Haunted by a childhood of picking locks and tailing suspects with her private-eye dad, Dame Polara desperately wants to leave the mysteries behind and lead an average life with average ambitions: to preserve heritage buildings through her job at City Hall, to care for her father’s mounting health complications, and to one day raise a family of her own.

But when her landlord serves her an eviction notice, and Dame agrees to investigate his wife’s infidelity in exchange for keeping the apartment. A simple domestic case, or so Dame believes, until her investigation uncovers a serial arsonist targeting the very buildings she’s fighting to preserve.

When this new mystery reopens old wounds, Dame must use every trick her father taught her to discover the truth and protect those she loves — lest the dangers of the job catch up to her and burn her whole life to the ground.

Greg Rhyno was born in Toronto, Ontario, but grew up in Thunder Bay. His fiction has appeared in PRISM International and he is a recipient of the J. Alex Munro Prize for Poetry. In addition, Rhyno has toured and recorded with such rock n' roll outfits as The Parkas, Phasers On Stun, and Wild Hearses. A few years back, Umbrella Music called his songwriting "some of the smartest 20-something observations since Ron Hawkins fronted Lowest of the Low." His music has been licensed to television and film, including shows like Scrubs, Greek, and Dawson's Creek. Currently, he works as a high school teacher and lives with his family in Guelph, Ontario.

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“Rhyno’s descriptive style and jazz-like prose allow him to make a seamless transition into crime fiction with this crackling whodunnit. Dame Polara is a memorable, complex, and clever sleuth who is here to stay.”

A.J. Devlin, Arthur Ellis Award-winning author of <i>Cobra Clutch</i>

“Who by Fire isn’t just a memorable Leonard Cohen song.; it’s also the title of a remarkable new book by mystery author Greg Rhyno … Who by Fire introduces the world to one clever, and reluctant, sleuth with Dame Polara. Like Cohen’s music, once Rhyno’s crisp prose gets in your head, it will stay with you for some time.”

Patrick Whitehurst, author of the Barker Mystery series and Haunted Monterey County

“Author Greg Rhyno combines a witty main character with a complex mystery in Who By Fire.”

Novels Alive

"A masterfully paced mystery filled with equal parts charm and grit. Rhyno's eye for detail and nuanced prose make for a memorable first investigation for Dame Polara. I can't wait for the next installment."

Sam Shelstad, award-winning author of <i>Citizens of Light</i> and <i>The Cobra and the Key</i>

“brilliant … my absolute favourite new detective.”

Elyse Friedman, author of <em>The Opportunist</em>