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Judah Cannon #2
Walk in the Fire
Life hasn't gotten any easier for Judah Cannon. He may have survived the fiery showdown between his father, the tyrannical Pentecostal preacher Sister Tulah, and the Scorpions outlaw motorcycle club, but now Judah and Ramey, the love of his life turned partner in crime, are facing new and more dangerous adversaries. It will take all of their cunning and courage, their faith in one another and some unexpected help to give them even a shot of making it out alive.
In attempting to extricate the Cannon family from the crime ring they are known and feared for, Judah finds himself in the sights of Everett Weaver, a cold blooded killer and drug runner in Daytona Beach who shouldn't be underestimated and doesn't take no for an answer. Threatened by Weaver, saddled with guilt from his recovering, but now pill-popping, younger brother Benji and pressured to use his head and do the right thing by Ramey, Judah quickly arrives at a breaking point and things soon begin to go south.
Meanwhile, Special Agent Clive Grant, who has been unwillingly sent down from ATF headquarters in Atlanta, arrives in town to investigate the fire at Sister Tulah's church. Clive, looking to prove himself, becomes obsessed with Tulah and her iron grip on Bradford County and is determined to take her down. His search leads him to Judah's door and soon the Cannons are caught up in an increasingly tangled web of violence, lies and retribution spanning both sides of the law. Backed into a corner, but desperate to protect his family, Judah finds himself walking a dangerous path that might cost him everything or might win him it all, if only he can walk through the fire and come out on the other side.
Genre: Mystery
In attempting to extricate the Cannon family from the crime ring they are known and feared for, Judah finds himself in the sights of Everett Weaver, a cold blooded killer and drug runner in Daytona Beach who shouldn't be underestimated and doesn't take no for an answer. Threatened by Weaver, saddled with guilt from his recovering, but now pill-popping, younger brother Benji and pressured to use his head and do the right thing by Ramey, Judah quickly arrives at a breaking point and things soon begin to go south.
Meanwhile, Special Agent Clive Grant, who has been unwillingly sent down from ATF headquarters in Atlanta, arrives in town to investigate the fire at Sister Tulah's church. Clive, looking to prove himself, becomes obsessed with Tulah and her iron grip on Bradford County and is determined to take her down. His search leads him to Judah's door and soon the Cannons are caught up in an increasingly tangled web of violence, lies and retribution spanning both sides of the law. Backed into a corner, but desperate to protect his family, Judah finds himself walking a dangerous path that might cost him everything or might win him it all, if only he can walk through the fire and come out on the other side.
Genre: Mystery
327 pages, Paperback
First published January 16, 2018
About the author
Steph Post
14 books254 followersSteph Post is the author of the novels A Tree Born Crooked, Lightwood, Walk in the Fire, Holding Smoke, Miraculum and Terra Incognita- winner of the 2024 Florida Book Award. She graduated from Davidson College as a recipient of the Patricia Cornwell Scholarship for creative writing and a winner of the Vereen Bell writing award for fiction. She holds a Master’s degree in Graduate Liberal Studies from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Her work has most recently appeared in Garden & Gun, Nonbinary Review, Saw Palm, Black Lily and the anthology Stephen King’s Contemporary Classics. She has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, a Rhysling Award and was a semi-finalist for The Big Moose Prize. She lives in Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 28, 2019
Steph Post seems to be getting better with each novel! This book, a direct sequel to Lightwood, is even more engaging than it's predecessor. One of the reasons might be the fact that there was no need to acquaint myself with the main characters and I was able to watch Post develop them even further here, taking them into interesting directions. This over-arching story Judah Cannon story reads like a Florida Godfather, showing a man who wants nothing to do with his family empire, but realizing that it might've been his destiny all along, a destiny fueled by his last name.
