American Fire: Love, Arson, And Life In A Vanishing Land

"Monica Hesse’s book reads like a great article you never want to end. The Washington Post feature writer has turned a one-off assignment in rural Accomack County, Va., into a stunning read. This true crime love story gets in the heads of two arsonists who lit more than 80 fires on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Hesse spent several months reporting on the community that lived through the fires, from volunteer firefighters to overworked police officers to the people whose homes burned to the ground. This story of love, betrayal, economic hardship and desolation offers a nuanced view of life in small-town America."