Where There's Smoke by Jodi Picoult

Title: Where There's Smoke
Author: Jodi Picoult
Published: March 2014
Published By: Ballantine Books
Format Read: Kindle for PC, eBook
Genre: Short story, contemporary, paranormal
Date Read: August 8 2015
Rating: 4/5

Since the age of 4 Serenity Jones has been able to communicate with the dead. Years later, as a grown woman she has her own successful talk show where she uses her psychic abilities to connect her guests with their dearly departed. However fame was beginning to go to her head and even her spiritual guides were getting fed up. When the spirit of an angered soldier raises some smoke (literally), Serenity learns that her lifestyle could disappear in the blink of an eye. 

I have been wanted to read a Jodi Picoult book for some time now. In fact I own a couple, but it was this short story that came to the top of my TBR list first. It was a great sneak-peak into the writing style of this author, before I dive into a longer story. 

At only 40 pages the author was able to fit not only a current storyline but enough backstory to understand the main character. The paranormal aspect isn’t really a genre I normally pick up, but I couldn’t put this down. Serenity Jones was an interesting character and I found learning about her special gift to be as well. I won’t say that I am a believer of mediums, but the way Picoult described the process of connecting with the spirits seem to be well.. believable. 

Although the ending was quite abrupt, I was pleased to learn that Serenity is featured in the full length novel Leaving Time by the same author. I am looking forward to reading not only that story but several other of Picoult’s works as well. 

I would recommend Where There’s Smoke to fans of this author and those who are interested in contemporary fiction with a spiritual or paranormal angle. This would also be ideal for readers who are curious to find out if Jodi Picoult’s writing style is right for them.