Smoke Bitten

Smoke Bitten is the twelfth main installment in Patricia Briggs's Mercy Thompson series, published in 2020 by Ace Books. It follows 'Storm Cursed' (book 11) and is followed by 'Soul Taken' (book 13). The series began with 'Moon Called' in 2006.

The primary antagonist in Smoke Bitten is a being connected to smoke, possession, and deception that threatens the Columbia Basin Pack and Mercy's husband Adam. The creature's power to possess and manipulate creates internal conflict within the pack. Mercy must rely on her coyote shapeshifting abilities and resourcefulness to defeat it.

Smoke Bitten continues ongoing story arcs from earlier Mercy Thompson novels, particularly events from 'Storm Cursed' and the companion Alpha and Omega series, which shares the same world. While the main plot is self-contained, familiarity with at least 'Night Broken' and 'Fire Touched' enriches the reading experience. The two series reference shared characters and pack politics.

The audiobook is narrated by Lorelei King, who has voiced the entire Mercy Thompson series for Hachette Audio. Her performance of Mercy and the recurring cast has been consistently praised by fans of the series. The audiobook runs approximately 10 hours.