Just to say, that I felt immense, immense sadness, at times in this book.
My question is : is the battle against corruption ever going to be won?
August 1, 2011
I've always liked Don Winslow since his earliest mysteries.
This one delved into the world of fire insurance and since it's a topic I know nothing about, it held my interest. The author educates the reader on certain topics as much as spins a good tale but does it in a manner that's not in-your-face annoying. I loved the link to Russian mafia as well. The main characters are pretty well drawn, not flimsy caricatures like with some writers (but I have to say I love his Neal Carey mysteries from his early writing career the best. There are some fleshed-out, interesting main characters to be found in that series). The other thing Mr. Winslow is very good at is capturing the sense of place, in this case, California and the American dream of fortune and endless opportunities. A good couple of hours recently spent.
This one delved into the world of fire insurance and since it's a topic I know nothing about, it held my interest. The author educates the reader on certain topics as much as spins a good tale but does it in a manner that's not in-your-face annoying. I loved the link to Russian mafia as well. The main characters are pretty well drawn, not flimsy caricatures like with some writers (but I have to say I love his Neal Carey mysteries from his early writing career the best. There are some fleshed-out, interesting main characters to be found in that series). The other thing Mr. Winslow is very good at is capturing the sense of place, in this case, California and the American dream of fortune and endless opportunities. A good couple of hours recently spent.
October 16, 2011
Re-read this wonderful Don Winslow mystery, just to remember how well written it is. The science of fire is explicit and tremendously informative, especially the forensics. The lovingly painted picture of the southern California gold coast - Laguna Beach - is nostalgic in its transformation into tourism. A wonderfully complex mystery with great characters and setting.
I have to catch up with Don Winslow; each of his works are stand alones with new protags, but most are set in southern California. I'm delighted to learn that Oliver Stone is casting Savages with John Travolta and Uma Thurman and that Warner Brothers has optioned Sartori for Leonardo DiCaprio.
--Ashland Mystery
I have to catch up with Don Winslow; each of his works are stand alones with new protags, but most are set in southern California. I'm delighted to learn that Oliver Stone is casting Savages with John Travolta and Uma Thurman and that Warner Brothers has optioned Sartori for Leonardo DiCaprio.
--Ashland Mystery
August 14, 2012
Don Winslow is a good writer. That said, this wasn't my favorite of his novels. The basics are all there:fast-talking, smart main character, lots of California scenery and of course, surfing. But it got a little bogged down with too much fire inspection specifics. Evidently, having been a fire inspector, Winslow knows a lot about fires and arson. And he just over-shares a little, in my opinion. That really slowed the narrative down. Plus, there were a lot of people to keep track of and a lot of plot points, so by the time it all came together I was a little confused. Still, it was a way above-average read and I did enjoy it.
April 15, 2015
Winslow can write! This is his first book, and he got better, but this is really great. What a fun mystery. I loved learning about fire, and California real estate, and the Russian Mafia. I loved Jack, about whom I knew enough to care but not so much he stopped being mysterious. I also loved the surprise at the end, sad and grisly though it might have been. It made sense, but I did not see it coming. Perfect summer read.
September 9, 2017
Posto che Winslow sa scrivere, posto che la necessità di arrivare alla fine si fa sempre più impellente pagina dopo pagina, posto che personalmente ho amato i capitoli che descrivevano i tecnicismi del fuoco, ecco, posto tutto questo, io delle donne bellissime con gli occhi viola mi sono rotta le scatole.
March 7, 2018
Un'altra storia appassionante, un'altra storia in cui i pezzi lontani di un puzzle finiscono per confluire con grande maestria a formare un'immagine complessa, dove non manca nulla in quanto a suspense, informazioni interessanti e dettagliate, personaggi coinvolgenti e ovviamente, una storia tutta da leggere.
May 30, 2020
It’s a good thing I listened instead of reading because I don’t think I would have finished reading it. One would have to believe that Jack Wade was only one of three honest people in the entire state of California. It’s an implausible plot line but the man sure can write a steamy sex scene !
January 29, 2010
I would give it 3.5 if an option - not quite a four star book, not quite as good as Power of the Dog.
