Sandy M’s review of Smokescreen (Eve Duncan, Book 26) by Iris Johansen
Mystery published by Grand Central Publishing 30 Jul 19
I’ve gotten away from the Eve Duncan series over the last number of years – not because I didn’t like the books or anything. Mostly just because there’s a million other books to read too. I have read one or three here and there since those first dozen or so I read in the beginning of the series, and that includes Smokescreen. I’ve read Iris Johansen for a long time now, so believe me when I say it hurts a bit that this book didn’t work all that well for me.
While I was reading, I kept thinking to myself maybe there’s been just too many books about Eve and Joe. Twenty-six books is a lot for a series. For me, what happens is an author becomes repetitive with certain things in their writing after so long. Of course, Ms. Johansen doesn’t do this nearly as much as others out there, but when every character in this book “twisted” their lips time and again, to say it distracted me is an understatement. If that had been an idiosyncrasy of just one character, it probably wouldn’t have bothered me, but everyone does it.
Then there’s the over-independence of Jill Cassidy, star reporter and second to Eve in this book. She quite cleverly manipulates Eve to the African village of Maldara, a war-torn country that was the target of an evil bastard, who supposedly died during his own massacre of his countrymen. He targeted children to lure adults into his sights, and there are young skulls on display by the country’s president, under the guise of solidarity, that Jill wants Eve to do her magic on. It’s once Eve arrives that she learns, bit by bit, how Jill orchestrated her own agenda concerning the story’s villain and to gain Eve’s assistance.
I like Jill. And I like Novak, the CIA operative who has been by her side when needed, wanting to attain the same goal. He, of course, is an alpha man who calls the shots on missions and wants to protect those who aren’t as strong. And this is where I got a little irritated with Jill. She insists on being part of every bit of the mission, even when it’s much too dangerous and distracting for Novak and his men. I’m never happy with heroines who go this far. And she’s as blunt as can be about it, telling Novak to “Go away, I don’t need you here” and the like. I got tired of hearing that.
Joe Quinn eventually shows up when he discovers the danger Eve is in. He’s as alpha as Novak, and I enjoyed the scenes with these two going head to head. Then there’s Zahra, the president, and she’s one piece of work, claiming to be descended from Cleopatra through her daughter and has possession of their golden treasure after hundreds of years. My favorite character has to be Gideon, rich man spy who wants to right the wrongs of the country. I’m actually hoping he gets his own book in the series.
Once Eve sculpts the skull she was dubiously brought to Maldara for, things really get action-packed, and that part of the series has not changed over the years. Ms. Johansen is a master at subterfuge and vengeance, and those scenes don’t let up until the smoke clears. I do enjoy the family aspects of the Quinns, especially their son Michael. It will be interesting to watch his character develop as the series goes on. I’m a tad confused at their adopted daughter Jane’s and Sean’s relationship being on the outs here. I believe the last book I read in the series was theirs, so I’m obviously missing something not having read the stories in between.
The dialogue here is somewhat over the top for Ms. Johansen. I read her Kendra Michaels series and there aren’t the semi-soliloquies some of these characters toss out. Jill and Novak do decide to explore what’s between them – Novak more than Jill, but she eventually concedes, though she still gives him trouble over it all.
All that being said, still a very good story from Iris Johansen. She’s one of the best, even when it doesn’t quite work, which doesn’t happen often. At least I’m hoping so, because it seems this series will still continue for a while.
Grade: B-
Summary:
Forensic sculptor Eve Duncan journeys to Africa to help families torn apart by a violent attack deep in the jungle–but she may be putting herself in more danger than she knows.
A journalist shows up on Eve Duncan’s doorstep with a plea for help. Jill Cassidy has just come from a small African village with a heart wrenching story: half the villagers–many of them children–have been killed in a horrific attack by guerilla soldiers, the bodies burned beyond recognition. Now, the families desperately need Eve’s help to get closure and begin to heal.
But when Eve arrives in the remote jungle, she begins to suspect that Jill’s plea may have been a cover story for a deeper, more sinister plot. Isolated and unsure who she can trust, Eve finds herself stranded in an unstable country where violence threatens to break out again at any moment and with only her own instincts to rely on if she hopes to get home to her family alive . . .
No excerpt available.
