Fires…Accidental or Arson?: Fire Investigations by Richard J. Keyworth
Author Richard J. Keyworth stands tall and his courage and commitment to fighting and investigating fires stand even taller. His account of 14 of the innumerable fires he investigated will intrigue, inform and educate fellow firefighters and law enforcement professionals. Because fire is mystical at times and practical at others, FIRE… Accidental or Arson? will also entrance the general public. His investigations will twist and turn and take place in likely and unlikely locations. Readers will be as interested in the investigative process as the investigator’s cohorts and the investigator himself.
The real names of the perpetrators and the victims do not appear in Keyworth’s manuscript, as a courtesy to those who have tragic memories and to those who were charged with arson and either convicted or acquitted. Their stories are told in an entertaining manner; Keyworth is an attention-gripping story teller. Flip up the sides of his fire helmet and he is Sherlock Holmes.
FIRE…Accidental or Arson? invites the reader to stand inside incinerated buildings and follow Keyworth and his expert associates as they explore the evidence and determine the cause. The conclusions of his scientific investigations will illuminate the guilty and absolve the innocent. “A fire investigator is a finder of the facts and a seeker of the truth,” says Keyworth. “A single circumstance does not cause the fire, it is a series of events and circumstances which come together to cause a fire.” It is this series of events and circumstances which leads him to the true cause of the fire. He brings over 40 years of experience as well as countless hours of education and training to this book. Mr. Keyworth is a consummate professional.
When I got an invitation to read Richard J. Keyworth’s new book Fires…Accidental or Arson?: Fire Investigations I was really really excited. I love to read and I’m always happy to get a new book, but this was a subject I have never gotten to read anything about before. I love to learn things though, so this was right up my ally.
I got it today.
I’m done.
I didn’t put it down for more than a few minutes at a time.
It is so good! Richard writes in an every day style that is easy for those of us who aren’t in on the technical jargon that fire professionals would be in on to understand. He does though, when needed, describe things that the average person wouldn’t understand. That’s vital to understanding why he comes to the conclusions that he does.
I have to say there was one story that really surprised me (and other people who are professionals in his area of expertise). It was the story called My Hair Set My House On Fire. I don’t want to give the ending away because you truly need to read this book, but I will never ever think about my hair supplies and freshly laundered linens in the same way. He saved someone’s life there in that story. I never ever would have come up with the reason behind the fire like he did.
Let’s face it, I couldn’t come up with the reasons behind any of the fires. He truly is brilliant.
The story They Cut My Welfare absolutely broke my heart. I’m sure it would anyone else, but it especially hit me hard as a mother to 4. I don’t understand some people. I truly don’t.
There are 14 stories in this book. They all stem from true fire investigations that he has worked on and solved. I honestly cannot wait to see if he will make a Fires… Accidental or Arson 2. I would love to read more of these. Seeing how his mind worked to solve through these things that other people would automatically chalk up to one or the other and how he came to a completely different conclusion was really neat.
I’d recommend this to anyone who is like me and just has a thirst for knowledge of any kind. A person who wants to learn about everything. I’d recommend this to fire fighters who I can imagine nodding their heads up and down as they read how he came to this conclusion or that. I think anyone who likes true crime stories would love this book. I’d recommend this book to just about anyone, including my (almost) 12 year old son who has the same thirst for learning that I do. There are a few things in the book that I questioned before deciding that I will let Jordan read it. Richard wasn’t gory in his descriptions though and Jordan knows bad people do bad things and I think he would find the working behind the scenes to be interesting.
Jordan also has fire fighting in his blood. His dad was fire chief of the fire department in his town for years, then his Uncle was, and his brother Nick has been a firefighter for the same department. Now his brother is a dispatcher and I know all 3 of them were paramedics for years. I’m not sure if his Uncle and his brother still are?
Even his choice of costume 2 years ago and no fake plastic fire helmet would do.
(You wonder why I think he would love this book?)
I want to thank Richard J. Keyworth again for reaching out to me and providing me with a copy of his book. I really enjoyed it! I think it may be one that gets a second read from me.
Fires… Accidental or Arson is available on Amazon both in book
You can also check his website & business Keyworth Fire and Safety Consultants LLC.. Richard is also on Facebook. Become his friend!
I had to add this one to Book Review Wednesday!
Popularity: 3% [?]
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