Restless Bones by Gillian French

About the Book:

When a missing woman’s body is discovered in a submerged car one year after her disappearance, Shaw Connolly is called to process the scene. She finds a single print belonging to a long-dead female ex-con; could it be the key to identifying the murderer? As usual, Shaw won't stop looking until she’s dredged up more than a few hidden crimes.

All the while, Shaw’s past won’t let her go. Just as the Connolly family begins to find some peace after the arrest of Shaw’s sister’s killer, Anders Jansen, Shaw receives a request from her state police contact. Anders, in prison awaiting trial, has claimed responsibility for the murders of two other young women whose cases have grown cold over the past decade. But he refuses to help the police unless Shaw agrees to act as a special consultant in the search.

Despite her misgivings—Anders’s love of malicious mind games is as toxic as ever—Shaw could never prolong another family’s suffering. Her agreement to assist jeopardizes not only the fragile healing of her own family’s wounds, but the rebuilding of her marriage and her relationship with her youngest son, who’s colliding with some hard truths of how cruel people can be. It seems, for Shaw, closure is a long way off . . . but danger may be closer than she thinks.

My Review:

This is a good investigative mystery, however, Shaw is a heroine who has many personal issues to contend with. She was difficult for me to like. I did not appreciate her language. The plot structure of the book is quite complex as much is happening, including ramifications from murders in the past.

This is the second book in a series and contains many references to events in the first book. It would be best enjoyed if the first is read before this one.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Gillian French is the author of the suspense novel Shaw Connolly Lives To Tell from Minotaur Books, as well as five novels for teens.  An Edgar Award, Bram Stoker Award, and International Thriller Award finalist, her short fiction has also placed in Writer's Digest and Zoetrope: All Story contests. She holds a BA in English and lives in her native state of Maine with her husband and four sons, where she's perpetually at work on her next novel.

Minotaur Books, 288 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)