THE FOX: Mike, Hilda, and the Green Emerald Cafe Inferno by Battalion Chief John J. Mandeville and John J. Valentino – Fire Fighters, ’60s & ’70s, Action & Adventure

In The Fox, a unique fictional work, Chief John J. Mandeville presents a creative tale that focuses on the various daydreams, successes, and defeats of a lieutenant with the NY Fire Department.

Moving between the ’60s and ’70s, these collective chapters surround strange connections between a bevy of unexpected characters and their chance meetings at a showplace café that unfortunately produces tragic consequences.

Lieutenant Mike “Rooter” Mose is introduced as a Kevin James look-a-like who enjoys the variety of covering assignments for those on leave from different fire stations. While on a trip to Atlantic City with his wife, Rooter glimpses an older restaurant patron wearing a fur coat, which brings to mind a strange recollection. The ensuing chapters then reveal a mixture of storylines surrounding the birth of a fox pup and its fight for dominance and survival, a fur trapper dealing with economic decline and his determination to catch the vulpine that got away. and a younger woman enticed by both the wealth of her older peers and her desire to own a luxurious fur.

In Mandeville’s effort to present a dog-eat-dog world, readers see the casualties that abound in both the animal and human domains.

Here the thematic crossover showcases elements of wealth and desire, jealousy and envy, and a commonality of survival of the fittest.

Within the ranks of his firefighting career, Rooter faces unusual and precarious situations, whether a raucous fiasco created by a brotherhood group helping their fellow fireman with his move to an upscale neighborhood; the tragic mishap of a chief’s aid; the jocular transport of a 750-plus lbs. person; or an unforgettable call to the Green Emerald Cafe.

Here the atmosphere is laced with the likes of  transvestite entertainment, irate chefs, obnoxious patrons, art thieves, and a shy coat check girl just trying to do her job.

“Fire can be your friend, but it’s a shaky relationship,” clearly ignites the heroic efforts of those on the front line staring down “The Red Monster.”

Likened to a drooling red devil; an owl after its prey; or “Señor Rojo” enjoying a meal of oxygen, heat, and fuel; detailed descriptions paint a vibrant picture of fire’s destructive power.

Mandeville draws us into the visual realm of his stories, often likening a character’s looks to a known actor or celebrity. The narrative also offers up human and animal comparisons with comments directed to the reader, i.e. a fox escaping into a tree trunk is like ball player Pete Rose diving into first base.

This book includes a character list, a glossary of fire terms, and a diagram of the Green Emerald Cafe that helps to evoke the action for readers.

The story comes together in a circuitous path, combining its disparate people and conflicts.

Through an engaging blend of humor and pathos, the writing is rich in both character and action and driven by a strange group of interlocking storylines that reach an unexpected culmination.

The Fox: Mike, Hilda, and the Green Emerald Cafe Inferno by John J. Mandeville and John J. Valentino won First Place in the 2016 CIBA Somerset Book Awards for Contemporary and Literary Fiction.