Summary:
“In a well-crafted debut, Smith-Blum provides the reader a ringside seat to the birth of the nuclear age…a beautifully written, important story…Tangles packs a punch and hits close to home.” –Robert Dugoni, New York Times bestselling author of The Tracy Crosswhite Series
Oppenheimer was just the beginning.
When a harpooned whale offers proof the Hanford Nuclear Reservation is endangering all life in the Columbia River Basin, Luke Hinson, a brash young scientist, seizes the chance to avenge his father’s death but a thyroid cancer diagnosis derails Luke’s research. Between treatments, he dives back in, making enemies at every turn. On an overnight trek, Luke discovers evidence that Mary, his former neighbor, embarked on the same treacherous trail, and her disappearance, a decade prior, may be tied to Hanford’s harmful practices mired in government-mandated secrecy.
A love story wrapped in a mystery, this stunning Cold War home-front tale reveals the devastating costs of the birth of the nuclear age, and celebrates the quiet courage of wronged women, the fierce determination of fatherless sons, and the limitless power of the individual.
Tangles is a genre-defying must-read for our time.
Link – https://amzn.to/4gMudgH
Reviews:
“Based on real events, Tangles is an ambitious debut novel that is at once labyrinthine and simply and deeply human. At its heart are generations of secrets and horrific sacrifices played out in the twisted shadows of personal, corporate and government corruption during the advent of the Atomic Age and Cold War. In stunning and engrossing multiple narratives, Smith-Blum reminds us about the devastating and lasting costs of love, loyalty and freedom and, above all, the enduring solace of nature and family.” —James Anderson, author of The Never-Open Desert Diner and Lullaby Road
“In a well-crafted debut, Kay Smith-Blum provides the reader a ringside seat to the birth of the nuclear age and its human costs on those living in a small town cloaked in Cold War, government-mandated secrecy. Tangles is a tale of tragedy and loss, but also hope. A beautifully written, important story much like A Civil Action. It packs a punch and hits close to home.” —Robert Dugoni, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Tracy Crosswhite Series
“In her knockout debut novel, Tangles, Kay Smith-Blum sheds new light on Hanford. Skillfully blending historical details and nail-biting suspense, Smith-Blum weaves a harrowing story that unfolds across two decades with two complex protagonists you can really root for as they fight against a powerful, government-backed system. Timely as ever, TANGLES is fast-paced, compelling, and unputdownable.” —Kevin O’Brien, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Enemy at Home”
“A brilliant, captivating ride…although fiction, Smith-Blum reveals many truths about our radioactive legacy.” —Joshua Frank, Award-winning investigative journalist and author of Atomic Days
“Smith-Blum has gorgeously re-created an obscure time and place that were critical to the future of the planet. Her story speaks to us all.” —Steve Olson, Award-winning author of The Apocalypse Factory
“Tangles is a fascinating read…set against the backdrop of an important time and little-known place in American history, it keeps the reader guessing. I couldn’t put it down.” —Michele Gerber, Ph.D., Author of On The Home Front: The Cold War Legacy of the Hanford Nuclear Site
“Tangles is a genre-defying novel that is impossible to set aside. Kay Smith-Blum deftly wields a Cold War dual timeline to deliver readers a doubleheader of a story—the first, a tale of love and loss; the second, a government willing to pull out all stops to hide its responsibility for nuclear contamination. Smith-Blum describes Eastern Washington with talent matching David Guterson, and reveals character in dialogue reminiscent of Annie Proulx. One of the best debut novels I’ve read!” —Cam Torrens, award-winning author of Stable, False Summit, and Scorched
“Tangles is as gut-wrenching as it is heartwarming. The cast of characters as memorable as the setting. The backdrop is the mass production of nuclear warheads, and the fallout and life-altering consequences are nothing less than tragic, frustrating, and mind-blowing. Kay Smith-Blum is a master storyteller, and she is now on my “go to” list of authors to read, and she should be for you, too! Tangles is a 5 Star, Must Read!” —Joseph Lewis, Author of Blaze In, Blaze Out, Fan Mail, and other tales of the Evans Family
“The world of Tangles is brought to life with Smith-Blum’s vivid, rich language that befits such an epic historical tale.” —Samantha Dunn, Author of Not by Accident: Reconstructing, a Careless Life, and Failing Paris
“Tangles…is a triumphant artistic reconstruction. Kay Smith-Blum’s prose is gentle but it’s stands against the deadly gales. This book is hardly just another self-satisfied screed by a know-it-all environmentalist. The love stories that abound–reverberate for generations, just like the diseases foisted on them. Tangles is an ode to the human condition, to the irrepressibility of caring in the face of uncaring dangers. It is also first-rate literature.” —Morris Hoffman, author of Pinch Hitting
About the Author:
An Austin, Texas, transplant and lifetime environmental advocate, Kay Smith-Blum has called Seattle home since 1981. A former high-end fashion retailer who also served on the Seattle School Board, Smith-Blum spends her mornings writing stories that debunk the tropes of the mid-20th century and defy genre. Winner of the Black Fox Lit 2023 Short Story contest, Smith-Blum’s other short works have garnered Pushcart and Best of the Net nominations. In the afternoon, she works out her writer’s block in her three sons’ gardens or the nearest lap pool. For more, visit www.KaySmith-Blum.com and follow her on Instagram @discerningKSB