Up in Smoke

A girl determined to clear her brother's name. A boy determined to keep his out of the line of fire. A secret smoldering between them. This edge-of-your-seat mystery from the author of Promise Boys is perfect for fans of Karen McManus and The Hate U Give.Unmask a murderer or take the fall.After Cooper King is pressured by big brother figure Jason to go on a looting spree during a local march, the unthinkable happens: gunshots ring in the air and someone ends up dead. After Cooper flees, the news shows four teens in ski masks near the scene of the murder—Cooper and his friends. Cooper fears the cops will come knocking at his door, and the pressure only mounts when a suspect is taken into custody: Jason.

* "A thrilling, heart-racing mystery with a page-turning budding romance at its center." --Kirkus, starred review

"A dynamic and heart-pounding thriller about systemic injustice, Up In Smoke has the highest of stakes and a tender love story at its core. Nick Brooks is a force." --Jessica Goodman, NYT-bestselling author of The Meadowbrook Murders and The Legacies* "Fabulous." --SLJ, starred review"Exhilirating." --Shelf Awareness"A tense contemporary whodunit that will get you thinking and keep you guessing." --Lamar Giles, author of Ruin Road

"A nostalgic love story, intertwined in a fast-paced mystery that captures the gut-wrenching fears and emotional conflicts Black teenagers are forced to overcome in today's America." --Jumata Emill, author of The Black Queen and Wander in the DarkPraise for Promise Boys:An Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production for Young Adults.

A Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honoree.

A NYPL & Kirkus Best Book of 2023

Named to TWENTY State Awards Lists!

"Thrilling, captivating, and blade-sharp." --Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying

"A brilliant pulls-no-punches mystery with bruised hearts at its core." --Adam Silvera, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of They Both Die at the End

"Expertly crafted." --Nic Stone, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Dear Martin