Scorched Grace

[A] showstopper of a series debut * New York Times *
Within five pages, I was in love with this novel. The voice is unique and confident, the sense of place deeply present, and the plotting completely assured... This novel is so much more than a mystery (which is my favorite kind of mystery), it's an exploration of faith, love, and the worthy struggle to be a better human. I just loved it! -- Gillian Flynn
A provocative and hugely entertaining mystery... Fans of dark academia and neo-noir are guaranteed to get the Holiday feeling * The Times *
If you're looking for a queer edgy Agatha Christie-type read, then this is one for you * Gay Times *
Douaihy's prose is fresh and energetic, and she brings the delightfully original character of Sister Holiday vividly to life. Holiday believably leads her own investigation, and the story satisfies right up until the very twisty end -- Karin Slaughter
Margot Douaihy's bold entry into the hardboiled genre revitalizes it for our times. Skillfully plotted, propulsive, and deeply engaged with the communities it represents, Scorched Grace is one of the best crime fiction debuts I've come across in a long while -- Don Winslow, author of The Power of the Dog
One chapter into Margot Douaihy's Scorched Grace and you'll be ready to follow Sister Holiday wherever her instincts take her. Vibrant, crackling and deliciously insubordinate, it's a mystery full of trapdoors and surprises but with a keen emotional force that leaves you shaken, hooked -- Megan Abbott, author of The Turnout
Harrowing and gorgeously written, with an unforgettable protagonist - Sister Holiday, 'the first punk nun'-Margot Douaihy's Scorched Grace takes readers on a searing journey through faith, fire, and female rage. A brilliant debut mystery -- Elizabeth Hand, author of Hokuloa Road
[Sister Holiday] is a terrific character * Literary Review *
Scorched Grace burns with the wholehearted energy of faith, love, and transgression. Sister Holiday embodies the frailties of faith, the contradictions of humanity, and the joy of sisterhood in all its forms -- Sophie Ward, Booker Prize–longlisted author of Love and Other Thought Experiments
Fearless, ebullient, and twisty as hell, Scorched Grace remixes the crime novel for our current age, and debuts a magnetic noir heroine, whose brash wit and profound soulfulness command our instant and utter devotion -- Debra Jo Immergut, author of You Again
I inhaled this book. Sister Holiday drew me in with attitude and world-wisdom that, as she herself says, holds a kind of grace; meanwhile the hot, gnarly, beautiful world of New Orleans and all the edgy, intimate characters of the convent, school, and investigation (and, of course, the series of deadly arson attacks that drive Holiday and the book), had me turning the pages. Margot Douaihy gives Sister Holiday a sharp tongue and a body blessed by ink, and in this story Douaihy's writing is the fuel, the spark, the oxygen. It is the fire and the ashes -- Elizabeth K Reeder, author of An Archive of Happiness
In the American tradition of hard-boiled detectives, this was full of sweat, heat, and a lingering acrid smoke that pervaded the whole book. I could almost feel the grime under my fingernails as I read it. Sister Holiday is utterly unique-a gold-toothed nun with a history of addictions that still haunts her and a faith that is real, passionate, and anything but saccharine. She is a courageous truth-teller, even when she needs to tell the truth about herself -- Georgina Clarke, author of the Lizzie Hardwicke series
Margot Douaihy's chain-smoking nun Sister Holiday may be the most original character you'll come across for quite some time. Douaihy wanted to reclaim pulp tropes for a female protagonist, and I have to say, Sister Holiday is punk AF. Set in New Orleans, Scorched Grace takes place at a Catholic school where an arson attack has harmed several students. Sister Holiday, a fan of detective fiction, is ready to solve the case (or else face suspicion herself) -- Molly Odintz, CrimeReads "The Most Anticipated Crime Books of Fall 2022 (and Beyond!)"
A whodunit set in New Orleans starring a queer, chain-smoking, tattooed nun? Send it to us immediately * Bookpage, Most Anticipated Mystery & Suspense of 2023 *
The sacred meets the profane head on in Margot Douaihy's debut mystery. It's funny. It's touching. Its honesty is refreshing, and we hesitate to compare the writing or the plot to anything prior * Barnes & Noble Most Buzzed About 2023 Debuts *
If you're not sold by a punk rock nun solving mysteries then can your soul even be saved? * Electric Literature, Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Books of Spring 2023 *
Breathes new life into the hard-boiled genre... a fast-paced and punchy whodunnit that will keep readers guessing until the very end. * LGBTQ Reads *
Stunning fiction debut... [a] briskly plotted master class in character development... Douaihy is off to a terrific start * Publishers Weekly starred review *
It's got arson, a ton of mystery, and a former punk rocker-turned-nun at its center, so it will certainly appeal to those who like their genre fiction weird and wild... Scorched Grace is like no other book you've ever read, so be sure to pre-order a copy * The Lineup *
A badass, brilliant queer nun solving a murder mystery in New Orleans? How could I not fall in love with this book? You will, too! -- Mara Wilson
The twisty plot, gorgeous language, and the renegade nun as a main character bring this novel into its own category... Scorched Grace is a novel both exciting and profound. * Lambda Literary *
Margot Douaihy has created an instantly memorable character - edgy, headstrong, hardboiled, deeply flawed, darkly funny, with a voice that crackles and burns with passion and wit. Sister Holiday may not know where she's headed, but you'll follow her anywhere." * BookTrib *
Scorched Grace is a highly readable, satisfying mystery, and a welcome introduction to the queer detective nun whom we didn't know we needed. * Xtra Magazine *