A picturesque town surrounded by mountains seems to be plagued by evil, murder and some of worst depravity you could imagine in humanity. Ellie has barley had a few months of peace since the last rash of murders and is blown away by this newest case that affected her niece. Some sick sick stuff has been going on in their town for years and someone seems to be trying to silence anyone who knows about it. Thrilling, action pact and more than a little emotional, Ellie has her job cut out for her.

Hidden Bones – Rita Herron

A small group of teens head out to an old, abandoned, supposedly haunted house in the woods for a sleep over – the newest Tik Tok trend - only to see a figure in a window. They hurriedly flee, but one of them, Mandy, falls into a deep pit that contains bones – and they appear to be human remains…

It’s spring break time in Crooked Creek, GA and Detective Ellie Reeves is exhausted – literally. In addition to the usual shenanigans, some teens have been breaking and entering in to places they don’t belong, leading to arrests and inevitable confrontations with parents. She swings into the Corner Café and finds close friend and confidant Ranger Cord McClain at the bar and joins him while she waits for her dinner order. Then their phones ring simultaneously as they learn that a kid has fallen into a pit at the old Hawk House.

As they arrive, Ellie learns that her niece is the teen who fell into the pit. She and Cord quickly get her up and back on solid ground, but not before Ellie catches a glimpse of a skull and other bones that appear to be partially buried in the dirt walls of the pit. The Evidence Response Team is called and Ellie opts to call in FBI Special Investigator Derrick Fox.

There have long been rumors of cruelty and abuse surrounding the now defunct orphanage named Hawk House, but no one to confirm or deny them. The story went that the headmaster packed up and disappeared one day, causing the place to be closed a couple of months later. But the stories were never verified – the Sheriff at the time reportedly found nothing that caused concern. Ellie and her team start to dig into the past, hoping to learn what really happened all those years ago.

As the investigation intensifies, a search of the building turns up some horrors of its own, and more osseous remains are found. Meanwhile a woman’s brutalized body has just been found, stuffed into a plastic bag and tossed down a cliff. Are these two separate incidents – or are they related?? As the team works fervently to find answers from killings both past and present, someone is equally determined to keep old secrets protected...and he has Ellie dead in his sights…

Another great installment of the Ellie Reeve’s series, with hopefully many more to come! Far-fetched, yep, absolutely, but what a great suspenseful, action-packed read - complete with diabolical bad guys and a strong, fearless female to bring ‘em down! Don’t pick it up until you’ve got time to curl up and read – you’re not going to want to put it down!!

I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley & Bookouture in exchange for an objective review. Do you love to read?? Visit netgalley.com and start reviewing books today!!

Hidden Bones is book six in the Detective Ellie Reeves series. This book starts right off the bat with a twisted discovery of bones in a pit after a group of teenagers doing a Tick Tok challenge and one of them falls to the bottom. Mandy is terrified from the fall and finding human bones and she screams for help. Ellie arrives at Hawk House an abandoned orphanage rumored to be haunted. After rescuing Mandy, Ellie and the team investigate the house, what they find is beyond their wildest fears.

A serial killer who inflicts unbearable pain on his victims and so much more begins to add more bodies to keep his secrets.

Ellie is determined to find the killer no matter the cost even if that means putting herself in the line of fire.

This is a fantastic continuation in the Ellie Reeves series. Ellie and her team appear to have their own demons they fight against while trying to solve the newest crime. It is a riveting, psychotic thriller that is the thing of nightmares yet keeps us enthralled along the way, with many twists and turns as this story escalates with every chapter.

Chilling suspense and drama! With the sixth book in the Detective Ellie Reeves series we join forces with Ellie once again as she tries to figure out the intricate puzzle terrorizing her small town of Crooked Creek, Georgia. I wasn't quite as entrenched in this story as I have been ones earlier in the series and to be quite honest the cat and mouse unrequited (or is it?) love triangle between Ellie, Cord and Derrick is getting a bit old, but the overall mystery and storytelling was rich in fear. I look forward to more to come in the series to uncover remaining feelings and secrets.

Ellie is a complex character to dig your teeth into. While this book can be a stand alone, you'll enjoy this series much more if you read along in order and learn all of the groundwork that has been laid earlier on for all of the repeat characters. Enjoy the journey!

I recommend this book and the entire series to anyone that enjoys a mystery rich in terror and intrigue with a cast of characters who all have secrets to unravel along the way.

I always love finding new-to-me authors and Hidden Bones by Rita Herron was just the book to delve into. Although the sixth book in the Detective Ellie Rivers series it can easily be read and enjoyed as a standalone.

It's creepily addictive with many moments that will take your breath away. The short chapters help you take stock before moving on to the next mystery filled chapter, in just a few short pages.

There are numerous twists, turns and the odd red herring to keep the reader invested in Ellie's latest case and as you would expect from any book, the mysteries, or most of them, are solved.

It will be so easy to get to know these characters from the earlier publications but I can't wait to see what's in store for Detective Rivers next.

Book 6 in the series and it's the best one yet!

When bones are found on the site of an abandoned orphanage Ellie and her team are called in to investigate. But when new victims start turning up its obvious someone doesn't want the truth coming out.

With so many twists and turns my brain felt it was on those mountain switchback roads trying to keep up!

I read this in one day as it was just too good to put down.

I love this series and I can't wait for the next one.

I enjoyed this book but I don't think it was up to the author's usual standards. My problem was that there was too much going on. I kept having to re-read pages to keep up with what I thought was an overly convoluted plot. At the same time the story was told at a breakneck speed and there were a couple of clever twists that I didn't see coming. I look forward to the next book in the series.

Creepy !!!!!!! Scary , disturbing and heartbreaking thriller that you won't soon forget ! I loved this book and highly recommend ! Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book ! Opinions are solely my own ! #Netgalley #Bookouture #HiddenBones

This is a fantastic rollercoaster of a story which had me gripped throughout. I am loving this series it gets better with each new book.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Hidden Bones, the sixth novel to feature Detective Ellie Reeves, set in the fictional Appalachian town of Crooked Creek, Georgia.

A group of teenagers are exploring an abandoned building when one falls into a pit and discovers human bones. Ellie rescues the teenager and launches an investigation into the bones. The building was an orphanage and rumours of child cruelty surrounded it, so she assumes that the bones belong to orphans housed there, but someone doesn’t want her to find out. Then the body of a woman is found, tortured and a strange sign carved into her body. What is going on in Crooked Creek? Ellie is determined to find out.

I liked the premise of Hidden Bones, but didn’t particularly enjoy the execution. The narrative is split between various voices in the present and a young, unidentified girl from 30 years ago. It makes the read fragmentary and less than compulsive or absorbing. It is also quite a long novel, but that is probably necessary to fit everything in.

The plot is quite complicated with Ellie running two separate investigations, the historical bones and the present day murder with a few extra items thrown in as a bonus. The upshot is that the novel is spread too thin and there is no depth to most of it, the exception being the orphans’ trauma, but even then it doesn’t dig too deeply. It feels like a recitation of events rather than an emotional connection.

Ellie is very flat in this novel - it’s all about the investigation, so even anything that might arouse her emotions, like a big disagreement with her mother, is suppressed while she works the case. As I said a recitation of events.

Hidden Bones did not appeal to me, but I’m sure that plenty of readers will like it.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is part of a series, but it can be read as a stand alone. This is a pretty convoluted story. It is interesting and I wasn't sure who did it til close to the end. Lots of twists and turns. And oh how the system failed those kids. So much heartache and so many messed up kids. This book has great characters. 4 stars

(4.5) Ahhhh you broke my heart with the ending! I having been waiting to find out what else was so dark that Cole couldn't/wouldn't share. I still haven't made up my mind about our fearless FBI support. I am not sure which way I want it to go, but beyond that another winner for me. The suspense, the twists. Ultimately one of the twists at the very ending, I knew. I wasn't sure how it played in, but I knew this person was guilty. Detective Ellie has had a rough past, and honestly I wanted to reach through the pages and smack her mom. A sure fire suspenseful thriller that had me flipping pages. Thank you for the arc, I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions. #Hiddenbones #Ritaherron #Bookouture #Netgalley

This was creeeepy! This would make the perfect Halloween book. An abandoned orphanage, ghost tales, bones… it’s got it all! I enjoyed the case and all of the red herrings the author dropped. The characters were interesting and at one point I suspected them all. The writing got a bit clunky in places and the pacing was off. I get the use of short chapters to gain momentum, but this was a bit too overdone and annoyed the heck out of me by the end.

