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Margot Douaihy

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Author Margot Douaihy posing with ID card and a catalog at the New Orleans Saints & Sinners LGBTQ+ Literary Festival in 2023.
Margot Douaihy at the New Orleans Saints & Sinners LGBTQ+ Literary Festival in New Orleans, LA (2023).

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

[edit]

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

[edit]
Titles Authored by Margot Douaihy
Year Title Genre Publisher Notes
2013 I Would Ruby If I Could Poetry Factory Hollow Press
2015 Girls Like You Poetry Clemson University Press
2018 Scranton Lace Poetry Clemson University Press
2022 Bandit/Queen: The Runaway Story of Belle Starr Poetry Clemson University Press
2023 Scorched Grace: A Sister Holiday Mystery Mystery Gillian Flynn Books Winner, 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

2024 Blessed Water: A Sister Holiday Mystery Mystery Gillian Flynn Books

Awards and Recognition

[edit]

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

[edit]

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]

References

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