Dead Man District - Julie Miller (HI #1975 - Jan 2021)

Series: Taylor Clan: Firehouse 13 (Book 2)

Danger is an everyday occurrence...

So is protecting his heart

Firefighter Matt Taylor risks his life daily to escape the guilt in his past. But his new neighbor challenges everything. Corie McGuire has secrets in her pretty green eyes. Her troubled son, Evan, reminds Matt of his younger self. When the boy is implicated in a string of fires, Matt vows to help. Is Evan guilty...or has the truth behind Corie's past come back to threaten them all?

Terrific book that grabbed me from the first page. Matt Taylor is a firefighter with the KCFD and played a prominent part in the previous book, Crime Scene Cover-Up. He intrigued me then, as the big, quiet guy who didn't have much to say but was there when needed. As one of four boys adopted into the Taylor family, he followed his adoptive parents into a firefighting career. Part of that is a way to atone for things in his past.

As this book opens, Matt smells smoke in his apartment building. He tracks the source to his neighbor, Corie, who holds a smoking pan in her hand. Matt insists on disposing of the pan then following her back to her apartment to ensure the fire is out. While there, he notices something suspicious about the fire and plans to follow up on it. He also meets Corie's young son, Evan. Matt sees that both Corie and Evan are wary of him.

Corie and Evan moved to Kansas City after she divorced her abusive husband. While he was in prison for arson, she changed their names and moved them across the state. Fear is difficult to overcome, and Corie remains cautious around men and very protective of Evan.

I loved how sensitive Matt was to Corie's discomfort. Previously, he always made sure to keep a respectful distance, and he continued to do so the day of the fire. He also made sure that Corie and Evan knew they could call on him for help. When another fire at the building throws suspicion on Evan, Matt is torn over what to believe. He remembers his own troubled childhood, but his instincts tell him that there may be another explanation.

I loved seeing the relationship develop between Matt and Corie. Corie intrigues Matt from the beginning, but he's a bit on the shy side and awkward around women. Most don't know how to handle his quiet intensity, but he and Corie form a connection. I loved how she quickly began to trust him. There was a terrific scene where she asked him to watch Evan when she had to work unexpectedly. Knowing that Corie trusted him to take care of her son meant a lot to Matt. It also opened him up to some serious teasing from his family. Along with the growing trust, sparks of attraction frequently flared between them. I loved watching the changes in Corie as Matt's care makes her willing to risk her heart again. I also liked how Corie helped Matt let go of his past and believe that he's worthy of love, too. The ending was great.

The suspense was terrific, too. Matt's fire unit experiences a great deal of frustration as there is a rash of fires, many of them resulting from arson. One such fire draws the attention of the KCPD side of the Taylor family as it may be linked to organized crime. Matt also notices a similarity to the fires at his apartment building, adding to his suspicions. His protective instincts flare up when Corie is harassed at work, resulting in an intense scene when Matt shows up. An unexpected twist shows that the danger to Corie is closer than anyone suspected. I loved seeing various members of the Taylor clan rally around her and Evan, both in support and protection. The final confrontation was a nail-biter as Corie came face-to-face with her worst nightmare. The rescue was great, as Matt received help from an unexpected source and gained access to the building in an unusual way.

Crime Scene Cover-Up - Julie Miller (HI #1969 - Dec 2020)

Series: Taylor Clan: Firehouse 13 (Book 1)
            Precinct (Book 37)

Their passion was forged in flames.

Will they survive the next inferno?

Mark Taylor can put out a fire, but Amy Hall is a different kind of challenge. He's determined to keep her safe -- and although she's a target, she's just as certain that she doesn't need his protection. As they hunt down an arsonist, both Mark and Amy try to deny their red-hot desire. Will they trust each other enough to surrender…before a madman burns down their world?

Good book. I love it when a series has been around long enough for the second generation to grow up and have their own stories. In the Firehouse 13 duology, we have Mark and Matt Taylor's stories, who made their first appearance in Kansas City's Bravest. They grow from scared fosters to beloved sons who have followed in their parents' footsteps. This book is Mark's story.

Mark is the baby of the family and sometimes feels at a disadvantage because of it. One of the bright spots in his life is the one-on-one time spent with his grandfather, Sid. As the book opens, Mark and Sid are on their way home from a fishing trip when they come upon a car accident. Mark, a firefighter/EMT, jumps right in to help, with his grandfather close behind. But while Mark succeeds in saving the victims, his grandfather suffers a fatal heart attack, plunging Mark into a well of guilt. I ached for Mark, one of those men who feels responsible for everyone he comes into contact with. The depth of his guilt causes him to push everyone away, especially those closest to him. The only thing that helps is burying himself in his work.

Amy is an artist who works in metal. Her grandparents raised her, and she came home after her grandfather's death to take care of her grandmother. It also coincided with a traumatic breakup with an abusive boyfriend, making her believe that her problems contributed to her grandfather's death. Passionately protective of her grandmother, Amy worries about the rash of unexplained fires on their land. Things go from bad to worse when the fires escalate to murder.

I was sucked into the story as soon as Firehouse 13 responded to the latest fire on the Hall land. When Amy runs toward the fire instead of away, looking for her best friend, Mark is hot on her heels. He is with her when they find Jocelyn's body and immediately realizes that they are looking at a case of murder. I liked his compassion and support for Amy as she dealt with the tragedy. I did get a little frustrated with Amy, who tried very hard to push him away. Because of her past, she is wary around men and hides behind her independence. I liked that Mark didn't give up on her.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Amy and Mark. He respects her independence, but that doesn't stop his protectiveness toward her. He understands her need to know what happened. It takes a little while for Amy to acknowledge the connection between them, but she can't deny that it's there. As they grow closer, there are some sweet scenes between them. I especially enjoyed how they could make each other blush. They share one thing, and that is an acquaintance with a blending of guilt and grief. It's that understanding that makes it possible for Mark to open up about his grief for his grandfather and finally start to heal. Meanwhile, Mark overcomes Amy's wariness as she learns to trust again. I loved the ending as they admit their feelings.

The suspense of the story was great. It's evident from the start that the fires are suspicious, even before the first body turns up. Amy's encounter with the builder put him at the top of my suspect list when it came to the fires. He wasn't the only one, though, as the two handymen she had working on the house also gave me the creeps. I also wondered if Jocelyn's death was a crime of passion, thanks to her ex-boyfriend. There was a terrifying scene involving him and Amy that added to the tension. The intensity ramped up as the frequency of the attacks escalated. The final confrontation was a nail-biter. I liked how Amy kept her head, leaving a clue for Mark, and doing what she could to stay alive. It was a close thing, but they made it out. I also liked the resolution of the rest of the fires.