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A review by eleellis
Skies of Ash by Rachel Howzell Hall
4.0
For those that enjoy Michael Connelly and the Harry Bosch books, the Elouise Norton series would most likely interest you.
In some ways the two series are similar, but in other ways vastly different. Of course, Rachel Howzell Hall tells her stories through the eyes of her created black, female detective and to suggest the writing of Rachel Howzell Hall as an imitation to Michael Connelly is not the intent of this review - it is instead to point out how enjoyable her writing is and with just two books featuring Elouise Norton. It is also to point out the promise this series has in store for the future.
In the second novel involving these characters, Elousie Norton and her partner are investigating a house fire that has claimed the lives of a mother and her two children. Is it murder or a terrible accident? The story unfolds involving a number of characters that are chameleon-like in their nature and may or may not be what they profess to be.
Through the investigation, Hall also uses the flaws of her main character to be sprinkled through the story to allow the reader to accept Norton is human and not the typical fictional character made of steel.
While reading these novels, my mental image of the two main characters are those of the actors Michael Hyatt (she played Avon Barksdale's sister Brianna in HBO's The Wire) and Chris Evans (Captain America). Through the novels, Norton and her partner Colin Taggert, a green, hyper-sexualized, white male, show growth in their working relationship, which involves a sprinkle of sexual tension thrown in. Though readers my hope for some sort of physical relationship, I'm hoping future novels avoid that. To me, it's more enjoyable reading how their relationship is developing.
I highly recommend this series to those that enjoy police procedurals and to enjoy the road ahead with this author.
In some ways the two series are similar, but in other ways vastly different. Of course, Rachel Howzell Hall tells her stories through the eyes of her created black, female detective and to suggest the writing of Rachel Howzell Hall as an imitation to Michael Connelly is not the intent of this review - it is instead to point out how enjoyable her writing is and with just two books featuring Elouise Norton. It is also to point out the promise this series has in store for the future.
In the second novel involving these characters, Elousie Norton and her partner are investigating a house fire that has claimed the lives of a mother and her two children. Is it murder or a terrible accident? The story unfolds involving a number of characters that are chameleon-like in their nature and may or may not be what they profess to be.
Through the investigation, Hall also uses the flaws of her main character to be sprinkled through the story to allow the reader to accept Norton is human and not the typical fictional character made of steel.
While reading these novels, my mental image of the two main characters are those of the actors Michael Hyatt (she played Avon Barksdale's sister Brianna in HBO's The Wire) and Chris Evans (Captain America). Through the novels, Norton and her partner Colin Taggert, a green, hyper-sexualized, white male, show growth in their working relationship, which involves a sprinkle of sexual tension thrown in. Though readers my hope for some sort of physical relationship, I'm hoping future novels avoid that. To me, it's more enjoyable reading how their relationship is developing.
I highly recommend this series to those that enjoy police procedurals and to enjoy the road ahead with this author.