Review: Smoke by P.J. Parker

P.J. Parker’s Smoke is a sharp, visceral departure from the typical assassin thriller. Set in a "chrome-plated" Manhattan, the novel follows Thomas Smoke, a professional killer who subverts tropes by being terrifyingly human. Unlike the cold calculation of Tom Ripley or the moral code of Dexter Morgan, Smoke is defined by his vulnerability—he bleeds, fails, and feels the weight of his mortality.
Parker transforms New York into a living antagonist, using gritty architectural detail to heighten a high-octane game of cat-and-mouse. This cinematic masterclass in tension challenges readers to root for a monster in a morally ambiguous world. It is a raw, irregular pulse of a thriller that demands a screen adaptation.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars