Little Bones

A child is exposed to the most unbelievable violence by her serial killer father, and is understandably, marred for life. Twenty five years later, the little girl has grown up and become Cherrie; she is a mother and believes she has finally put her past behind her. Then a true crime podcast detailing the crimes of serial killer Mr. Bones airs, and against her better judgement, Cherrie listens to it. A recent murder looks a lot like the handiwork of Mr. Bones and the press has identified Cherrie, or Little Bones, as she was called. The court of public opinion is not kind to Cherrie and believes she has more of her father in her than she’s prepared to admit. This is a totally creepy story that kept me guessing, is she or isn’t she until the end

Was a good by book. Flowed easily to read. And the character build up was good. Surprised ending for me.


Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for an early release of this book.

Wow oh WOW!
I read this book in one sitting because putting it down was just not on my mind.
As soon as I read the synopsis I had that bookworm version of the Spidey Sense tingle and this did not disappoint.
There is so much to this book-not merely a serial killer thriller, oh no, this is the exploration of family legacies, trust and compassion.
Having been abandoned by both parents (one imprisoned for murdering 11 boys for their bones and the other through suicide)Leigh-Ann Hendy has grown up and out the care system, reinvented herself, has a job, has a family and friends.
An outing to a psychic, filling in for a friend who can't go, leads to a terrible set of events where the constant fear of her true identity surfacing comes too close to call.
20 miles away , a boy has gone missing. Mr Bones, Cherrie's father, is the subject of a podcast which spuriously links the boy to his crimes. It names Cherrie and before she can do anything about it, her own son, Robin, disappears.
Now she has to face her past as the daughter of a serial killer , will anyone stand with her? Will her relationship withstand this revelation? And just what has her other half been doing in the extension that he won't let her see?
So many twists and turns kept coming through this book, Cherrie is NOT the archetypal mother that you see in press conferences, in fact, as she and her partner appeal for the return of Robin, she causes the opposite effect at the first one. The police don't trust her when they work out who she is, she doesn't trust them and goes off looking for Robin on her own.
As her circle of trust dwindles, she has to dig deep and find the 8 year old child that she was, the one that the papers nicknamed 'Little Bones'.
It's chilling, thrilling and completely unlike any other book I have read this year, I think (and hope) that it wil be a massive succes!

Little Bones immediately drew me in. Loved the writing, loved the character Cherrie. However, Cherrie quickly became unlikeable. Too much time in her head. Too much drama. Too much back and forth. Anger that I was unable to sympathize with.
There are twists and turns and it does keep you guessing. I did start to skip through the middle - it felt too long, however, I couldn't put this book down, which is why I'm giving it four stars. I ended up reading the last half and, even though it became obvious (but not until later in the book) what happened to Cherrie's son, it was still compelling.

The cover and description immediately caught my eye with this book! I raced through it in a day and found it difficult to put down. Cherrie is a strong and determined character and given what she witnessed as a child she still managed to build a new life with her new identity. You could really feel her panic as the past she has kept hidden catches up with her present. The story built at a good pace and flowed well however I did work out quite easily what was happening.
An enjoyable read.

I just finished reading NV Peacock's debut thriller 'Little Bones'. It was a good reading experience and did keep me on the edge. The middle of the book got a little boring but the starting was really strong and the big reveal was interesting. It's a pretty good mystery, despite it being a little repetitive.

This book is full of twists and turns. Cherrie (aka Leigh-Ann), the main character, has a big secret that not even her boyfriend knows. She is the daughter of Mr. Bones, a serial killer that murdered little bones and made sculptures with their bones. She unwittingly helped him lure the boys to his car. When her father was convicted and she turned 17, she changed her name to Cherrie and hoped no one would ever find out the truth. However, that was to change. A child is abducted and then hers is too. A podcast finds out her truth and reveals it for the listeners. A hypothesis on the podcast is floated that no one lives through what she did unscathed. People begin to think that she is to blame for the two boys that are missing.
However, the truth is stranger than fiction.
I would recommend this book.

Such an unusual book. The protagonist baffled me - I sympathised with her but then found myself constantly second guessing whether she was actually “the good guy.” I have often wondered how the relatives of murderers feel and what that relationship does to them. This book offers a fascinating interpretation. The modern twist of a podcast as the mechanism by which the protagonist past comes back to haunt her makes this a contemporary, accessible mystery. Loved it.

I read this book over four days in August 2020. It is not being released until December so just put it on your Christmas wish list if you like suspense.

The author has put out a lot of books, none of which I am inspired to read. It appears many are around the theme of the undead - and I’m not really a zombie guide - plus a fair amount of horror and General scary stuff.

Little Bones is not like that.

The premise is that the main character, Cherrie, is the daughter of a serial killer who has long since been imprisoned. The serial killer was Mr Bones. She was nicknamed Little Bones. She’s changed her name and started a new life but after some children go missing, her previous history is revealed and her aggressive and potentially violent genes begin to percolate.

It’s a really unique take on an easy reading suspense novel. There’s no gore or highly disturbing parts.

At first I was going to rate this book three stars as I thought I knew where it was going, but it continued to surprise me. The lead characters transformation throughout the novel could’ve been a lot smoother and more evident, but it got the point across.

It’s an easy read and a great vacation book for anybody who likes a solid mystery. Hopefully the author has another mainstream one like this hidden in her.

#netgalley #littlebones

This was a fascinating story of a daughter of a serial killer that is being suspected of following in her father׳s footsteps. The readers will undoubtedly stay glued to the pages, as I did.

I really enjoyed this. At first I thought it was a true story. I have read lots of thrillers and this was from a different perspective. Plenty of twists and turns and it kept me glued from the first to the last page. Throughly recommenced.

Little Bones will make the hairs on your neck stand up. It's well paced, taut with tension and quite the unexpected ending. Perfect Halloween read even if you will never look at Skeleton costume again without thinking about this book.

I'm so glad I didn't listen to the bad reviews on this one. 'Little Bones' was a wonderful debut. It was full of suspense, with little twists and turns at every corner. I had so many questions swirling around in my head, with the story slowly revealing bits and pieces. Cherrie was a fire cracker, and though I felt her anxiety for her missing son, there were some parts I just didn't believe. I don't think any mother would withhold potential clues from the police just to spite them and be the one to find him herself. There was a lot of internal monologue from Cherrie but this might be the only book where it makes sense.
The ending felt rushed. The story was carefully spaced out and then all of a sudden it's done. I was left wanting more. I'm interested to see what N.V. Peacock comes up with next.

I’ve read mixed reviews on NetGalley about this book. I know it’s “Horses for Courses” but I really really loved this book
I’ve not read a book like this for a long time. It brings a whole new level to the psychological thriller genre.

I was convinced on so many occasions that I knew who was behind the crimes in his story, and every time I thought I had it, Peacock wrote a breath stopping scene that convinced me I was right; right up until the last second when I was proven wrong.

It is brilliantly written.

Cherrie has a live in boyfriend who is the father of her only child Robin.

