“Red Flag Warning” is a story told from the point of view of many different characters including arson investigator Jim Kendall and serial arsonist NiteHeat. The fires NiteHeat sets are getting more and more devastating and with few clues and even fewer suspects, Kendall and his team are running out of time. The Santa Ana winds are approaching and if NiteHeat isn’t caught, all of Los Angeles County could burn to the ground.

While all the characters are all well-developed and interesting, the fire itself is the most intriguing character in this book. Author Kurt Kamm obviously spent a lot of time researching fire and he uses this knowledge to bring the fire to life in a way that makes it feel like a living, breathing organism. It is also obvious that he has spent some time around firefighters as the interactions seem authentic and the terminology used seems appropriate. I also liked that there were several legitimate suspects that could have been NiteHeat and that each one was well-developed. I was kept guessing until the end as each character had a psychology that I could see as being conducive to an arsonist.

I really did enjoy this book and had a hard time putting it down. My only complaint was that the tying up of all the loose ends seemed rushed. It was almost like the author had to avoid going over a certain number of pages, suddenly realized he was getting close to that number, and decided to wrap it up as quickly as possible. Or maybe I just didn’t want the book to end. Either way, I wasn’t entirely sure of the arsonists’ identity until it was revealed during the climax of the story so I do have to applaud Mr. Kamm for keeping me guessing.

All in all “Red Flag Warning” was a good read that I would recommend to anyone with an interest in firefighting mysteries or psychological mysteries. I guarantee it will keep you intrigued until the very end.

Reviewed on 10/05/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member April Hanson

California's Santa Ana winds are blowing nothing but trouble in to Los Angeles County. On their own, they are a formidable force to be reckoned with, but add a fire-crazed arsonist and you've got a truly explosive situation. That's the situation Fire Captain Jim Kendall is in now.  Kendall, just back from a leave of absence following the suicide of his daughter, is the chief arson investigator.

Kendall and his men determine that a fire at Porter Ranch was deliberately set by an arsonist. The only clue is a red apple timer. Fearing that more fires will be set, Kendall looks for suspects including Father Dom, a "priest" who offers his help to Kendall, but who also has access to arson tools.

Readers are introduced to Mikey Yoder, a young man who steals firefighting equipment while impersonating a firefighter; Donna Demko, formerly known as Darnya Demko, local weather reporter who is the adopted daughter of Kendall's friend Mark Demko, now deputy chief of the fire department; and Ruffy Lozano, a night supervisor for the county 911 dispatch center who yearns to become a firefighter.

Investigators' fears turn into grim reality when the perfect storm of hot, dry Santa Ana winds and an arsonist's chicken timer explode into one of the county's worst fire maelstroms.

Author Kurt Kamm keeps readers guessing in this fast-paced mystery. The suspects include some real whack jobs, but Kendall is a stand-up guy with a love of York Mints and readers will be cheering him on. Kamm definitely knows his way around a fire and the Southern California terrain and he does a bang-up job of passing that information along to readers.

I highly recommend this book for readers who love a good mystery with plenty of action.

Reviewed on 07/15/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Darcy Odden

In this book by Kurt Kamm we find fire captain and investigator Jim Kendall smack dab in the middle of what he knows is going to be an intense season of forest fires. With conditions in the area dry as never before and temperatures in the danger range, Kendall knows that it is just a matter of time before fires intentionally set, accidental, or those started by lightening strikes will break out and just how much damage will ensue is anyone's guess. He is preparing himself for the worst, but he has no idea how bad it's going to get with a serial fire lover on the loose.
This fire bug is not only destroying wildlife and homes, but he is killing people in the process and is growing bolder by the fire. So bold in fact that the reader is quickly drawn into the life of the arsonist and the fire investigator as well. Kendall knows that unless he finds out who this fire lover is and soon, he is possibly going to face a fire he cannot contain.
The arsonist known as NiteHeat leaves a destructive path in the darkness, busy setting fires, staying one step ahead of investigators from the Los Angeles County Fire Department's Arson Unit.
The character of Randall is one of an investigator set in stone, unstoppable in his quest to find NiteHeat and put a stop to this destruction. While the character NiteHeat lingers in the background, taking center stage in this drama with cleverly planned fires, but also quick and savvy enough to stay ahead of Randall, the tension grows.
The fire fighters as the reader sees them at work are realistically portrayed with a tough exterior and a determination that shows a dedication to a deadly job. The reader soon finds out it takes a special breed of person to be an firefighter, a mix of fearlessness, determination, skill and dedication mixed with compassion and near super human abilities to go where others flee. This depiction of firefighters is spot on in it's human touch and the writer has brought to life extremely well the inner workings of those who fight fires.
While the reader, like Randall tries to understand and figure out NiteHeat, we soon discover that this is no amateur fire setter. This fire bug is one that obviously knows and loves fire as much as a mother loves her child. And fire is like a child to NiteHeat whom we find in the end in an amazingly surprising ending, is one that if met on the street, would be the last person thought to be NiteHeat.
Red Flag Warning is the type of book that keeps your attention from start to finish and although there are those who criticize and comment that the characters are not believable, I beg to differ. My uncle was a firefighter in Arizona in the early 1960's and he fought the same sort of fires depicted there. I remember his stories well. So well that over 50 years later, I remember with trepidation watching lightening striking in the hills and waiting for him to be called into action. That and having friends who are present day firefighters made this book come to life for me and remind me in all too clear ways what a dangerous job we as mere citizens often take for granted.
A firefighter is like a police officer. It takes a special breed to do the job and to do it well. It takes part daredevil, fearless in facing what might be around the next corner and it takes a person of determination to help ones fellow man that cannot be imitated. It is an inborn personality trait that makes the best firefighters the ones that last and the ones that give their lives for their fellow man.
I highly recommend this book for those who love a good action packed, suspenseful book full of believable characters which keeps them on the edge of their seat. It is a book you will find yourself in the dead of night reading with a flashlight in your own quest to find the identity of NiteHeat. And when you do find NiteHeat, it will be an experience you will never forget in its intensity and unbelievable scene set by talented author Kurt Kamm.

Reviewed on 06/19/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Susan Pettrone

Reviewed on 05/22/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Jud Hanson