Death In Smoke

A bloodied body buried on Cape Cod. A cold case in Kansas.Can Leila track down a killer? After a blinding snowstorm, artist and amateur sleuth Leila Goodfriend wakes early in the morning for a walk in the woods to think, to escape. When she stumbles on the bloodied body of a woman buried in a snow bank, Leila digs desperately, her fingers bleed, shaking with fear, she knows who it is.It's Susie, the ex-girlfriend of Steve, a failed photographer she dumped months before. Leila was at a creative retreat with her eccentric group of Red Barn artist friends, on a remote island off Cape Cod. On the rebound from a relationship, Leila found herself attracted to Detective John Grace, a partner in both romance and crime investigation.However, when the police arrive on the crime scene, Detective Grace warns her not to investigate a murder case, again. But Leila trusts her instincts and resolves to prove Steve's innocence, at least of murder.As an artist, Leila is convinced that bodies have a story to tell. Unauthorized, Leila observes Susie's autopsy-and the body reveals an enigmatic clue: Susie died on a bed of long-stemmed roses.Steve, the police's prime murder suspect, begs Leila to help him-swears he has evidence that Susie's killer is a suspect in a cold case in Kansas. Leila confronts the suspect, pocketing an intriguing piece of evidence-an arrowhead.Tracking the trail of blood and revenge from Cape Cod to a Native American casino in Kansas, where a ritualistic murder reveals a cold case killer-and a deadly secret from Leila's past.Death In Smoke, the new, fast-paced psychological thriller from acclaimed author Barbara Elle, takes readers on an inner and physical journey, challenging assumptions about what is truth-what remains a mystery. Readers are saying.I found the story intriguing and the characters likable. Amateur sleuth Leila is quite entertaining, as she chases down the latest leads, and a strong female protagonist.Features a compelling plot, a driving-forward narrative, and quirky, memorable characters.I couldn't put it down. If you liked (Death In Vermilion) you'll love the second in the series, though it is also great as a stand alone novel.I'm a big fan of Barbara Elle's writing. I can't wait until the next novel in the series, and I definitely recommend checking Death in Smoke out About Death In Vermillion . Humor mixed with an addictive mystery plot twist and an unexpected ending. Can't wait until the second book comes out I found some parts of the book delightfully sinister. there is some clever humor too in this twisty murder mystery.…