Smoke (IQ, Bk. 5)

Isaiah is no longer IQ, the genius of East Long Beach. A man on the road and on the run, he is hiding in a small Northern California town when his room is broken into by a desperate young man on the trail of the state's most prolific serial killer.

Isaiah's former sidekick Dodson has also had to change life, in an attempt to keep his wife and child. His devil's bargain is an internship at an LA advertising agency, where it turns out the rules of the street have simply been dressed in business casual. The ageing company's fortunes may well rest on their ability to attract a younger demographic and Dodson - 'the hustler's hustler' - just may be the right man for the job.

Both Isaiah and Dodson are at a crossroads, but can they leave their former lives behind for good?