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| Into the Fire (Troubleshooters, Book 13) | 
 enlarge | Author: Suzanne Brockmann
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Category: Book
List Price: $25.00
Buy Used: $8.06
You Save: $16.94 (68%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  60 reviews
Sales Rank: 7967
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 496
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.6
Dimensions (in): 9.8 x 6.2 x 1.7
ISBN: 0345501535
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780345501530
ASIN: 0345501535
Publication Date: July 22, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Suspense doesn’t burn any brighter and desire doesn’t run any deeper than when Suzanne Brockmann takes the helm, opens the throttle, and takes readers along for a breathless ride as she breaks the thrill barrier–again and again. With Into the Fire, Brockmann lights the fuse on her most explosive story yet.
Vinh Murphy–ex-Marine and onetime operative for the elite security firm Troubleshooters Incorporated–has been MIA ever since his wife, Angelina, was caught in a crossfire and killed during what should have been a routine bodyguard assignment. Overcome with grief, Murphy blames the neo-Nazi group known as the Freedom Network for her death. Now, years later, Freedom Network leader Tim Ebersole has been murdered–and the FBI suspects Murphy may have pulled the trigger. To prevent further bloodshed, Murphy’s friends at Troubleshooters scramble to find him and convince him to surrender peacefully.
Murphy himself can’t be sure what he did or didn’t do during the years he spent mourning and lost in an alcohol-induced fog. He does know he occasionally sought solace from Hannah Whitfield, a former police officer and the very friend who’d introduced him to his beloved late wife.
But Hannah, still grappling with the deafness that resulted from an injury sustained while on duty, was fighting her own battles. For years Hannah had feelings for Murphy, and one painful night their suffering brought them together in a way neither expected–and both regretted.
Murphy is ready to rejoin the living. As always, he finds himself knocking on Hannah’s door, and as always, his longtime friend welcomes him back into her home. Yet even as Murphy slowly rebuilds his splintered life, he continues to fight his growing feelings for Hannah.
Then he learns of Ebersole’s murder and comes to believe that the Freedom Network has targeted him–and Hannah–to avenge their leader’s death to violence. Now Murphy must face the terrifying prospect of losing another woman he loves.
As the Troubleshooters desperately search for him, Murphy races toward a deadly confrontation with the Freedom Network and ultimate choice: surrender his life in hopes that Hannah will be spared, or risk everything to salvage whatever future they may have together.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 55 more reviews...
 The action continues July 24, 2008
40 out of 47 found this review helpful
I have accepted that the Brockmann who gave us such classics as "Over the Edge" and "Out of Control" is gone, and this trend continues in her latest Troubleshooters book. Once again it's non-stop action, lots of injuries, and thinly drawn romance. It was, however, a very riveting book.
This review contains spoilers.
I've never been a fan of the "secretly in love with this guy but lets him marry her best friend, and wow, he's been in love with her too" story-line, so Hannah and Murphy interested me less than the secondary characters. For me those characters stole the book. Decker, Dave, Sophia, Nash, and Tess finally get a little more screen time. But let me break it to you - Sophia does not end up with Decker. Maybe Brockmann was going to go there several books ago, but she's not going there now. Which is very disappointing.
There is an explanation as to why Nash has always been such a secretive mess, and it satisfied me.
Now on to Izzy Zanella. I fell in love with Izzy in "Into the Storm", because the guy is such a freak and has such great one-liners. Kind of like the Wildcard of old. (Not the Wildcard of his own book.) But then Brockmann decided to pair him with a just-turned 18 year old who is pregnant with another man's child. Did I mention that Eden is Gillman's sister, Gillman, who hates Izzy? Oh, and Eden has the requisite awful childhood baggage, too. In one of Brockmann's favorite plot devices, they have a marriage of convenience which ends about as well as Sam's and Mary Lou's did. This storyline is not concluded in this book, since we are supposed to care about these star-crossed loves and follow their saga to the next few books.
Not for me. Not gonna happen. These two squick me out, for starters. She's 18, he's 29. They saw each other, got attracted, and that was the extent of their great connection. I don't WANT them together, I don't want to read about them so much as brushing elbows. I don't know if she thinks they are the next Gina and Max, but wow, they so are not. Eden is spunky and fiery, sure, but she's 18. And much as I love Izzy, he is not Max. I hate that she took Izzy there, just hate it. It's gross. It wouldn't work.
