Smith…..the minor recurring character
If you have had the chance to read my book, you know that more than likely you hated Smith. Especially the way he and Frigon treated Hannah. Since they made their appearance in the debut novel Deadly College Murders, Smith was initially convinced Hannah was guilty. The more he would run into her, at the crime scenes, the more suspicious he became of her. When she goes to the scene of the crime where the psychology professor has been murdered, he is happy that he gets to arrest her. But after Hannah was convicted and sentenced to death (before the judge learned that she was pregnant) he becomes convinced that this college student was telling him the truth, and that she is not guilty.
Once Hannah is released, she tells Smith that when she uncovers who is behind the murders, she will call him so he can take credit for arresting the culprit. After the suspect is apprehended and brought to justice, Smith offers Hannah a job on the force as a rookie; although she appreciates the opportunity and is flattered by the offer, she gently declines, explaining that she needs time to heal both psychologically and emotionally before taking on a new commitment.
Smith next makes his appearance in Deadly Vows Echoes of College Crimes, this time warning Hannah that she must stay away from the current case for her own safety — he insists he does not want her to get hurt, signaling that the rivalry he once felt toward her has been left firmly in the past. After Hannah is attacked by the hooded figure and subsequently loses her memory, Smith steps in to support Rafael and the others, assisting their investigation from a distance until he eventually comes to the safe house. When Hannah later recovers her memory after reading Rafael’s letter, she calls Smith to tell him who the culprit is and to let him know that her memories have returned.
In Paris Noir: Deadly Obsession he once again finds himself at the heart of the investigation that Hannah and the team are pursuing. He becomes the person who will arrange for Hannah to be placed in jail (at her own request) as a way to uncover the truth about who Bree really is. Though he resists the plan at first, he ultimately tells Hannah he trusts her judgment and that his priority is ensuring she comes out of the situation unharmed. Smith will be the one to confront and bring the killer to justice during the climactic showdown in the church, and he will also have the opportunity to save a life—but which life will he ultimately spare? Hannah’s or Jonathan’s?
In the upcoming fourth book, titled The Thirteenth Riddle: A Poisoned Silence, Hannah is now working alongside Smith, who will play a pivotal role in keeping her steady and preventing her from going off the rails. Smith is modeled after Psych’s lead detective Carlton Lassiter, bringing a grounded, no-nonsense presence to Hannah’s world.
