What writers and critics have said

Time Release

“Time Release sizzles, cooks, and singes! It’s a whipcord thriller full of deftly drawn characters, intrigue, and taut action. This is a spellbindingly accomplished first novel; Martin Smith may become a thriller force to be reckoned with.”

“Smith can load a scene with menace or pathos with equal ease. His sense of place is admirable and he imbues his characters with strengths and weaknesses in believable proportions.”

“Time Release is a fast, smart read and one fine thriller.”

“A good, creepy debut thriller.”

“A thunderbolt read . . . a good rip-roaring scare . . . hard to put down.”

“Intense . . . a compulsive page-turner you won’t want to put down.”

Shadow Image

“Martin J. Smith writes a damned good whodunit. Shadow Image hooks you . . . right through to the last page.”

“A suspenseful ride that doesn’t let up.”

“Powerful figures tread a dangerous path through dementia, pity, and murder in Martin J. Smith’s compelling new novel . . . No reader will walk away untouched.”

Straw Men

“Martin J. Smith has delivered another winner with the third in his Memory Series. Straw Men is an engrossing mystery with a wonderfully unique sleuth. Jim Christensen successfully tackles the most mysterious setting of all: the Bermuda Triangle of human memory. Smith’s writing really delivers . . . a most satisfying read.”

“The creepiest good time I’ve had in ages—a genuine page turner filled with compassionate, beautifully-drawn characters . . . Smith’s insights into the human mind—and heart—made me want to slow down and savor this latest Jim Christensen outing.”

The Disappeared Girl

“Smith is at once a reporter and storyteller, weaving a gruesome wartime reality deftly into the lives of the most engaging characters. A terrific read for lovers of political suspense.”

Combustion

“A page-turner with a kicker at the end — you can’t ask for anything better. That’s what Martin J. Smith delivers with Combustion. Intricately plotted and full of character, this one is a great ride that burns with the intensity of a California wildfire.”

“As compulsive as its wind-fueled wildfire, Martin J. Smith’s Combustion is a tour de force of suspense writing. Smith’s well-drawn characters are motivated by familiar drives — love, power, lust, fear, loneliness — but they address their needs in uniquely 21st century ways, clearing the path for a collision of the cyber world with the ‘real’ world, leading to an unexpected and unforgettable climax.”

Mr. Las Vegas Has a Bad Knee

“Martin J. Smith is one of the great unsung writers of our generation. He writes with knowing compassion about the absurd, the surreal, and the profane, drawing the reader in with page-turning style and tender wit.”

“Smith is the master of the essay and human interest profile form. . . . It’s [his] compassion, coupled with his droll humor and his ability to go deep that makes Smith one of the best nonfiction writers today.”

“Martin J. Smith possesses a bloodhound’s nose for quirky characters . . . But Smith’s true gift resides in his empathy — in the gentle way he forces us to see grace and redemption in the lives of people whom most of us would be inclined to mock. This book is revealing and wry but built on a bedrock of love.”

The Wild Duck Chase

“Martin Smith’s The Wild Duck Chase is a smartly written, wonderful look at waterfowl conservation at its apex. Every page was a treat. Once you start, you won’t be able to stop. Highly recommend!”

“The Wild Duck Chase explores an arcane art competition and discovers beauty, obsession, and a host of vibrant characters (and birds). Smith’s chronicle of this yearlong quest to depict nature is endearing, poignant, and lots of fun.”

“Well-written, insightful, and just plain fun to read.”

“When it comes to fascinating, quirky characters and their alternate-universe stories, Martin J. Smith is the master. His tale of the noble and obscure Federal Duck Stamp, and the men who love it just a bit too much, is a delight to read.”

“Martin J. Smith investigates a little-known federal program and finds it brimming with fun characters, a quirky culture, and valuable lessons for anyone who wants government to actually work.”

“An eye-opening and thought-provoking glimpse into the downright wonderful world of duck stamp competition.”

“With a low-key writing style supported by fine research, Smith takes the readers behind the scenes as five judges weigh the artistic and commercial quality of the 235 submissions in the only juried contest administered by the U.S. government. The Hautman brothers, Jim, Joe, and Bob, are the most fascinating of the artistic competitors, but the author paints many of the participants in a lively, entertaining manner while the contest runs its hectic course. Smith’s compelling story of a largely forgotten federal program will cast some timely light on the ongoing clash between rural hunters and urban conservationists on preserving the habitat of waterfowl.”

“An interesting bit of Americana well reported.”

“A surprisingly compelling read.”

Going to Trinidad

“Martin J. Smith is the best kind of journalist: diligent in his research, fair, clear-eyed, sensitive, socially conscious and, not incidentally, a wonderful prose stylist; each sentence a made thing: clean, evocative, and compelling.”

“An important contribution to Western history.”

“As a record of institutionalized perspectives on transgender people and the dominant beliefs concerning us at the time, Trinidad is indispensable. In a world that demeans, dehumanizes and discriminates against trans people, it is the story of a doctor who offered them a sense of ownership over their bodies. Ultimately, it’s a brutal telling—hard to read, though vital to hear.”

Poplorica

“All history should be this much fun.”

“With humor and intelligence, Martin Smith and Patrick Kiger have captured some of the most significant moments that never made it into our textbooks and give them just standing. Not as pieces of trivia, but as moments that made our lives what they are. After all, ask any parent: What’s more important, the treaty of Versailles or disposable diapers? I think you’ll find the definitive answer here.”

“These true stories behind America’s popular culture are riveting. Poplorica is fun and funny, but it’s also real history that tells us where we came from and who we are, for better or worse.”

“In this offbeat omnium-gatherum, the delights are in the details.”

Oops

“Oops is a hilarious look at human ingenuity gone horribly wrong.”

“To be human is to possess the ability to flop spectacularly and to learn from those disasters. That’s what makes Oops such a deeply human book. It’s also a terrific read.”