Sometimes I Feel Like a Piece of Bologna

Fiction Friday: Veil of Fire

Marlo Schalesky is a consummate storyteller who has woven a tale of suspense, love, and healing in Veil of Fire. In 1894, the small town of Hinckley, Minnesota faced a fire that destroyed the community. As the few survivors begin to piece their lives back together, fear reigns and the citizens persecute the unknown--a being they believe is a ghost lurking in the hills. Things go missing-- a pie, a cart, some beans--and a veiled figure in black has been seen in the shadows. The community is angry and afraid. Only a young orphan is willing to question who or what this being might be. Her discovery shatters the secrets one citizen thought had gone up in smoke.

Schalesky has done a masterful job of maintaining the suspense until the moment the secret is revealed--a skill that eludes some of the best authors. Even though it isn’t new, I loved this book.

The story is based on a real historical event. The fire, one of the worst in history, destroyed six towns including Hinckley and killed 418 people in four hours in Minnesota of 1894.

Labels: book review