House of Smoke

by J.F. Freedman

Book Overview

Ex-Oakland cop and part-time private detective Kate Blanchard discovers more than she bargains for after being hired by Laura Sparks, heiress to a vast fortune, to investigate the suicide of her boyfriend in the county jail.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451179897
• ISBN13: 9780451179890
• Release Date: December 1996
• Publisher: Signet Book
• Length: 490 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.4" x 7.5"

Customer Reviews

Where There's Smoke There's Fire

I loved this book. It started with a bang, storywise, and the main character was complex, authentic, sympathetic, and very sexy. The ending was a surprise and the journey there was completely transporting. Great read -- especially if you've spent time in Santa Barbara where it is set.

On the edge of your seat

I loved this book. It had a great twist of real life situations which you don't normally find completely in books. I found it hard to believe that a man actually wrote this book because the main character is a woman, and the veiws and feelings he expresses from her part are just to real. It was thick in the sexual experiences which made it a bit odd to me, but I still loved it. Her job is what puts you on the edge of your seat because you never know what will happen next...getting attacked at your deserted pool or ending up with some gangsters. Definently worth reading

Great Read

This book, again, like the Disapperance, had me guessing again. I could not put this book down! Normally, I can figure out who the guilty person is by the middle of a book I'm reading, but, again, Freedmand had me totally stunned! The outcome of the story was totally shocking, I never would have guessed, and I didn't. The only thing that bothered me about this book, was, I thought there was too much sex in the book. I didn't really see how it had anything to do with the story, it didn't seem to pertain to the story at all. Other then that, this book was totally enjoyable, and another great read! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.

Good detective story, but you gotta trust somebody

Once you get over the shock of transition from a traditional past-tense narrative in the prologue to a present-tense one in the rest of the book, this turns out to be a very well-written mystery in the tradition of the Lew Archer series, and of "Chinatown" and "The Two Jakes" - except that here the detective is a woman, and the characters representing the power are also women.Freedman writes very well and I found myself drawn in almost against my will. I believed that every one of these characters could actually exist.My complaints? At the risk of sounding chauvinistic, all of Freedman's most powerful characters are women. I believed in these characters especially, but in terms of gender this book seems a little lopsided. Also, with two exceptions (not including Kate), every character in this book seems to have some kind of ulterior motive for what he or she does, or is involved in the murders to some degree. I'm reminded of Deep Throat's last words to Dana Scully in "The X-files": "Trust no one."I hope that Freedman writes another book featuring Kate Blanchard, but he doesn't have to be so conspiracy-minded if he does.

Totally absorbing book. Hope to read more from the author.

This is a fast paced mystery that kept me guessing. Our lady detective was well rounded personality wise, a true human being. Hope we get to read more about her!