Angela Burnett believes what the newspapers say - that her father murdered her mother and baby brother - and tries to hide this painful secret from her guardians after being sent to live in an eerie coastal village in Suffolk. Haunted by ghosts of the past, Angela strikes matches to comfort herself. At first, she lights small fires to appease the firebug inside her. But as the craving becomes more intense, the fires become bigger. By the light of these blazes, Angela sees visions that begin to unravel the mystery of her mother's death. This remarkably accomplished debut novel explores the beauty, the magic and danger of fire.