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Sister Holiday Mystery #2
Blessed Water
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.
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.
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.
279 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 12, 2024
192 people are currently reading
9629 people want to read
About the author
Margot Douaihy
11 books285 followersMargot Douaihy (b. Scranton, PA) lives and works in Northampton, MA. She earned a BA in Writing from the University of Pittsburgh and a PhD in Creative Writing from Lancaster University.
Douaihy is the author of the lyrical crime novel SCORCHED GRACE (Gillian Flynn Books), which was named a Best Crime Novel of 2023 by The New York Times, The Guardian, Apple Books, CrimeReads, Barnes & Noble, & Novel Suspects, among others. The second book in the Sister Holiday Mystery series, BLESSED WATER, was named a Best Crime Novel of 2024 by the New York Times and the winner of a Publishing Triangle Award for LGBTQ Crime Fiction. DIVINE RUIN, the third installment, publishes January 13, 2026. Margot is also the author of Bandit/Queen: The Runaway Story of Belle Starr, a true-crime poetry project, and Scranton Lace, a documentary poetry collection about the life and death of a lace factory.
A Co-Editor of the Cambridge University Press Elements in Crime Narrative Series and Multimodal/Multimedia Section Editor of Journal of Creative Writing Studies (RIT ScholarWorks), Douaihy’s work has been featured or reviewed in Colorado Review, The Florida Review, North American Review, PBS NewsHour, Mystery Tribune, Portland Review, Vanity Fair, Vulture, and others.
Douaihy serves as an Assistant Professor with Emerson College.
Honors include the Saints & Sinners LGBTQ+ Festival Emerging Writer Award (2024); Pinckley Prize for Crime Fiction, Best Debut Mystery (2023); Left Coast Crime Best Debut Mystery Nominee (2023); Best Author by Boston Magazine (2023); The F. Lamott Belin Arts Scholarship for Virtual Reality Poetry (2023); Massachusetts Book Award Longlist (2023); New England Book Award Finalist (2023), Mass Cultural Council Artist Fellowship (2022), The Florida Review Humboldt Poetry Prize Runner-Up (2021), Ernest Hemingway Foundation Hemingway Shorts Finalist (2021), and Lambda Literary Award Poetry Finalist (2015).
A founding member of the Creative Writing Studies Organization and an active member of the Association of Writers & Writing Programs, Queer Crime Writers, and Radius of Arab American Writers (RAWI), Douaihy is represented by United Agents, Laura Macdougall (literary) and Jennifer Thomas (screen).
Douaihy is the author of the lyrical crime novel SCORCHED GRACE (Gillian Flynn Books), which was named a Best Crime Novel of 2023 by The New York Times, The Guardian, Apple Books, CrimeReads, Barnes & Noble, & Novel Suspects, among others. The second book in the Sister Holiday Mystery series, BLESSED WATER, was named a Best Crime Novel of 2024 by the New York Times and the winner of a Publishing Triangle Award for LGBTQ Crime Fiction. DIVINE RUIN, the third installment, publishes January 13, 2026. Margot is also the author of Bandit/Queen: The Runaway Story of Belle Starr, a true-crime poetry project, and Scranton Lace, a documentary poetry collection about the life and death of a lace factory.
A Co-Editor of the Cambridge University Press Elements in Crime Narrative Series and Multimodal/Multimedia Section Editor of Journal of Creative Writing Studies (RIT ScholarWorks), Douaihy’s work has been featured or reviewed in Colorado Review, The Florida Review, North American Review, PBS NewsHour, Mystery Tribune, Portland Review, Vanity Fair, Vulture, and others.
Douaihy serves as an Assistant Professor with Emerson College.
Honors include the Saints & Sinners LGBTQ+ Festival Emerging Writer Award (2024); Pinckley Prize for Crime Fiction, Best Debut Mystery (2023); Left Coast Crime Best Debut Mystery Nominee (2023); Best Author by Boston Magazine (2023); The F. Lamott Belin Arts Scholarship for Virtual Reality Poetry (2023); Massachusetts Book Award Longlist (2023); New England Book Award Finalist (2023), Mass Cultural Council Artist Fellowship (2022), The Florida Review Humboldt Poetry Prize Runner-Up (2021), Ernest Hemingway Foundation Hemingway Shorts Finalist (2021), and Lambda Literary Award Poetry Finalist (2015).
A founding member of the Creative Writing Studies Organization and an active member of the Association of Writers & Writing Programs, Queer Crime Writers, and Radius of Arab American Writers (RAWI), Douaihy is represented by United Agents, Laura Macdougall (literary) and Jennifer Thomas (screen).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 268 reviews
June 5, 2024
3.5 because this was better than the first book
Lesbian tattooed nun vs. NOLA cops and the diocese slay
Lesbian tattooed nun vs. NOLA cops and the diocese slay
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2025
I think if I was of the Catholic faith I may want to find a new congregation.
