A Killing Fire

by Faye Snowden

Overview

“Full-bodied and dynamic characters carry this one along a mystery, tying a brutal past with a bloody present that will keep you guessing right up to the finale.” — Unnerving Magazine

As a child forced to witness her father’s crimes, homicide Detective Raven Burns dedicates every waking moment to proving that she is not her father’s child. But when she shoots a suspect who has what turns out to be an unloaded weapon, Raven finds that she must confront both the demons of her past and the stains on her soul in order to stop a killer.

FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more about Flame Tree Press at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePress

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781787583047
Publisher:	Flame Tree Publishing
Publication date:	08/22/2019
Series:	Killing
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Faye is the author of three novels and several short stories as well as a little poetry sprinkled here and there in various literary journals. She has a master’s in english literature and a deep curiosity in all things noir—especially stories populated with people from diverse ethnic backgrounds. She is currently working on her latest novel from her home in California.

Interviews

What is the book about?

The book is crime fiction about a female homicide detective trying to catch the serial killer who is wreaking havoc on the town and her life. At the book’s heart, however, is the dilemma Detective Raven Burns has struggled with ever since her father was executed for murder. Was she complicit in her father’s crimes, and if so, can she make up for her guilt by putting men like him away?

What are the underlying themes?

Redemption, revenge, and the sins of the father.

Did you base your characters on anyone you knew?

No. Floyd, the book’s first villain, came to me almost whole, though. When I was writing this character, it was almost like taking dictation.

Who influenced you most in the writing of the book?

I had a great writing partner while working on this book. Of course, my writing has been influenced by authors I admire including Walter Mosley, Stephen King, Tana French, Chester Himes, and Eudora Welty to name a few.

Is there any advice you can give someone starting to write?

Write something you’d like to read. And practice. Practice, practice, practice.

Where did you write?

With a full time job and a busy home life, any place I could have a few minutes to myself including coffee houses, conference rooms during the lunch hour and early mornings in my studio at home when the rest of the house was asleep.

Did you write in silence, or to any particular music?

It depends on the book. When writing this one, I listened a lot to Zyedeco.

Did you find it hard to write? Or harder to edit your own work?

I used to tie myself up in knots when writing. Now, I find it fun. I approach the difficulty as a challenge, a puzzle that needs solving. I also love editing. To me, it’s like finding the sculpture hiding in the stone.

What was it like to be edited by someone else?

I love the diverse ideas and perspectives people bring to my work. I’ve always said that in the end, a book is a collaborative effort. Maybe I’ve been lucky, but I’ve always found the editing process supportive and beneficial. The work has always been better for it.

What are you writing now?

I’m taking my own advice and writing a book I’d like to read. It’s about an African American WW I vet who expects to come home from the front to a different America. I’m also experimenting with short stories, especially fantasy and sci-fi.

Editorial Reviews

What a rush! A Killing Fire is a page turning psychological thriller that will keep you guessing to the end.

Never Without A Book

This was one of the most hard-hitting unexpected reads. Authentic writing was what I would describe author Faye Snowden’s style. Believe me, the story pulled me in so insidiously that I was mighty surprised to see myself completely immersed in it.

Shalini’s Books & Reviews

If you’re looking for a diverse, horror-tinged crime fiction, this would be a great choice.

Read by Dusk

I genuinely hope that this is the first in a series featuring Raven and Byrd’s Landing, it is highly recommended for readers who enjoy James Lee Burke and Sara Paretsky.” - Rachel Read It

“The novel was gripping, intense, and suspenseful-everything I want in a crime fiction novel.” - Life of a Female Bibliophile

“Faye Snowden has created a pulse pounding and intense story that looks at both family relationships and how our lives are influenced by our pasts.” - The Nerdy Girl Express

“This book was the perfect heart pumping, page turning read that I needed.” - Never Without a Book

“This was one of the most hard-hitting unexpected reads. Authentic writing was what I would describe author Faye Snowden’s style. Believe me, the story pulled me in so insidiously that I was mighty surprised to see myself completely immersed in it.” - Shalini’s Books & Reviews

From the Publisher

I enjoyed the ride and hope that we get to see more of Raven in future novels. I would recommend [A Killing Fire] to crime fiction and mystery lovers and fans of Ruth Ware and Gillian Flynn.

Black Girls Lit

This was my first novel by Ms. Snowden, but most definitely not my last. I really loved how well developed this storyline was. The characters had so much depth.

Bibliophile on a Budget

A Killing Fire is a slow burn (no pun intended) but slow as in melting molasses or as in a perfectly slow cooked chilli. Reading it I could almost taste the dry dusty air and feel the sticky plastic in the diner when little Raven and her daddy went in for dinner. Deliciously descriptive.

Read & Rated

This is a fast-paced crime procedural. The mystery is well crafted and I enjoyed getting to know Raven Burns and the town of Byrd’s Landing. I hope that this is the start of a series about Raven and Byrd’s Landing because there feels like there is more there to discover. I give it 4 stars and recommend it to any fan of mysteries, crime thrillers, and/or Louisiana.

Redmon Reads

A solid contribution to a genre lacking in Black women authors [with] a strong sense of place, good character development, and a storyline that keeps you reading. Also, I will never get over this cover.

Black Girl Reading

Gripping, intense, and suspenseful — [A Killing Fire] was everything I want in a crime fiction novel. What I enjoyed the most about this book is though it follows some classic mystery genre tropes, it stands out among many other mystery books I’ve read. Snowden lures her readers into a tangled web of lies, inviting them to solve the mystery. The characters were diverse and complex, which I appreciated.

Life of a Female Bibliophile

A Killing Fire is a page turner. Snowden takes a unique and darker twist with detective Raven Burns [...] I am very much looking forward to reading whatever Snowden delivers next.

Monlatable Reviews

Faye Snowden has created a pulse pounding and intense story that looks at both family relationships and how our lives are influenced by our pasts.

The Nerdy Girl Express

I genuinely hope that this is the first in a series featuring Raven and Byrd’s Landing, it is highly recommended for readers who enjoy James Lee Burke and Sara Paretsky.

Rachel Read It

Mystery, crime, psychological drama and ghost story all wrapped in one delicious package that will keep you gripped and guessing right to the end. Highly recommended.

Catherine Cavendish

If you like dark and atmospheric and a strong-willed but damaged protagonist, then someone should wrap up this book for you, sneak into your bedroom in the dead of night, and leave it for you to read. The Prologue alone sent chills up my spine, and that was just the beginning. This is a book that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go until you reach THE END...

Ann Parker

Full-bodied and dynamic characters carry this one along a mystery, tying a brutal past with a bloody present that will keep you guessing right up to the finale.

Unnerving Magazine

This was one of the most hard-hitting unexpected reads. Authentic writing was what I would describe author Faye Snowden’s style. Believe me, the story pulled me in so insidiously that I was mighty surprised to see myself completely immersed in it.

Shalini’s Books & Reviews