Not long ago I read a positive review of Blessed Water, a new crime novel written by Margot Douaihy, whose last name just about covers the vowels -- and sometimes "y". The publisher's description of the novice nun offers:
Tattooed from her neck to her toes and sporting a gold tooth as sharp as her wisecracks, Sister Holiday struggles to stay on the righteous path. Never one to make things easy for herself, she’s committed to taking her permanent vows with the Sisters of the Sublime Blood and joining former fire inspector Magnolia Riveaux’s latest venture, Redemption Detective Agency—both in service of satisfying her eternal quest for answers.
Since this is the second of the Sister Holiday mystery's I figured I should search out the first and the library kindly served up Scorched Grace. The sister has a both a dark and unconventional past with years in a queer band and struggles with addiction. Joining a religous order with a social justice leaning catches everyone off guard, including herself, and she can't help but mooch a cigarette whenever possible.
The way Sister Holiday solves the murders is fairly good (I've read a lot of mystery novels over the years) but the way Douaihy has her not-so-holy detective reflect on divine mystery and redemption and other big-ticket faith issues is profound at times. In an interview she says:
To invoke Hegel and Madonna, life is a mystery. I view religion as a batch of stories and a net of interpretive frameworks—fables, cautionary tales—offering guidance, solace, strict laws, and roadmaps, depending on who you ask. The very same religion can soothe, empower, and hurt people. Religion has been routinely weaponized to subjugate, beating people into submission whilst justifying atrocious behavior. I was raised Maronite Catholic, and it’s been a profound influence in my life, but I haven’t practiced regularly in years. Would I be offered Holy Communion in my home church since I’m an out lesbian? Doubt it. But I haven’t checked.
I'd give Scorched Grace a 7 out of 10 for gum-shoeing and maybe a 9 for faith-reflection. It's definitely the best murder mystery about a sneaky-smoking, tatooed lesbian nun I've ever read.
2 comments:
I really enjoyed this book. I didn't know there was a second one, I will have to scout it out. Thanks
I've been keeping an eye on whether the new one has arrived at the library. Thanks Laurie.
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