Where There’s Smoke by E. B. Vickers. Alfred A. Knopf, 2023. 9780593480694
Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 5
Format : Hardcover
Genre : Mystery
What did you like about the book? When Calli is left an orphan after the death of her beloved father, what will she do? She’s off to college soon to become a nurse, but is adrift without her dad. Then a young girl is discovered on Calli’s family property who is scared and hurt. Who is she and where did she come from? Who is after her and why? As Calli secretly cares for the girl, her friends, mostly nurses as her mother was, help her out. Calli is glad to have someone to take care of, someone to keep her from dwelling on her loss. But Calli also has to deal with learning that the fire that killed her veterinarian father may not have been an accident. Is someone after her now?
Interspersed within the story are short prose chapters detailing different characters’ points of view giving the reader a little more information than Calli has. There are several twists and turns along the way and just when you’re sure you know where the story is headed another twist sets you off in another direction, but always brings the plot neatly back into line. This is a fast-paced story that will keep the reader guessing along the way.
To whom would you recommend this book? Mystery fans will enjoy this novel.
Who should buy this book? High school and public libraries should add this to their collections
Where would you shelve it? YA Mystery
Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? Yes
Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Maria Touet, Malden Catholic High School, Malden, MA
Date of review: December 26, 2023
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