At the end of the day Cherrie looks like any other mother in a modern, unmarried, family relationship, and although she’s in a retail job that’s under threat, all is well in her life.

Her new life that is.

Because nobody, not even her boyfriend are aware of her past.

So when a podcaster outs her as Leigh-Ann Hendy, the daughter of serial killer William Hendy, her life is turned upside down.

Not least because the reason she’s outed is because a young boy has gone missing from her neighbourhood. A young boy much like the ones her father killed, the ones he kidnapped and killed with her help.

Just when she is battling with the fact that everybody is going to know who she is, her son is taken. Is it an act of revenge against her, is it somebody who is playing out her fathers crimes, if you work it out before the reveal you are better than me.

This book is written from a unique point of view. Cherrie is the main character, she is a modern day victim, who was previously a perpetrator. The story s not just told through her eyes, it’s told through her thoughts, and not all of them make comfortable reading, but they do make compelling reading.

I have to say I’ve seen mixed reviews on this book. I’m not going to sit on the fence, I thought it was absolutely brilliant.

This book was recommended to me and I was intrigued to read it. The subject matter was a little darker than I usually like - I’m wary of stumbling across violent or disturbing images but I was ok with this. Cherrie, or ‘little bones’ is the daughter of a serial killer. As a child she played a disturbing part in luring young boys to their fate and been involved in her father’s artwork using their bones. Now as an adult her own son is missing, her secret identity is uncovered in a podcast and she is a suspect in her son’s disappearance. Although the central premise of a man killing children and using their bones in artwork is a little gory that is not what you take from this. The book is really well paced, characters are well drawn, the writing has a lovely lightness of touch and there’s some clever trails which lead you off the main route! The central character is intriguing and there’s a ‘did she, didn’t she..is she, isn’t she ..’ dialogue throughout. I could not put this down. I think it would make a very successful tv series or film. With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital copy of this book.

I’ve read a lot of thrillers in this year alone but this is up there for being creepy and unsettling with its ability to put you off guard. Cherrie has a little boy, Robin, and she takes him to the funfair the week of Halloween. All is well until Robin is not where she thinks he is, and panic ensues. She’s adamant that someone has taken him, someone dressed as a skeleton, and the race is on to find him. Another little boy has gone missing and Cherrie’s nerves are on edge. She’s also carrying a secret about her past and her father’s past – and cruel actions – that is put out for the world to hear during a local podcast. When the story of who Cherrie came from is released, friends and family start to look at her differently. Does she have anything to do with Robin’s disappearance? A missing child is always a cause for alarm in a book but the twist of Cherrie’s past really adds to the tension.

Oh my gosh! This was a deliciously dark thriller! The story grabbed me early on and never let go.
There were so many layers to inis intricately woven tale. So many twists and turns. Highly recommend!
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A fast-paced thriller with just the right amount of creepiness! I thought this was very well written and I particularly liked the complexity of the characters we're introduced to. Found it quite a gripping tale and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone who likes a good thriller with a dark twist! One of the best books I've read recently, really enjoyed it.

Thank you Net Galley for this ARC set to publish on October 31, 2020! This was intense - I felt like I was clenching my jaw throughout to get to the end! Cherrie used to be Leigh Ann, and she used to be Little Bones - daughter of Mr. Bones - a notorious serial killer of young boys. Her old life was behind her until boys start disappearing again - and somehow her past becomes her present in a weird parallel universe that hits too close to home. While I feel like this could have gone a little deeper into her past, I thought it absolutely checked the box of an addicting thriller that I needed to race to the conclusion to see what happened!

Wow! Excellent, creepy thriller. This book was completely original and addictive. Cherrie is the daughter of a serial killer who involved her in his horrific crimes against children. Cherrie has moved on, changed her name, had a child and built a life of her own. When a child mysteriously disappears in her town and a podcast exposes her identity, her life is turned upside down, as the town and her own partner start to turn on her. Well written, full of twists and turns, this book is not to be missed.

Little Bones is a tale full of mystery and suspense that sucks the reader in. This first in a series novel follows Garda Cathy Connolly in her quest as a kick boxer until her world is turned upside down. After finding baby’s bones in a dress she becomes enthralled with the case and there are new mystery’s with each turn of the page. This series opener makes the reader want more and comes highly recommended!

Thanks Netgally for allowing we to read this book This book is about Cherrie, Her father was a serial killer who would take her with him on his killing sprees. This book kept you guessing from beginning to end. This is the first book I have read by N V Peacock and it wont be my last.

This book is about Cherrie. Cherrie lives with her boyfriend Leo and son Robin. She is keeping a secret. Cherrie changed her identity at the age of 17 as she is the daughter of serial killer Mr Bones who used to kill young boys to make art from their bones. When a young boy in her area goes missing a podcast covering the case reveals Cherrie’s real identity. Cherrie later is convinced to go to a psychic with some workmates. The psychic warns Cherrie that her son will go missing and that prediction comes true. The rest of the book is about Cherrie trying to find her son and defend herself against those who think she killed her son.

This was a fast paced thriller. It was well written and kept me interested and wanting to keep reading way after I should have stopped. The main character really annoyed me at times and I felt that she did some really silly things and kept some things from the police that could have helped in the search for her son. I was a little disappointed I guessed the ending so quickly but overall I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading more of this authors work.

This was a pick for a book club discussion.

The book starts out from the mind of a killer seeking his prey and gloating how no one would ever suspect him.

Then the book picks up with Cherrie Forrester, the mother of a young boy, Robin, and she works in a deli. Cherrie lives with Leo, the father of Robin. Cherrie has carefully rebuilt her life, changed her name, and has told no one. Not even Leo.

Cherrie, used to be Leigh-Ann Hendy, then dubbed Little Bones by the media. Her father, William 'Billy' Hendy, a serial killer was known as Mr. Bones.

When a young boy turns up missing, Cherrie worries, she knows that missing children not always come home. While searching about the missing boy, Cherrie comes across a podcast, The Flesh on the Bones. The journalist wanna be, Jai Patel, shares tidbits with his listeners that can destroy Cherrie's carefully built new life. Cherrie becomes obsessed with the number of subscribers; as long as it's a low count she may still be safe.

Cherrie's life is about to come unhinged with the past rearing its ugly head once again. Time is running out, people already believe she's guilty by association, after all, she shares the same DNA as Mr. Bones.

I felt for Cherrie, she's living the worst nightmare, while having grown up with a man, who had two sides to him. One, a caring father, but the other was very evil. She was labeled and had her character tainted for simply being a child of a monster. Everyone has already convicted her, so what does it matter if she goes a little crazy on them? When I read the ending, all that came to mind was: OH! Yikes! Round 2? Good thriller!

I received an ARC from NetGalley via Avon Books UK and I have voluntarily reviewed this book.

