Blog Tour: An Extract from The Aftermath by Paul Gitsham
Today as a part of the blog tour, I am sharing an extract from The Aftermath by Paul Gitsham. And TODAY is release day for it! Happy release day! And I do like this cover!
Book Description:
The Fire. The Fallout. The Aftermath.
Seamus Monaghan is still haunted by the unexplained fire that killed his vibrant but troubled wife, Carole, three years ago. Why was she taken from him in such a horrific way?
Dominic has protected his brother, Seamus, since they were orphaned as young boys. But is that bond strong enough to survive the fallout from the fire?
Andrea loves her fiancé Seamus, but will the fire’s aftermath destroy their future together?
Time moves on, but can the embers of the past ever be truly extinguished?
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Author’s Note:
This is from the opener of the novel. It’s three years before the main setting of the book, and Seamus Monaghan’s life is about to come crashing down.
~~~
Primary Fire. Serious risk to life and property.
The shed was fully ablaze as Crew Manager Matt Brown burst through the kitchen doors and out into the garden. He caught the familiar odours as he pulled his breathing mask across his face. Wood smoke, burning roof felt, and something no firefighter ever wanted to smell.
To the left of the shed, a man in a shirt and trousers was on his hands and knees retching. Beside him a garden hose pumped water ineffectually onto the path. The water pressure this far from town was crap; they’d have to pull their hoses through the house and use the appliance’s water pumps to douse the inferno.
“I can’t get the door open,” the man wheezed. “I can’t get in.” A series of coughs wracked his body, and he threw up on the lawn.
Behind him, Brown heard the thud of boots as his colleagues followed him.
Pausing to size up the challenge ahead, he hefted the crowbar in his hand, then approached the conflagration.
The wooden outbuilding was completely alight, flames licking its roof.
Deliberate, he thought. Treated wooden sheds didn’t just spontaneously catch fire.
The shed door was reinforced with a high-security lock and two padlocks, one at the top and one at the bottom. They were both hanging from their hasps.
He reached for the handle with his insulated gloves and gave it a firm twist. Nothing, it was locked.
“I can’t find the keys,” the man gasped, before coughing again.
“Come with me mate, it’s not safe.” Brown heard his crewmate’s soothing voice behind him. Even through his protective suit, the heat was fearsome.
He inserted the crowbar between the lock and the door jamb and levered it back. With a splintering crunch, the door opened.
Behind him he heard scuffling and a surprised grunt from his colleague. “Woah mate, stay with me.”
Turning, Brown blocked the entrance to the burning shed and grabbed the flailing homeowner.
“No mate, no mate, you don’t want to see in there,” he said, struggling to stop the man from going any further.
One glance and years of experience had told him that once seen, the inside of the shed could never be unseen.
The man let out a shrieking scream. “Carole!”
About the Author:
Paul Gitsham started his career as a biologist, working in such exotic locales as Manchester and Toronto. After stints as the world’s most over-qualified receptionist and a spell making sure that international terrorists and other ne’er do wells hadn’t opened a Junior Savings Account at a major UK bank (a job even less exciting than being a receptionist) he retrained as a Science Teacher. He now spends his time passing on his bad habits and sloppy lab-skills to the next generation of enquiring minds.
Paul has always wanted to be a writer and his final report on leaving primary school predicted he’d be the next Roald Dahl! For the sake of balance it should be pointed out that it also said “he’ll never get anywhere in life if his handwriting doesn’t improve”. Twenty five years later and his handwriting is worse than ever but millions of children around the world love him.*
*This is a lie, just ask any of the pupils he has taught.
Contact Paul:
Website
Facebook @DCIJones
Instagram @paulgitsham
Twitter/X @dcijoneswriter
