Rachel Howzell Hall delivers a dark, atmospheric tale in Fog and Fury that blends crime, suspense, and speculative intrigue with sharp prose and a relentless pace. The story unfolds through a fog of secrets—both literal and emotional—as the protagonist navigates a dangerous landscape filled with shifting loyalties, buried truths, and simmering tension.

The lead character is tough, flawed, and utterly compelling—exactly the kind of woman you'd want leading a story like this. Hall's writing is vivid and visceral, with dialogue that crackles and moments that linger. If anything holds this back from a perfect five stars, it's that the plot occasionally dips into overly familiar territory, and a few threads could’ve used just a bit more resolution.

Still, this is a bold, satisfying read that’s both smart and full of heart. Hall fans will not be disappointed—and newcomers will quickly see what all the buzz is about.

Fog and Fury is book one in the Haven Thriller series by Rachel Howzell Hall.
I enjoyed this book as it was fast reading and more twists than I thought possible.
An extremely well written suspense story with an intricate plot and skillfully drawn characters. It’s a real page turner with twists and turns that seem to spin out of control. The ending was just amazing.
I can’t wait to read book two Mist and Malice.

Fog and Fury is the first novel I have read by Rachel Howzell Hall and it will not be my last.
This is the start of a new series about a small town called Haven where newcomer, Sonny Rush, has moved to with her mother to escape Los Angeles and the bad memories that are there. She is no longer a police officer but has become a private investigator in this town alongside her dad's old partner, Ivan. Her first case is to find a missing dog, but this town that is shrouded in fog is also shrouded in mystery and Sonny finds herself tangled in a web of deceit and many dark secrets.
Sonny is a strong character in a town full of people with things to hide. The main story I had pretty much figured out who really was behind everything, but this did not take away from my enjoyment of the story.
The book did end with a cliff hanger and there was quite a few things that needed resolution and clarification that will keep me looking out for the next book to see where life in Haven takes Sonny and her mother.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Set in the idyllic small (fictional) town of Haven, the sleepy coastal town nestled in the fog, Sonny moves from Los Angeles to join her godfather in the PI business. This will be cake compared to the ten years she spent as an LAPD officer.

Sonny first case- find Figgy, a missing Goldendoodle! As she begins to investigate and meet her new neighbors, Sonny is set on a collision course with her ex and a dead teen!

Can Sonny solve both the cases before Haven’s secrets destroy her?

This is book 1 in the Haven thriller series and it certainly leaves you hanging. This was a slow burn but Im definitely interested in seeing where the series goes in the future.

The setting is a character in itself, the characters are divided between like and loathe and you will have unanswered questions in the end but hopefully you will enjoy the twists and turns (unlike the drive on the winding roads!).

I love a fierce FMC who is relatable and a thought provoking read. If you can get through the conflicts and politics of a small town, I think you’ll enjoy this thriller. You’ll have to read and decide for yourself!

Thank you to author, Rachel Howzell Hall, Publisher Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

Good read with a strong lead character and some solid small-town drama. A little slow at times and some twists were easy to spot, but I still enjoyed the story and the vibe.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Fog and Fury by Rachel Howzell Hall is the first book in the Haven Thriller series.

I just couldn't get into this one. It started well, and I was actually interested, but then I just lost any understanding of what was happening. At the same time book kept my attention, but in a way like I was reading multiple books. I was so present in some parts and so distant in others, so this is why I am stretching my 2 stars to 3. But in general plot felt chaotic, and 2 days later, I can't name even one character... and sadly, this wants me to go back to 2 stars, but ok, as I said, I still manage to keep my attention in some parts...

A former LAPD detective moved to a small town to start fresh and quickly turned into a private investigator with small, insignificant cases until the sad death of a 17-year-old Black boy (it makes sense in the story) was found, and the case was not treated fairly. Soon, she discovers that nothing is as perfect as it seems in this town, and a dark web of lies and secrets leaves a massive shadow behind.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Thomas & Mercer for this copy and hopefully there are more readers who will love this!

Fog and Fury is the first in a new series and I am on the fence if I will follow it yet or not. I really enjoyed this book - we are set in a picturesque little town and Sonny is semi starting over as a new PI, former LAPD cop. She is feisty, strong willed, but sweet and relatable and for that I was invested in the story. I think where this went wrong for me was the intense discussions of politics, race, etc. I read to escape reality, not have it follow me. That is more topical, the book itself was written so well.

In Fog and Fury, former LAPD detective Sonny Rush relocates to the picturesque town of Haven—nicknamed “Mayberry by the sea”—while caring for her mother with Alzheimer’s. Working at her godfather Ivan’s PI firm, Sonny’s simple case of finding a missing dog, Figgy, takes a dark turn when a teenage boy’s body is found. As she investigates, Sonny must confront her wealthy ex and uncover the dangerous secrets beneath Haven’s charming facade.