Captivating! I couldn’t put it down. I read it in one day. It’s a great thriller. The story flowed really well. The Synopsis is Cherrie is the daughter of a serial killer (caught and in prison). She grew up in foster homes from the age of 8. Her mother committed suicide after her father was caught. At age 17 she changed her name to escape her past. Fast forward to today - she is now 35 lives with her boyfriend and has an 8 year old son, Robin. A young boy is kidnapped then found murdered. Then Robin goes missing at the fair. People find out her past, her real identity and rumors fly that she may have murdered her own son and the other boy. They call her little bones. I don’t want to give anything away so get the book. It’s a really good fast paced book right to the end!

Woah, this book blew my mind and has definitely exceeded my expectations! I can’t wait for future releases from N.V. Peacock!

It’s a story of Little Bones (of course) who tries to live a normal life after witnessing her father, Mr Bones’ crimes when she was a child. She had legally changed her name to Cherrie Forrester and lives a normal life with her boyfriend, Leo and her son, Robin. Things took a turn when Cherrie listened to a podcast which digs up her past and linking the recent disappearance to her father’s old crimes. Now everyone in town knows a part of her that she had tried so hard to hide.

My thoughts on the book:
This is my first book from N.V. Peacock and I cannot stop thinking about the storyline, the plot and characters after I’ve finished the book. It was quite an easy read for me, and I could not put the book down. The whole story got me guessing and questioning what will happen next, is the recent disappearance really linked to what had happened 25 years ago and it was so nerve-wrecking! I was quite happy when the ending wasn’t what I had expected as it took me by surprise and I really enjoyed it.

Although overall it was a great read for me, I didn’t particularly enjoy towards the ending as it seems like the author was stalling the readers before going into the peak and answers when they explained a lot on how Cherrie tries many different ways to search for the answer.

If you really like thrillers/mystery generally, I would suggest for you to pick up this book and give it a go! It’s the perfect read for all the spooks for Halloween! Like what the synopsis said, “You believe me, don’t you?”

#LittleBones #NetGalley
A good read.
It took me longer to finish this book than usual I do because it's a true crime thriller. Although the characters were good but I didn't feel connected. Although it's a one time read.
Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for giving me an advance copy of this book.

Leigh-Ann Hendy was eight years old when her serial killer father Mr Bones was arrested. She was dubbed Little Bones by the newspapers, because of her involvement in the murders of the young boys whom she helped to lure for her father.

Cherrie Forrester doesn’t want anybody to know her real identity. She has worked hard to build a new life for herself and nothing will ruin it. So she thought.

The disappearance of a local boy triggers a sequence of events which are thought to be connected to the past crimes of notorious serial killer Mr Bones. All of a sudden Cherrie has been exposed as Leigh-Ann Hendy but that is the least of her problems. Because when something awful happens to Cherrie, it leaves everybody asking one question: victim or Little Bones?


The first thing that caught my attention was the cover of the book and once I read the description I knew that it was going to be a great book. The story progressed at a steady pace which made it easy to follow. The twists and turns throughout the story kept me guessing about what was going to happen next. Every time I thought I knew what happened to the missing boy it turned out that I was always wrong. There was a variety of characters in the book who brought different themes with them for example victim blaming and trust issues. At times I didn’t particularly like Cherrie or the way she acted, but at the same time I can understand some of her behaviour. I really enjoyed reading Little Bones because it was interesting, dark and unforgettable.


I received an advance review copy for free, and this is my honest opinion

Imagine having to hide from your past. You change your name to start a new life. You have a man in your life and a wonderful son.
Now imagine your past catching up with you.
Your father killed 8 young boys. He used their bones as art. You were a child. Barely eight years old. You went with your father on his hunts for boys. He even had you there when he cleaned the bones and made his art.
Now your son is missing. The police think you are involved in the disappearance of your own son just because of who your father was and who you are. Innocence has nothing to do with it.
I twisted of a read with an astounding ending!!

As soon as I saw this book and read the synopsis I HAD to read it and thankfully I was given the opportunity (thank you to the Publisher & Netgalley for this ARC!) to do so.
I was a bit confused at first as I found the book under the True Crime section and it is most clearly Fiction but once that was sorted I finished this book in record time.
Leigh-Ann Hendy later known as Cherrie Forrester and previously known as "Little Bones" is a likeable woman. I loved her tenacity and her take no prisoners attitude. The book is ultimately about a serial killers daughter who once grown changes her name and starts life anew with a boyfriend and a young son but a young boy has gone missing in her neighbourhood. This dredges up her fathers case from decades before as he liked to abduct and murder young boys. Some young amateur detective decides to start a podcast outing Cherrie as "Little Bones" "Mr. Bones's" daughter and immediately our mains life is turned upside down.
I loved the pace of this book. I enjoyed the different characters that played small but important roles surrounding the tragedies that befall Cherrie on the road to freedom from her fathers shadow.
This book tugged at my heart strings, being a mom of two boys and the thought of child abduction is the most horrifying situation imaginable, but I made it through with nothing but great feelings about the book.
Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loving this debut thriller. Cherrie has finally walked away from her past and has a happy family. Until one night she finds a podcast that brings her past into her present. This was a great who done it mystery. Kept me guessing until the end.
Thank you to #NetGalley and NV Peacock for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"I have three names: I was born Leigh-Ann. I became Cherrie. When I was a child, they called me Little Bones...
My father was Mr Bones - the notorious serial killer of 25 years ago.
As a child I witnessed his crimes.
Everything is different now. I have a new identity. I’m a mother. I am finally free.
Until that podcast. I should never have listened.
They’re linking a recent disappearance to the crimes of the past.
They know who I am. They’re calling me Little Bones again.
They say I’m a villain but I’m not. I’m a victim.
You believe me, don’t you?"

A legacy of murder and an unreliable narrator, a perfect Halloween read!

Wow! I enjoyed reading this so much. Haven’t come across this author before but the description appealed to me. So glad I gave it a try. One of the best books this year! Could very easily see this made into a TV adaptation. Highly recommend.

To say I was very excited to read this book would be an understatement. Little Bones by N V Peacock was my first approved ARC from the site NetGalley. Having only signed up earlier in the week I was over the moon to have a request approved so quickly. This book was the first to catch my eye of their endless catalogue of reads. The cover is utterly stunning and the brief description only intrigued me further. It sounded definitely like my cup of tea.

Little Bones follows mother Cherrie who is trying to lead a normal life. However, her life has been far from normal. Now living under a new name, the once Leigh- Ann, is desperately trying to keep the past where it belongs. This becomes exceedingly hard when a crime podcast reveals her true identity, claiming she is the daughter of notorious serial killer Mr Bones who killed 11 young boys back in the 80s. Now a local boy has gone missing and the finger on blame is being pointed at her ‘Little Bones’. After all, they do say like father like daughter!

The premise of this book hooked me with the first few pages. I read the entirety of this book in two sitting in less than 24 hours which is pretty impressive compared to the awful reading slump I’ve been in since the end of last month. A real page-turner that I just couldn’t put down, I needed to know what was going to happen next. The only thing I will say is that I would have loved to have seen more of Cherrie’s relationship with her father, both past and present, you see glimpses of this throughout the book but I just wished it had been delved into a little deeper.