I loved the new characters introduced here as well, who help to really make this look stand out further ahead of the last, such as the increasingly desperate ATF agent Clive Grant and the unsettling Weaver, who might be an even scarier villain than Sister Tulah. And speaking of Tulah, the sly and manipulative preacher is back as well, and we travel further into who she is as a character and what motivates her.
It all provides a great set-up for another sequel and I personally can't wait to see what happens next and what Steph Post has up her sleeve.
I loved the new characters introduced here as well, who help to really make this look stand out further ahead of the last, such as the increasingly desperate ATF agent Clive Grant and the unsettling Weaver, who might be an even scarier villain than Sister Tulah. And speaking of Tulah, the sly and manipulative preacher is back as well, and we travel further into who she is as a character and what motivates her.
It all provides a great set-up for another sequel and I personally can't wait to see what happens next and what Steph Post has up her sleeve.
September 30, 2017
WALK IN THE FIRE slings the Cannon family back on the page like a Molotov cocktail through a window. Few writers could coax a cast of characters this vast onto a single stage and orchestrate their story with such mastery. Post owns the genre of North Florida noir.
April 6, 2018
This is the third Steph Post novel I've read, and they keep getting better. This one has flawless pacing -- moving from one fascinating and troubled character to the next with brilliant, cinematic timing. While Judah Cannon is the main character -- and a great one -- the star for me is his girlfriend, Ramey, whose grit and ferocity rivals any male in the book. And that's saying a lot, because the antagonist, Weaver, is an original and frightening s.o.b. Read everything Steph Post writes; you'll be richer for it.
April 25, 2018
Steph Post can do no wrong. A seething dose of gritty, addictive Florida crime fiction. One of my favorite series going.
August 28, 2018
Steph Post writes with a sharp eye for the Florida landscape and a keen ear for the way small-town Floridians talk to each other. She's also got a knack for portraying an action scene -- in fact, my favorite part of this book, her second about ex-con Judah Cannon and his lady-love Ramey, is when Ramey and an ex-biker chick frantically try to stop a stone-cold killer named Webster at a diner.
There's a lot going on in "Walk in the Fire." Webster has a decades-old grudge against the Cannon family, which Judah now runs after the death of his father in the first book, "Lightwood." Judah and Ramey are arguing over whether to stick where they're at and run the Cannon crime empire or light out together and make a new life for themselves with a duffel bag full of stolen money. Judah's got two brothers, one of whom is MIA and the other of whom is still recuperating from a terrific beatdown by a biker gang. Meanwhile the evil Sister Tulah is rebuilding her burned-down church and her tattered plans for dominating the region, her nephew Fenton is talking to snakes and an ATF agent is snooping around trying to figure out what really happened in Tulah's church at the climax of "Lightwood."
Post shifts viewpoints among these various characters -- Tulah, Fenton, Judah, Ramey, the ATF agent, even the biker chick and her beau get a turn in the spotlight. A lot of it works, but not all of it. The scenes where Tulah goes to a gathering of similarly corrupt preachers who hobnob and plot ways to make money comes across as overly contrived.
That said, though, the scenes with Webster are awesome, especially the part where Judah goes looking for him Daytona Beach and winds up first at an oddball fish store and second at a strip club where the dancers twirl atop tanks full of sharks. And the ending, when it comes, packs a real wallop, offering several intriguing hints at the explosive aftermath to be detailed in her as-yet unpublished third novel about the Cannons. I cannot wait to see how it all turns out.
There's a lot going on in "Walk in the Fire." Webster has a decades-old grudge against the Cannon family, which Judah now runs after the death of his father in the first book, "Lightwood." Judah and Ramey are arguing over whether to stick where they're at and run the Cannon crime empire or light out together and make a new life for themselves with a duffel bag full of stolen money. Judah's got two brothers, one of whom is MIA and the other of whom is still recuperating from a terrific beatdown by a biker gang. Meanwhile the evil Sister Tulah is rebuilding her burned-down church and her tattered plans for dominating the region, her nephew Fenton is talking to snakes and an ATF agent is snooping around trying to figure out what really happened in Tulah's church at the climax of "Lightwood."
