Margot Douaihy Explained

Margot Douaihy is an American writer whose works include Scorched Grace (Gillian Flynn Books, 2023),[1] Scranton Lace (Clemson University Press),[2] Girls Like You (Clemson University Press), a Lambda Literary Award Finalist, Bandit / Queen: The Runaway Story of Belle Starr,[3] and the chapbook i would ruby if i could (Factory Hollow Press). The sequel to Scorched Grace, titled Blessed Water, published with Gillian Flynn Books in March 2024.[4]

The Western phonetic pronunciation of the surname Douaihy الدويهي is Dew-why-hee.

Career

Douaihy received the 2023 F. Lammot Belin Foundation Arts Scholarship[5] and the 2019 Sisters in Crime Academic Research Grant.[6] She was a 2020 Aesthetica Magazine Creative Writing Prize,[7] 2020 Palette Poetry Sappho Prize,[8] a 2016 Lambda Literary Award.[9] Her writing has been featured in PBS NewsHour,[10] The Wisconsin Review, Colorado Review,[11] The South Carolina Review, Diode Editions, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, The Tahoma Literary Review,[12] The Madison Review, The Florida Review,[13] Portland Review, The Petigru Review,[14] Petrichor,[15] and The Adirondack Review.[16]

Douaihy's debut novel, Scorched Grace: A Sister Holiday Mystery, was published by Gillian Flynn Books in 2023. It is a crime mystery novel that follows "Sister Holiday, a chain-smoking, heavily tattooed, queer nun, puts her amateur sleuthing skills to the test."[17] Gillian Flynn called the novel "a sneaky, dark thriller and a character study in a freight train of a murder mystery."[18] [19] Scorched Grace was published in French with HarperCollins France and in the UK with Pushkin Vertigo.[20] The audiobook was narrated by Mara Wilson.[21]

Scorched Grace received numerous accolades, including a starred review by Publishers Weekly: "Stunning fiction debut ... briskly plotted master class in character development."[22] Scorched Grace was twice recognized by the New York Times—the book was selected as a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice,[23] and was later named as a New York Times Best Crime Novel of the Year for 2023.[24] The Guardian twice recognized Scorched Grace as one of the best crime and thriller novels of 2023.[25] [26] CrimeReads.com included Scorched Grace on their list of Best Noir Fiction of 2023, as well as their list of the Best Debut Novels of 2023.[27] [28] Hachette Book Group's Novel Suspects featured Scorched Grace on their list of Favorite Crime Fiction Books of 2023.[29] BookPage ranked Scorched Grace on both their list of the Best Debut Novels of 2023, as well as a readers' choice poll of the best books of 2023, which described Scorched Grace as a "remarkable debut."[30] [31] The book was also named an Indie Next pick and IndieBound Favorite of March 2023 by the American Booksellers Association, an Amazon Editors’ Choice,[32] and was included in Marie Claire's Best Books of 2023.[33] Scorched Grace was a finalist for the 2023 New England Book Awards.[34]

The sequel to Scorched Grace, titled Blessed Water: A Sister Holiday Mystery (Gillian Flynn Books, 2024), follows Sister Holiday on a second investigation in New Orleans beginning with the discovery of the body of a priest floating in the Mississippi River. Following its release in March 2024, Blessed Water received praise from several media outlets and writers organizations. The Center for Fiction described the book as "a literary treat".[35] The Times described the book as "powerful," noting that it "plumbs the depth of human cruelty."[36] Publishers Weekly described Blessed Water as a "deliriously enjoyable, relentlessly plotted adventure" noting that the Sister Holiday series "continues to impress".

Douaihy's Bandit/Queen: The Runaway Story of Belle Starr (2022)[37] and Scranton Lace (2018)[38] are documentary poetry projects centering themes of queerness, abandoned structures and institutions, feminist becoming, and class tensions.

