Smoke on the Wind: A Novel

by Kelli Estes

Overview

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?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781662528095
Publisher:	Amazon Publishing
Publication date:	06/24/2025
Pages:	395
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

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. For more information, visit www.kelliestes.com.

Editorial Reviews

Set in the magnificent Scottish Highlands, Smoke on the Wind by novelist Kelli Estes is a fun, fascinating, and compelling read that will be of immense appeal to readers with an interest in original and emotionally engaging stories laced with mystery, suspense, and time displacing adventure. Exceptionally well crafted with memorable characters and an original theme, Smoke on the Wind is one of those novels that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after it has been finished and set back upon the shelf.” —Midwest Book Review

“A captivating time-slip novel that masterfully intertwines two mothers’ journeys across centuries in Scotland’s breathtaking highlands. Kelli Estes creates richly drawn characters whose maternal devotion transcends time itself. With its balance of historical detail, supernatural elements, and emotional depth, this unputdownable story explores the extraordinary lengths mothers will go to protect their children. A haunting, beautiful read that lingers long after the final page.” —Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling author of The Wayward Girls

“In Smoke on the Wind, Kelli Estes weaves a powerful story about two mothers emboldened by bone-deep love who travel the same road centuries apart only to find each other, impossibly, in their hours of need. Leaning into the sweeping Scottish landscape, Estes calls on the stone and fields and heather to conjure the mysticism of love and determination in their purest forms in this beautifully rendered, breathlessly propulsive novel.” —Julie Carrick Dalton, author of The Last Beekeeper

“Poignant and beautifully crafted, Smoke on the Wind shimmers with the misty allure of the Scottish Highlands and the invisible threads that bind us across time. With rich emotional texture and a haunting sense of place, this evocative novel captures both the tender ache and quiet strength of motherhood with stunning clarity and deep heart.” —Kelley McNeil, author of A Day Like This and Mayluna

“Estes is a masterful researcher and storyteller and Smoke on the Wind is a beautiful marriage of her talents. The reader will come away with a keen understanding of the historic Highland Clearances and will feel like they, too, are on the trail with Estes’s characters, both past and present. Smoke on the Wind is a must read for those who love Scotland, historical fiction, and novels about mothers and sons.” —Carla Crujido, author of The Strange Beautiful

“In this compelling dual narrative set two centuries apart along the West Highland Way in Scotland, award-winning author Kelli Estes bends reality to create a believable connection between two female protagonists as they protect their sons from past trauma and share the searing pain of letting them go. Readers are left wondering how thin the scrim between past and present might be—and reminds us to look both for signs from the past and from the natural world to propel us toward the future. A well-researched and highly immersive read from an accomplished author of historical fiction.” —Ashley E. Sweeney, author of The Irish Girl

“Kelli Estes breathes life and wonder into her stories of loss and redemption. Beautifully evocative, Smoke on the Wind is a love letter to mothers across time, a journey both emotional and touching.” —Elizabeth Boyle, New York Times bestselling author of O Little Town of Bethlehem

“Suspenseful and beautifully written, I couldn’t stop turning the pages to see how these determined women would navigate their challenging circumstances and find peace within their own hearts.” —Pat White, award-winning author and screenwriter

“When preparing to walk a multi-day trail, there’s nothing more enjoyable than immersing yourself in a good story about it. Smoke on the Wind is just that for Scotland’s West Highland Way. Through the interweaving stories of two families that hike it centuries apart—and the mystery that connects them—you gain not only an appreciation of the culture and history of the Highlands, you come to anticipate your own experience on the trail that much more.” —Cassandra Overby, hiking-based travel expert and author of Explore Europe on Foot

From the Publisher