Post shifts viewpoints among these various characters -- Tulah, Fenton, Judah, Ramey, the ATF agent, even the biker chick and her beau get a turn in the spotlight. A lot of it works, but not all of it. The scenes where Tulah goes to a gathering of similarly corrupt preachers who hobnob and plot ways to make money comes across as overly contrived.
That said, though, the scenes with Webster are awesome, especially the part where Judah goes looking for him Daytona Beach and winds up first at an oddball fish store and second at a strip club where the dancers twirl atop tanks full of sharks. And the ending, when it comes, packs a real wallop, offering several intriguing hints at the explosive aftermath to be detailed in her as-yet unpublished third novel about the Cannons. I cannot wait to see how it all turns out.
May 13, 2018
Writing a review of this for The Coil.
April 2, 2018
The wild ride continues! Much like the first book in the Cannon series, this story moves like a piece of real street muscle, but the author manages to deepen the characters and their relationships along the way. Once again, the images of Florida are enough to make you reach for the A/C switch. I can't wait to see where this story is going to go next!
March 5, 2018
With part two of the Cannon family trilogy Post lights it up with a cast of characters you won't soon forget. You'll burn right through this page turner and be hungry for the next installment.
June 18, 2018
Ramey Barrow is back and kickin' ass !! ... Oh, and Judah's back as well, yeah.
For some stupid reason, I waited 6 months to dig into Walk In The Fire just to say that I read the damn thing while actually being in Florida. You know, kind of to immerse myself with the place and feel of the State the story is located.
What a dumb-freaking-stupid idea it was.
All it did was keep me from reading one of the best crime novel of 2018.
Seriously, do not be as stupid as I can be. Do NOT wait to read this book. For any reason.
I already said that Steph Post was a master at characterization, well she's 10 times better in this novel, if that's even possible. She has a way of putting you in the shoes of her characters and make you feel like you're thinking, feeling, moving with them, as one. She is that good.
Even though this is known as the "Cannon series" and Judah Cannon is at the center of the story, Ramey Barrow, Judah's soulmate and kickass girlfriend, is the most interesting character of the novel -record scratch- of 2018.
Earlier on this year, I read Tess Sharpe's "debut" novel in the gritty, "adult" market : Barbed Wire Heart, and I asked if Feminist Grit-Lit could be a thing. Well with Post leading the way, it damn sure is becoming one and we should all praise her for that.
Ramey is once again holding Judah together, showing him the way, even when he's not really paying attention. She holds the pieces of his life, of his family and of his businesses together. She is strong, smart, fearless and she doesn't take no for an answer.
Have I mentioned how Post is awesome at characterization? Weill she also manages to juggle with a cast of misfits, rebels and thugs that could give any regular writer headaches. There's the evil preacher out for blood, money, power and revenge. There's her nephew, a disgraced federal agent trying to get back in the game, his boss, the Cannons and their entourage and last but not least, a cold blooded killer out to get the Cannons.
Walk In The Fire isn't your typical crime novel. It's pure dynamite, it's southern lit with a BANG! - all caps - it's a cast of characters only north Florida (and Steph Post) can bring to life.
Oh, and the third and final installement appears to be on the way.
For some stupid reason, I waited 6 months to dig into Walk In The Fire just to say that I read the damn thing while actually being in Florida. You know, kind of to immerse myself with the place and feel of the State the story is located.
What a dumb-freaking-stupid idea it was.
All it did was keep me from reading one of the best crime novel of 2018.
Seriously, do not be as stupid as I can be. Do NOT wait to read this book. For any reason.
I already said that Steph Post was a master at characterization, well she's 10 times better in this novel, if that's even possible. She has a way of putting you in the shoes of her characters and make you feel like you're thinking, feeling, moving with them, as one. She is that good.
Even though this is known as the "Cannon series" and Judah Cannon is at the center of the story, Ramey Barrow, Judah's soulmate and kickass girlfriend, is the most interesting character of the novel -record scratch- of 2018.
Earlier on this year, I read Tess Sharpe's "debut" novel in the gritty, "adult" market : Barbed Wire Heart, and I asked if Feminist Grit-Lit could be a thing. Well with Post leading the way, it damn sure is becoming one and we should all praise her for that.
Ramey is once again holding Judah together, showing him the way, even when he's not really paying attention. She holds the pieces of his life, of his family and of his businesses together. She is strong, smart, fearless and she doesn't take no for an answer.
Have I mentioned how Post is awesome at characterization? Weill she also manages to juggle with a cast of misfits, rebels and thugs that could give any regular writer headaches. There's the evil preacher out for blood, money, power and revenge. There's her nephew, a disgraced federal agent trying to get back in the game, his boss, the Cannons and their entourage and last but not least, a cold blooded killer out to get the Cannons.
Walk In The Fire isn't your typical crime novel. It's pure dynamite, it's southern lit with a BANG! - all caps - it's a cast of characters only north Florida (and Steph Post) can bring to life.
Oh, and the third and final installement appears to be on the way.
May 25, 2018
Steph Post's third novel WALK IN THE FIRE eases the reader into everyday, small town country life and then smacks them in the face with the harsh reality that accompanies a life of crime. From that point on the reader will be constantly looking over the characters' shoulders as they go along for the ride.
In the follow up to Post's previous "Judah Cannon Series" novel (LIGHTWOOD) we leave the characters at a crossroads where they have some pretty big decisions to make. When we catch up with them in WALK IN THE FIRE the characters have some disagreement about those choices. What follows is inner turmoil punctuated by real world danger as new enemies emerge to challenge Judah Cannon and Ramey Barrow. Also returning from the previous story is the wonderfully evil Sister Tulah, the Pentecostal preacher that anyone, anywhere would be wise to steer clear of, particularly in Bradford County. One thing you can bank on in a Steph Post novel is that you are going to meet some interesting people. No character is wasted and no character is without their own, unique personality. Whether the ATF agent who is crucial throughout the story or the manager of a pet shop that clears up a particularly funny moment of confusion, each character is fully formed and distinctively different.
One of the things that stood out to me in this read was how adept the author is at describing body language. There is a beautiful subtlety in the way Post will depict a gesture made by a character and you, as the reader, absolutely know what the character is thinking and how they feel. It's a touch that I find quite remarkable, but not especially surprising coming from an author whose prose tends to jump right off the page.
You should definitely check out this terrific piece of Grit Lit. Not only is it a great story and a wonderful continuation of the Judah Cannon saga, but there's also no place else you can be absolutely terrified by a dark, cultish, spiritual ceremony and perplexed by a strip club featuring a live stingray pool all in the same story. And if you haven't read Steph Post's previous works, you truly need to catch up. Because it is always a pleasure to read.
In the follow up to Post's previous "Judah Cannon Series" novel (LIGHTWOOD) we leave the characters at a crossroads where they have some pretty big decisions to make. When we catch up with them in WALK IN THE FIRE the characters have some disagreement about those choices. What follows is inner turmoil punctuated by real world danger as new enemies emerge to challenge Judah Cannon and Ramey Barrow. Also returning from the previous story is the wonderfully evil Sister Tulah, the Pentecostal preacher that anyone, anywhere would be wise to steer clear of, particularly in Bradford County. One thing you can bank on in a Steph Post novel is that you are going to meet some interesting people. No character is wasted and no character is without their own, unique personality. Whether the ATF agent who is crucial throughout the story or the manager of a pet shop that clears up a particularly funny moment of confusion, each character is fully formed and distinctively different.
