John and his partner, Bill Cordifis are searching for survivors or victims when a wall collapses, pinning Cordifis beneath the debris. Finney realizes that he can’t free his friend alone so he marks the location with his PASS beeper and goes for help. Counting his steps he reaches twenty eight when he meets Charlie Reeves and Robert Kub. Not entirely coherent due to smoke inhalation and the heat, Finney describes Cordifis’ location to the two men, and stumbles out of the building.

Finney survives, but Reese and Kub return without Cordifis, claiming Finney didn’t give them any direction. Finney can’t believe they couldn’t find his partner who was only twenty eight steps straight ahead with a beeper making noise to help them orient themselves. They allege Finney was incoherent and the heat of the blaze forced them back. Reese and Kub are commended for their bravery, while Finney is in disgrace for leaving his partner. As overcome by the heat and smoke as he was, Finney thinks he might have imagined telling Reese and Kub his friend’s location. He feels guilty for leaving Cordifis, but thinks the others should have had enough information to find and rescue him.

As Finney becomes more and more obsessed with the Leary Way conflagration, his position as a fire fighter becomes shaky. People are beginning to doubt his sanity. It is well known that firefighters have inhaled enough carbon monoxide to permanently impair their mental faculties. Finney knows he is sane, but suspects that the Leary Way fire was arson and someone within the fire department is involved. The more he probes, the more certain he becomes. Unfortunately, incidents keep occurring which place him in disfavor. Cordifis was Finney’s partner, friend, and chief and he has resolved to prove he was murdered or, at best, left to die.

Although Earl Emerson has written several mystery novels in which fire fighting figures prominently, Vertical Burn introduces a new cast of characters. His previous series features Mac Fontana, a fire chief in the small town of Staircase. Another popular series of Emerson’s stars Thomas Black, a Seattle attorney. Emerson, a fire fighter by profession, has certainly made his mark as an excellent mystery novelist.

Some pretty impressive novels gain their stature through an ingenious plot. Others succeed because their characters are so beautifully crafted or the scene is so meticulously set. Mr. Emerson has done all three of these things in Vertical Burn. Obviously, the idea of subterfuge within an organization is not a new one, but the author has modified this basic idea to render it fresh and interesting. His characters are described so well physically, it would be easy to pick them out on the street.

The emotional side of each character is handled with great skill as well. Witness Finney’s musing during his recuperation after Leary Way. “The possibility that he could no longer trust his own skills on the fire ground-or anywhere else-plagued and horrified him. First and foremost he was a fire fighter. Losing that, even in spirit, was more painful than anything he could imagine.” Or this description of Charlie Reese: “At five foot five, Reese was a short man in a profession of giants. ... He’d been handsome once, and would still have been handsome, if he hadn’t let so much of his personality leach out into his face.”

There is a great deal of excitement and tension in this novel as one might expect considering the subject matter. Fires are frightening events, and author Emerson has shown, with concrete examples, how horrifying they are. From details of how physically fit a fire fighter must be (the protective clothing alone can weight fifty pounds, and it’s not designed to wick away moisture) to different fire fighting techniques depending on the type of fire, location, and equipment available, there is much to be learned beyond the satisfaction of enjoying a good yarn. I wonder if Leary Way is a real street in Seattle or a backhand reference to an infamous Chicago fire (ok, I know it’s really O’Leary) of many years ago?

One small circumstance in the plot bore evidence of a little author manipulation in order that Finney gain possession of an important bit of knowledge. Finney discovers the date of a potential arson (for which Leary Way was practice) through a fire fighter’s wife who “ just happens” to be visiting the station, and “just happens” to spend a few minutes talking to Finney. This is my only complaint in an otherwise perfect novel. This book is well worth purchasing in hard cover. It could be read several times with deeper appreciation each time.

--Andy Plonka