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A review by tashreadsbooks
Fog and Fury by Rachel Howzell Hall
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Picked this as my Amazon First Reads for the month.
This series opener follows Sonny, a former LAPD detective turned private investigator, as she tries to start fresh in Haven, a small town "one letter away from being called Heaven." Her first case as a PI sounds simple: find a missing dog. Her new boss (who’s also her godfather) is investigating the death of a 17 yr old Black boy, and being one of the few Black people now living in Haven, Sonny decides to help. As she looks into both cases, she soon realizes there’s more to Haven than advertised.
This series opener follows Sonny, a former LAPD detective turned private investigator, as she tries to start fresh in Haven, a small town "one letter away from being called Heaven." Her first case as a PI sounds simple: find a missing dog. Her new boss (who’s also her godfather) is investigating the death of a 17 yr old Black boy, and being one of the few Black people now living in Haven, Sonny decides to help. As she looks into both cases, she soon realizes there’s more to Haven than advertised.
Sonny is easy to root for, I liked her right away. Since the book is told from her point of view, we learn things right alongside her which was a little clunky sometimes, but it all worked out. The other characters didn’t leave a huge impression, but this is more plot driven than character driven so I didn't mind. And it was a good intro to them since they'll likely (hopefully?) be fleshed out more in the next book.
I had a pretty good idea who was behind things before the reveal, but the story and dialogue still kept me hooked. The biggest downside? The ending. Major cliffhangers—plural—with little resolution.
Touches on race and small-town dynamics, sometimes smoothly, sometimes a bit forced. Still, an interesting and solid start to a series with a relatable main character and enough twists and turns to keep the pages turning. I’ll be reading the next book to see where this all goes.
I had a pretty good idea who was behind things before the reveal, but the story and dialogue still kept me hooked. The biggest downside? The ending. Major cliffhangers—plural—with little resolution.
Touches on race and small-town dynamics, sometimes smoothly, sometimes a bit forced. Still, an interesting and solid start to a series with a relatable main character and enough twists and turns to keep the pages turning. I’ll be reading the next book to see where this all goes.