Fog and Fury is a gripping, atmospheric thriller set in the eerie, fog-shrouded seaside town of Haven—nicknamed “Mayberry by the sea”—where nothing is as perfect as it seems. Sonny Rush, a strong, intelligent, and funny Black female PI, brings depth and resilience to the story as she uncovers the town’s dark secrets. I loved picturing Haven like the fictional town Cabot Cove from Murder, She Wrote, with nostalgic nods to Mayberry adding extra charm.

Read this if you like:
• Thrillers with sinister small-town secrets and deception
• Stories exploring memory, identity, loss, and family dynamics
• Complex, funny, and strong female protagonists facing personal reinvention
• Atmospheric mysteries with rich settings
• Twists and turns with a satisfying open ending that leads to more books
• Tales of resilience, power struggles, and emotional depth
• Nods to classic shows like Mayberry and Murder She Wrote
• Some humor sprinkled throughout the book

Rating: 4 out of 5

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for this e-ARC which will be released on July 1st 2025.

A nice start to a potential new series (given the ending). Sonny thought things would be quieter in Haven than they are with the LAPD but nope. Her first case might be a missing dog but shortly after she finds herself deep in a murder investigation. Small town secrets abound as does prejudice, I liked Sonny and would welcome another appearance. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for this ARC. Hall is a hit or miss author for me, and unfortunately this was a miss. I didn’t really like the writing style and I couldn’t get into the story at all. I ended up DNFing it about 10% in.

What starts as a search for a missing dog in a sleepy Northern California town unravels into a tangled web of secrets, lies, and social tensions. Fog and Fury by Rachel Howzell Hall blends small-town charm with big-league consequences—and trust me, the fog isn't the only thing that's dense around here.

Set in a misty Northern California town that practically breathes under Hall’s pen, the setting becomes a character in its own right. This isn’t your average cozy hamlet—it's a place where silence speaks volumes, and every neighbor seems to know just enough to be dangerous. Hall captures the claustrophobia and closeness of small-town living with uncanny precision.

The beauty of this book? It’s crawling with complicated people. Some you root for, some you want to shake, and all of them slightly, or greatly, unsettlingly.

Beneath the suspenseful plot lies a thoughtful exploration of race, privilege, and community. Hall uses the mystery genre as a vessel for bigger conversations—about who gets believed, who gets protected, and what it means to belong in a place that’s changing faster than its people are ready for.

Fog and Fury isn’t just a murder mystery. It’s a moody, meaningful meditation on the fractures hidden beneath the surface of quiet towns. The pacing might drift in places like a low fog, but the payoff is worth it. With its tangled relationships and sharp social commentary, I am looking forward to of the next installment that was introduced at the end of this one.

Another good one by Rachel Howzell Hall! There's a big shortage of African American mystery/thriller characters and writers! Always a delight and they are great characters and really good storylines. Seems like this character could be ready for another book!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy.

Fog and Fury follows Sonny, a former LAPD homicide detective embarking on a new career as a PI in a small town in California. This move is not simple. First, there's her mother suffering from an early and developing memory disorder, prone to wandering. Second, her boyfriend is definitely not as divorced as he claimed to be. Then there's her first job - finding her (now ex) boyfriend's daughter's dog. What Sonny really wants is to investigate the death of a local high schooler. As she digs into this death in secret, what she discovers of the town is unnerving.

One positive is that Sonny is a great character. Flawed, aggressive, believable. You root for her. The negative is the pacing and focus. The book moves slowly, focusing on one mystery at a time. And there are a lot of mysteries. The book even leaves a lot of open-ended, setting future books in the series.

I'd recommend this to the right person, but not everyone. Still trying to figure out who that person is.
4 stars

Sonny Rush moves to the cozy community of Haven to a cushy job as PI to the wealthy and their lost dogs, thinking she will settle down with her boyfriend.... only to find out he's still living with his wife. She makes a plan to get out of town... until she gets a more interesting case than the usual lost golden doodle. Rachel Howzell Hall has a unique and humorous voice, and specializes in writing tough, smart, savvy female characters. Sonny is no exception. I enjoyed the suspense, the quickly unfolding mystery, and the ex-boyfriend drama, which all come together in a fun and thrilling way in the interesting town of Haven. Howzell Hall remains an auto-read author for me! 4 stars.

This seemed like a set up novel to begin a series. I understand trying to build the atmosphere and the setting, but this just seemed to drag on. Although I have liked other books by Rachel Howzell Hall, I didn't particularly enjoy this one; its' pacing was very slow. The cliffhanger would typically leave me anxiously awaiting the next installment, but I didn't feel particularly invested in this one.

I enjoyed this start to a series of Haven mysteries following Sonny Rush, a former detective and now a private investigator in a small town. The mysteries really piled up and I liked that not everything was wrapped up in this first book and that there are lingering mysteries to follow in future installments. I'm not fully onboard for the romance in this one (I really think Sonny can do better) but there's enough room here to see where things can go.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

LAPD cop Sonny Rush relocates to a small Northern California town, Haven, after some trouble back home, bringing her mom - with early signs of dementia - with her. She takes a job as a PI for her godfather, her dad's former partner, and wonders what she'll do in such a sleepy town. But it quickly becomes clear Haven has a dark underbelly, as a young Black high schooler shows up dead and no one except Sonny -- one of the very few Black people in the town -- seems to care. She dives into the case and learns more about Haven's secrets than she bargained for.

This is the first in a series that I think will be great to continue to read! The mystery kept me on my toes and this town -- well, I can see there will be many more mysteries for Sonny to uncover. I really enjoyed how Howzell Hall shows Sonny navigating the dynamics with her family, as she meets her new neighbors, and as she seeks answers.

Fog and Fury is the perfect title for this book. I loved the setting of the small town feel. The mystery was intriguing and complex. The ending leaves on a cliffhanger which is not a favorite of mine. This is book one in a new series and so I'm hoping that book 2 will give more answers to questions left unanswered in this first book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 ⭐️

Rachel Howzell Hall’s vivid writing shines in her latest detective novel, which is also the first in a new series, FOG AND FURY.

Alyson (Sonny) Rush has arrived at the small Northern California town of Haven with her mother who is showing signs of dementia. After leaving the Los Angeles PD, Sonny has joined her godfather Ivan’s private investigator firm. Ivan has started a new case involving a Black high school football player who was murdered while jogging, and he gives her a case involving a missing dog named Figgy.

I must admit that there are a few too many coincidences in this one. Her lover is connected to the missing dog, and her old friend is the medical examiner for the town. If any of us move to a small town six hours away from the big city, I doubt we would have such connections.

However, even with that drawback, I liked so much about this novel! Great setting, multi-faceted characters, introspective when tougher issues like race come up, and an interesting plot with an incompetent local police force. I loved how Sonny’s mother was treated as a capable person despite fighting dementia.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

It publishes July 1, 2025.

3.5 Stars

Sonny Rush, after 10 years with the LAPD, takes a job as a private investigator with her godfather’s firm in Haven, California. Her first case is to find Figgy, a missing goldendoodle. Figgy’s case is brought by Mackenzie Sutton and her mother, London Sutton. The twist is that London is married to Cooper Sutton, Sonny’s long-term lover, who had told her that he was getting a divorce. Around the same time, the body of Xander Munroe, a gifted teenager, is found, and Sonny offers to help his family because she fears that because they are Black, Xander’s death will not be investigated thoroughly. It does not take long for Sonny to realize that Haven is not the idyllic place that it may initially seem to be.

This is obviously the first of a series because at the end there is a cliffhanger ending and a lot of unanswered questions. I dislike such endings. Though I understand the desire to entice people to read the next book in the series, I think that creating a relatable protagonist and developing a suspenseful plot are usually sufficient to hook readers into following a series. In this case, the ending just seems manipulative.

Sonny is certainly the strong and feisty main character. Her determination is what stands out; she’s “ready to burn through the heavenly veneer of this charming seaside town and expose the truths lurking beneath.” She has a vulnerable side and personal demons. Sonny has to care for her mother who is experiencing memory issues, and events in Los Angeles have left her with self-doubts and “addicted to guilt.” In many ways, her world has been turned upside down. I loved Sonny’s sarcasm but for some reason I had difficulty connecting with her.

What is emphasized about Haven is that it’s a community with a lot of tensions, especially between long-term residents and newcomers. Cooper, the wealthiest man in the town, wants to renovate the town and create it into a tourist destination. The town is predominantly white; Sonny mentions that the “only obvious diversity was the flavors of Gatorade in their bottles.” She is one of only a handful of Black residents in the town. Because of her colour, she is an outsider and she becomes even more of one when she starts investigating Xander’s death with more seriousness than the police who definitely have a racial bias.

I guessed the villain because there are a lot of clues; it’s actually difficult to believe that Sonny doesn’t see the obvious. I didn’t guess the twist at the end but even there I suspected someone because of the vagueness that surrounds that character.

The title is perfect. Both fog and fury play significant roles. Fog almost becomes a character; it is ever present, emphasizing Haven’s hidden secrets and adding danger and thereby heightening tension.

I can’t say that the novel offers anything exceptional; it is like so many other crime fiction novels. I will probably pick up the next installment in the series, but I can’t say that I’ll be anxiously awaiting its arrival.

Note: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.