Critic Lone Cogdill recently reviewed Rachel Howzell Hall’s latest book, Mist and Malice. Her review first appeared in the South Florida Sun Sentinel, but she shares it with us now. You can order a copy of the book through the Webstore, https://tinyurl.com/5n7f2af7.
Book reviews: Sonny Rush is a detective to watch in gripping ‘Mist and Malice’
‘Mist and Malice: A Haven Thriller’ by Rachel Howzell Hall; Thomas & Mercer; 344 pages; $28.99
Malice seeps through every aspect of the seaside town of Haven, California, the new home of Alyson “Sonny” Rush, a former L.A. police detective turned private investigator in Rachel Howzell Hall’s “Mist and Malice.”
It didn’t take long for Sonny to find out that Haven was a misnomer. Mist and fog made it impossible to see, at first glance, the corruption and misdeeds lurking in this town of only 1,000 people, six of whom are Black including Sonny, her mother and godfather.
In this second outing with Sonny, the author digs deep for a bracing story about how those we trust the most can be those we should trust the least and those we count on to protect us can turn on the vulnerable.
“Mist and Malice” picks up within hours of the action in 2025’s excellent “Fog and Fury.”
Still reeling from the events in “Fog and Fury,” Sonny is pulled into the search for teenage runaway Honor Butler, who shows up on her door one night with an unbelievable story about where she’s been. Later, the body of a day laborer is found in the woods near Sonny’s home.
Sonny is a strong investigator, her skills honed after a decade with the LAPD. She’s eager to put her skills to work for her godfather, Ivan Poole, a former police detective who is now her boss. Hall delivers a labyrinth plot examining Sonny’s personal and professional life, which often intersect.
In “Mist and Malice,” Hall looks at immigration, family bonds and racism as she shows the dark side of small towns. To fully appreciate “Mist and Malice,” it’s best to start with “Fog and Fury” as several plot threads carry over into this second novel, with some being resolved and showing the impact on Sonny.
Sonny is a detective to watch.