Beneath the Flame Azalea

By Mitch Goddard

Deep in the mountains of western North Carolina, Jeff, a seasoned hiker stumbles upon an action camera covered in mud following Hurricane Helene. Curious, Jeff salvages

the memory card and later, back in the safety of his home, loads the footage onto his laptop.

What he sees shakes him: raw, unedited footage of a solitary fly fisherman casting peacefully in a mountain stream-until the moment the serenity breaks. The footage ends in a blur of the fisherman's shaky retreat and a series of screams.

Disturbed and intrigued, Jeff takes the mystery to a popular true crime podcast, Southern Crime All The Time. The podcast, known for solving long-cold southern disappearances, agrees to take the case. Listeners become obsessed with the footage and possible outcomes, sparking internet sleuthing and local headlines.

Jeff searches for answers while also trying to keep a long-held secret from his time on the Appalachian Trail hidden forever.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1970253045
• ISBN13: 9781970253047
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Village Editorial
• Length: 276 Pages
• Weight: 1.19 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"