Now he's freelancing in Concho, Texas, eyeing a permanent position on the local paper. He catches the attention of the editor with compelling photos of fire scenes, including one in which two youngsters died. The chief arson investigator takes Boot into his confidence; the fires may have been set by a serial arsonist. Boot writes the story, but he and his source are immediately criticized by the police for creating a potential panic. But the arsonist likes the attention. As he sets more fires, he starts corresponding with Boot. The second Boot Means thriller grabs readers with a solid plot, a unique motive for the killer, and a convincing secondary story involving Boot's attempt to establish a sense of family with his birth father. Absorbing reading. --Wes Lukowsky Copyright 2004 Booklist