Up in Smoke - by Nick Brooks (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"A dynamic and heart-pounding thriller . . . Up In Smoke has the highest of stakes and a tender love story at its core." --bestselling author Jessica Goodman

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.

Includes a bonus QR code linking to a single from the author's accompanying rap album of the same name!

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.

Monique, Jason's sister and Cooper's longtime crush, is willing to go any length to clear her brother's name. Even if she needs to walk through fire and confront the killer herself. When she teams up with Cooper, they fall down the investigation rabbit hole and start to fall for each other. But little does Monique know that within this web of deception, Cooper is shrouding the truth that he was there when the shots went off. If the pair fail to uncover the real murderer, Jason will get locked up for a crime he didn't commit--and drag down Cooper with him.

Pick this up if you love:
● high stakes, dual POV thrillers
● page-turning mysteries
● will-they-won't-they romance
● twists and turns you never see coming

Review Quotes

A 2026 CBC Librarian Favorite
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2025

* "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 Dark

Praise 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

* "A top-notch page-turner . . . will grip readers, who won't want to stop reading." --Booklist, starred review

About the Author

Nick Brooks is the critically-acclaimed author of Promise Boys and award-winning filmmaker from Washington, DC. He is a 2020 graduate of USC's TV and Film Production program. His short film, Hoop Dreamin', earned him the George Lucas Scholar Award and was a finalist in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Film Fest. Before becoming a filmmaker, Nick was an educator working with at-risk youth, and many of his stories are inspired by his experiences with the children and families of his community. He is also the author of the middle-grade series, Nothing Interesting Ever Happens to Ethan Fairmont.