More perish at the parish of St. Sebastian's.
With one priest dead and one missing our queer, tatted, punk nun, Sister Holiday has her hands full yet again.
In this go around, Sister gained a PI license and is working with Riveaux at the new venture, The Redemption Detective Agency. Somehow the cops working on the case hire the agency to seek clues to the murdered/missing priests. The story begins
As in the last installment, New Orleans is a character in its own right.
Its Easter weekend, torrential rain plummets, flooding occurs, everyone is drenched. I think I caught a cold.
The survivors of the previous book all make an appearance and everyone gets involved with everything.
Sister Holidays brother arrives and throws a wrench in the chaos.
Sister Holiday is still pinning over Nina.
And Sister Holiday comes to a decision.
I liked this one a tad better than the last.
There is character growth and although the story was somewhat, (a lot) convoluted, I was content.
I will read the next in the series simply because I like Sister Holiday and New Orleans and am curious as to what new fresh hell S. Holiday and Riveaux encounter next.
What of St. Sebastian's?
More perish at the parish of St. Sebastian's.
With one priest dead and one missing our queer, tatted, punk nun, Sister Holiday has her hands full yet again.
In this go around, Sister gained a PI license and is working with Riveaux at the new venture, The Redemption Detective Agency. Somehow the cops working on the case hire the agency to seek clues to the murdered/missing priests. The story begins
As in the last installment, New Orleans is a character in its own right.
Its Easter weekend, torrential rain plummets, flooding occurs, everyone is drenched. I think I caught a cold.
The survivors of the previous book all make an appearance and everyone gets involved with everything.
Sister Holidays brother arrives and throws a wrench in the chaos.
Sister Holiday is still pinning over Nina.
And Sister Holiday comes to a decision.
I liked this one a tad better than the last.
There is character growth and although the story was somewhat, (a lot) convoluted, I was content.
I will read the next in the series simply because I like Sister Holiday and New Orleans and am curious as to what new fresh hell S. Holiday and Riveaux encounter next.
What of St. Sebastian's?
March 17, 2024
3 stars. I wasn’t much of a fan of this one, even less than I was of the first one so I think this is the end of the road for me with the Sister Holiday series. The plot is strangely choppy, the characters are flat, but my biggest issue is the strange overly dramatic and descriptive language.
Sister Holiday is now a PI apprentice with Riveaux and when they start investigating their first case of a cheating husband, they instead stumble upon the dead body of a priest. When another priest goes missing they both realize that something deeper is at play.
At least in the first one it played with morally grey characters but here the villain is a caricature and it’s not very interesting. I also didn’t understand why Honor took so long to reveal something so deep about the murders when she knew it was most likely relevant finally, I’m pretty sure there was some bug in the editing process because in the first half of the book everytime Riveaux asked a question the word “question mark” was typed out. It’s possible it was meant to be a character quirk but that would be really annoying.
Sister Holiday is now a PI apprentice with Riveaux and when they start investigating their first case of a cheating husband, they instead stumble upon the dead body of a priest. When another priest goes missing they both realize that something deeper is at play.
At least in the first one it played with morally grey characters but here the villain is a caricature and it’s not very interesting. I also didn’t understand why Honor took so long to reveal something so deep about the murders when she knew it was most likely relevant finally, I’m pretty sure there was some bug in the editing process because in the first half of the book everytime Riveaux asked a question the word “question mark” was typed out. It’s possible it was meant to be a character quirk but that would be really annoying.
March 22, 2024
I think I'm all-in on this series. I liked the first one, but I reeeeeeeally liked this one. A true contemporary hard-boiled detective series - and about a woman! A queer woman! Who is also a nun. It works, ok.
I also always appreciate any contemporary mystery books that move slowly and are not cozies. It's just so rare these days. Everyone wants thrillers and cozies, and I usually prefer things somewhere in the middle.
I also always appreciate any contemporary mystery books that move slowly and are not cozies. It's just so rare these days. Everyone wants thrillers and cozies, and I usually prefer things somewhere in the middle.
April 26, 2024
something about these books just scratch an itch on my brain idk how to describe it ???
November 12, 2024
It would truly take a miracle to redeem this series.
The author's choice to make every single character's backstory and to an extent current existence miserable is exhausting. I'm at the point where I'm genuinely surprised that BonTon made it to the end of the book. (Also my reason for 2 stars instead of 1.5.) By the time I was halfway through the book, I was expecting her to get set on fire, flayed alive, and hit by a car all at once or something else like that. I mean... the van of SA survivors drowning including the gay cop's wife? The cop killing his own father who had raped his mother for diocese hush money to pay off his gambling debts? Miss Maingirl's mom being burnt alive while already having cancer? (I'm still hung up on that from the first book.)
