South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
Disappearing act may be more than it seems
Rachel Howzell Hall has positioned herself to be a real force in the mystery genre. Her four well-received novels about Black L.A.P.D. homicide cop Elouise “Lou” Norton used the police procedural to examine racism, culture and sexism. Her excellent 2019 “They All Fall Down” put an intriguing spin on an Agatha Christie homage.
“And Now She’s Gone” delivers a perceptive and unique look at domestic abuse, sexism, racism and identity under the guise of a private eye novel that emphasizes character studies.
Grayson Sykes has finally been promoted to fullfledged private investigator at Rader Consulting, an
L.A. firm that specializes in a variety of investigations, from background checks to missing people, “squeezing into spots where cops weren’t allowed to go.” But her first assignment is not one she is enthusiastic about: Find Isabel Lincoln, the missing girlfriend of physician Ian O’Donnell, who also is a friend of Grayson’s boss, Dominick “Nick” Rader. Isabel apparently also absconded with Ian’s labradoodle, Kenny G., whom he also wants found, maybe even more than his girlfriend. The investigation leads Grayson to believe that maybe Isabel doesn’t want to be found and that “nice guy” Ian may have a darker side.
Grayson has a personal understanding of the situation. She also was in an abusive relationship and with the help of Nick, whom she has known since she was 15, was able to change her identity and disappear. As Grayson learned, it is hard to make others believe that a man who is a professional or seems so nice can be abusive. “They never seemed violent enough… until it was too late.”
Grayson also knows first-hand the racism that can begin to subtly grow and be used as a weapon in a relationship. Ian, who is white, seemed to want the bi-racial Isabel to “deny her blackness.” As Grayson remembers, “Gray had dated ‘woke’ white boys who thought all black neighborhoods were ‘rough.’ Dealing with that kind of muted racism… had been an exhausting journey of tight-lipped hostility.
Howzell Hall’s smart plotting is fueled by the razor-sharp characters whose motives are believable. It isn’t easy to disappear from one’s life, requiring carefully calibrated plans that can quickly fall apart, that go beyond changing one’s name and hairstyle. That new persona not only has to be one’s public identity but also the identity in private. Grayson’s maturation progresses, as she goes from a woman full of doubts, fear and paranoia to a strong woman who refuses to capitulate to her former husband.
“And Now She’s Gone” moves at a brisk pace as Grayson’s emotional strength builds from her developing aptitude as an investigator.
Howzell Hall’s previous book, “They All Fall Down,” was her breakout novel, putting her on several best-of lists (including mine) and earning her a Thriller Award nomination. “And Now She’s Gone” takes her writing to another level.
Oline H. Cogdill can be reached at olinecog@aol.com.