Beyond the Flames by Gregory Lee Renz

Gregory Lee Renz has done it again, using his first-hand experience as a decorated firefighter to write a thrilling novel and capture the essence of an emotionally and physically demanding vocation — one steeped in morality, heartbreak, physical challenges and the pressure of split-second decisions that mean life or death.

In his debut Beneath the Flames five years ago, Renz made readers feel the inner workings of the profession, from the locker room banter at the firehouse to the pressures of entering a burning inferno to the emotional scars left from thinking in retrospect what was at stake as firefighters applied the technical prowess of their work.

Not only does Renz, through his masterful writing, let us into a mindset foreign to most of us, but he also crafts a riveting story with a multidimensional cast of characters from the firefighters themselves to inner city families, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

If you liked Beneath the Flames, you will want to pick up Beyond the Flames, where Renz follows his success formula of an exciting narrative steeped in detailed character development and thought-provoking issues and decisions.

A Family in Need

Perhaps the best way to take the story beyond the realm of firefighting is summed up in the words of Miss Bernie, a loving woman who takes in children in need, when says, “Think the only way to save people is pulling them out of burning buildings? These kids around here are dying just like if they are in a fire. They’re just dying slower.”

The story’s protagonist is the crusty fire captain Lee Garrison, with plenty of issues of his own, who rushes into a burning school with no backup and saves a young girl.

Is he a hero or a rule-breaker? In the bigger picture, it’s traumatic situations like these, coupled with his combat missions in Vietnam, that cause him to experience PTSD and put him on the brink of suicide. Renz, in magnificent style, helps us get inside Garrison’s head.

Yet there’s more to the story. The young girl’s older sister, as it turns out, has been captured by an outlaw motorcycle gang and forced into the sex trade. Garrison’s mission, in this case, goes beyond a burning building to rescue the family from the threats of this gang.

Garrison hooks up with a retired police captain, Brigid O’Brien, to infiltrate the gang and unravel a darker, more sinister plot. Their relationship makes for a compelling partnership as they deal with an overwhelming threat.

An Expert’s Insight

Once again, the author provides an inside look into the stereotypical firehouse camaraderie and educates readers on the technical procedures associated with handling a fire. The firehouse crew is diverse and colorful, and Renz transports readers right into the firehouse kitchen where they feel they are having coffee and listening in on the dialogue.

Renz’s protagonist is both heroic and flawed, making his story more gripping as he struggles to maintain his composure while using his combat-honed skills to take down the gang.

The novel’s themes of justice, trauma and community come through loud and clear, making this somewhat of an action adventure with a conscience.You learn a lot about a person when you see how he or she responds in pressure situations, as Gregory Renz knows — and communicates in his writing. Beyond the Flames, like its predecessor, combines thrills, characters and emotion to separate it from the pack of other outstanding works in this class. It may not solve all the issues for the characters, but it is a very satisfying read sure to make one give pause to those entrusted with saving people’s lives, and maybe sometimes even saving their own.