All of this combined with Holiday's actions which teeter on the edge between fun, exciting edgy and messy, dull edgy, and all too often fall into the latter (eating the rosary beads, anyone?) make her more frustrating to follow than the badass I'd hoped she'd be.
This is compounded by the lackluster writing that focuses too much on the small things and not enough on the big picture; I often found myself lost in what was happening within a single page, needing to reread passages to figure out when characters moved around in the scene or even got shot. Additionally, the author seems to be spending a lot of time on a soapbox about queerness and religion and punkness, but I can't even parse what is said on the soapbox to give my thoughts on that.
The weaknesses in the writing are what's really the final nail in the coffin for me, as I would have loved to love this story, setting, and creative characters. This series drew me in with its promises of lesbian punk nuns and captivating mysteries, which is exactly up my alley, but unfortunately, it didn't deliver. A damn shame if you ask me, and I doubt I will be continuing on with the series.
On a final positive note, the covers are still as gorgeous as always. A cursory google search names the artist (at least for the equally stunning first book) as Will Staehle, and big kudos to him for the excellent work. (Link contains an interview from the artist and some earlier cover designs.)
The author's choice to make every single character's backstory and to an extent current existence miserable is exhausting. I'm at the point where I'm genuinely surprised that BonTon made it to the end of the book. (Also my reason for 2 stars instead of 1.5.) By the time I was halfway through the book, I was expecting her to get set on fire, flayed alive, and hit by a car all at once or something else like that. I mean... the van of SA survivors drowning including the gay cop's wife? The cop killing his own father who had raped his mother for diocese hush money to pay off his gambling debts? Miss Maingirl's mom being burnt alive while already having cancer? (I'm still hung up on that from the first book.)
All of this combined with Holiday's actions which teeter on the edge between fun, exciting edgy and messy, dull edgy, and all too often fall into the latter (eating the rosary beads, anyone?) make her more frustrating to follow than the badass I'd hoped she'd be.
This is compounded by the lackluster writing that focuses too much on the small things and not enough on the big picture; I often found myself lost in what was happening within a single page, needing to reread passages to figure out when characters moved around in the scene or even got shot. Additionally, the author seems to be spending a lot of time on a soapbox about queerness and religion and punkness, but I can't even parse what is said on the soapbox to give my thoughts on that.
The weaknesses in the writing are what's really the final nail in the coffin for me, as I would have loved to love this story, setting, and creative characters. This series drew me in with its promises of lesbian punk nuns and captivating mysteries, which is exactly up my alley, but unfortunately, it didn't deliver. A damn shame if you ask me, and I doubt I will be continuing on with the series.
On a final positive note, the covers are still as gorgeous as always. A cursory google search names the artist (at least for the equally stunning first book) as Will Staehle, and big kudos to him for the excellent work. (Link contains an interview from the artist and some earlier cover designs.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2024
This is the second in a mystery series featuring the potty-mouthed, smoking, vividly tattooed, gay, former member of a rock band, Sister Holiday, in her New Orleans convent. After the shocking events of the first book, she’s got her PI licence and joined forces with the former fire investigator of that book to form their own private investigation agency. Their first case: who is behind the murder of one priest and the disappearance of another?
March 26, 2024
sister holiday slaying once again
April 15, 2024
The actual plot, in theory, is fine, but the book is simply not very well written.
April 20, 2025
I'll love you forever, Sister Holiday.
February 24, 2025
The novel's narrator and protagonist is Sister Holiday, the youngest member of the shrinking Sisters of the Sublime Blood, is once again confronted with a murder. Sister Holiday is a colorful character donned in gloves and scarf used to hide the tatoos which run from her neck down. She also has a gold tooth crown which was chipped during a bar fight. Her language contains religious jargon, but if often peppered with vulgarity when emotional.
The second series novel transpires over three days between Good Friday and Easter. Sister Holiday will be taking her permanent vows within six months. She hasn't had much time to contemplate this event because of recent events. While a nun, she is also apprenticing as a private investigator assisting PI Magnolia Riveaux, owner of Redemption Detective Agency in New Orleans. While on a case seeking evidence on a cheating husband, Sister Holiday discovers the water-soaked body of notorious Fr. Reese from St. Sebarstian's in the Mississippi River. Shortly after this event, she discovers that her favored priest, Fr. Nathan is missing and held captive as evident in a Poloroid displaying Nathan tied and gagged slipped under her convent's cell door. Who and why was Fr. Reese killed? Where is Fr. Nathan being held? Sr. Holiday and Riveaux have been hired by the local police to assist in answering this mystery.
