First read by this author and it didn’t disappoint! This book had some of my favorite story telling elements when it comes to thrillers. Plus I loved the seaside setting of the small, unsettled town where nothing is quite as it seems. The author takes readers on quite the ride with the protagonist Sonny, starting with a missing dog, and where it ends up is not where they’ll imagine! I really enjoyed the writing style of Rachel Howzell Hall and I hope this novel gets the love it deserves. I’m super excited for the next installment in this series. Five stars!

This book was a pleasant surprise.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as it was a quick read and a good time.

Didn't finish this book. Having a hard time putting my finger on what exactly I didn't like. It might have been the disparity of the cryptic 3rd person narration in the woods with the fog, and then the storyline of the missing dog.....I couldn't make them match together to flow cohesively and they didn't seem like they were supposed to be in the same book.

So many twists and turns in this one that I couldn’t see coming from a mile away. A thoroughly delectable read.

Fog and Fury is the first book in a new series by Rachel Howzell Hall. This series has promise but the plot was all over the place and a bit much for me.

Not my favorite by this author. Very slow. Sadly will likely not read the rest of this series as they come out.

After ten years with the LAPD, ex-cop Sonny Rush moves to the idyllic town of Haven to join her uncle’s PI business. Her first case? Find a missing dog. But her investigation soon unravels the secrets that Haven holds, and soon Sonny is warned to leave town. Fog and Fury gives us the gift of author Rachel Howzell Hall’s seamless and exquisite writing, a style so melodic that you just keep turning the pages, eager for more. Combine that with great characters, an intense plot, and her razor sharp dialogue, and you have a sure fire winner. The author does a masterful job of exposing hot-button issues in subtle but powerful interactions between Sonny and the town’s residents, as Sonny’s missing dog case ramps up when a teenage boy is found dead on a hiking trail. Loved this one right from the start, and it appears a second book is coming, and I can’t wait! Five stars! I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good thriller. The ending definitely had me on the edge of my seat and I will be awaiting the release of book #2 in Haven.

When Alyson Rush leaves LA for a fresh start after a career-damning disaster, she finds her way to Haven. A small town with no crime. But when a 17-year old boy turns up dead less than 24 hours after her arrival, she begins to figure out that Haven isn't as close to heaven as it thinks it is. Can she figure out what's really going on in town? Or will the town come together and stop her from causing a scene?

I did struggle with the first half of this book. Things moved slowly with a lot of elements I couldn't relate to. That's not anything against the book, the writing, or the author. I thought everything was very well done to the best of my knowledge, but I don't really fit the demographic the FMC was targeted towards. But once the plot took off, it really took off. And the ending left me with my jaw on the floor. I can't wait to read more about Alyson.

Thank you for the copy for review. This one wasnt my favorite. It was kinda slow and it took awhile to get through the writing. it was scattered all over the place and just felt like a mess. It made you have to figure out what really was going on with the story.

Unfortunately, I was not able to get into this book. I read the first 25% and decided to set it down. I hope others enjoy it!

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

From the disorderly writing to the characters and the convoluted story, I just couldn't get into this one. Perhaps the ARC was released before it should've been, and some necessary edits weren't completed to ensure a smoother reading experience? I'm not sure.

There were witty bits, the MC has a personality that jumps off the page, and the astrology girlies and fans will love the starry references, but this one wasn't it for me.

What a great book! I absolutely loved how twisty and clever this one was! I was totally engrossed from beginning to end and would definitely read from this author again,

Rachel Howzell Hall’s Fog and Fury is a compelling mystery that blends social commentary with a gripping investigation. Sonny, a former LAPD officer, moves to the quiet town of Haven for a fresh start but quickly becomes involved in the suspicious death of Xander. As she uncovers missed evidence and questions the local police, she also faces the town’s racial divides and the lingering influence of her ex-boyfriend, Cooper Sutton. Hall’s writing is sharp and immersive, bringing Haven’s fog-covered streets and hidden tensions to life. The novel’s pacing keeps the suspense high, and Sonny’s intelligence and flaws make her a memorable protagonist. Though the ending leaves some questions unanswered, it sets the stage for a strong sequel. Fog and Fury is a thought-provoking and atmospheric mystery that lingers long after the final page.

This was a decent thriller. It was engaging but there were times that the writing style was confusing. The multiple POVs and switching from first to third person was a bit choppy for me. I did enjoy Xanders POV the most.

It’s my first novel by Rachel Howzell Hall. The writing style took some time to get used to, and it took me even longer to get through the book. It has a lot of references to the pop culture. The author rises questions about the racial discrimination, biases and the system injustice.

The book is split into 4 parts and tells a story about Alyson Rush, Sonny, an ex-LAPD detective, turned PI. She has a lot on her plate, on top of the murder investigations, her career, relationships with friends and family, her failed (or not) love life. She has to figure out who’s the enemy and who’s an ally in the new town of Haven, where everybody knows everybody. Sonny is smart, loyal, determined, yet I couldn’t connect with her. Maybe we were in her head for far too long, and after Xander’s POV, I found it hard to get used to our PI lead. I adored Xander, a 17-year-old boy with a bright future ahead, he’s so young and full of dreams, and plans, reading about his death was truly heartbreaking.

