Female detective? Sold. Uncovering bones? Sold. Husband drama? Sold.


This book was all of it. It felt like the true crime shows that we binge, trying to figure out how things happened, who did it and then ultimately why did it all happen. The book twists and turns, but keeps the reader readily locked in waiting for the next big break in the case.

While it would be nice to read this series in order to follow Alexa Glock’s character development, I didn’t mind skipping the previous books to read this one. It wasn’t hard to figure out what happened to her before, so this can definitely be read as a stand alone. I wasn’t the least bit surprised with the whodunnits and whydunnits — they were pretty predictable, but I did enjoy learning about fingerprint analysis and forensic odontology. The history about Chinese miners arriving in Otago, New Zealand during the gold mining era was also quite interesting. I love how the author weaved the past into the present mystery. Wing Lun’s letters to his mother were also a nice addition. If you like forensic sciences then you’ll appreciate The Hungry Bones. Thank you @poisonedpenpress for my arc. It was a fun and quick read!

Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me. It had a great synopsis, but it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for the digital copy to review.

This is the fifth book in the Alexa Glock series and as I had not read the prior four books, it read absolutely fine as a standalone. I did not have all of the history with the characters but I was up to speed quickly, and I connected well with Alexa as the protagonist. I loved the New Zealand setting, it was perfect for the story and loved that this procedural was focused on bones and the story they told, so this one was a little different than procedurals I’m used to reading. The historical aspect combined with the current day was well done, I liked this one a lot overall, and am looking forward to continuing on with the series.

I thought this one was a little slow in pace for the first 40% or so but then it picks up and doesn't stop till the very end. I was right in it with these characters trying to figure out this crime scene and the details. It felt like I was a part of CSI or something and I was drawing on my knowledge of shows and books I have read along this genre to figure it out. I did end up guessing some of the big plot points but was still satisfied with how it all played out. I also enjoyed that it was set in New Zealand since I haven't read many books set there before. I would read more Alexa Glcok mysteries in the future for sure!

I didn't realize going into this that it was the fifth book in this series. Normally, I try to read a series in order, but it really didn't end up being a problem. I caught on to the histories of the characters easily, and I'm interested in reading the first four books.

I enjoyed the historical and contemporary aspects of this story. They combined well to form an intriguing and mysterious plot. The history of the Chinese miners and how they were treated was hard to read, but riveting.

Alexa Glock is capable and driven. Her use of forensic science to help solve this mystery is compelling. I also loved the New Zealand setting. It doesn't seem like I read many books set there. It was very different from what I'm used to.

Overall, this was an entertaining read with a suspenseful mystery. I look forward to reading more of this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I applied for an ARC not realizing this was the fifth book in a series so I decided to go back and read the others. I have to say I like the series as a whole, and I am so glad I went back and read them. This book was historically heavy which I do like in a book so that was appreciated. This book had some twists and the mystery in this book was interesting. Also I found the characters very likable.

The Hungry Bones by Sara E. Johnson is an intriguing forensic mystery and I enjoyed it so much I got the audiobook aswell so as not to miss anything! I didn't realise it was the fifth in a series and firstly, it does great as a standalone, but now I am invested and I will need to get the other four books! I always seem to be late to the party, but now I am here and hungry for more cake1

Alexa Glock is an FMC I can really get behind. She is different, a forensic odontologist on a dig in NZ when what is believed to be the skeleton of a chinese miner is found, with a hole in the skull. This is bad enough, but with the family demanding repatriation, the discovery of another body in the same dig and a potential new job and life in Scotland, Alexa has her hands very, very full

The pacing is on pooint for te narrative and narration is enjoyable. Sara E. Jonson writes a strong storyline, keeping my attention and keeping me guessing. Absolutely perfect!

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and the author Sara E Johnson for this epic ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

The Hungry Bones is the fifth installment in the Alexa Glock forensic mysteries series by Sara E. Johnson.

With this being the fifth book, and having not read any of the other books, I didn't really know what to expect, although I had high expectations being a crime buff and all. What I got was a suspense-less mystery with a less than desirable protagonist. It could be that I wasn't familiar enough with the character and the backstory, but Alexa's random tangent thoughts about Bruce (her kind-of ex...I think) just made her seem kind of weak and needy, especially since I don't know their relationship.

