Product Description

In 1894, the worst firestorm in Minnesota history descended on the town of Hinckley, consuming 400 square miles and killing 418 people in just four hours.

Heat, flame, and darkness swept through the town, devouring lives, and consuming all hope. In the aftermath of the fire, the town of Hinckley rises from the ashes, its people determined to rebuild their lives.

But in the shadows, someone is watching, someone is waiting, someone who knows the secrets the fire lay bare. A rumor spreads of a mysterious figure that haunts the hills; monster, a ghost, or a memory?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #519220 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

About the Author

Marlo Schalesky became interested in stories handed down through her husband's family about the great Minnesota firestorm of 1894. Schalesky is the author of three historical fiction novels, Cry Freedom, Freedom's Shadow, Only the Wind Remembers, and one non-fiction title--Empty Womb, Aching Heart. She and her family live in California.

Customer Reviews

Riveting!
In 1894, the town of Hinckley, Minnesota was forever changed by a rampaging fire that struck without warning. Marlo Schalesky weaves a compelling and moving story around that tragic historical event, with tenderness and lyrical artistry.

Josef, Ellie, Lars and Arla's lives take a twist they never thought possible when the Hinckley conflagration consumes buildings, stock and people indiscriminately. Fear, pain, hope and love all rise up from the ashes as they wonder how to move on. God's faithfulness and protection is called into question by some, while others cling to their faith in the face of such tragedy.

As the community attempts to restore their lives, another is hoping a dark and sinister secret has been laid to rest underneath the blackened landscape.

The impact of Veil of Fire is lasting and heartfelt. That the fire actually took place, killing 418 people in four hours, contributes to the book's punch but no less is Marlo's beautiful abilities as a wordsmith. She has crafted a tale that engages the heart with her appealing and compelling characters and activates the mind with a mystery that remains satisfyingly unresolved until the final chapter. I was so impressed with this novel that I have nominated it for my book club to read later this year!

Veil of Fire ~ Reviewed


I didn't realize until I'd reached the end of this captivating novel that it was based on a real historical event--one of the worst fires in history. A blaze that destroyed six towns including Hinckley and killed 418 people in four hours in Minnesota of 1894.

In Veil of Fire, residents of Hinckley struggle with grief over their losses and wavering faith in the God who allowed such disaster, while trying to put their lives and their town back together.

Meanwhile, rumors spread that a ghost, or maybe a monster, is lurking in the surrounding hills. Things have gone missing--a cart, a pie, some beans--and a veiled figure in black has been spotted in the shadows. People are angry and afraid.

The author pulls you in, first by making you care about her very believable characters--a widower left alone with his baby girl, a mother with many regrets and the man who loves her despite her short-comings, a villain we despise yet understand. Then she keeps you reading, leaving you with one cliffhanger after another. I read this book quickly, always having to know what happened next, and in the end I was satisfied.

Veil of Fire is about finding the truth. It's about being real, and giving and receiving undeserved love and forgiveness. This book will be enjoyed by fans of historical, romantic, and suspense fiction.

Reviewed By Janet Rubin

An Amazing Read
Marlo Schalesky is a consummate storyteller who has woven a tale of suspense, love, and healing in Veil of Fire. In 1894, the small town of Hinckley, Minnesota faced a fire that destroyed the community. As the few survivors begin to piece their lives back together, fear reigns and the citizens persecute the unknown--a being they believe is a ghost. Only a young orphan is willing to question who or what this being might be. Her discovery shatters the secrets one citizen thought had gone up in smoke. Schalesky has done a masterful job of maintaining the suspense until the moment the secret is revealed--a skill that eludes some of the best authors. I loved this book.