"TANGLES doesn't feel like the historical fiction I've been reading lately...
it feels like so much more." --The San Francisco Book Review
"A beautifullty written, important story. Tangles packs a punch and hits close to home." --Robert Dugoni, New York Times Bestselling author of the Tracy Crosswhite Series
"At once labyrinthine and simply and deeply human, in stunning multiple narratives, Smith-Blum reminds us of the cost of freedom and the solace of nature and family." --James Anderson, Critically-acclaimed author of The Never Open Desert Diner
"In her knockout debut, Smith-Blum skillfully blends historical detail and nail-biting suspense." -- Kevin O'Brien, New York Times Bestselling author of The Enemy at Home
"A brilliant, captivating ride that reveals much about our radioactive legacy." --Joshua Frank, Award-winning author of Atomic Days
"I couldn't put it down..." --Michelle Gerber, Author of On the Home Front: The Cold War Legacy of the Hanford Nuclear Site
"Smith-Blum's voice radiates...with prose reminiscent of Guterson." --Cam Torrens, Award-winning author of the Tyler Zahn Thrillers
"Gorgeously recreated, Smith-Blum's story speaks to us all." --Steve Olson, Award-winning author of The Apocalypse Factory
"A trenchant tale of hope and longing...readers cannot turn away."
--Carole T. Beers, Author of the New West Mysteries with Heart
"Keep the tissues handy, TANGLES comes with an ending that will shed tears." --Chris Riley, Award-winning author of Went Missing
Available Wherever Books are Sold
"Deftly blending a love story with a suspenseful thriller of a mystery, author Kay Smith-Blum presents TANGLES, a Cold War era novel that showcases the devastating costs to life and the environment with the emergence of the nuclear age. Featuring the Kay Smith-Blum distinctive narrative-driven storytelling style, TANGLES reveals the courage of wronged women, the fierce determination of fatherless sons, and the limitless power of the individual. Original, exceptional, emotionally engaging, memorable, and raised by its author to an impressive level of literary excellence, TANGLES is especially and unreservedly recommended for community and public library Contemporary Fiction collections." -- The MIdwest Book Review
Photo credit Marc Von Borstel
MEET THE AUTHOR
Redefining Historical Fiction
Kay Smith-Blum, a former fashionista and Seattle School Board President, spends her days debunking the tropes of the mid-20th-century history. An odd dream and the recent upheaval over leaking radioactive waste tanks at the Hanford Nuclear site compelled her to write, Recently named Best Regional Fiction in the West for 2025 by the National Indie Excellence Awards and Best Historical Mystery/Suspense by the American Fiction Awards at Book Fest 2025, TANGLES, was also named Book of the Year by the Literary Global Book Awards and Best Debut Fiction by the American Writing Awards. Smith-Blum, a sunrise writer, has lived in Seattle for four decades. She works out her writer’s block in her sons’ gardens (which she designed) and the nearest lap pool. (For full Bio, see CV)
CONTACT
Follow KSB:
Media or event inquiries, please contact:
Erin Kelly Blum erin [dot] blum [at] gpcommsconsulting.com
Book club and Library inquiries, please contact:
Kay Smith-Blum kaysmithblum[at]gmail[dot]com
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