Walking the Bones

Follow up to the excellent Two Days Gone, Walking The Bones is the second Ryan De Marco thriller and features Sergeant De Marco and his girlfriend Jayme taking a leave of absence from their jobs in the police and driving across the US in a camper van. Ryan is suffering from burnout and feelings of loss after his last case and really wants to retire but Jayme is trying to prevent this by suggesting the road trip.
En route they hear that Jayme's grandmother has died and they drive to the small town of Aberdeen for the funeral. Whilst there they are asked to look into a crime- bones of 7 girls have been discovered in the cavity of a church wall. Who is responsible? Ryan and Jayme must use all their skills to find out and Ryan, in particular, must try and survive in some very extreme circumstances.
Not only is this a mystery story it is also an examination of how guilt can affect human behaviour. We have flashbacks to Ryan's life as a child living in a trailer with his violent father as well as dreams where his dead son appears. As in the last book there are several literary quotations which tie in with the themes of the novel. At times it is quite slow moving with a lot of detail but it always held my attention.
There are many references to the earlier novel so I would suggest reading this first in order to enjoy the full potential of Walking The Bones which is perfect for fans of literary noir thrillers.
I raced through this book enjoying both the mystery aspect as well as the burgeoning romance between Ryan and Jayme. Learning more about both of the main characters' family backgrounds was also interesting and I am now looking forward to the next instalment
Thanks to NetGalley and the the Publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this story! Well written! Looking forward to reading more by this author!

I was excited to have the opportunity to obtain an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book from Net Galley.

The second installment in the Ryan DeMarco mystery series provides a vision quest through the protagonist’s psyche. DeMarco is mentally deconstructed and reassembled as he deals with his best friend’s death, childhood scars, ghosts of the past, and promises of the future, while solving a murder mystery.

The story shifts between past and present as DeMarco quits his job and takes an extended road trip with his lady love Jayme. A relative’s death brings a detour to Kentucky and the introduction to a cold case involving the discovery of the bones of seven young women, who went missing between 1998 and 2004. DeMarco feels a special connection to the dead women, who were castoffs from society, beaten down and broken-hearted. He longs to obtain justice for the poor souls, whose sad lives were terminated too soon. He works the list of suspects in search of clues the other investigators missed.

Brilliant writing, solid characterization, and a fascinating whodunit engage the reader. While the focus of the book is on DeMarco and Jayme, Silvis creates a unique and fascinating cast of secondary characters. By the end of the book, one can’t help but wonder what the third book in the series will bring for DeMarco.

Walking the Bones is a tour de force follow up to the fantastic series starter, Two Days Gone. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next installment.

I received an ARC from NetGalley. The below is my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you, Randall Silvis, the publisher, and NetGalley, for allowing me to read an early copy.

When long-buried secrets come back to the surface...

The bones of seven young girls, picked clean and carefully preserved, discovered years ago... that's all Sergeant Ryan DeMarco knows about the unsolved crime he has unwittingly been roped into investigating during what is supposed to be a healing road trip with his new love, Jayme.

DeMarco is still reeling from the case that led to death of his best friend months ago and wants nothing more than to lay low. Unfortunately, the small southern town of Jayme's idyllic youth is not exactly a place that lets strangers go unnoticed--especially strangers who have a history of solving violent crimes. And if there's anything DeMarco knows, it's that a killer always leaves clues behind, just waiting for the right person to come along and put all the pieces together...

Walking the Bones is a story about things buried--memories, regrets, secrets, and bodies. Acclaimed author Randall Silvis delivers another heart-stopping investigation as DeMarco finds himself once again drawn into a case that will demand more of himself than he may be willing to give.

I was immediately hooked when I saw this gorgeously eerie cover, and Silvis did not disappoint. The setting and characters are just creepy as the cover, and the twists, turns kept me clutching the book until the very end. I thought the character development was really well done. This mystery was a slow burn, but overall, very well done. A must read!

The Ryan DeMarco Mystery series by Randall Silvis sets a new standard for noir mystery, a standard not soon to be scaled by any other author any time soon. WALKING THE BONES, the second book of the series, is a story both fragile and gritty with main character Sergeant Ryan DeMarco grappling to understand the meaning of life.

"Seven young females reduced to bone," Hoyle said. His eyes remained fixed on DeMarco's. "Seven skeletons in a four by fourteen by ten-foot space between walls. Each one cocooned in clear plastic sheeting. The kind painters use to cover a floor. Each cocoon sealed with silver duct tape."....

Sergeant Ryan DeMarco is back for the second book of this mystery series. We first met Ryan in “Two Days Gone,” a previous book I reviewed. I enjoyed that one, and looked forward to the next installment. It didn’t disappoint!

After events in the first book, Ryan is just trying to take some down time. With his new girlfriend, Jayme, Ryan finds himself drawn into another investigation. While visiting Jayme’s hometown he is made aware of an unsolved crime. Seven young girls gone, and nothing but their bones left behind.

Very descriptive, draws you in from the very first page. Well defined characters and a chilling story line make for a great suspense, mystery thriller.

Small town life, where everyone knows something about someone. Could it help Ryan solve these crimes? Even if he is a reluctant part of this, some things you just can’t walk away from.

While this book is a stand alone, I think it always helps to read the series. It’s interesting to see character development. You never know if a character in the first book is who you think they are. I like to see the life changes, and the roads they take.

Ryan has been through some tragedy and heartbreak. Is Jayme his saving grace? Will his down time bring him back to the state police department or take him permanently away?

Will Ryan and Jayme find justice for these young girls?


Thank you Randall Silvis, Netgalley, and Sourcebooks Landmark

From my blog: Always With a Book:

My thoughts: This is the second book in Randall Silvas' Ryan DeMarco Mystery series and I have to say, I am hooked on this series! It's different and unique...and I am loving that! I read a lot of series and so I find it a breath of fresh air when I stumble upon a series that goes in a different direction and that's what I find here. Yes, this is still classified as a mystery and yes there is suspense, but the writing is fresh and so far, both books have been quite different.

I would say this latest installment is more of a character study than anything else. There is still a mystery to be solved for sure, but I think there was almost more time devoted to delving into just who Sergeant Ryan DeMarco is and how is past has made him who he is today. And, just a note - I would strongly suggest reading the previous book, Two Days Gone, before jumping into this one...a lot of references to that case are made. Plus, part of what DeMarco is struggling with has to do with that case.

We also get a lot of insight into DeMarco's new relationship...again, a lot of character development here. I liked this. I felt that there was a lot to explore in both DeMarco and Jayme and loved that the story would move back and forth in time, helping to give us a better picture of who both these characters are and what they are made of. Neither one of them had great childhoods and some of that has stayed with them - how could it not?

The case they end up working on is not without its challenges and was quite interesting. It brought them in contact with quite a contrary bunch of characters. It is filled with twists and turns and kept me engaged throughout.

This story is about all things buried - bodies, secrets, regrets, and memories. While not necessarily a fast-paced book, it will consume you once you start reading, getting under your skin until you reach the final page. I have enjoyed both books in this series so far and look forward to seeing where it goes next.