Returning to New Orleans with my favorite punk-rock nun is such a thrill. Douaihy blends edgy counterculture with sincere faith, violence and nihilism with genuine yearning for human connection, all in one hell of a mystery.
- Gillian Flynn, Gillian Flynn Books
Sister Holiday is back with a newly minted PI apprentice certificate, a twisty mystery to solve, and something to prove in this fast-paced, blistering follow-up to Scorched Grace.
ISBN
9781638930266
Language
English
Page count
288
Edition
Hardcover
Sale date
March 12, 2024
Dimensions
6 x 9
About the Book
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.
When Sister Holiday and Riveaux set out to bust a philandering husband, they instead find the body of a priest floating in the swollen Mississippi river, and with it, Redemption’s next case. It’s significantly more gruesome than their original mission, but Sister Holiday feels called on by God to hunt down the murderer and keep her community safe.
As a torrential rainstorm drowns New Orleans for three harrowing days over Easter weekend, Sister Holiday and Riveaux follow the clues. With the stakes rising alongside the relentless floodwaters, our favorite punk nun–sleuth throws herself into the deep end yet again.
A lacerating and lyrical plunge into obsession, deception, and the questions that hold us captive, Blessed Water is a lights-out mystery that will leave you breathless.
Reviews
An Amazon Editors’ Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
An Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, CrimeReads and Book Riot Most Anticipated Book
“Douaihy follows up Scorched Grace with another deliriously enjoyable, relentlessly plotted adventure for chain-smoking “punk nun” Sister Holiday Walsh…. This series continues to impress.”
“Readers who first encountered Sister Holiday in Scorched Grace will be eager to ride along on her second adventure. But even series newbies can jump right in, the water is . . . everywhere. . . . The sleuthing begins, made more interesting by the fact that the former punk-rocking, cigarette-sneaking Sister Holiday is not the typical recruit of the Sisters of the Sublime Blood order. She’s young, queer, abundantly tattooed, and haunted by a troubled past . . . which makes this hard-boiled nun with secret warm, fuzzy feelings an amateur sleuth with original, fresh appeal.”
“Blessed Water oozes with atmosphere. The tension is high from the story’s first moments through its final twists…. Don’t worry if you haven’t read the first book in the Sister Holiday series. You’ll still fall for this wonderfully imperfect heroine.”
“Douaihy’s writing stings and soothes, echoing Sister Holiday’s so-human contradictions…. I’ve always been a fan of rebels with a heart and anyone ready to take on the power elite, and what’s more powerful and untouchable than the Catholic church? Heaven help them and bring on more heroes like Sister Holiday. She might be my favorite character of all time.”
“Douaihy does another exceptional job of examining the meaning of faith in the life of perhaps the world’s unlikeliest nun. . . . These books are certainly a necessary critique of entrenched power, as well as a reminder of the power of love and faith even when up against overwhelming odds.”
“[A] picaresque yet powerful tale that plumbs the depths of human cruelty: ‘the ultimate riddle of God.’”
“A dizzying pace combined with the God-fearing Sister’s determination makes this mystery a literary treat.”
“This uniquely riveting follow-up to Scorched Grace won’t disappoint those looking for an engaging mystery and a complex, witty protagonist they won’t soon forget.”
“Margot Douaihy follows up an extraordinary debut with an even more exceptional sophomore novel! She combines a poet’s soul and an artist’s eye with a powerful and strong authorial voice to create layered, complex characters involved in a story so well paced you cannot put it down. I am already hungry for her next book!”
“My favorite PI series transport you to a setting unlike any other and feature unforgettable, flawed, and diverse characters in central roles. Margot Douaihy’s latest, Blessed Water, is all these things and more, bringing readers deeper into Sister Holiday’s complicated world with confidence and lyricism. A potent blend of dark noir and the travails of a tainted knight detective, Blessed Water is a one-way ticket to a New Orleans you could only imagine. A poised and unique novel.”
“Water weeps from the clouds, streaks the faces of the grieving, and revives a fragile faith. The writing in Blessed Water is utterly delightful. By the time the flood receded, and the case was solved, I’d already begun yearning for the next Sister Holiday Mystery.”
Margot Douaihy
Margot Douaihy lives in Northampton, MA, and teaches creative writing at Emerson College. She is the author of the crime novel Scorched Grace, which was named a best book of 2023 by Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, BookPage, and Marie Claire, among others. She is also the author of the poetry collections Bandit/Queen: The Runaway Story of Belle Starr, Scranton Lace, and Girls Like You.
