[5] In a blend of narrative nonfiction and investigative reporting, the book tells the story of the 2003 Station nightclub fire, when the rock band Great White lit off fireworks inside a small club, igniting an inferno that killed 100 people.

In the book, several of the tragedy's key figures were interviewed about the fire for the first time, including the nightclub’s owners, Jeffrey and Michael Derderian, who were convicted in the 100 deaths.

In a starred review, Publishers Weekly called Trial by Fire “gripping” and “essential reading for true crime fans.”[7] The book was noted for the level of intimacy with its central subjects, where the story is told through their close points of view.

Earlier in his career James worked at KODE-TV in Joplin, Missouri, KJRH-TV in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and interned at NBC’s “Today” in New York.

He is the author of two San Francisco Chronicle bestselling novels, The Sower (Numina Press, 2009) and SoMa (Kensington, 2007), a finalist for the national Lambda Literary prize for debut fiction.