“James Strait is the type of protagonist whose masculinity is a veneer. You get the feeling that for all his bloodthirst, exceptional fighting abilities and typical hero qualities, he is a well of sensitivity and emotional vulnerability. He practices the familiar stoicism prevalent in male culture, but these deep-hidden, softer qualities find their way out in characteristically male ways. There is a beauty to that, and this makes him an easy person for readers to like. So when a teenage girl comes to him, asking for help to find her mother, this is an opportunity for something truly heroic to come out of him. Author John Eidswick does a fantastic job of giving us a truly special, heartwarming relationship. This relationship is a jewel that makes this book shine, it gives When Moths Burns a lot more heart, depth, and charm. I found myself utterly transfixed by it.

The characters in When Moth Burns are people, they come to you effortlessly through the pages. John Eidswick has the ability to use dialogue to bring the characters he pens to the fore. Something about reading When Moth Burns, with its pragmatically aesthetic prose and realistic dialogue, gives the book the air of a noir without the moral ambiguity and crushing cynicism. One finds instead a book brimming with something more hopeful and charming. It’s been a long while since I didn’t feel like I was reading a book and that is because the writing is so immersive and captivating. When Moths Burns is thoroughly entertaining, a page-turner. Readers will race through this one very quickly, enamored by interesting characters and enthralling twists and turns.”

-Sandy Masia, Readers’ Favorite (five stars)