I’m not sure how I feel about Sonny taking over Xander's case, she’s new, she just arrived, and you would think that the victim’s parents would want someone they know, someone they can trust, because it’s a tight community here in Haven.

Please note, I got the uncorrected proof and there were some inconsistencies in writing/editing. Certain parts are written from the first POV and then back to the third person, some of Sonny’s thoughts are written in italics, some are not. The text messages were a bit unclear, I couldn’t seem to figure out who texted who, where one text ends and the next one begins. Some of the brands would be all in upper case, some would be in lower, some are in italics, others are not.

I love the eye-catching book cover, and I pray this book gets a well deserved editing/proofreading before the release date, as it might be the reason why the book felt so heavy and chaotic at times.

And who knows, maybe we’ll see a screen adaptation, a miniseries maybe? I'd loved that!

Thank you #NetGalley for providing me with a free e-copy of #FogAndFury

Sonny Rush just moved to Haven, California after 1Oyears on the job with the LAPD. She is now a Pl and it should an easier gig than what she was doing in LA, but before she knows it, she's run into her wealthy ex in town, found a teenage dead body and things are getting more complicated and mixed up by the minute!! I will definitely be continuing with this series as I enjoyed reading about the mishaps of Sonny and the interesting town of Haven.

Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer books for this ARC

This is the start of a new series, the Haven thrillers. Stephen King’s Haven (the TV show inspired by “The Colorado Kid”), always a troubled town, was on the east coast of Maine; Rachel Howzell Hall’s troubled Haven is on the Northern California coast in the Emerald Triangle (a well-known cannabis growing region). As the novel starts we meet two new transplants to “Mayberry by the Sea,” Alyson/Sonny Rush, ex-LAPD detective, now joining her godfather’s PI business; and Xander Monroe, a 17 year old UCLA football prospect and star physics student, recovering from an ankle injury, but planning on completing his senior year at Haven high school. Sonny’s first task is finding Figgy, a missing goldendoodle. The troubles: Xander is found dead on a jogging trail and Sonny’s goldendoodle belongs to the wife and daughter of the guy she thought was single. Not the greatest welcome to Haven.

Sonny gets involved (but not to be paid) in the unusual circumstances of Xander’s death. Her now ex-boyfriend, Cooper Sutton, is a force to be reckoned within Haven; his wife is running for mayor. But other things are off. Every “suspect” in Figgy’s disappearance hates the Sutton family. There’s no mention of the teenager’s death in the local paper (a man throwing fries at his wife does get headlines); in fact, any mention of Black residents is absent. Haven is supposed to be H(e)AVEN, and the Sutton family has a stake in that.

Sonny escaped LA after a shaky end to her police career. If she can find perfect peace in Haven, she’d find redemption and a new start. Solving Xander’s case would bring her both. She finds obvious missed evidence at the crime scene, which has her questioning the motives of the local police. But being one of only four Black people in a lily white enclave is not to her advantage no matter how intelligent and capable she is.

Rachel Howzell Hall consistently writes strong, confident, smart Black female protagonists with real life challenges. Sonny is another heroine with some faults and self-doubts, but she is memorable and deserving of a continuing series to star in. Hall also gives Haven an atmospheric starring role: fog-ridden, lethal curving roles, whispering secrets, an underbelly slithering out from beneath the picture-perfect Main Street. It’s an action-packed story, but it does end abruptly and leaves quite a few loose ends, presumably readying us for the sequel/next installment. I’ll be there. 5 stars!

Addendum: I became aggravated because this is the third time Figgy went missing and no one thought to attach an AirTag to her collar (and more AirTags need to be attached to Val).

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES The editor-in-chief of the Haven Voice has green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Xander was found in a patch of poison oak — the author must know that poison ivy isn’t found in California. Himalayan Honey was a nice touch of poison knowledge, too

Thank you to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

I really like this author and her writing style. I love her feel love for California. This is another winner
Thanks for letting me read and review the book

Sonny is ready to start again. After 10 years as a cop in LA, Sonny moves herself and her mom to a small Northern California town called Haven to work as a Private Investigator and to be near her boyfriend. This all blows up in minutes when the boyfriend’s wife is her first client. As she investigates a missing dog, the twisted reality of Haven is revealed to be full of secrets, anger and the ignored death of a Black high school player.

Sonny is a fabulous character! I loved this book. It kept me reading every minute. I can’t wait the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this DRC.
#FogandFury #NetGalley

Like an Alex across off shoot to me. Not a bad thing at all but I think I’m moving away from detective/PI novels for now

*Thank you R.H. Hall and Thomas & Mercer for the, Fog and Fury ARC. My opinions are my own.