Smoke

I know I say this for every series but this time I really mean it. Please start this series from book one and read in order. Isaiah IQ Quintabe is complex, and his relationship to his friends and associates in this book goes deep and as there are quite a bunch of them, when you add into the mix the episode extras, the cast list could run away with itself if you haven't got the background you need. Oh and they are all cracking books so why not?!
IQ is on the run - for his life - he is still in the trouble as we left the previous book. Fleeing to take the trouble away from girlfriend Grace's door. But trouble is his middle name, and it follows him like a very tenacious terrier. And it's not long before trouble comes knocking at his new door. Well they would have knocked had they not already broken in - with tales of a serial killer they have unmasked and need help pursuing.
Meanwhile Dodson is being pushed to be the provider he should be for his family. After a makeover - the details of which are so hilarious that I will leave you to discover them in your own time - he starts as an intern at an ad agency. Interesting...
This is a story with many threads and many characters. So, I would recommend you clear the decks properly before diving in - maybe also have a notebook to hand to jot a few names/relationships down if you feel you might struggle. I think if I am honest, there are too many characters but that's just my opinion based on my preferences in a book.
That said, the story is frenetic - even as it flits between IQ and Dodson - and on occasion a little bit untidy. The series has taken on a different path to what I expected from the opener but that isn't necessarily a bad thing - just a surprise.
I very nearly knocked a star off for the cliffhanger. I really hate cliffhangers. If I like your books I will get the next one, you don't need to blackmail me. Also, I read so many books that after a day or so I forget there was a cliffhanger so it's no use on me. But I still hate them. But I love this series so I am going to let the author off, just this once.
Apart from that, I loved reconnected with people who I now class as old friends. There's a whole lot more going on than just the two main storylines and I love how the author keeps attention to detail with all his series character development. Whilst at the same time delivering a story that kept me on my toes throughout leaving me shocked but satisfied at its conclusion. (apart from the cliffhanger).
All in all, a cracking addition to an already favourite series. Roll on next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book

Joe Ide is back on top form in Smoke. I thought Hi Five showed a slight dip in quality but this has all of Ide’s wit, thoughtfulness and insight wrapped in a very good story. It would work as a stand-alone novel, but it would be far better to read the series from the beginning as there is a lot of history which continues to develop here.

Traumatised by the events of Hi Five, Isaiah is heading for the hills, determined to leave his old life behind and get away from the violence and criminality of East Long Beach – and to escape the various murderous gangs and individuals who are seeking him for revenge. Needless to say, he very reluctantly becomes involved in a scary (and very exciting) hunt for two deranged killers. Meanwhile, back in East Long Beach an unemployed Dodson is given an ultimatum by his wife and embarks on an internship in a swanky advertising agency while also acting as neighbourhood fixer in Isaiah’s absence. This leads to some genuinely hilarious stuff (the scenes where he is being tutored in manners by his mother-in-law made me laugh out loud several times) and also some genuinely thoughtful and incisive content.

These two independent stories work very well alongside each other. For me it is Dodson who is the real centre of this book as his character becomes much more developed and unlooked-for skills and inner decency emerge. Joe Ide brilliantly balances some excellent comedy with psychological insight, a thrilling story and some horrifying violence, which is somehow the more chilling for being inexplicit. His ear for language remains excellent and his characters become richer and more convincing with each book in the series.

In short, I thought Smoke was terrific and I can recommend it very warmly.

(My thanks to Orion for an ARC via NetGalley.)

I would like to thank Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for an advance copy of Smoke, the fifth novel to feature East Long Beach PI Isaiah “IQ” Quintabe and his sidekick Juanell Dodson.

Isaiah is suffering from PTSD and is run out of town by a bounty on his head. He heads for Northern California in an effort to regroup and recover but his peace doesn’t last long when a burglar, Billy, enlists his help in hunting a serial killer. In the meantime Dodson is under pressure to take an internship at an advertising agency organised by his wife Cherise. To his surprise he not only likes it but is good at it.

What a read! Smoke has it all, thrills, spills, tension, action, adventure and a large dose of humour. Obviously I know nothing about the Black experience in America, or, to be fair, subsistence living but it all seems very authentic to me. Their way of life is illustrated through various points of view and several plot lines.

The majority of the novel concentrates on Isaiah’s experience and the plans of his adversaries, thus giving the reader an idea of what he’s up against. I found it fascinating as their plans offer tension and suspense and their actions shredded my nerves on more than one occasion, but what I really like is that they are ordinary people, so they might have a goal and a plan but execution is another matter, often ending up in violent slapstick. I was glued to the pages from start to finish.

The former IQ may be the focus of the novel but Dodson steals the show. He is extremely funny, sometimes consciously but often unconsciously. He is a smart man but often doesn’t have much self belief. This is his coming of age novel. I enjoyed all the characterisation as the author has a knack for summing it up in a few words.

The novel ends in a cliffhanger and is obviously designed to set up the next novel. Unfortunately, by the time that comes around I will have forgotten it, but it’s still intriguing.

Smoke is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.