Her Perfect Bones: A totally addictive mystery and suspense novel

Ellery Kane

Feb 2021 · Rockwell and Decker Book 2 · Bookouture

4.6

21 reviews

Ebook

350

Pages

Eligible

About this ebook

The girl’s body is curled up like a shell and almost completely buried in sand. Only her fingertips can be seen, reaching helplessly up towards an escape she will never find…

Seventeen-year-old Shelby Mayfield sits alone on a bus to Fog Harbor, California. Aside from a few items of clothing, all she has with her is twenty-two dollars, the ragdoll she’s kept since kindergarten, and the devastating secret she’s been hiding.

How long will it be before her family realizes she’s gone?

Can anyone see the fresh bruise on her cheek beneath the makeup?

Perhaps she was a fool to believe the person she is meeting in this remote little town could help her…

When a girl’s body is found hidden in a barrel in a woodland cabin, the local police are at a loss. The film from an old camera found looped around her neck is their only lead, but Criminal Psychologist Olivia Rockwell’s blood turns to ice when she recognizes the ragdoll in one of the girl’s last photographs. She used to own one just like it, and it can only mean one thing: if she doesn’t dig deep into the mind of a deadly killer from her past—her own father—more innocent lives will be in danger…

A totally gripping and utterly addictive crime thriller for readers who love Lisa Regan, Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh. But be warned: you’ll be sleeping with the lights on after you’ve raced through the pages in one sitting!

Everyone is talking about Her Perfect Bones:

‘Omg… Wow, just wow, I loved this… addictive… gripping… fast-paced, packed full of twists and turns, kept me guessing and had me captivated and glued to my kindle… gave me a very bad case of just-one-more-chapter syndrome… I would give it more than five stars if I could…Very very highly recommended.’ Nicki’s Life of Crime, 5 stars

‘Perfect… heart-stopping… glued to this book!... Buckle your seatbelt and prepare for a bumpy ride!’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

‘Fantastic… a hold-on-tight, prepare-to-not-sleep, white-knuckle suspense! Keeps you guessing to the end!’ Novels and Latte, 5 stars

‘Grabbed me from the beginning and sucked me in. I couldn’t put this one down and read it in one sitting.’ Nicki's Book Blog

‘Will keep you turning the pages… on the edge of your seat and biting your lip with no time to catch your breath.’ Spooky's Maze of Books, 5 stars

‘Looking for twists and turns you never see coming? Then this is the book for you!... perfectly paced… keeping you on the edge of your seat. Start this series today! You will not regret it!’ The Butterfly Reader, 5 stars

‘Gripping… kept me reading until late at night and on the edge of my seat… I LOVED IT!’ Bookworm86, 5 stars

‘PERFECTION!… you won’t want to put this book down… keeps you guessing until the end!’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

Ratings and reviews

4.6

21 reviews

Duchess Sarah Ferguson

February 22, 2021

I enjoyed reading Ellery A. Kane's latest police procedural / psychological mystery-thriller. Her Perfect Bones is a well-plotted mystery, featuring a cast of complex characters, and with a strong sense of setting. Having travelled in northern coastal California several years ago, I found that the book brought a sense of nostalgia for the stunning setting of dramatic coast bordered by mysterious redwood forests. Will Decker is a detective based in Fog Harbor (a fictional location somewhere in the vicinity of the real Crescent City), California. Off-duty, he's alerted by a frantic neighbour, who's made the blood-curdling discovery of a young woman's body, hidden in a sand-filled barrel in his cabin's basement. The investigation by Decker and his colleague Detective Jimmy Benson, firstly to identify the woman in the barrel, then to solve the mystery of her death, leads the detectives to a San Francisco parolee, an elderly former porn-film producer who once owned the cabin and a lonely woman who lives in the backwoods. Meanwhile, Dr. Olivia Rockwell, chief psychologist at the nearby Crescent Bay State Prison, is dealing with confronting personal issues, in addition to the demands of her professional role. Her father, imprisoned for the murder of a prostitute - which he has always denied - is up for parole. Her efforts to prove his innocence take her also to San Francisco, and the underworld of criminal gangs operating in the city's social housing areas. Decker and Rockwell each harbour romantic feelings for the other, which they're reluctant to reveal. which gives rise to a sweet (if rather far-fetched) sub-plot, as they circle one another while balancing their professional relationship and several high-octane situations with suspects. I felt there was a well-executed escalation of tension over the course of the book, as the various threads of the investigation come together to reveal a ruthless killer. Her Perfect Bones was a satisfying, undemanding read with some excellent insight into the complexities of working in the criminal justice system. Author Ellery A. Kane has clearly drawn on her personal experience from her "day job" as a forensic psychologist, injecting a healthy dose of verisimilitude, without overburdening the narrative with technical detail. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy police/psychology crossover mysteries and evocative settings. My thanks to the author, Ellery A. Kane, publisher Bookouture and NetGalley for the oppportunity to read and review this title.

Linda Strong

September 8, 2021

When a young girl's body is found hidden in a barrel, the local police are baffled. The only lead they have is an old camera found looped around her neck. Criminal Psychologist Olivia Rockwell is stunned when she recognizes a picture of a rag doll. Olivia used to have a doll just like that ... given to her by her father ... himself a deadly killer. Intense suspense from start to finish, this is a well-written page turner littered with twists and turns that lead to a surprising conclusion. The characters are solidly drawn. As the author herself is a forensic psychologist, I expected a great deal of realism, credibility. I was not disappointed. Although this is 2nd in the series, it is easily read as a stand alone. I would definitely recommend reading in order, as this is a riveting series. Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Mags_louise

February 16, 2021

Her Perfect Bones is an enjoyable murder mystery featuring Prison Psychologist Olivia Rockwell and Detective Will Decker; and whilst it's the second book in Ellery A. Kane's Rockwell and Decker series, it can be read as a stand alone, and that's what I did and happily I never once felt at a disadvantage having not read the first. And with an intriguing storyline, charismatic characters, and a 35-year-old murder mystery that certainly kept me reading, yet not necessarily guessing I was engaged throughout; and I'd happily pick up the first book in the series along with any future books released. **I was kindly provided with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

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