The Fire She Set

Book Reviews from Goodreads

“Leigh Boyd proves that you don’t need to write a doorstopper-sized sprawling flowery epic to paint a vivid picture of her family’s tragic event and bring it to life in all its drama, secrets, heartbreaks, loss and pain.

The opening paragraph gives you an image in your head, an archaic one full of mystery with the four sisters of this tale.

Boyd hooks you in with the first paragraph and then grips you with the right pace that no words wasted, she unravels the investigation of the fire that caused her parents death. As the incident unfolds, the author has you immersed in the mystery behind who the arsonist was until the secrets are revealed.

I like writers who can masterfully share multiple perspectives of a story and create a narrative that flows between the past and the present. The structure of the book reminded me of a few others I had liked: “So Long, See You Tomorrow” by William Maxwell and “The Sweet Hereafter” by Russell Banks. The prose truly is lovely; I paused numerous times to reread a pretty sentence.

If you prefer a linear story with only one narrator, you might not enjoy this book. But if you like beautiful prose, a rich cast of characters and stories with a bit of mystery, you might love this.”

“The book is well-written with raw emotion. I didn’t want to stop reading. I was anxious to find out how the book ended.

The Fire She Set was, for me, like watching that movie you ached to see for months, and when you finally sit in the theater that first night, it’s as good if not better than expected. I would wish the novel lengthier than it 228 pages, but I sensed the book ended right when it should. I’m selfish to want more.

The author uses the family’s intimate, tactile relationship with the natural world as the canvas for her lush portrait of human relationships, thereby delivering a sensorial reading experience that is wholly satisfying. It’s the kind of story that delights and twists and wrenches so deeply that once the book has been finished, the story seems to linger in the air as if waiting to pick up where it stopped.

This is another book that I enthusiastically recommend. If you read this novel, I hope that you are as dazzled by the writing and as haunted by the ghosts who drift through this novel as I am.

A beautifully written, haunting account of a family’s journey. Thank you for sharing your story- well done!”

“This book is great for anyone who believes in the innocence project, and should definitely be read by anyone who doesn’t believe our system is broken by convicting innocent people, or only broken by letting guilty people go free. It will, if nothing else, make everyone think about their stand on these issues and whether it is time to re-evaluate how we handle all arson cases, and especially capital cases.

We can’t have a 100% perfect system either way, but we CAN have a much BETTER system both ways. It will never be “fair”, but it can be MUCH more fair, less biased, more accurate, and there’s a lot of room for change to reduce wrongful convictions. I personally think the “double jeapordy” law can be revised so it’s not abused, but can allow people to be retried if evidence shows up later proving guilt, which has happened. That is one way to reduce the odds of wrongful convictions by taking pressure off the jury when they have serious doubts, but are afraid of releasing a truly guilty person with no chance of them ever paying for that crime. I also believe there are many things that can be changed to reduce the chances of the innocent being convicted, as well as more opportunities to prove their innocence much more quickly if they are wrongfully convicted so they can more easily and quickly resume their lives . With new techniques, the system is certainly antiquated and the justice system should be fully re-evaluated.

I think anyone interested in the arson investigation or can appreciate the journey of trying to discover more about your family and your self-doubt with your siblings will enjoy reading this book.

At times this book is difficult to read because of the writing style and the subject matter. It is, however, stunning and has left me with a deep and abiding appreciation for this author’s work. I thank her for sharing her talent and vision with readers.”

“This was a reread for me and I think I liked it, even more, the second time. Obviously, the suspense was muted, but I was surprised at how many details I had forgotten about the fire and death. This time I was able to concentrate more on the emotions and interactions of the sisters and the characters involved, and this was wonderful!

One of the reasons I like memoirs and biographies so much is learning about situations and thought processes unlike my own. Neither being a crime investigator nor someone who is in search for the truth about their family, I found Boyd’s explanations and internal voice regarding these subjects of interest.

It was also refreshing to read about someone who has made good choices in her life, despite not having a good start. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys non-fiction and a fresh voice!

Reading this memoir by Leigh Boyd is terrific. To say the material is difficult is an understatement, but Boyd pulls it off.”

“Reading a memoir satisfies us the way gossip shows do. We peep into other people’s lives and see things differently. We take pleasures from mistakes and failures that others do – we learn the lessons or jsecretly be thankful that it doesn’t happen to us.

I loved all the intrinsic events taking place, and the family bond the Overton family has. I loved the mystery and drama in this book. I literally stayed up all night reading this one.

This author has risen above tough circumstances to make her way in the world. This is a modern-day example of triumphing over seemingly insurmountable challenges to become something extraordinary. Read this book to remind yourself that if you put your mind to something, it can be done.

