She Treads Softly: Mist and Malice

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Mist and Malice

Mist and Malice by Rachel Howzell Hall
5/19/26; 367 pages
Thomas & Mercer
Haven Thriller #2

Mist and Malice by Rachel Howzell Hall is a recommended investigative thriller and the second book, following Fog and Fury, in the Haven series.

Sonny Rush, current private investigator, former LAPD detective, moved to Haven, a small town on the Northern California coast, to join her godfather’s PI business and also keep an eye (and air tag) on her mother, who has Alzheimer's and a new boyfriend. Trying to adapt to Haven has been a struggle. When runaway teenager Honor Butler shows up at her house afraid and beaten, Sonny takes care of her immediate needs before learning her story of being taken advantage of and abused. Three hours later a dead man is found in the nearby forest. He is the man whose wife said he was missing for months. These disparate cases coalesce into a massive case of corruption.

The cases are complicated so stay focused while reading as there are a lot of various plot threads and characters introduced in the development of this story. While dealing with events, she also learns some heartbreaking information that shakes up her life. Everything does connect at the end, but the lead up to the resolution can feel a bit scattered. Also, it would be beneficial for you to read the first novel in the series before this second one. While reading at times it felt like I was missing important background information.

Sonny is an intelligent, intuitive character who can be alternately humorous and deadly serious. There were several quotes from Sonny which had me immediately laughing. It is very clear that she doesn't much like the town or citizens of Haven. Along the way, some occurrences and comments do get a bit too political and judging. The final denouement is satisfying, although somethings will be continued into the next novel in the series.

Mist and Malice is an investigative thriller that will best be appreciated by those following the series. Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.