I'm sure in the next Troubleshooters book - or the one after that - since she loves to drag these things out - Izzy will be at the Ladybug Lounge, moping around, still wearing his wedding ring, waiting for his teeny-bopper wife to grow up. Then she'll get kidnapped by terrorists and they will rush in to save her, where they will argue while bullets fly around their heads, then hook up against a wall and decide they're in love. See, to me, this isn't romance. There's no build-up, no explaining WHY this person, just 1) Attraction 2) Hook up 3) Marriage and HEA. And in this case, I agree with Lopez; it's wrong and it won't work.
So why did Gina and Max work, but not Izzy and Eden? It's not just the age, although just-past 17 is TOO young, for me, but the situation. Max didn't take responsibility for Gina right after meeting her, he didn't marry her instantly and expect it to work. He tried to push her away, and while it got annoying, it made sense. But mostly I got a sense of the inside of their heads, and why they felt the way they did. With Izzy and Eden, I saw no reason why they liked each other beyond physical attraction. None at all. And it all happened SO fast.
It was an entertaining book, it kept my interest, but Brockmann is no longer an auto-buy for me. I loved seeing glimpses of my old favorites, and hope that she gives Lopez his own book. But I really miss the romance.
 "I prefer to think of myself as Captain America..." September 17, 2008
26 out of 28 found this review helpful
Wisecracking SEAL Izzy Zanella is settling down for a drink at his favorite watering hole when an underage gal pops in and he feels an instant attraction. When he learns she's not only a fellow SEAL's sister but also 17 with nowhere to go, rather than say tah tah, he invites her to his place, where despite all the best intentions, the two become intimate. When she turns up pregnant with another man's baby six months later naming Izzy as the baby daddy, his friend Gillman is out for blood. Izzy takes responsibility for Eden because he fears she'll be further traumatized by her cruel stepfather. A shotgun marriage between two people who barely know each other (but thanks to lots of introspection, really like each other) will take the former ladies man off the market.
For the last four years, Vinh Murphy has mourned the senseless murder of his wife (see "Hot target"). As he medicates himself in copious amounts of alcohol and plots revenge on the Freedom Network militia leader responsible for her death, he manages to experience black outs. He seeks solace in the arms (and bed) of his best friend Hannah, a former cop who had to retire due to an accident which caused deafness. When they discover that the leader has been murdered and Vinh is wanted for questioning, the two go on the run to try to determine whether or not Vinh is guilty of murdering his nemesis. As an assortment of SEALs and Troubleshooters work to bring in Murph, who went AWOL from the group after his wife's death, there's plenty of downtime to discuss at length who likes who and why so and so is so distant.
This book is all over the place and there is just way too much going on. I don't think that either romance (Hannah and Murph; Izzy and Eden) were fully developed, and I hate the plot device of the best friend who stands aside while letting her best friend marry the guy she loves (or noble guys who stand by and to marry a woman pregnant with someone else's kid). It's just too trite. Hannah was an intriguing character, but had me wondering why she'd wait around for an idiot like Murph. Izzy and Eden were only a bit more interesting. While her age did not creep me out (until Izzy thought she looked like she was 12 when she removed her make up and still wanted to jump her pregnant bones), I think that despite a 12 year age gap, the two are intellectually the same age. Both romances are completely overshadowed by the Decker/Sophia/Dave triangle which has gone on far toooooo looooong, and the new angle Brockmann is exploring with Nash and Tess (which I actually liked).
Murph was a throwaway character and I never really cared if he showed up in another book; I also didn't really care for the character of Izzy initially, but he's grown on me. I thought he was annoying, particularly his constant breaking into song. No - actually it's the constant breaking into songs that someone his age would probably not know the words to. Is it just me, or does he sings songs from oh, I don't know, Brockmann's youth? Not a single current song (until the end when he sang Eden's fave song by Maroon 5). It just doesn't ring true to me. At least he has not sung "Hooked on a Feeling" yet - that would really gross me out since it is Jules and Robin's song.
And speaking of Jules, where the heck was he? Yeah he was "in" the storyline, but instead of the witty and engaging presence we are used to, we get Joe Friday meets the Stepford Husband. Where were the "sweeties" he's so known for using with his colleagues? This was not the Jules those of us who have grown with the SEAL 16/Troubleshooter series are used to - literally Brockmann could have inserted any name in there as head of the case. It seems like once they get their HEA, the characters are no longer in... character. They become neutered and interchangeable. She did the same thing with Max. He was unrecognizable after "Breaking Point."
