Burning Eden - (An Eden County Mystery) by Sarah Bewley (Paperback)

About the Book

It's 1998. Wildfires are sweeping through North Florida, burning even the peat in the drought-stricken swamps.

Book Synopsis

It's 1998. Wildfires are sweeping through North Florida, burning even the peat in the drought-stricken swamps. Sheriff Jim Sheppard has his deputies covering the county, watching for fires, and trying to limit the threats to residents. When a Pentecostal preacher disappears during the night from his home, Jim takes the case himself to prevent stretching his department any further.

Dr. Ryan Edwards, formerly a well-respected physician in the George Washington University Hospital's emergency room, has been hired by the only doctor in Eden County. Suffering from aphasia from an attack in a parking garage in Washington, D.C., he's no longer able to be an ER physician, but he is able to provide medical care in a rural practice, where his skills are valuable, and his halting speech is not an issue.

Jim and Ryan continue to work as the fires burn closer, but dangers neither expected threaten them both.

Review Quotes

"In Burning Eden, Sarah Bewley creates a wonderful cast of characters, skillfully depicting life-and crime-in small-town Florida. Burning Eden is one hot debut!" - Alan Orloff, Anthony, Agatha, and two-time Thriller Award-winning author

"We tend to associate the Sunshine State with the glitz of Miami and the whirlwind of colorful theme parks that is Orlando. But Burning Eden, Sarah Bewley's strong debut, is a gritty procedural set in the drought- and brushfire-stricken swamps of northern Florida. Complex, sympathetic characters and a well-plotted mystery make for a compelling introduction to this author. Just don't start it until you have plenty of time to read. It's hard to put down." - Loretta Ross, author of The Auction Block Mysteries

"From its first descriptions of the burning swamps of north Florida to its slam-bang ending, I couldn't put down Sarah Bewley's debut, Burning Eden. Part Southern Gothic, part contemporary Florida man, it's filled with vivid characters and richly described settings. Sure to be on my Best of 2023 list." - Neil S. Plakcy, author of the Angus Green FBI thrillers