Action, intrigue, and romance are the only words to describe The Spark, a novel by John Kenny. As a firefighter for 25 years, Kenny uses his expertise to create an exciting look into the life of a firefighter, as well as a thrilling detective story.

After an action-packed first scene, The Spark starts off more slowly, following Donald Robertson, the main character, after a serious injury from a fire. However, as the story progresses, interesting events occur and interesting facts come to light. These facts consist of complex information about fires, explosives, and covering up crime trails, which add to the believability of the story.

The characters came to life from their individual personalities and authenticity. They seemed like real people taken from a firehouse, the CIA, and the United States Navy. Each character had their own personality, and their personalities fit the careers Kenny assigned them. Donny Robertson is a tall, thin, quiet man and seems an unlikely firefighter. He has a determination and ambition to save people, though, that makes him perfect for the role. Kenny created one character so believable it was almost scary: a psychotic murderer turned assassin, trained by the Navy SEALs and the CIA.

Kenny included information about how fires behave and what it is like to be in a real fire. His descriptions of a firefighter’s thoughts during a fire and of the emotional scars a fire can cause make the situations in this book so real one can almost feel the heat from the flames. He also incorporates interesting information about the tools firefighters use.

The most interesting element of this book is the sophisticated methods of the assassin who started the initial fire and caused Donny every problem he faced afterward. The techniques used to start the seemingly accidental fire and the techniques used for every crime following were mysterious. The way every crime was set up seemed impossible. When the methods were revealed, however, the cleverness and expertise of the assassin, though crazy, were actually appreciated.

All in all, The Spark is an excellent novel. It is an easy read with some technical aspects that make one think, and it is fun to figure out how the crimes were committed. A blossoming romance between Donny and a character he initially goes to when investigating the fire adds a lighthearted, uplifting aspect to a dark and mysterious story.

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