Overview

To live, they must fight through the inferno. To love again, they must outlast it. Set against the deadliest fire in American history, Conflagration is a sweeping historical romance of survival, devotion, and community on the edge of annihilation. Jennie Lenerville leaves her family's bustling Wisconsin farm after marrying Big John Mulligan, a Civil War veteran determined to build a life far from the battlegrounds that shaped him. Drawn west by promise and timber, they settle in Peshtigo, where John runs a lumber camp and Jennie assists the local doctors. Their marriage-new, fierce, and hopeful-burns with the promise of a future built on hard work and love. Through their friendship with Abraham Place and his wife, Elizabeth, whose Menominee heritage and deep knowledge of the land prove invaluable, they become part of a tight-knit community bound by labor, generosity, and grit. But the land begins to warn them. Drought tightens its grip. Smoke drifts where it should not. Animals flee. And those who know the forests best begin to whisper the same unease: something terrible is coming. On the night of October 8, 1871, Peshtigo ignites. A firestorm hotter than iron and faster than wind tears through the town-consuming forests and homes, driving animals and people mad with terror, and turning the river itself into flame. As the world burns, Jennie and John must fight not only to survive, but to hold on to each other and the life they dreamed of. For readers drawn to catastrophic history, haunting beauty, and romance forged under unbearable pressure, Conflagration brings to life the deadliest fire in American history-and the overlooked heroism of the Menominee people who helped save lives when it mattered most.

Full Product Details

9798994560501

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Reviews

""The book is informative and accurate, and finally acknowledges the Menominee people who tried to help others when the fire struck Peshtigo. This area is the aboriginal territory of the Menominee people, and we are still here, close to where the fire went through."" -- David Grignon (Nahwahquaw) Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin ""Gordon honors our historic past by retelling the facts about the Great Peshtigo Fire through the eyes of her heroic characters. A well-written and -researched novel, it engages the reader as well as educates them about the human quality of resilience during real tragic events. This engaging story certainly captivates the reader and was hard to put down."" -- Laura Marotz President, Peshtigo Historical Society ""Conflagration is a moving and meaningful story that gave me a new way to look at the Peshtigo Fire. As Mayor of Peshtigo, I deeply appreciated seeing our community's history framed not only through the devastation of that night, but through the love, courage, fear, faith, and resilience of the people who lived it. Susan M. Gordon reminds us that the Peshtigo Fire is not just a historic event-it is a human story, and one our community continues to carry with pride, sorrow, and remembrance."" -- Katie Berman Mayor, City of Peshtigo ""In 1871, a firestorm consumed an entire town in minutes. In this gripping account of the deadliest wildfire in U.S. history, Gordon breathes life into the Peshtigo tragedy through the eyes of those who lived it. From the desperate scramble for survival as the skies turned to fire to the gut-wrenching struggle to locate the dead and rebuild from the ashes, this is a haunting story of resilience and hope in the face of total devastation."" -- Dr. Nancy Muirhead Psychologist and Educator ""This story embodied everything a historical fiction needs. Romance, new beginnings, trials and triumph. John and Jennie are the sweetest. Gordon paints a brilliant picture of a newly married couple branching out to make their own way in the world. Loved this read. I've already been telling anyone who will listen about it. 5 out of 5 stars."" - Chelsea R. Reviewer, NetGalley

Author Information

Susan Gordon is an author whose work weaves rich characters and vivid settings, inspired by her deep appreciation for familial bonds, history, and the intricacies of life in small-town America. Born and raised in Shawano, WI, she draws on personal experience and historical narrative to create compelling stories that resonate with readers.When not writing, Susan enjoys Saturday morning walks with her neighbors and their dogs, cooking, entertaining friends, working in her garden, and spending quality time with loved ones. She is retired from both the medical-device industry and nursing. Having lived in Green Bay, WI; Milwaukee, WI; and Los Angeles, CA, she now resides in Olympia, WA, with her husband, Reed; her friend, Kerry; and their three dogs, Jezebel, Tango, and Hazel.

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