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  • California Fire and Life

  • By: Don Winslow
  • Narrated by: Jon Lindstrom
  • Length: 12 hrs and 49 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (112 ratings)
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California Fire and Life

By: Don Winslow
Narrated by: Jon Lindstrom
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Summary

Jack Wade, a claims adjuster for California Fire and Life Mutual Insurance Company, is one of the best arson investigators around. He's a man who knows fire, who can read the traces it leaves behind like a roadmap. When he's called in to examine an unusual claim, the tracks of the fire tell him that something's wrong. So wrong that he violates his own cardinal rule - "You don't get personal, you don't get emotional. Whatever you do, you don't get involved" - and plunges into the case.

Real estate mogul Nicky Vale's house is one of the most valuable properties on this stretch of the Southern California gold coast - large, luxurious, crammed with antiques, set on a nice piece of land with a perfect ocean view. After a disastrous blaze tears through a wing of the house, it's only normal that Vale would file an insurance claim. But a $3 million claim is rarely normal, especially not when it's filed within hours of the horrific death of the owner's young and beautiful wife. The County Sheriff's Department investigator, Brian "Accidentally" Bentley, has declared the fire, well, accidental - caused by Mrs. Vale's passing out in bed with a bottle of vodka and a lit cigarette - although a careful look at the evidence points to something more sinister.

When Jack begins his investigation, he draws on his skill, experience and sheer stubbornness to uncover the truth of what's going on, but each step leads him further into a situation that's becoming increasingly dangerous. Soon arson is the least of Jack's worries, as the case grows to involve the Russian mob, Vietnamese gangs, real estate scams, counterfeiting and corporate corruption. In addition, Jack's forced to confront his own ghosts, including a fatal professional error, and to cope with the sudden reentry into his life of the best thing that ever happened to him: Letitia del Rio, a Sheriff's deputy whose bombshell looks are exceeded only by her smarts and guts.

©2012 Don Winslow (P)2015 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Intriguing and suspenseful." ( The San Diego Union-Tribune)
"[A] jazzy California thriller... Think Philip Marlowe if he were still sleuthing - and had taken up surfing." ( Entertainment Weekly (Editor's Choice))

What listeners say about California Fire and Life

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great listen

Really enjoyed this one. A mix of hard boiled private dick and noir with a touch of the mob and everything you ever wanted to know about combustion. Very well narrated. Recommended.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Puts you right there

Another great listen from the master. Missed 3 tube stops I was so lost in the twisty turny plot. Cracking read too. The descriptions of fire and its machinations aside, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining yarn with a few twists

Don Winslow writes an entertaining yarn with a few twists. The characters are well drawn and compelling but the plot gets a little complicated towards the end and the resolution is almost but not quite fully satisfying but, hey, that’s life.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

liked this book a lot

I have read a few of the author's books and not crazy about them - but really solid all the same. but this one was really good with a cool story and follows a nice tradition of an insurance investigator (sounds a bit dull but it ain't).!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

pulp fiction

Pretty inane but listened all the way through. Wouldn't really recommend this unless you are happy to let it wash over you. Typical stuff - all goodies are tall and beautiful, all baddies are 2D villains.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Stick with it

There are s couple of chapters that go into a lot of detail about fires and fire investigation. Push through all of that though and it's worth it.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Almost there, just needs an editor

It’s a great story, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader on his toes. I do think however that the technical sections on fire investigation were just a little too detailed when compared with the ending which seemed rushed in comparison.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Don’t get this if you have things to do!

This is a very well written and performed story with great characters and intriguing twists that keep you listening and listening.
Don Winslow demonstrates (again) that he has a great eye for details. I suppose it helped that the places were known to me but, even so, it all comes to life in your mind’s eye.
As cliched as it is; I really did not want the book to end.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fire and Life

California Fire and Life is a compelling story that twists and turns to an interesting conclusion. The narration is also of a very high standard!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

impeccable story and performance

Fantastic story that shows off Don Winslow's easy going but acid sharp writing style brilliantly. Believable characters that you can "like, dig man...". The narration is top drawer. You won't be disappointed.

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