This novel blends together suspense, character-driven storytelling, and poignant reflection on faith, family, past loves, and justice. I listened to this book in audio format, which might not have been the best choice for this book. The book is written primarily as stream-of-consciousness, which turned into a drone after awhile. However, I did find her theological connections between her investigation experiences entertaining. The author does an excellent job at balancing the moral and ethical dilemmas faced by Sr. Holiday who finds herself deeply involved in matters of justice outside the church’s traditional role. If you’re a fan of mysteries with a unique protagonist and a compelling setting, this novel is a must-read.
The second series novel transpires over three days between Good Friday and Easter. Sister Holiday will be taking her permanent vows within six months. She hasn't had much time to contemplate this event because of recent events. While a nun, she is also apprenticing as a private investigator assisting PI Magnolia Riveaux, owner of Redemption Detective Agency in New Orleans. While on a case seeking evidence on a cheating husband, Sister Holiday discovers the water-soaked body of notorious Fr. Reese from St. Sebarstian's in the Mississippi River. Shortly after this event, she discovers that her favored priest, Fr. Nathan is missing and held captive as evident in a Poloroid displaying Nathan tied and gagged slipped under her convent's cell door. Who and why was Fr. Reese killed? Where is Fr. Nathan being held? Sr. Holiday and Riveaux have been hired by the local police to assist in answering this mystery.
This novel blends together suspense, character-driven storytelling, and poignant reflection on faith, family, past loves, and justice. I listened to this book in audio format, which might not have been the best choice for this book. The book is written primarily as stream-of-consciousness, which turned into a drone after awhile. However, I did find her theological connections between her investigation experiences entertaining. The author does an excellent job at balancing the moral and ethical dilemmas faced by Sr. Holiday who finds herself deeply involved in matters of justice outside the church’s traditional role. If you’re a fan of mysteries with a unique protagonist and a compelling setting, this novel is a must-read.
March 26, 2024
Well that was a quick read! This book arrived in the mail yesterday so I dropped my other reading adventures to speed run this one! The cover art alone is spectacular, the premise of both the first and second books were great. I love a detective nun! Who would’ve thought. One thing I really love about the author is her descriptions, she is so incredibly descriptive it is beautiful. I can truly picture the things she’s describing in my head to a T. One of my big complaints with the first book was that the ending seemed rushed and some doors were opened but never closed but I can say this second book was much better about that. And we get to meet new characters in this book which is fun! Would definitely recommend this book! Waiting for book three not so patiently :)
(4.5/5)
(4.5/5)
March 12, 2024
Sister Holiday, chaos Nun trying to do right so that she can take her permanent vows to the Catholic Church, returns during a holy week deluge. NOLA is flooding, and cracks are forming in walls that have shielded the parish for so, so long. This definitely shouldn't be read as a standalone. The writing in this book is simply poetry, and the atmosphere it creates is impeccable. I read this on a gorgeous spring day, but I swear I could hear and smell the storm outside. The characters are also incredibly crafted, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of them. The audiobook narration was absolutely perfect. That said, I just didn't find the actual story as tight and riveting as the first book. The mystery felt secondary to a great many other things in this book, and the plotting of it felt like an afterthought. . This definitely has the feeling of a bridge book, but its still very enjoyable, and I look forward to seeing what comes next for Sister Holiday. 3.5/5 stars, rounded down.
November 18, 2025
“Nicholas and Nina were a modern poly couple. Which, ordinarily, I dig. Beats the depraved self-sabotage of forcing yourself to live in eternal sexual sadness because of the pressure of monogamy and stone-age marital expectations”.
This is insanity. People now feel pressured to do the right thing. How could one partner not be enough? Is love no longer special? Or real at this rate? What a disappointment that a vast majority of today’s books promote non-monogamous behavior. Later, a character says they are in love, and they are using each other for sex.
After reading Scorched Grace, I thought I would be adding Margot Douaihy’s books to my TBR forever. I managed to finish Blessed Water, and unfortunately, this will not be the case. It is shocking that this is even the same author of both books- it’s like a night and day difference. This sequel loses nearly all the creativity that made the first book stand out.
For the entire first half, it is clear that the author was overly concerned with meeting the word count. She forgot about the investigation. It's like, damn, a dead body. Anywaysss class. Very little happens with that until the last 30 minutes.
As with many sequels, this one loses its charm and reads like filler. It’s annoying to hear the names Moose and Goose the entire novel. There’s no real character development. All in all, a huge disappointment and a waste of potential, including the ending.
This is the one part I found funny:
“Where am I supposed to go? You're my sister”.
“I’m everyone's goddamn sister”!
This is insanity. People now feel pressured to do the right thing. How could one partner not be enough? Is love no longer special? Or real at this rate? What a disappointment that a vast majority of today’s books promote non-monogamous behavior. Later, a character says they are in love, and they are using each other for sex.
After reading Scorched Grace, I thought I would be adding Margot Douaihy’s books to my TBR forever. I managed to finish Blessed Water, and unfortunately, this will not be the case. It is shocking that this is even the same author of both books- it’s like a night and day difference. This sequel loses nearly all the creativity that made the first book stand out.
For the entire first half, it is clear that the author was overly concerned with meeting the word count. She forgot about the investigation. It's like, damn, a dead body. Anywaysss class. Very little happens with that until the last 30 minutes.
As with many sequels, this one loses its charm and reads like filler. It’s annoying to hear the names Moose and Goose the entire novel. There’s no real character development. All in all, a huge disappointment and a waste of potential, including the ending.
This is the one part I found funny:
“Where am I supposed to go? You're my sister”.
“I’m everyone's goddamn sister”!
April 4, 2024
Blessed Water by Margot Douaihy is the perfect way to progress the Sister Holiday Mystery series!
Sequels can be hit or miss for me - I need information to be repeated from the previous book(s) for a reminder, but I don't want redundancy - and this one was the perfect blend. Sister Holiday was portrayed the way readers are already familiar with, but without the need for her personality to be overly described within this book as well. I love how once a character is already established, they can exist in the world without over explanation as the series continues.
Once again, I was blessed to discover just how poetic Douaihy's writing is. It's elaborate and expressive, with a clear rhythm present in her words, a true cadence throughout. (Douaihy has a background in poetry, so of course this comes across in her writing!)
I'm not sure if I've ever read a book taking place over the Easter weekend before, and this was the perfect religious timeframe for Sister Holiday to sleuth out another murder! (I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Sister Holiday's brother Moose shares an (ever-moving) Easter Sunday birthday with me!)
As this is published by Gillian Flynn Books, an imprint of Zando Projects (and as a huge Gillian Flynn fan), I appreciated the nods in Flynn's direction within this book.
There is a subtleness to the sardonic way that Mara Wilson (of Matilda fame) narrates this audiobook; a lilt to her voice adding the slightest touch of humour. Wilson's voice is perfect in this way to embody Sister Holiday as it adds more depth to her already satirical demeanor. I’m so happy it is Wilson who is once again narrating this noir little story!
I'm already hoping for yet another book in this dark, tongue-in-cheek mystery series to publish soon!
Thank you NetGalley, Zando, Gillian Flynn Books and Dreamscape Select for the complimentary copies to read and review.
Sequels can be hit or miss for me - I need information to be repeated from the previous book(s) for a reminder, but I don't want redundancy - and this one was the perfect blend. Sister Holiday was portrayed the way readers are already familiar with, but without the need for her personality to be overly described within this book as well. I love how once a character is already established, they can exist in the world without over explanation as the series continues.
Once again, I was blessed to discover just how poetic Douaihy's writing is. It's elaborate and expressive, with a clear rhythm present in her words, a true cadence throughout. (Douaihy has a background in poetry, so of course this comes across in her writing!)
I'm not sure if I've ever read a book taking place over the Easter weekend before, and this was the perfect religious timeframe for Sister Holiday to sleuth out another murder! (I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Sister Holiday's brother Moose shares an (ever-moving) Easter Sunday birthday with me!)
As this is published by Gillian Flynn Books, an imprint of Zando Projects (and as a huge Gillian Flynn fan), I appreciated the nods in Flynn's direction within this book.
There is a subtleness to the sardonic way that Mara Wilson (of Matilda fame) narrates this audiobook; a lilt to her voice adding the slightest touch of humour. Wilson's voice is perfect in this way to embody Sister Holiday as it adds more depth to her already satirical demeanor. I’m so happy it is Wilson who is once again narrating this noir little story!
I'm already hoping for yet another book in this dark, tongue-in-cheek mystery series to publish soon!
Thank you NetGalley, Zando, Gillian Flynn Books and Dreamscape Select for the complimentary copies to read and review.
March 6, 2024
Another great cozy mystery set in New Orleans featuring a gay tattooed nun with a gold tooth and an ex-police detective who start up their own PI agency. In this book they are investigating the mutilation of one priest and the disappearance of another as well as dealing with the reappearance of Sister Holiday's ex-army medic brother. Full of snark, found family and lots of guilt, this was great on audio narrated by Mara Wilson and highly recommended. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
March 9, 2024
Blessed Water is short and sweet but with a punch. Sister Holiday investigates a disappearance, gets real with her faith, and still throws in some surprise spicy tidbits.
My favorite quote? “I want you to crack me open like a wishbone.” 🦴 🥵
I’m always a sucker for an LGBTQIA+ lead, but now there’s one in a habit? What’s not to love?! Sister Holiday is otherworldly yet somehow relatable, and I ended up enjoying Blessed Water more and more the further I got into it. I’ll admit it started a little rough, but as the story advanced, it hooked me.
The writing was beautifully done and extraordinarily descriptive, and the audiobook narrator was also quality. I would read another book in this series or listen to another audio by this narrator. 💯
I listened to this audiobook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review—thanks!
My favorite quote? “I want you to crack me open like a wishbone.” 🦴 🥵
I’m always a sucker for an LGBTQIA+ lead, but now there’s one in a habit? What’s not to love?! Sister Holiday is otherworldly yet somehow relatable, and I ended up enjoying Blessed Water more and more the further I got into it. I’ll admit it started a little rough, but as the story advanced, it hooked me.
The writing was beautifully done and extraordinarily descriptive, and the audiobook narrator was also quality. I would read another book in this series or listen to another audio by this narrator. 💯
I listened to this audiobook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review—thanks!
March 17, 2024
This is a very exciting and well plotted series. I'm enjoying it and loved this second installment.
Well done, gripping and entertaining.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Well done, gripping and entertaining.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
June 7, 2025
I think this is it for me when it comes to reading the Sister Holiday series. Wanted to give it one more shot to see if the second book was better, since they idea of a murder solving punk lesbian nun is genius, but honestly I almost liked ”Blessed water” less than the first one.
April 9, 2024
Sister Holiday is back and continues to be a bad ass! She was burnt by the fire in book 1 , now she is tested by the water. The writer's poetic description is so special, it stays with you, you can smell the cigarettes the main character smokes, you can feel the pain when she is hurt. Cant wait for the next adventure of Sister Holiday, a punk rock nun and a PI!
May 9, 2024
Ugh I loved the first book and this one got sooooo good towards the end, but the beginning of felt very floundering. Douaihy is such a good writer, but I don't know if she knew what she wanted to do with this book. It wrapped up pretty nicely, I was just a bit underwhelmed overall. Still excited for the next entry in the series though.
April 29, 2024
The main character, Sister Holiday, is interesting and likable. She's kind of a more self-aware early 90s Riot Grrl. That is good because a lot of the novel is her inner monologue, and most things are told, not shown. The thriller feels like an afterthought, and the New Orleans setting is unfortunately not really explored. I can see this on television.
November 26, 2023
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC 🙏
Right off the bat, I was pulled into Margot Douighy's new novel, the second in a trilogy. Her poetry shines through as she writes, whether you know her to be a poet or not. I was also quickly reminded how much I adore and missed Sister Holiday and Riveaux.
"Not that we were always sunshine and unicorns. More like hailstorms and cobras."
The amount of detail that Margot writes in her books blows me away. In both Scorched Grace, and now Blessed Waters, I feel like I'm in the same scene as the characters. Whether it's a discription of a person or place, I'm right there. And just like with Scorched Grace, I feel like I know NOLA well, even though I've never been there. I also never had the urge to go there until I read both of these books.
"Things never happen as we predict or rehearse in your mind. They are more marvelous. And scary."
In Blessed Water, we meet Moose in the present time. He's an interesting character and he's definitely a mystery, but it's fun to see the chaotic-ness of his relationship with his sister. They bond, laugh and fight together...not always with each other.
"Secret to sleuthing and to life: Stay curious but expect the worst. You'll never be bored or disappointed."
More characters from Scorched Grace shine through in Blessed Water, and we, as readers, learn more about them. I found that there were a few characters who I disliked in Scorched Grace, but grew to adore (or mostly like) in Blessed Water. We learn their battles and see their scars.
"When you had big feelings like I did, eureka moments were more like atom bombs."
I have many thoughts about this novel, as a whole. I have many thoughts about the characters; will they return in book three, will they forever be gone and forgotten? I also have many thoughts and hopes for book three, and for Sister Holiday, our favorite sleuth.
"A moment is just a moment, then it passes to become a memory."
As Blessed Water came to an end, I felt like all of the emotions for this novel were in the last fifty or so pages. There were plot twists, newfound relationships and an opening for book three. I'm so excited to see where this trilogy goes and to see what Margot Douaihy has in store for us.
"And that's how it ended. With a beginning."
Right off the bat, I was pulled into Margot Douighy's new novel, the second in a trilogy. Her poetry shines through as she writes, whether you know her to be a poet or not. I was also quickly reminded how much I adore and missed Sister Holiday and Riveaux.
