The descriptive country setting of the prologue, a farmer rescuing his bull from a flooded creek, did not prepare me for what was to come. What the Bones Know is a searing, gothic tale of past ghosts, family and long held secrets.
Plagued by nightmares that feel frighteningly real, Jude feels like she is on the brink of a breakdown.
McDermott pulls the reader ever deeper into the mystery with a foreboding air hanging over the story. The dark gothic/supernatural element gives an eerie feeling.
Jude is dealing with an ex-partner, an aging parent, the remoteness of country life and the COVID lockdown and its tribulations, all causing stress and anxiety.
Told in the present and also through breath-holding, suspense filled flashbacks. I was plunged into Jude's nightmare and the cliff-hanger chapter endings kept the pages turning.
Evocatively written with a beautifully described country setting What the Bones Know had me engaged from start to finish.
What the Bones Know is a haunting exploration of suppressed memory and family obligation.
My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Publisher: Harlequin Australia
Publication date: 1st March 2026
Genre: Mystery / Gothic
Pages: 307
RRP: $32.99AU
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
A 4 star read for me. I was totally not what I expected.
ReplyDeleteAt first I thought it would be like a crime novel, following a cold case.
The paranormal twist wasn't too scary, at least not for me, but I did wait to finish the last 50 pages during the day!
The setting of the novel during the start of COVID lockdowns certainly added to the feeling of isolation, as well as the setting, being on a farm in a remote town.
I love reading your take on the books. Thank you for your comment.
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