WHERE THERE'S SMOKE

A small-town teen’s moral compass is set awry after she discovers a dark side to someone she loves.

After the death of her beloved, well-respected father, recent high school graduate Calli rescues an injured girl she finds hiding on their family property. Shielding the clearly traumatized girl, whom she believes escaped from a nearby fundamentalist sect in the desert, Calli takes her to her family’s mountain cabin, where she learns more about the girl, along with some disturbing truths about her own family. Comforted by childhood memories of her parents and formative years but also baffled by what’s unfolding before her, Callie experiences a “watershed moment” when she faces an important decision involving loyalty and justice. The narrative alternates effectively with introspective poems that add insight and intensity. The book explores the notion that there are monsters among us whose bland, ordinary, even righteous exteriors hide evil within and the fact that it can be easier to wear blinders than to face the truth. Calli’s first-person narration traces her trajectory from initial respect for her elders’ advice to becoming cynical and mistrustful. The plot explores the cyclical nature of abuse and the fine line between abuser and victim while addressing one teen’s growing awareness of these complexities. Characters largely read white; contextual clues point to Calli’s belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

A twisty thriller that delves into tough emotional topics.