Smoke Screen is different for the usual suspense novel that Terri Blackstock usually write. There was still some suspense toward the end but not the heart pounding danger that the heroine is usually in. This story is told from the viewpoint of two characters. Brenna Strickland Hertzog has been through a lot in her 30 yeas of life. When she was 16 her minister father was supposedly murdered by her boyfriend's father. Years go by and she marries Jack Hertzog. Jack is a jerk and dumps her to marry a much younger wife. He doesn't really want to spend time with his kids but under the pressure from his father, William Hertzog who takes every opportunity to make Brenna's life a living hell. The children don't really want to spend time with their father but she really has no choice. She didn't handle it too well when she was separated from her children and took to drinking too much when they were away from them. The other viewpoint is Nate Beckett. He was the one who was involved with Brenna when she was a teen and her father died. They broke up when this happened. He moved to another town and became a smoke jumper. He has injuries on the job and returns to his home town to recuperate. His father is paroled from prison and maintains that he is innocent. Meanwhile Nate reconnects with the divorced Brenna much to the chagrin of his father. Most of the book dealt with Breena spiral into alcoholism with Nate trying to help her. The the mystery was not really addressed until the last 10 percent of the book. I had a good suspicion on who the real murderer and it was confirmed toward the end but I had no idea of the motive.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