September 1, 2020
Du feu sous la cendre de Don Winslow, présentation
Etats-Unis, sur la côte Pacifique, une femme est dans un lit en flammes.
Un homme meurt au pied de son escalier. Brasier.
Tommy et Tranh se font assassiner et leurs corps sont brûlés.
Jack Wade est sur sa planche de sur. En voyant le brasier d’une maison, il sait qu’il va être appelé.
Avis Du feu sous la cendre de Don Winslow
Lire Don Winslow, c’est plonger dans un roman absolument détaillé que ce soit au niveau des personnages ou des situations. Là, c’est le feu. Don Winslow y consacre énormément de lignes, de part la formation de son héros. Il nous explique réellement tout. Cela peut paraître rébarbatif mais cela permet de comprendre l’enquête réelle de Jack. Franchement, je ne regarderai plus un incendie autrement, je ne le prendrai plus de la même façon. Et que les incendiaires fassent réellement attention. Car si tout cela est vrai, ils ont vraiment du souci à se faire, surtout pour les experts d’assurances.
Pour mettre en place la matrice de son livre, Don Winslow commence par des chapitres vraiment très courts. Et c’est pareil pour le dénouement. Entre, les chapitres sont un peu plus longs.
Tout le long on suit l’enquête de Jack, mandaté par sa compagnie d’assurance, suite à un incendie dans une très belle maison où une femme est décédée. Très vite, la police et son ancien collègue concluent à un incendie accidentel. Donc, l’assurance va devoir payer les dommages. Mais c’est sans connaître Jack Wade qui ne va faire qu’un avec le feu. De par sa rencontre avec Nicky, très vite, il soupçonne quelque chose de louche car ce dernier parle très peu de sa femme morte, mais des indemnités qu’il va toucher. Malgré les mises en garde de sa compagnie, les menaces, Jack va faire parler les indices. Et il ne voudra absolument pas payer car pour lui, c’est un incendie criminel avec meurtre. Mais il n’a pas toutes les cartes en main. De plus, de par son passé, les plus hautes instances peuvent douter de ce qu’il avance. Il est pugnace, il veut faire éclater la vérité. Est-ce que cela sera possible ? Jack Wade est un homme seul. Il ne vit que pour bien faire son travail, le meilleur expert, et le surf, dans cette partie des Etats-Unis. Il va retrouver, également, son ancienne compagne. Jack est un homme tenace et cela ne plait pas. Il travaille pour ceux qui n’ont rien. Il tente de protéger les plus faibles. Et un seul accroc dans son ancienne carrière de flic lui colle à la peau. Alors, oui, il utilise des manières brutales pour faire avouer les uns et les autres. Oui, il est menacé. Mais il s’en fiche. Seule la vérité compte car des millions sont en jeu et aussi deux enfants qui ont perdu leur maman.
De l’autre, nous avons Nicky, ce Russe qui a émigré aux Etats-Unis pour faire fortune. Juif, il a fait la guerre en Afghanistan. Il a été recruté également par le KGB. Il a fait de la prison, s’est allié avec un gang avant son arrivée aux Etats-Unis. De par sa soif de réussir, il va monter les échelons, gagner de l’argent et vouloir rester le maître. Une relation bizarre s’est instaurée avec sa mère. Nicky veut régner en maître.
Letty est enquêtrice. Elle a été amoureuse de Jack il y a 12 ans. Pourquoi entre-t-elle en scène ? Je peux affirmer que Don Winslow ne rate aucun de ses rebondissements dans ce roman que ce soit pour Letty ou cette fameuse enquête et toutes les forces en présence.
Outre le feu, l’incendie qu’il soit criminel ou pas, dans un lieu privé ou pas, Don Winslow s’attache à détailler tous les contrats d’assurance et les compagnies et les indemnités qui peuvent être versées à ses assurés. Mais, dans tout bon roman, il y les gentils, comme Jack et les méchants au sein de la compagnie. Les procès, les fraudes sont également extrêmement détaillées. De plus, Don Winslow met en scène la mafia russe. L’auteur n’hésite pas à distiller, de temps en temps, cette pointe d’humour noir qui fait monter le sourire aux lèvres.
Un véritable coup de coeur pour moi. Cela faisait longtemps que cela ne m’était pas arrivé.
Etats-Unis, sur la côte Pacifique, une femme est dans un lit en flammes.
Un homme meurt au pied de son escalier. Brasier.
Tommy et Tranh se font assassiner et leurs corps sont brûlés.
Jack Wade est sur sa planche de sur. En voyant le brasier d’une maison, il sait qu’il va être appelé.
Avis Du feu sous la cendre de Don Winslow
Lire Don Winslow, c’est plonger dans un roman absolument détaillé que ce soit au niveau des personnages ou des situations. Là, c’est le feu. Don Winslow y consacre énormément de lignes, de part la formation de son héros. Il nous explique réellement tout. Cela peut paraître rébarbatif mais cela permet de comprendre l’enquête réelle de Jack. Franchement, je ne regarderai plus un incendie autrement, je ne le prendrai plus de la même façon. Et que les incendiaires fassent réellement attention. Car si tout cela est vrai, ils ont vraiment du souci à se faire, surtout pour les experts d’assurances.
Pour mettre en place la matrice de son livre, Don Winslow commence par des chapitres vraiment très courts. Et c’est pareil pour le dénouement. Entre, les chapitres sont un peu plus longs.
Tout le long on suit l’enquête de Jack, mandaté par sa compagnie d’assurance, suite à un incendie dans une très belle maison où une femme est décédée. Très vite, la police et son ancien collègue concluent à un incendie accidentel. Donc, l’assurance va devoir payer les dommages. Mais c’est sans connaître Jack Wade qui ne va faire qu’un avec le feu. De par sa rencontre avec Nicky, très vite, il soupçonne quelque chose de louche car ce dernier parle très peu de sa femme morte, mais des indemnités qu’il va toucher. Malgré les mises en garde de sa compagnie, les menaces, Jack va faire parler les indices. Et il ne voudra absolument pas payer car pour lui, c’est un incendie criminel avec meurtre. Mais il n’a pas toutes les cartes en main. De plus, de par son passé, les plus hautes instances peuvent douter de ce qu’il avance. Il est pugnace, il veut faire éclater la vérité. Est-ce que cela sera possible ? Jack Wade est un homme seul. Il ne vit que pour bien faire son travail, le meilleur expert, et le surf, dans cette partie des Etats-Unis. Il va retrouver, également, son ancienne compagne. Jack est un homme tenace et cela ne plait pas. Il travaille pour ceux qui n’ont rien. Il tente de protéger les plus faibles. Et un seul accroc dans son ancienne carrière de flic lui colle à la peau. Alors, oui, il utilise des manières brutales pour faire avouer les uns et les autres. Oui, il est menacé. Mais il s’en fiche. Seule la vérité compte car des millions sont en jeu et aussi deux enfants qui ont perdu leur maman.
De l’autre, nous avons Nicky, ce Russe qui a émigré aux Etats-Unis pour faire fortune. Juif, il a fait la guerre en Afghanistan. Il a été recruté également par le KGB. Il a fait de la prison, s’est allié avec un gang avant son arrivée aux Etats-Unis. De par sa soif de réussir, il va monter les échelons, gagner de l’argent et vouloir rester le maître. Une relation bizarre s’est instaurée avec sa mère. Nicky veut régner en maître.
Letty est enquêtrice. Elle a été amoureuse de Jack il y a 12 ans. Pourquoi entre-t-elle en scène ? Je peux affirmer que Don Winslow ne rate aucun de ses rebondissements dans ce roman que ce soit pour Letty ou cette fameuse enquête et toutes les forces en présence.
Outre le feu, l’incendie qu’il soit criminel ou pas, dans un lieu privé ou pas, Don Winslow s’attache à détailler tous les contrats d’assurance et les compagnies et les indemnités qui peuvent être versées à ses assurés. Mais, dans tout bon roman, il y les gentils, comme Jack et les méchants au sein de la compagnie. Les procès, les fraudes sont également extrêmement détaillées. De plus, Don Winslow met en scène la mafia russe. L’auteur n’hésite pas à distiller, de temps en temps, cette pointe d’humour noir qui fait monter le sourire aux lèvres.
Un véritable coup de coeur pour moi. Cela faisait longtemps que cela ne m’était pas arrivé.
September 8, 2023
In Fire and Life (1999) Don Winslow — perhaps America's greatest crime writer — gives us a riveting tale of murder-by-fire, a story that includes lessons on the chemistry of fire with emphasis on its characteristics when induced by accelerants. If you're an arsonist, you won't learn that much; but any wannabes should memorize it. If you're not an arsonist, just sit back and enjoy an early Winslow escapade.
Jack Wade is a dedicated surfer who lives at Dana Point, one of Southern California's prime surfing spots located midway between Oceanside and Huntington Beach. He is also an expert on fire and the former fire inspector for the Sheriff's Office. As we follow him through fire school we see why he is an ace at what he does – he sees all the fingerprints of arson to which most of his colleagues, through ignorance or indolence, are blind. And he doesn't back down!
Jack's record as a student at Fire School was immaculate and he began his fiery career as an arson investigator for the County Sheriff's Office. One particular case led to his dismissal. Jack's boss concluded that the house fire was not arson, but Jack disagreed. The disagreement becomes intense and, though Jack is finally vindicated, his half-life as an employee of the Sheriff's Office dropped to zero; after all, the worst offense for a public employee is to embarrass your boss.
Jack is now the chief fire inspector for a private company called California Fire and Life, run by a guy called Godamn Billy. Jack also has a sleep-in girlfriend, a Hispanic hottie named Letty Gomez. Unknown to Jack, Letty has a half-sister, a WASP named Pam Vale, husband Nicky Vale. Pam dies when the Vale house burns down, and California Fire and Life has the fire insurance on the house and the life insurance on Pam. So Jack is the investigator for California Fire and Life; the Sheriff's Office investigator is his old boss.
Once again the two disagree. Jack sees clear evidence of arson but his old boss sees
accidental death due to smoking in bed while drinking. Nicky Vale naturally likes the Sheriff's Office diagnosis – he will get paid on both the house and Pam, and no finger of blame points at him. Goddamn Billy likes Jack's conclusion.
We will learn that Nicky Vale has a vivid backstory. He was born in the USSR as Daziatnik Valeshin. His father was unknown and his single mother raised him in an unusual fashion, including possible incest. She and "Daz" emigrated to the U.S., where she became known as "Mother Russia" because of her excessive and obsessive control over Daz. Daz changed his name to Nick Vale and became rich in the California real estate boom. He built a California dream house and married Pam over Mother Russia's intense opposition.
While in the USSR, Daz became a KGB agent and was assigned to become a prison inmate to gather information. There he joined the Brotherhood of Thieves, among the most significant fraternities in crime, where he learned the art of giving and receiving pain. Jack isn't quite the home-bred businessman who married the love of his life – while serving his country he received a PhD in Crime and Punishment.
Jack Wade is a dedicated surfer who lives at Dana Point, one of Southern California's prime surfing spots located midway between Oceanside and Huntington Beach. He is also an expert on fire and the former fire inspector for the Sheriff's Office. As we follow him through fire school we see why he is an ace at what he does – he sees all the fingerprints of arson to which most of his colleagues, through ignorance or indolence, are blind. And he doesn't back down!
Jack's record as a student at Fire School was immaculate and he began his fiery career as an arson investigator for the County Sheriff's Office. One particular case led to his dismissal. Jack's boss concluded that the house fire was not arson, but Jack disagreed. The disagreement becomes intense and, though Jack is finally vindicated, his half-life as an employee of the Sheriff's Office dropped to zero; after all, the worst offense for a public employee is to embarrass your boss.
Jack is now the chief fire inspector for a private company called California Fire and Life, run by a guy called Godamn Billy. Jack also has a sleep-in girlfriend, a Hispanic hottie named Letty Gomez. Unknown to Jack, Letty has a half-sister, a WASP named Pam Vale, husband Nicky Vale. Pam dies when the Vale house burns down, and California Fire and Life has the fire insurance on the house and the life insurance on Pam. So Jack is the investigator for California Fire and Life; the Sheriff's Office investigator is his old boss.