Many reviews I have now read for this book claimed that it was too gruesome for them but honestly I could have handled a bit more. Maybe that’s the true crime/serial killer fanatic in me but I just wanted to know all the gory details about the original crimes. But ultimately I know that story was more based around Cherrie and her life now. Her dad’s storyline there to flesh out the plot.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this read and cannot wait to see more of what NetGalley has to offer. I gave Little Bones by N V Peacock ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars and would highly recommend it to any true crime lover like myself.

Little Bones by N.V. Peacock is an interesting true crime thriller. I was intrigued since the beginning of the book.

Mr. Bones is a serial that has been in prison for 25 years. His daughter Little Bones played with his victims and helped make artwork out of his bones. 25 years later, Little Bones has legally changed her name and nobody knows about her past.

A young boy goes missing in Cherrie’s town. Then, a podcast announces that Cherrie is Little Bones and assumes she is following in her father’s footsteps. Cherrie’s past is coming back to haunt her, and her family isn’t safe. Will Cherrie have to tell her friends and family about her past? Will they find out on their own? What happened to the missing boy? Is his disappearance related to Mr. Bones or a copycat?

Little Bones was a good thriller. I was very interested in finding out what was going to happen next. However, I did not like Cherrie. I didn’t feel like she acted rationally. I know she wouldn’t be thinking clearly when she was in a stressful situation. In her head she would assume she know who was responsible and then ignore everything else and go after them. This bothered me. I did really enjoy some of the other characters. Tracy, Cherrie’s best friend and all of Cherrie’s friends were very supportive and loyal. Kylie is a very interesting character and really added to the story. Mariah, a psychic is also a unique part of Little Bones. I liked seeing how the different characters reacted to Mariah’s predictions.

Little Bones really opens up the concept of villain versus victim which was very interesting.

I recommend Little Bones to True Crime Thriller fans as long as having likeable characters is not important to you.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for Little Bones.

The synopsis drew me in and I'm so glad it did.

This was a great book for escapism, you won't (I hope) relate to the characters but it was a perfectly observed book about a child who grew up around abhorrent violence and who she bacame.

A must read for the fans of serial killer genre but definitely expect more as Cherrie narrates for us.

A great book, Cherrie is one bad ass mam who has had the most awful childhood being accomplice to serial child killer Mr Bones. When her child disappears she takes matters into her own hands and will do anything to get her baby back. Gripping read thanks to netgalley for the advanced copy

Excellent book. The tension buildup continued right to the very end. Dark subject matter, but handled sensitively, Kept my interest all the way through. Found it hard to put it down, finished reading it in one weekend. Highly recommended.

I liked this book .. it was a little bit predictable though. It was definitely a page turner but nothing spectacular. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy In return for a fair and honest review.

Little Bones is a thriller revolving around a protagonist named Cherrie. The reader quickly discovers that Cherrie has dark family secrets and she may not be the person her current friends and family believe her to be. She fights to prevent her secrets from creeping into her current life.

When a psychic warns Cherrie that her family is in danger, and a podcast threatens to reveal the skeletons in her closet, her world begins to spiral out of control.

About halfway through the novel, Cherrie starts to come apart at the seams. The reader begins to question her sanity and if her childhood nickname of Little Bones is more appropriate than originally thought. Is Cherrie falling victim to the unimaginable stress and fear over her missing son, or is it her true nature finally coming to light? Does Cherrie’s imprisoned father hold the key to the truth about what happened to her son?

This thriller is full of twists and turns. I thought I had the villain figured out, but I was wrong! This is an entertaining work of fiction that is perfect for spooky fall reading.

Thank you NetGalley, author, and publisher for granting me access to this e-book in exchange for my honest review. I really enjoyed it!

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#LittleBones
#NetGalley
#thrillerbooks
#mysterybooks
#fiction
#NVPeacock
#bookstagram
#booklove

Excellent thriller, perfect for a Halloween release!
I liked the way the main character was presented. She wasn’t perfect, she wasn’t the usual victim type you can get in thrillers. There was a hard edge of steel running through her that fit in well with what she had gone through as a child.
Enough subplots to keep you guessing and a fantastically twisty ending - I look forward to recommending this to people on publication.

An excellent read with endless twist and turns. N.V. Peacock does an outstanding job at leading readers astray with minimal foreshadowing and multiple plot twists. Character development is minimalistic but made up for with a well established plot. Highly recommended for book clubs everywhere with boundless discussion points.

Thank you to #NetGalley and @AvonBooksUK for the ARC for #LittleBones which was read and reviewed voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#readmorebooks #bookreviews #thrillers #youthinkyourdadwasbad #serialkillerbooks #bookstagram #booktweets #bookblogs #kindlegoals #gimmemorebooks

An enjoyable thriller, with a really interesting take on the current vogue for True Crime podcasts and what it would mean to be the subject of one. Dark and escapist.

Little Bones was a fun Thriller from the perspective of the daughter of a serial killer as a new true crime podcast uncovers her name change and her son goes missing.

I loved the mentions of Mr. Bones and definitely thought I knew who took Robin and was surprised to be wrong! For an avid Thriller reader that was pretty neat.

A great debut for Thriller and murdery book fans! TW: child murder.

Excellent thriller and very creative story! There are all kinds of books about serial killers nowadays and this was a creative perspective that kept me entertained.

Brilliant! I found this book from N.V. Peacock gripping, exciting and utterly compelling. You are sucked into Cherrie's life from the outset. All of the twist, turns, and ups and downs of emotions. It takes you to parts of her life as the daughter of a serial killer Trying to distance herself from her past, but being constantly dragged back and down whilst trying to find the kidnappers of her son.
Well done on an amazing thriller and thank you to Netgalley for giving us the opportunity to read it.

I received an advanced copy of Little Bones, by N V Peacock. It was a very good read, kept me on the edge of my seat. Great Halloween story. There are creepy people everywhere, even in your own family.

I found this book about a serial killers daughter a very unique and intriguing read. Cherrie, as she now calls herself, went through a lot as a child-should the children of a murderer pay for the sins of the father? The story takes us through Cherrie's normal life and the action begins when a "podcaster"starts to do a new podcast based on Cherrie's locked-up child killer of a dad. I would highly recommend to anyone who likes thrillers that find a way to build the action up slowly and all the while cleverly feeding you bits until the climactic ending.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

I really thought I knew the "who did it" pretty early in this book and man was I wrong! Cherrie Forrester has been trying to make a new, quiet life for herself after changing her name to separate herself from her infamous serial killer father Mr. Bones. Things are going well, until a young boy in her town disappears and a podcast catches win of similairities and exposes Cherrie's true identity to the world. If that isn't enough, Cherrie's young son Robin disappears with little to no leads.

This story took me on an emotional rollercoaster (or ferris wheel if we are making puns from the book). I couldn't put the second half down.

