I’ve not read the previous novels in this series of stories but had heard good things about the author.i therefore decided to give this one a read when it appeared on the UK.
I need to worried about not reading the previous books as this book stands well on its own. I think if you read the other books you will begin to feel a kinship with the women that have followed throughout the story. This one picks up where the last one left off with a , adventurous young woman in the 1680s emigrating from Holland to South Africa to escape religious persecution. In the novel, we meet her descendant equally courageous and independent who in the 1860s travels again back to South Africa to find out more details about her history
This is a well written historical novel using fictitious characters. The author does not have to stick to strict historical facts and is able to develop interesting storylines that keep you entertained.

The author has a clean clear easily read writing star which flows nicely. The novel was a relaxing read
I’d recommend this novel for two lovers of historical novels, particularly where there is good character development as well as an interesting storyline
I read an early copy of the novel on NetGalley UK in return for a review the book was publishing in the UK on the 10th of October 2024 by Pan McMillan
This review will appear on NetGalley UK, Goodreads, and my book blog bionicsarahsbooks.wordpress.com. It will also appear on Amazon UK.

The Map of Bones is Kate Mosse’s conclusion to the Joubert family chronicles - an epic tale that spans centuries and continents following French Huguenot religious refugees as they fled persecution.

My followers may remember my review of the Ghost Ship, that follows the story of Louise, the granddaughter of the original characters Minou and Piet. This book picks up this story of Louise and her piratical ways but ends in a mystery - which Louise’s descendants in the 17th and 19th century try to unravel whilst dealing with ghosts of their own.

What I love about Mosse’s writing is how easily she brings complex women characters to life with her stories - they are of their time but show such determination and I liked how they all took strength from their pasts and the actions and character of their families.

This series has shed so much light on a people I knew little about, and I found their struggle to find a place across time and the world an important reminder of the humanity that often gets lost in the discourse about people seeking asylum from persecution. The complexities and the horrors of colonisation were also sensitively handled - the Dutch colonies in South Africa where much of the story takes place are if course already inhabited, and I was glad that Mosse included the characters of Herry and Tia, and members of the Goringhaiqua clan so that we could hear from black voices to better understand the pain and suffering that was caused by European settlers.

Thank you to the publishers @panmacmillan and @katemossewriter for an advanced copy of the book. The Map of Bones is out now!

Even though I hadn't read the previous novels in the series, I highly enjoyed reading this. I did not find it difficult to follow and was very quickly gripped, wanting to know what would happen to the characters. The historical period it covered was interesting and I enjoyed the themes it raised. Highly recommend

The Map of Bones is the fourth and final book in the series chronicling the lives of the Joubert family, a series which has taken us from 16th century France to 19th century Cape Town. I suggest The Map of Bones is best enjoyed if you have read previous books in the series since there is an extensive family tree and a deadly rivalry which extends all the way back to the first book. If you haven’t got time to embark on the whole series, then a good compromise would be to read The Ghost Ship as events in this book follow straight on from that one.

Suzanne’s search for the truth about what happened to her forbear, Louise Reydon-Joubert (the infamous captain of the vessel known as the ‘Ghost Ship’) after she arrived in Cape Town, involves a perilous voyage of her own and a journey to the interior of a country in which relations between settlers and the indigenous population are fragile and likely to explode at any moment.

The author’s reasearch is always second to none, and as in all her novels, the period setting is wonderfully evoked so that you can imagine yourself walking the streets of early Cape Town or traversing the interior of the country dodging jaguars and maurauding baboons.

Suzanne’s quest is partly successful, although not before she has experienced great danger, but still leaves many unanswered questions about Louise’s life and the reason she stayed in South Africa. It’s only in the second part of the book that those gaps begin to be filled. I used to think the secret diary a convenient trope of historical fiction but, of course, for many women living in earlier times a journal was the only medium through which they could document events in their lives or express their feelings, so I greet its use by authors with more generosity these days.

Isabelle’s financial situation, the result of an inheritance, may make her journey across the world more comfortable but it’s still a perilous one for a single woman travelling alone. It requires her to marshall all the courage and independence of spirit of her female forbears because when she embarks on her enquiries in Cape Town she finds the legacy of that rivalry I mentioned at the beginning still persists. And what she discovers is a story of violence but also of an intense and loving relationship that could only flourish beyond the fringes of society.

The book’s finale reflects the author’s own passion for bringing the achievements of women, past and present, out of the shadows and into the light.

I would have loved to learn more about the latter years of Suzanne’s life, which is rather glossed over in the book. Perhaps the author is saving that for a companion novel? Although The Map of Bones doesn’t have quite the riproaring adventure of The Ghost Ship, it’s still an enthralling and satisfying conclusion to the series.

I really enjoyed this conclusion to the saga of the Joubert women.

We hear the stories of Suzanne and Florence who escape the Huguenot persecution of the 1680s and start a new life in the Cape of Good Hope colony. Suzanne is determined to find out what happened to her ancestor, Louise Joubert.

Finally Isabelle Lepard journeys to South Africa in 1862 to complete the story and find out the truth of the feud between the Joubert and Vidal families.

These strong women who broke the mould in their own times become part of an archive for the use of future generations.

An inspiring story and a worth ending to the series.

Thank you for allowing me to review this wonderful book. It brings to an end the story of the Joubert Family as they escape persecution as Huguenots. I have enjoyed all the previous books in the series, but I think this surpasses them. Kate Mosse writes excellent historical fiction and puts together her extensive research skills to write an excellent story which is based around historical facts. The descriptions of the localities are amazing. South Africa in the 17th znd 19th centuries is a challenging environment for men and women,but particularly for the women who have travelled across the world. Suzanne had travelled with her grandmother from France to find out about her cousin Louise who had travelled there onboard her own ship. Louise appeared in the previous book The Ghost Ship.. All these ladies are very strong minded, independent women. That have been exceptionally well written. They endure some trials and tribulations, which bring tears to the reader and also times of joy.

I can highly recommend this book and the previous 3 books. Although not essential to have read them, I wouldn't recommend reading out of order.

OH! what a joy this was.

Telling the story of the Joubery family, the women are magnificent strong characters and i cried and rejoiced at the way they survived and cope with the turmoil they faced.

Set in two timelines I crossed the continent to read of Suzanne trying to find out about the disappearance of her cousin Louise.

There is grief and triumph within these pages and of course it is a rollercoaster both in words and emotions.

Mosse is a terrific storyteller, and this series of books are just divine.. I love the covers they are just beautiful..

The Map of Bones is the final book in The Joubert Family Chronicles, and it wraps up the series beautifully! It follows Suzanne in 1688 and her descendant Isabelle in 1862, as they travel to South Africa to uncover the mystery of their ancestor, Louise Reydon Joubert.

Suzanne’s story is full of emotion and historical detail and both her and Isabelle are strong characters. For the full Joubert experience, I would recommend starting with the first book in the series, The Burning Chambers, however, I feel that The Map of Bones can be enjoyed as a standalone read too.

Best suited for: Fans of historical fiction and those who enjoy reads about strong women.

The final book in the series about the The Joubert Family.
This is a book about strong women and women who never give up.
This book finishes their story and is just as powerful as the three other books.
I do not want to give the story away but am sorry the story has ended.
Loved it and couldn't put it down.

After a personal trauma, Suzanne Joubert travels with her grandmother Florence to Southern Africa, a Dutch colony hosting French refugees - mostly Huguenots. Besides finding a new home, Suzanne wants to find out the truth about Louise Joubert-Reydon, who disappeared several decades ago after arriving in the same country. 100 years later, Isabelle Lepard also travels to South Africa to write down Louise's story.

The map of bones is the fourth and final book in The Joubert Family Chronicles and picks up where the previous book - The ghost ship - left off. Louise Joubert disappeared along with her companion Gilles Barenton and half-brother Philippe Vidal on the African coast. We are introduced to Suzanne, the granddaughter of Florence, Louise's niece. They arrive in South Africa and we are introduced to life in the colony.

A second perspective is that of Isabelle Lepard, another woman of the family, who also goes to South Africa in search of a dark secret belonging to Louise and Gilles and this causes yet another fued between two families. In between, there are several other plotlines within Suzanne and Isabelle's story, including the relationship between the original Khoi people and the settlers.

I enjoyes this series a lot, they are all pageturners. Although I must admit that I found Suzanne's story more interesting than that of Isabelle. Isabelle's storyline with the Barentons and the tension created did not end with such a climax as I anticipated. I did enjoy reading about South Africa during this period and following the path of Huguenot refugees.

This novel forms a nice ending for the series, but the first two books still remain my favorites. And I also liked it that Louise's story from book three was now nicely wrapped up. However, I highly recommend to start with The burning chambers. I am curious to see what Kate Mosse will write next, as I loved her last four books.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

We finally find out what happened to Louise. A beautiful conclusion to this series. A real insight into the early days of South Africa. The hardships that the first settlers faced and how they coped.

A fitting conclusion to the Joubert series it continues to develop the theme of strong women fighting adversity and gives an interesting and well researched insight into life in South Africa

This title brings the Joubert family chronicle to an emotional conclusion. Another strong addition to this series shows how the Kate Mosse is able to paint a story with words and keep the reader enthralled throughout the story. Many writers attempt to tell stories that span generations with varying degrees of success, but Ms. Mosse shows others how it should be done.
Having read the others in the series ( and pretty much everything else she has written), I was sad for this female led tale to reach an end, however the levels of excitement and interest did not disappoint. For most benefit, read the books chronologically, however this is still a great story in its own right.
Thank you to the publisher for this digital review copy.

A bittersweet tale, a mix of kindness and brutality, over the centuries. I was mesmerised by this startling adventure. An amazing quest for the truth, by strong women, who put family first. I couldn't put it down.

