'Gripping, gritty and unsparing but never gratuitous in its details, this is true crime writing at its best. But Hooper goes beyond the procedurals and the scene setting to examine the greater context of the tragedy.' -- The Saturday Paper 'The Arsonist, is an enthralling and deeply fascinating story about a huge tragedy that befell a small community, one that not only conveys the horror of a fire that cremated all before it, but asks questions about guilt, remorse and responsibility.' -- Better Reading 'In Hooper's sure hands the grimmest details become exquisite imagery.' -- The Sydney Morning Herald