In conclusion, I’d like to say that this is a well-written memoir, balanced in its elements and heartwarmingly depicting life in the context of a family as well as a country. Oh, how similar the two contexts can sometimes be!”

“This was, without a doubt, one of the most powerful and well-crafted books I have read in a long time.

I was captivated from start to finish by this book and Leigh Boyd’s heartfelt yet straight-forward manner of writing. She doesn’t pull any punches in her writing and allows the reader access to her most personal thoughts while she was on this journey. I enjoy reading true crime stories, or should I say that I’m generally morbidly fascinated by them, but I loved this book even more because solving the mystery of how the fire started was a long and arduous process with lots of unexpected outcomes.

It is also a cautionary story about how new information, new science, new evidence in cases like these comes up against conventional wisdom and deeply held beliefs, old science, decades old practices, and egos.

It’s an introspective look at the author’s own life and memories of her parents and her childhood. The whole story is tinged in sadness and regret. She’s searching for the truth about the arson case but must face her demons, her fear, and her distorted memories. I feel like a lot of memoirs often want to skip over this part, but Leigh Boyd is unafraid to put it all out there.

Additionally, the book includes safety fire precautions at the end of the book.

Highly recommended.”

“The Fire She Set is a remarkable real-life story and shows the complications of love and family. A definite good read – I stayed up late to finish this!

‘We are survivors, not victims, with the courage to accept the past and live well in the present.’

I typically read light, easy fiction, and do enjoy historical fiction. This is not fiction. This is my first memoir, and it’s an AMAZING story of strength, perseverance, and success. Leigh Overton Boyd writes about the challenges she faced and her sisters in her childhood. She shares personal and painful parts of her life, including addiction, family betrayal, and tragedy. You feel nothing but happiness to read about the success of her life. The detail in her writing makes you feel as if you are right there. You will not be disappointed reading this memoir. A story that you will find hard to put down.

Overall, The Fire She Set is an amazing book because it’s emotional. I know when I read something, I like to either laugh or read about the characters’ emotions. That’s what this book will make the reader do if one reads it. The characters also help in doing that. I like stories that are interesting, dramatic, and true. It wasn’t like there were one or two real conflicts; there were numerous. So, would you want to read this book?”

“Amazing book, thank you. For the type of person like me who wonders what everyone’s stories are when I pass them on the street, this is perfect. It was well-balanced between the emotional scenes; I read it in a day and couldn’t put it down.

What makes life fascinating enough to commit it to paper? I know that memoirs are all the rage these days, and I have read a few, and this one did not disappoint. The Fire She Set is well-constructed and beautifully written, has an emotional honesty which generates its lasting truth and a heartbreaking story. Astonishing enough on its own, but her riveting luminous prose style transforms it into a triumphantly beautiful and moving work of art.

As I said, Leigh Overton Boyd’s prose is beautiful without becoming sugary or flowery. She straight-forwardly addresses tough topics without sugarcoating anything. Boyd’s memoir is a must-read.”

“This was a great book. I was intrigued from the beginning and could not put the book down. I love good mysteries.

The Fire She Set is written with such attention to detail you could almost forget this is a personal memoir and not a well-written piece of literature. I enjoyed this unique and interesting summary of life. I found this so captivating, I was sad the book had to end.

This is a personal account and gives a raw insight into the sisters’ interesting life. I love the sentiments of this book so much, and it made my heart warm with her ability to embrace the love around her among all the chaos and dysfunction. It also tells me there is no such thing as a ‘normal’ family.

It was profound and meaningful in a way that felt personal and grounded. There were so many events in her life that could have been this melodramatic climax, but the book plays out much like all our lives. There are dips and highs and fleeting experiences and lasting memories and lots of unsatisfying conclusions.

I have a hard time stepping away from the world of my computer, but this book compelled me to READ IT with wonderful writing and perfect pitch recall. Brace yourselves. You are going to care about this book.”

“One of the best books I have ever read. A memoir that keeps you flipping the pages. A story your heart goes out to.

I read a lot of memoirs and nonfiction, and this one touched my heart. Written honestly and with unflinching insight, it is “highlight-worthy”. This author knows how to string a personal history into a page-turning chronicle of perseverance, courage, and success. She knows how to turn a phrase, and there are several passages I instantly memorized. Read it and then tell others.

This book is fantastically structured. Each chapter is full of passion and emotion, yet Leigh is also witty and had me giggling. Although her story will tug at your heartstrings, Leigh always adds in some light comical relief to ease you further into her life and her sister’s life.

Don’t miss this book if you have any interest in family secrets and the arson investigation.”