The Green Monster
Fire at the Track follows an insurance investigator who goes undercover at a harness track after a fire that kills 28 racehorses and uncovers a conspiracy that runs deeper than money. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Often, I get my ideas for a book from my readers. (The Sand Pounder and Coal Dust and Dreams were both sent to me by readers.)
However, this book came to me in a unique way. I was visiting with a woman who was sitting next to me on an airplane. She asked me what I did. I told her I was an author and that most of my books were about horses. After giving her a little more detail about my “Horses in History” series, she said, “I know what your next book needs to be!” She then told me about a fire at a harness racing track in Pennsylvania in 2001. She said the cause of the fire has never been determined, but that the skuttlebutt in the harness racing community was that it had been set by an owner whose horse went lame and he wanted to collect the insurance money.
As soon as I got home, I googled the fire. Sure enough, it had never been solved. Fire at the Track was born!
The emotional connection between people and horses is central to the story. How did your own experience shape that portrayal?
I am a horsewoman, born with manure in my blood! Horses have always been a big part of my life and will be until I die. However, I am a hunter/jumper and dressage rider. I have never been around harness racing beyond watching one race in upstate New York many years ago. So, I needed help from harness racers to make sure I was getting all the little details about harness racing correct.
The mystery explores insurance fraud, debt, and desperation. What interested you about these motivations?
It just seemed that these would be the logical motivations for an arsonist. But don’t forget, the woman who started the fire was possessed by the green monster called “jealousy.”
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
My next book is a continuation of the Harness Racing Mysteries with Callie Oaks. It will be out in October or November. The title is: Murder in the Winner’s Circle.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Instagram | Website | Amazon
When a late night blaze destroys Barn 7 at Liberty Racetrack, killing twenty-eight prized Standardbred horses, authorities rule it arson. In a sport driven by money, rivalry, and reputation, suspicion spreads fast.
Insurance investigator Callie Oaks knows the fire wasn’t random. A half-million-dollar policy. Crushing debt. Fractured marriages. Gambling ties. And too many people with something to lose.
Raised in the harness racing world, Callie goes undercover at the track, posing as an exercise driver to investigate the suspicious insurance claims. As she digs into the tight-knit backstretch community, she uncovers secrets worth killing for.
Someone set the fire.
Someone profited.
And when Callie gets too close to the truth, she becomes the next target.
Perfect for readers who love:
Horse racing mysteries
Arson investigations
Small-town crime fiction
Female amateur sleuth / insurance investigator thrillers
Suspense with authentic equestrian detail
Fire at the Track is a fast-paced mystery thriller packed with insider racing drama, financial deception, and high-stakes suspense.
At Liberty Racetrack, everyone has a secret.
And one of them is a killer.
Posted on May 19, 2026, in Interviews and tagged author, book, book recommendations, book review, book reviews, book shelf, bookblogger, books, books to read, ebook, Equestrian Sports, fiction, Fire at the Track, goodreads, Horse Racing, Horse Riding, indie author, kindle, kobo, literature, M.J. Evans, mystery, nook, novel, read, reader, reading, story, suspense, writer, writing. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.
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