It was refreshing to read Tall Bones by Anna Bailey. A great storyline with enough red herrings to keep you guessing. Very unpleasant and flawed characters which brought home the very real issues of domestic violence, coercive control and mob mentality. Small town prejudice and abuse of power run throughout. Alongside that it’s so reassuring to see genuine friendships and decent human beings who sometimes step up! Well written and developed with chapters you feel you know. A very good four star read

If I didn’t know that Samuel Blake is in his late fifties and was 18 during the Vietnam war, I would have thought this was set in the 1950s. Whistling Ridge is the kind of place everyone young wants to escape from. The fire and brimstone Pastor Lewis runs the town with a rod of iron. Foreigners are not tolerated, but homosexuality is the worst sin. Yet most of the youngsters seem to be out of control. Drinking and drugs are rife. The story revolves mainly around two families. Emma Alvarez lives with her mother Melissa. Mexican father Miguel has left them but Melissa will never talk about it. Samuel Blake is married to Dolly and they have three children – Noah, Abigail and Jude. We know there were a number of traumatic incidences in Samuel’s life – his treatment by his mother and his time in Vietnam. He drinks and quotes the Bible, beats his wife and punishes the boys. When Dolly goes to see the pastor, he asks her what she did to encourage the beatings. But Samuel never touches Abi. They believe that Abi will not return until their son repents his sins. It reminds me of a Louis Theroux documentary called the Most Hated Family in America, aired in 2007. The Westboro Baptist Church members believe that the United States government is immoral due to its tolerance of homosexuality. The founder Fred Phelps believed himself to be a prophet chosen by God “to preach his message of hate”. Rat Lacusta is a twenty-something Romanian boy who lives alone in an RV in the trailer park. Both Emma and Noah are fascinated by him. The park is owned by Jerry Maddox whose son Hunter was last seen with Abi the night she disappeared. And so their lives become intertwined and the town descends into a kind of frenzy of hate and blame. It’s wonderfully written so why four stars and not five? It’s all rather bleak. I just wish there had been some lighter moments to contrast with the darkness. It’s also slow to start and it took a while to get into it. Sometimes the plot becomes a bit over-complicated but it all makes sense in the end. This is an excellent book, but many of the characters are really horrible and you will hope they get their comeuppance. Many thanks to #NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Abi has gone missing, presumed dead. Her best friend is devastated and wants answers but no one seems willing to help her. Abi's family are hiding many secrets of their own but could they really have murdered her and what about Rat the young man who rolled up in his trailer before she died. The truth will out but what will it cost the residents. This was an interesting mystery. The missing girl does get a bit lost in all the drama of other stories that are going alongside this one. I must admit I found myself most interested in Noah's story. This focuses on small town religious beliefs which was hard hitting but interesting to read. The plot is quite slow as it jumps around by who is telling the story. The final reveal and the ending is well done, though I had guessed the identity of the person behind it all. A dark thriller.

A missing teenager, an unhappy home life and a selection of suspects within a small town. We've been here before but Tall Bones rises above the average thriller. The author tells a good story and is adept at inter-weaving characters and events. There are not many (if any) likeable characters in the book and this gave me pause for thought a few times but it did not detract from my enjoyment of the book as it was always clear that, to a large extent and with very few exceptions, their futures were destined to follow that of their parents in the depressed area they lived in. A bit of a grim read; I wouldn't say I enjoyed it but it did leave a lasting impression. I would like to thank Netgalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and Doubleday for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Whistling Ridge, a small town with big secrets. A town with menace on every corner and a dark side to every situation. Two friends enjoy a night out, one girl disappears, her friend will never see her again. The townsfolk closes ranks, each with their personal reason for hiding that which must remain unspoken. The missing girls relatives have their own reasons for reluctance to assist in finding Abi. Primarily a dysfunctional family who cannot or dare not disclose or have a light shine on what goes on behind their hidden facade. And Emma, desperate to resolve the mystery more isolated and alone than ever, struggling to identify who can, and who should not be trusted. A heavily compelling thriller expertly demonstrating the prejudices and suspicion at the heart of a town simmering with past slights and offences. The unsolved mystery of a missing teenager is the catalyst to unfold grudges that have festered for years. A psychological thriller that covers a remit of every emotion for both characters and reader until the ultimate conclusion. Many thanks to publisher and NetGalley for ARC.