Simon & Schuster UK

ISBN: 9781471141416 

Pages: 424

TBSB Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but can we just take a moment to appreciate the stunning artwork chosen for this design! There’s something quite enticing about white on black and at first glance I thought the artwork to be that of a skeleton, when in actual fact it is a representation of a tree. This cover alone made me want to read the story without even reading the synopsis on the back! Bravo Jack Smyth (S&S Art Dept.)

The bone keeper mixes urban myth and childhood fantasy stories together to create the creepy storyline for this book. The Bone Keeper is a mysterious character that has been portrayed in many different ways over the years around Liverpool. Children have grown up with the stories, the song known by all. What this meant for us as readers was that we were able to allow our imagination to run wild in our minds. The Bone Keeper is a sinuous and compelling story of power, cults and family history.

There is something dark and sinister about the way this story is told, think “Child Catcher” from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang entwined with a “Death Eater” from Harry Potter and you have your Bone Keeper. The Bone Keeper had all the characteristics of the child catcher, luring children away from a previous undesirable life, whilst performing the death eater ritual of soul sucking the life out of what little is left within its chosen victims.

When I picked this book up from Waterstones and saw on the front “Tense, Chilling and HUGLEY Scary –  Mark Billingham” I thought I was in for a fast paced psychological thriller. Instead what Veste does is take a classic detective murder mystery and adds elements of darkness. It was like reading two great genres merged into one. I loved it! This would best suit readers who enjoy detective mysteries and police procedurals as a genre but equally enjoy a balance of horror and dark murder.

The story starts with a heart capturing memory of 4 children who went chasing a dark fairytale – only 3 returned. What happened to Matty!? Is the Bone Keeper real? These two questions alone meant I had to continue reading to find out more.

The rest of the storyline is told from both Before and Now perspectives. The story focuses on 4 main characters:

• Louise Henderson (Police) – Main Protagonist
• Paul Shipley (Police)
• Val Edwards (Matty’s Mother)
• Caroline Ricketts (Victim)

…and of course the Bone Keeper, who’s storyline entwines with all the above.

Louise Henderson is a character with a multitude of layers. She is our main protagonist and through her eyes we see what is being revealed in the storyline before us. Louise however, also has her own story running simultaneously along side acting as an intriguing sub plot. The unveiling of her past and the reason we see her experience so many anxiety attacks, whilst struggling to keep her own temper under control, is one that is quite profound. I throughly enjoyed how Veste looped this sub plot back into the main storyline and the revelation was not disappointing.

For those readers who often enjoy seeing an element of romance, there is a hint of something there. However, as Louise’s own story develops you will see why romance has never been on the cards for her. I have to admit I was hoping that by the end there would be a chapter (so many months on) highlighting the new and blossoming relationship between Shipley and Henderson. However, as you will see for yourselves, the characters are left very open and maybe in the future Veste may return and reignite the spark between them both.

I appreciate that not all readers will be interested in seeing characters address a certain spark and although there are elements in this book where it is a case of “Will they? Won’t they?” it certainly does not deter away from the storyline.

In regards to the platonic relationship between Henderson and Shipley, I very much enjoyed the way their individual characteristics complimented each other. Henderson is very head strong, emotional and rogue in her tendencies. Whereas Shipley is calm, thorough and career driven. Together they make a great team and I enjoyed seeing how their working relationship developed as the storyline progressed.

Caroline Ricketts is the first victim we come across in this storyline. The survivor! Why did she survive? Why did the Bone Keeper let her live? All is not what it seems in regard to Caroline Ricketts, a troubled past is clear, but is she the key to the ongoing investigation!? This is something I continuously asked myself in the beginning as the story developed and drove me to read on.

Although Val Edwards is not a major character in the storyline, it is her son that never returns from the first chapter and later on her home where we find out whether or not the police have been chasing the correct suspect. It is this chapter towards the end of the book where a lot of unanswered questions are drawn to a close. 

Although I could go on forever about this storyline, it is hard not to include spoilers that would indeed ruin the book for future readers. I will say that this should be on your pile to read and I will look forward to more from Veste in the future.

The last comment I will make is in regard to the last chapter titled “Matthew”! The story concluded, everything was neatly wrapped up and then Veste dropped one final chapter on his readers… – Never have I been so shocked!! A sick and twisted ending to where it all began…

A disturbed creepy thrilling read, which will make you think twice about the way you look at woodland again. Living out in the countryside got just that little more frightening 🌲🍂🍁

The perfect story to cosy up to and read one weekend.