The fire bell strikes at midnight by Shirley Freitas.
I did enjoy this book. I liked the cover too. I got into this book straight away. Elsie's homestyle cafe was like a meeting place. Everyone knew everyone in this small town. I did like the writing style. As I got to the fire bit it did feel like I was there. A lot of action too. The way Shirley wrote about the fire. Some of it I could see in my mind. I really enjoyed how it ended. I got a lot of questions I had answered. I would recommend this book.

Blurb.
As disaster bears down on a rural California county, sordid truths about century-old crimes threaten a community in crisis . . .

Like much of rural California in 1985, Piñon County is on the brink of ecological and economic disaster. The forests are overgrown and frighteningly dry, the mill at the center of the community is closing, and real estate moguls plan to take full advantage. Furthermore, relationships are strained when historical records reveal shameful details about arson and murder committed in 1888 . . .

And as a wildfire bears down, the past and present collide, and this tight knit community desperately tries to cope with spousal abuse, racism, bigotry, adultery . . . and the imminent threat both to and from nature.

But who will survive to tell their tale, and who will fall victim to fate?

The Fire Bell Strikes at Midnight is a beautifully told and evocative novel rich in atmosphere, depicting devastating dangers to both the human spirit and the environment—while leaving us hopeful for the future by showing what love and friendship can do.

#thefirestrikesatmidnight @ShirleyFreitas #bloodhoundbooks #NetGalley #GeneralFictionAdult #HistoricalFiction

We have all heard about the devastation a bush fire can cause and this gets right to the heart of it. This is a very well written and very interesting read. But this isn't just about bush fire it is also about the past and the secrets, murder and the lives of those people now living that are dealing with new details of the past lives that live in this county.

There is so much going on in this book where past and present collide. The characters are written so you can relate to them, you can feel their presence and their pain. This is a book that drew my in and kept me reading. It is a saga, it is a book that builds as you read it getting more intense with each page. I enjoyed reading this book and found it got to my head and my heart.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.