The Fatal Tape in Bloomington, MN

Fire obeys the laws of physics; arsonists obey the laws of no one. New Year's Day signifies a fresh start. Jessica Quinn, the newly appointed chief of the fire investigation division of the Arlington Fire Department, welcomes that change. Still reeling from the death of her daughter and a failed marriage, Jessica throws herself into this new position striving to solve every case that comes her way. Having worked her way up through the (sometimes chauvinistic) ranks, she must start over and prove her worth under this new title. As everyone else rings in the new year, the Arlington Fire Department responds to a double-fatal house fire. Allison Jordan, a local swimming phenom and hopeful future Olympian, is one of the victims. Chief Quinn leads the investigation team alongside her partner Bob Gilmore, and his accelerant sniffing K-9 Miss Dixie. They discover the fire was deliberately set. Pairing up with two police detectives, Jessica leads the otherwise all-male group as they search for the killer. Was it Allison's resentful ex-boyfriend? Or Jessica's newly-discovered psychotic stalker? Or someone else entirely? The story follows two timelines: the investigation from the first fire engine on scene to its conclusion, and the life of Allison Jordan leading up to that fateful night. It's a tale of love, loss, hope and fear. This novel also demonstrates that a woman can not only survive, but thrive, in predominantly male environment.