Fire investigations spark author's creative side
Shelly Reuben speaks to Brandeis women at local luncheon
BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer

Shelly Reuben

Shelly Reuben is living her dream and in doing so has given the members of the Brandeis University National Women's Club a chance to hear her story.

At a May 8 luncheon held at the Battleground County Club, Manalapan, members of the Brandeis University National Women's Club Harmony Chapter of Jackson had a chance to hear the story of detective, arson investigator and author Shelly Reuben.

Hope Lewis of the Harmony Chapter introduced Reuben, saying, "The Edgar Awards are named after the Mystery Writers of America's patron saint Edgar Allan Poe and are awarded to authors of distinguished work in various categories. Shelly Reuben is an Edgar Award nominated author. She is a licensed private detective and a certified fire inspector who has been investigating fires and arson for more than 20 years. She is also the author of six mystery novels."

Lewis said Reuben's goal was to write books that would give other people what the books she read as a child gave to her.

Reuben opened her remarks by saying, "Once upon a time a young woman who lived in the midwest decided to move to Manhattan and become a successful writer. Guess who that was?"

She said her mother suggested that she should go to secretarial school and take a typing course just in case she did not become famous in two or three months. Working as a part-time typist in Manhat-tan to pay her bills, Reuben never considered any career except writing.

As the years rolled by and Reuben received one rejection letter after another from publishers, she hit upon something.

"I was 32 at the time, working in an advertising agency, when I read an interesting article in the New York Daily News," she said. "It was about two boys who lived on Manhattan's Lower East Side and on more than one occasion these boys ran into burning buildings and saved the lives of people who were trapped inside."

The boys were honored by the mayor, but just before the ceremony, Reuben said, she got the idea of fictionalizing the incident and turning it into a book.

Not even knowing what a fire marshal was or did, Reuben knew she had to do some research. She called several people, asked a lot of questions and before long she was given permission to join up with a very sophisticated surveillance squad to learn how fires are investigated.

Reuben joined Supervising Fire Marshal Charlie King and his squad in a van as they conducted surveillance on a warehouse near the Brooklyn waterfront because a tip had been received that the warehouse would be torched.

Although the warehouse was not torched that night, the flames of romance brought Reuben and King together and they were eventually married.

In 1980 they went into business together, Charles G. King Associates, Fire and Arson Investigation.

"We were deluged with fascinating cases and wonderful experiences, many of which I was able to incorporate into my books," Reuben told the audience. "My first novel, 'Julian Solo,' was nominated for an Edgar Award. But 'Julian Solo' wasn't really a murder mystery. It was a science fiction novel."

During the next six years, Reuben investigated arson homicides and product liability cases. More time passed and Reuben improved her investigative skills. She was eventually approached by her literary agent who told her that she was either an investigator or a writer.

"So I went home, stuck a piece of paper in my typewriter and didn't stop until I finished my first fire investigative novel, 'Origin and Cause.' " She has since written four more novels.

"[Today] I have cause to celebrate," Reuben told the members of the Brandeis organization. "Yesterday afternoon (May 7) I finally finished the book that I started to write many, many years ago. It's the book that was inspired by the two boys who had rescued strangers from burning buildings on the Lower East Side. The book that brought me to the Fire Department of New York, introduced me to Charlie King, resulted in my marriage and provided me with so many exciting adventures, challenges and delights."

Reuben told the audience King died in July 2003. Since then she has become certified as a fire investigator, a qualified expert in determining the origin and cause of fires and a licensed private investigator in New Jersey, New York and Illinois.

"Now you know about me," said the author, "but I wouldn't feel right if you left here today without knowing something about fires."

She explained that arson is defined as maliciously and intentionally or recklessly starting a fire or causing an explosion. This type of crime does the most damage at the smallest cost and with the least amount of effort. It is the leading cause of all fires in the United States, she said. Reuben described a hypothetical fire scene.

"There's no light, no electricity, everything smells damp," Reuben said. "There's no heat in the winter. Our cameras freeze. The film won't advance. Our fingers freeze. Icicles hang from inside the house. There are ugly gaps overhead where fire has broken through the roof. Everything we touch is singed and scorched. All of the floors, walls and ceilings are black. Everything is black. Welcome to my world."