This book is brilliantly descriptive, right from page one an arsonist holds a small NZ rural community at ransom by lighting fires. By page 3 you'll read how he craves to set fire to a building and take away life, this he does by setting fire to the local livery stable. Kitty Wix is knocked over as a strange looping figure is seen fleeing the burning stables. But who is the 'fire-raiser' and why is he creating such terror? Kitty has her own suspicions, and so do other children in the town. When he strikes again, the children find themselves in terrible danger as they try to expose the arsonist. The fire raiser is local, Edgar Marwick, who lives with his dictator of a mother, who is still in mourning over the death of her daughter Lucy, who drowned 35 years ago. Edgar (45 years old) was supposed to be watching her while swimming, down at the water hole. His mother, bereft with grief, still mourns her death, blames Edgar and has a room of memories dedicated to Lucy within the house. The mother punished Edgar as a small boy and throughout his life by locking him up in a dark cupboard. To cope, Edgar would create light and seek revenge by setting fires in his head. When he became an adult and no longer able to be locked away he lit fires for real. A classic tale told fantastically by use of descriptive characters and believable entwining plots. A must read. ( )