Looking for Smoke
Books | Young Adult Fiction / People & Places / United States / Native American
4.6
K. A. Cobell
A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK In her powerful debut novel, Looking for Smoke, author K. A. Cobell (Blackfeet) weaves loss, betrayal, and complex characters into a thriller that will illuminate, surprise, and engage readers until the final word. A must-pick for readers who enjoy books by Angeline Boulley and Karen McManus! When local girl Loren includes Mara in a traditional Blackfeet Giveaway to honor Loren's missing sister, Mara thinks she'll finally make some friends on the Blackfeet reservation. Instead, a girl from the Giveaway, Samantha White Tail, is found murdered. Because the four members of the Giveaway group were the last to see Samantha alive, each becomes a person of interest in the investigation. And all of them--Mara, Loren, Brody, and Eli--have a complicated history with Samantha. Despite deep mistrust, the four must now take matters into their own hands and clear their names. Even though one of them may be the murderer.
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Author
K. A. Cobell
Pages
416
Publisher
HarperCollins Publishers
Published Date
2024-06-04
ISBN
0063318679 9780063318670
Community ReviewsSee all
"This is a compelling mystery with wonderful characters. I used to live near the Highway of Tears and I currently live where a large population of the Blackfeet nation reside. So, this book touched my heart. It is not only an entertaining read, but an important one.
84% of Native women have experienced violence and the murder rate is 3 times that of white women (10 times in some places). This book does a great job of showing how investigations can unfold.
#MMIW #MMIWG2S"
Sunshine Mulligan
"Actual rating: 4.5 stars<br/><br/>I was completely hooked into this story, not wanting to stop turning the pages. It had multiple points of view, and I felt that was done well, with each one sounding like their own voice. We got to know the characters fairly well--I would've been interested in learning more, but I feel that also would've slowed down the narrative and I felt the urgency of it was part of its strength. This was so close to a 5 star read but there were a few moments that felt repetitive, and the last chapter, although tied most things up, felt rushed. <spoiler> And where did the drug paraphernalia go? I kept wondering if Youngbull was the drug supplier so perhaps he did something with it? I wasn't sure if we were supposed to think that or if Geraldine took it, but that wouldn't make sense to me.</spoiler> <br/><br/>Like Firekeeper's Daughter, this sheds light on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), while also bringing to life the culture of the Blackfeet. I had read before about their dances but this was the first time I learned about the relay races. Cobell did a great job of making you feel you were there and I could vividly see each of the scenes. <spoiler> I also love that Mara got her Native name in the end and even teared up reading that scene. </spoiler>"
Liesl Prentice
