Will End in Fire
A Novel
A girl once subject to the suspicion of others finds her worst fears realized when her brother is caught in a fire in the fascinating psychological thriller Will End in Fire.
A troubled woman unravels after a house fire in Nicole Bokat’s eerie thriller Will End in Fire, about family alienation and corrosive envy.
In high school, an incident involving a cigarette lighter scarred Ellie’s classmate. Other students were skeptical that it was an accident and branded Ellie a “firestarter.” Years later, while working as a journalist, Ellie looks after her younger brother, Josh, an unemployed drug addict. When a fire destroys their New Jersey childhood home and Josh is burned, Ellie fears being mistaken for an arsonist again.
Ellie’s narration is anxious. She watches as her fatigued parents wait for news about Josh’s condition, sifting through her memories of her brother: Josh, a former sports talent, is the object of both her affection and her resentment because of the status that his gifts bestowed upon him. She somewhat blames herself for his disfigurement but is also reluctant to answer the police’s questions. Ellie’s career problems add additional stress.
The book moves at a slow pace at first, and no real reasons are given to suspect Ellie of hurting her brother. The police consider that the fire may have been Josh’s attempted suicide or an outside act of revenge, but few clues emerge. The police’s involvement also stalls as the plot develops. Instead, much focus is placed on Ellie’s deteriorating mental state.
Ellie is fascinating as she makes questionable choices, including hiding her concerns from others, dating Josh’s friend, and treating Josh’s girlfriend with suspicion. She monitors social media and becomes distrustful of others, whom she thinks view her a failure, though they actually see her as independent. When others hint that Ellie is wrong, she ignores them. Further, the more orderly her surroundings become, the more Ellie’s restlessness magnifies. These flaws snowball, leading to thrilling missteps.
The novel’s later sections focus on Josh’s inner circle and the betrayals of people within it. As Ellie sifts through people’s stories, the plot’s initial urgency is dampened by misunderstandings. But this intentional delay pays off because of a startling twist: COVID-19 lockdowns begin, and Ellie finds herself isolated with someone dangerous. Even in these tenuous circumstances, she pushes forward toward the truth.
The revelation of the culprit is gradual, with plausible signs seeded throughout that encourage satisfying rereads. Indeed, learning the culprit’s identity casts their previous actions and comments in a more insidious light. The porous boundary between their admiration for Josh and their malignant self-justifications for harm is provocative, too.
Will End in Fire is an enticing thriller about the haunting differences between genuine mistakes and human malice.
Reviewed by
Karen Rigby
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