As this is NV Peacock's first adult thriller, she killed it. Thank you to NV Peacock, NetGalley, and Avon Books UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fantastic, brilliant, thrilling, absolutely loved this book and read in in a matter of hours, was gripping, my favourite book this year.

When you start a book and finish it in one day because you can't put it down says A LOT about a book. Cherrie's son Robin is missing or was he murdered by the hands of his own mother? Leigh-Ann AKA Cherrie is the daughter of a serial killer and was nicknamed Little Bones by the newspapers. She changed her name and her life but the past has now caught up to her. Little boys are missing can this be the work of Little Bones? SO much suspense and mystery in this book . I didn't want to put it down! Loved it! I It was different then anything I've read in awhile and was pleasantly surprised. I would defiantly recommend reading !

Engrossing, emotionally charged & well written. An interesting take on a well worn subject. For fans of 'Good Me, Bad Me'.

Cherrie lives a nice life in Northamptonshire until one day, a child goes missing...
Is it a copycat killer of the notorious killer Mr Bones from 25 years ago? A podcast seems to think so and suddenly Cherie’s life starts to unravel as her identity is revealed. She is Little Bones, the serial killers daughter. She is identified as a villain but friends and family. But she says she’s not, she’s a victim. Who do you believe.

This is a really good book, a quick easy, addictive read. The story is well paced with plenty of suspense and twists and turns. , it is perfectly dark and creepy in places. The main character Cherie is a really strong leading character and you can really feel her rage as she begins to be suspected of terrible things!

Wow, just wow. This isn’t normally a genre I would go for but since getting into true crime podcasts this has opened the door for so many new books! I wouldn’t have thought this was a debut, the characters are so well developed it was like I knew them.

A slow burner, full of angst as the subject of child abduction is front and centre. She hid her past and built a new future until a little boy goes missing and suddenly her familial link to a serial killer is announced by podcast. From the side-lines we have the judgement of internet trolls who fan the flames to an inferno and the rising anger in the woman who was once known as little bones.

Little Bones is a very good debut novel for it was an unputdownable book that had a gripping start. From being the daughter to a serial killer, a perfect mother yet a mysterious person to her closest people, Cherrie aka Leigh-Ann aka Little Bones is the protagonist of this story. The plot revolves around the phase of life where her carefully hidden past is exposed, her identity questioned and of all her lifeline(her son) is missing. The book from start to the end where Cherrie finds her son is quick-paced until it gets a bit boring in between just before the huge revelation which definitely can be excused given the other positives that are overwhelming.
I give 4 stars for this book one star each for the writing style, gripping start, clever premise and one special star for Little Bones being the Debut Novel by NV Peacock. The missing star counts on to 2 things 1. The slow part in between 2. The kidnapper was predictable ( for me).
Final Verdict: Read It!!

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre,  however I wanted to take the opportunity to read something from outside my norm. And I am glad I did!! Thank you for  opening up my mind to something totally different. Characters were so well developed that I felt as though I knew them. I love when a book draws you into the story and it feels like you are living it with them.

“To inspect the young faces on offer, he slips down to second gear.” Ever have a visceral reaction to words?

To say I loved this book would be an understatement! The writing, the tone, the characters - countless reviews mark this as a book you want to consume immediately and I can relate having had to pace myself to read over a day.

From the start there are underlying currents of humour - “Leo’s voice breaks my weird chicken spell” - yet you are reminded there’s a kidnapper on the loose and Little Bones is here somewhere.

Cherrie’s son has gone missing, and in doing so she goes manic, feral even. She’s a one woman mission determined to get her son back. In doing so she will lash out and awaken the dark side of her soul that was buried deep for years.

All of the above means you have to draw your own opinions, or you’ll doubt everyone just as Cherrie did! Though maybe, maybe you’ll start to doubt Cherrie herself.

I really loved that sometimes, you worry Cherrie may start her descent back into being Little Bones, but then she would think about the future and her little family and you’re left to remember that she’s just a distraught mother. Her negative feelings deflate and you have to hold her to her bad actions but you gain a better understanding why she did what she has too.

All of the characters are written with purpose, there are flawed people and I feel this book captures real life within the pages.

Could not put this down. I spent all night reading, desperate to find the conclusion to this thrilling story. It kept me guessing and leading me down different paths, only to add another twist along the way. This has definitely been one of those books I'll have to read again and again in order to pick up all the small clues. Very much enjoyed it and loved falling into the world of serial killers.

They used to call her Little Bones. Her father was the serial killer they called Mr. Bones. Now, 25 years later, she’s got a new identity and new life but they’ve started to call her Little Bones again.

This book was definitely creepy. I found the middle of the book to be boring in parts, it was a bit dragged out. There were a few twists and misleads and I was making guesses up until the very end. It still didn’t have the big shock factor I want in a thriller though. But it was still a unique take on a serial killer thriller that I really enjoyed.

I received a copy of Little Bones from N V Peacock and NetGalley for honest review

Mr Bones was a notorious serial killer, he took the lives of eleven boys. He used their bones to make hideous sculptures. His eight year old daughter loved her dad and would often help him. The press dubbed her Little Bones. Fast forward twenty five years, the daughter has changed her name, built a new life and has a son. A young boy goes missing and is found dead. A true crime podcast outs her real identity. The public start putting two and two together and making five. Then her son goes missing. Little Bones has more of her father than she likes to admit. I devoured this book in one sitting. Sat on the edge of my seat. Did she or didn't she. LOVED IT!!!!!!
Thanks to Avon Books UK and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

Wow, this book had me gripped from the start, it had me on the edge of my seat throughout. I am looking forward to reading more from this author

I really enjoyed reading this crime/thriller; I felt that it did something a little different with a very saturated genre and had me guessing the whole way through. Little Bones is firmly in the past for Cherie, who's father was the serial killer Mr Bones, she's moved on from the awful crimes she witnessed. But, things begin to unravel when boys start going missing and her past is revealed. Then her own son disappears.

Cherie's character was unnerving at times, but on the whole she was relatable and understandable. Despite burying her past away, it's clear that she hasn't recovered or come to terms with what she witnessed and her role in the crimes of her father. As the novel progressed I felt she got more and more unhinged and unpredictable, which really helped the mystery element of the story as you're forced to consider whether she had done something to her son.

I loved the small clues that were scattered throughout this book - it really did keep you guessing until the very end. If you're paying attention there are hints dropped in at the very beginning that appear to point to a suspect later on; from missing items to paint colours, from random acquaintances to close friends. This is my favourite part about these kinds of novels: being able to piece together the clues and come up with your own theories is why, for me, crime/thrillers/mysteries will always be popular.

Little Bones is one of those books that grips you from the start and refuses to let you go. I finished it in just 24 hours - it, quite literally, kept me up at night. The mystery element is fantastic and Peacock elegantly leaves breadcrumb trails that will have you convinced you know the truth before revealing a shocking twist. And look at that cover, how could resist that this spooky season?

hank you to NetGalley, Avon Books and N.V. Peacock for an ARC in return for an honest review. The book is available from October 31st.