One of the things that stood out to me in this read was how adept the author is at describing body language. There is a beautiful subtlety in the way Post will depict a gesture made by a character and you, as the reader, absolutely know what the character is thinking and how they feel. It's a touch that I find quite remarkable, but not especially surprising coming from an author whose prose tends to jump right off the page.
You should definitely check out this terrific piece of Grit Lit. Not only is it a great story and a wonderful continuation of the Judah Cannon saga, but there's also no place else you can be absolutely terrified by a dark, cultish, spiritual ceremony and perplexed by a strip club featuring a live stingray pool all in the same story. And if you haven't read Steph Post's previous works, you truly need to catch up. Because it is always a pleasure to read.
July 22, 2018
This story has potential. The plot moves well, with good pacing and some unexpected twists. Unfortunately, the author fails to generate any real sympathy or empathy for any of the main characters.
They include the corrupt garage/mechanic/wreckers/drug running Cannon family who could all benefit from rehab, paraticularly Judah Cannon and pain killer-addicted brother Benji. Everett don't-cross-this-guy Weaver is enough to gag on and spit back out. One-eyed Sister Tulah and her creepy ceremonies kick "corruption" into a whole 'nother gear. What piece of work. Her nephew Brother Felton is also about as slimy as they come. Even ATF special agent Clive Grant seems out of his element when he's sent into Hillbillyville, FL to investigate the burning of Sister Tulah's "church." Was it an accident, "simple arson," or a hate crime? And what's up with dead Sherwood ("Sherwood"?) Cannon and the Scorpion motorcycle gang?
Well-written and quick. I just couldn't help thinking most of these characters need a mommy very badly.
They include the corrupt garage/mechanic/wreckers/drug running Cannon family who could all benefit from rehab, paraticularly Judah Cannon and pain killer-addicted brother Benji. Everett don't-cross-this-guy Weaver is enough to gag on and spit back out. One-eyed Sister Tulah and her creepy ceremonies kick "corruption" into a whole 'nother gear. What piece of work. Her nephew Brother Felton is also about as slimy as they come. Even ATF special agent Clive Grant seems out of his element when he's sent into Hillbillyville, FL to investigate the burning of Sister Tulah's "church." Was it an accident, "simple arson," or a hate crime? And what's up with dead Sherwood ("Sherwood"?) Cannon and the Scorpion motorcycle gang?
Well-written and quick. I just couldn't help thinking most of these characters need a mommy very badly.
September 21, 2018
Steph Post’s books are like delicious meals that are highly nutritious, too. In other words, yes, the plots are exciting and the characters are engaging. But the author also writes with a literary style that makes you want to go back and reread certain passages because they’re just so damn good. They teach you something about the craft of writing as well as about the human condition. Because of Post’s talent, her characters’ verbal confrontations can be just as fraught with tension as her wild action scenes.
By the end of the book I was blown away, and felt as if I’d been on an epic journey, though set within the claustrophobic world of a Southern Gothic small town. I’ll be coming back for more!
By the end of the book I was blown away, and felt as if I’d been on an epic journey, though set within the claustrophobic world of a Southern Gothic small town. I’ll be coming back for more!
June 19, 2021
This is not my usual fare. I found this series because I enjoy the narrator. Having grown up in a town 1/3 the size of Silas, I find Post’s characters delightful. Our town, like most in real life, didn’t have so much violence or interwoven plot lines, but the rest feels so familiar. Her dark humor and great female characters made me really enjoy the series!
March 8, 2020
Book #2 in the Judah Cannon trilogy. The story progresses: the new villain Weaver is introduced, an ATF agent takes on Sister Tulah, and the women in the story take the lead in a confrontation with Weaver (yay!). Really looking forward to reading Holding Smoke to see how everything is resolved.
May 11, 2019
Florida noir, complete with crazy, evil preachers, good old boys and plenty of crooks of all kinds. Post can write and plot with the best of them.
November 20, 2019
Recently found this Florida author. Like!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews