Bay of Smokes

By: Danny Bonsangue

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

A troubled firefighter is confronting his future and his past, a grief-stricken arson investigator struggles to go on after losing his wife to a fire, and an arsonist consumed with rage and hell-bent on revenge is setting fires all over LA County during the hot, dry Santa Ana wind season with the hope that one of them will burn the city to the ground.

good story line

would have been much better with a human narrator, don't care much for ai it sucks

A tale that honors the sacrifice and bravery

The Los Angeles County Fire Department serves ten million people, covering four thousand square miles, from Long Beach to Compton, Santa Monica to Santa Clarita and more, the responsibilities are many but with the Santa Ana winds coming and the dry, but warm weather, everyone is on edge for wildfire season.

Doug Sanchez has done it all during his time with LA County Fire. For the last eight years though he’s served as an arson investigator, a fitting role for his detailed observational skills. Having seen it all, he now coordinates with police and prosecutors to investigate and catch those behind suspicious fires and explosions. However, life works in cruel ways as his wife of 30-years is taken from him in a blaze at his own home. Losing the only woman he’s ever loved Sanchez is forever changed by an arsonist, one who has never been caught.

Lieutenant Guy Scirocco was determined to save Doug’s wife, but the explosion that killed one of his own and prevented him from getting to her timely still affects him. Despite his legendary reputation he can’t save them all. Forever the bachelor, Scirocco’s true love is his motorcycle and his ’56 Chevy Bel Air Convertible. Working as a consultant on a popular LA TV show in his free time, he faces a mandatory retirement in just a few short years. With a family legacy in fire, he’s been through many wildfire seasons, but this one may prove most difficult with a pyromaniac on the loose.

Woven amongst the near future story line is the historical aspect of the Tongva people, having ruled the territory through the San Fernando Valley until a conquistador from Spain voyaged to their land. Now, three hundred years later the Tongva still believe the flames are sent by Chingchnish to rid the bay of that which doesn’t belong. Worshiping fire, conducting mourning ceremonies, and having a deep-rooted mentality toward the flames, the Tongva people generously serve in a fire fighting capacity and work alongside the residents of LA while maintaining their historical traditions.

Author Danny Bonsangue has created a tale that honors the sacrifices and bravery of those that serve. But he doesn’t shy away from the difficulties, and blending of boundaries that can arise. From the lack of personal relationships to the hardships the job brings with it, and even the devastating effects of fire, Bonsangue pens an emotional and heart racing read. Blending the history of the native people with the devastating effects of natural disaster, and the limits of human decisions, “Bay of Smokes” brings readers a thrilling tale of arson, blazes, and the heroes that fight to save the bay.

As someone who has lived their whole life in the Midwest I am far removed from the terrifying effects of wildfires, and draughts of the coastal regions. The task force created to monitor and maintain the Santa Ana winds, and all the local decision makers who work together to mitigate disaster play across the pages of “Bay of Smokes.” Bonsangue brings an intense read with important perspective, and an extraordinary eye to detail as the smoke rises from the page.