First published 1993
A wealthy man burns to death in Los Angeles, victim of a serial killer the media calls the incinerator. This pyromaniac has been hunting the city's homeless population, turning human beings into ash on the streets. Former professor Simeon Grist works as a private investigator now, and he takes the case with grim determination. The incinerator operates with calculated madness, selecting victims who society overlooks. Grist must navigate the shadowy world of LA's street people to understand the killer's pattern. Each new fire brings more death and pushes Grist deeper into the investigation. The pyromaniac stays one step ahead, leaving behind only charred remains and terror. Grist races against time as the body count rises and the incinerator grows bolder.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, cat-and-mouse
Setting: Los Angeles
Period: 21st-century
304 pages · Paperback · Avon Books
Content warnings: death, graphic-violence, murder