Skies of Ash - (Detective Elouise Norton) by Rachel Howzell Hall (Paperback)

About the Book

Los Angeles homicide detective Elouise "Lou" Norton and her partner, Colin Taggert, are called to the scene of a tragic house fire. Juliet Chatman and her two children perished in the blaze. Left behind is grieving husband and father Christopher Chatman, hospitalized after trying to rescue his family. Neighbors and friends insist the Chatmans were living the dream. But Lou quickly discovers that the flames of adultery, jealousy, scandal, fraud, and disease had all but consumed the Chatmans' marriage before it went up in smoke. Lou's own marriage hangs by a thread. Soured by the men in her life, Lou is convinced that Chatman started the fire. Searching for justice through the ashes of a picture-perfect family, Lou doesn't know if she will catch an arsonist or be burned in the process.--]cPage 4 of cover.

Book Synopsis

Skies of Ash is another thrilling read in the Detective Elouise Norton series from author-to-watch Rachel Howzell Hall.

Los Angeles homicide detective Elouise Lou Norton and her partner, Colin Taggert, arrive at the scene of a tragic house fire. Juliet Chatman perished in the blaze, along with her two children. Left behind is grieving husband and father Christopher Chatman, hospitalized after trying to rescue his family. Chatman is devastated that he couldn't save them.

Unless, of course, he's the one who killed them.

Neighbors and family friends insist the Chatmans were living the dream. But Lou quickly discovers the reality was very different. The flames of adultery, jealousy, scandal, fraud, and disease had all but consumed the Chatmans' marriage before it went up in smoke.

Lou's own marriage hangs by a thread. Soured by the men in her life, Lou is convinced that Chatman started the fire. Her colleagues worry that her personal issues are obscuring her judgment. With very little evidence regarding the fire--and rising doubts about her husband's commitment to monogamy--Lou feels played by all sides.

Was the fire sparked by a serial arsonist known as The Burning Man? Or by the Chatmans' son, who regularly burned his father's property?

Searching for justice through the ashes of a picture-perfect family, Lou doesn't know if she will catch an arsonist or be burned in the process.

Gives voice to a rare figure in crime fiction: a highly complex, fully imagined black female detective. - Kirkus Reviews, starred review on Trail of Echoes

Review Quotes

Lou . . . is a formidable fighter--someone you want on your side. --New York Times Book Review

A fresh voice in crime fiction. --Lee Child, New York Times bestselling author

Hall..has a true gift."--Crimespree Magazine

"Another smart LA procedural...this determined African American protagonist makes a wonderful addition to the genre."--Booklist on Trail of Echoes

"Hall outdoes her stellar debut in an exploration of vile secrets that pays homage to that earlier master of complex California homicide, Raymond Chandler."--Kirkus Reviews on Skies of Ash

"Rachel Howzell has written another riveting thriller starring her favorite (and mine!) female sleuth, the fabulous when furious and even better when behaving Lou Norton...one of the summer's best."--Huffington Post on Skies of Ash

A racially explosive Los Angeles provides the backdrop for this exceptional crime novel...Dead-on dialogue and atmospheric details help propel a tale full of tormenting moral issues. Lou, a brave lady in a brave book, does the best she can. --Publishers Weekly, starred review on Land of Shadows

About the Author

Rachel Howzell Hall writes the acclaimed Lou Norton series, including Land of Shadows, Skies of Ash, Trail of Echoes, and City of Saviors, and is also the co-author of The Good Sister with James Patterson, which was included in the New York Times bestseller The Family Lawyer. She is on the board of directors for Mystery Writers of America, and lives in Los Angeles.