Tragedies can occur any time. What one may never imagine are the far reaching consequences arising from hasty or irrational decisions made during these challenging moments.

Inspired by those who endure life’s demanding experiences, Nevling introduces a sympathetic character who descends into the abyss of hopelessness, but somehow finds the strength to overcome her weaknesses and fights to regain her family values.

“I wanted a moving and compelling story; hoping to grab the readers, taking them on an emotional and thrilling ride with many twists and turns.”

The story is set in southern California and begins innocently one Sunday morning. Protagonist Sharon Nagol decides to have lunch with her best friend, leaving husband Jim home alone to care for their infant daughter. While Sharon’s away, a ravaging fire ensues, severely burning both Jim and the baby. When Sharon realizes Jim’s negligence caused the fire, she separates from him, moves away and is hired as an accountant at Prescott Incorporated. There the mystery begins.

Prescott conceals many dark secrets and Sharon’s already fragile emotional state is exploited by an aggressive philanderer and a sinister scoundrel who targets naïve Sharon as a pawn in an embezzlement conspiracy.

Sleepless nights and unexplained headaches compound her already tumultuous life, making her an easy prey for shrewd individuals wanting to exploit her sudden vulnerability. Sharon must confront her assailants and regain control of her dignity, but the devious minds of those exploiting her won’t back down leading to a curious showdown with surprising twists.

After surviving a mysterious hit-and-run accident, Sharon tries to convince the police that her life is in danger. The ‘odd couple’ detectives are initially unconcerned for her safety, but a reenactment of the scene reveals a startling fact; someone from Prescott ran her off the road. Concerned the attacker might strike again, the dutiful detectives devise a cunning scheme to expose the culprit. Unfortunately, the inferior plan goes awry creating a sequence of regrettable events that ultimately results in a heart-stopping finale.



REVIEWS:

Turned the last page last night, reluctantly as I hated to have the story end. It is a GREAT story, Jim! I LOVED it, and, of course, saw where the first chapter was going right away.

It is beautifully plotted, with so many surprises all along the way (but all the clues are there). And it really is Sharon's story. She emerges as a fully developed, and very sympathetic, character. Her feelings toward Jim are entirely plausible, and their reconnection for the purpose of meeting Anna was so satisfying, as was the rekindling of really romantic love between them.

I was intrigued by the entire accounting story and how it all came together in the end.

You maintain the suspense all the way through, even in small ways from scene to scene. As I say, the clues were there, but the reader is kept guessing all the way along. You have the reader HOOKED from the first page to the last.

You have a great talent as a story-teller, Jim, but of course you know that! You also do a great job of creating truly interesting characters. The two detectives and the developing relationship between them and Sharon was a super touch. All your characters truly come to life--no cardboard figures in your story! This adds so much texture and interest to what, nonetheless, still would stand alone as a superbly woven plot. I guess you know that I LOVED this very good read!

Ann Paden (Editor and Published Author)

"How many times have you sat in bed with the pillows propped up behind your back, the clock showing that it's well past midnight, and thought, “I'll just read one more chapter before turning out the light!” Then, four chapters later, you still are compelled to continue through your chosen novel because you are so captivated by the characters and their stories. This is the experience I had while reading the new book Burned by first-time author J.A. Nevling. He develops men and women whose passions and weaknesses will be understood by the readers. I certainly found myself connecting with the main character Sharon Nagol, who cherishes her life as a young wife and mother to a beautiful little girl. The other personalities who are revealed throughout the pages, from unhappy spouses to devoted best friends to conniving bosses, will likely have parallels to the people we all have in our lives. So, when Nevling takes his characters and places them in unimaginable situations, the readers will be completely caught up in the ride.

The book opens with a tragic house fire that initially leaves the reader not knowing the fate of Sharon Nagol's husband and child. Devastated by this upheaval in her ideal life, Sharon moves to a new city and begins work with a large firm as an accountant. What she uncovers through secret books that are not part of the company's standard financial disclosures lands her in the middle of a violent chain of events. The author reveals just enough in each chapter to keep the reader guessing about the motives of the main characters and to keep the pages turning to reveal the next detail. Through it all, Nevling creates unexpected twists and heartbreaking discoveries that had me jumping out of my chair (that was a sight at the coffee shop!) and invested my emotions in the outcome of the protagonists in this adventure.

