Well-constructed first novel

The Bones of You by Debbie Howells

Book Review:  4 out of 5 star rating

The plot of the story is a good one and the weaving of the story will pull you in at first.  However, I felt the book was a bit too long and I figured out the mystery half way through though the author does keep you bouncing back and forth between thinking the murderer is one character or another during the first half of the book.

That being said, I will still give the book 4 stars as I loved the character of Kate, the neighbor who tries to befriend and help the troubled family.   With her love of horses and gardening and the compassion she shows throughout the book, it’s hard not to like her.  And I had to feel sympathy for the other characters.  Even after figuring out who-done-it, I had to keep reading to see how it would all play out.

Similar to “The Lovely Bones”, this author also uses back flashes as seen through the eyes of the murdered girl.  Not only are we given clues through her revelations, but she also learns the secrets of the past as she sees not only hidden details of her own life, but what came before her.  I thought the author did a good job with that and keeps it plausible.

The author has written a well-constructed first novel and it will be interesting to see what she comes up with next.

I was given this book by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.