Where to start? A miss spent childhood, daddy daughter time with a massive twist.

My memory fails me, but lets fast forward a generation. A family, more than content with the life that they had.

A fair, a skeleton and a world up-ended. Step in psychics and podcasters, all with their own agendas.

I would like to be able to say that I have read even some parts of her back catalogue, but I haven't.

This is a gripping story that has you hanging on for dear life, as soon as you have read the opening paragraph. It ebbs and flows, draws you in and has you jumping to the wrong conclusions.

A thoroughly enjoyable read, if you need some suspense in your life for a couple of days. Do yourself a favour, go out and buy this.

Status: Completed

Rating: 4.8/5.0

A dark tale with many twists and turns that makes you want to keep turning the page. A really enjoyable read - I would definitely recommend..

Do not dig others' secrets - because you've no idea what evil you'll unleash.

Mr. Bones called himself an artist and to create a masterpiece everytime - with his little daughter - the secret ingredient was bones. Bones of little boys. Mr.Bones - Billy Hendy would abduct little boys, boil their bodies in peroxide, remove their flesh and use the bones for his grotesque art work. His 8 year old daughter, Leigh Ann was a witness to all his acts. But was she aware of the severity of these acts ? Only she herself and God knows ! She was stigmatized - Miss Little Bones.

But is Little Bones really a villain ? She was an apprentice to her father afterall. This was 25 years ago. Mr.Bones was caught. That was in past.

Fast forward into the present - 'Is Little Bones a villain' is a burning question in whole of Northamptonshire's mind when Leigh Ann's little son Robin disappears into thin air in the middle of a fair while he was with her. But how could she be responsible for Robin's disappearance- she is his mother !

This is definitely one of the best books I've read this year. The excitement and anticipation each page holds is just so overwhelming. I read the whole book - 400 pages - in just one sitting. It was so hard to let go of the book for another time. Because every page held a twist, a new theory of the return of a new Mr. Bones, of a mother's struggle to find her son, of a serial killer's daughter to rise above the stigma and lead a normal life.

The characters were so greatly developed that I can't stop myself from appreciating the depth of their layers in making this book such a delightful albeit a bit stressful read. Leigh Ann's constant inner turmoil and aggresive attitude was pretty triggering.

This thriller was just so satisfying ! My adrenaline rush was at the peak while reading this book ! The brilliance with which this book is written is absolutely laudable.
The ending was a bit predictable for me when the primary suspect, according to me, got a clean chit.

I've read a lot of psychological thrillers in the fast few months and I can definitely say this was the best. I love reading thrillers which start off with a fast pace, scene after scene shocks and stimulations , more than the ones which take time to build and pick a thrill in few scenes only. And Little Bones has excitement embedded in each page.

If you're a psychological thriller lover, then trust me - you don't want to miss this kicking, rushing, super gorgeous thriller !

** Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for allowing me to read this e-book in exchange for my honest review.

Eight-year-old Leigh's dad is a murderer. He would use his daughter to lure little boys into his car, then take them home and kill them, making art with their bones. Leigh would assist in the art-making. Once her father is caught and sent to prison, Leigh goes through foster homes and eventually changes her name to Cherrie when she's of age to stop all the harassment and judgment she's gotten from being Mr. Bone's daughter, also known as Little Bones.

Now an adult, Leigh has established a new life: a loving boyfriend, her wonderful son, and a handful of great friends she's met at her job at the butcher shop. One day her friends talk her into going to a group psychic reading. She's so worried about details from her past being revealed, but she goes anyway. At first, she doesn't believe the psychic, but she's asked her for information about another missing boy in the neighborhood and the psychic reveals information that leads her to believe the boy is dead. Before leaving the psychic session, the psychic warns her about danger in her own life around her own son. We find out later in the story, the psychic was right about the other missing boy.

Meanwhile, Leigh finds out that due to the fact that there is a current abduction case taking place right in her own neighborhood, there's a new podcast being circulated digging up her past and now naming her as Little Bones. The podcast gave up her new identity and location, and everyone around her begins to realize who she is. Well, when Leigh's own son is abducted, of course, everyone suspects that Leigh must have done something to her own son because, after all, her father was a murderer of little boys.

Much of the story is about Leigh fighting her demons, fighting all the judgment, and going beyond what the police have been doing to search for her own son. I would certainly recommend this book to friends.

Cherries, Leo and Robin make wonderful characters in this book and from start to finish it really gripped me. The twist and turns are brilliant. I think it took me about a day and half to read I just could put it down.

Little Bones was a classic whodunit. The author weaves multiple character’s stories together and all of them are just unlikable and suspicious enough for you to think they played a role in a little boy’s disappearance. The ending truly shocked me! I really thought I had it all figured multiple times but the author did well with keeping me on the hook for every storyline. I really enjoyed this book!

Little Bones aka Cherrie Featherstone aka Leigh-Ann Hendy was the daughter of a notorious serial killer nicknamed Mr Bones. Years after her father was caught and sentenced to life imprisonment, a copycat has begun taking little boys... suspicion falls onto Little Bones. Is the daughter of Mr Bones destined to follow in his footsteps?

I really enjoyed this novel. There were a few twists during the story and I hadn’t predicted the ending. There were points where I felt emotionally detached from the main character but these passed and I was back into it. 4 stars from me.

Cherrie has a secret. Her father was a serial killer, nicknamed Mr Bones and the media called her 8 year old self Little Bones. It’s a secret she hopes no-one in her new life will ever discover, especially her boyfriend and young son, but when a boy in her town is murdered, a podcast is released, outing her to everyone. Cherrie thought that was the worst thing that could ever happen to her, but she was wrong. Now her own son is missing and everyone seems to think the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree – has Little Bones taken after Mr Bones?

Little Bones was an engaging crime thriller, with several twists. I did guess the outcome before the end of the book but I enjoyed the red herrings along the way that made me question whether I was right. There were several unlikeable characters I would have been more than happy to see go down for the crimes 😅

There were several important themes explored, such as victim blaming, the dangers of believing everything you read on the internet and the way lives can be destroyed by the ensuing mob mentality. Little Bones is a great read, perfect for the Halloween season and a fun thriller for those new tp the genre or seasoned crime lovers!

There is a lot to like about this book not least that it has serious shades of Prodigal Son.

The characters are all 3 dimensional and while I didn't particularly like any of them, I did understand them and all of the choices they made were fitting.

The pacing is fast and that suits the story perfectly. There is barely time to draw breath and that really helps you empathise with the MC.

The plot is intricate, complex and well thought out.

There are a few things that didn't sit that well with me though:

The police come across as uninterested, inept and insensitive and given the circumstances of the situation I don't think that would be the case.

I worked out the main protagonist really early on and I got quite frustrated that things I thought were obvious were missed or ignored by characters.

Overall a decent thriller and I'll happily read more by the author.

I received this Advance Review Copy from Netgalley and Avon Books UK in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books UK!!

