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

Novels Alive

“Mystery readers look for a compelling narrative to draw them into the story and relatable, interesting characters. We want to be led through a maze of potential clues, red herrings, and enigmatic plot twists to a satisfying climax and be left with a lingering feeling that you need to visit these characters and this setting again. … Greg Rhyno has crafted an engrossing mystery that does just that and I’m thrilled to learn it’s the first book in a planned trilogy …”

The Walleye

“What a terrific mystery! I loved everything about this new novel by @gregrhyno — the characters, the setting, the heart. Our protagonist, Dame Polara, lives up to her memorable name — I hope we'll be meeting her again. Toronto gets a starring role, from Parkdale to city hall. Thanks to my friend @kerryreads for the rec, and her always exquisite taste in books.”

Instagram

“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.”

Instagram

“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.”

Instagram

“[Rhyno’s] blend of steadily raising the stakes for his characters and short, punchy chapters often punctuated with clever lines or tense moments will keep the reader turning pages. The front half brings the suspense of a Rollercoaster climbing towards its peak, then the back-end rockets towards a pulse-pounding conclusion. In defying genre conventions, Rhyno delivers a wholly intriguing mystery unlike any other.”

The Miramichi Reader

“Great start for a mystery series, it is the first book and I am very curious about what happens to Dame in the next books.”

Instagram

“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.”

Instagram

“… excellent, riveting, heartfelt, and hilarious …”

Pickle Me This

“brilliant … my absolute favourite new detective.”

The Walleye

“I tore through [Who by Fire] really quickly. I enjoyed it very much.”

Get Lit

"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."

Pickle Me This