Book 29, 2022

[chez_jae]

That Old Flame of Mine by J.J. Cook

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I finished reading That Old Flame of Mine on my lunch hour today. It's the first book in author JJ Cook's "Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade" mystery series. The narrative is in third person point of view, and the main character is Stella Griffin, the temporary fire chief for Sweet Pepper, Tennessee.

After catching her boyfriend cheating on her and cold-cocking him, Stella decides a change of pace and scenery is in order. She answers an ad looking for a temporary fire chief in Sweet Pepper, TN. Stella plans to stay a few months, train the volunteer fire brigade, then return home to Chicago. When one of her new friends dies in a fire and it's later learned to be a case of arson and murder, Stella finds herself in the midst of an investigation. The current chief of police doesn't like her infringing on what he considers his territory, but handsome police officer, John, tries to help Stella where he can. Stella also receives assistance from a most unlikely source--the ghost of Eric Gamlyn. Eric was the previous fire chief, and it's his cabin Stella has been staying in. At first, she chalks up all the talk of it being haunted to local legend, but she soon realizes that Eric is truly present. Further complicating matters is the fact that she discovers she has family in town--family she never knew about. When various other fires in the area appear to be arson and someone seems to have it in for Stella, she knows she's getting close to smoking out a killer.

Oof. There was a lot going on! But, the authors wove it together seamlessly. Characters were portrayed well, and the plot zoomed along like Stella's Harley. I enjoyed the paranormal aspect of the story, as well as Stella's courage and feistiness. A few things I didn't care for...


1. I surmised, from seeing the book was copyrighted by Jim and Joyce Levene, that they are the authors. Um, if you're writing in the same genre you normally do, why choose a different nom de plume?
2. At one point, the story seemed to shift from cozy mystery to gothic drama. Getting run off the road, being rendered unconscious by a head injury, waking up in a huge old mansion with some stranger claiming to be your grandfather, and no sign of your clothing or shoes so you can leave...Ew. By the way, whose idiot idea was it to install Stella in the mansion instead of taking her to the nearest hospital? She was rendered unconscious by a head injury!
3. Even in third person pov, the narrative should follow one character. This story doodled off on too many tangents.
4. Too many things left unresolved. What happened to Eric? Who was the dead guy that everyone thought was Adam? What happened to Stella's grandmother?
5. Stella was portrayed as a bit of a Mary Sue. John liked her (when he wasn't hating on her for the fact that she's Ben Carson's granddaughter), Eric seemed to like her (give it up, dude, you're dead), her creepy step-something, Marty, was putting the moves on her, although one can surmise it was to solidify his family's claim to the Carson money (his mother was Ben Carson's current wife), and her mother tells her that her ex-boyfriend has been asking about her, apparently wanting a reconciliation. Punch him again, Stella!

Favorite line: "We both know the only ghosts are the ones from our past we can't leave behind."

Despite my minor misgivings, I truly enjoyed this book, and I will certainly look to read more in the series. Four stars.