Blue Fire: A Riveting New Thriller

John Gilstrap

Feb 2022 · A Victoria Emerson Thriller Book 2 · Kensington Books

About this ebook

From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author John Gilstrap, a new Victoria Emerson Thriller. With America brought to the brink of destruction, one woman becomes the last hope of a nation and its people.
 
One-time congressional representative Victoria Emerson has become the leader of a small town in West Virginia, where it’s a struggle just to provide food and shelter. Progress is encouraging—until one morning her son sounds the alarm “Blue Fire!”—the code phrase for imminent danger.
 
A renegade band of National Guardsmen wants to take over the town and steal its resources. They’ve got the firepower to eliminate anyone who puts up a fight. But Victoria swore an oath to defend her people. It’s time to tap into the traditional American values of courage, ingenuity, and patriotism—and fight fire with fire.
 
Praise for the Victoria Emerson Thriller Series

“A nonstop roller coaster of suspense! Crimson Phoenix ticks every box for big-book thrillerdom.” —Jeffery Deaver, New York Times bestselling author

“Crimson Phoenix snaps with action from the very first page.” —Marc Cameron, New York Times bestselling author of Bone Rattle and of Tom Clancy’s Shadow of the Dragon

“An engrossing sequel . . . Fans will delight in the resilience of Gilstrap’s family of preppers and their quest for survival on their terms.” —Publishers Weekly on Blue Fire

Ratings and reviews

Blue Fire by John Gilstrap Victoria Emmerson #2 Apocalyptic dystopian world book two reminded me that human beings are really just animals…some animals are much nicer than others and so are some humans. In book one the world changed drastically. Some people ended up in a bunker set up by the government, some ended up dying almost immediately, and some ended up doing their best to survive. Some humans became opportunists and predators, some became the prey, and some worked together to try to stay safe and create communities that would sustain and survive. This book continues the tale of the Emmerson family with snippets about how those in the bunker are faring…and it kept my interest from first page to last. What I liked: * Returning to Ortho to see how Victoria Emmerson, two of her sons, and the rest of the community were doing * Finding out how Adam Emmerson and his partner, Emma, were doing * Thinking about what it would be like to be in the shoes of various people in the story * Wondering what I could contribute to a group trying to survive…which work detail I would be able to assist (there would probably be more than one) * Watching how the group in Ortho began to create a sense of community and how capitalism came into play * The real feel and believability of the story * Thinking about why some would prefer to work together while others would feel the opposite * Comparing this story to those of the same genre that I read decades ago…the first few books written by Wyndham were in my father’s library and made a huge impact * That even those who were “good” sometimes had to do “bad” things * Thinking about how government, community, laws and such would change * Considering what skills would be essential in a world so changed * Thinking about the impact such a situation would have on people – all ages and societal levels of people * Thinking about what would and would not have “value” in a world changed so much * The plot, writing, character development, and continuation of the story * Wondering how many books there will be in the series – there is at least one more – White Smoke – have to wait a year for it to be published, though. What I didn’t like: * Exactly who and what I was meant not to like * Knowing I have to wait a year to read what happens next Did I enjoy this book? Yes Would I read more in this series? Definitely! Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC – This is my honest review. 5 Stars

Great read. Couldn't put it down.

good read

About the author

John Gilstrap is the New York Times bestselling author of award-winning action novels including the Jonathan Grave Thrillers and the Victoria Emerson series. A master of action-driven suspense, he’s touted as one of the most accomplished thriller writers on the planet and his books have been translated into more than 20 languages. He is the recipient of an International Thriller Writers’ Award for Against All Enemies and a two-time ITW Award finalist. He also won the ALA Alex Award for Nathan’s Run, which was optioned for film by Warner Bros. A nationally recognized weaponry and explosives safety expert, John Gilstrap frequently speaks at conferences, events, clubs, youth programs, and military bases. He is a former firefighter and EMT with a master’s degree in safety from the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s degree in history from the College of William and Mary in Virginia. John lives in Fairfax, Virginia and can be found online at JohnGilstrap.com.