What do you think?
Rate this book
A Spark Of Heavenly Fire
A Spark of Heavenly In quarantined Colorado, where hundreds of thousands of people are dying from an unstoppable disease called the red death, insomniac Kate Cummings struggles to find the courage to live and to love. Investigative reporter Greg Pullman, is determined to discover who unleashed the deadly organism and why they did it, until the cost — Kate’s life — becomes more than he can pay. This is a story of survival in the face of brutality, government cover-up, and public hysteria. It is also a story of lost, found and fulfilled.
- GenresSuspense
322 pages, Paperback
First published November 23, 2008
7 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
About the author
Pat Bertram
11 books122 followersPat Bertram is the author of the suspense novels MADAME ZEEZEE'S NIGHTMARE, UNFINISHED, LIGHT BRINGER, DAUGHTER AM I, MORE DEATHS THAN ONE, and A SPARK OF HEAVENLY FIRE. Bertram is also the author of GRIEF: THE GREAT YEARNING, “an exquisite book, wrenching to read, and at the same time full of profound truths.”
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 22, 2011
A spark of heavenly fire.
The red death epidemic has hit the state of Colorado and there is a quarantine and Marshall law. Along with merely staying alive; three women manage to thrive and show how strong they really are in the face of adversity. Kate, Dee and Pippy show what it takes to get through the worst. That indeed is a spark of heavenly fire. Kate and Dee work tirelessly to provide for the homeless and a purpose and merely try to save people. Pippy, miles from home must find a way to get back home after escaping illness. Meanwhile her fiancé is researching the epidemic and what caused it. Is it a bona fide illness or did it come from somewhere else, he wants to find out before it kills every one.
Ms. Bertram has written some very strong characters that have the strength in the worst of times. She keeps the reader on the edge while writing a riveting story and a the same time give us all hope that we to can have such moxie when we need it the most. Congrats to the author. I give this book five gold stethoscopes.
The red death epidemic has hit the state of Colorado and there is a quarantine and Marshall law. Along with merely staying alive; three women manage to thrive and show how strong they really are in the face of adversity. Kate, Dee and Pippy show what it takes to get through the worst. That indeed is a spark of heavenly fire. Kate and Dee work tirelessly to provide for the homeless and a purpose and merely try to save people. Pippy, miles from home must find a way to get back home after escaping illness. Meanwhile her fiancé is researching the epidemic and what caused it. Is it a bona fide illness or did it come from somewhere else, he wants to find out before it kills every one.
Ms. Bertram has written some very strong characters that have the strength in the worst of times. She keeps the reader on the edge while writing a riveting story and a the same time give us all hope that we to can have such moxie when we need it the most. Congrats to the author. I give this book five gold stethoscopes.
June 30, 2010
Pat Bertram is an author who portrays in-depth characters dealing with catrastophic mayhem in twisted tales of suspense and adventure. For new authors wanting to learn how to write good mysteries, A SPARK OF HEAVENLY FIRE is a study on its own.
March 21, 2011
This is an absolutely amazing book!
I was blown away with her first book that I read, Daughter Am I, but thought I now knew a little about this writer...not so! A Spark of Heavenly Fire...surprising, exciting, realistic, scary, and wonderful all at the same time...
OK, here's the basic storyline...
Kate Cummings works at a clinic, where she is the first to talk to patients, finding out why they are there and gathering information from them. On a personal level, she has lost a loved one and finding that she is still very much depressed over the loss. One of her methods of getting back on track is jogging. But this day two things happen: a man falls dead in front of her and she meets another interesting man to whom she is attracted.
Unfortunately the man who died gushed blood all over Kate, which turns out to be dangerous to Kate since he is only one of the thousands that are dying from what is soon being called the red death! And before very long, the entire state of Colorado is quarantined!
Greg Pullman was a reporter for the Denver News and he was also the other jogger on that fateful morning. We soon find that he is practically engaged to be married, but when Greg is supposed to meet her to formally propose, she has left with an actor who has been working in the state.
And at that time, two paths are there in the middle of the story... Which one would you take?
Jeremy King and Pippi O'Brien, as new lovers, went on the run, trying to escape Colorado. Through their story you will see where some residents had been imprisoned, how those at the stateline would not allow anybody to leave the state, how food was scarce and thieves were on every road, waiting to steal, and kill, if they had to...
