Mind on Fire by C.A. Dawson By Kerry Morgan What an exciting story right from the start. Mind on Fire begins with an appropriately creepy little poem by Rainer Maria Rilke which was translated by Robert Bly. “I already know the storm, and I am troubled as the sea…” Just as unnerving, the Foreword slips us into the mood. “ There is a fine line between mental illness, madness, and pure evil. Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish in the darkness of our journey.” Fitting words to start this suspenseful murder mystery. Cairol takes us on a journey so intense, we are left wondering for ourselves, where is the line between? We begin with the introduction to our loveable main characters, Cally James and Jessie Roberts. They work together as partners whose friendly cooperation is as tangible as the horrors they will witness. Cally, is a Homicide Detective and her assistant, Sergeant Roberts, or Jessie, as Cally refers to him, is very protective of our often times brash yet very pregnant Cally. Cally seems extremely capable in her job. She isn’t afraid to get right down and into the nitty-gritty’s of the opening murder scene. This is where our characters come to life, and their friendship and familiarity with each other becomes quite clear. Several little details endear us to our detectives and we quickly become wrapped within their lives and stories. Cairol gets us so involved it’s hard not to get into our villains as much as we do our heroes. As great as our characters are, and as quickly as we become attached to their lives, the suspense captured within these pages will get you just as much. The descriptions of the victims, and what twists and turns they go through is just as thrilling as watching the detectives chase down the clues. It is difficult not to feel for these people immediately. The plot corkscrews our emotions like Montezuma’s Revenge in Disney Land/World. Up and down and around corners you couldn’t dream up in your worst nightmare if you tried. The mystery keeps you reading, and the issues these cops deal with keeps your heart racing as you travel through this journey of terrible happenings and secrets that will not stay buried no matter how many murders there are to investigate. One of the things I really enjoyed about Mind on Fire, was the description of the area these things are happening in. Ms. Worley paints a picture so completely, you can’t help but taste the dust of Texas, and see the tumbling, tumble weeds, blowing past you in the wind. She has a wonderful knack of teasing you with glimpses into the killer’s mind, leaving you to wonder, will there be more victims and just what will happen to them next? The way Cairol guides us through the victims torture will leave you breathless and wanting to reach inside those pages to help them yourself. The climb to the conclusion is a steady stream of adventure and horror, with the gentle touch of wholesome family and the tender care they can deliver in our own times of need. The conclusion of this mystery is captivating. You will not want to put this story down, as you read how our detectives come together to play their holiday games, a portion of the story I found extremely accurate and done with great attention to detail, and what transpires as a result. The climax of this mystery does not disappoint. You will find your own jaw dropping to the floor as the ending plays out, and all the left over strings are tied back together. This two hundred and sixty five page thriller is sure to please. Can your heart take the beating? Open Mind on Fire, by Cairol Dawson, to discover where your lines are drawn. Just how much could you take before you found your own “Mind On Fire?”

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