House on Fire: A Novel

Nick Heller is a private investigator whose loyalty is fierce and tangled with righteousness. His life is thrown for a loop when a good friend and fellow soldier, Sean, is found dead of an opioid overdose. While attending the funeral, he is approached by Sukie Kimball. Kimball is the daughter of the head of a powerful pharmaceutical company. Sukie wants Heller’s help in unmasking her father’s role in burying a study relating to the addictive nature of opioids. Heller accepts the job and soon accompanies Sukie to the palatial estate of Conrad Kimball. Nick poses as Sukie’s boyfriend, where he is witness to the simmering tension of the dysfunctional siblings, most jockeying for favored status when Conrad retires or passes on. Nick witnesses the youngest Kimball’s date, and his senses are alert. The date is his former flame, Maggie. When Nick conducts a covert document retrieval, he runs into her. They seek different information, however, everything changes when she is found dead. All bets are off as the danger mounts.

House on Fire stands as an apt title for a thrill ride of a mystery. Joseph Finder continues his fine work with his new release. The specter of soldiers and addiction is a harrowing subject but a must-read nonetheless. The tough nature of addiction is written deftly and with compassion. Another surefire hit for Finder.