You can't outrun the flames...

Like much of rural California in 1985, Pinon County is on the brink of ecological and economic disaster. The forests are overgrown and frighteningly dry, the mill at the center of the community is closing, and real estate moguls plan to take full advantage.

A site of the California gold rush of 1849, Pinon County is a land of cattle ranches and apple orchards. It's a place where families' lives have been intertwined for generations. But relationships are put to the test when historical records reveal sordid details about arson and murder committed in 1888...

And as the wildfire bears down, the past and present collide, and this tight-knit community desperately tries to cope with spousal abuse, racism, bigotry, adultery... and the imminent threat both to and from nature.

But who will survive to tell their tale, and who will fall victim to fate?

"A must-read!" - Roccie Hill, author of The Blood of My Mother

The Fire Bell Strikes at Midnight is a beautifully told and evocative novel that is rich in atmosphere and depicts devastating threats to both the human spirit and the environment, while leaving the reader hopeful for the future by showing what love and friendship can do.