While I liked "Into the Fire" more than "Storm," Brockmann is still off my auto-buy list and has become a definite library loan. Her books continue to travel a downward spiral in quality. It seems like once she went hardbound, she really stopped caring about developing and maintaining her characters. Her writing has gotten so pedestrian and childish. While I can appreciate that she likes to provide introspection into her characters to give them depth, come on, enough is enough. She also makes up all kinds of stupid words - it's like she's trying to relate to the younger folks and failing miserably. And there is always way too much going on. She needs to limit her storylines to two instead of the four+ she has going here. It is confusing (especially how it jumps around) and just not developed like her earlier novels. And I wish she'd end some of these freaking arcs already!! But despite the criticism and the lack of direction of late, she has created characters that I really care about and want to know what happens in their lives.
Tracy Vest, September 2008
 Extremely disappointed July 23, 2008
21 out of 29 found this review helpful
I have been waiting not so patiently since 2004 for Sophia and Decker story, so when I heard rumors that all might not end well, I went to my local book store and skimmed through this book for two hours.
I hadn't planned on buying the book because I was first on the waiting list at my local library. Skimming through it at the bookstore reinforced to me that was the right decision.
First Hannah and Murphy. Was anyone really attached to Murphy? I never was, and just figured he was a throw away character like Ric & Annie. Now, after reading his book, I still feel he was/is a throw away character. This was supposedly his story, but it got lost in the Sophia,Decker,Dave Izzy,Eden, Tess & Jimmy storylines. What we do read about is a man who self destructed for seven years for his long lost wife, but then tells his new love, that he always loved her, even before his wife, but was just afraid to spoil things.
Early in the book, Izzy is at the Lady Bug, and a beautiful young thing walks in, and we are in Izzy's head. Is he going to score? is that a bathing suit she has on? He would like to get her out of it! I am like what? Where Tracy? Weren't you going out of country for six months, and then stopping off to see her? Even the bartender in the Lady Bug knows that she is jail bait. He tells her to leave, but Eden she so feisty, she rebels. Now Izzy is in love, and tells the bartender to back off. Then we find out that she is Gillman's sister (Eden); that she is 17 years old (lacking one day to 18) and she been dumped by her boyfriend in the donut shop. Oh, but she is still so hot that Izzy is afraid he can't control himself. I felt like Izzy had an lobotomy, and only one part of his personality was left. Where the Izzy that was good friend to Jenk? Who knew how to babysit?
Moving forward in the story, and we find Sophia and Dave talking. Evidently he has only had sex one time and got an STD and she tried to sell out his identify. He is insulted that Sophia thinks that he might be an 38 year old virgin. Sophia recaps how many times she was raped and they both decide that they will make each other born again virgins.
At some point in the story, an psychiatrist is brought in seven years after the fact to debrief, and heal any open wounds that the Troubleshooters might have after Angelina's (Murphy's wife) death.
Obviously, I can't go into the whole story and you don't want me to. I will say that this book was all over the place with moving the storyline forward on Izzy & Eden, Decker,Dave, Sophia, Tess, Jimmy and Hannah and Murphy. As other people stated there was very limited character development (who has time to get inside a character's head) with over ten characters advancing their story.
There is what seems to be new pairing (Eden & Izzy) and unpairing(Decker and Sophia). Is it longterm? I not know, and frankly I don't care. What little patience I had has vanished. And without the emotional attachment now to the characters, I suspect this will be my last book.
Addendum: I checked out the book from the library and found that I was wrong on the timing. It hasn't been seven years but only 3.5 since Angelina died. So the books are in real time and it has been 4 years since Decker,Dave & Sophia met.
I have been talking about the books on the boards, and someone wrote, quit complaining about the author not writing the book you wanted to read. Find others authors or write your own. And I thought to myself, isn't that the whole point to buying books. We buy the books with the stories that we want to read. With a few pages in a book, Ms Brockmann ignited my imagination about two potential love stories and I became involved in her characters lives; involved in fictional character's lives. And I love that she has talent. I went ahead and checked out the book from the library to read rather than skim, and to see if this talent that I love could overcome the things that I didn't love: the direction she has taken the characters; the too many plot storyline; the lack of closure and a feeling of never being satisfied because I rarely close a book, and say what a perfect ending to a wonderful love story. I always left wanting more closure, more clarification, wondering. . .
