What a mess. Down to the Bone by Caitlin Rother recounts the story of the murder of the McStay family in 2010. The case was a truly confounding one. Husband, wife, and two children seemingly disappeared one day with no signs of violence and no idea where they might have gone. Almost four years later, the bodies of the entire family are found in the desert. So who the heck did it?

Well, after finishing the book, I know that someone was convicted and it is probably not the person Rother thinks it is. When I said this was a mess, I meant the investigation, the personal relationships, and finally the trial can all be classified as less than stellar.

For the most part, I love when my true crime books are very factual. Tell the story with the facts at hand and skip the editorializing. For the most part, Rother does this. Yes, she clearly points to another suspect, but she sticks to what is in the record. In fact, I think she goes too far that way. The first half of the book reads like a police report with only a few asides to break up the blistering pace of names and dates. She foreshadows a few things and the reader doesn't get a chance to breathe. There can be no question that Rother has done her homework. Her research is beyond reproach. Unfortunately, she needed to present the case as a story to keep the reader's attention.

I wouldn't tell someone not to read the book, but I think the best audience for it would be people who are already familiar with it. I think those people would be less thrown off by the beginning of the narrative.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Kensington Publishing.)

This was a really well researched book but the level of detail the author went into was personally too much for me. It was especially difficult to keep track of all the financial aspects. If you're already familiar with this case, it might be a more interesting read.

With thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was such a fascinating, yet heartbreaking read. The author took the time to study the facts and present them to the reader in a way that drew the reader in. I felt invested in the story and the lives of this family. I loved getting to know the four victims, but my heart broke at the crime committed and the violent way it was carried out. My heart also broke realizing how long it took for justice to be served; unsure whether the questions were sufficiently answered or not. There are so many motives to consider and more than one person thought they had motive in this case. Well-written, a book that stays with you after turning the last page.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from netgalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions are strictly mine.

Down to the Bone covers the true crime case of the McStay family, who went missing, seemingly in the middle of their daily routine, leaving behind belongings, vehicles and the family pets. Someone was eventually arrested and convicted of these crimes, but there is a lot of debate in the true crime community about whether the right person is behind bars.

This was such a well written, well researched book. I felt like I knew all the details of this case by the end of the book. The author did a great job staying non-biased and presenting all the evidence, and letting the reader draw their own conclusion with regards to the guilt or innocence of the convicted party. I felt like I really knew this family, and like the author tried to keep their story at the focus of the book, while also discussing a potential wrongful conviction. I would recommend this to all true crime fans.

I hadn’t heard of this case and I was really interested. The book was very thorough and I really got a feel for the victims and who they were.
This book appeared to be meticulously researched. There is much ado about the victims business and finances and at times it was a little hard to follow and I did get jaded with all the information as time went on. Sometimes I felt like it was going in circles.

Have you ever read a book that leaves you feeling disgusted, frustrated, and questioning everything? Down to the Bone by Caitlin Rother is one of those books. It dives into the disappearance and murder of the McStay family, a case that I first encountered through an episode of Disappeared on Investigation Discovery. At the time, I had no idea that a suspect had been arrested or that the case had come to a conclusion. After reading this book, I walked away with a sinking feeling—I'm not convinced they got the right person.

Rother's investigation into the McStay family case is both detailed and gut-wrenching. She unpacks the questionable decisions made by those involved in the case, from detectives to prosecutors to the judge. At times, it feels like the pursuit of a quick verdict outweighed the search for the truth. What’s most striking is how the case was driven by one individual's word, and the authorities just took it at face value—without further scrutiny. The book highlights the misconduct and blind spots that can plague a criminal case, leaving the reader with more questions than answers.

Rother does an excellent job of laying out the intricacies of the case, but there are times when the sheer volume of information can be overwhelming. The book does slow down in sections, and I found myself skimming through certain parts to get back to the heart of the case. However, for readers truly invested in this particular crime, the detailed examination is worth the occasional drag.

At its core, Down to the Bone is a compelling and frustrating read. It’s a tough pill to swallow, especially if you’re looking for closure or justice. It raises troubling questions about how the justice system can sometimes fail, but also reminds readers of how complex and, at times, broken the investigative process can be. If you’re interested in true crime and the intricacies of a case that doesn’t add up, this book will leave you thinking long after you’ve finished.

Overall, Down to the Bone is an engaging yet unsettling exploration of a truly puzzling case—well worth the read, even if it does leave you with a sense of unresolved frustration.

I have followed this story since the McStays were still a missing persons case. This book shines new light on the McStays themselves and emohasizes how many miles of road lie ahead on the legal front. A really gripping look at a case that, in many aspects, remains a mystery.

