What if the figure that haunted your nightmares as child, the myth of the man in the woods, was real?
He’ll slice your flesh. Your bones he’ll keep.
Twenty years ago, four teenagers went exploring in the local woods, trying to find to the supposed home of The Bone Keeper. Only three returned.
Now, a woman is found wandering the streets of Liverpool, horrifically injured, claiming to have fled the Bone Keeper. Investigating officer DC Louise Henderson must convince sceptical colleagues that this urban myth might be flesh and blood. But when a body is unearthed in the woodland the woman has fled from, the case takes on a much darker tone.
The disappeared have been found. And their killer is watching every move the police make.
Well bend me over and smack my arse! THIS BOOK! When I first saw the cover – Eeeeeeek… #MultipleCovergasms ..and now after finishing the book I can add #Bookgasms to that description! And this is just going to add to my “she’s a weirdo” label- but the FEEL of the proof cover… OH- MY-FRIGGIN-GOD… so soft, great texture…ok, I am enjoying myself just a little too much. I’ll get on with my review before I forget it, roll over and have a fag!
Set in Liverpool, the reader faces fear, the past and the present, an urban legend coming to life, heartache, loss, missing children, questioning reality, betrayal, secrets and so much bloody more!
Separated by “Before” and “Now” sections, I thought the opening of this novel was exceptionally clever – fraught with tension and the ever-so-awesome #killerhook that seriously left me gagging for more! You could TASTE the fear in this storyline, so haunting and creepy, the icy chills were not far off as each page was turned. And that song/poem… I had made my own tune and would go around singing it to myself…WTAF? I found the storyline was intriguing, and characters were driving the plot superbly! This is just one hell of a nail-biting, chill-you-to-the-bone kinda read that seriously makes you reluctant to leave your cosy reading chair and venture into other rooms on your own … or was that just me?
DC Louise Henderson is quite a lonely soul. She seems to push people away and other than her police colleagues…or should I say Shipley only, she doesn’t seem to have very many friends! I love her curious nature but also the anxiety and fear that on the one hand cripple her, but also drive her to find the answers. With secrets from her past, she is a bit of a dark horse and some of her thoughts….oh jaysus! But I won’t spoil anything – in short, I adored her!
DS Paul Shipley has worked with Louise for three years, however doesn’t really seem to know her. There is a chemistry there and this pair work well together – I found him to be logical, more grounded than Louise. He needs the facts even if he is slightly open to listening to things which go against his gut. He also is a wee bit of an arse-licker at times…but hey, he wants to go places in the police force and sometimes you just have to follow the politics.
“They thought they knew evil. They have no idea.”
The Bone Keeper – fact or fiction….hmmm…this is the stuff of nightmares my friends! Dead eyes, smells of rotting flesh – if you want the bejesus scared out of you, just try and visualise this mofo! As a reader, you need him to be real for this story but you also hope to dear God that he is not… this is one baddie that I will not forget, that’s for sure. Thank God nothing can fit under my bed…as I would be looking… *shivers*
Crime and horror are my two absolute favourite genres and Luca Veste masterfully intertwines the two to bring us a book that will have you jumping out of your skin. I don’t get the heebie jeebies very often…but I did…so hats off to Mr Veste!
Would I recommend this book? One hundred ‘friggin percent, I would! If you are looking for a dark, twisted, atmospheric, creepy, send-icy-chills-through-your-veins type of book – then go now…to amazon and download/buy this badass book because I think it gives The Chalk Man a real run for its money!
