LOOKING FOR SMOKE weaves loss, betrayal and complex characters into a thriller that will illuminate, surprise and engage readers until the final word. Since moving to the Blackfeet Reservation with her family, Mara Racette has felt like an outsider—but everything changes when a local girl, Loren Arnoux, invites her to be part of an honorary giveaway that ends in the shocking murder of a fellow classmate. Together, Mara and several of her peers work to uncover the mystery behind this murder and the seemingly related disappearance of Loren’s sister—and none of them knows who they can trust.

LOOKING FOR SMOKE centers the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) crisis, weaving tragic stories that mimic real-life disappearances with the problems Indigenous communities across the nation face, particularly on reservations, in getting people to care. It’s both an informative and engaging book that kept me on the edge of my seat—particularly toward the end, where twists just kept coming.

I thought the character work in this book was excellent. We get POVs from the four main teenagers involved in the mystery, and they each have distinct personalities, motivations, fears and secrets. Through these differing perspectives, Cobell shines a lot on some of the major problems affecting Native reservations, including addiction, financial struggles and separated families. The book also highlights so many sources of cultural pride, from dances at Indian Days celebrations, to legendary Blackfeet stories. The community in Cobell’s book felt so real and complex without coming off overly critical or negative. This book is marketed as YA, but I think the narrative is accessible to readers young and old.

Although the mystery mostly wraps up tidily toward the end, I found myself wanting a few more answers. It felt like a person or two more were involved in the situation, but we don’t get explanation beyond a final (and powerful) closing POV switch. I also was a little thrown by the “Unknown” (the killer’s) POV sections. These mainly serve as a way to get MMIW and case information via a podcast, but I feel like the podcast could have stood on its own without the intentionally passive-voice sections that prompt them.

I think this would appeal to fans of THE FIREKEEPER’S DAUGHTER and SISTERS OF THE LOST NATION!