Things go from bad to worse for her when her store is set on fire by an arsonist. She and her son barely escape and a firefighter is killed in the blaze. The fire is investigated and it determined that the firefighter was shot with a gun registered to Amina as he attempted to lead Amina and Malick to safety.

The assumption of the chief investigator is that Amina set the fire in an attempt to obtain the insurance money which would allow her to rebuild her business at another location. She is arrested and charged with not only arson but with the murder of popular firefighter Jack Fogerty.

Sarah Lynch,a former prosecutor, is attempting to rebuild her life after a series of events which she precipitated resulted in the death of her lover. She has refused to work in the law profession and has dedicated herself to playing hockey in an all male league. Surprisingly she has competed successfully, but even with the physical demands of her new job, she cannot forget the horror of losing the person most important to her, especially since she was directly responsible for putting said man in harm’s way.

Buddy Clancy long time defense attorney and Sarah’s uncle wants Sarah to help him defend Amina. She is reluctant to accede to his wishes for two good reasons. First she believes Amina to be guilty and second, that she will be forced to work “the other side” against her former colleagues. However, after meeting Amina she agrees with Buddy that such a hard working self effacing woman could not possibly have done the heinous crimes of which she is accused. The more she learns about the case, the more she is convinced that there are several intricate scams at work that are related to the case. Amina’s enquiries into her mortgage difficulties have made some real estate moguls very uncomfortable and they play at their game as tenaciously as Sarah plays hockey.

Under Fire is a well written first novel which allows readers to gain insight into the intricacies of the legal system and courtroom procedure. Author Margaret McLean has the credentials to properly explain such protocol having graduated from Boston College Law School and spent several years as a criminal prosecutor. The laws concerning the crimes of which Amina is accused are clearly explained in common parlance as are the steps of the criminal trial.

As the trial proceeds, various jurors’ points of view are employed which gives a glimpse as to how justice is (or is not) served. Insight is gained into how lawyers interrogate witnesses to support their own agendas. It becomes immediately apparent that most jurors cannot differentiate between Arabs, Muslims, African, or Asians and their viewpoints reflect previous prejudices. Obviously, even if one is innocent, it is not a foregone conclusion that one will be walking out of the courtroom as a free man.

The author also gives an excellent overview of life in modern day Senegal. The average individual leads a much different life than in the United States. Many conveniences that are taken for granted in the United States are not available to a typical Senegalese person, yet some of the intricacies of daily life show more compassion for one’s fellow man than is the norm in Amina’s adopted country.

A portion of the story involves a homeless man, a veteran of the Vietnam war. The views the reader to which the reader is treated cannot but help inspire compassion to such individuals. The labels that are applied to such men are not justified. The author treats this topic with compassion.

Because Amina is a Muslim we get to see a brief glimpse into that religion. Amina does not make a big deal out of her religious beliefs yet she is dedicated to her practice of them.

Under Fire is a very readable book. The tale progresses logically and though there are places for learning the author is not didactic in her writing. She instructs while she is presenting an engaging story that leaves readers with something to think about after the last page is turned.

--Andy Plonka