Beneath the Flames by Gregory Lee Renz

Thriller fiction, 338 pp

June 1, 2019, Three Towers Press

Reviewed by Michelle Caffrey, www.michellecaffrey.com

Character, plot, and setting—this novel has it all.

The protagonist, Mitch Garner, is my kind of hero—a truly good man scarred by the past just trying to get his life on track. Shaken by loss, he attempts to redeem himself and leaves his family farm to join the Milwaukee Fire Department.

The authenticity and sensitivity to the issues he faces in the inner city were inspiring. I was impressed with the author’s knowledge of firefighting, but also his obvious experience in both farming and the ghettos of Milwaukee.

I couldn’t finish the book in a single sitting, but I honestly wished I could have. Reluctantly, I had to set it down, only to eagerly return to discover how the protagonist would solve his problems and discover his true calling.

Beneath the Flames is award winning for good reason. The author deserves the kudos for a heart-warming story that resonated with this reader.

Reviewer Michelle Caffrey is the author of Bring Jade Home: The True Story of a Dog Lost in Yellowstone, published by Farcountry Press. Her picture book, Jade—Lost in Yellowstone, won the 2020 Creative Child Book of the Year award. She lives in Lake Geneva with her adventuresome husband, Paul.