Raging Fire by Judith Erwin is the fourth book in the Shepherd & Associates series. Anna-Claire Carden, a young professional, approached Shepherd & Associates with a deeply personal request. Anna-Claire believed she may have been adopted by the couple who raised her and wants definitive answers about her origins. Anna-Claire wanted Jake’s services as an investigator, but ended up having both Scarlett and Jake on the case. Jake was regarded as the best investigator in the area and also had a knack for uncovering hidden truths. During the investigation, unsettling details surfaced. Anna-Claire’s adoption was under suspicious circumstances, and something must have happened twenty-five years earlier. Troubling information uncovered during Scarlett's research propels the investigation into darker and more dangerous territory.

Raging Fire by Judith Erwin was an interesting read. This book can be read and enjoyed independently as a standalone. The pacing was steady and allowed me enough time to process the clues as they surfaced. I was hooked from the start until the end by the writing style. The vivid descriptions of the events made them easy to visualize. The unexpected twists and turns were suspenseful, keeping me on the edge of my seat. I could not turn the pages fast enough to find out what would happen next. The characters were realistic and relatable. Scarlett and Jake made an excellent team and worked well together. The plot was excellently planned and executed, and held my attention throughout. I enjoyed reading this book and found the ending satisfying and rewarding.

A Raging Fire by Judith Erwin begins with a mansion going up in flames, and this all ties in neatly later in the story. Scarlett Kavanagh, an associate of Jake Shepherd in his private investigative agency, is asked to discover the parentage of a young doctor, Anna-Claire Carden. While Carden’s family all insist she was never adopted, the facts don’t add up. The investigation takes the whole team, including Liz in the office, Pete, another associate, and even Kai, the K9-trained German Shepherd. They meticulously unravel the puzzle by combing through records and collecting DNA samples. There are a few unpleasant encounters before the truth is revealed. Initially, Jake takes little interest in the case, but when Scarlett is threatened at gunpoint, his attitude changes. Once again, the pair work in tandem to solve a case that takes them to several American states and to determine who was responsible for a murder that took place over thirty-five years ago.

I thoroughly enjoyed A Raging Fire by Judith Erwin. The book is easy to read, not frenetic in that there are no shoot-outs or car chases. The team researches carefully and meticulously works through the evidence before reaching a conclusion. I connected with the characters who are realistic and believable. The distances travelled highlight how far they had to go to conduct interviews, and working together with the local police forces was a pleasant change. All the loose ends are tied up to bring everything together in a very satisfactory conclusion. For lovers of crime fiction, I highly recommend this book. I sat down to read it I did not stop until the last page.