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When the Smoke Clears
"Overall, this was an intriguing and enjoyable read. Excellent work!" —Readers' Favorite "When the Smoke Clears is an entertaining story with themes of grief, suicide, PTSD, abuse, and the dynamic of family relationships." —San Diego Book Review
Talia Brighton, the young widow of a Los Angeles firefighter is drowning in grief, plagued with nightmares and a terrifying sleepwalking habit as she struggles to overcome the horrific death of her husband. As Talia—who prides herself as “not a hugger, not a crier”—battles regret for the role she may have played in Russ’s death, she starts seeing things she can’t explain and begins to question if she is fit to raise their daughter Riley. To make matters worse, a puzzling phone call from a dying old man in Australia thrusts Talia and her deeply cynical sister, Naomi into confronting the mysterious tragedies of their past and their family’s generational traumas. Together they endeavor to solve the 1964 murder of their mother, and unravel a diabolical, decades-long plot to rob them of their family fortune and true identities. Talia must navigate the emotional destruction of both past and present if she is to triumph, and this means having the courage to cast aside the Teflon exterior that has shielded her for so many years.
Talia Brighton, the young widow of a Los Angeles firefighter is drowning in grief, plagued with nightmares and a terrifying sleepwalking habit as she struggles to overcome the horrific death of her husband. As Talia—who prides herself as “not a hugger, not a crier”—battles regret for the role she may have played in Russ’s death, she starts seeing things she can’t explain and begins to question if she is fit to raise their daughter Riley. To make matters worse, a puzzling phone call from a dying old man in Australia thrusts Talia and her deeply cynical sister, Naomi into confronting the mysterious tragedies of their past and their family’s generational traumas. Together they endeavor to solve the 1964 murder of their mother, and unravel a diabolical, decades-long plot to rob them of their family fortune and true identities. Talia must navigate the emotional destruction of both past and present if she is to triumph, and this means having the courage to cast aside the Teflon exterior that has shielded her for so many years.
278 pages, Paperback
Published October 2, 2023
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4391 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 25, 2025
I won a free Kindle copy via Goodreads giveaways*
3.5⭐️
Drama, thriller, grief journey all rolled into one. Personal journeys are explored, family secrets are uncovered. Although I very much enjoyed the plot, there was something that just wasn’t allowing me to fully immerse myself into this novel (hence the 3.5 stars). Not sure if the writing style just wasn’t for me, but overall an enjoyable read.
3.5⭐️
Drama, thriller, grief journey all rolled into one. Personal journeys are explored, family secrets are uncovered. Although I very much enjoyed the plot, there was something that just wasn’t allowing me to fully immerse myself into this novel (hence the 3.5 stars). Not sure if the writing style just wasn’t for me, but overall an enjoyable read.
February 1, 2026
I won this book on a Goodreads Kindle giveaway. The book has trauma and grief but don’t let that stop you from reading it. The story is also about family relationships and the way a mom is determined to show her young daughter how to be stay strong. The book wrapped up with both the main character and her sister finding out more about their childhood experiences. I enjoyed reading this book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews