Set in small town America this debut novel peels away the layers of what it's like to live in a place which has closer ties to the 1950's than the present Told through multiple characters with the narrative moving between the past and now this literary crime novel shows us the difficulties faced in living and growing up in small town America, it's certainly not as many would imagine it to be. When a young woman, Abigale Blake goes missing, her friend Emma blames herself for her friend's disappearance and so tries to work out what has happened In doing so she opens a huge can of worms with the town's dark secrets coming to the fore. The institutions which are supposed to protect and support the community are not to be trusted and the citizens show their true colours. This is a slow burn of a novel, it needs time to get under your skin, you may find you are more interested in the characters and their secrets than the mystery itself. It should be on plenty of award lists in 2021. Thanks to Netgalley for providing an early reading copy.

A staggering debut that is compelling, thought-provoking and memorable... Tall Bones is so much more than a story about a missing girl. It’s a story of abuse, patriarchy, power, racism, love, friendship, bigotry, religion and community. This is a powerful story that is so intricately layered I cannot believe that it’s Bailey’s debut. This is an unsettling read in an all too real way - there are truly harrowing and haunting moments - but there is also tenderness, redemption, hope and positive strength. It’s devastatingly affecting in its gripping exploration of small-town mindedness, which breeds a mob mentality and has affects that will permanently scar. This novel is so rich in masterfully developed themes that I will be ruminating on it for a long time. Needless to say, because of this, it will stay with me forever too. The mystery of Abi’s disappearance definitely propels the narrative forward. There are some extremely tense and exhilarating moments, particularly as Emma (and later Hunter) try and determine just what has happened to Abi. Normally these sequences would keep me turning pages, but with Tall Bones it was the gradual peeling away of the layers encasing the towns’ secrets that kept me reading. There is plenty of suspense generated from multiple angles within the storyline, but it is the touchingly human aspects of the plot - including ingrained homophobia, racism, fear of the “other”, religion used to justify one’s actions, domestic abuse and substance abuse - that really get under the reader’s skin and keep you turning the pages. I couldn’t consume this novel quickly enough and it pained me every time I had to pop my bookmark between the pages. This is compulsive and addictive reading. A cacophony of perfectly drawn characters, rich and deep and entirely absorbing. A lyrical and beautiful style to the prose (some of the descriptions are literally poetry). A fearless tackling of difficult subjects, realised with compassion, depth and humanity. A striking story of identity and above all things, finding the strength to be you in the face of adversity. These are all things that make Tall Bones a 2021 must read. Don’t be surprised to find this topping lots of “best of” lists this year. It’s up there with Abigail Dean’s Girl A, with it’s similarly raw and consuming power. Don’t miss this marvellous book and then, like me, eagerly await Bailey’s next offering!

When seventeen year old Emma leaves her best friend Abi at a party in the woods, she believes that their lives are finally beginning. Many things will happen, but seeing Abi again is not one of them... Abi’s disappearance begins as the tiniest fracture on a mirror that slowly and sinisterly starts to rupture, crack, and could end up shattering... Whistling Ridge is home to people of many different backgrounds, and this multifaceted story shows both the aftermath of Abi’s sudden departure, and also the events leading up to that fateful night at the Tall Bones. Emma feels lost without her best friend, turning to find solace in alcohol much to the distress of her mother, and when she gets closer to Rat, the towns outsider, she could end up putting more than just herself in danger when she is determined to find out just what happened that night. Meanwhile, Noah, Abi’s older brother battles with his own demons having to constantly keep watch on his younger brother and mother as their god-fearing father is seemingly punishing them for Abi’s failings, and trying to play happy families after past events tarnished the family forever. However, the deeper Emma and Noah go into the truth behind Abi’s disappearance, the real ugliness of the town is slowly revealed, with the pastor of the church seeming to hold all of his parishioners in the palm of his hand and convincing them that only God can absolve them of all of their secrets, no matter how dark they may be... Will they find out what happened to Abi, or will those responsible keep their secrets hidden buried in the dirt forever? Gritty, haunting, and frighteningly plausible with a real sense of unease, this is one story that will keep you hanging on its every word and take your breath away.

Tall Bones by @annabaileywrites Is a phenomenal 5 star

An interesting book to read. Dark, menacing and foreboding at times and deeply disturbing. Other times, haunting and intriguing, not a light fluffy read but a very powerful storyline. Highly recommended.