The Map of Bones by Kate Mosse
I have treasured this series about the Joubert Family and enjoyed every step of their journey from France to Amsterdam, chasing pirates across the ocean and finally ending up in Africa. I adored the story of Louise Joubert in the novel Ghost Ship and was delighted to be able to discover what happened to her after we left her at the end of the last novel. Each book has treated us to the story of strong, independent women and this final book is no exception.
This story opens with the awful events which cause Suzanne and her grandmother to flee their home and set off for South Africa. When Suzanne arrives it is obvious she has something else on her mind apart from settling in Africa - she is on a quest to find out what happened to her ancestor Louise Joubert after she landed in Africa.
Despite the harsh conditions, and the unwillingness of men to assist her, Suzanne pursues her quest and her story is one of courage and persistence. The book is extremely well researched as with all of Kate Mosse’s previous novels and it was a pleasure to immerse myself in the life of the Joubert Family. There is also a section of the story which takes the family story forward to the 1870’s when another member of the family tries to fill in any gaps in the story which Suzanne uncovered.
The book is a real page turner and I almost wanted to slow down so that I didn’t finish the book too quickly. I was pleased to discover what happened to Louise Joubert but sad that this wonderful series is at an end. I look forward to where Kate Mosse will take her readers for their next adventure. I will be recommending the book to all of my book groups and would like to thank the author, the publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to read the book in return for an honest review.

Typical Kate Mosse although maybe not as good as The Labyrinth series. Interesting to discover how the Dutch and the French Huguenots colonised South Africa and the tensions with the English and with the native tribes. Our heroine travels through the country trying to discover what happened to the female ship’s captain who had been dropped off at the port and then sent the ship back to Europe. Easy read but quite forgettable

This is the final installment of the women of the Joubert family. The author brilliantly portrays the lives of these extraordinary women in such a way that, even in fiction, makes them feel real. A wonderful conclusion to the adventurous and often dangerous lives lead by women long long ago.

I’ve been following the Joubert Family Chronicles from the start and I’m happy to say Kate Mosse wraps it up beautifully. The Map of Bones follows two more women of the family - Suzanne as she travels to South Africa in 1688 to discover what happened to her ancestor, Louise Reydon Joubert, and finally Isabelle Lepard who makes the same journey in the 1800s to fill in the blanks of the family history. This is a hugely enjoyable book, full of good characters and a well paced story.

The whole series has been a wonderful collection of female characters throughout Huguenot history, the very people who are often left out of the history books. Each one has been fascinating in their own right and The Map of Bones continues that with Suzanne and Isabelle. None of them have been written to appear more modern, just as strong women still operating in the confines and belief systems of the time, and that helps make them more believable.

Kate Mosse is also wonderful at a sense of place. France, the Netherlands and life at sea have all been well represented in the past and the same is true here of South Africa. It’s easy to feel the heat and imagine the landscape and hardships faced by these new arrivals.

This book could be read alone but will certainly be better enjoyed as part of the series so for anyone coming to it afresh, I thoroughly recommend that you go back to the start and enjoy all four books of the series in turn.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

This was my first delve into one of the Joubert Family Chronicles so it took me a while to determine who was who and where the history was all coming from! However, I was soon able to become acquainted with Suzanne, Louise and finally Isabella! I found the history behind the story fascinating and loved the way the author was able to weave this family’s history into the history of South Africa itself! Suzanne Joubert sails into 17th century Cape Town with her grandmother Florence hoping to discover what happened to her ancestor Louise who had lived and died many years before she was born. - a fascinating character who had owned a trading ship called the Old moon with her friend Gilles Barenton. Together they had sailed into Table Bay during the latter part of 1621 with her half brother Phillips Vidal also on board but were then never heard of again. Suzanne is determined to follow in her ancestors footsteps and meets with many an adventure along the way. I felt the story lost it’s way a little towards its conclusion but enjoyed the journey across the wild, untamed South African countryside.

I have loved this series following the lives of the women in the Joubert family which moves from France to Holland and finally to South Africa and London.
In the last book the reader was treated to the swashbuckling tale of Louise Reydon Joubert, a captain of a pirate ship, attacking slave traders but it was not clear what happened to her at the end thus leading on to this current book.
In “The Map of Bones” we discover her life after landing in South Africa with her partner Gilles. Spanning hundreds of years this book focuses on Suzanne Joubert who traces her ancestor’s life in the Cape and tries to discover what happened to Louise. 80 years after her disappearance. It is 1687 and Suzanne and her grandmother flee to Holland after a terrible attack on them in France, perpetrated due to their Huguenot beliefs.
From Holland they sail to South Africa and Suzanne searches for references to Louise who made the same journey many years earlier.
The book also features a section set in the 1870s when Isabelle, another Joubert descendant, seeks to fill in the gaps in Suzanne’s knowledge, written down in her notebooks.
There is adventure, romance and much excitement in this extraordinarily well researched book. It was so interesting to read about life in South Africa when the first settlers arrived.
I loved the strong and brave female characters Louise, Suzanne and Isabelle, all women ahead of their own times. They are living the lives they want to live despite being in dangerous situations and in Suzanne’s case being persecuted for religious reasons.
Kate Mosse certainly knows how to tell a story which is both gripping and entertaining. It is a real page turner and I raced through it, determined to find out what happened to all the main protagonists.
I am only sad that this is to be the last book in the Joubert Chronicles but am hopeful that Kate Mosse will produce another wonderful series in the future.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.