🏚Complex plot, tragic lives: great suspense😧🏞

4.5🌟 stars
I love this series! The weather and remote landscapes of the lower Appalachian Trail get so wild and ominous that they rival the darkness of the killers Author Rita Herron has Detective Ellie Reeves peeling off in so many different directions to stop a new murder spree and solve a tragic thirty year old mystery. It's exciting, twisted and there's NEVER a dull moment.

I also like the short chapter format, the author's writing style and her ability to maintain the suspense. When you think it's solved and over, think again! Can't wait for my next trip to Appalachian Georgia with Ellie Reeves😊.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Author Rita Herron continues to give her readers a gripping and intense mystery/thriller with book 6 of the Detective Ellie Reeves series!
There is so much going on within the story…..once you think you know what’s going on, things get complicated again. The story did seem to go on and on and on just a bit too much. That’s not saying I didn’t like it. The plot of a abandoned orphanage of 30 years that is thought to be hunted by ghosts of the children that died there. When old bones are found, things get even more mysterious. How intriguing does that sound?
The main character, Ellie, seems to be so conflicted in her love life. I kept hoping this would get better but that really did not happen. I guess I want a bit more depth in her character and not so much indecision on what she should do. She also takes way tooooo many unnecessary risks that makes me think she just doesn’t want to go on with her life.
I definitely enjoy reading this series and look forward to the next book in the series!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Another brilliant book from Rita Herron.
Some teenagers discover some bones in an abandoned building and it’s the start of a gruesome investigation.
A woman is then found murdered and her body abandoned in the woods.
The property where the bones were found was an old children’s home and it’s clear the building is holding it’s fair share of secrets.
Further women are murdered but Ellie can’t work out if they are linked to the secrets surrounding the bones case.
Ellie gets help from Derrick but even with Cord, Bryce and the others, they have their hands full this time.
This is a fast paced crime thriller that will definitely have you racing through the pages.
A great read.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Hidden Bones by Rita Herron is the sixth book in the Detective Ellie Reeves series. Ellie Reeves has a shocking mystery to solve this time. Bones are discovered on the grounds of the long-closed orphanage, Hawk House, an orphanage that had been run by a cruel, abusive man. In addition to this cold case Ellie also has current murders to solve. Once again FBI agent Derrick Fox and Ranger Cord McClain are Ellie's stalwart assistants on the cases. (As an aside from the murder mystery - the relationship between Ellie and Derrick and between Ellie and Cord are confusing in this book. Normally I really enjoy the romantic relationships that evolve in series but this situation was confusing and distracting for me in this story.) I felt chilled at the evil in this story. This book is a suspenseful, action-packed page-turner. I like author Rita Herron's voice. She tells a great story here!

Hidden Bones is a mystery/thriller about a detective who is in charge of 2 seemingly unrelated cases that involve murdered sex workers and the found bones of children. This is the 6th book in a series and I have not read the other ones, but I was easily able to follow the story. The narrator alluded to events in past books, but they didn't seem to be super relevant to the plot in this book. I rated this 3 stars because I enjoyed it and the story kept me interested. It was dark and twisty and keeps you guessing until the end. I also really enjoyed that the chapters were very short. I thought the short chapters helped move the story along and kept the mood tense as you were reading. However, the main character wasn't interesting or special to me. She didn't really seem to have much of a personality besides "detective." (if I had read the other books in the series I might feel differently though). I also felt like there was too much going on at some points. More than just the 2 cases, there were random people having crises that definitely didn't need to be involved, but it felt like it was added because "hey let's throw that in there because that's a cliche thing that happens in thrillers." Overall, It was a good, solid mystery and I do think I'd recommend reading the other books in the series as well as this one.

Ellie, Cord and Derrick are back !!!! Ellie is investigating the murders of three local women and also children's bones found at Hawk House. What went on at Hawk House and why so many bones? Rita Herron once again has you guessing until the end ! Loved this book and love this series. Ellie is a character I love following and hope there's many more books in this series. Mystery, suspense and a great female lead character what more can you want from the perfect thriller. Loved!! Read today!

This is a fast paced, always changing, thriller with lots of wow moments. Had some very sensitive material so look into it if need to. Love the characters and the way that Rita Herron tells a story. She keeps the plot flowing and had me turning the page all day. Highly recommend. If you have not read the rest of series, can still understand perfectly.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.