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Beneath the Flames
BENEATH THE FLAMES
is an intimate combination of love, race, and life as an urban firefighter.
A fire in a neighboring farmhouse has young farmer and volunteer firefighter, Mitch Garner, blaming himself for the tragic outcome. He loses all hope of forgiving himself. His only hope for redemption is to leave Jennie, the girl he's loved since high school, and journey from Wisconsin's lush farmland to the decaying inner city of Milwaukee to prove himself as a professional firefighter.
Mitch is assigned to the busiest firehouse in the heart of one of the most blighted areas of Milwaukee, the Core, where he's viciously hazed by senior firefighters. He struggles to hold it together at horrific scenes of violence and can't do anything right at fires. Within weeks, he's ready to give up and quit. His salvation comes in the form of a brash adolescent girl, Jasmine Richardson. Mitch is assigned to tutor her little sister through a department mentoring program. Despite Jasmine's contempt toward Mitch, her courage and devotion to her little sister inspire Mitch to stay and dedicate himself to helping her and the neighboring children overcome the hopelessness of growing up in crushing poverty.
Trouble on the farm has Mitch torn between returning home to Jennie and staying in Milwaukee where he'll be forced to risk his life to protect Jasmine from the leader of the One-Niner street gang.
A fire in a neighboring farmhouse has young farmer and volunteer firefighter, Mitch Garner, blaming himself for the tragic outcome. He loses all hope of forgiving himself. His only hope for redemption is to leave Jennie, the girl he's loved since high school, and journey from Wisconsin's lush farmland to the decaying inner city of Milwaukee to prove himself as a professional firefighter.
Mitch is assigned to the busiest firehouse in the heart of one of the most blighted areas of Milwaukee, the Core, where he's viciously hazed by senior firefighters. He struggles to hold it together at horrific scenes of violence and can't do anything right at fires. Within weeks, he's ready to give up and quit. His salvation comes in the form of a brash adolescent girl, Jasmine Richardson. Mitch is assigned to tutor her little sister through a department mentoring program. Despite Jasmine's contempt toward Mitch, her courage and devotion to her little sister inspire Mitch to stay and dedicate himself to helping her and the neighboring children overcome the hopelessness of growing up in crushing poverty.
Trouble on the farm has Mitch torn between returning home to Jennie and staying in Milwaukee where he'll be forced to risk his life to protect Jasmine from the leader of the One-Niner street gang.
338 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2019
1 person is currently reading
87 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
June 15, 2019
The highest compliment a writer can be given is that their story and characters hold a reader spellbound—and that's exactly what happened to me as I read BENEATH THE FLAMES by Gregory Lee Renz. The texture, layering, and nuance of every meticulously selected and carefully placed word served to keep the tension palpable as my emotions ran the full gamut. I highly recommend this beautifully rendered portrait of the heroism of firefighters, and those who love them.
February 6, 2020
Good farm boy Mitch is riddled with grief, depression, and lingering effects of PTSD but manages to pull himself out of it not with therapy and help, but by throwing himself in to the Milwaukee Fire Department and playing white savior to the Black kids who live near his assignment in "the core."
I see what this author was trying to accomplish but I found parts perpetuating harmful stereotypes. Mitch, as a character, is not saying racist harmful things, but he is surrounded by other characters who are and do.
The audience of this story will be similar to those who are drawn to "feel good films" like The Blind Side or The Help, those who want to believe hard work and good will is all it takes to foster good "race relations."
As a romance reader, I also found the depiction of women in this story to be shallow and one-dimensional. Every woman that is not a kid or a granny is first described by her breast size and sexual interest in Mitch, god among men. There's a slight second-chance romance arc that truly doesn't pay off, as both Mitch's sweetheart from HS and the colleague he bangs and gets sexually harassed by WHILE ON THE CLOCK are one-note characters. The sex scenes are clumsy and I was bummed the only female firefighter on page was hyper-sexualized.
CW: Super violent and graphic, lots of on page death (children, pets, friends), and racist slurs.
I see what this author was trying to accomplish but I found parts perpetuating harmful stereotypes. Mitch, as a character, is not saying racist harmful things, but he is surrounded by other characters who are and do.
