I read Two Days Gone by Randall Silvis and loved it. Even though it was a bit slow I liked the suspense and the overall justice to the book with a good plot, quite intriguing yet morally upright characters.

This book too is a bit slow. The main character is the detective Ryan De Marco, as usual like the first book falls into imposter syndrome and the book drones on a bit with his internal feelings a lot. We see his own life, his girlfriend for the first time in this book. Some descriptions are disturbing.
It was not what I expected at first and took me a lot of time to finish. But guess it was a worthwhile reading.

I loved the first book in the series so I had high hopes for the follow up.

I really did enjoy this book just not as much as book 1. But that doesn't mean it's not worth reading. Ryan and Jamie are back to solve another mystery and it's so good. You will be hooked from page 1 and can't wait to find out what happened.

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

This is outside my normal realm of what I read but I wanted to give it a try. It wasn't my cup of tea though, there was a lot about the book that I struggled with. The mystery plot itself was pretty good and was interesting to follow along with. Other than that there were some antiquated pieces of the book - the way that the book portrays genders was odd to me. There were some odd descriptions, like when someone was eating it was described as feminine. I didn't know there was a feminine or masculine way of eating. And Jayme's character was presented weirdly to me and there were a lot of odd points in her background - specifically the description of her sexual background felt kind of unnecessary to the story line to me. There was also so much description - each new location and person had like two pages of description and it just got to be too much. This wasn't a great book for me but if you like copy mysteries featuring a mature male then this would be a good read.

Every once in a while, even though it's nowhere near my go-to genre, I find myself craving a good mystery.
This one managed to fit the bill amazingly. It was a real roller coaster that kept me at the edge of my seat, while it was really entertaining.
Silvis is an author I'll definitely come back to.

The synopsis of this book discusses the crime Ryan DeMarco ends up investigating while on vacation with his girlfriend, but it's really about the two main characters: Ryan and Jayne. Ryan is dealing with the death of his best friend and being in a new relationship. The book is just mostly he and Jayne and their feelings about everything and less about the crime.

Walking the Bones tells the story of the 7 girls who have gone missing and died and ended up as bones in a church. And we have Sergeant DeMarco to solve the case. The case happened a long time ago, but the culprit has never been found.

The first book was amazing and I just realized now that it was the plot as a whole, the mystery that the main character is trying to solve that’s truly captivating. Because in this book, as we follow DeMarco as he deals with the pain of what happens in the first book and other things that happened in his past, I realized that I did not like him as a main character.

And I am here for the mystery but it felt like the story is 30% of DeMarco’s past issues in life (quite a lot of it), 20% of his and Jaymee’s relationship (sex talk and sex scenes included) and 50% of the actual plot of them chasing the mystery that happened.

I really enjoyed the mystery solving aspect, I am okay with DeMarco’s issue from his past because we get to see his growth in this book. But Jaymee, I am not quite a fan though their relationship is tolerable. But the ending, that final chapter, I am not here for it.

A truly diabolical premise with tension crackling off every page. A must-read for all who enjoy intelligently-written stories with great characterizations, and who enjoy surprise twists at every turn. A great addition to this genre, and highly recommended. I'll be reading more from this author!

*My sincerest thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reviewing an ARC at no charge.*

Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Walking the Bones. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Ryan DeMarco made the decision to retire from the Pennsylvania State Police, after he watched his friend die because of a madman's bullet. With so much loss in his life, Ryan is desperate to heal and move forward. Roped into an investigation, along with his girlfriend Jayme, regarding the discovery of the skeletons of seven missing girls, will the search for the truth give Ryan back the purpose in his life that he has been missing?

I am fond of a good mystery but, unfortunately, this was not one of them. The case might have been compelling on its own, but it was too wrapped up in the Jayme/Ryan relationship melodrama. Having not read the first book clearly did not help, as all of the references to the past point to a large chunk of Ryan's history that is absent here. The pacing was an issue, as the story just plodded along. I did not get much of a feeling for the characters, so Walking the Bones represents a missed opportunity for me. For these reasons, I would not recommend the book to other readers.

Please note that, unlike standard murder-mystery/detective series, readers may encounter more than a little difficulty if attempting to read Randall Silvis' Walking the Bones as a standalone. Read: a great deal. Because, although the mystery of the deaths of the seven girls propelled my interest, the protagonist's constant focus on the events of the past that I had never before encountered left my mind coiled around itself in tangles. And his focus never seemed to move away from them! The mystery remained stagnant and abstract and on the outskirts, whereas the novel's main plot remained more character study than mystery.
Quick-paced, page-turning, edge-of-your-seat romp this is not.

Four ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sergeant Ryan DeMarco is asked to step away - a medical leave. Let’s call it a retirement of sorts, from the State Police department in Pennsylvania. Sergeant Ryan is now highly agitated and unpredictable. Not a good combination.

His girlfriend, Jayme, is excited to be taking leave from work, heading out on a cross country adventure with Ryan. Time to slow down, heal. Rediscover each other and the goodness in the world. They’re on the road when Jayme’s grandmother suddenly passes away in Kansas and, they of course make a detour to pay their respects. Sad, yes. But unfortunately, far from the only pot-hole waiting for them down the road in Kentucky.

They soon find themselves swept-up in a local cold case of seven murdered girls. Despite his best efforts to mind his own business and just enjoy the road-trip, DeMarco manages to find himself in the middle of routing out who was responsible.

This is book two of the Ryan DeMarco series. I would suggest starting with book one - Two Days Gone to truly understand his character. He’s a broken soul, not sure he can find his way out of the black hole that has enveloped him.

As with book one, this is a slow burn with only the witty banter between the characters that kept the momentum moving forward. I love the dynamic between DeMarco and Jayme. Though the murder mystery itself was a little too slow to keep me fully engaged.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and Randall Silvis for an ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I actually never read the first book in the Ryan Demarco series, and I don't think you really need to read it in order to enjoy this book, but I might go back and read it anyways even though I pretty much know what happens. This was a great mystery that kept me guessing right up into the very end.

The characters are very complex and you get to see glimpses of both Ryan and Jayme's pasts so you get a better idea of why they are the way they are. Even though Ryan and Jayme don't share their visits down memory lane with each other (which adds to Jayme's frustration) you really get a sense of how dark and tragic a life Ryan has had. Jayme definitely had a few surprises in her recollections from the past and I'll be curious to see how and if they continue to expand as the series goes on.

The case building and investigative process in the book was well done. I enjoyed all the avenues explored and suspects that were exhausted. Their stories were all interesting, and some I wanted to have a go at myself. It was also very very dark in places and violent, as any thriller/murder mystery would be.

I really enjoyed it and would recommend for any whodunit enthusiast. Though perhaps start with the first book in the series. I hear that reading the books in order will make Ryan's flashbacks a bit more meaningful.

A very character driven story. While that helps to become invested in the character, the lack of plot really kind of threw me for a loop. I kept hoping to find a little more depth and just didn't. A well written story and if you prefer character driven stories, this one is for you.

I found this book a bit hard to get into so I was unable to finish it. That is more a reflection on me though than the writing which was excellent.

What a great follow up to Two Days Gone! Silvis captures the reader from the first chapter and it’s a slow burn from that point forward. Character driven, the suspense builds little by little until we finally get all the answers. Not only is it a journey to find out what happened in his new case, it is also a journey of self discovery for DeMarco. Although this can be read as a stand alone, because of past reverences, it might be better to read Two Days Gone first. Hoping to see more of DeMarco and Jayme in future books!!

This story picks up where Two Days Gone, book 1 in the Ryan DeMarco Mystery ends. DeMarco is still mouning the passing of his son more than a decade earlier and the loss of his friend Professor Huston and his family earlier in the year. Not coping well with this emotional burden, he heads off in an RV along with his romantic partner Trooper Jayme Matson.

It isn't long before they get pulled into a cold case that won't let either of them walk away. The bones of seven young women had been found hidden in a church. Though they had been identified, no one was ever charged in their murders. This just doesn't sit well with either Ryan nor Jayme.

I found the pace of the story a bit slow in the first quarter where we are learning more about DeMarco's back ground and what events made him the man he is. Additional details of Jayme's background are slowly revealed and tend to balance his memories. Once they hit their stride in this renewed investigation, the pace of the story picks up and begins to soar. At this point I only stopped reading as I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer.

I still love the character of Sergeant Ryan DeMarco. He makes for a great investigator and someone I want to spend my time with. Jayme is still a bit of a mystery to me and that's a good thing. If everything about a character was spelled out in the opening chapters, it would make for a less enticing read and would leave less for future chapters.

This is an excellent follow-up to the series debut. You could possibly read this on it's own as author Randall Silvis did a wonderful job of catching the reader up on what happened in the first book, though he didn't spoon feed us, he made us work to glean the details. The two are very different style books. The first is more about the investigation and why the murders happened, where this one is more about DeMarco and what makes him tick. I certainly hope that there will be more for him to investigate in the near future.

VERDICT: Suspenseful multi-layered thriller, enriched by the depth of the characters and their personal stories. Randall Silvis is becoming one of my favorite latest discovery.

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Ryan DeMarco in Two Days Gone last year. So I jumped on the opportunity to read book 2 in the series: Walking The Bones.
The book opens in a Kentucky forest. Pennsylvania State Police Sergeant Ryan DeMarco, 49, is climbing a mountain. Shortly after realizing his cell phone battery is dead, someone shoots at him. He falls and loses consciousness.
Only later on in the book will the reader understand what Ryan was doing in this forest, why, and what happened. I liked that structure, that way of telling you the story starting somewhat at both ends.
The story has several layers. I think it actually helps, or at least definitely makes the reading experience richer, to know what happened to Ryan in book one of the series, Two Days Gone.
As this is only the second book in the series, I highly encourage you to read both books, they are both so well written, why not double the treat!
All along Walking The Bones, we perceive the dramatic effects on the sergeant of his own childhood, of the losses of his young son and of his good friend Thomas Huston. The effects on his professional life and on his difficulty in creating lasting relationships, as he has to deal with grief, guilt, and anger.

"Now, as he stepped deliberately through the green landscape, he was thinking several thoughts concurrently, some fleeting, based on moment-to-moment observations, and some lingering, recognized by his consciousness and then left to stand like a pedestrian waiting for a break in the traffic."
chapter 7

In chapter 7, we meet three intriguing characters. It takes a while to figure out what camp they are in, which adds nicely to the intrigue.
Anyway, without revealing too much, let’s just say Ryan is led to investigate on a gruesome murder that was never solved: the discovery of seven young female skeletons behind a false wall in a church.
I really liked:
- the multi-layered story which added depth and also slowed down the plot, making it even more of a page-turner
- the numerous possible guilty parties (though at 17% of the book, I had guessed not who did it, but where to find the culprit)
- a bunch of colorful characters
- and the setting, a small Kentucky community and Daniel Boone National Forest, where I have done some hiking myself.
Beside Ryan’s complex character, I enjoyed discovering Jayme’s, with her own suffering, how both are dealing with their own wounded psyche and the one of the other, and how they work together.

"Nobody ever gets to be pure except through love."
chapter 101

There are a few great suspense scenes as well.

This series has officially come into its own! I loved this book - it was a awesome ride from start to finish.

Note: this book picks up where the first leaves off. It can be read as a stand-alone, but it would probably be helpful to read the first beforehand to understand why Ryan is struggling.

Anyway, the central mystery is great, incredibly intriguing and with plenty of suspects (and nasty ones at that) to keep readers interested. I didn't guess the ending before the end - when enough clues had been revealed to give the audience a major hint. Like I said, there's plenty of layers to keep the wheels turning.

I also loved the development of Ryan and Jayne in this book. They really became likable, real characters that I can't wait to read more about in the future. Their relationship is sweet and genuine - I actually laughed out loud a couple times at their quips. There's definitely a lot more adventures in the future for them and I will absolutely be picking future books in this series up.

Highly recommended.

Ryan Demarco is pulled into an investigation during some much needed down time. Just because secrets and bodies are buried years ago doesn’t mean they will stay hidden. This case takes everything Demarco has and more to wrap it up.
I would have loved to read the first prior, but it wasn’t necessary to enjoy this read. The story was well thought out and interesting. It took me a little time to really get pulled into the story, however I’m really enjoying this character and the way the story finally hooks you in. Sometimes it’s hard for me to really put my finger on that exact thing that makes or breaks a star for a review. This read is one I can tell you exactly what it is. Its equal parts intriguing and slow moving, but I’m not so sure I would change anything. This one is definitely worth a read and deserves that fourth star for sure. Enjoy!

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Randall Silvis for the opportunity to read and review the second Ryan DeMarco mystery - another winner!

I read the first book and while it's not a must read to enjoy, you certainly learn the backstory of DeMarco's grieving and resultant issues due to the death of his best friend. Ryan DeMarco, a Sergeant with the Pennsylvania State Patrol, is burned out and contemplating retirement. His first bright spot is his new relationship with fellow trooper, Jayme. In order to persuade Ryan to stay on the force, Jayme convinces her boss to try and let her get him away and reconsider. They buy a used RV and head out.

When Jayme's grandmother dies, they make a detour to Kentucky to be with her family. There, they find themselves drawn into helping to solve a mystery of 7 dead girls found entombed in a church. The case brings to light Ryan's past and issues about commitment and anger.

I really enjoy these books. They may be a tad too long and the author tends to sprinkle the book with words that I have to look up, but they are intriguing mysteries along with lots of character introspection. Can't wait to read the next book in this series!

From my blog: Always With a Book:

My thoughts: This is the second book in Randall Silvas' Ryan DeMarco Mystery series and I have to say, I am hooked on this series! It's different and unique...and I am loving that! I read a lot of series and so I find it a breath of fresh air when I stumble upon a series that goes in a different direction and that's what I find here. Yes, this is still classified as a mystery and yes there is suspense, but the writing is fresh and so far, both books have been quite different.

I would say this latest installment is more of a character study than anything else. There is still a mystery to be solved for sure, but I think there was almost more time devoted to delving into just who Sergeant Ryan DeMarco is and how is past has made him who he is today. And, just a note - I would strongly suggest reading the previous book, Two Days Gone, before jumping into this one...a lot of references to that case are made. Plus, part of what DeMarco is struggling with has to do with that case.

We also get a lot of insight into DeMarco's new relationship...again, a lot of character development here. I liked this. I felt that there was a lot to explore in both DeMarco and Jayme and loved that the story would move back and forth in time, helping to give us a better picture of who both these characters are and what they are made of. Neither one of them had great childhoods and some of that has stayed with them - how could it not?

The case they end up working on is not without its challenges and was quite interesting. It brought them in contact with quite a contrary bunch of characters. It is filled with twists and turns and kept me engaged throughout.

This story is about all things buried - bodies, secrets, regrets, and memories. While not necessarily a fast-paced book, it will consume you once you start reading, getting under your skin until you reach the final page. I have enjoyed both books in this series so far and look forward to seeing where it goes next.