Publication Date: June 24, 2025
In the magnificent Scottish Highlands, two devoted mothers separated by centuries discover a haunting connection in a gripping novel by the USA Today bestselling author of The Girl Who Wrote in Silk.
Struggling with the tragic end of her marriage, Keaka Denney is on a bittersweet adventure in Scotland with her son, Colin. She’s joining him on a weeklong hike along the West Highland Way before he enters university in Glasgow. Soon into the journey, Keaka’s disquieting visions begin—a woman from ages past reaching for Colin, a burning cottage, violence.
Scotland, 1801. After Sorcha Chisholm and her son are wrenched from their home in a brutal eviction, they face an arduous trek toward a new beginning. When Sorcha learns she’s wanted for a murder she didn’t commit, she and her son run for their lives. Then help arrives from the strangest woman in the most unexpected ways.
Centuries apart, Keaka and Sorcha walk the same path—devoted mothers in circumstances beyond their control who will do anything to keep their sons safe. Defying logic, they find strength in each other. But what does their connection mean? And how far will it go?
Two mothers separated by time share an unusual bond that connects them when they need it the most.
Author Kelli Estes uses Scotland as the setting for a dual timeline in Smoke on the Wind. Present-day Keaka Denney embarks on a hike with her son, a precursor to him starting college. Meanwhile, Sorcha Chisholm and her son are brutally chased from their home in 1801 and are running for their lives.
The eviction reflects an example of a historical event known as the Highlands Clearances, where people of a clan were forced to leave the property they’d farmed for generations in order to be replaced with sheep.
Sorcha’s story provides a fascinating look into a culture with its own unique language, Scottish Gaelic. The author includes a guide to common phrases to help readers navigate the text.
The two mothers connect via visions, which adds an element of mystery. With Sorcha accused of murder, the story demonstrates the strength of a mother’s protective nature. Meanwhile, Keaka is trying just as hard to let go of her son as he moves into adulthood.
Smoke on the Wind highlights a traumatic time in Scottish history while connecting two mothers centuries apart.
Kelli Estes is the USA Today bestselling author of The Girl Who Wrote in Silk, which has been translated into eleven languages, was the recipient of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association Nancy Pearl Book Award and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association STAR Award, and is currently under option for film/TV; and Today We Go Home, a nationwide Target Book Club pick. Kelli is passionate about stories that show how history is still relevant to our lives today. Her lifelong love of Scotland has her learning the Scottish Gaelic language and the Scottish fiddle (both badly, but she’s working on it). She has walked three of Scotland’s long-distance trails (so far) and is currently planning the next. Kelli lives in Washington State with her husband and two sons.
Thank you for featuring Smoke on the Wind, and for the 4.5 star review! <3