One of the most effective ways that Nevling draws his readers into the development of the story is through a wonderful narrative that alternates between current and past events. Some books are not able to execute this stylistic effort with fluidity, and readers are forced to reread segments or flip back to previous pages in an attempt to determine the time frame for a particular conversation. Not so with the weaving of the plot lines in Burned. Nevling always chooses just the right moment in the development of the plot to take his readers back to an earlier event. This technique serves both the purpose of keeping the reader in suspense at pivotal points and filling in the background of the people we come to know as we proceed through the pages. I liked learning about the characters a little at a time, with each new piece of history or revealed struggle adding dimension to the people involved in this drama.

Nevling seems to draw upon a knowledge of the psychological dynamics that exist between individuals when developing the relationships between his characters. I was compelled to reflect on how I would feel if I discovered my husband's negligence had caused a horrific fire that forever changed the lives of my family members. There are other issues of the human psyche that are addressed as well. Why do people in unhappy marriages continue to present a public facade of a partnership in order to maintain wealth or power? In what ways do the tight bonds that exist in female friendships provide both security and an increased chance for deception? How do our first impressions of people affect the relationship we are willing to develop with them, or simply determine the level of kindness we will choose to extend? The author uses a dramatic plot of money, sex and power to address these issues in an environment of heightened emotion and consequence, but they are still relevant to readers in even the most ordinary of circumstances.

J. A. Nevling has written a remarkable book, especially considering that this is first venture into the world of book writing and publishing. Burned: A Tragic Mystery combines elements of a terrific detective or suspense novel with the intensely personal and human emotions of betrayal, grief, lust, and greed. Whether or not Nevling intended so upon its writing, or has allowed the possibility to pass through his mind since publication, Burned is one of those novels that could easily transfer to the movie screen or the stage. I assert this suggestion without any insinuation that the storytelling does not excel in its current format. But, this book does form a story that I hope will generate mass appeal in the written form, and could easily do the same in a visual format. I highly recommend the new book Burned by J. A. Nevling and I look forward to future novels that this author may choose to publish in the future."

Sarah Moore - Writers in the Sky



J. A. Nevling’s “Burned” is a sad tale indeed. It is a story of sad, small people dealing with the big, bad world and wickedness of people far more experienced and ruthless than them. It is a story of decent, hardworking people, whose one small mistake haunts them until it nearly destroys them. It is a story about pettiness and hurt feelings, about unlimited greed and lust and unfaithfulness. Above all, it is a story of the modern world.

Jim and Sharon Nagol were very happy in their small, simple world. They were not reaching for the stars, but were content with what they had. Their house might have been modest, but it was cozy and all theirs. Sharon quit work to raise their infant daughter, Anna. They loved each other and their child dearly. They had good friends and they enjoyed their simple lifestyle. Then one day it all changed – in a flash, both figuratively and literally. Jim, who was supposed to watch Anna, took his attention away for a few moments to watch the football game. That moment of inattentiveness cost the Nagols dearly. Sharon found herself unable to forgive Jim for the role he played in their daughter’s incident, so she moved out and took Anna with her. She also returned to work, finding employment in a large accounting company, Prescott Inc., where she briefly fell under the spell of her handsome and very virile boss, Cam. After having been asked by Cam to review some paperwork before an upcoming audit, strange things seem to start happening to Sharon, and one night she’s involved in a nearly fatal hit-and-run accident. The two detectives put on the case start believing that Sharon might be in real danger, and they set up a scheme to unmask the villain. But this sets in motion a whole series of ugly revelations, and the whole drama comes to a deadly end.

Overall, I enjoyed the plot and the story in “Burned” by J. A. Nevling and admire the author’s attempts to deal with real moral dilemmas and bravely try to understand the female mind.

Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jacklson for Reader Views (11/08)



5.0 out of 5 stars A riveting story, highly recommended, January 10, 2009 By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)

The best decisions one makes are never the impulsive. "Burned: A Tragic Mystery" is the story of Sharon and her burned daughter. Blaming the father, she on a whim sets out on her own. But she soon finds being a single mother isn't the easiest job in the world and it's not any easier when she's turned into a scapegoat in a far reaching corporate plot, which may very well cost her life. "Burned: A Tragic Mystery" is a riveting story, highly recommended.