Kate was older than Greg, knew she couldn't even begin to compete with Pippi in looks, but nevertheless was willing to enjoy Greg's company, especially since both were interested and determined to find out exactly what kind of virus was causing the deaths. As Greg made as many contacts as he could, and conducted research to determine where the virus had begun and who was working with research of this kind, Kate found herself in an entirely different situation.
Appalled by the "preparedness" of the government to take over, control the food, and control the people by killing those who were presumed to be causing riots, but were oftentimes just a group of friends having a little bit of fun, she watched as food became scarce, only one restaurant remained open, and the homeless were totally cut off.
And then it was determined that it was a chimera, a man-made virus, probably created for biological warfare that was causing the deaths. Just who and how many knew exactly what was happening in Colorado?
But another discovery was made--practically all of the regular customers at the one open restaurant had not become ill. And through the "spark of heavenly fire" people started working together to help each other based upon what they had learned...
Parts of this book are realistically scary, because readers know that the fear, the lawlessness, the greed and danger of a major epidemic would be very like what the author portrays. In the sad commentary of today's world, where terrorism, biological warfare, and hostage situations are handled by strict interpretation of governmental officials' orders or, worse, ignoring them, what happens when good people are confronted in the midst of such chaos... I loved this book!
May more and more Americans find that spark! A must-read recommendation from this reviewer!
Book received via
Facebook's Reviewers Roundup
G. A. Bixler
I was blown away with her first book that I read, Daughter Am I, but thought I now knew a little about this writer...not so! A Spark of Heavenly Fire...surprising, exciting, realistic, scary, and wonderful all at the same time...
OK, here's the basic storyline...
Kate Cummings works at a clinic, where she is the first to talk to patients, finding out why they are there and gathering information from them. On a personal level, she has lost a loved one and finding that she is still very much depressed over the loss. One of her methods of getting back on track is jogging. But this day two things happen: a man falls dead in front of her and she meets another interesting man to whom she is attracted.
Unfortunately the man who died gushed blood all over Kate, which turns out to be dangerous to Kate since he is only one of the thousands that are dying from what is soon being called the red death! And before very long, the entire state of Colorado is quarantined!
Greg Pullman was a reporter for the Denver News and he was also the other jogger on that fateful morning. We soon find that he is practically engaged to be married, but when Greg is supposed to meet her to formally propose, she has left with an actor who has been working in the state.
And at that time, two paths are there in the middle of the story... Which one would you take?
Jeremy King and Pippi O'Brien, as new lovers, went on the run, trying to escape Colorado. Through their story you will see where some residents had been imprisoned, how those at the stateline would not allow anybody to leave the state, how food was scarce and thieves were on every road, waiting to steal, and kill, if they had to...
Kate was older than Greg, knew she couldn't even begin to compete with Pippi in looks, but nevertheless was willing to enjoy Greg's company, especially since both were interested and determined to find out exactly what kind of virus was causing the deaths. As Greg made as many contacts as he could, and conducted research to determine where the virus had begun and who was working with research of this kind, Kate found herself in an entirely different situation.
Appalled by the "preparedness" of the government to take over, control the food, and control the people by killing those who were presumed to be causing riots, but were oftentimes just a group of friends having a little bit of fun, she watched as food became scarce, only one restaurant remained open, and the homeless were totally cut off.
And then it was determined that it was a chimera, a man-made virus, probably created for biological warfare that was causing the deaths. Just who and how many knew exactly what was happening in Colorado?
But another discovery was made--practically all of the regular customers at the one open restaurant had not become ill. And through the "spark of heavenly fire" people started working together to help each other based upon what they had learned...
Parts of this book are realistically scary, because readers know that the fear, the lawlessness, the greed and danger of a major epidemic would be very like what the author portrays. In the sad commentary of today's world, where terrorism, biological warfare, and hostage situations are handled by strict interpretation of governmental officials' orders or, worse, ignoring them, what happens when good people are confronted in the midst of such chaos... I loved this book!
May more and more Americans find that spark! A must-read recommendation from this reviewer!
