Her family offered her a neat life of privilege and power, until Lotti turned away from her father’s plans – and toward what she really wanted. Now happy as a primary school teacher, Lotti may even have found the right man, a single dad, not the kind of guy who will fit in with her family, but who nonetheless feels like home.
But Lotti isn’t the only one running from her past. August’s strong silent demeanour may be part of his attraction, but as they get closer, his inability to talk about his past begins to interfere with their future.
When August receives a cryptic text message that prompts an immediate departure, Lotti and Augie’s six-year-old son Otto follow him to his small hometown where decades of lies begin to unravel. When details of a shocking crime emerge, Lotti will have to decide if she trusts the man August has become more than she fears the man he once was.
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Read some great reviews from our Preview readers here:
When the world tells you to listen to your head, but you instead trust your instinct and listen to your heart. That’s how I would sum up this Aussie story. The characters took a little time for me to warm to, but as the story rapidly unfolds, the suspense and intrigue meant I couldn’t put the book down and zoomed through the pages. There’s always something about the bad guy that lures us in and we can’t help running over the red flags, but as hoped, there’s always a reason and two sides to every story. Loved it! Hope it turns into a movie. Kylie, NSW, 5 Stars
Found this read to be addictive – I really struggled to put this book down. Gripping mystery that kept me turning those pages. Interesting twists and turns throughout. Kim, NSW, 5 Stars
I found Kylie Karen’s After the Smoke Clears a thoroughly thought-provoking story. Told from alternating perspectives (Lotti’s and Augie’s) over two different timelines (1988 and 2009), it captures the reader from the very beginning and drops them into a tale of intrigue and mystery. It’s a book about a small town’s secret and the extremes people go to for decades to hide the truth in order to protect those they love. Can Angie really ‘bury’ everything while a determined Lotti will stop at nothing until she discovers the truth? An emotional read that delves into many not so often discussed themes such as trauma, shame, abuse, family violence, betrayal, but ultimately resilience, redemption, and LOVE. A compelling story from start to finish. Jenny, VIC, 5 Stars
Kylie Kaden has written an emotional, addictive story of a man running from his past and the woman who wants to be his future. She has turned her back on her privileged upbringing. His upbringing was privilege free. A cryptic message has them both heading to his small hometown, where things become complicated. The story is full of secrets and twists. Mara, NSW, 5 Stars
After the Smoke Clears is nominally a crime novel, but for many readers the relationship study will dominate their experience. Either way, this is a thoughtful and insightful read that many will enjoy. Many difficult issues are raised, around parenting, mental health problems, abuse, and corruption, to name a few. Kaden approaches these with sensitivity and discretion. She manages the fine balancing act of being up-front about things often treated secretively, without being lurid or voyeuristic. This is an excellent novel. It examines relationships under strain, the extent to which we are formed by our early experiences, and both the best and worst in people. It’s thoughtful and sensitive, cloaked in an interesting crime plot to give impetus to the action. Highly recommended for readers interested in exploring deep below the surface of a crime. Lorraine, ACT, 5 Stars
An interesting and compelling storyline, full of intrigue and drama keeping you enthralled from beginning to end. Kylie Kaden writes with compassion and knowledge of Australia and Aussies. Loved the comparison to events in the past but not sure all readers will understand the reference – then again, it may compel some to do a little research of their own. A really enjoyable book. Julie, NSW, 5 Stars
Lotti’s family live in Canberra and are well known in the area. They want their daughter to work there but she wants to teach and much to their disapproval, she gets a position in a small town teaching young children. We all have secrets but some of us have more than others and they go a lot deeper. Liz, VIC, 5 Stars
After the Smoke Clears is a story of two main characters – Augie and Lottie. It follows their stories as Augie tries to help a friend. It goes back to a different timeline as secrets are unravelled. Augie’s childhood has been filled with trauma. It is not until near the end that he discovers the truth. A great read. Denise, VIC, 5 Stars
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. There were lots of unexpected twists that kept me guessing. The characters were very well described and easy to warm to. The ending was unexpected. Definitely worth reading! Amanda, SA, 5 Stars
What can I say about the story? Well, it is the first of Kylie Kaden’s books I have read. The story of untold secrets from one’s past, resilience, lies and truths come out from both main characters and others embroiled in the story. This was a page-turner and had me enthralled from the first to the last page. Well written, about things that have happened in the past and do to this very day and how people deal with these issues. Well done. Denise, QLD, 5 Stars
Lotti’s the daughter of a federal politician, but she’s determined to leave Canberra and build a new life as a teacher. At the same time, she’s met a new man, August, a single dad who is the strong, silent type. After a cryptic message, Lotti takes her partner’s deaf son Otto on a trip into the Queensland backblocks to try to find out who the man she loves really is. Has she been sleeping with a stranger who has betrayed her? And is Otto really August’s son? This is author Kylie Kaden’s fifth novel and she displays her gift for Aussie slang in an intriguing story of friends, families, and secrets intertwined in a small town. It’s a tale that’s guaranteed to make you want to hunt down her earlier books. Don, SA, 5 Stars
Who can you trust in life and love? You can never be sure what secrets one is keeping. When circumstances bring Lotti to Augie’s childhood town, Lotti discovers she does not know Augie as well as she thought. As she learns more about the man she thought she knew from those who have loved him longer, she starts to question her relationship. But we learn that Augie is not the only one keeping secrets. Our past makes us who we are, so why do we choose to hide the parts that cause us shame or hurt us? This is a story about trust, love, loss, resilience, and loyalty – what would you do for someone you love? Louise, NSW, 5 Stars
A gripping read of power and privilege. Lotti falls head over heels for August, a single father of Otto. Lotti’s father has her broken between her life of privilege that he is offering her. But she turns it down to become a teacher and follows August. August has a very secret past and he simply won’t go there to help Lottie understand. It rips their world apart and Lotti begins to unravel the terrible secrets of his past. August gets a message in the middle of the night and leaves. Lotti takes Otto to where August grew up and the story takes a very unsettling turn. Can Lotti stay with August after this…? A brilliant read… Well recommended. Noeleen, WA, 5 Stars
An intriguing dive into small-town country life in Australia and all the secrets a life can hold. At first the book seemed like a typical “rich girl meets guy from the wrong side of the tracks” novel and a little slow to start. But gradually, as it weaves back and forth in time, one can empathise with the web of lies. I really enjoyed how the book left every angle of the mystery open for our interpretation – more than your basic whodunnit and the characters could be any one of us: a brother, a sister, a friend, an aunt, and all the relationships in between. The end was a little mind-boggling, but overall a great read and in a class of its own amongst novels. Frances, NSW, 4 Stars
The fifth novel from Kylie Kaden offers readers a complex web of family ties, past secrets, friendships, responsibilities, and small-town tensions. After the Smoke Clears is a tangled kinship crime mystery tale of a homecoming and an unravelling of the past. I found myself hard-pressed to put this book down as I got sucked deeper into the rabbit hole that Kylie Kaden’s characters managed to fall into. After the Smoke Clears follows two timelines and two different points of view as this novel gradually unfurls in a slow burn style form of release. Kylie Kaden takes us through a tumultuous character map that includes checkpoints associated with loss, grief, domestic affairs, illness, motherhood, family support, upbringing, impairment, incarceration, friendship, loyalty, fear, trust, protection, and the umbrella theme of fire. With composite characters, a well-paced narrative, a stifling small-town atmosphere, a layered plot, intricate relationships, and a realistic look at the trials of life, I found After the Smoke Clears to be a nomadic family mystery tale. Turn to this one if you like soft-hued crime or intricate family mystery novels. Amanda, WA, 4 Stars
The book is written from the perspectives of the main characters, which gives an insight into their backgrounds that impact the events in the story. Written in this manner, it draws you into the book as you can relate to the characters, their location and their experiences, particularly if you have ever lived in a small country town. The storyline touches on a number of social, class, and power issues, which gets the reader thinking. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and finished it quite quickly – the very definition of a page-turner. I was pleased to see this was not the author’s first book and I look forward to reading more of their work. Rebecca, VIC, 4 Stars
Lotti turned away from her life of power and privilege offered by her family and towards a life of her own as a school teacher. She may have even found the right man. However, August’s (Augie) inability to talk about his past begins to jeopardise their future together. This was a real page-turner and I enjoyed reading this book. I enjoyed reading about August as a teenager and then as a man in the present day. I recommend this book for those who enjoy a good fast-paced read. My only criticism is that the F*** word was used too frequently. A ‘slip of the tongue’ can be excused, but surely there are better ways to express oneself. Carolyn, WA, 4 Stars
Intrigue and mystery – makes for a good read. Mandy, VIC, 4 Stars
Charlotte (Lotti) has left her privileged life in Canberra and become a primary school teacher north of Brisbane. Here she meets and becomes involved with Augie, a mechanic, and dad to Otto, one of her pupils. Using alternate views from Augie and Lotti, and two different timelines, the characters are slowly developed, keeping the reader a little off balance. The relationships between Augie and his friends and family are complicated and the reason for his leaving them and the town behind is slowly explained. Kylie Kaden has described the small-town atmosphere very well, drip-feeding information from the past, and keeping the tension high with the risks in the present. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to those who enjoy an Australian mystery. Catherine, QLD, 4 Stars
We follow the story of August through two timelines and from the perspective of multiple characters. Set in western Queensland where Augie grew up, the trauma of his childhood begins to unravel. The story is compelling and the characters interesting but I am one of those readers who gets really annoyed when everyone’s problems could be solved by just communicating. The flaws in each character are of course plot devices but I still found them to be frustrating people. I was a little confused at times if we were in outback Queensland or small town USA (I don’t think we call anything a diner?) but having recently visited western Queensland and currently being in Brisbane I enjoyed the little details that localise the story. For a family drama that will keep you turning those pages, I can highly recommend Kylie Kaden’s After the Smoke Clears. Amelia, VIC, 4 Stars
A fast-paced read that was really enjoyable. I had no idea which direction this book was going but loved the twists and turns. Great ending that I didn’t pick. Fab book from an Aussie author! Jo, VIC, 4 Stars
A story about the huge secrets a small town can keep and hide for decades and about not really knowing a romantic partner half as much as you believe you do. It’s a journey of redemption when Lottie goes in search of missing partner August after taking off on a family mission to his hometown. The problem is, does she really want to find out who he really is and will she still love him the same when she does? It’s about putting ghosts of the past to bed and the healing of honesty and closure and protecting those you love at all costs. A really thought-provoking Australian tale that captivated me. I strongly recommend this book. Hirell, NSW, 4 Stars
I received this ARC from Better Reading recently and although not my favourite tale, it is still entertaining and an easy read. My view of Augie kept swapping and changing, which I’m sure was the author’s intention all along. There is some colourful language used, which produces some moments of humour when Otto repeats it, but it is not overdone and very relevant to the characters’ personalities. Kylie has managed to create a story that will leave you a little bit wiser with the knowledge that sometimes you have to go with your gut. Nerelle, NSW, 4 Stars
Augie leaves his son, Otto, with a (relatively new) girlfriend, Lottie, with little to no details about the who, what, where, when and how this situation was going to work out. Small towns are notorious for secrets and trauma and sometimes you just really wish things would stay in the past, but more often than not, they just don’t stay there. What I enjoy about Kylie Kaden’s writing is that she brings the past and present stories together and you don’t feel like you are jumping all over the place with flashbacks and trying to track the progress of the stories. I do find her style of writing is addictive because of the way she builds the suspense and mystery and I always felt slightly off balance. Aotea, QLD, 3 Stars
This story carries the reader along throughout. A definite page-turner, the momentum continues as we follow Lotti to the small town where Augie grew up and unlock the story step by step with her, while also alternating with Augie’s perspective. This is definitely one of those stories that would have been over in a page and a half if everyone wasn’t so keen on keeping secrets. Overall, I liked Lotti but never really clicked with Augie, and that hindered my enjoyment. A decent thriller that peters out a bit towards the end. Richard, VIC, 3 Stars
This book had a stronger second half than the first half. A little too subtle on the effects of institutional child abuse. Elizabeth, NSW, 3 Stars
After the Smoke Clears was an easy read with some interesting and at times confronting themes woven through a story with two timelines. I did, however, have difficulty engaging with the two main protagonists: August who has quite a questionable past with lots of hidden secrets, and Lottie, a teacher trying to make her own way through life without her father’s constant unwanted influence. The plots were there, buried bones, police investigation, small-town issues and quirkiness; I just felt something was missing. Ilona, VIC, 3 Stars
After the Smoke Clears is the sad and twisting story of teenagers in a small country town and also about those teenagers when they become adults, and the way their lives have been affected. What happened to these teenagers? What happened in the town? I’m not going to tell you here but I think you’ll be surprised. I enjoyed the first 3/4 of this book a lot, but unfortunately, I believe it went downhill from there. Fiona, QLD, 3 Stars
I found this book hard to finish. The premise was good, but I thought it was too long and unfulfilling. Ros, ACT, 2 Stars
I really wanted to like this novel but sadly it felt like a long slog. Very slow to get going, over halfway before anything substantial piqued my interest. Not as thrilling original as it could have been. Dianne, SA, 1 Star
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