Mist and Malice: Haven Thrillers, Book 2

by Rachel Howzell Hall

A small-town PI is drawn into a killer conspiracy in a breathtaking novel of suspense by the New York Times bestselling author of the Anthony Award-nominated These Toxic Things .

Private investigator Sonny Rush, the newest resident of Haven, California, knows that this fogbound coastal hamlet is every bit as dangerous as her hometown of Los Angeles. And when teenager and repeat runaway Honor Butler shows up at Sonny’s door with terror in her eyes, Sonny is immediately pulled into a new case that lands close to home.

Desperate, hungry, and in need of someone she can trust, Honor tells Sonny a horrifying story about where she’s been—and what she’s been forced to do. Then, hours later, the forest near Sonny’s cottage yields the remains of a missing day laborer, a man whose wife has been searching for answers for months. Soon, coincidence sharpens into conspiracy.

As Sonny digs deeper, the threads of these cases twist together into something a ruthless network preying on the vulnerable, protected by the very people meant to uphold the law. With every step closer to revealing Haven’s corruption, Sonny risks pulling the lives of her loved ones into the cross fire—and exposing the shadows of her own past. Because in this town, loyalty can be fatal, and survival means deciding who you’re willing to betray.

Audible Audio

Published May 19, 2026

About the author

RACHEL HOWZELL HALL l is the critically acclaimed author and Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist for And Now She’s Gone, which was also nominated for the Lefty-, Barry-, Shamus- and Anthony Awards and the Audible Originals bestseller How It Ends. A New York Times bestselling author of The Good Sister with James Patterson, Rachel is an Anthony-, International Thriller Writers- and Lefty Award nominee and the author of They All Fall Down, Land of Shadows, Skies of Ash, Trail of Echoes and City of Saviors in the Detective Elouise Norton series. Her next thriller, These Toxic Things, out in September 2021, recently received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, calling the novel ‘cleverly-plotted’ and ‘a refreshing take on the serial killer theme.’

Rachel is a former member of the board of directors for Mystery Writers of America and has been a featured writer on NPR’s acclaimed Crime in the City series and the National Endowment for the Arts weekly podcast; she has also served as a mentor in Pitch Wars and the Association of Writers Programs. Rachel lives in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter. For more information, visit www.rachelhowzell.com

Her next novel And Now She’s Gone will be published in September 2020. You can find her at www.rachelhowzell.com and on Twitter @RachelHowzell.

Reviews

[Cennet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book grabbed me right away. There is no easing into anything. You’re tossed straight into the middle of a situation that feels way too close to real life, red hats and all. I love when an author doesn’t pretend the world is softer or kinder than it is. Sonny’s perspective as a Black woman shapes the entire tone of the story, and it gives the mystery a weight that feels earned. The way the book handles racism, sexism, immigration, and all the little excuses people make for their behavior felt painfully accurate. When someone says “My daughter is half Mexican, I can’t be racist,” you just know exactly the type of person you’re dealing with.

Haven is tiny, and that matters. It’s the kind of place where you expect the good ol boys to be running things, which makes the corruption and exploitation hit even harder. At the same time, I loved that Sonny isn’t isolated. She has friends who are people of color in real positions of authority, which is not something you see often in small‑town thrillers. And the women in STEM representation made me genuinely happy. Those details made the town feel more layered than the usual small‑town‑with-secrets setup.

Sonny herself is such a strong lead. She’s tired, she’s frustrated, she’s trying to do the right thing, and the case keeps getting heavier. By the time everything comes together near the end, I honestly felt awful for her. I cannot even imagine learning all of those things.

The story is packed with little moments that make it feel lived in. The Bruce Springsteen cover band foreman who might also be a bigoted murderer is exactly the kind of irony that made me laugh even while the plot was getting darker. And I swear there were a couple of lines that felt like a cheeky Wonderwall reference, followed later by an "oasis" mention. Maybe I’m imagining it, but it made me smile. The storyline with Sonny’s mother adds a softer ache that balances the chaos.

I listened to the audiobook, and Inger Tudor is perfect for Sonny. Her voice fits the character so well. She doesn’t do a ton of vocal variation, but she doesn’t need to. The writing makes each character distinct, and the narration is clean with no background noise or distractions.

I had suspicions about who was involved, but the book kept me guessing enough that I never felt ahead of the story. The twists land, the pacing stays tight, and the ending is surprisingly sweet considering how messy everything gets. I didn’t read the first book in the series and had no trouble following along, but I’d definitely go back and listen to it now. I’m also interested in whatever comes next for Sonny.

A sharp, socially aware thriller that blends character, commentary, and tension in a way that kept me hooked the whole time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the ALC. I appreciate the opportunity to listen in exchange for my honest review.