Down to the Bone. A Missing Family’s Murder and the Elusive Quest for Justice is the latest book by author Caitlin Rother. The book delves into the perplexing case of the McStay family, who vanished from their San Diego home in 2010, only for their remains to be discovered in the Mojave Desert nearly four years later.
Rother presents a riveting story of a botched investigation, multiple suspects, and a web of lies. Every book I have read by Caitlin Rother has been amazing. This book is heartbreaking. “Down to the Bone” leaves you wondering if justice was ever served and offers an in-depth exploration of a case that has captivated public attention for years. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy to preview. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

2 stars

On February 15, 2010 Joseph and Summer McStay and their sons Gianni and Joseph, Jr. were reported missing from their home in San Diego County, California. It’s not clear on what day they actually went missing. There was food on their kitchen counter, their truck was in the drive and there dogs were in their backyard with no food. There were no signs of a struggle. Police searched for the family, but there were no signs.

Four years later their remains were found one hundred miles away in two shallow graves in the Mojave Desert. There were signs of blunt force trauma on all four bodies. Eventually Charles “Chase” Marriott, a business associate and close friend was charged with the murders.

This is a discordant jumble of a case. Terrible policing, shady business deals (and people) and a messy, bad trial. It all just fell apart on all levels and I think it’s impossible to be sure there was any justice here. However, and a feel badly for saying this about such a tragic incident, this book was dull, and it shouldn’t have been. The story seemed to just plod along, when there things that could have been made more exciting in defter (is that a word? “More deft?”) hands. Perhaps it would have been better had the author taken a side in the outcome, rather than just standing as a neutral reporter? Perhaps that would have injected some passion into what she wrote? Maybe. I don’t know. There just wasn’t any here, and the best true crime writers make you care. This was disappointing.

What a book. So much information.
Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While we got the book for free it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

While the book was interesting, it bogs down with all these details that really don't add to what happened to the mcstay family. The author goes on and on about these characters that have nothing to do with the case. While I was excited to read this,I couldn't even finish it. It just read way too slow.

This is the author’s finest work yet I believe. It’s haunting and heartbreaking all at once. I thought that I had followed this case of the missing McStay family fairly well, but this book was an eye-opener that I read in one day. The arrest, trial, and sentencing still leaves too many unanswered questions about who all were involved. They only took the low-hanging fruit Hoping for updates.

Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing an eARC of Down to the Bone:
A Missing Family’s Murder and the Elusive Quest for Justice. I was drawn to that title, and the missing family’s story indeed needed telling. What a sad situation. But when le avid true crime readers may applaud the telling, I felt frustrated sifting through pages of minute details unrelated to the crime. I have read deeply researched and thoroughly presented true crime exposés that hed my attention, but this book’s presentation was a struggle to complete.

Did not finish. I got 9% of the way in at it is a drag of overly redundant information. I can't recommend.

Deeply Researched..
A deep dive account into the case of a murdered family, a quest for justice and the questions that still remain. The McStays, a family of four, went missing from their home in San Diego seemingly without a trace until remains were discovered some four years later in the Mojave Desert. The author provides an eloquent and detailed account of the case and of the controversy that still remains. Well presented and deeply researched.

Such a sad story. Such a tragedy. But the author really did it justice in the retelling. I couldn't stop reading this book. I was hooked.

Caitlin Rother delivers a thoroughly researched and compelling true crime narrative with Down to the Bone. I had never heard of this case before, and I was fascinated by how much I learned through Rother’s in-depth investigation.

The book examines the shocking disappearance and murder of the McStay family, whose remains were discovered years after they mysteriously vanished from their California home. Rother meticulously unpacks the evidence, the twists in the investigation, and the trial of Charles “Chase” Merritt, the man convicted of the crime. But was justice truly served? Through extensive research and interviews, Rother raises critical questions about Merritt’s conviction, exploring whether he was wrongfully accused or if the evidence truly proves his guilt.

With a masterful blend of investigative journalism and gripping storytelling, Down to the Bone keeps readers engaged while challenging them to consider the complexities of the case. A must-read for true crime enthusiasts who appreciate deep dives into forensic evidence, legal battles, and the pursuit of justice.

This is like the Mary Celeste of disappearance cases. An entire family disappears, leaving food out to rot and decay and the family pet to potentially starve to death. Was this a case of murder suicide or something even more sinister intensively researched and presented in a non-sensationalistic way, this is a chilling account of murder and madness.

As with Rother’s previous books, this was meticulously researched and crafted. Down to the Bone is a gripping deep dive into the tragic case of the McStay family, who vanished from their Southern California home in 2010. Rother unravels the chilling mystery of their brutal murders, the controversial conviction of Chase Merritt, and the lingering doubts that haunt the case. A haunting true-crime read that challenges the boundaries of justice and leaves readers questioning what really happened.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing an eARC of Down to the Bone:
A Missing Familys Murder and the Elusive Quest for Justice prior to publication.