Review: Chasing Smoke

I picked up Chasing Smoke and couldn’t put it down until the book was finished. Needless to say I didn’t get much done but I had the pleasure of reading a really good book.

Skin Kadash is a Portland homicide detective on sick leave. Skin is fighting cancer and the fight takes all of his strength. When his former partner summons him to the scene of a suicide he is more irritated than anything else. The man in the jeep, Raymond Orwoll, has been shot and it appears the wound is self-inflicted. Prescription bottles in the jeep show the prescribing physician is Dr. Tobias Hern, Skin’s oncologist.

Susan Mulvaney, Skin’s former partner, explains that Dr. Hern’s name has shown up on pill bottles found at several scenes in the last few weeks. It seems a girl named Jerilyn Titchmer had shown up at police headquarters with a list of five names that she claimed were targets. One was her father Davis Titchmer. Jerilyn’s father had died of a self-inflicted gun shot the previous week. Two of the men on the list were already dead when Jerilyn turned over her list. That makes three dead and now Orwoll is the fourth.

In spite of his illness Skin begins an investigation on his own. He interviews family members of the men on the list that are deceased and meets with Abraham Brandauer, the last person on the list who is still among the living.

The police aren’t impressed with Skin’s efforts but nothing can stop him once his mind is made up to find out the true story of the apparent suicides.

Chasing Smoke is a good mystery with a dramatic conclusion. The author’s description of the suffering of a cancer victim is gripping. Skin spends a lot of time in a coffee house run by a gal named Ruby Jane. Ruby Jane is a character I would like to read more about. I am very glad I had the opportunity to read this book. As soon as I finished Chasing Smoke I ordered Cameron’s Lost Dog.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Pat Reid - RAM

Please Note: Books reviewed are usually provided by the publisher, author, or an agent. Reviewers usually get to keep the book.

Book Review: Chasing Smoke

Please Note: Books reviewed are usually provided by the publisher, author, or an agent. Reviewers usually get to keep the book.