“Fractured Truth” by Susan Furlong it's a gripping 4-star read that delivers a compelling blend of mystery, suspense, and emotional depth. Furlong’s Writing style is engaging, drawing readers into the intricate web of secrets and lies that unfold throughout the story. The characters are well crafted and relatable, their struggles and complexities adding layers of authenticity to the narrative. The plot is thoughtfully constructed, with twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. Furlong’s Attention to detail and atmospheric descriptions bring the setting to life, immersing readers in the world she has created. While the pacing could have been tightened in some areas, the emotional depth and the exploration of challenging themes make “Fractured Truth” a captivating and thought-provoking read. Fans of suspenseful mysteries will find themselves thoroughly engaged in this compelling tale.

As a Traveller, Brynn Callahan is part of a close knit group that believes in keeping separate from their neighbors in the small town of Bone Gap, Tennessee. They take care of each other without the interference of those who do not understand their traditions.
As a wounded veteran, Brynn self medicates, sometimes to excess. Her life is anchored by her dog, Wilco, who was wounded in the same battle as Brynn and bears scar of his own. The two of them are the search and recovery team for the local police, finding bodies or finding the clues that help solve these deaths.
As a member of the local police, Brynn must balance all of her history, she and Wilco have an important job to do, bringing justice to those who would escape were it not for their unique talents. This does not gain her understanding from her Traveller family, nor does it help her fight the demons that followed her home from the war. But fight them she will.

This is book #2 in the series. The first book gives a little more of Brynn's background and was an excellent mystery to boot. You can definitely read this as a stand alone story but I'd recommend the first one too.

A thrilling read which kept me turning the pages, characters you care for and just brilliantly written. Great novel!!

Oh, I liked this! I'd like to read more books in this series in the future.

While you've got a very good murder mystery here, the best part of this is the look inside the modern day world of the Travellers. You get a good look at their culture as their very insular community deals with outside law enforcement - and one person who straddles the line between both cultures.

A fast read, to be sure, but one that had a lot of meat to it!

Really enjoyed this one.

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

The draw for me with this mystery was the dog-handler relationship. Brynn and her dog, Wilco, have returned home from war, where they recovered bodies to be returned home for funerals. Unfortunately, Wilco's scenting skills turn out to also be necessary in Brynn's hometown.

I was reading along happily enough and would probably have rated the book close to a 4, but at one point in the book the author writes about a transvestite(transgender?) prostitute. And refers to that character as "she-man" mostly, but also "woman wannabe". That is horrible terminology, and enough to keep me from reading any more by the author.

The mystery also ended up breaking in an entirely different direction than the way the author seemed to be building the story, and there was also a person I suspected at the beginning of the story and was correct about. So, it managed to both not signpost the culprit well and be obvious about a different culprit at the same time.

This is a compelling and somewhat dark suspense story featuring Brynn Callahan as a newly hired cop and her cadaver dog Wilco. I've never read a story dealing with Travellers aka gypsies and Brynn, who formerly was in the military finds it hard to find her place in the world and is broken and a personal mess. She doesn't seem to fit as a traveller or non-traveller which they call settled. She gets no support on either side and her childhood wasn't a happy memory either. What she does want to do is bring justice to Maura, a teen-aged traveller who was pregnant and brutally murdered. I know that this is second in the series and I do want to read more by Ms Furlong.

i enjoyed this book, as I read the first one in the series, Splintered Silence. Similar to the first book, the story was well-paced and believable. I really appreciate the research that the author puts into each book.

Lovely cover to start with. Great book with a great storyline. Not what I was expecting at all so was a nice surprise. Easy to read and good characters in there too.

An interesting mystery set among a group of Travellers, or as they are commonly referred to as gypsies. A strong, but tormented main character who has seen and experienced the horrors of war, returned to an area where she is considered an outsider, and the only friend she seems to have is her Cadaver Detection Dog who is as war torn as she is.

They are both put to the test when the body of a young Traveller is discovered and plunges them head on into the insulated community Brynn feels a tenuous connection to. There is a nice twist at the ending you may not see coming and if you are looking for curious, quick read this one is for you.

Fractured Truth

by Susan Furlong

Brynn Callahan suffers mental effects from being part of a Marine search team for the dead. She and her dog Wilco both received physical injuries from an encounter with an IED in Iraq. Retired from the military, they work as a team for the local sheriff.

In Fractured Truth, Brynn has been chosen for her job, despite a less than stellar work record due to PTS and associated addictions, to act as a liaison between law enforcement and the people group she was born into. She is half Traveller or Pavee, originally an Irish roaming group who settled in the Appalachian mountains in Tennessee. She is only partially successful in this role as the Pavees view her as an outsider and traitor for working with the police. She is helpful, however, in that she understands their customs and perspectives.

Brynn and Wilco are called upon to locate the body of a girl found by a cross-country skier. Wilco is successful and later, thanks to his sensitive nose, is able to locate another woman’s body who police suspect is in a river. The plot is very complex with many suspects. While investigating these crimes, Brynn is also dealing with PTS issues that she tries to overcome with alcohol and prescription drugs. In addition, she has past relationships that color her attempts to establish a new life in Bone Gap. She suffers discrimination from the Pavees and from some of her “settled” coworkers who look to blame the Pavees for problems. The Pavees, in turn, ostracize Brynn and her grandmother.

Fractured Truth has a good solid plot. It is a fascinating mystery, if somewhat gruesome at times. Author Susan Furlong, who has a talent with words, has created an interesting character in Brynn Callahan. I didn’t find her likeable or unlikeable, but I did find myself rooting for her in her struggle against her personal demons. Her battles are deep and painful, and unfortunately there are many returning soldiers who literally share the same torments. The book ends with the criminal cases solved but some loose ends that will carry the reader into the next book in the series.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: 1. #2 in the Bone Gap Travellers series, but works well as a standalone.
2. Since I review a lot of cozy mysteries, I want to point out that this book is not a cozy mystery. It falls in the traditional mystery series category. Some might classify it as a Police Procedural or a K-9 mystery. It is quite successfully all of these things!

Publication: December 18, 2018—Kensington Books

Memorable Lines:

A little smirk played along the corner of her lips. She enjoyed causing trouble. Gone was the withering flower, replaced by little Ms. Mean Girl. Who was the real Winnie? I had no idea. This interrogation was giving me mental whiplash.

“War is a series of relentless extremes. Boredom to certain death. No between. Anxiety becomes a part of who you are. You never turn it off. You do, and you’re not on your game, not able to save your own thankless hide, let alone your buddies.”

We kept our boundaries tight and adhered to a strict moral code, but somewhere along the line, we’d forgotten to allow for humanness. Rules and rigidness had replaced love and mercy.

4,5 stars

I got this book without knowing that it was the second book in the series.
But you can read it as a stand alone, you don't necessarily need to read the first book to understand the background of the plot here: every sequel presents a separate case that is solved at the end, besides the author explains in Fractured Truth everything you need to know from the first book, except probably the breed of Wilco. Wilco is NOT a German shepherd (as I mistakenly thought after the first half of the second book), but a trained K-9 Belgian shepherd Malinois. (Don't know how important this fact is, but Wilco is IMPORTANT!)

I enjoyed Fractured Truth so much that somewhere in the middle of the book, I put it aside to read the first book first. And I don't regret it!

Brynn Callahan, an ex-Marine who is still struggling with PTSD, works now for Sheriff's Department in Bone Gap, Tennessee and becomes her official first murder case to solve. The victim is a fellow Traveller, Maura Keene. Brynn doesn't have an easy job here: the Travellers don't trust her because she changed sides and her new police colleagues don't like her because she belongs to a group of Irish Travellers(gypsies) herself, Pavees, who are not very popular among the "settled" people. Brynn has to fight against prejudices and negative stereotypes on the one side and growing hostility against herself in her own clan on the other side.