I genuinely liked the story. The plot was fascinating and the story flowed easily and made me finish me the book. The whole 'is she or isn't she' suspense was exhilarating. It will make you think and I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

"They know who I am. They’re calling me Little Bones again.
They say I’m a villain but I’m not. I’m a victim.
You believe me, don’t you?"

William 'Billy' Hendry is the notorious serial killer 'Mr Bones', Leigh-Ann Hendry is his daughter 'Little Bones'. Exposed to such horrific scenes from a young age Leigh-Ann took a lot of time to reclaim back her life.

At 17 Leigh-Ann Hendry changed her name and settled in to a quiet life as Cherrie Forrester, perfect partner, perfect son and controlling Mother in law, perfectly normal. Her life now so far from her experiences throughout her childhood.

When a young Thomas Doncaster goes missing, Cherrie's life is turned upside down when podcast The Flesh on The Bones, reveals her identity; something that not even the closest people in her life know about.

With the secret out it's not long before her Son; Robin becomes the next child to go missing.
How far would you go to protect your child?

I absolutely loved this book, from the start I was really invested in the story. I finished it in one sitting I just couldn't put it down, I had to know what happened next!

The story is written brilliantly there's so many suspects with motives that I honestly couldn't work out who'd done what, every time I thought I had it there was another curve ball thrown in and I was back to trying to work it out.

The whole story flowed seamlessly with believable characters, it was written in such a way that even the side stories of the less important character merged effortlessly in to the main plot. Such a suspenseful read with so many twists, this is a must read for 2020.

I've never heard of N V Peacock before this, but is now an author I'd actively look out for in the future, one of my favourite reads of the year so far.

4.5/5 Stars
Release Date: October 31, 2020
Let me start off by saying this is the perfect book to be released on Halloween. It has the perfect amount of creepiness and suspense to keep you hooked for all 400 pages.
From the beginning Cherrie is a likable character whom I rooted for the whole time. She is happy and content in her life but is always on edge about someone finding out about her past and her father. Then after a podcast comes out talking all about her dad and revealing her new name for all the listeners she hopes that it will blow over. That combined with a visit to a local psychic are the perfect catalyst for her own son to be abducted. The rest of the story follows the aftermath with an ending I didn’t see coming.
A few times I thought I had figured out everyone and their secrets only to have another curveball thrown my way. Along with trying to figure out who took Robin, her son and why they did you also get to see a little more inside the mind of her father which was one of my favorite parts.
Overall N.V Peacock did an amazing job and created a story in which I loved getting lost in. She made characters that were complex and hard to figure out if they had good intentions or not. She did a wonderful job of painting a mother’s struggle to find her son and dealing with finally having he past catch up with her.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants a fast paced thriller that leaves you guessing till the end. I recommend reading this while sipping on some Pumpkin Spice tea with a dash of milk.
Katie

Eight-year-old Leigh-Anne has had a troubled childhood. Her mother took her own life and her father is Mr Bones a serial killer who abducted and kill young boys and used their bones for sculptures. Her father was convicted for the crimes. Leigh-Anne hasn’t seen him since. She was nicknamed Little Bones.
When Leigh-Anne turned 17 after living in foster care she changed her name to Cherrie and started a new life. Present day Cherrie now has a boyfriend and a son called Robin. When a child goes missing, somewhere someone finds out about her past because of a podcast, accusing her as the number 1 suspect and when her own child Robin goes missing the rumours spread that she has abducted and killed both boys. Like father Like daughter.
I have read a lot of books in this genre, but Little Bones has a unique, dark storyline that I enjoyed very much. There is a lot of twists and turns that kept me captivated throughout. I thought that this was an exceptionally good start for a debut novel. I can’t wait to see what the author has in store in the future.

I was very kindly offered the chance to review this book by @avon_books and @netgalley out on 31st October this book is perfect for the coming season!

☠️

The story is based upon Cherrie, a daughter of a convicted serial killer who despite changing her identity finds the past is never fully hidden and threatens to upturn the new life she has build when a recent disappearance is linked back to her father’s crimes.

☠️

I enjoyed this book and read it really quickly as I was desperate to discover what was going to happen. Peacock did an excellent job of setting traps for the reader, I would get a hunch I had figured it out only to realise I been lead down another false path!! Cherrie does begin to unravel as the story develops and you are left questioning if it is a case of like father like daughter? Or just the actions of a desperate mother?

I received a copy of this book through netgalley.

What can I not say about this book? N V Peacock came out of nowhere in my reading world and enraptured me from the moment I began this book. What a whirlwind story that will captivate you from its first moments and leave you breathless at the end.

The story literally kept me on my toes and guessing the whole time.

Remember readers... you will think you know early on... however, keep guessing, because you won’t realize until the end. The twists and turns in this novel make you second guess yourself and what you are reading.

Could not put it down and cannot think of greater words to say about this novel. Utterly fantastic

How true is the saying ‘like father like daughter’?

Cherie’s changed her name and created a new life for herself but someone finds out she is the daughter of a serial killer called Mr Bones and then her son goes missing. Has she killed Robin? Will she kill others to find the truth?

There are a lot of twists and turns in this book where you are lead down a path only to find it twists again. About 25% before the end I guessed the ending but this didn’t stop me enjoying the ride.

Cherie’s decent into sleep deprived madness was a little infuriating. I just wanted to reach into the book and slap some sense into her, but if the shoe was on my foot I would probably react the same.

Overall I think it’s a quick easy read, with lots of twists albeit with the final twist being one that was a little easy to predict.

Loved it. Kept me enthralled the whole time. Will keep this author on my watch list. Highly recommend.

Cherie as she is known as an adult, has had a very disturbing childhood. Her father was a serial killer. Known to everyone as big bones. Fittingly, she became known as little bones. As a child she watched as her father did cruel things to people. So one can imagine the torment and hell she went through. I want to say that at this point the author does an immaculate job of ensuring that everything was written In such a way that is fluid and easy to follow. As you read this story it is almost as if it is you, the reader, experiencing the emotional trauma. Cherie as an adult is much different now. She is married and has children. Just as it seems she is over the trauma, people start disappearing. Not just disappearing but exactly as the did when her father was killing them. Why is this happening now? The ending will surprise you completely. This is one hell of a ride and written in such a way that you are immersed completely and cannot wait to see what happens next. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves this genre!

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was very intrigued by the premise of this thriller. A serial killer's daughter all grown up, a family of her own, and a new killer on the loose. The plot was very clever in how it unraveled. I am trying not to post spoilers, because I started this read knowing only what was written in the description and I feel everyone should read knowing no more than that. No tiny little spoilers and plot twists will come from me!

Told in first person perspective, Cherrie, who used to be name Leigh-Ann and later taunted by the name Little Bones, is now an adult. Her and her long-time boyfriend have a son together. Life seems dull, but perfect, just as Cherrie prefers. She is the daughter of a serial killer and is hiding from her past. Not even her boyfriend and close friends know who she once was.

