A police detective turned reporter investigates a string of arsons with the help of a mysterious informant in "The Ghost Writer," the debut novella in Will Jaeger's series of "First Encounters." But even with inside help, this former cop may not have a chance against a firebug armed with super-sophisticated incendiary devices, the likes of which Earth has never seen."The Ghost Writer" is a successful cross between classic pulp and weird fiction, according to Jim Beard, author of "Sgt. Janus, Spirit-Breaker" (Airship 27). "Will Jaeger's got the lingo and the savvy to fill 'The Ghost Writer' with enough pulp atmosphere to make it a top-notch noir thriller–but he doesn't stop there," Beard remarked. "He populates it with interesting characters and an alluring sense of the weird that swings the story into new and unknown territory, sort of Sam Spade meets the X-Files."