The settings and the cultural background are very fascinating. The writing is

A well-plotted engaging mystery, full of unexpected twists and turns, with a captivating duo (Brynn and Wilco), a very intense, compelling and emotional novel.


Highly recommended!

Frigid February temperatures make for a hazardous climb to the site of a homicide, protagonist Brynn Calllahan's first with the McCreary County Sheriff's Department in Bone Gap, Tennessee. The ex-Marine is running coordination between her own Irish Traveller (Pavees) community in the Appalachians and that of the "settled" community. Her K-9 companion, Wilco, is a cadaver dog. The victim is a Pavee.

Damaged, broken, fighting flashbacks with her PTSD, she dulls the pain with both pills and booze and she is walking a fine line between her work with Pusser and her own people. There is a strong moral code within her own people, and they generally take care of their own. Brynn, however, has long languished on the fringe, not wholly accepted, viewed with suspicion and distrust with them as she does with the settled people. Brynn loves her Gran, but do her loyalties lie with settled law or family?

The investigation swings into high gear with the discovery of a second victim. A multi-layered well-plotted storyline emerges, combining Brynn's torment with deeper losses and disappointments. She is haunted, the tension is running high and these circumstances may be something she cannot conquer.

She is complex, flawed, but utterly fascinating. The well-developed support characters provide a complete picture along with descriptions of the mountains and nearby village, cold and picturesque at the same time as foreboding and sinister. The dialogue sets the stage, many times raw, threatening. The tension builds to a massively intricate conclusion.

This is book 2 of the series. Although you could probably read this novel as a standalone, you might get a more complete picture of the whole scenario if you began with book 1. You may not understand Brynn, but you'll be engaged, involved, invested. You can't solve this mystery and you can't wait for the next one.

I was given an ebook download by the publisher and NetGalley and extremely grateful for the opportunity to read and review my second book in this series. Recommended to any looking for a unique premise and exceptionally engaging mystery.

Susan Furlong’s second book in the Bone Gap Travellers series is just as good as her first - and I loved her first book. A young Traveller girl’s body is found and Brynn is determined to find the killer. However, Brynn is an ex-Marine suffering from PTSD and taking pain killers and alcohol. She’s a Traveller herself but the Community doesn’t trust her because she’s a cop. They don’t like outsiders. They like to handle things their own way. Ms. Furlong knows how to write a murder mystery that grabs your attention from the first page and doesn’t let it go. The plot was excellent and the characters were interesting and unique. Recommended read.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Fractured Truth by Susan Furlong is the 2nd book in the Bone Gap Travellers series. Brynn Callahan is an ex marine now working for the McCreary County Sheriff in her home town of Bone Gap, Tennessee. Travellers or Gypsies live in Bone Gap and Brynn grew up a Traveller. When a young women, a traveller, is found dead in a cave, Brynn is determined to find out who killer her. Brynn has a lot of issues after being injured in the Marines, along with her dog Wilco,who is a body tracker. Brynn spends most of the time drunk and popping Vicodins, and making poor choices. This book had me hooked from the beginning, but the reason I gave the book 4 stars and not 5 was Brynn and all her issues and mistakes, it made me sad. I do plan on reading the next book in the series, and I loved the first book, Splintered Silence. I recommend this book/series.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Fractured Truth by Susan Furlong is the second book of the Bone Gap Travellers series. This is not a cozy mystery but a good read none the less. It is a standalone but you would enjoy it more knowing some of the characters backstory.

The story takes place in Bone Gap, Tennessee in the Appalachian Mountains. Brynn Callahan is an ex-Marine and a newly sworn-in deputy facing her first official homicide along with Wilco, her trained K-9. Brynn is an ex-Marine suffering from PTSD and has returned to her family, a group of Irish Travellers that have settled in Bone Gap area.

Brynn is always a step away from going down the rabbit hole. She has issues with alcohol, pills, and family life. It is a day-by-day struggle for her. I found this story compelling. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out what happens next. I keep pulling for her and Wilco, who was also damaged in the war.