The audience of this story will be similar to those who are drawn to "feel good films" like The Blind Side or The Help, those who want to believe hard work and good will is all it takes to foster good "race relations."
As a romance reader, I also found the depiction of women in this story to be shallow and one-dimensional. Every woman that is not a kid or a granny is first described by her breast size and sexual interest in Mitch, god among men. There's a slight second-chance romance arc that truly doesn't pay off, as both Mitch's sweetheart from HS and the colleague he bangs and gets sexually harassed by WHILE ON THE CLOCK are one-note characters. The sex scenes are clumsy and I was bummed the only female firefighter on page was hyper-sexualized.
CW: Super violent and graphic, lots of on page death (children, pets, friends), and racist slurs.
February 17, 2022
Gregory Lee Renz has created a novel with vivid details of his experience as a firefighter, farmer, son, brother, friend, and lover. Some chapters provided me with a deep laugh, even when I was tired and ready to sleep. Other chapters kept me turning the pages, wondering, hoping, worrying. The descriptions of Milwaukee are accurate, frightening, and hopeful. I grew up in Watertown, WI and live in Milwaukee; my family--the McFarland Dairy--is celebrating six generations of farming. My cousins face the challenges that many family farms confront; I appreciate the wisdom, truth, and devotion of Gregory Lee Renz. Endless Gratitude for a humble, talented writer and "weaver"--a person who helps us connect with empathy and integrity.
January 4, 2026
I loved everything about this book! I got the chance to meet this author in Middleton at a book sale at Capital Brewery back in August 2023. He sure knows how to tell a compelling story, one you don't want to put down! Do yourself a favor and support this author by buying a copy, you will not be disappointed.
May 18, 2020
Wow! What a GREAT read. I couldn't put it down.326 pages of excellent story with fully developed believable characters. Lots of drama to keep you turning the pages. Early in the book, you see how the events of 9/11 affected life decisions. Firehouse camaraderie, humor, brotherhood, and working together. Delves into some of the difficulties of inner-city life, and community coming together to help neighbors. Includes issues of suicide, race relations, gangs, and belief in God. Several surprising twists kept my interest up.
August 2, 2019
Outstanding is the single best adjective I can think of to describe this debut novel. It's a gritty, real, raw story that includes so many topics and themes: love, hate, racism, drugs, violence, crime, faith, city vs. country, pride, charity, poverty, suicide, mental health, fear, courage, etc.
This is a great example of write what you know. Renz is a retired firefighter who worked in Milwaukee, was honored for bravery, dealt with the race and culture divide, and can tell this story like no one else possibly could. His prose is almost too lean (some critics might say), but it works because the POV character, Mitch Garner, is a young man of few words who tends to bottle up his emotions to a fault. To have the pace slow for Mitch to examine his deepest feelings in detail would only ruin the ride. He has made a major life change, challenges of all sorts are coming at him from every angle: work, family, romance, co-workers, superiors, friends and neighbors, and those who would do him harm. The breakneck pace reflects his desperation to keep all those balls juggling successfully as he adjusts to his new life.
Renz's storytelling is second to none. In the best spirit of Elmore Leonard, he "leaves out the parts that readers tend to skip." Yet the powerful emotions, visuals, and conflicts do not suffer as being glossed over. I tore through this book in a little over two days and would have finished it in one day had I had a long enough time block to do so.
One of the best books I'll read in 2019 and it is going onto my 'Favorite first novels" bookshelf.
This is a great example of write what you know. Renz is a retired firefighter who worked in Milwaukee, was honored for bravery, dealt with the race and culture divide, and can tell this story like no one else possibly could. His prose is almost too lean (some critics might say), but it works because the POV character, Mitch Garner, is a young man of few words who tends to bottle up his emotions to a fault. To have the pace slow for Mitch to examine his deepest feelings in detail would only ruin the ride. He has made a major life change, challenges of all sorts are coming at him from every angle: work, family, romance, co-workers, superiors, friends and neighbors, and those who would do him harm. The breakneck pace reflects his desperation to keep all those balls juggling successfully as he adjusts to his new life.
Renz's storytelling is second to none. In the best spirit of Elmore Leonard, he "leaves out the parts that readers tend to skip." Yet the powerful emotions, visuals, and conflicts do not suffer as being glossed over. I tore through this book in a little over two days and would have finished it in one day had I had a long enough time block to do so.
One of the best books I'll read in 2019 and it is going onto my 'Favorite first novels" bookshelf.
December 21, 2023
I am a sucker for books that take me through nearly every emotion from deep sadness to overwhelming joy. BENEATH THE FLAMES by Greg Renz did that for me. Mitch Garner, a young farmer and rural volunteer firefighter, blames himself for failing to save a five-year-old neighbor girl in a house fire. In his depression he manages to nearly destroy the family farm, estrange himself from his father and lose the woman he loves. His quest for redemption brings on even more guilt and self doubt despite his many acts of heroism. In his attempt to escape, he applies for and is accepted to the Milwaukee fire department and assigned as a cub firefighter to an engine company in the city's core. He has to earn the respect of both his colleagues and the black residence in the core, but with help of some neighborhood children, Miss Bernie, his landlord and Brother Williams, he begins to understand that everything bad that happens is not his fault. The question is, can he save the family farm, mend his relationship with his father and win back the woman he loves. The reader's heart will pound, shed tears of sadness, fear for Mitch and those around him and elate in joy, sometimes all in the same chapter.
Well done, Greg Renz! Excuse me while I grab a tissue.
Roger Skrypczak, Author of Mystery/Romance novels and short stories.
Well done, Greg Renz! Excuse me while I grab a tissue.
Roger Skrypczak, Author of Mystery/Romance novels and short stories.
June 18, 2019
Beneath the Flames tells of Mitch Garner, a Wisconsin farm boy emotionally scarred by the trauma of a farm fire and haunted by the televised events of September 11, 2001. Mitch joins Milwaukee big-city fire department. He faces the physical and mental challenges of Fire Academy training; the struggle to gain acceptance in the close-knit crew of Engine 15; the mortal dangers of confronting “the Red Devil” inside a flaming building with only a water hose and a tank of air; and the racial, cultural, and economic divisions in “the Core” of America’s most segregated city.
Author Gregory L. Renz’s characters are not pretty, but they are real. The gritty banter of the firehouse and the gang-led violence on the streets propel Mitch’s heroic quest to triumph over external adversities and internal demons. Heart-stopping action and wrenching human needs drive a compelling narrative to its logical, yet rewarding, conclusion. At the end you are left with strong empathy for both firefighters and civilians in this memorable story with a big, beating heart.
Author Gregory L. Renz’s characters are not pretty, but they are real. The gritty banter of the firehouse and the gang-led violence on the streets propel Mitch’s heroic quest to triumph over external adversities and internal demons. Heart-stopping action and wrenching human needs drive a compelling narrative to its logical, yet rewarding, conclusion. At the end you are left with strong empathy for both firefighters and civilians in this memorable story with a big, beating heart.
December 2, 2020
Renz has created a wonderful story of finding and following the heart. Mitch is a young man of great passion who has difficulty deciding how and where to spend that passion. His girlfriend Jennie is a home girl and devastated when Mitch simply can’t stop blaming himself for a terrible accident. Mitch’s need to heal takes him away from home for the first time in order to grow and learn and experience a different way of living than his small-town and in some ways, small-minded, rural upbringing. He finds all of that in fire-fighting training in the heart of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, still the most segregated community in the States. When his brother and father need him, though, he has many choices to make; ultimately, about who needs him, and who he needs, the most. Saving the world often starts in one’s own backyard.
Told from several perspectives, but mostly Mitch’s, Renz uses his career in firefighting to tell an honest and real story of what it’s like to be a professional firefighter in contemporary urban settings.
Told from several perspectives, but mostly Mitch’s, Renz uses his career in firefighting to tell an honest and real story of what it’s like to be a professional firefighter in contemporary urban settings.
July 28, 2019
Wisconsin farmer and small-town volunteer firefighter, Mitch Garner, blames himself for the tragic death of a neighbor. In an attempt to outrun his guilt, he joins the Milwaukee Fire Department. The inner city, with its gang violence, poverty, and racial tension, leads him into a world he could never have imagined back on the farm. But as he learns to appreciate his new life, can he forget his old one?
This tale weaves characters from different worlds, rural and inner city, beautifully. Warning: there is plenty of gang violence, sex, and language in this tale. However, it would be unrealistic to sanitize it, given the subject matter. Threads of love and loyalty, bravery and fear, humor and sadness, blend so well exactly because Renz isn't afraid to "tell it like it is." These characters leap off the page and into the heart, where they'll remain long after the last page is turned. Highly recommended.
This tale weaves characters from different worlds, rural and inner city, beautifully. Warning: there is plenty of gang violence, sex, and language in this tale. However, it would be unrealistic to sanitize it, given the subject matter. Threads of love and loyalty, bravery and fear, humor and sadness, blend so well exactly because Renz isn't afraid to "tell it like it is." These characters leap off the page and into the heart, where they'll remain long after the last page is turned. Highly recommended.
August 1, 2020
Wow…where do I begin. Disaster. Hope. Death. Life. Tears. Laughter. Every one of these words has something to do with this book.
The awakening Mitch feels as he makes his way in the Fire Department. The depths of depression as he realizes he can’t make everything better. His interactions with inner city children, growing up in a way so far removed from what his childhood entailed. The way he takes on problems, always believing he can make things better. Realizing sometimes no matter what he wants, he can’t make it better. Then the uplifting of spirit as he returns to his true calling.
The events in this book are spot on. Every emergency responder has run across these same types of incidents and live with the emotional toll it takes on them. Some handle them better than others, but they do leave a mark on the soul.
I read this book in one sitting. I love the writing style of the author. I’m amazed this is his first novel and I can’t wait to read his next book.
The awakening Mitch feels as he makes his way in the Fire Department. The depths of depression as he realizes he can’t make everything better. His interactions with inner city children, growing up in a way so far removed from what his childhood entailed. The way he takes on problems, always believing he can make things better. Realizing sometimes no matter what he wants, he can’t make it better. Then the uplifting of spirit as he returns to his true calling.
The events in this book are spot on. Every emergency responder has run across these same types of incidents and live with the emotional toll it takes on them. Some handle them better than others, but they do leave a mark on the soul.
I read this book in one sitting. I love the writing style of the author. I’m amazed this is his first novel and I can’t wait to read his next book.
October 1, 2019
This is a good first novel from a local writer who integrates his experience as a firefighter while telling a story. It's nor just about fighting fires but also about guilt [often over things outside our control] & relief [found when talking about it!]; the brother/sisterhood of firefighters and the skills needed to rescue those who are trapped, to subdue the "red devil", to work together as a team; how racism/ bigotry in rural communities disappears when one meets & gets acquainted with a POC; the challenges of keeping a farm operating despite catastrophe with a little help from "friends"; overcoming assumptions & dislike for another person long enough to learn something valuable from them; and let's not leave out the love stories too that are woven throughout this book.
Glad I met the author & picked up a copy of his first novel....you should do the same.
Glad I met the author & picked up a copy of his first novel....you should do the same.
December 7, 2019
I recently retired after 20 years on the Milwaukee Fire Department. Greg Renz was one of my officers along the way. His book instantly took me back to my probationary (or 'cub') year on the job, assigned to the busiest engine in the city. After growing up in the suburbs, spending every third day in and out of homes in Milwaukee's most impoverished neighborhoods was an eye-opening experience. We saw bad people doing bad things, and good people on their worst day. And we often had the privilege of leaving things a bit better than when we arrived. 'Beneath the Flames' will give you an honest and sometimes heartbreaking peek into the life of a new big-city firefighter, as he learns his dangerous craft and tries to balance his own personal life with the complicated dynamics of the firehouse family he has just joined.
July 30, 2019
I began reading this thinking I was doing the author a favor, but I quickly became addicted. The characters are three-dimensional and believable, and the plot was so compelling that I carried this book out to read poolside and then dinner plate-side and then before bed. Because of the author's background, the fire fighting scenes give us a glimpse into a life experience most of us will never know. The book is particularly compelling when Renz is writing about fighting fires, but the underlying love story and friendships add depth and character. There is a lot riding on each of the main character's decisions. He succeeds, he fails, he cares, he crosses social boundaries. Highly recommend.
September 10, 2019
I just finished your book. All I can say is wow, you put me right back in the best places I have ever worked. I will be telling everyone I know to pick up a copy. It made me feel alive with emotion. Outstanding job!
I am still just sitting back, enjoying all of the emotions it brought out. It made me think of my brother and how he spent so much time helping out at St Boniface on Teutonia. It reminded me of evacuating an older woman off of Burleigh in the middle of the night only to see in the light she was my sister in laws aunt, man could she cook just like the book. Just know I am having a splendid night wallowing in my memories because of your talent. Thank you again, God Bless
I am still just sitting back, enjoying all of the emotions it brought out. It made me think of my brother and how he spent so much time helping out at St Boniface on Teutonia. It reminded me of evacuating an older woman off of Burleigh in the middle of the night only to see in the light she was my sister in laws aunt, man could she cook just like the book. Just know I am having a splendid night wallowing in my memories because of your talent. Thank you again, God Bless
September 30, 2019
Wow, just WOW!
This strikingly evocative novel held me riveted from the first page to the very last. Renz uses his lifetime of experiences as a firefighter in the poorest part of Milwaukee to weave a story I couldn't put down. Only Stephen King makes his characters as real - so real that I worried about what my friends Mitch, and Jasmine, and Miss Bernice were doing when I wasn't reading.
I think this story about the grit of firefighting, and the strength of muscle and mind required, as well as the will to accept love and forgiveness, speaks to men and women alike. Wow. What a great read! Looking forward to Renz's next book.
This strikingly evocative novel held me riveted from the first page to the very last. Renz uses his lifetime of experiences as a firefighter in the poorest part of Milwaukee to weave a story I couldn't put down. Only Stephen King makes his characters as real - so real that I worried about what my friends Mitch, and Jasmine, and Miss Bernice were doing when I wasn't reading.
I think this story about the grit of firefighting, and the strength of muscle and mind required, as well as the will to accept love and forgiveness, speaks to men and women alike. Wow. What a great read! Looking forward to Renz's next book.
April 27, 2020
This is the story of a decent, troubled young man who leaves the family farm to become a Milwaukee firefighter.
The author, Gregory Renz, is a retired veteran fire captain and the firefighting scenes described in BENEATH THE FLAMES would be reason enough to read this book. But it is much much more than an action-packed roller coaster adventure story. This is a coming-of-age love story and a clear-eyed heartbreaking story of life in the inner city. The divisive issues of race and poverty and the clash of rural and urban values are explored and dissected with great skill and sensitivity.
Highly recommended.
The author, Gregory Renz, is a retired veteran fire captain and the firefighting scenes described in BENEATH THE FLAMES would be reason enough to read this book. But it is much much more than an action-packed roller coaster adventure story. This is a coming-of-age love story and a clear-eyed heartbreaking story of life in the inner city. The divisive issues of race and poverty and the clash of rural and urban values are explored and dissected with great skill and sensitivity.
Highly recommended.
December 30, 2021
I couldn’t put this book down! I was sucked right into the story and held captive until the very last word. The book was recommended by a friend and I wasn’t very excited about the subject. I usually prefer to read books with tons of great reviews. I don’t like to “waste time” on books…Thankfully I listened to her recommendation. Within moments I was completely wrapped up in the story and couldn’t put it down. I was in tears, laughing out loud, heart pounding and thinking about the characters long into the night after I had stopped reading. I didn’t want it to end… Do yourself a favor and listen to this incredible book.
June 20, 2019
Gregory Renz draws on his own experiences as a Milwaukee firefighter to blend intense realism into this fictional narrative. Growing up in Milwaukee, I can relate to so much of this story. The inner city challenges and race relations really hit home. While I initially struggled with the difficulty the main character had in expressing his feelings toward his girlfriend, the author brings it full circle in the end. Greg really developed an in depth story that is hard to put down. It's truly a great read.
August 26, 2021
3.5/5 Stars
My main critique of the book is that some of the events felt unrealistic or at least exaggerated. Putting aside my questions of plausibility, Beneath the Flames is a thorough examination of the bonds of family and community. It contains moments of love, humor, and heartbreak. I so appreciated a story told from this perspective and I think the book paints a picture of a good and honest young man serving his community in as many ways as possible, something firefighters do every day.
Read my full review on my blog! Litandflicks.com
My main critique of the book is that some of the events felt unrealistic or at least exaggerated. Putting aside my questions of plausibility, Beneath the Flames is a thorough examination of the bonds of family and community. It contains moments of love, humor, and heartbreak. I so appreciated a story told from this perspective and I think the book paints a picture of a good and honest young man serving his community in as many ways as possible, something firefighters do every day.
Read my full review on my blog! Litandflicks.com
August 18, 2019
Have looked forward to reading this story for years and have to say it did not disappoint. It has been some time since I read something that I found difficult to put down and that had me thinking of it when I was not reading. It is full of joy, heartbreak, harrowing action and ultimately lots of heart. Kudos to Greg for creating such engaging characters. I will miss them all, but am so glad I got to know them and spend time with them.
December 16, 2019
What a great debut novel! I live in Wisconsin and it is great to read a story about characters in my state, written by a fellow Wisconsinite and published by a Wisconsin publisher.
Great characters and a story that grabs you from the first chapter. Mitch is a man to admire for working through his problems and giving back to his community. We can all learn something about caring for others and the impact we can all have on our communities by getting involved.
Great characters and a story that grabs you from the first chapter. Mitch is a man to admire for working through his problems and giving back to his community. We can all learn something about caring for others and the impact we can all have on our communities by getting involved.
January 8, 2020
This was an excellent book to read. The story kept me interested all of the way through. Bought it at a book signing from the author for my husband who is a firefighter. Both of us enjoyed the story (and he does not usually read books!!) So much more to the story than just fire fighting!! Good luck to the author, Gregory Lee Renz as he begins his new career as a writer, I know I will be looking forward to read another from him!
October 11, 2020
I could not put this book down. Gregory Renz is an incredible storyteller who spun an absolutely breathtaking tale of love, loss, despair, and ultimately, redemption. This unbelievably moving tale delves deep into the drama of the human experience, which cuts across boundaries of age, race, and circumstance. The characters in this book will remain with me for a long time, as well as its message of hope. I am indebted to the author. This is one of the best books I've ever read.
July 22, 2021
I love a book that grabs you on the first page...and this book did just that! The style of writing took me right into the story, I had a clear image of the inner city, the firehouse, and the farm. The characters came alive and a great story of love, loyalty, compassion, and kindness was told. I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves a story that inspires you to turn the next page. Bravo Gregory Renz on a fantastic first novel...I do hope there are more.
March 20, 2024
There's plenty of action and believable characters as well as a sincere effort to wrestle with important and controversial themes in this engaging debut novel. Ernest Hemingway said famously that John O'Hara was “a man who knows exactly what he is writing about and has written it marvelously well.” I can't say any more than that about this novel by former Milwaukee Fire Captain Gregory Renz. Bravo, Captain.
March 31, 2024
Greg Renz's novel is an enthralling read, captivating readers with its unpredictable plot twists and surprising conclusion. It takes readers on an emotional journey, transitioning seamlessly from the world of farming to the intensity of inner city firefighting. Renz's impeccable word choice and vivid descriptions immerse readers in each scene, making them feel like active participants. His talent for writing is truly a gift that enriches the experience for all readers.
November 20, 2025
My husband bought this book for me because of the tv shows that I like to watch and because I am a Wisconsin girl. I cried in chapter one because it was hitting too close to home, and the story just didn't let up. The characters, emotions, attitudes, and situations were real and sucked me in. I cried through about half the book. What a rollercoaster of emotions! I thoroughly enjoyed it and would love to read more from Mr. Renz.
August 5, 2019
This book was beyond wonderful. I normally don't read this type of fiction but because Greg is a dear friend I wanted to check it out. It was well worth the read. I had trouble putting it down because it kept me interested and wanting to know what would be happening next. Greg you did a great job for your first novel. I can't wait for your next one.
November 25, 2020
I really felt like I knew these characters. The author made them so believable. I may be a bit biased as I am from WI, where this book is set, but it was so good. And being the wife of a volunteer fire fighter and mom to a career fire fighter, this was all very real. Had a hard time putting this down,
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews