Scorched Grace - A Sister Holiday Mystery Book

RELEASE DATE - 20 APRIL 2023

A chain-smoking, heavily tattooed queer nun - what's not to love!?

When Saint Sebastian's School becomes the target of a shocking arson spree, the Sisters of the Sublime Blood and their surrounding community are thrust into chaos. Unsatisfied with the officials' response, sardonic and headstrong Sister Holiday becomes determined to unveil the mysterious attacker herself and return her home and sanctuary to its former peace.

Her investigation leads down a twisty path of suspicion and secrets in the sticky, oppressive New Orleans heat, turning her against colleagues, students, and even fellow Sisters along the way.

Sister Holiday is more faithful than most, but she's no saint. To piece together the clues of this high-stakes mystery, she must first reckon with the sins of her chequered past - and neither task will be easy.

An exciting start to Margot Douaihy's bold series that breathes new life into the hard-boiled genre, Scorched Grace is a fast-paced and punchy whodunnit that will keep readers guessing until the very end.

"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 favourite 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

"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 revitalises it for our times. Skilfully 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