I love being given the opportunity to update our school library which is a unique space for both senior students and staff to access high quality literature. This is definitely a must-buy. It kept me absolutely gripped from cover to cover and is exactly the kind of read that just flies off the shelves. It has exactly the right combination of credible characters and a compelling plot thatI just could not put down. This is a great read that I couldn't stop thinking about and it made for a hugely satisfying read. I'm definitely going to order a copy and think it will immediately become a popular addition to our fiction shelves. 10/10 would absolutely recommend.

Thank you Random House and Netgalley and apologise I took so long to read this.
I found this very hard to get into and gave up on the 1st attempt and managed to read on the 2nd attempt.
Glad I tried again though as it had a pretty good storyline and an unexpected ending.
Not sure I would recommend though hence the 3 stars

Enjoyable story, quite dark and goes to interesting places. I liked the story itself and the writing style and the setting in North America.

Thank you for providing me with an advance review copy of this book. Enjoyed reading, would recommend....

A very atmospheric description of a small town where everybody knows everybody. You never really know what your neighbours are really dealing with and the saying "turn a blind eye" seems to ring very true here. Enjoyed the story, I wouldn't say it is much of a who dunnit but there are definitely some surprises along the way.

The atmosphere in this book was most definitely the highlight for me - it perfectly captured that small-town feel! This took a little while to get stuck into, but oooh boy then I was gripped! Late night readings and strained eyes will the consequence of reading Tall Bones for many readers - and it will be worth it! A fresh new voice for crime fiction, and I can't wait to read more for what they have to offer!

When a young girl goes missing in a town that swears it hasn’t paved over its faults, it is certain that a rift will unearth the darkness beneath. Claustrophobic and unsettling, this novel masterfully blends well written prose with excellent pace. A great thriller.

I found this hard to get into, took me a while to get to grips with the characters. Glad I persevered with it, as in hindsight it was pretty good. Unexpected ending which is always good..

"When seventeen-year-old Emma leaves her best friend Abi at a party in the woods, she believes, like most girls her age, that their lives are just beginning. Many things will happen that night, but Emma will never see her friend again."

This is a chilling twisty tale full of secrets and with a brilliant small-town setting. Thoroughly recommend this one!

A really solid addition to the genre; reliable, if a little predictable in places. Would recommend if you know what you want from this sort of book, as it definitely delivers that.

The atmospheric story of a small town, told through the disappearance of a teenage girl. Insular and with secrets of their own, the community’s dark side shows itself slowly, building to a satisfying ending. A great read.

“Abigail Blake turns at the edge of the trees and smiles at Emma. This will be the memory of Abigail that stays with Emma long after the rest has been drunk away…”

With a missing 17 year old girl in a small town, it’s not surprising that whilst looking into her disappearance that secrets will be revealed and cracks will appear. With everyone guessing what has happened and coming up with stories of their own, there are plenty of people that make you wonder if they are involved with the missing girl.
A perfect mystery thriller story with incredibly hateful characters in the opressingly claustrophobic town, Anna writes a story that will suck you in from the beginning. I felt like I was there the whole time.
I really enjoyed how the story was told over two timelines, one after Abigail goes missing and one before, each timeline written so smoothly that it does not pull away from the story in fact it interweaves brilliantly.
TW: alcoholism, domestic abuse, homophobia, violence, child abuse, drug use, toxic relationships, addiction, death, gun violence, hate crimes and racism.
Whilst a really good mystery story, it was heartbreaking in places but overall and thoroughly good book and full of character driven drama, atmospheric stories and completely and constantly engaging making you want more.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great debut thriller. Based in a small town with all the associated problems this entails. Ii is a story of realistic characters but very dark and sometimes depressing./ Dramatic finale and a well written book.

I have been struggling to read over the last couple of weeks- everyone I try to read I end up checking my phone, or falling asleep.
As much as I enjoyed this book, it wasn't what I would call fast paced so I struggled with picking this up to continue it.
BUT I did actually enjoy this book, and it follows the story of life in a small town, and in particular focus's on one main family, after their daughter Abigail goes missing.
It also has an underlying storyline which focuses on homophobia and racism, which is something I am very passionate about, so reading how people were treated was awful!
Good solid book, just took a bit of perseverance with it.

Abigail Blake goes missing and the people who knew her begin to fall apart. I did enjoy it, sometimes I thought the religious themes were a bit heavy handed but it didn't derail the story. I definitely got The Devil All The Time (the film) vibes from this. If you liked that I think you'll like this.

I really liked the ending. How it hinted at the future and gave these characters hope beyond their personal tragedies and circumstances. That feeling is going to stay with me for a long time.

17 year old Abigail goes missing after a party in the small town of Whstling Ridge.
I really enjoyed this dark and mysterious thriller, there are enough suspects and secrets to keep everyone double guessing until the end. I wasn't quite so keen on the payout but you can judge for yourself!

Anna Bailey’s debut is so jaw-droppingly good, I can’t believe this is her first book and not her 10th. She nails the darker side of small town America (said by someone who grew up in small town America and can speak with some authority…) and I could not put this book down!

Beautifully written but a bit boring!

Emma leaves her friend one night at a party in the local woods near Whistling Ridge, like she has before not realising that would be the last time anyone saw Abi. Her disappearance unleashes long ignored secrets and prejudices, acting as the spark the ignite a town's fiery rage.

I really wanted to love this, I felt like it would be a bit like a less bonkers Twin Peaks in that it's a small town mystery of a missing/murdered girl with some odd ball characters, outsiders, bored teens and corrupt adults but minus a backwards talking dwarf etc. And in many ways it is. It's atmospheric and claustrophobic with some fantastic characters (Rat in particular) but I struggled to get through it. I get slow burning, I do, but something has to happen and there's just not enough in this to hold attention. Towards the end it does pick up considerably but then just fizzles out. We'll written but ultimately disappointing.

Store based on a the disappearance of a girl and the dysfunctional lived of not only her family but the families that the book highlights on and how they all play a part. I struggled to build any emotions for the characters apart from Jude and Noah. It was a slow burner for me and it took me a while to get through it, which is unusual for me.

What a book! 5 stars.
This book had it all, interesting characters, an intriguing plot, lots to keep you guessing. Will be recommending Tall Bones to others and will also look out for other books by Anna Bailey.