Read about a foul-mouthed, chain-smoking, mystery-solving nun

Scorched Grace — Margot Douaihy

What to Read This Week

Scorched Grace by Margot Douaihy

What It’s About

Sister Holiday is not the typical nun. It’s why she ended up at the Sisters of the Sublime Blood convent and teaching at Saint Sebastian’s School; the other nuns all feel like outcasts as well. But while Sister Holiday is sneaking a cigarette in an alley one night, she spots smoke coming from one of the school’s buildings and rushes in to help save two students caught in the flames.

As the police investigate the fire as a possible arson, Sister Holiday becomes convinced they’re never going to find the culprit, targeting the completely wrong people (herself included), so she sets out to solve it on her own. But the arsonist is only just getting started, and as more buildings go up in flames, more lives are endangered in the heat of the New Orleans sun.

“We are all like stained glass, beautiful and complicated and fragile as fuck. We all need care. And some of us don’t get what we deserve.”

Amid her determination to solve the crimes, Sister Holiday is also reckoning with her own history, coming to terms as a queer person in the church, her past mistakes with her relationships and family, and how to use those to shape her own faith.

Who Will Like It

This is the first book published in Gillian Flynn’s newest imprint, so if you’re a fan of Flynn’s gritty, complex, character-driven mysteries, you can be guaranteed to like this one. It’s fast-paced and will keep you guessing and has plenty of twists and turns, including funny exchanges with the police force who Sister Holiday doesn’t think too fondly of.

And it’s not just a crime book: it’s a complex narrative that truly examines what faith means and if you can lead a life of faith that others—namely, the Church as an institution—deem not religious. Without following the traditional route, Sister Holiday grapples with her path to the religious life and what it means for her in her own faith journey going forward. This was a look at trauma and exploration of self, even when it’s flawed and messy. Sister Holiday is determined to be a better person, even if it’s incredibly difficult for her.

I cannot wait to read more (yes, it’s a series!) about Sister Holiday and hopefully see her solve more crimes!

Misc.

It’s been a while since I’ve shown a bookmail stack, so here’s what my mailbox has received in the past few weeks! Thank you to all the publishers for sending these free review copies along! Books pictured: The Thick and the Lean, The Only Game in Town, Under the Influence, At Sea, The Scourge between Stars, Monsters, Advika and the Hollywood Wives.

I’ve been reading some incredible books, but they’re all heavily emotional and deep, and I’d love to read something lighter. I know many people turn to romance, but that’s usually not my go-to. Do you have any recommendations for me for something a bit lighter and fun to read in between more serious books?

More Books

Can’t get enough, or looking for a different recommendation? Browse the archives, or check out some popular past recommendations: 

• Read a book set in a convent about growing up amid turmoil

• Read a cautionary tale of a modern princess trapped in her castle

• Read a thriller about a polygamist, his wives, and their secret pasts

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