New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown returns with a tale of corruption and betrayal, revenge and reversal - where friends become foes, and heroes become criminals in the ultimate abuse of power.

When newswoman Britt Shelley wakes up to find herself in bed with Jay Burgess, a rising star detective in the Charleston PD, she remembers nothing of how she got there...or of how Jay wound up dead.

Handsome and hard-partying, Jay was a hero of the disastrous fire that five years earlier had destroyed Charleston's police headquarters. The blaze left seven people dead, but the death toll would have been much higher if not for the bravery of Jay and three other city officials who risked their lives to lead others to safety.

Firefighter Raley Gannon, Jay's lifelong friend, was off-duty that day. Though he might not have been a front-line hero, he was assigned to lead the investigation into the cause of the fire. It was an investigation he never got to complete. Because on one calamitous night, Raley's world was shattered.

Scandalized, wronged by the people he trusted most, Raley was forced to surrender the woman he loved and the work to which he'd dedicated his life. For five years his resentment against the men who exploited their hero status to further their careers -- and ruin his -- had festered, but he was helpless to set things right.

That changes when he learns of Jay Burgess's shocking death and Britt Shelley's claim that she has no memory of her night with him. As the investigation into Jay's death intensifies, and suspicion against Britt Shelley mounts, Raley realizes that the newswoman, Jay's last sexual conquest, might be his only chance to get personal vindication -- and justice for the seven victims of the police station fire.

But there are powerful men who don't want to address unanswered questions about the fire and who will go to any lengths to protect their reputations. As Raley and Britt discover more about what happened that fateful day, the more perilous their situation becomes, until they're not only chasing after the truth but running for their lives.

Friends are exposed as foes, heroes take on the taint of criminals, and no one can be trusted completely. A tale about audacious corruption -- and those with the courage to expose it -- Smoke Screen is Sandra Brown's most searing and intense novel yet.

I really enjoyed this story. Sandra Brown is my all time favorite author. There are a few things I want to point out before you read this story. If you are looking for the usual hot and heavy romance scenes that come with Sandra Brown novels, then you are in for a surprise. This book was definitely a 5 star on the mystery part, but the romance part is maybe at 3 star at best. Sandra Brown's novels usually have steamy love scenes, but this one really lacks that. Overall, the story is very great and I did not figure everything out until the very end.

this was my introduction to Sandra Brown's writing and it got me hooked! Loved this book!

Holds your interest. Good book even with the typo on page 385 (where are the good proofreaders?)

Five years ago, after having one drink, Raley Gannon woke up at his friend Jay Burgess's apartment next to a dead woman. He can't remember what happened and loses his career and his fiancé.

Britt Shelley is a reporter always looking for an explosive story. Now Britt wakes up next to a dead man, after one drink, and can't remember anything. The catch is that the dead man is Jay Burgess.

When Raley found out, he kidnapped Britt and they decided to work together to find out what happened to both of them.

1. How in the heck do you pronounce "Raley"? Rally, Rayley, Raleigh? I ended up calling him Riley.
2. Britt was self involved and admitted she never gave a thought to the damage her stories did to others and wasn't above slanting the story to make it more titillating.
3. Did Jay have to be made out as such a horrible person?
4. There was zero chemistry between Raley and Britt, he didn't even like her for good reason!

However, I didn't see the end coming until it was almost there. This started out with a good plot but went in a dozen different directions and ended up nowhere. The last few books I've read by Sandra Brown have not been up to her usual standards. Get this one at the library.

I have to admit I am a little baffled by the 5-star reviews. The book did flow well and the story kept moving, but you could have seen the end coming from very early in the book. I am one of those people who rarely can predict the outcome of a book, but this was almost a joke how obvious the "bad guys" were. I kept thinking some huge revelation or surprise plot would be revealed, but nothing, which was disappointing. If you want an easy read go for it, but if you are looking for a real mystery, don't waste your time.