CHARLESTON, SC – After volunteering at the Charleston Fire Dept., Wendy Gee was inspired to write “Fleet Landing” a gripping mystery novel about a team dedicated to stopping a rogue arsonist.
In the book, ATF Special Agent Cooper “Coop” Bellamy’s rigid adherence to rules has left his relationship with his 11-year-old daughter in ashes. When Charleston’s fire chief calls him to investigate a series of mysterious nuisance fires ravaging the city, Coop sees a chance to redeem himself as a father and catch a dangerous arsonist. But as the fires turn deadly, he finds himself torn between family and duty.
Enter tenacious TV reporter Sydney Quinn, whose pursuit of justice for a man wrongly convicted of arson puts her on a collision course with a sinister figure known only as the Falcon. After uncovering a decades-old conspiracy, she receives a chilling warning to back off.
Forced to work together, Coop and Sydney must navigate a labyrinth of lies and corruption. Their investigation ignites a powder keg of danger, testing Coop’s ironclad principles and Sydney’s journalistic integrity. With time running out and lives on the line, the duo must fight to extinguish the threat before everything they love goes up in smoke.
“Fleet Landing”
Wendy Gee | June 10, 2025 | BooksFluent | Fiction, Mystery
Paperback | ISBN: 978-1-953865-87-8 | $15.99
Ebook | ISBN: 978-1-953865-88-5 | $6.99
WENDY GEE: After a successful career in the U.S. Navy, Wendy Gee now channels her boundless energy into community volunteering, leaving no stone unturned—or unpainted—at the Charleston Fire Department, Friends of the Lewes Public Library Board of Directors, and Sussex County Habitat for Humanity. A proud graduate of the University of Michigan, University of Arizona, Naval War College, and Old Dominion University, Wendy combines her academic prowess and life experiences into her writing.
Residing in Lewes, DE, she is an avid golfer, a diehard Detroit Tigers and Lions fan (even when they’re not winning, but so excited when they are), and a pickleball enthusiast who’s always ready to serve up some fun. Her work has been shortlisted with Killer Nashville and the Writer’s League of Texas. And as a lifetime member of Sisters in Crime, Wendy’s passion for the mystery genre is no secret—though she might leave a few clues lying around just for fun. Learn more at: www.wendygeeauthor.com
In an interview, Wendy Gee can discuss:
- How her volunteer work with the Charleston Fire Department led her to writing her debut novel
- What it takes to be a firefighter, and the surprising true stories she witnessed at the station
- What drew her to the mystery genre, and how she crafts suspenseful stories based in part on the everyday lives of firefighters
- What her plans are for the Carolina Crossfire series moving forward
An Interview with Wendy Gee
1. How did you get involved with the Charleston Fire Department?
Back in the day, my neighbor was the CFD Fire Marshal, and he was practically a celebrity—always in the news. Curious about his division’s many challenges and adventures, I offered to help out as a volunteer. Little did I know, I’d end up writing about their tales. I didn’t think of myself as a writer back then, but those stories were so colorful, I had to put them on paper.
2. What was the inspiration behind “Fleet Landing”?
The story is loosely based on an actual series of unsolved fires and the true story of a man released after spending more than four decades in prison for a fire he didn’t commit. When those narratives were woven together, the combination resulted in what I hope is a compelling story.
3. What is your writing process like?
I start with the crime I’ll be working through–which is tangential to the “murder(s).” That leads me to researching, headline ripping, then mashing things all together into an amalgam that I hope will capture people’s imagination.
4. What drew you to the mystery genre? What writers inspire you?
I have always enjoyed the twists and turns of a well-conceived story. I try to figure things out ahead of the story’s investigator, but am completely satisfied when the author makes a final tug of the rug. I love Robert Crais, Janet Evonovich, Karin Slaughter–just to name a few of the brightest stars.
5. What’s next? Can readers expect to see more of Coop in the future?
Coop will reappear. But Sydney takes the lead in Book 2 solving a high-stakes cybercrime. And Dino takes charge of Book 3 as we delve into his origins as a police officer.
A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.
Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.
