Will End in Fire
A Novel
by Nicole Bokat
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Pub Date Oct 01 2024 | Archive Date Aug 15 2024
Caitlin Hamilton Marketing & Publicity, for She Writes Press | She Writes Press
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Description
“A tumultuous narrative that will confound readers’ expectations and keep them guessing.”—Kirkus Reviews
Twenty-seven-year-old climate journalist Ellie Stone has spent her life locked in an unending sibling rivalry with her brother, Josh—star athlete and golden boy–turned–drug addict. One night, after their parents have left her to “babysit” Josh, she and he have a blow-up and she abandons him. Soon after, the house is engulfed in fire—and Josh is burnt beyond recognition. Social media takes this on as a local cause célèbre, blaming Ellie since, years ago, she was involved in a blaze that scarred a teenage girl. Is history repeating itself?
In shock, Ellie can’t recall if she left a lit cigarette in her family home. But could this suspected arson have something to do with the unknown vehicle that was spotted nearby? The only people sympathetic to Ellie are her brother’s best pal—who quickly becomes her new romantic partner—and Josh’s girlfriend, who lets on that their relationship might not have been what it seemed. As she grows closer to her brother’s inner circle, Ellie discovers secrets that make her question whom to trust, how to stay out of danger, and how to save her future.
A Note From the Publisher
Advance Praise
"Bokat reveals the solution to the mystery bit by bit, like a jigsaw puzzle, leaving the full picture obscured until the final piece is finally in place....will confound readers’ expectations and keep them guessing."
—KIRKUS REVIEWS
“Intense, heart-wrenching, and instantly addictive, WILL END IN FIRE took my breath away. Nicole Bokat expertly follows the fault lines between a character’s past and present — and how they can collide with the force of a lightning strike. An unforgettable read.”
—HILARY DAVIDSON, bestselling author of Her Last Breath
“Hang on to your breath because you’ll be holding it the whole time you read Nicole Bokat’s fascinating thriller about love, loyalty, family, and the secrets that could save—or even kill us . . . Just extraordinary.”
—CAROLINE LEAVITT, New York Times best-selling author of Pictures of You and With or Without You
“ . . . a page-turning mystery, a suspenseful domestic drama, deep psychological character study of warring siblings and a heartbreaking addiction saga all rolled into one poignant, powerful novel. Unputdownable."
—SUSAN SHAPIRO, New York Times best-selling author of Unhooked, Lighting Up and The Forgiveness Tour
“Nicole Bokat has once again weaved together scintillating storytelling with gorgeous prose. . . . a haunting poetic thriller.”
—JUDY BATALION, New York Times best-selling author of The Light of Days
“I blazed through Bokat’s fiery, fast-paced new thriller in a single sitting. Navigating the perilous terrain of sibling rivalry, arson, addiction, rape culture, climate change, and a pandemic, the novel’s riveting twists are driven by the questions: Who can Ellie Stone trust? What will it take for her to trust herself? What is the price if she doesn’t? You’ll turn these stunning pages with your heart pounding and your hands on fire.”
—TESS CALLAHAN, author of April and Oliver and Dawnland
“This novel will grab you from the first sentence, “I didn’t start the fire,” and won’t let you go until the last. A riveting story of love, loss, and fear that raises questions about how childhood events and family dynamics shape us, influencing what we remember, who we believe, and whether we can change the patterns of our lives.”
—ANASTASIA ZADEIK, author of Blurred Fates and The Other Side of Nothing
Marketing Plan
PRAISE FOR THE HAPPINESS THIEF
Foreword INDIE Book Awards, Finalist in Mystery
"Bokat is an evocative wordsmith . . . she has crafted a sympathetic heroine as her main character . . . . A compulsively readable mystery and character study."
—Kirkus Reviews
"Evocatively written and ferociously paced . . . .Ulterior motives and shocking reveals abound, making for an anxious read that domestic suspense fans will be tempted to devour in a single sitting."
—Mystery Scene Magazine
“Edgy, smart and propulsive blend of literary thriller meets family dysfunction.”
—Leslie Lindsay, Always With A Book
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781647428044 |
| PRICE | $17.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 320 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Sandie K, Reviewer
It starts with a disaster. Ellie Stone leaves her brother Josh alone in their parents house and starts the drive back to New York City. When she realizes she has left something she needs, she turns the car around and drives back. When she arrives, the house is aflame and Josh is seriously burned. Josh was always the golden boy of their family, a natural athlete around whom their parents' attention was devoted. But Josh had issues as he got older and became addicted to drugs. He had been through rehab and was clean at the moment but their parents had asked Ellie to come home that weekend as they were out of town and they didn't know what would happen if Josh were left alone.
Now Ellie's world spins out of control. She is wracked with guilt for leaving and then when the police investigate the fire, afraid that she would be blamed for starting it. It could have been started by a cigarette and while Ellie remembers putting her last one out, she doesn't really trust her memory. Josh had been fighting with his girlfriend, Audrey, on the phone that night. Had she come over? Had Josh started the fire to kill himself?
Her parents are crushed and depressed. Ellie can't concentrate and loses her job as an investigative reporter Without a job, she worries about making rent. The only person who seems to care about how Ellie is handling things is Drew, Josh's childhood best friend. Eventually, Ellie and Drew start a relationship and she moves in with him. Can Ellie turn her life back around? Will the mystery of what happened that night be solved?
Although some might consider this a mystery, I thought it was an exquisite rendering of young people at this time. I have family members in that age group so I'm familiar with the mind set and the author has captured it perfectly. The angst of graduating into a tight job market and working low end entry jobs while struggling with overwhelming student debts, the reluctance to form lasting attachments and the resulting often meaningless affairs, the sense that there is nothing but a disastrous world hurtling towards its end, all of these are here. The book is also set in the time of the covid shutdown with all the fear and uncertainty that the isolation created, especially in young people who often lost their jobs or struggled to finish their education online. The mystery of the night of the fire is slowly revealed and there are several twists and turns that surprise the reader This book is recommended for literary fiction readers.
Readers who liked this book also liked:
Jodi Picoult; Jennifer Finney Boylan
General Fiction (Adult), Literary Fiction, Women's Fiction