FRACTURED TRUTH, the second book in the Bone Gap Travellers series by Susan Furlong, is an intense, edge-of-your-seat read! First off, what captivated me was the raw, emotional power that Ms. Furlong writes with. Her protagonist, Brynn Callahan, is a flawed character both physically and emotionally but this reader couldn’t help but cheer her on and keep reading, hoping for redemption. While FRACTURED TRUTH can be read as a standalone, given Brynn’s life story unfolding in the first book, I would recommend starting there if possible. If not, by all means pick up this book and jump in for several hours of riveting entertainment!

The action and suspense starts from the very first page and doesn’t let up. The plot is expertly interwoven into the unique culture of the Irish Travellers who have their own language and customs. Brynn was born into the Travellers’ society, yet she straddles her birth culture and the outside world after joining the Marines and experiencing the horrors and injuries sustained in the war in Afghanistan. Ms. Furlong brings the plight of our veterans and PTSD issues to light in a sensitive manner and weaves the effects into Brynn’s story and how she reacts and interacts. I was also drawn to Brynn’s dog, Wilco, who is a human remains detection canine and was also injured in Afghanistan. It is obvious that the author has researched extensively and her efforts show in a mesmerizing read!

This is second book in the Bone Gap Traveller's Series. This is my first introduction to this series and it is a little hard to get into so I think I should have read the first book. Brynn Callahan is an Irish Traveller and ex-Marine and new deputy with her cadaver dog Wilco (who also has issues). Brynn has her demons and hard to imagine how she stays together with the alcohol and pills she uses to get thru the day. Brynn is investigating her first official murder and it turns out the woman found in the cave badly mutilated is that of a fellow traveller Maura Keene and like Maura she is straddling the line of travellers and the town. She is not trusted really by either side and yet she must find the answer to what happened to this young woman. This was an engaging read and I plan to go back and read the first book and then re-read this one again. The complexity of this character is captivating and the story is so well done. The dynamics of the town and travellers is so fascinating.

Fractured Truth by Susan Furlong is the second book in her Bone Gap Travellers series. The main character is Brynn Callahan who the Travellers consider a half breed. Her mother was a Traveller and her father "settled" or non-Traveller. She is also an ex-marine who, along with her cadaver dog Wilco, were injured by an IED. At this point in time she is with the police in McCreary County. Brynn is a main character who I had some trouble getting to like. She has lots of issues and problems with booze and an addiction to pain pills. I can sympathize but at times I would just want to shake her and ask why she didn't do the hard thing and get herself straightened out. This story has lots of suspense and kept my attention. I enjoyed the storyline and the plot.

A very good plot and story with interesting characters, although a hero with a drug addiction is a little strange for me. There are also a few inconsistencies in the story, but all in all a very good read.

I know a magic lamp, rub it and... You would think a genie would appear, wouldn't you? But nahh... this lamp is different; it pulls you in.
Susan Furlong's book is that magical lamp which pulled me in with the first line and soon found me a cozy place to read the book... I couldn't get out nor did I want to till the last line was read...

A damaged main character Brynn and her deaf three-legged work dog Wilco are the main characters. She is a Pavee, from the travellers or the gypsies clan, who now works for the police, the outsiders, to bring about justice for the dead. The story is similarly themed as book 1 with the fight continuing between the travelers and the nontravelers along with the solving of a murder. In this, it takes a satanic turn with the body of a young girl found in a cave. The mystery from book 1 too continued. Bryn again has to shoulder the balancing act of traversing between both the worlds as well as protecting her grandmother.

Brynn did travel into my heart in this round too; she is not perfect, uses Vicodin and whiskey to keep alive/sane, a war vet with PTSD, but her hidden vulnerability draws me deep into this book. Both the books should be read to see the way the author Susan Furlong has developed Bryn and to being captured by her writing.

The only niggle I can think of is I was angry with Bryn for not taking charge of her life and allowed prescribed meds to rule her body. But then what do I know of being a damaged, scarred war vet... She does clean up her act later.

And yes, I did come out of the lamp to write this review. You can call me the genie and I can grant wishes but only for people who read this book.