The “little fires” are a metaphor for the passionate heart that beats inside each of us, and the strength of society’s ultimately foolish desire to control it. It unfolds as a dark-side-of-wealthy-suburbia mystery in an entertaining and surprising way that kept me turning the pages.The trope of dark suburbia may be cliché (“Everything has to be perfect on the outside, no matter what mess lay within...”), the author may beat the reader over the head with the fire metaphor, and the characters may be somewhat predictable (the artsy single mom with a heart of gold, the cold, wealthy couple desperate for a baby, the rebellious teen, etc.), but the adept way the author shifts perspectives among them helps the reader empathize with them and makes for an enjoyable read. This may not be any sort of literary landmark, but it’s an excellent read that I’d recommend to friends who like fiction.