Once again the two disagree. Jack sees clear evidence of arson but his old boss sees
accidental death due to smoking in bed while drinking. Nicky Vale naturally likes the Sheriff's Office diagnosis – he will get paid on both the house and Pam, and no finger of blame points at him. Goddamn Billy likes Jack's conclusion.
We will learn that Nicky Vale has a vivid backstory. He was born in the USSR as Daziatnik Valeshin. His father was unknown and his single mother raised him in an unusual fashion, including possible incest. She and "Daz" emigrated to the U.S., where she became known as "Mother Russia" because of her excessive and obsessive control over Daz. Daz changed his name to Nick Vale and became rich in the California real estate boom. He built a California dream house and married Pam over Mother Russia's intense opposition.
While in the USSR, Daz became a KGB agent and was assigned to become a prison inmate to gather information. There he joined the Brotherhood of Thieves, among the most significant fraternities in crime, where he learned the art of giving and receiving pain. Jack isn't quite the home-bred businessman who married the love of his life – while serving his country he received a PhD in Crime and Punishment.
May 28, 2021
The problem with being a really good writer is that you have to compete with yourself. This is a good book. Don Winslow is in the business of writing great books though and while this one is well worth reading, it's not as good as some of his others. So, if you're new to DW's books, I would recommend you start with The Winter of Frankie Machine or if you prefer some intensity in your reading, try The Power of the Dog.
If you're like me and have already read most of Winslow's books, of course you'll want to read this one too. There's nothing glaringly wrong with it. The plot is good, the pacing is good for the most part (Winslow does have a penchant for tangential forays where he becomes a travel writer working for the local Chamber of Commerce where the pace tends to dip). In this book it's less about history and location as it is a deep dive into Fire Inspector School training and an in-depth look at the science behind GC (that's Gas Chromatography for those of you who noobs). And while those tangents both took up a lot of time and space in the book, I was actually very interested in both of them and enjoyed those parts. Still. It was like a break in the actual story.
There's a twist that I didn't see coming and was pretty impressed by so the plotting was pretty tight and well done. I liked the characters but if I had to list the factors that make this less than one of Winslow's books, I'd have to say that it's the characters who populate this book. It's not that they aren't good characters but for me, I didn't really connect to anyone. The protagonist is good and he's a by the book, follow the rules, all integrity kind of guy (well, except for the one time in the beginning part of the book) and there just wasn't any hook to him. Nothing drew me in. The supporting cast is okay but not great. The antagonist is actually one of the stronger characters in this book. He's not likable but he is more relatable at times than our hero.
In the end, I'm happy to recommend this book. I would give it 3.25 stars if I could. It's not Winslow at his best, but even when he's not at his best he's pretty darned good. It may not be one of his best, but it's still better than a lot of what's out there. It's worth the read.
If you're like me and have already read most of Winslow's books, of course you'll want to read this one too. There's nothing glaringly wrong with it. The plot is good, the pacing is good for the most part (Winslow does have a penchant for tangential forays where he becomes a travel writer working for the local Chamber of Commerce where the pace tends to dip). In this book it's less about history and location as it is a deep dive into Fire Inspector School training and an in-depth look at the science behind GC (that's Gas Chromatography for those of you who noobs). And while those tangents both took up a lot of time and space in the book, I was actually very interested in both of them and enjoyed those parts. Still. It was like a break in the actual story.
There's a twist that I didn't see coming and was pretty impressed by so the plotting was pretty tight and well done. I liked the characters but if I had to list the factors that make this less than one of Winslow's books, I'd have to say that it's the characters who populate this book. It's not that they aren't good characters but for me, I didn't really connect to anyone. The protagonist is good and he's a by the book, follow the rules, all integrity kind of guy (well, except for the one time in the beginning part of the book) and there just wasn't any hook to him. Nothing drew me in. The supporting cast is okay but not great. The antagonist is actually one of the stronger characters in this book. He's not likable but he is more relatable at times than our hero.
In the end, I'm happy to recommend this book. I would give it 3.25 stars if I could. It's not Winslow at his best, but even when he's not at his best he's pretty darned good. It may not be one of his best, but it's still better than a lot of what's out there. It's worth the read.
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