Wild Inferno (wild Mystery Series)

by SANDI AULT (Author)

“Ault uses her knowledge of the high, dry West to give us a look at Pueblo Indian culture.” —Tony Hillerman

WILD INFERNO is the exciting second book in the WILD Mystery Series

WILD INDIGO introduced rough-and-ready Bureau of Land Management Resource Protection Agent Jamaica Wild. Now she returns—deployed to a wildfire on the Southern Ute reservation. There, a puzzling plea whispered by a burning man points to a mystery more menacing than murder.

When a wildfire erupts on the Southern Ute Reservation, Jamaica Wild risks her safety to go after a Ute man named Grampa Ned who wandered into the area, leaving no trace. But before she can find him, a firestorm forces her to run for her life. As she escapes, Jamaica discovers a firefighter smoldering on the side of the road. The man, part of a hotshot crew trapped in the burn area, sputters a cryptic message to Jamaica before losing consciousness.

As the fire rages out of control, it threatens an encampment of determined Pueblo people at nearby Chimney Rock—including Tanoah elder Momma Anna and Jamaica’s wolf companion, Mountain. Since ancient times, the Puebloans have gathered to celebrate a sacred, celestial phenomenon: Every eighteen years, the moon hangs suspended for a few breathtaking minutes, ensnared between Chimney Rock’s twin spires. Even an all-consuming wildfire won’t keep them from upholding their tradition.Jamaica’s relentless pursuit of clues plunges her into peril. As the fire blazes unabated and the area becomes a war zone with thundering helicopters and armies of firefighters, Jamaica unravels riddles while eluding an armed stalker. When she finds a blackened body, the FBI enlists her help. To ensure that the Native Americans and her wolf are safe, Jamaica must decode the burning man’s whispered words and answer the questions that haunt her: What was Grampa Ned doing on the mountain—and why didn’t the burning man stay with his crew? What would make them risk incineration in a WILD INFERNO?

NAMED ON FIVE “BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR” LISTS, INCLUDING PUBLISHERS WEEKLY AND LIBRARY JOURNAL

“This edge-of-the-seat sequel to Ault’s successful debut, WILD INDIGO, demonstrates her skill at weaving together plot lines, complex characters, and lots of suspense.”—LIBRARY JOURNAL (Best Books of the Year List)

“Ault smoothly blends a murder mystery plot with Native American lore in this impressive sequel…”—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (Best Books of the Year List)

“The vivacious Ault knows whereof she writes in Wild Inferno…Where Ault excels is in developing a suspenseful, action-filled mystery on rugged Southwest terrain.” — NEW MEXICO MAGAZINE