This was another great read from Jenny O'Brien . Keeps you guessing to the end . This is a must read book absolutely brilliant. Can't wait for the next one .

This is the third book in a series, which I did not realize. However, there is enough detail and explanation so that I felt that I understood a bit of each character and what happened in the past. Skeletal remains are found in a crab cage that belongs to Barney Mulcahy. Detective Alana Mack and her team are called in to investigate. The remains seem to be from a 70ish year old woman. At the same time, a man named Mason Clare has gone missing. Soon it is discovered that Mason is Barney's adopted brother. Alana feels that the two cases are connected.

Alana is a very strong, independent woman. Due to an incident that happened in a previous case, she is wheelchair bound. She is also being targeted by attacks, and is starting to feel vulnerable. However, she persists in figuring out the identity of the woman and the connections between she and Mason. The character of Alana is very well and realistically written. She is dedicated to her job and running thorough investigation. The members on her team are intelligent, supportive and also hardworking, except for one who is causing a bit of dissention.

This is a very good police procedural story that draws you in from the beginning. There are twists throughout! I highly recommend if you like Ann Cleeves, Loreth Ann White, Deborah Crombie or Elly Griffiths.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC. This is my honest review.

Another excellent book in the Detective Alana Mack series. A fisherman discovers bones in his crab pot, with no identification and no idea who the victim could be Alana may be facing her toughest case yet. An excellent read.

Why are the members of a family being targeted for death?

When Barney Mulcahy checks his crab traps in Howth Harbor in the lead-up to a storm he discovers one that contains what is left of a human body, bones from which any flesh has been eaten by the crabs. Barney is friendly with the father of Flynn O’Hare, part of Detective Alana Mack’s team at the Clonabee branch of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and uses that connection to get Alana’s team called out to investigate. The body turns out to be that of a woman likely in her 70’s, but identifying her will prove difficult. At the same time, over in Dingle a man named Mason Clare has gone missing. Mason grew up in Ireland but became a police officer for the NYPD and had only recently returned to Ireland upon his retirement. When Alana finds out that Mason is Barney’s adopted brother, it seems too odd to be just a coincidence that two deaths connect to Barney. More bodies linked genetically will turn up as Alana and her team try to make sense of a case involving fatal fires, adoptions, and shameful elements in Ireland’s history. All the while, Alana is being targeted for attacks that make this strong, fiercely independent woman realize how vulnerable she is, struggles with a new team member who is causing dissension in the ranks, and is having relationship issues to boot. It is difficult to find a killer when you aren’t sure who the victim is, but Alana and her team are determined to do both before more people are killed.
Cage of Bones is the third in author Jenny O’Brien’s series featuring NBCI Detective Alana Mack. A no-nonsense and accomplished investigator, Alana is still coming to terms with living in a wheelchair as the result of an accident not long ago….an accident that also resulted in her divorce. Her work and her team are her life, which makes the introduction (without her consent) of an additional member who has rock solid skills but also a long history of angering and/or alienating those with whom and for whom she works a major problem. Alana’s verdict on her new boss is still to be determined….he is likely better than her last one, but that’s a pretty low bar. She and her assorted team members are well-developed characters and the plot engages the reader’s interest from the beginning and takes them down a twisty path to its ultimate conclusion, with all manner of possible villains along the way. While it is not at all necessary to have read the first two in the series in order to enjoy Cage of Bones (it reads well as a standalone), I highly encourage readers to read all three. This is one of my favorite new series of the last few years, and if you enjoyed Jane Tennison in “Prime Suspect” or like reading works by Ann Cleeves, John Connolly or Val McDermid you absolutely must give this series a try. Many thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for allowing me access to an early copy of this fantastic read.

This is the most twisted case yet and I loved following Alana as she unraveled the mess. The entire cast of characters is great. The mystery kept me guessing. We meet a new character that I want to delve into. And Alana's personal life is left on an interesting note. I'm anxious for the next book.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley.
I enjoyed this crime thriller, it's book 3 of the Detective Aleena Mack series, they can be read as stand alone.. lots going on, lots of twists, I got fully on board with the characters. Detective Aleena Mack is left in a wheelchair after an accident, she doesn't let that stop her tho.. she's a workaholic and never switches off. If you like crime thrillers I would recommend this book.

Cage of Bones
by Jenny O'Brien
Pub Date: Aug 15 2024

Cage of Bones was set in Ireland, the 3rd book in the Detective Alana Mack series but can be read as a stand-alone. It is a great police procedural read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this so much I plan on reading the previous books and look forward to reading the next book in the series!

Synopsis: When the bones of a victim are found in the bottom of a crab pot, the bizarre case proves to be Detective Alana Mack’s toughest yet. She and her team must rely purely upon forensic clues to identify the elderly woman’s remains.

Many thanks to #CageofBones #NetGalley & #StormPublishing for providing me with an E-ARC of this book.

Cage of Bones is a most interesting and engaging read. It mixes the past and the present to make an intriguing novel where there are many suspects but to determine who is the killer is a totally different story. There's a great plot, it's a good police procedural, it has action and mystery, and is well-written providing great entertainment. Some chapters also could be used for team building or to enhance management skills as relationships in the working place are never easy.
I thank Ms. O'Brien, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

This was a great story with many twists and many bodies though Jenny did a great job with the writing and keeping you on your toes throughout the book. This was definitely like an episode of Law & Order especially with the characters or detectives and their stories that you have within the murder parts. I’m excited to see what’s next in this series.

In the opening scenes a fisherman finds human bones in his crab pot. At this point you know this is going to be interesting story. Enter Detective Alana Mack and company. She is a brilliant detective who is a true justice seeker. As the investigation continues, she realizes she has painted a target on her back. Someone wants the truth hidden. As they start piecing clues together, they are led to an old cold case, which makes it even more interesting.