Book received via
Facebook's Reviewers Roundup
G. A. Bixler
March 27, 2012
Who says you can't squeeze romance into a thriller? And while you're at it, how about weaving in a deeply moving story about human redemption?
Author Pat Bertram says you can. And she'll convince you before you can say chimera - the lethal combination of virus, bacterium, fungus, and human genes that causes the rapid spread of the "red death," a bio-engineered weapon threatening the entire state of Colorado.
Kate Cummings is trying to deal with the loss of her husband, who drove his car off a mountain after a long battle with Multiple Sclerosis. She passes by his bedroom without daring to enter, and slogs through life in a solemn daze, feeling guilty for every time she waited a few extra minutes to answer his summons, or for each time she became angry. His loss haunts her, and although her work at the Bowers Medical Clinic is fulfilling, it can't heal the hole in her heart.
When a jogger stumbles into Kate with red eyes blazing, he vomits blood on her and dies instantly. A rash of similar deaths follows, decimating the state. Orange paint markers on front doors - signifying a "red death" in the marked homes - begin to appear with frightening regularity. Panicked parents discard their red-eyed children, fearful of contagion.
Enter Greg Pullman, reporter for the Denver News, who's engaged to the ditzy beauty, Pippi O'Brien, local TV weather girl. But when he bumps into Kate after Pippi heads for the border in search of safety, things change. Together, Kate and Greg investigate and unearth the shocking source of the horror that has shut down their state and caused a rogue wing of the military to terrorize Colorado's remaining citizens. Basic human amenities - so often taken for granted - become grounds for murder. And the streets are no longer safe to walk unescorted.
In addition to a killer story line, smooth writing, and phenomenal characterization, this page turning thriller features fine examples of charity through glimpses into Kate's huge heart. The remarkable heroine opens her home to survivors who are homeless and hungry. Soon, partnered with a destitute woman named Dee, Kate's home becomes a refuge for survivors. And in the midst of the massive deaths, terror, and horror, Kate finds salvation.
The tension in A Spark of Heavenly Fire is electric. Taut suspense pulls you along at a rapid pace. This reader was up way past his bedtime three nights in a row. And yes, it was that good.
Author Pat Bertram says you can. And she'll convince you before you can say chimera - the lethal combination of virus, bacterium, fungus, and human genes that causes the rapid spread of the "red death," a bio-engineered weapon threatening the entire state of Colorado.
Kate Cummings is trying to deal with the loss of her husband, who drove his car off a mountain after a long battle with Multiple Sclerosis. She passes by his bedroom without daring to enter, and slogs through life in a solemn daze, feeling guilty for every time she waited a few extra minutes to answer his summons, or for each time she became angry. His loss haunts her, and although her work at the Bowers Medical Clinic is fulfilling, it can't heal the hole in her heart.
When a jogger stumbles into Kate with red eyes blazing, he vomits blood on her and dies instantly. A rash of similar deaths follows, decimating the state. Orange paint markers on front doors - signifying a "red death" in the marked homes - begin to appear with frightening regularity. Panicked parents discard their red-eyed children, fearful of contagion.
Enter Greg Pullman, reporter for the Denver News, who's engaged to the ditzy beauty, Pippi O'Brien, local TV weather girl. But when he bumps into Kate after Pippi heads for the border in search of safety, things change. Together, Kate and Greg investigate and unearth the shocking source of the horror that has shut down their state and caused a rogue wing of the military to terrorize Colorado's remaining citizens. Basic human amenities - so often taken for granted - become grounds for murder. And the streets are no longer safe to walk unescorted.
In addition to a killer story line, smooth writing, and phenomenal characterization, this page turning thriller features fine examples of charity through glimpses into Kate's huge heart. The remarkable heroine opens her home to survivors who are homeless and hungry. Soon, partnered with a destitute woman named Dee, Kate's home becomes a refuge for survivors. And in the midst of the massive deaths, terror, and horror, Kate finds salvation.
The tension in A Spark of Heavenly Fire is electric. Taut suspense pulls you along at a rapid pace. This reader was up way past his bedtime three nights in a row. And yes, it was that good.
May 14, 2009
I tried using Google today. I wanted to find the author of some half-remembered books that I enjoyed as a teenager. And amazingly enough I succeeded. It seems even I can successfully ask ill-defined questions of the internet and get a well-defined answer.
