Flashover

Zehra Henning

by Colin Nelson, Colin T. Nelson

A series of fatal fires unnerves the city. Fire investigators and law enforcement race to apprehend the serial arsonist. Facing political pressure and public hysteria, the prosecutor, Zehra Henning, charges a suspect with arson and murder. But Zehra questions the rush to judgement and her crises of conscience propels her into action---and danger. As she prepares for the trial, many other suspects may be the true arsonist instead of the one charged. Zehra must solve the mystery before the serial arsonist is able to strike again and cause destruction and death to hundreds of people.

ebook

First published September 1, 2013

About the author

When Colin was 10 years old, he spent Christmas with his grandma who gave him a copy of "The Hound of the Baskervilles." As he read in on a cold night listening to distant trains passing, he became addicted to mysteries. His dream to write a suspense novel himself came true with the publication of his first book, "Reprisal" in 2010, followed by two more: "Fallout" and "Flashover." In over 30 years of work as a prosecutor and Public Defender, he has gathered stories of both humor and tragedy about the criminal world. He includes many of these stories in his books.

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Colin T. Nelsons’ “Flashover,” we once again file into the courtroom as Zehra Hassan battles with the twisted mind of yet another fiendish rapscallion, all the while dealing with personal trials that threaten to shatter and fragment her mind, sending her down a road of misery and defeat. With fires raging across the city, political pressure bears down on Zehra to try and convict the prime suspect. However, as the case develops, suspicion begins to point towards an array of seemingly harmless characters, all with dark histories and possible motives. With odds like these, it’s anyone’s guess who the real culprit might be.

This book first came to my attention when a friend offered me an extra copy he had received from a goodreads giveaway, hosted my Mr. Nelson. Currently, I have been working on A. A. Fairs’ Cool and Lam mysteries, so was glad to take a break from private investigating and venture into the prosecution side of criminal justice, a side of murder/mysteries I was, as yet, unfamiliar with. I was initially struck by the range of characters and possible suspects this book offered for my approval. I enjoyed the fact that it kept you guessing who’d done what right up ‘till the very end, something a good mystery should strive for. The escape from the jaws of death and the big reveal at the end was really well done, keeping me on the edge of my seat with an “omg” reaction. Also, the story within the story was a unique subplot that kept you wondering if it was all coincidence, or the subtle confession of a guilty conscience.

I found few problems with this book, but they exist none the less. The biggest issue I had with this book was the personality of our protagonist, Zehra Hassan. Specifically, I despised the fact she was cold, hard, and downright severe. I understand she is meant to come across as the determined, independent modern woman, one belonging to an ethnic minority with all the hardship that brings, all the while striving for professional glory, but I feel the concentration was too high in this case. I like my main characters to be smart and likable. Zehra certainly has the intelligence and charisma, but I found myself grumbling at some of her inexcusable behavior. Specifically, I thought she treated her fiancé poorly, was far too easy on her interfering parents, and seemed to enjoy the company of case files over that of her fellow man. Quite honestly, I was happier to discover that Ted Rohrbacher was given the opportunity for restitution with his family than I was to know the case was closed*. You’ll note I included an asterisk when I say closed. I like my story to have the Disney ending, with the good guys riding off into the sunset on their white chargers while the bad guy gets a heaping plate-load of well-deserved comeuppance. While we are lead to believe that our bad guy will receive his just deserts, it ends up being a “well, who can really say?” sort of deal when the jury deadlocks and the trial is thrown out. After running along with our cast for 250 pages, I found this to be a rather disappointing finale. Despite it's issues, Flashover was an engaging read and I will be keeping an eye on Nelsons' future works.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

NOTE: I received a copy of this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

This was an intriguing read to say the least. It keeps you thinking and trying to piece things together, while also questioning some of the characters judgement and morals. I will go with my usual format of pros and cons for this review. (I apologize, Mr. Nelson, for the late review!)

PROS:

"I think I know that guy!" - Colin Nelson did an impeccable job of creating characters with differing personalities and deep character building throughout the story. Unlike with some books, I did not find myself needing to go back a few pages to remind myself who someone was. The characters were memorable and believable!

"A lawyer and an arsonist walk into a bar." - One thing I always love about great authors, is when they use aspects of their own lives as inspiration for a story, it tends to add depth and experience into the story line and creates a well polished final product. This book was no exception. Colin Nelson's experience as a lawyer shines through in this book, especially through the character Zehra, the story's main protagonist.

"Now isn't that sweet." - The romantic sub-plots in this story were very mild, which is how I prefer them. There was no awkward intensity that seemed forced into the book just to make sure some sort of romance element was added. With this book it seemed natural and believable, and wasn't ridiculously over-written and gratuitous.

CONS:

"A little less conversation, a little more action please." - The story, though phenomenal and interesting, was watered down by a lack of excitement in the story. There is a LOT of talking in this book, which is perfectly fine... when it is balanced out with some excitement. There was SOME but it came into the story too little too late, being trumped by the rest of the story containing so much seemingly inane dialogue, with nothing to balance it.

All in all, this WAS a great read, intellectual, and thought provoking. I would recommend this book to any friend who has interest in Mystery or Crime novels. Thank you again, Mr. Nelson, for the copy of the book. I wish you the best of luck on any and all of your future writings!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoy this Minnesota author! I love reading the story and finding myself traveling the same roads or entering the same buildings at some point in my life with an all too familiarity that is equally eerie especially as the plot thickens. This book proves to have a twist I was not expecting! The character development is raw and rich for even the characters that lurk in the shadows. A riveting read if you allow yourself to be swept into the ride.

[Rina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Won this book through Goodreads Giveaway, thank you!
The plot was entertaining but was a bit too slow for me. The action picked up towards the end but ended too quickly. I felt like it was a bit rushed and certain characters' stories were not finished. I did like the fact that there were many characters involved which kept me on my toes about who the arsonist could be. Overall, a fast and easy read!