This audiobook is narrated by an AI Voice.
Cassius Cain was one of the best fugitive retrieval specialists in the country—until a dead partner, a shattered career, and a prisoner who escaped his custody turned him into the man being hunted.

Determined to clear his name, Cassius tracks the one man who may know the truth to the quiet river towns of Marietta, Ohio, and Parkersburg, West Virginia.

But he isn’t the only one looking for him.

Beneath the familiar streets and Appalachian hills, Cassius stumbles into a web of international corruption, political influence, unimaginable money, and a secret powerful people are willing to kill to protect.

What began as a manhunt becomes something far more dangerous.

Because in a world built on deception, the greatest threat isn’t what you can see.

It’s the smokescreen.

Melvin J. A. Mendoza is the author of Kuya and the Caddy, Broadway and Bluegrass, and now SMOKESCREEN, the debut novel introducing U.S. Marshal Cassius Cain.

Raised in a Filipino-American family on Long Island, Mel developed a lifelong appreciation for great storytelling, where Saturday mornings echoed with the music of the Rat Pack, Sunday mornings were reserved for church, and every road trip became an adventure. Those influences continue to shape his writing, blending memorable characters, faith, and authentic places with stories that linger long after the final page.

With SMOKESCREEN, Mel ventures into the world of high-stakes suspense, weaving together real Ohio and West West Virginia locations, international corruption, deception, and unforgettable characters in a fast-paced thriller. It marks the beginning of the Cassius Cain series, where justice is rarely simple and every decision carries consequences.

When he isn’t writing, Mel enjoys premium coffee, a fine cigar, 1980s music, entrepreneurship, and meaningful conversations with family and friends.