Books like Smoke Screen by Sandra Brown

When journalist Britt Shelley wakes to discover herself in the bed of the dead Detective Jay Burgess, her memory gaps raise suspicion and threaten her safety. Jay was a celebrated hero of the 2003 fire that gutted Charleston’s police station, a blaze for which he and three other officials bravely rescued survivors. Firefighter Raley Gannon, Jay’s close friend, led the investigation into that tragedy—an inquiry that left him discredited and emotionally scarred. For five years he resented the men who used the fire to propel their careers and ruined his life. Burgess’s murder and Shelley’s amnesia force Raley to confront past injustices. Together, they dig into hidden motives, uncover staged evidence, and evade powerful antagonists eager to protect their reputations. The stakes rise as their investigation becomes a race against time and life‑threatening danger. A tense blend of romance, suspense, and investigative thriller, the story follows Raley and Shelley as they chase the truth behind a city’s most devastating fire and a detective’s murder. Their pursuit places them in the crosshairs of those who will kill to keep history buried.

First publish date: 2008