Murder

The Bones of You by Debbie Howells is a 2015 Kensington publication.

Kate is haunted by the disappearance of Rosie, a girl who was close to her own daughter’s age. She feels a connection to Rosie and her mother, Jo, who are both hiding secrets. When Rosie’s body is found, Kate becomes obsessed with finding out the truth. She befriends Jo, who is falling apart and neglecting her other daughter. But the someone starts sending Kate anonymous notes, warning her that things are not what they seem…

This novel is a well-written and atmospheric mystery that keeps the reader guessing until the end. The author uses different perspectives and time frames to create suspense and reveal clues. The story explores the dark side of human nature and the masks that people wear in public.

This is one of the better psychological thrillers that came out when the genre was booming but losing quality. It is chilling and disturbing, showing how little, we know about the people around us. The ending is satisfying and hopeful, giving the characters some closure and peace.

Overall, if you are looking for a good PT/Mystery with some realistic characterizations and no over the top ridiculous plot twists- this book is one you might want to take into consideration. ( )

Good read but I did work out who done it early on ( )

A holiday book. It was fine, if not a little predictable. ( )

4.5 stars.

The Bones of You by Debbie Howells is an utterly heart wrenching mystery. Although not a typical police procedural, this suspenseful psychological thriller is an enthralling story about the murder of eighteen year old Rosie Anderson. Told from dual points of view, the Anderson family's secrets, lies and betrayals are revealed and the truth about this perfect family is as shocking as it is heartbreaking.

From the second she learns her friend Joanna's daughter is missing, Kate McKay is obsessed with learning the truth about Rosie's disappearance. Although they are not particularly close, Rosie is the same age as Kate's daughter, Grace and Kate immediately reaches out to Jo. Rosie and Grace were complete opposites with a different circle of friends, but Rosie spent time on the family farm helping Kate care for their horses. When Rosie's body is discovered a few weeks after she vanished, Kate is compelled to continue supporting her grieving friend while at the same time searching for answers about Rosie's murder.

Rumor and speculation about Rosie run rampant for several weeks, then life returns to normal for most residents of the small town. The same is true for Kate but she continues to check in on Jo and she grows increasingly alarmed at Jo's deteriorating condition. Although understandable given her horrific loss, Kate is nonetheless shocked when her behavior becomes even more erratic. Once Jo confides the truth about her marriage, Kate does not know what to believe since Neal is a charismatic journalist who also volunteers at an orphanage in war torn Afghanistan. Even after Jo presents irrefutable proof that Neal is not the man everyone believes him to be, Kate still has doubts that he is capable of killing his daughter especially since the police cannot completely rule out Rosie's secret boyfriend as a suspect.

While Kate remains unconvinced about Jo's claims, readers are presented with an up close look into the Anderson family through Rosie's eyes. Rosie's spirit lingers after her death and she relives her life right up until the moment of her horrific murder. She sees her life as a movie and the truth about her short life is unbearably sad and unreservedly tragic. Rosie's chapters are incredibly poignant and rather chilling but they provide valuable insight about her family and ultimately, her murder.

The Bones of You by Debbie Howells is a clever yet haunting novel. This shrewdly written mystery has plenty of unexpected twists and turns that cast reasonable doubt on the killer's identity until the story's stunning conclusion. An incredibly riveting psychological thriller that I highly recommend to fans of the genre. ( )