Loreth Anne White combines the best of a cold case investigation with a suspense novel in The Unquiet Bones. And, after following the entire investigation carefully, the ending still came as a surprise. A good surprise with a satisfying ending.
In April 2023, two men excavating before moving the chapel at the Hemlock Ski Resort in British Columbia, uncover the bones of a woman. Those bones tell a story that is forty-seven years old. It’s a cold case that’s assigned to Sergeant Jane Munro of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It also attracts the attention of an ambitious TV reporter, Angela Sheldrick.
Jane is a veteran homicide investigator. But, her fiance disappeared six months earlier while on a solo hiking trip. He doesn’t even know she’s pregnant. And, her grief led to an episode at work that had her temporarily relegated to cold cases, a “special investigations unit” of one. But, the cold case at the chapel means she’s in charge of an active investigation, and is assigned a team of four.
In 1976, a fifteen-year-old teen disappeared. As forensics works their magic to identify the bones, all eyes focus on the girl who disappeared back then, Annalise Jansen. Annalise disappeared after a night of partying. Although the police questioned the six teens she ran with, the “Shoreview Six” had alibis and stuck with their stories. Now, forty-seven years later, they’re successful people with children, grandchildren, and flourishing businesses. Between the police and the media, the “Shoreview Six” are once again under the spotlight.
All these years later, the bones under the chapel have a story to tell. Scientific advancements have enabled secrets to be revealed. And, Jane Munro, who can’t find her own resolution for the loss of her fiance, is determined to help families find resolution, hold the perpretrators accountable, and protect others from suffering similar fates.
The Unquiet Bones is a powerful story, told from various viewpoints. While there are other books that do the same, this one is done so skillfully that the reader doesn’t realize how the viewpoints are switching. It’s a well-written, gripping story, one of the best I’ve read in quite a while.
Loreth Anne White’s website is https://www.lorethannewhite.com/
The Unquiet Bones by Loreth Anne White. Montlake, 2024. ISBN 9781662518003 (hardcover), 349p.
FTC Full Disclosure – I received a .PDF to review for a journal.
Great review – it makes me want to read it! Val McDermid has done books like that.
Thank you! Val McDermid does do books like this. This one was excellent.
Sounds excellent. I’m going to get it. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
You’re welcome, Kim.
Ooh, sounds great! Thanks for letting us know about it.
You’re welcome, Trisha.
Lesa, your review makes me want to read a book I would otherwise not pay much attention to. Good job! Off to look for The Unquiet Bones.
Thank you, Kaye! When I enjoy a book, that’s what I hope to do!
Thank you Lesa for that review. My library has it on order so I will definitely try to get it!
Always nice to discover new {to you) authors that you might like to follow.
I agree, Pat. She was new to me as well.
Ah….I love books like this. And I’ve not ever read any books by this author. She has a number of them, correct? I’ll put it on my list and thanks!
She does have a number of books, Kay, and I’d never heard of her before reading this one!