Being set in New Zealand, forensics and criminal investigation could be handled differently than they are here in the US where I live. Now, I don't know if the author thinks the readers are dumb, or if the characters thought that Alexa was dumb, but there were too many instances where someone explained the most basic crime/forensic rules. For instance, Alexa is told to grab an article of clothing for a search dog to use for tracking, and when she hands it to the dog handler, in an evidence bag and sealed, he proceeds to ask her if she touched it with bare hands. She's a freaking forensic analyst, she knows not to touch things without gloves!! I'm not sure if that was for the reader's benefit, but most people reading these types of books know the basics of forensics from other books, TV shows, and movies. Granted, how the media depicts these activities isn't always true to real life, but we get the gist of the basics.

This was slow to start and didn't really seem to pick up the pace. Even though there are ongoing cases, there didn't seem to be any suspense or tension about solving them. I wasn't really concerned about the missing woman or how the cases would be solved. I was really indifferent to the characters and really, the story as a whole.

All in all, I would say pass on this one unless you want some New Zealand history or have enjoyed the other books in the series.

Thank you to @PoisonedPenPress and @NetGalley for a digital copy for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.

(3.5, rounded up to 4)

In Sara E. Johnson's gripping novel "The Hungry Bones," forensic odontologist Alexa Glock finds herself entangled in a century-old mystery while awaiting news of a job application in Scotland. Called to the South Island of New Zealand, Alexa assists her friend, forensic archaeologist Dr. Ana Luckenbaugh, in examining recently unearthed remains that might belong to Wing Lun, a miner who settled in Arrowtown during the gold rush.

While grappling with a breakup from her relationship with DI Bruce Horne, Alexa gets involved in a current crisis when Earl Hammer—paroled after serving 25 years for murdering a local volunteer—goes on the run. The situation intensifies with the disappearance of Arrowhead Primary School principal Eileen Bowen, who is feared to be Hammer’s latest victim. Despite DI Pattie Katakana’s insistence that the immediate focus should be on finding Bowen, Alexa’s expertise proves vital. Her meticulous forensic analysis, extending beyond dental records to fingerprints, uncovers crucial connections between Bowen’s disappearance, Mulligan’s murder, and Lun’s past.

Though the link between these cases may not be as tight as expected, Johnson’s novel provides a compelling and intricate read, combining historical intrigue with present-day suspense.

[Note: While this was an enjoyable read, I have not read the previous novels in this series and don't know if doing so would alter my enjoyment/understanding of the story.]

Alexa Glock is still wondering what to do about her relationship with Bruce, so she's asked for some space to assess her feelings. She acknowledges that her brother is right, in that she has a tendency to run from a relationship when things might get serious.

In the meantime, she's applied for a job at New Abertay University in Scotland, and she's called in to examine the teeth of bones that have been found in a former gold rush town’s cemetery. A benefactor believes that these are the bones of a Chinese gold miner, and she wants to repatriate her ancestor's bones back to China.

Alexa is fascinated by the history and by the task, but everyone is surprised when the skull has an unexpected hole in it. Then another skeleton is found, and also shows evidence of violence, and Alexa decides this is a cold case, and wants to involve the police.

Then, a local school principal goes missing and everyone recruited for the search feels strongly, with no evidence, that a man, who was on parole after many years spent in jail, is guilty.

This was a fascinating and quite compelling entry in this series. Author Sara E. Johnson has incorporated a little of the history of a gold rush in New Zealand, the influx of a number of Chinese men there in the hopes of sending good money back home. Of course racism played a part in how their activities and opportunities were heavily circumscribed, and how they were harassed. Johnson extrapolates upon this history to tell of a man who came for the gold, but became a shopkeeper, and who wrote letters home for other men, and whose life was cut short for unknown reasons.

The author includes the dead man's letters, which further humanizes the early 1900s pair found in the cemetery, and touches Alexa in a way I don’t remember happening so deeply in her previous cases.

When in the process of investigating the present day murder, Alexa’s results invalidate the verdict of a murder case for which the parolee was convicted twenty-five years ago, and further investigation reveals some surprising connections.

The three different cases, as well as a more introspective Alexa make this novel particularly enjoyable, and I wonder in what new ways Alexa can apply her considerable technical skills, research abilities, and tenaciousness after the truth.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

I honestly wanted to love this one. Truly.
It started out pretty well.
Archeology has always been a huge interest of mine. Alexa is working a dig in NZ when these bones are discovered. There are questions about whether or not the bones belonged to the Chinese miners from 100 years prior...
As the story goes on, it gets more "dis-jointed" (please excuse the pun. It's truly appropro here...)
There are multiple murder mysteries going at once along with the questionable bones and a super duper loose kinda romance subplot. This book was honestly just all over the place.
The characters were ok.
This is a good example of more is not always better.

