When fighting wildfires, one moment can lead to tragedy. When arson enters the equation, tragedy can turn into murder.

One Careless Moment is the second of Dave Hugelschaffer’s Porter Cassel mysteries. As the novel opens, Cassel, an Alberta firefighter, is on loan to Montana during the state’s fire season. Cassel embarks on an investigation of a local wildfire, the suspected cause of which is arson. During his investigation, one careless moment leads to the loss of vital evidence and the death of a fellow firefighter. Cassel is relieved of duty, but his nagging sense of responsibility, coupled with the pleas of the dead firefighter’s daughter, keep him in Montana. He doggedly searches for answers among the town’s residents, the armed squatters who have settled near the site of the fire, and the local fire service. As he proceeds, Cassel’s inquiries prove to have unexpected consequences, and lead to more deaths.

Hugelschaffer captures not only the bravado and swagger of the men and women who throw themselves into danger to preserve life and property, but also the insular camaraderie and survivors’ guilt that frequently result from a comrade’s death. The often terse dialogue is balanced by Cassel’s wit and determination.

The author’s detailed knowledge of firefighting and police services will please fans of procedural mysteries, while the outsider role the protagonist is forced into will appeal to fans of amateur-sleuth tales. As unpredictable as the fires Cassel fights, One Careless Moment simmers with tension and urgency.