Beyond the Flames (HC)

This stunning release will break you apart and remind you that we can all be put back together again, stronger and wiser than before. — Laurie Buchanan, author of the Sean McPherson crime thriller series.

"Two seasoned firefighters and a police captain try to save young girls from a dangerous gang. Behind the hard-boiled, tough-talking cop and firefighter stereotypes, there are numerous layers of complexities that touch on real psychological and social issues. Complex fast-talking characters add intensity to this action-laced thriller ... readers will be glad to be along for the ride." — Kirkus Reviews

The eagerly awaited sequel to Renz's award-winning novel, Beneath the Flames!

Beyond the Flames delivers a gritty and intense battle for justice in which the disillusioned Fire Captain Lee Garrison and retired Police Captain Brigid O'Brien, his demanding love interest, join forces to take down a ruthless outlaw motorcycle gang terrorizing an African-American family in Milwaukee. Haunted by his demons of PTSD from traumatic experiences during the Vietnam War and years of responding to unimaginable tragedies on the fire department, Lee is driven by a newfound sense of purpose when he rescues a young girl from a school fire and discovers her sister is being held captive by the notorious Hells Disciples gang. With his explosive temper and cunning combat skills, Lee must navigate the treacherous underworld of the Iron Horse Mafia to free the sister and protect her family. However, as Lee and Brigid get closer to their goal, they uncover a diabolical scheme that will have a catastrophic effect on the entire inner-city community and threaten both of their lives.

Gregory Renz served the citizens of Milwaukee for twenty-eight years as a firefighter, retiring as a fire captain. He was involved in a dramatic rescue of two boys from their burning basement bedroom. For this rescue, he received a series of awards, including induction into the Wisconsin Fire and Police Hall of Fame in 2006. Gregory thought, maybe, he could craft a compelling novel if he could learn how to get these stories onto the page. After only ten years of conferences, workshops, and creative writing courses through the University of Wisconsin, Gregory typed The End to his highly acclaimed debut novel, BENEATH THE FLAMES, which has won The Gold Medal in The Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards, the IAN Debut Novel of the Year, a Midwest Book Award, an American Book Fest International Award, and a Public Safety Writers Award. Gregory writes from Lake Mills, Wisconsin with the help of his wife Paula, his chief editor and business manager.