"A mystery of the highest order..."
—J.T. Ellison, author of All the Pretty Girls and 14

300 pages  |  $14.95 (paper)  |  $24.95 | November

Chasing Smoke summary

Portland homicide detective Skin Kadash just wants to survive cancer treatment so he can get back to work he loves. But when his partner tries to drag him into an unofficial investigation of a series of deaths, he’s not interested — he’s dead-dog sick and doesn’t need the grief — until she reveals the victims all suffered from cancer themselves, and all had one thing in common with Skin. His oncologist.

The police have closed the books on the deaths, all apparent suicides, yet a mysterious young woman, daughter of the first victim, surfaces and insists that the dead men were all murdered. Before her story can be probed more deeply, she disappears, leaving Kadash with no support from the cops and little to go on except a nagging belief the missing woman knew more than she revealed.

Kadash is left to chase elusive leads among the bitter and broken widows of the dead men. Struggling with his own illness and with a growing rift between himself and his partner, Kadash finds himself entangled in a web of resentment, jealousy, and deceit. Ultimately, he finds that not is he only seeking a missing woman and the truth about the dead men, but also the meaning of his own life in the face of his impending mortality.

Praise for Chasing Smoke

"Skin Kadash, a Portland, OR, homicide detective and cancer victim, is asked by his partner to look over her notes on three suicides and view the scene of the fourth. All four men suffered from cancer and went to the same doctor, who also happens to be Kadash's physician. Rising crime fiction star Cameron (Lost Dog) has Kadash take a wisecracking, cynical approach to his situation, and this results in a very humane, personal investigation in which our protagonist must navigate the dangerous shoals of police office politics and the ugly fact that someone wants him gone permanently. Highly recommended for all collections."
—Library Journal (starred review)

“CHASING SMOKE is a tour-de-force, New Century Noir at it's finest. Fans of Michael Connelly will relish Cameron's colorful characters, and Cameron writes mortality like no other. Watch this guy!”
—Julia Spencer-Fleming

“CHASING SMOKE fulfills the promise of Lost Dog, combining the classic elements of a gripping mystery with a haunting story of human frailty, concealed corruption, and fatal passion. For my money, Bill Cameron is the rising star of crime fiction.”
—Craig Johnson, author of Another Man's Moccasins

“There's plenty you're going to like about CHASING SMOKE. It's got a great story, with satisfying twists and unexpected turns. The humor and the tension are equally genuine. The prose goes down smooth. The pages fly by. But it's the characters who make a book stay with you, and Bill Cameron proves it. I truly cared about these people.”
—Sean Doolittle, author of Rain Dogs, The Cleanup, and Safer

“A mystery of the highest order—loaded with meaty characters with questionable motivations, a puzzle to keep you guessing, and lyrical prose that will make your heart soar. CHASING SMOKE solidly establishes Cameron as a master of suspense.”
—J.T. Ellison, author of All the Pretty Girls and 14

“If you like cardboard characters, simple storylines, and pat resolutions, CHASING SMOKE isn’t for you. But if you’re looking for an engaging mystery gracefully rendered, filled with surprises and featuring one of the most interesting protagonists in recent memory, pick up Bill Cameron’s terrific second novel. You won’t be disappointed.”
—Marcus Sakey , author of The Blade Itself and At the City's Edge

“Hang on to your emotions. Bill Cameron going to try and steal them all with this book. If he doesn’t, his character, Skin Kadash, certainly will.”
—Lee Lofland, author of Howdunit: Police Procedure and Investigation

Bill Cameron lives with his wife and a menagerie of critters in Portland, Oregon.

His stories have appeared in Spinetingler, The Dunes Review, The Alsop Review, and in KILLER YEAR, edited by Lee Child. LOST DOG, his debut suspense novel, is available from Midnight Ink Books. Lost Dog was a finalist for the 2008 Spotted Owl and Rocky Awards. He is currently at work on his third novel.