Where There's Smoke by Rachel Louise Adams (2026)
I fairly gushed over 'No Rest for the Wicked', author Rachel Louise Adams first mystery featuring beautiful, troubled Wisconsin pathologist Delores Diaz and I enjoyed this second book just as much. (See my review of 9/16/25). While this one lacks the extra helping of Halloween flavoring that made the first book such a spooky season pleasure, rest assured there's plenty more gristly goings-on here to keep Delores busy........and in danger of ending up on her own morgue slab. .
This can be read as a stand alone but I'm pretty sure that after finishing 'Where There's Smoke" readers will want to check out "No Rest..." for the full harrowing backstory of Delores and her estranged family..........whose aftermath still lingers on, and still referred to in this new entry..
Delores, still traumatized by the events of the return to her Halloween-ish Wisconsin hometown, has taken on the job of Medical Examiner in a closely neighboring town.......close enough to reconnect with her brother Asher, her impetuous young sister Josie and her imperious, controlling, emotionally distant stepmother Charlotte. And the first murder victim landing on her autopsy table is none other than Benedict Marcy, the town's most beloved big business employer, owner of the Marcy's Meats slaughterhouse. Of course, where else would the murderer leave the nausea-inducing remains of Marcy but right on the slaughterhouse killing floor.
While Delores delves into the gruesome medical mysteries surrounding the corpse, FBI agent Paul Turner takes on the case with his new rookie partner Kate Butcher, who used to be Delores's hot tempered bullying adolescent nemesis. As the case deepens, growing ever darker and more horrific, Paul tirelessly flirts with Delores and Delores re-establishes the torn, damaged ties to her family......even making friendly overtures to Kate, who's plagued by worries she's in over her head at the FBI.
As the case unfolds, the full sickening extent of the crimes and conspiracies surrounding the Marcy slaughterhouse and the neighboring county prison become clearer.......not only in previous deaths but a fresh new murder proving that somebody's determined to keep the dreadful truth from coming out. And that puts Delores, Paul and Kate in their their crosshairs.
Once again, author Adams truly excels at making heartbreaking human emotion and empathy for the characters a major part of the twists and turns. And her double whammy showdown in the reveal of the evil at play will hold you spellbound as you speed through the pages.
So far (for me) this series is batting 5 stars per book, so I can't think of any better way to wrap up this review.
5 stars (*****).
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