All Hell Breaks Loose July 28, 2008
21 out of 26 found this review helpful
When Vinh Murphy's wife was murdered his life was changed forever. He was plunged into depths of sadness and despair, seeking solace in alcohol. For the past few years he has been grieving his wife and contemplating his life. With the help of his long time best friend, Hannah, he has made it through one more day.
Murphy is finally on the road to recovery and peace when his world is rocked again. Tim Ebersole, leader of a militia type hate group and the man Murphy's blames for his wife's death, has been found murdered. Not exactly sober at the time of the murder, Murphy can't account for his whereabouts and the FBI wants him for questioning.
In the latest Troubleshooters saga, there is so much going on from one page to the next that it is absolutely impossible to not become completely engrossed from page one. The relationships of some major players are center stage; Murphy and his pal Hannah, Sophia and Decker, Sophia and Dave, Jimmy and Tess, Izzy and newbie to the TS books, Eden. Romantic relationships aside, friendships are tested and strained; enemies are ready to do battle. All the while they are trying to solve the mystery of Tim's death and keep members of their group safe.
I truly enjoy the TroubleShooters series. I enjoy the awesome mix of suspense, action and romance. This book was no exception. I know a lot of people will be upset at the outcome of some relationships, but I am not one of them. At the end of this book I felt everything and everyone was where they should be, with whom they should be with.
***NEXT PARAGRAPH CONTAINS POSSIBLE SPOILER***
Izzy's relationship with the 18 year old girl didn't bother me at all. I loved how head over heels he fell for this girl and I enjoyed the sweetness and the heat of their relationship. Age isn't an issue in relationships, to me. As long as both parties are consenting adults, I don't care. And without giving anything else away I have always been a fan of Dave Malkoff, I am 100% in love with that sexy geek.
The only thing that bothered me with this book was the brief and multiple scenes and the back and forth writing style from one scene to the next. At times I got frustrated with how quickly one was interrupted, and then I'd have to read two to three other brief scenes before getting back to one and finishing it. I am not a patient person and this time around, in this book, that seemed to drive me battier than usual.
I am impressed with this latest installment and enjoyed the many twists and turns and the emotional roller coaster she took me on. Suzanne Brockmann continues to keep this fan extremely happy.
Cherise Everhard, July 2008
Tons of Action and Surprises-- A Little Disappointing Overall July 23, 2008
13 out of 14 found this review helpful
Suzanne Brockmann is definitely one of the best romance writers out there. Her dialogue is snappy, her plots truly suspenseful and her characters expertly drawn. Plus, her books are very witty and laugh-out-loud funny in places. So there's no denying that on a fundamental level, ITF is a very good book that's worth reading. It's engaging, fast-paced, and full of surprises.
Like Into the Storm, Into the Fire is dark in tone. As it opens, Vinh and Hannah are both suffering and in great emotional pain. Seeing them come together and heal is very gratifying.
In fact, the theme of healing runs throughout the book, especially as it pertains to Dave, Sophia, and Decker. The flip-side of all this healing is that there's also a fair amount of suffering in the book, not much of it rectified by the end of the novel. Izzy's subplot, certainly, is just beginning and destined to follow the lead of Sam/Alyssa and Max/Gina and take many books (and thus, many years) to resolve.
And maybe that sense of having to wait is what made this book a trifle disappointing for me. I don't want to give too much away, but the Dave/Sophia/Decker triangle took a turn in this book that I suspected might occur after reading Into the Storm. Yet despite predicting what Brockmann was up to (a classic bait-and-switch whereby the couple you think is a given is not a given at all) I felt somewhat betrayed as a reader who has been waiting for the slow-moving Sophia/Decker arc to culminate in these two really hashing things out and loving each other.
And Izzy's new romance is intriguing (although I would say that some readers might be put off by the age difference), but I couldn't help but flash back to all the books that Sam/Alyssa had to suffer through before they had their happy ending. I guess for some readers and Brockmann fans, it's all about that delicious anticipation of sticking by your faves as you wait for that magical book when they FINALLY get together. As for me, I couldn't help but feel just a little bit put-out and tired of the constant waiting, only to then have the rug pulled out beneath me (and again, to be fair, this may simply be a personal reaction borne out of my frustration over where Brockmann appears to be going in the Sophia/Decker/Dave thing).
New characters are introduced in this novel (I predict the female doctor is destined to hook up with a key male character who's likely about to lose the girl) and a few former main characters have cameos, which makes the book a fun read.
Would I recommend ITF? Yes.
Am I feeling just a tad bitter about how it all played out, though? YES.
Grade: B
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