This book was quite enjoyable, but an easier read than I expected. I was anticipating more grit, and perhaps something darker. It has the usual small town vibes, with a list of characters who all seem to have secrets. I did occasionally find it a little frustrating that the protagonist kept referring to her hidden secret, but not explaining it. Once I know there’s something we’re not being told, I don’t need reminding so often.
The book is worth a look, for a small town mystery that isn’t too harrowing.

Boney Creek by new to me author P. Gleeson, published by Thomas & Mercer is a small town mystery/ thriller.
Addie and Toby are new residents of Boney Creek. They moved here to start over, but trouble follows them.
A story full of unexpected twists and turns that had me guessing till the last page.

Addie and Toby move to Boney Creek- a small town with big secrets to escape their own troubles. Following a series of mysterious deaths that Addie is dedicated to solving. This was an interesting book with many characters and an interesting storyline.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC.

I really enjoyed this one! Boney Creek by Paula Gleeson is an engaging novel that brings small-town charm to life with a cast of relatable, well-developed characters. The main character, who is not a qualified investigative journalist, feels refreshingly human, which adds a nice layer of realism to the story. Watching her navigate the intricacies of small-town life and stumble through her investigation is both endearing and entertaining, making her someone you root for throughout the book.

The setting of the small town is another highlight, with Gleeson capturing the essence of a close-knit community where everyone knows each other, and secrets are hard to keep. It pulls you into the atmosphere, making you feel like you’re right there in the midst of it all.

While I enjoyed the novel, it did feel a bit slow in places. The pacing lagged at times, making it more of a leisurely read than a page-turner. Because of this, I probably wouldn’t revisit Boney Creek again, but it was certainly enjoyable the first time through.

Overall, Boney Creek is a solid mystery with a relatable protagonist and an authentic small-town vibe. Though not the fastest-paced, it’s a satisfying read, and I look forward to more from Paula Gleeson in the future.

I liked this one.

I did think it would be darker – more small town noir. It’s…light. But the mystery is good and I liked our characters.

Now, there’s a lot of time and attention paid to a secret that ends up really dull, but the murder mystery of it all is good and the reveal was satisfying.

Needed a little edge, but overall enjoyable and I’d read the author again.

• ARC via Publisher

Boney Creek
By: Paula Gleeson
Pub Date: June 3, 2025
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
After her debut “Original Twin”, I could not wait to get my hands-on Gleeson’s next novel.
Boney Creek is a small town where people are dying.
Addie and Toby have come to town after buying a store. They needed a fresh start after they left the city after their own tragedy.
They soon discover that not everything is as it seems and there are too many accidents and deaths. Addie has always wanted to be a journalist and when she starts a blog, things get crazy.
Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for this gifted e-ARC. Gleeson is one to watch out for and I look forward to what is next.

My 6P review: Premise, Plot, People, Place, Prose/Pace, Praise

Boney Creek is a dying town, literally and figuratively. Aspiring journalist Addie and her husband Toby have moved there for the quiet life but as these strange deaths occur, Addie feels compelled to investigate.

I wasn’t particularly taken by either of these characters. They came across as selfish and self-obsessed. Addie had no care for others when she began to investigate, and Toby was a wet dish cloth.

I thought the use of Addie’s blogs was very childish considering she was supposed to be a journalist.

The setting, however, was wonderful. I wasn’t too sure exactly where I was in Australia, but it didn’t really matter as it could have been any country town.

Unfortunately, the people who live in this town aren’t’ given the same consideration.
They appear to be deceiving, and conniving and I didn’t take to any of them either.

Thank you to Netgalley for an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was hooked from the first page and had me guessing from the first page until the end. I wanted to figure out what was killing these people and thought the overall story being told worked. I thought the characters were written well and worked in this world. Paula Gleeson has a strong writing style and can’t wait for more.

🎀 DID NOT FINISH 🎀
This book is realistically a 2.5 star — I just got a little bored and decided to move onto another book. I might come back to this later!!

Overall, the creepy vibes were definitely established, but the pacing was a bit too slow in the first 20%. The writing was quite nice, however and I feel like I would have enjoyed the characters if I had finished the book!

After a break in, Addie and Clark decide to start a new life in Boney Creek. Addie, who is a journalist by trade, stubbles on a mystery in town. People are dying at an alarming rate Only there seems to be more to the story. Toby is connected to the people killed and is now asking Abbie to help him solve the cold cases. There has been a rash of mysterious deaths at Boney Creek and nothing seems to add up. Toby and Abbey decide to find out who is responsible for the deaths of numerous Boney Creek residents. Could it be a serial killer? Or just plain coincidence?

Some times small towns should have their own secrets….

I rate this book 3/5. Nice quick read for a road trip, plane trip or a day by the pool. Pros: easy read liable characters. Cons: I felt the story like was a bit undeveloped.
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The atmosphere of Boney Creek is spine-tingling! This story immediately had me hooked and kept up the pace.

Married couple Addie and Toby each have their secrets that slowly unravel as they attempt to start anew in an almost-ghost town.

Addie is a journalist at heart, constantly questioning and seeking out the truth. Toby would really prefer she didn't try to turn everything into a news story especially when it comes to his own past.

Along the way, they meet some intriguing folks who may not really be who they seem to be. Clancy is the spunky teenager not afraid to bring the townsfolk to heel. Walter is the god-fearing man who aids Addie in filling in some details. Mildred is the crotchety old lady with secrets of her own. Gale is the grieving sister of one of the seemingly straight-forward deaths in their town. But who actually knows more than they are saying?

My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Boney Creek releases June 3, 2025

<i>“She’s only ever gone after other people’s truths so she wouldn’t have to face up to her own.”</I>

Addie and Toby are a married couple and the town’s newcomers. They’ve just purchased the general store and are looking for a fresh start in Boney Creek after leaving behind a traumatic night of events in the city.

It’s not long before Addie’s journalistic roots start tingling and she becomes inspired to seek out the truth about what’s happening in Boney Creek, the town with seven deaths in just three months. Are all of these deaths truly just freak accidents, or is something more sinister going on in this town?

To say I was hooked from the start would be an understatement. The dying, desert-like town in the middle of bumfuck nowhere with an eerie history tied to it was super captivating, and every single character was unique in their own way.
To have such a strong opening scene where the entire community banded together to pull a welcoming prank on Addie and Toby by convening at the store in its opening hours before they had a chance to get their bearings was a <I>very</I> smart and memorable move. Not only did it aid in crafting the setting, but it was equally chaotic, comedic, and provided character depth through various avenues by showing how Addie and Toby adapted to their environment, the loyalty and different personalities of the townsfolk, and the tenacity of Clancy.

I really didn’t know what direction this was going to go in, if there was a potential serial killer, or something else entirely.
Through blog posts and general town gossip, secrets come to light, and several small details that seem insignificant at first, end up connecting to form a satisfying reveal.

Gleeson is a new-to-me author, but has definitely caught my attention with such a standout sophomore novel.

cw: mentions of miscarriage and suicide

This was such a great follow up book from this author! I love small town mysteries and this book didn't disappoint. There were so many twists and turns in this one and plenty of characters you weren't sure who to root for. I hope we get more books in this town and with these characters!

DNF. I was quite enjoying this book, but then the author starting using “mom” instead of “mum”. For me, that’s just not right for an Australian author.
I understand you’re trying to grab the US market, but don’t forget the Australian market as well.
Such a shame and disappointing.

When several small town locals die under mysterious circumstances, an aspiring journalist is determined to prove the connection between them, only to discover the dangerous secrets they left behind! Good book! This book had suspense, intrigue, murder, mystery, a great who done it and a few twists and turns. The story was interesting, it wasn’t my top favorite but still worth reading! I would recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

(2.5 stars)
I didn't enjoy Boney Creek because the two lead protagonists, Addie and Toby Clarkson, are both self-absorbed and lying to each other. Addie is everything a journalist shouldn't be. She lacks ethics and is chasing the byline and fame. She tells herself: "It's the desire for answers, to get to the heart of the story" but her inability to consider others, immortalised in creating a tell-all blog the second she arrives in a tiny town without caring at all about the relationships she's disrupting (including her husband's) makes her very hard to relate to. I wouldn't even call it Aussie noir, as the landscape isn't particularly appreciated by Addie, a city-dweller, who defines country air as: "like inhaling the heat from an oven with a whiff of cow shit." She's just hanging out until they can install air-conditioning rather than making any real attempt to adjust to rural life.

Rural people in the book are presented as deviant, covering up murders, and being closed to outsiders: "That you are new here and have no right to air this town's problems." People like Addie are perhaps why towns close ranks: "Is all the trauma we've suffered just a mystery for you to solve?" While her journalistic ethics weren't particularly better, I liked Addie's former boss's description of her skills "vibes and questionable prose". Journalists are necessary for a functioning democracy. Thank goodness most of them don't behave like this, questing for public interest over self-interest.

This book was great! It had a great sense of eeriness and creepiness and your left wondering what was going on pretty much the whole time. There were a few times, where I was guessing where the twist interns were going, but there were still many twists, and turns that I was not expecting. The pacing was great as well.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review!!