I didn’t realize this was part of a series originally but I’m excited to read the books that precede this! The Hungrh Bones has a super interesting and entertaining plot line and I found this book to be fairly fast paced! I haven’t read a story that truly feels like what I think of for the mystery genre in a long time, but this achieved that for me. I overall really enjoyed this!!

BOOK REVIEW - The Hungry Bones by Sara E Johnson

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you @poisonedpenpress for the ARC!!

This book follows the story of a forensic odontologist who has been asked to identify ancient bones. But this case is only one piece of a bigger mystery.

This story definitely takes many interesting twist and turns. I thought I knew what was going to happen and guessed incorrectly every time. This book is part of a mystery series following the same main character but did not find it necessary to have read the other books.

If you are a fan of crime mysteries, the show Bones, or forensics, this is definitely a book for you! It may start or slow but trust me you will not want to put this book down!!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

If you are a fan of Kathy Reichs or the TV show Bones, you will enjoy this book. The banter is witty. The characters are clever and have excellent chemistry. The Hungry Bones is n action packed page turner. I will be reading more from the Alexa Glock series.

I came across this book on Netgalley and found it intriguing, as I usually enjoy titles from Poisoned Pen Press. When I started writing my review on Goodreads, I realized it's the fifth book in a series, which I hadn't known. Despite this, it appears the books can be read independently.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story and found it fascinating. With a brother and sister-in-law who are archaeologists, and having taken care of residents whose daughter was a forensic archaeologist, I found some relatable aspects. The book provided great details and introduced me to new information.

The plot, involving three interconnected murders, was compelling. I appreciated learning about both the characters and historical context, although it was disheartening to reflect on the persistence of racism. I’m now interested in exploring the rest of the series to follow Alexa’s story. The motives behind the murders were astonishing, showcasing the unpredictability of human behavior.

I would recommend this book and would consider buying the entire series.

"The Hungry Bones," the latest in Sara E. Johnson's Alexa Glock Forensics Mysteries series, plunges readers into a thrilling adventure across New Zealand's stunning vistas and the depths of historical crimes.
In the series' fifth book, Alexa Glock, a forensic odontologist, is swept into a century-spanning mystery. The plot skillfully merges history with the present as Alexa examines a miner's exhumed remains from the 19th-century gold rush. A mysterious skull fracture triggers a series of events, reopening unsolved cases and leading to a school principal's vanishing.
Johnson's narrative prowess shines, crafting complex storylines and deep character arcs. Alexa's challenges, including a rocky relationship and career doubts, enrich the story, making her a protagonist readers can root for. New Zealand's rich history and culture add an extra layer of intrigue to the drama.
The book excels in its forensic authenticity and the meticulous deconstruction of the mystery. Johnson's command of the genre is evident, blending forensic science's technicalities with the narrative's emotional journey. The tension is tangible, and the tempo is spot-on, ensuring readers are captivated.
I enjoyed reading it and can't wait to read the next installment of this series.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

The Hungry Bones is a twisty thriller. The reader is lulled into a intriguing backstory about Chinese gold miners in New Zealand. About a third of the way through, the book shifts into high gear. You don't know who is safe, who is telling the truth and how it will all come together. I read this book as a stand alone, and quite enjoyed it.

This was a little confusing because it was a part of a series that I have not read, it was a solid thriller and mystery but I felt a little out of the loop.

Chinese-culture, Chinese-customs, burial-practices, dual-narrations, dual-time-frames, New-Zealand, law-enforcement, relationship-issues, cultural-exploration, cultural-heritage, forensics, missing-persons, wrongful-conviction, good-research, procedural, PTSD, unputdownable, crime-fiction, suspense, suspicion, twisty, friendship, investigations, odontology, series*****

NOT an unbiased review! I love this series about a forensic odontologist currently working for an agency in New Zealand.
Alexa came to help identify a skeleton from the era when Chinese men were brought in to work for gold, stayed to help identify another old skeleton buried nearby, got caught up in a missing person case and the hunt for a recalcitrant parolee. And then things really got complicated.
Background issues are a relationship problem and an offer to go to Scotland to gain her PhD.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you!