This was a solid criminal procedural story with an interesting plotline. You can't help but like Alana. She is so incredibly talented as a detective and will stop at nothing to find the truth. The suspense and mystery are perfectly written to draw the reader into the story.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

It seems that I'm forever starting series at some point other than the beginning and I must say that I felt I was able to ascertain the dynamics of Alana's team. It is different having a main character, especially in law enforcement, who is in a wheelchair. The author did a good job of striking a balance between pointing out some of her difficulties due to the wheelchair while not going into too much detail. It always makes for more interest when a new character is thrown in a team that is working well together.

The storyline was well written and at the beginning, as the deaths started to pile up, on the surface it didn't seem they were related. Or were they? Of course, feeling that the murders were related doesn't work in a court of law so the police had to follow procedures and get the evidence. There were some twists toward the end as the killer was caught.

4.25⭐️

Book 3 in the Alana Mack series

Human bones being found in a lobster pot starts this story, it then introduces different elements giving good plot complexity. Alana is also attacked during the investigation.

I really like the team dynamic, the introduction of a new team member Eve threatens to unbalance things.

I feel that the team is going from strength to strength. I loved the introduction of Wally.
The author has included some interesting crime solving techniques. There’s a brief mention of the notorious Magdalene laundries, an element of Irish history that I’ve read a little about and find fascinating and appalling in equal measures.

I’m really enjoying this series, I would love these books to be available in audiobook format as I love Irish narrators.

I’m loving this Police crime thriller series. Especially the main character Alana Mack. The Guarda setting makes this slightly different and interesting. Now Mack has come into possession of a nominal ‘support’ dog, couldn’t be cuter or more helpfully brave, as she and her team are once more searching for the murderer. Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

Although this is the third book in a series it was the first I’ve read, and it was very easy to get drawn into it even with out knowing the characters. Detective Alana Mack is a resourceful, intuitive, intelligent woman who is great at leading her team, she also happens to be a paraplegic, needing a wheelchair. I like her character, she accepts her circumstances and gets on with what needs to be done, in this case a murder when a local fisherman finds the flesh striped human bones in his crab pot when he’s harvesting his days load. The case becomes more and more bizarre as the team needs to use DNA to try to identify the remains, and more deaths and attacks begin to pile up. As a fan of police procedurals I like the way Alana managed her team, knowing their individual strengths and being willing to allocate assignments. The twists kept me interested and I’ll definitely go back to read the first two books, and recommend this one even as a stand alone.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing, and to the author for the addition of Wally!

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant-I loved this book. A well-written police procedural that will keep you interested till the end.

This is my third outing with Jenny O’Brien, who is fast becoming one of my favourite crime authors. Cage of Bones begins with a fisherman’s horrific discovery while checking his crab pots, triggering a murder investigation. As Detective Alana Mack and her team try to establish the identity of the victim, another body with connections to the fisherman is discovered.
This is just the tip of the iceberg in a complex case which at times seems to leave the Clonabee NBCI with more questions than answers. Gripping, and fast paced, it’s another unputdownable read. Highly recommended.

I would like to thank Storm, the author and Netgalley for an ARC of Cage of Bones in exchange for an honest review.

I have not read this author before and I intend on going back to see what came before this book. Even though it's book 3, the story stands alone.
Detective Mack is an interesting character, she's been through her own personal hell landing her wheelchair bound. Her team seem supportive and I really enjoyed their banter and expertise in solving these crimes.
We started the story with bones, next thing there are more deaths, attempted murders and the mystery of adoption.
What an exciting chase this author leads us on, connecting the dots was thorough and intriguing.
Great story, I really enjoyed it.

When a lobster fisherman finds human remains in his lobster pot, Detective Alana Mack and her team are called in to investigate. On the other side of Ireland, the fisherman's adoptive brother has gone missing. Alana feels there is a connection especially as he allegedly left home without his dog - the dog accompanied him everywhere. She sends two of her team over there and another body is found.
As the investigation progresses and the bodies start to mount, it becomes clear that the killer has a grudge against the family and the investigation team.
A good read which I enjoyed, but left me with lots of unanswered questions beginning with "Why did?"

Detective Alana is back with another great detective story.

When a bones turn up in a creel/ cage meant for lobsters/crabs, the drama starts, whose body is this and where is the head?

I really enjoy reading about Alana and her crime that she’s trying to solve. She’s a likable character and very knowledgeable. It’s a fast paced read that I read in one sitting.

Great crime drams 4.5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

As the local crab fisherman raised his pots, he couldn't work out why one pot was filled with dead crabs. Until he saw the bones, which looked decidedly human. Calling the garda, Detective Alana Mack was soon on the scene, along with forensics and the doctor, among others. As Alana - a paraplegic from a serious accident a few years earlier - rallied her team together, she had no idea that this case would be one of her hardest to date.

When Alana was attacked in the car park of her home, dragged from her wheelchair while her phone and handbag were stolen, a broken wrist and bruising wouldn't keep her from work. As the body count rose, the strangeness of the investigation bothered Alana, Paddy and William. Why was it that one of the people in question had two mothers? DNA didn't lie. One had died in a fire forty years ago; one had died recently. Frustrated at the lack of success, Alana knew she only needed one thing to match. But would it happen?

Set in Ireland, Cage of Bones is the 3rd in the Detective Alana Mack series by Jenny O'Brien and it was a superb police procedural! Alana is an excellent character, strong, determined and never one to give up (even with her boss telling her to go home!) Her team are right up there in their support, and the introduction of Wally (the dog) was a masterpiece! I thoroughly enjoyed this episode, and look forward to #4 eagerly :) Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley & Storm Publishing for my digital ARC to read and review.