The author’s name is John Creasy, and I loved all his books, but the ones I was trying to remember were the Dr. Palfrey series. They were among my first “adult” borrowings from the local library when I was a kid. I couldn’t believe real grown-ups read the sort of stories I enjoyed, with science gone wild, governments failing to act, and Dr. Palfrey trying to pick up the pieces.
The half-memories were inspired by reading Pat Bertram’s A Spark of Heavenly Fire, a book that’s entirely too much fun for a middle-aged woman like me. How can a “patient representative,” of a certain age, be the main character, and how can she be so neat to know that I want to be just like her? But science has gone wild again, the government might even be the enemy, and young Greg, the investigative reporter, is burying despair in investigation while Kate picks up the pieces.
Along the way, poor Kate gets thrown up on, frequently, and puts her own life back together while healing the hurts of a world full of assorted strangers, plus Greg. Lots of people die, and Kate and Greg are determined to find out why, while the government quarantines the state, and the rich and famous throw their money around in their efforts to escape.
A Spark of Heavenly Fire is a good tale well-told. It’s got tons of fascinating information and great characters. It defies convention and the pigeon-holes of genre. And I love it. Thanks Pat. I hope you’re writing more.
The author’s name is John Creasy, and I loved all his books, but the ones I was trying to remember were the Dr. Palfrey series. They were among my first “adult” borrowings from the local library when I was a kid. I couldn’t believe real grown-ups read the sort of stories I enjoyed, with science gone wild, governments failing to act, and Dr. Palfrey trying to pick up the pieces.
The half-memories were inspired by reading Pat Bertram’s A Spark of Heavenly Fire, a book that’s entirely too much fun for a middle-aged woman like me. How can a “patient representative,” of a certain age, be the main character, and how can she be so neat to know that I want to be just like her? But science has gone wild again, the government might even be the enemy, and young Greg, the investigative reporter, is burying despair in investigation while Kate picks up the pieces.
Along the way, poor Kate gets thrown up on, frequently, and puts her own life back together while healing the hurts of a world full of assorted strangers, plus Greg. Lots of people die, and Kate and Greg are determined to find out why, while the government quarantines the state, and the rich and famous throw their money around in their efforts to escape.
A Spark of Heavenly Fire is a good tale well-told. It’s got tons of fascinating information and great characters. It defies convention and the pigeon-holes of genre. And I love it. Thanks Pat. I hope you’re writing more.
August 10, 2016
At the beginning, the state of Colorado was where 'Red Death' was set in motion. One minute, everything was normal. Then the unthinkable happens: a sweeping infectious monstrosity spreads rapidly. Within a few days, the area was cut off and its citizens were cloistered. Gas was at a premium, food was worth killing for and family member was pit against family member. Humanity had sunk to an all-time low.
Kate Cummings was a 42 year-old childless widow. She witnessed the spread of the disease when on two separate occasions a person had sprayed blood on her. Still, she didn't catch Red Death.
Greg Pullman was a veteran news reporter. Somewhere in his 30's, he had recently proposed to his girlfriend but before the ring was on her finger, she had left him for an actor. The twosome, Jeremy King and Pippi O'Brien, were trying to find a way out using each other as a means to an end. And Greg? He, also, didn't catch the infection.
Without giving too much away, I was expecting either a 'romantic/suspense', an 'action/adventure' or a good mystery. And yes, it contained all of these elements but not enough to tag the story as such. In hindsight, this story should have been a great read. Ms. Bertram had some interesting concepts. Unfortunately, the procession and flow of the ideas seemed out of kilter. Also, there was very little chemistry between any of the main characters and this caused the story to suffer. I am not sure if this is the fault of the editor, publisher or writer but for the price of the book I expected more.
Kate Cummings was a 42 year-old childless widow. She witnessed the spread of the disease when on two separate occasions a person had sprayed blood on her. Still, she didn't catch Red Death.
Greg Pullman was a veteran news reporter. Somewhere in his 30's, he had recently proposed to his girlfriend but before the ring was on her finger, she had left him for an actor. The twosome, Jeremy King and Pippi O'Brien, were trying to find a way out using each other as a means to an end. And Greg? He, also, didn't catch the infection.
