First Degree Burn

By Peter Lance

Book Overview

FIRST DEGREE BURN: It happens every day in the City. Gas is poured. A match is lit. Building, bodies and dreams go up in flames. FDNY Fire Marshal Eddie Burke walks among the wreckage. A different kind of detective for a different kind of crime. When a fire rages in SoHo a priceless mural from the 1930s is destroyed and a young woman lies dead in the ashes. When the victim's abusive ex-boyfriend is killed resisting arrest the NYPD closes the case. But Eddie Burke, son of the former Chief of Detectives for the PD can't let it go. He knows the arsonist was a pro, not a jealous lover and that the torch is still out there. CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR FIRST DEGREE BURN: "Eddie Burke is a fascinating new hero. He blisters the pages. Smell the smoke. Feel the heat. First Degree Burn is a winner." -Edna Buchanan "First Degree Burn should catch fire at bookstores everywhere." -Wall Street Journal "Eddie Burke comes at you like Popeye Doyle in 'The French Connection.'" - Sonny Grosso, NYPD Detective (retired). "First Degree Burn is a superlative, fast-paced roller-coaster, off-beat mystery featuring Fire Marshal Eddie Burke who is called upon to find an arsonist in a big, impersonal city populated with the good, the bad, and the deadly " -Midwest Book Review "Eddie Burke leads a dangerous life. Rough around the edges, trying to keep himself going after his wife has divorced him, he lives in the shadow of his father, Big Eddie, a decorated hero retired from the NYPD. In his family FDNY is only second best. When a young art restorer dies in a suspicious fire in her loft, Eddie is drawn into a series of fatalities involving a WPA mural, a web of secrets and an aristocratic blonde from Sutton Place who may hold the answers. "Lance, a former Emmy-winning ABC journalist, paints a picture of the city that is rich in detail and variety. The colliding worlds of rich and poor, parents and children, cops and criminals, all come crashing together as he closes in for the finish of this smashing debut. There's no question -- Eddie Burke is here to stay." -Publisher's Weekly - Starred review For more information visit http: //www.peterlance.co

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0996285504
• ISBN13: 9780996285506
• Release Date: April 2015
• Publisher: Tenacity Media Group Ltd.
• Length: 398 Pages
• Weight: 1.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

First Degree Burn

Loved that Eddie Burke Jr! I couldn't put the book down, and found myself at the last page 36 hours later. The story is intelligent with a huge amount of integrity. I found the characters to be fresh and crisp. Writer Peter Lance carefully leads you down each path with Eddie Burke, sometimes with such colorful detail that you can actually feel the heat of the fire. My only disappointment is that there isn't a sequel yet. Come on Mr Lance, what the heck are you waiting for? This book is a GREAT ride!

Compelling, Powerful Novel

First Degree Burn is a riveting page turner. Lance is thorough in his historical and factual references about New York City, the WPA and fire investigation. As an ex-New Yorker and fellow journalist, Lance is right on the button. The Eddie Burke character is captivating and believeable. Lance is an excellent writer and story-teller. I strongly recommend this novel and look forward to reading the next Eddie Burke thriller...a movie would be sensational!

A must read

"I was in L.A. last week and tried to post this review,but it never showed up. I am a native of Oklahoma and a Navyveteran. I now live in Newport, R.I. where I run a bed & breakfast inn and charter boat service. I don't have time to read many novels, but I recently found FIRST DEGREE BURN, which one of the guests had left. I have to say that it was a total page turner. One of the best novels I've read in years. I looked at your reviews and noted that most of the people have given it five stars, except for the last two. Oscar Davis and Mark Pierce. Are these guys for real? FIRST DEGREE BURN is outstanding. I learned so much from it about fire investigation and WPA art. The characters are great. I went to the author's website...and noticed that the book had received a starred review in Publisher's Weekly. What do they know that Davis and Pierce don't? All I can say is that I am a real person and I loved this book. I can't wait for the next Eddie Burke mystery. Feel free to contact me at tyler@edgenet.net"Harlan Tyler Newport, R.I.

First Degree Burn-- compels you to read it page to page!

Lance captures the drama and the history of NY and the heros of the city as true to life as I have ever read. The book is one of the hardest books to put down. His writing and storytelling of arson is first rate. I strongly recommend this book and the read you will experience with it. I hope it is someday turned into a movie!

I couldn't put it down.

I heard about First Degree Burn, from a friend who's a fire fighter in Quincy Mass. He read the book last year when it first came out. I've been working as a volunteer fire fighter in a small town outside of Boston for six years. When I picked up First Degree Burn on a Friday night, I kept reading until I was done. It was the best book on fire investigation I've ever read. I recommended it highly.