Douaihy is a Co-Editor of the Cambridge University Press Elements in Crime Narratives series.[39]

Bibliography

Titles Authored by Margot Douaihy!Year!Title!Genre!Publisher!Notes
2013I Would Ruby If I CouldPoetryFactory Hollow Press
2015Girls Like YouPoetryClemson University Press
2018Scranton LacePoetryClemson University Press
2022Bandit/Queen: The Runaway Story of Belle StarrPoetryClemson University Press
2023Scorched Grace: A Sister Holiday MysteryMysteryGillian Flynn BooksWinner, Pinckley Prize for Crime Fiction (Best Debut Novel), 2023;USA Today National Bestseller;Longlist, Massachusetts Book Award;Longlist, Crime Writers' Association New Blood Dagger Award;Finalist, New England Book Award;Finalist, Anthony Award for Best First Novel;Finalist, International Thriller Writers Best First Novel;Finalist, Left Coast Crime Award for Best Debut Mystery;Finalist, Macavity Award for Best First Mystery
2024Blessed Water: A Sister Holiday MysteryMysteryGillian Flynn Books

Awards and Recognition

Douaihy's debut novel, Scorched Grace: A Sister Holiday Mystery (Gillian Flynn Books, 2023), was a USA Today bestseller and was named a "Best Crime Novel of 2023" by The New York Times,[40] The Guardian,[41] Apple Books,[42] and Barnes & Noble.[43] Scorched Grace was also awarded the Pinckley Prize for Crime Fiction in 2023,[44] was long-listed for the Massachusetts Book Award[45] and the Crime Writer's Association New Blood Dagger Award, and was a finalist for the New England Book Award,[46] Anthony Award for Best First Novel, International Thriller Writers Best First Novel Award,[47] Left Coast Crime Award for Best Debut Mystery,[48] and the Macavity Award for Best First Mystery.[49]

Personal Life

Margot Douaihy was born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and is of Lebanese ancestry. Douaihy is a queer woman and a longtime advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion and visibility[50] and antiracist education.[51]

Notes and References

  1. News: Scorched Grace . 2022-03-09 . Zando Projects . en-US.
  2. Book: Scranton Lace, by Margot Douaihy with illustrations by Bri Hermanson. May 2, 2017. 978-1942954477. Douaihy . Margot .
  3. Web site: Bandit/Queen – Clemson University Press. 2021-10-01. en-US.
  4. Web site: Blessed Water: A Sister Holiday Mystery . 2024-06-05 . Zando Projects . en-US.
  5. Web site: Journal . Abington . 2023-08-01 . Douaihy awarded F. Lammot Belin Scholarship . 2023-09-29 . Abington Journal . en-US.
  6. Web site: Sisters in Crime Announces Winners of Their 2019 Academic Research Grants .
  7. Web site: Aesthetica Magazine - Shortlist 2020. 2021-01-10. Aesthetica Magazine. en-GB.
  8. Web site: Poetry . Palette . 2020-09-16 . The Winners and Finalists of the 2020 Sappho Prize! . 2023-09-29 . Palette Poetry . en-US.
  9. Web site: 2016-03-08 . Lambda Literary Awards Finalists Revealed: Carrie Brownstein, Hasan Namir, 'Fun Home' and Truman Capote Shortlisted . 2022-09-28 . www.out.com . en.
  10. Web site: PBS News Hour. . 15 May 2017 .
  11. Web site: Fireworks in the Graveyard Center for Literary Publishing. coloradoreview.colostate.edu. 2019-08-08.
  12. Web site: From Issue 14. 2021-01-10. Tahoma Literary Review. en.
  13. Web site: Announcing the 2020-2021 Humboldt Poetry Prize Winner & Finalists . 2022-09-28 . The Florida Review . en-US.
  14. Web site: The Petigru Review. 2019-11-07. The Petigru Review. en. 2020-01-08.
  15. Web site:
    1. 18 – Margot Douaihy – petrichor
    . 2021-10-01. en-US.
  16. Web site: Bri Hermanson & Margot Douaihy. adirondackreview.homestead.com. 2017-03-05.
  17. Web site: Scorched Grace . 2023-09-29 . Zando Projects . en-US.
  18. Web site: March 8, 2022 . Scorched Grace . 2022-03-09 . Zando Projects . en-US.
  19. Web site: 'Gone Girl' author Gillian Flynn is writing her first book since 2012, and she shared details . 2023-04-14 . TODAY.com . en.
  20. Web site: Scorched Grace by Pushkin Press . 2023-04-14 . pushkinpress.com . en.
  21. Web site: Audible .
  22. Web site: November 21, 2022 . Scorched Grace: A Sister Holiday Mystery by Margot Douaihy . 2023-01-22 . www.publishersweekly.com.
  23. News: Weinman . Sarah . 2023-02-10 . A Nun With Very Bad Habits . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-03-20 . 0362-4331.
  24. Web site: Weinman . Sarah . December 4, 2023 . The Best Crime Novels of 2023 . The New York Times.
  25. Web site: Wilson . Laura . December 5, 2023 . Review: Best Crime and Thrillers of 2023 . The Guardian.
  26. Web site: Crime and thrillers roundup Books The Guardian . 2023-04-14 . the Guardian . en.
  27. Web site: 2023-12-18 . The Best Noir Fiction of 2023 . CrimeReads.com.
  28. Web site: December 11, 2023 . The Best Debut Novels of 2023 . CrimeReads.com.
  29. Web site: Shade . Lauren . December 11, 2023 . Our Favorite Crime Fiction Books of 2023 . Novel Suspects.
  30. Web site: The 23 best debut novels so far in 2023 . BookPage.com.
  31. Web site: May 23, 2023 . Readers’ Choice: Best Books of 2023 (so far) . BookPage.com.
  32. Web site: Our picks of the buzziest mysteries and thrillers of winter . 2023-03-20 . www.amazon.com . en-us.
  33. Web site: updated . Catherine Jarvie last . 2023-02-08 . Best books of 2023: The Marie Claire reading list of the must-reads and page-turners . 2023-04-14 . Marie Claire UK . en.
  34. Web site: New England Book Awards - New England Independent Booksellers Association . 2023-09-29 . newenglandbooks.org.
  35. Web site: April in Paris . 2024-06-04 . The Center for Fiction . en-US.
  36. Web site: Smith . Mark Sanderson Joan . 2024-06-04 . New crime fiction for April — high-end burglars and East End murders . 2024-06-04 . www.thetimes.com . en.
  37. Web site: Bandit/Queen – Clemson University Press . 2023-09-29 . en-US.
  38. Web site: 2017-05-15 . In 'Scranton Lace,' nostalgia for a time and place that no longer exist . 2023-09-29 . PBS NewsHour . en-us.
  39. Web site: About the editors . 2022-09-28 . Cambridge Core . en.
  40. News: Weinman . Sarah . 2023-12-04 . The Best Crime Novels of 2023 . 2024-06-04 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  41. News: Wilson . Laura . 2023-12-05 . Best crime and thrillers of 2023 . 2024-06-04 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  42. Book: Scorched Grace . 2022-12-05 . en-US.
  43. Web site: Noble . Barnes & . The Best Books of 2023 . 2024-06-04 . Barnes & Noble . en.
  44. Web site: Pinckley Prizes for Crime Fiction 2022-2023 Pinckley Prizes . 2024-06-04 . pinckleyprizes.org.
  45. Web site: ILP John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger . 2024-06-04 . The Crime Writers’ Association . en.
  46. Web site: New England Book Awards - New England Independent Booksellers Association . 2024-06-04 . newenglandbooks.org.
  47. Web site: 2024 Thriller Awards . 2024-06-04 . International Thriller Writers . en-GB.
  48. Web site: Lefty Award Archives . 2024-06-04 . www.leftcoastcrime.org.
  49. Web site: Macavity Awards – Mystery Readers International . 2024-06-04 . mysteryreaders.org.
  50. Web site: 2021-05-18. Margot Douaihy. 2022-01-10. The Dillydoun Review. en-US.
  51. Web site: WLP Pop Fiction Series: Queering the Whodunit . 2023-04-14 . Emerson Today . en-US.