"Not that we were always sunshine and unicorns. More like hailstorms and cobras."
The amount of detail that Margot writes in her books blows me away. In both Scorched Grace, and now Blessed Waters, I feel like I'm in the same scene as the characters. Whether it's a discription of a person or place, I'm right there. And just like with Scorched Grace, I feel like I know NOLA well, even though I've never been there. I also never had the urge to go there until I read both of these books.
"Things never happen as we predict or rehearse in your mind. They are more marvelous. And scary."
In Blessed Water, we meet Moose in the present time. He's an interesting character and he's definitely a mystery, but it's fun to see the chaotic-ness of his relationship with his sister. They bond, laugh and fight together...not always with each other.
"Secret to sleuthing and to life: Stay curious but expect the worst. You'll never be bored or disappointed."
More characters from Scorched Grace shine through in Blessed Water, and we, as readers, learn more about them. I found that there were a few characters who I disliked in Scorched Grace, but grew to adore (or mostly like) in Blessed Water. We learn their battles and see their scars.
"When you had big feelings like I did, eureka moments were more like atom bombs."
I have many thoughts about this novel, as a whole. I have many thoughts about the characters; will they return in book three, will they forever be gone and forgotten? I also have many thoughts and hopes for book three, and for Sister Holiday, our favorite sleuth.
"A moment is just a moment, then it passes to become a memory."
As Blessed Water came to an end, I felt like all of the emotions for this novel were in the last fifty or so pages. There were plot twists, newfound relationships and an opening for book three. I'm so excited to see where this trilogy goes and to see what Margot Douaihy has in store for us.
"And that's how it ended. With a beginning."
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May 29, 2024I was so on board with the cozy mystery featuring a badass, smoking, tattooed, queer nun who solves crimes. However, I think I liked the concept more in theory than in execution.
No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t get into the story. I found myself constantly zoning out and having to rewind, so I didn’t miss anything. In the end, I just didn’t care about the mystery or any of the characters. Even Sister Holiday didn’t seem as funny and interesting as I thought she’d be.
If you read the first book and loved it, you’re probably going to love this one, too, but unfortunately, it wasn’t for me.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t get into the story. I found myself constantly zoning out and having to rewind, so I didn’t miss anything. In the end, I just didn’t care about the mystery or any of the characters. Even Sister Holiday didn’t seem as funny and interesting as I thought she’d be.
If you read the first book and loved it, you’re probably going to love this one, too, but unfortunately, it wasn’t for me.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 21, 2025
girly made the same mistakes over and over and still didn't learn from them by the end of the book.
[thank you to netgalley + zando for the free copy! all opinions are my own.]
[thank you to netgalley + zando for the free copy! all opinions are my own.]
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January 29, 2025I LOVED the first book, and that might be why this one was a slightly perplexing turn from that infatuation, in a plot that feels a bit like a fever dream. In fairness, I read this in two hours instead of paying attention in my lecture- if I had taken the time to savor it and read it over the course of a couple of days, the timeline might have felt better paced to me. But when I say this takes place at breakneck speeds, I mean it. The entire mystery unfolds over a three-day Easter weekend which didn't leave enough room for the actions of the characters and the bulk of the mystery to unfold in a satisfying way.
To clear the air: I would still die for Sister Holiday. She's genuinely a really interesting character to me. She's a tattooed, lesbian, PI in training who also has a surprisingly wholesome and dedicated faith in God. I think a lot of books with a main character like this would make religion something she feels conflicted about or a role she's posing in, but an integral part of Holiday's character is that religion, and God, mean something to her, and that makes her more unique than a typical attempt to have an edgy nun character. I also really liked Riveaux- her snarky presence was always a welcome way to break up the tension of some of the darker parts of the book.
Additionally, atmosphere is done really well in this book. The first in the series, Scorched Grace, appropriately takes place during a sweltering New Orleans summer- and Blessed Water takes place during a flash flood that drowns the entire city over the most holy weekend in the church calendar. I always like it when the physical setting and environmental factors in the story form into characters of their own, and I thought the claustrophobia of the constant rain heightened the emotional stress in the story.
I struggled a bit with the mystery, though. Three days just didn't feel like enough time. It doesn't allow characters to change their minds or evaluate things from different perspectives. And a lot happens in these seventy-two hours. Holiday and Riveaux are catfished by a fake client for their PI practice, and find the priest of St. Sebastian's dead- they're hired on by the PD to help find the killer, as Holiday starts receiving disturbing polaroids of the newly arrived junior priest who appears to be held hostage. The conclusion (detailed in the 'spoilers' section of this review) is technically plausible, but it's not super shocking, and doesn't even feel like the best option for wrapping up the story. I thought there were some cool ideas and almost-happenings there but it never came together in a way that I found personally satisfying.
All in all, I just found this pretty fine- the characters and setting had to carry heavily to bring it above that line, but the parts that were good, were good. I'm not ready to lay down my title as the most vehement defender of this series yet, and when Book #3 comes out, I will be ready to try again- I just hope that there's some of the same spit and vigor as Scorched Grace.
To clear the air: I would still die for Sister Holiday. She's genuinely a really interesting character to me. She's a tattooed, lesbian, PI in training who also has a surprisingly wholesome and dedicated faith in God. I think a lot of books with a main character like this would make religion something she feels conflicted about or a role she's posing in, but an integral part of Holiday's character is that religion, and God, mean something to her, and that makes her more unique than a typical attempt to have an edgy nun character. I also really liked Riveaux- her snarky presence was always a welcome way to break up the tension of some of the darker parts of the book.
Additionally, atmosphere is done really well in this book. The first in the series, Scorched Grace, appropriately takes place during a sweltering New Orleans summer- and Blessed Water takes place during a flash flood that drowns the entire city over the most holy weekend in the church calendar. I always like it when the physical setting and environmental factors in the story form into characters of their own, and I thought the claustrophobia of the constant rain heightened the emotional stress in the story.
I struggled a bit with the mystery, though. Three days just didn't feel like enough time. It doesn't allow characters to change their minds or evaluate things from different perspectives. And a lot happens in these seventy-two hours. Holiday and Riveaux are catfished by a fake client for their PI practice, and find the priest of St. Sebastian's dead- they're hired on by the PD to help find the killer, as Holiday starts receiving disturbing polaroids of the newly arrived junior priest who appears to be held hostage. The conclusion (detailed in the 'spoilers' section of this review) is technically plausible, but it's not super shocking, and doesn't even feel like the best option for wrapping up the story. I thought there were some cool ideas and almost-happenings there but it never came together in a way that I found personally satisfying.
All in all, I just found this pretty fine- the characters and setting had to carry heavily to bring it above that line, but the parts that were good, were good. I'm not ready to lay down my title as the most vehement defender of this series yet, and when Book #3 comes out, I will be ready to try again- I just hope that there's some of the same spit and vigor as Scorched Grace.
October 18, 2024
Sister Holiday did not solve a mystery in this book but was simply adjacent to a series of extremely violent and traumatic events. The perpetrators revealed themselves to the protagonist. The prose is mostly narration from Sister Holiday consisting of her understanding of Catholic theology. The parishioners are badly served by predatory priests and cruel and/or mentally ill nuns. I read this book and Madam by Phoebe Wynne at the same time (this one by audio book and Madam on my Kindle because both are a no but boring and didn’t keep my attention) and both had plot points regarding violence against women and children that are so awful both books should’ve ended in
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2025
Is the world ready for a profane tattooed queer nun, Sister Holiday, in NOLA who teaches music and dabbles in sleuthing? Book # 2 in the series starts off with a murdered priest and then the parish's other priest is missing. The weather is terrible too with constant rain and flash flooding. Biblical weather to match the priesticide. Plus Holiday's gay brother shows up- discharged out of the Army. Holiday investigates in her usual irreverent manner and incurs the wrath of the police and the bishop. It seems the search for truth is not in the diocese or police's best interest. A wild and surprising ending.
September 17, 2025
Actual rating 3.5 ⭐️
Another Sister Holiday mystery to solve and in this one the stakes felt higher than the first! I enjoyed the play by play day while searching for the missing priest rather than the prolonged investigation of book one. And we even got to meet Sister Holiday’s brother who was heavily mentioned in the first one in her backstory.
I find this series really fun even though I don’t feel super connected to the characters. The witty, messy lesbian nun angle is interesting and even comical at times. The woman PI taking on the NOPD was also satisfying to see.
Another Sister Holiday mystery to solve and in this one the stakes felt higher than the first! I enjoyed the play by play day while searching for the missing priest rather than the prolonged investigation of book one. And we even got to meet Sister Holiday’s brother who was heavily mentioned in the first one in her backstory.
I find this series really fun even though I don’t feel super connected to the characters. The witty, messy lesbian nun angle is interesting and even comical at times. The woman PI taking on the NOPD was also satisfying to see.
June 23, 2024
This was a fun romp that I wish I read during holy week to be fitting. Honestly didn't really see the end even though I feel like I should have. Really love the characters and Holidays brute honesty and manner of speaking, she cracks me up. Was excited to see Prince come be a menace. I think this character/setting IS unique and reccomend this series to just about anybody that'll listen if you are looking for a fun murder mystery and a bit of a feminist lens into the catholic church
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