Without giving too much away, I was expecting either a 'romantic/suspense', an 'action/adventure' or a good mystery. And yes, it contained all of these elements but not enough to tag the story as such. In hindsight, this story should have been a great read. Ms. Bertram had some interesting concepts. Unfortunately, the procession and flow of the ideas seemed out of kilter. Also, there was very little chemistry between any of the main characters and this caused the story to suffer. I am not sure if this is the fault of the editor, publisher or writer but for the price of the book I expected more.
June 17, 2012
Kate Cummings works in a medical clinic as a patient advocate. Since the death of her husband, she's led a quiet, uneventful life. All that changes when a jogger in the park falls on her, hemorrhages and dies. This event is strange enough, but when the same symptoms appear in a woman at the clinic, Kate realizes that something more is going on.
At the park, Kate meets Greg Pullman, a reporter for the newspaper. He's somewhat younger than she, but they click on many different levels. When his fiancee, Pippi O'Brian, dumps him, he finds friendship and solace with Kate.
Together, Kate and Greg begin investigating the odd circumstances surrounding the deaths of the jogger and the woman at her office. As more and more people get ill, the city of Denver finds itself under military quarantine.
"A Spark of Heavenly Fire" is a well paced thriller. Kate and Greg race against time, trying to find the cause of the outbreak as well as survive in the aftermath. The characters are 3 dimensional and believable. The reader feels a link them them, and hope that they will somehow survive.
I highly recommend "A Spark of Heavenly Fire" for anyone who likes a good mystery with a dash of romance. It's an excellent book and I look forward to reading Pat Bertram's other novels – "More Deaths Than One", "Daughter Am I", "Lightbringer" and "Grief: The Great Yearning" (non-fiction).
At the park, Kate meets Greg Pullman, a reporter for the newspaper. He's somewhat younger than she, but they click on many different levels. When his fiancee, Pippi O'Brian, dumps him, he finds friendship and solace with Kate.
Together, Kate and Greg begin investigating the odd circumstances surrounding the deaths of the jogger and the woman at her office. As more and more people get ill, the city of Denver finds itself under military quarantine.
"A Spark of Heavenly Fire" is a well paced thriller. Kate and Greg race against time, trying to find the cause of the outbreak as well as survive in the aftermath. The characters are 3 dimensional and believable. The reader feels a link them them, and hope that they will somehow survive.
I highly recommend "A Spark of Heavenly Fire" for anyone who likes a good mystery with a dash of romance. It's an excellent book and I look forward to reading Pat Bertram's other novels – "More Deaths Than One", "Daughter Am I", "Lightbringer" and "Grief: The Great Yearning" (non-fiction).
March 1, 2011
Not a bad story...but but but. I love post-apocolyptic stories - but a common mistake authors fall into with it is to immediately lose the sense of horror - their characters hardly react to dead bodies piling up around them - Bertram did this from the get-go. And this book was so badly edited that it is astonishing. Someone made the author chop this up without any concern for the reader's ability to follow the story and understand the characters...fortunately, I didn't care enough about any of them to worry about it.
Read
March 28, 2009In quarantined Colorado, where hundreds of thousands of people are dying from an unstoppable disease called the red death, insomniac Kate Cummings struggles to find the courage to live and to love. Her new love, investigative reporter Greg Pullman, is determined to discover who unleashed the deadly organism and why they did it, until the cost — Kate’s life — becomes more than he can pay.
May 1, 2009
A flu-like plague, the Red Death, of apocalyptic proportions descends on Denver and the state of Colorado. This is a story of survival in the face of brutalty, governmental cover-up and public hysteria. It's also a story of love: lost, found and fulfilled. Gripping, exhilarating, terrifying and exciting.
April 20, 2014
A great 2nd novel by Pat. Great suspense with twists and turns that leave you wanting resolutions before you put the book down and turn off the light, you might end up having to forgo sleep to get to end.
December 23, 2015
Ducimus qui officiis et soluta possimus. Reprehenderit est non quaerat similique quos. Qui corporis voluptate aperiam unde eligendi quia. Eaque minus laborum aut voluptas sunt ut. Amet commodi dolores a fugit esse voluptatibus id.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews