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A Fire in the Night
Acclaimed Southern mystery master Christopher Swann delivers a novel perfect for fans of Linwood Barclay and Michael Farris Smith.
Nick Anthony has retreated to the North Carolina mountains to mourn the untimely death of his wife. Once a popular professor, Nick just wants to be left alone with his grief. But when his estranged brother and sister-in-law die in a house fire, a stunned Nick learns he has a niece, Annalise, who is missing.
At the scene of the crime, the men who set the fire have realized Annalise, and the information they are looking for, got away. Feverish and exhausted, she stumbles onto her uncle's porch, throwing Nick into the middle of the mystery of her parents’ death and the dangerous criminals hunting her down.
Hired to retrieve the stolen information at any price, private military contractor Cole and his team track Annalise to Nick’s cabin. But Nick has a hidden past of his own—and more than a few deadly tricks up his sleeve.
Nick Anthony has retreated to the North Carolina mountains to mourn the untimely death of his wife. Once a popular professor, Nick just wants to be left alone with his grief. But when his estranged brother and sister-in-law die in a house fire, a stunned Nick learns he has a niece, Annalise, who is missing.
At the scene of the crime, the men who set the fire have realized Annalise, and the information they are looking for, got away. Feverish and exhausted, she stumbles onto her uncle's porch, throwing Nick into the middle of the mystery of her parents’ death and the dangerous criminals hunting her down.
Hired to retrieve the stolen information at any price, private military contractor Cole and his team track Annalise to Nick’s cabin. But Nick has a hidden past of his own—and more than a few deadly tricks up his sleeve.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 7, 2021
136 people are currently reading
4775 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Swann
13 books329 followersChristopher Swann is an award-winning, bestselling novelist and high school English teacher. He earned his Ph.D. in creative writing from Georgia State University. He has been a Townsend Prize finalist, longlisted for the Southern Book Prize, and a Georgia Author of the Year winner. He lives with his wife and two sons in Atlanta, where he is the English department chair at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School.
He is the author of five novels:
Shadow of the Lions (2017)
Never Turn Back (2020)
A Fire in the Night (2021)
Never Go Home (2022)
Never Back Down (2023)
He is the author of five novels:
Shadow of the Lions (2017)
Never Turn Back (2020)
A Fire in the Night (2021)
Never Go Home (2022)
Never Back Down (2023)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews
September 27, 2021
(New-to-me) author Christopher Swann’s A Fire in the Night has been likened by the publisher and other reviewers to books by the following authors: Linwood Barclay, Michael Farris Smith, Lee Child, Gregg Hurwitz, and Vince Flynn. Since I’ve only read one book by any of those dudes (Hurwitz’s Orphan X), I can’t really speak to the validity of those comparisons. For me though, the gritty southern mood was reminiscent of S.A. Cosby’s Razorblade Tears - only less visceral, enjoyable, and memorable.
The book opens with a guy named Nick who’s moved up to a cabin in the mountains of North Carolina to mourn the death of his wife. He doesn’t have a phone, but he does have a machete and a particular set of skills. After being informed that his long-lost brother and sister-in-law just died in a house fire, he learns of the existence of their teen daughter - his niece - and must use said skills to protect her from the nefarious gentleman that set said fire. Chase ensues, a snake’s head is chopped off, and human carnage follows. So on and so forth.
Although my take on A Fire in the Night is obviously cloaked in snark, it isn’t necessarily critical. The book may be a 5-star read for devotees of the authors listed above. If you’re one of them, you can find this and Swann’s previous two novels in both audio and ebook formats on the Hoopla library app.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
The book opens with a guy named Nick who’s moved up to a cabin in the mountains of North Carolina to mourn the death of his wife. He doesn’t have a phone, but he does have a machete and a particular set of skills. After being informed that his long-lost brother and sister-in-law just died in a house fire, he learns of the existence of their teen daughter - his niece - and must use said skills to protect her from the nefarious gentleman that set said fire. Chase ensues, a snake’s head is chopped off, and human carnage follows. So on and so forth.
Although my take on A Fire in the Night is obviously cloaked in snark, it isn’t necessarily critical. The book may be a 5-star read for devotees of the authors listed above. If you’re one of them, you can find this and Swann’s previous two novels in both audio and ebook formats on the Hoopla library app.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
August 25, 2021
I really enjoyed the author’s previous book, Never Turn Back, so when I saw this one I knew I wanted to read it.
Retired history professor Nick Anthony lives in splendid isolation in a very secluded area. He has no phone and no internet. Since his wife Ellie died he has kind of opted out. All his peace is shattered one morning when he finds a smallish person shivering on his veranda - so that’s what he heard last night! The person turns out to be his 16 year old niece Annalise whose existence he didn’t even know about.
She is the daughter of his younger brother, Jay. The two brothers haven’t been close in adulthood. But Annalise has come to Nick in desperation as her parents have been murdered and her home burnt down. She was lucky not to be there at the time but suspects ‘they’ will be looking for her as her father entrusted her with some information at the last minute.
It turns out she was wise to run because ‘they’ are certainly looking for her. They want a certain item that her father had. Annalise doesn’t have it but the item she is to give Nick contains enough clues to get to the item ‘they’ are after.
This was a fast paced thriller with plenty of intrigue and action. Of course things are not all as they seem and her uncle Nick wasn’t JUST a history professor. Which is a good thing as he needs his wits about him to get them out out this very sticky situation. Annalise was a delight, she was smart and very brave and had just enough attitude to be a credible teenager!
I really enjoyed this fairly quick read. The pace never lagged and the action was compelling and story seemed plausible enough for this type of thriller. I’d be keen to read a sequel but I think the author writes stand alone books, which is good. This was certainly different from his previous book but was possibly even better. I certainly recommend this to thriller fans. Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the much appreciated ARC which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
Retired history professor Nick Anthony lives in splendid isolation in a very secluded area. He has no phone and no internet. Since his wife Ellie died he has kind of opted out. All his peace is shattered one morning when he finds a smallish person shivering on his veranda - so that’s what he heard last night! The person turns out to be his 16 year old niece Annalise whose existence he didn’t even know about.
She is the daughter of his younger brother, Jay. The two brothers haven’t been close in adulthood. But Annalise has come to Nick in desperation as her parents have been murdered and her home burnt down. She was lucky not to be there at the time but suspects ‘they’ will be looking for her as her father entrusted her with some information at the last minute.
It turns out she was wise to run because ‘they’ are certainly looking for her. They want a certain item that her father had. Annalise doesn’t have it but the item she is to give Nick contains enough clues to get to the item ‘they’ are after.
This was a fast paced thriller with plenty of intrigue and action. Of course things are not all as they seem and her uncle Nick wasn’t JUST a history professor. Which is a good thing as he needs his wits about him to get them out out this very sticky situation. Annalise was a delight, she was smart and very brave and had just enough attitude to be a credible teenager!
I really enjoyed this fairly quick read. The pace never lagged and the action was compelling and story seemed plausible enough for this type of thriller. I’d be keen to read a sequel but I think the author writes stand alone books, which is good. This was certainly different from his previous book but was possibly even better. I certainly recommend this to thriller fans. Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the much appreciated ARC which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
September 7, 2021
A Fire in the Night, the shiny new thriller from Christopher Swann, is set in North Carolina, and I love that.
Nick’s wife passes away, and he travels to the mountains for respite. He soon learns his brother and sister-in-law passed away and that his niece, Annalise, is missing. On top of that, Nick has been estranged from his brother, so he did not know about Annalise prior.
The men who set the fire realize Annalise was able to flee. And flee she does, directly to her uncle Nick.
A tracker has been hired to find Annalise, and they know her whereabouts. At the same time, Nick is not really one to mess with, so the tracker and his team are up for a fight.
Ok, so Cashiers, North Carolina is literally heaven on earth, and I love that this blissful place was featured in this book. The atmosphere was a nice juxtaposition to the darkness. The story has great tension, and I loved how the characters kept me guessing. Overall, A Fire in the Night is a dramatic mystery from a talented author.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Nick’s wife passes away, and he travels to the mountains for respite. He soon learns his brother and sister-in-law passed away and that his niece, Annalise, is missing. On top of that, Nick has been estranged from his brother, so he did not know about Annalise prior.
The men who set the fire realize Annalise was able to flee. And flee she does, directly to her uncle Nick.
A tracker has been hired to find Annalise, and they know her whereabouts. At the same time, Nick is not really one to mess with, so the tracker and his team are up for a fight.
Ok, so Cashiers, North Carolina is literally heaven on earth, and I love that this blissful place was featured in this book. The atmosphere was a nice juxtaposition to the darkness. The story has great tension, and I loved how the characters kept me guessing. Overall, A Fire in the Night is a dramatic mystery from a talented author.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
April 22, 2021
Swann really delivers with his latest, a solid murder mystery starring Nick, a grieving former professor with a secret past and an orphaned niece who shows up on his doorstep. Tense and action-packed, with an ending that will make your heart stop, A Fire in the Night is my favorite kind of book, a nail-biter with a Southern twang.
July 11, 2021
A Fire In The Night by Christopher Swann is a pretty good thriller, though unfortunately, most readers won’t have the pleasure of taking this in as a summer beach read, given a release date of September.
Nick Anthony, a former university professor of medieval history and studies, now finds himself residing in a secluded cabin mourning the loss of his wife in the North Carolina mountains. Over the years for different reasons and slowly revealed in the novel, Nick has been estranged from his family and soon learns he has a teenage niece he has never met and that she is being sought by the police after her parents die in a suspicious house fire down in Florida.
Anthony’s niece then seeks out the uncle she has never met while carrying with her information from her dead father only meant for Nick’s eyes. Along the way, she is being pursued by a group of deadly hunters, seemingly with endless resources instantly available at their fingertips, which includes weapons and access to restricted information.
When the two meet, both wary of the other and with mistrust from the start, it is quickly learned characters in A Fire In The Night are not only more complex than initially revealed, but also may or may not be who or what one first believes them to be.
A Fire in the Night is well-written with developed characters and a plot that does not require complete disbelief and instead of being a decent summer read, will have to suffice for a decent fall read instead.
Fans of novels by other thriller writers like Lee Child and Gregg Hurwitz should also enjoy A Fire In The Night.
Netgalley provided an ARC of this novel for the promise of a fair review.
This review was originally published at MysteryandSuspense.com
September 12, 2021
Nick Anthony is a former professor of medieval history who, after losing his wife, has retired and lives in a house in the North Carolina mountains. He deeply grieves the loss of his wife and has chosen to live off the grid. Since he has no phone, the local deputy needs to drive to his home to tell him that his brother Jay and his wife were found murdered. Their home in Tampa went up in flames. Nick is told that their teenage daughter Annalise is missing and is a person of interest. Since Nick hasn't spoken to his brother in 20 years, he was unaware that he was an uncle. When his niece shows up at his doorstep, they are in a race against time as the murderers won’t stop until they finish the job and kill Annalise.
A Fire in the Night is an entertaining, fast-paced thriller. As the reason Jay had been killed is discovered, it is also revealed that Nick is not the mild-mannered professor his small town believes him to be. We also learn the circumstances that led to the brothers estrangement.
Many thanks to LibraryThing and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy. I enjoyed author Christopher Swann’s last book Never Turn Back and his latest is another quick read that has the feel of a satisfying action movie.
Rated 3.75 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
A Fire in the Night is an entertaining, fast-paced thriller. As the reason Jay had been killed is discovered, it is also revealed that Nick is not the mild-mannered professor his small town believes him to be. We also learn the circumstances that led to the brothers estrangement.
Many thanks to LibraryThing and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy. I enjoyed author Christopher Swann’s last book Never Turn Back and his latest is another quick read that has the feel of a satisfying action movie.
Rated 3.75 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
December 31, 2021
A stunningly good thriller from Christopher Swann! Nick Anthony is a retired professor of medieval history who has move to a mountain retreat in NC after the untimely death of his beloved wife, Ellie. All he wants is to be left alone to nurse his grief. But along comes a deputy sheriff to inform him that his brother Jay and his wife were killed in a house fire in Tampa and the deaths are being treated as suspicious. Not only that, their 16-year-old daughter, Annalise, is a person of interest. Wait--a niece? Nick and his brother have been estranged for the past 20 years and Nick didn't even know he had a niece!
Sure enough, she shows up on his doorstep, sobbing and claiming she saw the men who set the house on fire. We quickly learn these are paramilitary soldiers, hired to do a job. What was Jay involved in and what piece of information do these men believe Annalise now has and will stop at nothing to get?
Quite exciting from start to finish! Christopher Swann can be numbered among the best thriller writers working today. I really cared about these characters and found myself totally immersed in the plot. Highly recommend for those who enjoy a good thriller.
I received an arc of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately it was archived early and I missed the chance to download a copy and had wait till it was actually published to get my hands on a copy. The kindle edition was made available for $1.99 on Amazon recently. Check it out!
Sure enough, she shows up on his doorstep, sobbing and claiming she saw the men who set the house on fire. We quickly learn these are paramilitary soldiers, hired to do a job. What was Jay involved in and what piece of information do these men believe Annalise now has and will stop at nothing to get?
Quite exciting from start to finish! Christopher Swann can be numbered among the best thriller writers working today. I really cared about these characters and found myself totally immersed in the plot. Highly recommend for those who enjoy a good thriller.
I received an arc of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately it was archived early and I missed the chance to download a copy and had wait till it was actually published to get my hands on a copy. The kindle edition was made available for $1.99 on Amazon recently. Check it out!
September 19, 2022
A man retreating from the world to mourn his late wife. A private military contractor hired to retrieve stolen information. A couple killed in a fire. And their daughter who narrowly escaped death.
When I realized that this was a spy thriller, I should’ve stopped reading as this isn’t my kind of book. An action-packed cat-and-mouse chase that finds Nick and niece Annalise on the run from private military contractors, this book didn’t quite give enough detail to immerse myself in the story. A novel with lackluster and clichéd premise, superficial characters, and groan inducing climax offered little of merit other than phenomenal descriptions of the North Carolina mountains. However, if this book sounds like your kind of read, take my review with a grain of salt since it wasn’t my preferred topic matter. Because of this, rating of 2.5 stars.
When I realized that this was a spy thriller, I should’ve stopped reading as this isn’t my kind of book. An action-packed cat-and-mouse chase that finds Nick and niece Annalise on the run from private military contractors, this book didn’t quite give enough detail to immerse myself in the story. A novel with lackluster and clichéd premise, superficial characters, and groan inducing climax offered little of merit other than phenomenal descriptions of the North Carolina mountains. However, if this book sounds like your kind of read, take my review with a grain of salt since it wasn’t my preferred topic matter. Because of this, rating of 2.5 stars.
May 4, 2021
A really fun, easy, gripping read.
There were so many questions I needed to know the answer to.
What caused the rift with his brother?
Why was his brother murdered?
What was going to happen to his niece Annalise?
Toss in the gruff loner with a heart of gold (that I always have a soft spot for in books) and I could not stop reading.
Although my questions were answered, I still want more. I am hoping this author writes more books with these characters - because I want to live in their world a little longer.
There were so many questions I needed to know the answer to.
What caused the rift with his brother?
Why was his brother murdered?
What was going to happen to his niece Annalise?
Toss in the gruff loner with a heart of gold (that I always have a soft spot for in books) and I could not stop reading.
Although my questions were answered, I still want more. I am hoping this author writes more books with these characters - because I want to live in their world a little longer.
September 9, 2021
This was such a fun quick read! I was hooked and invested immediately and I ultimately could not put it down!
It was incredibly gripping, fast paced and action packed! I enjoyed Swann’s writing style and thought the characters were very well developed and likeable! I also liked that this was a entertaining blend of a murder mystery and a spy novel!
I think this one would make a great movie and hope that it gets optioned one day!
It was incredibly gripping, fast paced and action packed! I enjoyed Swann’s writing style and thought the characters were very well developed and likeable! I also liked that this was a entertaining blend of a murder mystery and a spy novel!
I think this one would make a great movie and hope that it gets optioned one day!
November 6, 2021
So I do this thing where I don’t read the entire synopsis of a book before I start it because sometimes I feel like it gives too much away and it ruins it for me. Normally I like this approach and prefer to be surprised, especially when I’m reading a thriller but this time my dumb little method may have been the wrong move. Had I read the synopsis I would’ve seen this has a political thriller angle and those usually just aren’t for me. So take my thoughts with a grain of salt ok?
I enjoyed the authors writing style and this was a quick read which is always a bonus for me. I wouldn’t say it’s action packed but the plot keeps on moving and there was definitely still action at times. I was pretty invested in Annalise’s storyline but it lost me when the private military contractor entered, I just wasn’t as interested. This definitely wasn’t bad, it has a solid plot and was mostly engaging I just couldn’t get past that one aspect but if you like that stuff give this a try. I would totally read more from the author, next time I’ll just actually read the full synopsis
I enjoyed the authors writing style and this was a quick read which is always a bonus for me. I wouldn’t say it’s action packed but the plot keeps on moving and there was definitely still action at times. I was pretty invested in Annalise’s storyline but it lost me when the private military contractor entered, I just wasn’t as interested. This definitely wasn’t bad, it has a solid plot and was mostly engaging I just couldn’t get past that one aspect but if you like that stuff give this a try. I would totally read more from the author, next time I’ll just actually read the full synopsis
February 16, 2024
After reading two totally different memoirs, and two rather disturbing fiction novels, this book was just what I needed.
This author was new to me but this book (like the previous four) was on my Kobo, I was on vacation with no internet… so was determined to find something exciting in the 500+ books listed.
So…..Nick Anthony, a retired professor, is mourning the recent death of his wife in the isolation of his home in the mountains of North Carolina. He is informed that his brother and sister-in-law have died in a house fire, and that his sixteen year old niece is missing. Nick has not spoken to his brother in twenty years and didn’t know of his niece’s existence. And so the mystery begins!
We quickly find out that nothing is as it appears. The house fire is suspicious, the niece is a suspect, something unknown and perhaps not so straight up seems to be the reason for the fire, and some rather cryptic but classified information is now in Nick’s hands but is sought by those responsible for the fire.
Despite that both the plot and the relationship between Nick and his niece develop at a slow pace but with many twists and turns, it is a very well written fast paced crime mystery thriller. With a continually changing plot, and nicely evolving characters, the main two rather likable, and a really good yet slightly unusual contemporary storyline this novel will quickly consume your attention. High in mystery, it also has a human interest aspect, an emotional factor that creates a “realness” to the story. Mystery writing extraordinaire!
4.5 stars
This author was new to me but this book (like the previous four) was on my Kobo, I was on vacation with no internet… so was determined to find something exciting in the 500+ books listed.
So…..Nick Anthony, a retired professor, is mourning the recent death of his wife in the isolation of his home in the mountains of North Carolina. He is informed that his brother and sister-in-law have died in a house fire, and that his sixteen year old niece is missing. Nick has not spoken to his brother in twenty years and didn’t know of his niece’s existence. And so the mystery begins!
We quickly find out that nothing is as it appears. The house fire is suspicious, the niece is a suspect, something unknown and perhaps not so straight up seems to be the reason for the fire, and some rather cryptic but classified information is now in Nick’s hands but is sought by those responsible for the fire.
Despite that both the plot and the relationship between Nick and his niece develop at a slow pace but with many twists and turns, it is a very well written fast paced crime mystery thriller. With a continually changing plot, and nicely evolving characters, the main two rather likable, and a really good yet slightly unusual contemporary storyline this novel will quickly consume your attention. High in mystery, it also has a human interest aspect, an emotional factor that creates a “realness” to the story. Mystery writing extraordinaire!
4.5 stars
July 30, 2021
Nick Anthony is in mourning for his beloved wife who recently died of pancreatic cancer when he learns of the death of his estranged brother and sister-in-law and also learns that he has a teenage niece who has gone missing.
When his niece Annalise shows up at his cabin door in the mountains of North Carolina, Nick is forced to move beyond his paralyzing grief if he wants to keep her alive. His brother was mixed up in some sort of shady deal in the Middle East and now hired mercenaries want the information he left with her. Nick will have to dust off skills he learned as a former CIA officer and call on his former associates because the mercenaries are getting closer and aren't hesitant to kill anyone who gets in their way.
This story was fast-paced and thrilling. I really liked both Nick and Annalise who were both dealing with lots of issues and who didn't know each other at all. Watching them deal with their separate griefs and get to know each other under very difficult situations was intriguing. It was interesting to have part of the story told from the viewpoint of the head of the mercenaries because he was a totally amoral character who was mentally falling apart as the story proceeded.
I recommend this story. I couldn't put it down.
When his niece Annalise shows up at his cabin door in the mountains of North Carolina, Nick is forced to move beyond his paralyzing grief if he wants to keep her alive. His brother was mixed up in some sort of shady deal in the Middle East and now hired mercenaries want the information he left with her. Nick will have to dust off skills he learned as a former CIA officer and call on his former associates because the mercenaries are getting closer and aren't hesitant to kill anyone who gets in their way.
This story was fast-paced and thrilling. I really liked both Nick and Annalise who were both dealing with lots of issues and who didn't know each other at all. Watching them deal with their separate griefs and get to know each other under very difficult situations was intriguing. It was interesting to have part of the story told from the viewpoint of the head of the mercenaries because he was a totally amoral character who was mentally falling apart as the story proceeded.
I recommend this story. I couldn't put it down.
July 5, 2021
Mitch Rapp Meets Henry McCord With A Dash of John Rambo. If you're a fan of Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp or the CBS drama Madam Secretary, you're going to like this tale. If you're not... you should still give this one a try, as it is a fun action tale set in the wilds of the lower Appalachian Mountains in the Carolinas featuring a former "history professor" who has a few skills history professors normally don't. And the way Nick Anthony *uses* his skills in this book... well, when the action starts up you might start getting flashes of one of America's action icons. ;)
I happen to be a fan of all of those things named above (well, the earlier Rapp books anyway - which were some of my very first Kindle reads as I began making the transition to my now eReader Era), and for me as a native of the foothills of the region in question, this was truly great. This is the same general region I've gone to many vacations into over the years, and in fact is the same general region that Deliverance was filmed in. And for this Southern boy, finding novels set here that don't disparage our people and are kick-ass to boot... well, that's just awesome.
This book is set up primarily as a standalone, but with these characters and with at least one or two things dangling by the end, it could easily be seen as the beginning of a series that could potentially be as good or better than the Rapp series, so this reader in particular certainly urges the author to at least consider the possibilities. Very much recommended.
I happen to be a fan of all of those things named above (well, the earlier Rapp books anyway - which were some of my very first Kindle reads as I began making the transition to my now eReader Era), and for me as a native of the foothills of the region in question, this was truly great. This is the same general region I've gone to many vacations into over the years, and in fact is the same general region that Deliverance was filmed in. And for this Southern boy, finding novels set here that don't disparage our people and are kick-ass to boot... well, that's just awesome.
This book is set up primarily as a standalone, but with these characters and with at least one or two things dangling by the end, it could easily be seen as the beginning of a series that could potentially be as good or better than the Rapp series, so this reader in particular certainly urges the author to at least consider the possibilities. Very much recommended.
September 7, 2021
History Professor Nick Anthony is living off the grid as much as he can. Still grieving the death of his wife, he values the solitude. A knock on the door brings horrific news .. his brother, his brother's wife die in a house fire. His teenage niece is missing.
He didn't even know he had a niece ... is she also a victim .. or a suspect?
He finds out when she shows up on his doorstep. She has something to give him ... something from his brother the night they died. And she was a witness to men leaving her home when it was set on fire. Definitely a murder. But why?
Unfortunately one of the men spotted her and now they are searching for her. Not only because she's a witness .. but because whatever her father gave her is mighty dangerous to someone.
When the man finally locates her in Nick's cabin, figures a retired professor will be easy enough to handle. But Nick has a hidden past of his own—and more than a few deadly tricks up his sleeve.
This is a fast-moving, cleverly written plot with deftly drawn characters. The relationship that develops between he and his niece were great... at first, neither trusting the other. There are twists and turns that lead to an explosive conclusion. Definitely kept me glued to the book!
Many thanks to the author / Crooked Lane Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
He didn't even know he had a niece ... is she also a victim .. or a suspect?
He finds out when she shows up on his doorstep. She has something to give him ... something from his brother the night they died. And she was a witness to men leaving her home when it was set on fire. Definitely a murder. But why?
Unfortunately one of the men spotted her and now they are searching for her. Not only because she's a witness .. but because whatever her father gave her is mighty dangerous to someone.
When the man finally locates her in Nick's cabin, figures a retired professor will be easy enough to handle. But Nick has a hidden past of his own—and more than a few deadly tricks up his sleeve.
This is a fast-moving, cleverly written plot with deftly drawn characters. The relationship that develops between he and his niece were great... at first, neither trusting the other. There are twists and turns that lead to an explosive conclusion. Definitely kept me glued to the book!
Many thanks to the author / Crooked Lane Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
April 30, 2022
A Fire in the Night is a beautifully written novel about grief and family relationships that turns into a spy thriller without sacrificing any of its literary beauty. I loved the Highlands North Carolina setting, and I loved the main characters, Nick and Annalise, and how they learned to trust each other. The small town deputy, Joshua Sams, is a fascinating character worthy of a novel of his own.
September 26, 2021
This review appeared first in The New York Journal of Books.
A fateful phone call from a brother not heard from in twenty years is the catalyst of author Christopher Swann’s spellbinding novel, A Fire in the Night, but it isn’t discovered until later in this action-packed thriller set in the mountainous region of Cashiers, North Carolina, that unfolds in riveting, oscillating layers of past and present tense.
Nick Anthony is an intentional loner. A retired college professor of medieval studies, he is a grieving widow living in an isolated lakeside cabin without a landline, so he is startled one morning to discover the uniformed Deputy Joshua Sams standing on his front porch.
It is bad news from the deputy. There has been a house fire in Tampa, his estranged brother is dead, and the sixteen-year-old niece named Annalise, whom he’s never heard of, is missing. Nick is found by Deputy Sams because his brother, Jay, told his lawyer that Nick is his next of kin.
At the unexpected news, Nick “was too weary to cry. Over the past year he had cried enough over Ellie for a lifetime,” but “Something shifted in his heart, rode beneath his skin,” and “He was angry. At Sams, for disturbing his morning. At Jay for not telling him about his niece—for dying.” The stunned Nick processes the news, and “Something circled at the back of Nick’s mind like an errant bat.” Nick, in considering Annalise, concludes, “If the police were looking for her, it was because she was a suspect.”
Annalise is in fear for her life and suspects her parents were murdered. While staying overnight at her boyfriend’s Tampa house, she saw the flames of the fire and, upon investigation, spied the men who apparently set it. Taking two days to flee to her uncle Nick’s North Carolina cabin, she arrives at night, exhausted and feverish, armed with a map her father had given her to give to Nick, though she is uncertain of Nick’s true identity until she puts him to her question-and-answer test. In time, Nick and Annalise vet each other and realize they are in it together, and the pair set out to unravel the mystery of what really happened to Jay.
Cole is ex-military and hired by a man named Mr. Kobayashi to track down Annalise, in hopes of acquiring sensitive information Jay had that’s thought to be on a flash drive. With a handful of hired hands, each paid a thousand dollars a day by Mr. Kobayashi, Cole and his cohorts track Annalise from Tampa to Atlanta to Cashiers reconnaissance style. They act as a gaggle of
hardened criminals with do-or-die motivation, which heightens the story’s gripping, on-the-chase suspense.
Because Nick’s family has ties in Afghanistan, Nick suspects his brother acted as a contractor in the Middle East, in a dubious manner that either involved privileged information or arms. When the map Annalise gives Nick turns out to be a geological survey of a Middle Eastern oil field, the pair are led to a private investigator in Charlotte, North Carolina, who was entrusted by Jay, and in turn, Nick is tasked with locating proper means to decipher encrypted information on the flash drive his brother left in the PI’s care, while simultaneously protecting Annalise from Cole and his men as they get closer and closer.
Twists and surprises abound as the story unfurls, and Nick’s past experience as a CIA operative comes to light and is put to use in a way that counters Nick’s sedate life. Nick realizes, “He had stepped away from that life, with fewer regrets than he had felt later upon leaving academia to care for Ellie. But there were moments, when he had been in his office grading papers or sitting in a faculty meeting or even watching Ellie sleep that he found himself bored and restless, longing for something, that old shot of adrenaline that sent the pulse racing and the senses on high alert.”
A Fire in the Night folds mystery and suspense into a psychological thriller in a setting that lives as breathes as a character. The remote, mountain woods of Cashiers, North Carolina, are multilayered and foreboding. They are the beautifully described, perfect backdrop for this finely wrought story, sure to enthrall the most discerning reader.
A fateful phone call from a brother not heard from in twenty years is the catalyst of author Christopher Swann’s spellbinding novel, A Fire in the Night, but it isn’t discovered until later in this action-packed thriller set in the mountainous region of Cashiers, North Carolina, that unfolds in riveting, oscillating layers of past and present tense.
Nick Anthony is an intentional loner. A retired college professor of medieval studies, he is a grieving widow living in an isolated lakeside cabin without a landline, so he is startled one morning to discover the uniformed Deputy Joshua Sams standing on his front porch.
It is bad news from the deputy. There has been a house fire in Tampa, his estranged brother is dead, and the sixteen-year-old niece named Annalise, whom he’s never heard of, is missing. Nick is found by Deputy Sams because his brother, Jay, told his lawyer that Nick is his next of kin.
At the unexpected news, Nick “was too weary to cry. Over the past year he had cried enough over Ellie for a lifetime,” but “Something shifted in his heart, rode beneath his skin,” and “He was angry. At Sams, for disturbing his morning. At Jay for not telling him about his niece—for dying.” The stunned Nick processes the news, and “Something circled at the back of Nick’s mind like an errant bat.” Nick, in considering Annalise, concludes, “If the police were looking for her, it was because she was a suspect.”
Annalise is in fear for her life and suspects her parents were murdered. While staying overnight at her boyfriend’s Tampa house, she saw the flames of the fire and, upon investigation, spied the men who apparently set it. Taking two days to flee to her uncle Nick’s North Carolina cabin, she arrives at night, exhausted and feverish, armed with a map her father had given her to give to Nick, though she is uncertain of Nick’s true identity until she puts him to her question-and-answer test. In time, Nick and Annalise vet each other and realize they are in it together, and the pair set out to unravel the mystery of what really happened to Jay.
Cole is ex-military and hired by a man named Mr. Kobayashi to track down Annalise, in hopes of acquiring sensitive information Jay had that’s thought to be on a flash drive. With a handful of hired hands, each paid a thousand dollars a day by Mr. Kobayashi, Cole and his cohorts track Annalise from Tampa to Atlanta to Cashiers reconnaissance style. They act as a gaggle of
hardened criminals with do-or-die motivation, which heightens the story’s gripping, on-the-chase suspense.
Because Nick’s family has ties in Afghanistan, Nick suspects his brother acted as a contractor in the Middle East, in a dubious manner that either involved privileged information or arms. When the map Annalise gives Nick turns out to be a geological survey of a Middle Eastern oil field, the pair are led to a private investigator in Charlotte, North Carolina, who was entrusted by Jay, and in turn, Nick is tasked with locating proper means to decipher encrypted information on the flash drive his brother left in the PI’s care, while simultaneously protecting Annalise from Cole and his men as they get closer and closer.
Twists and surprises abound as the story unfurls, and Nick’s past experience as a CIA operative comes to light and is put to use in a way that counters Nick’s sedate life. Nick realizes, “He had stepped away from that life, with fewer regrets than he had felt later upon leaving academia to care for Ellie. But there were moments, when he had been in his office grading papers or sitting in a faculty meeting or even watching Ellie sleep that he found himself bored and restless, longing for something, that old shot of adrenaline that sent the pulse racing and the senses on high alert.”
A Fire in the Night folds mystery and suspense into a psychological thriller in a setting that lives as breathes as a character. The remote, mountain woods of Cashiers, North Carolina, are multilayered and foreboding. They are the beautifully described, perfect backdrop for this finely wrought story, sure to enthrall the most discerning reader.
December 5, 2021
I enjoyed A FIRE IN THE NIGHT with one exception — there are far two many short flashbacks scattered throughout the book. I understand the author’s desire to begin with a bang, but much of the background revealed in these short flashbacks could have been placed in a short prologue.
Prologue: Nick and Jay’s father, an American, had worked for USAID in Afghanistan and was married to an Afghanistan woman when the Soviet Union invaded the country. The American and his wife managed to escape to the U.S. just before the attack and so Nick, the eldest, was born in the U.S.A., readily embracing American values. Unfortunately, Nick’s mother never felt at home in America. She remained a Muslim and insisted that Nick and his younger brother, Jay, attend a mosque for religious instruction. (Their father, an agnostic, indulged his wife, even as she became more agitated while living in America.) Jay was his mother’s favourite and accepted her values more readily — to the extent of changing his surname to Bashir, his mother’s family name, at age 13. While Nick was attending university, his father died of a heart attack when attempting to get his wife to see a psychiatrist; Nick’s mother was permanently incarcerated in an asylum. Nick eventually became a history professor, while Jay, who quickly dropped out of college, drifted around, brokering various my mysterious schemes to support his family. The two brothers seldom communicated after their father’s death and hadn’t spoken to each other for 20 years. Then, Nick is told that Jay and his wife have just been murdered, and their 16-year-old daughter has disappeared.
Start of story.
This gets rid of a lot of irritating flashbacks, although important ones are still needed (spoilers that would ruin the progression of the plot if revealed too early).
One thing I liked very much about this novel was that none of the characters were stereotypes. Even the bad guys had distinct personalities.
Because of those unneeded, irritating flashbacks, I would rate this as 3.75 stars, which I am rounding up to 4.
Prologue: Nick and Jay’s father, an American, had worked for USAID in Afghanistan and was married to an Afghanistan woman when the Soviet Union invaded the country. The American and his wife managed to escape to the U.S. just before the attack and so Nick, the eldest, was born in the U.S.A., readily embracing American values. Unfortunately, Nick’s mother never felt at home in America. She remained a Muslim and insisted that Nick and his younger brother, Jay, attend a mosque for religious instruction. (Their father, an agnostic, indulged his wife, even as she became more agitated while living in America.) Jay was his mother’s favourite and accepted her values more readily — to the extent of changing his surname to Bashir, his mother’s family name, at age 13. While Nick was attending university, his father died of a heart attack when attempting to get his wife to see a psychiatrist; Nick’s mother was permanently incarcerated in an asylum. Nick eventually became a history professor, while Jay, who quickly dropped out of college, drifted around, brokering various my mysterious schemes to support his family. The two brothers seldom communicated after their father’s death and hadn’t spoken to each other for 20 years. Then, Nick is told that Jay and his wife have just been murdered, and their 16-year-old daughter has disappeared.
Start of story.
This gets rid of a lot of irritating flashbacks, although important ones are still needed (spoilers that would ruin the progression of the plot if revealed too early).
One thing I liked very much about this novel was that none of the characters were stereotypes. Even the bad guys had distinct personalities.
Because of those unneeded, irritating flashbacks, I would rate this as 3.75 stars, which I am rounding up to 4.
May 29, 2021
A Fire in the Night by Christopher Swann was hard to put down! Nick, a retired professor, lives in the middle of nowhere in North Carolina. He is grieving the death of his wife, who died about a year ago. One day he gets a visit from a local sheriff letting him know that his estranged brother and sister-in-law have died in a house fire in Florida. Nick and his brother haven’t spoken in about 20 years. Nick is told that he has a 16-year-old niece named Annalise, who is missing. She may be a suspect or a victim. Later that evening his niece, Annalise, shows up to his cabin— disheveled, feverish, and sick. The story she tells Nick is that two men murdered her parents. They are after her. Evidently her dad gave her some thing before he died and told her if something happened to him to find her Uncle Nick. Nick doesn’t know what to think or what kind of mess his brother was in. This book unfolds quickly and is very tense to read. It was actually making me anxious because the people hunting Annalise get closer and closer.
I very much enjoyed this book. The character of Nick was so interesting. The story of Nick and his brother Jay is revealed little by little as the book goes on. Also, the story of Nick and his wife who died is heartbreaking. The relationship between Nick and his niece-whom he previously didn’t know existed-was heartwarming and emotional. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers. I can see this book being made into a film. Now I want to go back and read the author’s previous books. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
I very much enjoyed this book. The character of Nick was so interesting. The story of Nick and his brother Jay is revealed little by little as the book goes on. Also, the story of Nick and his wife who died is heartbreaking. The relationship between Nick and his niece-whom he previously didn’t know existed-was heartwarming and emotional. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers. I can see this book being made into a film. Now I want to go back and read the author’s previous books. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
April 22, 2021
Another really solid outing from Christopher Swann that kept me riveted as I tore though the book in just over a day!
First off (and I said this about his last book), don't read the synopsis here on Goodreads or, presumably, on the jacket cover - in my opinion it gives away several of the twists and turns that really gave the story momentum!
If Swann's previous books have earned him the moniker of "Southern mystery master," he spreads his wing here to "Southern thriller." This was a fast-paced, character-driven, fun-filled ride with several action-packed moments that kept things whipping along. I could easily see this being developed as a great movie.
The characters are really well-developed and engaging - even the "bad guys" are... likable may not be the right word... but relatable and sympathetic.
While Swann's first two novels leaned into classrooms as a backdrop, here he's really spread his wings (pun intended). Despite our protagonist being a professor, the locales span the globe, from the mountains of North Carolina to Cairo to Beirut.
Bottom line: it's unfortunate that this novel has a September publication date, because it'd be the perfect fun summer read!
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this novel for my preview.
First off (and I said this about his last book), don't read the synopsis here on Goodreads or, presumably, on the jacket cover - in my opinion it gives away several of the twists and turns that really gave the story momentum!
If Swann's previous books have earned him the moniker of "Southern mystery master," he spreads his wing here to "Southern thriller." This was a fast-paced, character-driven, fun-filled ride with several action-packed moments that kept things whipping along. I could easily see this being developed as a great movie.
The characters are really well-developed and engaging - even the "bad guys" are... likable may not be the right word... but relatable and sympathetic.
While Swann's first two novels leaned into classrooms as a backdrop, here he's really spread his wings (pun intended). Despite our protagonist being a professor, the locales span the globe, from the mountains of North Carolina to Cairo to Beirut.
Bottom line: it's unfortunate that this novel has a September publication date, because it'd be the perfect fun summer read!
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this novel for my preview.
October 16, 2021
A literary spy thriller set in the mountains of western North Carolina, this was a really well crafted novel, it kept me turning the pages!
April 30, 2021
A really fun, easy, gripping read.
There were so many questions I needed to know the answer to.
What caused the rift with his brother?
Why was his brother murdered?
What was going to happen to his niece Annalise?
Toss in the gruff loner with a heart of gold (that I always have a soft spot for in books) and I could not stop reading.
Although my questions were answered, I still want more. I am hoping this author writes more books with these characters - because I want to live in their world a little longer.
There were so many questions I needed to know the answer to.
What caused the rift with his brother?
Why was his brother murdered?
What was going to happen to his niece Annalise?
Toss in the gruff loner with a heart of gold (that I always have a soft spot for in books) and I could not stop reading.
Although my questions were answered, I still want more. I am hoping this author writes more books with these characters - because I want to live in their world a little longer.
April 23, 2021
Twist and turns one doesn’t expect. Retired history professor, Nick Anthony, hears about the death of his estranged brother and his wife, his, unknown to him, niece is missing. And that is all I am going to say because you will need to read it yourself! Great story, keeps you guessing and turning pages, you won’t want to put the book down.
Looking forward to reading Christopher Swann’s other books.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an early read.
Looking forward to reading Christopher Swann’s other books.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an early read.
April 10, 2021
Loved this so much....I wish it lasted longer lol. Nick is morning the life he once had when his niece, who he wasn’t aware of, shows up at his front door. Her parents have been tortured and murder, and the men are coming after her. But Nick isn’t just a professor, and he will be ready for them.
June 3, 2022
This was an understated, occasionally gently humorous, and overall run-of-the-mill story that we’ve read several times before, with more or less the same characters. There’s only one thing that sets off Nick Anthony and his brother Jay from all the other Nicks and Jays we’ve ever read about, and so little is made of this one entertainingly subversive element that you might miss it if you weren’t reading carefully. That one thing kept me reading and wondering how it would work into the plot. Otherwise all the characters come from central casting and from a raft of other books so similar as to blend into all my past reading. There’s the rebellious, frightened teenage girl, rather two-dimensional as envisioned by a male writer, and the grandmother figure who brings casseroles and on whose shoulder the girl weeps, in an eye-rollingly cringey scene. There’s also a heartless killer who suddenly becomes sentimental over one of his young henchmen. Although this is really not a spoiler, Although her name is mentioned once earlier on, the only truly interesting character doesn’t appear until page 206, along with the high point of the book’s action, and in by far the most interesting setting of all . Unfortunately this great, gut-kick interlude is over too quickly and we’re back to where we left off. The flashback scenes with Nick and Ellie didn’t offer anything new at all except to show up at the appropriate times throughout the book. There’s a bit of over-explaining - I don’t need to be told what a flash drive is - and some examples of creative writing class clichés - someone even has tousled hair, give me a break. The ending and epilogue were were more or less predictable. This was disappointing since I enjoyed this author’s first book, and have another on order. Hoping for more next time. 2 1/2 stars.
October 12, 2021
This book grabbed me on the first page and kept my attention until I closed it at the end. The setting was perfect in the mountains of North Carolina, the characters were interesting and they all had secrets from each other. The plot was full of suspense and surprises. The action at times was tense and had me rooting for the main characters and the ending was just perfect.
Nick was a professor who lost his beloved wife to cancer. After she died, he became a isolated in his home in the mountains and rarely saw anyone. He was surprised when a deputy arrived at his door to tell him that his brother and sister in law had died in a suspicious fire. Nick and his brother had been estranged for years and he didn't even know that he had a 16 year old niece Annalise. She disappeared after the fire and was a person of interest in the murder of her parents. Nick was totally surprised when Annalise showed up on his doorstep later that night. She was feverish and exhausted and told her uncle that she saw the men who killed her parents and knew that they saw her too so she was on the run to keep safe. Her dad had given her something to take to her Uncle Nick as few days before the murder and the killers were desperate to get that information. At first Nick and his niece were very wary of each other and Nick wondered if his niece was telling him the truth or feeding him a story. As Nick begins to believe his niece, he realizes that they are on borrowed time and that the killers won't stop until Annalise is killed. The killers think it will be easy to find and eliminate her because her uncle is just a retired professor of medieval studies and how tough can he be?? They make a huge mistake because Nick is just more than a retired professor -- he has secrets that they will discover when they can find him.
I thought that Nick and Annalise were great characters and very believable. I know that this was a stand-alone but it would be great to see these two characters in a future book by Christopher Swan.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
Nick was a professor who lost his beloved wife to cancer. After she died, he became a isolated in his home in the mountains and rarely saw anyone. He was surprised when a deputy arrived at his door to tell him that his brother and sister in law had died in a suspicious fire. Nick and his brother had been estranged for years and he didn't even know that he had a 16 year old niece Annalise. She disappeared after the fire and was a person of interest in the murder of her parents. Nick was totally surprised when Annalise showed up on his doorstep later that night. She was feverish and exhausted and told her uncle that she saw the men who killed her parents and knew that they saw her too so she was on the run to keep safe. Her dad had given her something to take to her Uncle Nick as few days before the murder and the killers were desperate to get that information. At first Nick and his niece were very wary of each other and Nick wondered if his niece was telling him the truth or feeding him a story. As Nick begins to believe his niece, he realizes that they are on borrowed time and that the killers won't stop until Annalise is killed. The killers think it will be easy to find and eliminate her because her uncle is just a retired professor of medieval studies and how tough can he be?? They make a huge mistake because Nick is just more than a retired professor -- he has secrets that they will discover when they can find him.
I thought that Nick and Annalise were great characters and very believable. I know that this was a stand-alone but it would be great to see these two characters in a future book by Christopher Swan.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
September 17, 2021
Is he a great Southern mystery writer, or is he a great mystery writer from the South? Christopher Swann can lay equal claim to both, and we see it up front and close in his latest novel, A Fire in the Night. This is a crackling good yarn about Nick Anthony, a bereaved medieval studies professor who is shaken from his grief when trouble lands on his doorstep in the form of a niece he didn't know he had, a deadly house fire, and what might be some very nasty people who were involved in it. Bad guys are closing in, and they figure a widowed medievalist must surely be easy pickings. But what they have overlooked is that Nick's got some secrets of his own, and a very special set of skills that were never called for when lecturing before his students. It all comes down to a crisply written, fast-moving thriller that is equal parts adrenaline and erudition. If you like Jack Reacher, you'll dig this in a very big way. One could easily see A Fire in the Night kicking off a long franchise surrounding Nick Anthony. But even if it doesn't, Swann is definitely an author to watch out for. Like his hero, this guy doesn't miss.
October 16, 2021
There’s more to retired professor Nick Anthony than meets the eye. Anthony is living a loner’s existence, mourning the passing of his wife, not able to move forward, when the appearance of a niece he didn’t even know he had, lands on his doorstep needing help. And not simply help, she needs the kind of help that he used in his former life as a spy. Annalise witnessed the murder of her parents and now the ‘bad guys’ are after her. But so are the police, since they believe she was the one responsible for her parents’ death. Annalise is a gutsy, determined teen that will rush headlong into trouble but she’ll needs Nick’s skills to help her find the answers while keeping her safe.
The tension in the book was palpable, the situation so believable, I felt myself pulled along with Anthony and Annalise as they tried to stay ahead of the murderers while trying to figure our WTF was going on and why
The tension in the book was palpable, the situation so believable, I felt myself pulled along with Anthony and Annalise as they tried to stay ahead of the murderers while trying to figure our WTF was going on and why
October 20, 2021
I enjoyed Christopher Swann's A FIRE IN THE NIGHT despite its over-reliance on over-familiar thriller parts (the seemingly ordinary guy with the badass past, the reduction of women to their rescuable essence, the cold assassin who keeps making mistakes because he underestimates his quarry, the plot-in-a-blender final act, etc.). I enjoyed it even though there wasn't a character in in that transcended tyep and became something flesh and blood to me.
I enjoyed it despite its unsubtle ambition to be a big film-adaption-ready thriller that would take its author into the Shane Salerno Strata (in that, it closely resembles Michael Koryta's naked bid for the big time, THOSE WHO WISH ME EEAD, which was in fact adapted into a film). And despite its conventional use of language; conventional to the point of blandness. (Example: "Dread began to build in Nick’s chest, along with another, sharper emotion—rage. He drew a deep breath through his nose and exhaled through his mouth, then did it again, trying to calm himself.")
I enjoyed A FIRE IN THE NIGHT because ... well, I enjoyed it. It hung together. It flowed well. It did its job of being diverting, entertaining fare. If I rolled my eyes a little because I've seen everything in it elsewhere ... well, that's my problem, not the author's. He did what he set out to do, which was to create a popcorn thriller for a prolific audience. If I was looking for something else, I should have picked up something else.
So while it's not a five-star outing, due to its lack of depth, nuance and originality, and a backstory that seems overdone and underwhelming at the same time, it's at least a three-star adventure. And I'll go four for that sense of smooth coherence I felt throughout, that feeling of being settled in good hands. It's harder to do than it looks, and if Christopher Swann can do at least that well with each new novel, he'll do very well indeed in his career. And I'll keep reading them, and I'll probably keep enjoying them. And I'll probably keep rolling my eyes a little. Books are a vehicle; the parts are just the parts, and while they're not premium parts in this particular engine, they're at least up to code and as such combine to create a pleasant and confident purr under the surface of a sleek-looking ride. And sometimes that's all you need to get around.
I enjoyed it despite its unsubtle ambition to be a big film-adaption-ready thriller that would take its author into the Shane Salerno Strata (in that, it closely resembles Michael Koryta's naked bid for the big time, THOSE WHO WISH ME EEAD, which was in fact adapted into a film). And despite its conventional use of language; conventional to the point of blandness. (Example: "Dread began to build in Nick’s chest, along with another, sharper emotion—rage. He drew a deep breath through his nose and exhaled through his mouth, then did it again, trying to calm himself.")
I enjoyed A FIRE IN THE NIGHT because ... well, I enjoyed it. It hung together. It flowed well. It did its job of being diverting, entertaining fare. If I rolled my eyes a little because I've seen everything in it elsewhere ... well, that's my problem, not the author's. He did what he set out to do, which was to create a popcorn thriller for a prolific audience. If I was looking for something else, I should have picked up something else.
So while it's not a five-star outing, due to its lack of depth, nuance and originality, and a backstory that seems overdone and underwhelming at the same time, it's at least a three-star adventure. And I'll go four for that sense of smooth coherence I felt throughout, that feeling of being settled in good hands. It's harder to do than it looks, and if Christopher Swann can do at least that well with each new novel, he'll do very well indeed in his career. And I'll keep reading them, and I'll probably keep enjoying them. And I'll probably keep rolling my eyes a little. Books are a vehicle; the parts are just the parts, and while they're not premium parts in this particular engine, they're at least up to code and as such combine to create a pleasant and confident purr under the surface of a sleek-looking ride. And sometimes that's all you need to get around.
August 16, 2022
A niece seeks out an uncle that she's learned about only days earlier and has hoped she's picked the right place and the right man as she desperately needs her uncle's help. An uncle learns he has a niece when she shows up on the doorstep of his cabin home in the woods of North Carolina. It seems most unlikely that either will be satisfied in this newly discovered relationship especially due to the circumstances in which they've met one another.
I was riveted from the opening pages. Part of the novel's description suggested it would be "literary fiction, a spy novel, and a relentless thriller" and as I enjoy each type separately I was intrigued with thoughts of the combination. There was not a moment of disappointment with descriptive writing that set the scenes, true-to-life emotional drama, realistic conversations, and edge-of-the-seat suspense.
Language Note: Use of the f word in various tenses is used throughout the novel.
I was lucky enough to receive an Advance Reading Copy of this title as an “Early Reviewer” from LibraryThing. The opinions about the novel within my review are my own.
I was riveted from the opening pages. Part of the novel's description suggested it would be "literary fiction, a spy novel, and a relentless thriller" and as I enjoy each type separately I was intrigued with thoughts of the combination. There was not a moment of disappointment with descriptive writing that set the scenes, true-to-life emotional drama, realistic conversations, and edge-of-the-seat suspense.
Language Note: Use of the f word in various tenses is used throughout the novel.
I was lucky enough to receive an Advance Reading Copy of this title as an “Early Reviewer” from LibraryThing. The opinions about the novel within my review are my own.
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