Spoiler-Free Blog
If you’re a fan of crime novels, but are looking for one that offers something new while staying true to the hard-boiled nature of the genre, then Scorched Grace may be just the thing.
Please note: I received this advanced reader copy from Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Premise:
Meet our sleuth, Sister Holiday: a heavily-tattooed, chain-smoking, queer…nun. You read that right. Sister Holiday teaches music at a Catholic private high school in New Orleans. While her faith is true, she herself is no saint.
When the school becomes the target of a series of strange arson attacks and suspected murder, Sister Holiday finds herself at the center of a dangerous investigation.
It was overall a middle-of-the-road read for me.
The atmosphere was great; I could practically feel the Louisiana heat emanating from the pages.
As far as main characters go, Sister Holiday felt genuine. I do admit to being skeptical about reading from a nun’s POV going in. But her faith, while a big part of her identity, never felt alienating or preachy. She has a dark sense of humor that feels at odds with her occupation, and yet fits her perfectly.
My biggest critique for this book was the exposition. This writing style, while charming at first, eventually served to drag down the plot and make scenes feel choppy. There were also a lot of flashbacks, which I personally neither love nor hate, but they sometimes confused me with their placement in the middle of other scenes.
Should you read it?
Overall, I recommend Scorched Grace to fans of the genre who are looking for a different sort of main character than usual.
Thanks to Netgalley and Gillian Flynn Books for this ARC!
Mark your calendars: This book releases February 21, 2023.
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