Then everything changes. A boy in her town goes missing and a podcaster dredges up the story of Cherrie's dad. The horrifying story of Mr. Bones is retold and Cherrie's new identity is revealed to the world. The podcaster even suggests that Cherrie could be involved in the missing boy's disappearance. As the podcast grows in popularity Cherrie hears whispers among the town folk. Whispers that perhaps she inherited the serial killer gene. Whispers that she is responsible for the missing boy. Whispers that she too is a monster like her father. Slowly Cherrie feels her world crashing down around her. How will she tell those closest to her who she really is? How will she tell them that her dad used her as a prop to help abduct and kill young boys...

This kept me intruded pretty much throughout the entire story. There were times that the author got deep into the mind and thoughts of Cherrie and I got bored with the self loathing and sporadic way the main character behaved and the crazy thought process she followed. I seemed stuck between feeling bad for her being bullied and loathing her for her shady conduct.

The ending seemed rushed and was predictable, but overall it was a really good read. I got though it fast because I was intrigued and wanted to know exactly how it ended!

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for allowing me the eARC to read and give my honest review.

N.V. Peackock's "Little Bones" is due to be released October 31, 2020 here in the U.S. so preorder now! It was a 4 star read for me!

Happy Reading!

As a child, Leigh Anne would sit with her father in his car and lure young boys to their deaths. As a mother, she has changed her name to Cherrie and is a long way away from the nightmare that ruined her life. But when a podcast reveals her true identity and suggests she may be connected to a recent disappearance of a young boy, and a psychic tells her her own son is in danger, Cherrie has to relive the ordeal over again. But is she so innocent this time?

Little Bones is the perfect crime novel for the dark, autumn nights, and as it’s set around Halloween, it’s great if you’re wanting something creepy and dark!

Cherrie, once known as Leigh Anne, also called Little Bones (her father, the serial killer of young boys who made art work out of their bones, unsurprisingly gained the nickname Mr Bones) is doing her best to keep a low profile as she goes through life, with her boyfriend Leo, her son Robin, and her job at Dawson’s Food with her closest friend Tracy. But when Tracy drags her to see a psychic, Cherrie starts to sweat. She doesn’t believe in psychics, but what if she’s wrong? What if this woman can see into her past, and uncover all the secrets she’s been trying so hard to bury?

I was hooked from the very beginning of this book – there is no underlying secret about the main character for you to discover, it’s all already out there in the blurb or revealed very early on. But that doesn’t make this unsatisfying. Gradually Cherrie gives away a little more and a little more information about her past and her father’s terrible crimes (and some of the discriptions of the murders are awful, so bear in that mind) but it’s almost like this plot thread isn’t the main focus of the whole novel.

If you’re a fan of books which weave podcasts into the narrative then this would work for you too, as it’s through a podcast that Cherrie’s current identity gets linked to Little Bones, and when her world starts falling apart. I really enjoyed the transcripts of the podcast episodes dotted throughout the book.

The writing style was mostly very engaging and absorptive, but there were some times I got lost in Cherrie’s thoughts which were a little rambling. There were some repetitive comments about Cherrie watching Grey’s Anatomy all the time, and every mention was about the oversexed doctors, or the doctors having inappropriate sex at work, or the doctors having too much sex with each other, and it just got a little ‘yeah yeah, think of some other way to talk about it, stop repeating the same words.’ It became so much that it really started to grate on me. I also had a couple of issues with how Cherrie felt towards her father at the end of the novel, in that she grew softer and more forgiving towards him, and while that is a plot point, and I suppose mildly understandable – he was her father afterall – I just think it’s very disjointed with the feeling of the rest of the book, about these abducted children and their mourning parents… so yeah. Might just be a personal opposition to the book, and I understand it was the character’s internal struggle, not the authors approach to these subjects (and it wasn’t major! It just didn’t sit right with me) but it did take me out of the story for a bit and so ruined the reading experience slightly.

Overall, though, I really, really enjoyed this and will be keeping an eye out for more of N.V. Peacocks work in future!

I received this as an ARC through Netgalley and it was fab. I was hooked from the start.

Leigh-Ann Hendy witnessed unspeakable things carried out by her father, serial killer Mr Bones, earning her the nickname Little Bones. Now 25 years later as Cherrie Forrester she has the perfect life. With a loving boyfriend, gorgeous eight year old son Robin and a group of friends she never thought she would have a true life podcast bring it all crashing down and the past back to the present.

When Robin goes missing could this be the case of a simple runaway or has he been abducted by someone more sinister? Someone who can't forget what Mr Bones and Little Bones did?

I loved this book. Unputdownable. Every time I thought I had worked it out there were enough red herrings and coincidences to keep me guessing till it all fell into place at the end. Highly recommended 5 stars.

I really really liked this morbid book.
It gave me the vibes of 'the whisper man' by Alex North and if you liked that book then this one will be a good one for y'all. Thankyou netgalley and @avon_books for the review copy and wow the cover is stunning and the book even more so.

Firstly let me tell that the writing was engrossing until the very end, I just couldn't put it down. A lot of characters with their complexities were very well portrayed and had the exact dept needed for the story to move smoothly. The situations, the landscape, the pain, the struggle, every single detail was thoroughly explained without redundancies and that is what I loved the most. The morbidity or rather the painful irrational and unbelievable crimes against children are so heartbreaking and raw that I detested us humans for awhile.
The worst portrayed thing was the truth of our social media and how wrongly it can be used to harm others and that struck a deep cord in my soul.

I loved the timely movie, tv series and Sherlock Holmes references which kept the story in a certain high and never made things too much. The only thing which gave away the story was that I guessed who had done the crime as soon as I read some elements in the beginning but reading the end didn't make it any less thrilling.
This book isn't for the weak hearted and has a lot of trigger so take care before you read it but I hope everyone does read it. Thankyou again for the review copy avon books. #netgalley #avonbooks #nvpeacock #littlebones

It’s always a case of the book I read last being the best book on my Netgalley list! Little Bones is a fantastic, dark thriller. It’s full of twists and turns an£ I loved it!
I really enjoyed Cherrie as a character, she was exciting and different from protagonists I've met before.
I would have liked to see more of the podcast and / or the the story of Mr Bones explores some more.

Ending was a rushed but other than that this is the perfect story!

**This review will be cross posted on my Blog, Instagram, and Facebook page close to the pub date**

When a child goes missing, a podcast brings back the gruesome history of the small town into focus again. Is the serial killer who abducted, killed and made macabre art out of the children's bones many years ago back? Or is it his daughter, who as a child helped him kill, and is now a living an ordinary life? But when her own child goes missing, everyone's a suspect including the mother herself.

This was such an interesting read an I enjoyed it very much. Gripping from the get go and super fast paced. And even though the subject is kinda dark, it's written in a light way, from the perspective of a serial killer's daughter, that does not feel jarring at all but adds more to the feel of the book.

What I really liked was how strong and badass (reckless even, but believable) the protagonist was written as. I was half expecting the typical crying and wailing over the missing kid and the broken motherhood but it was such a delight to read this character for a change. The final reveal was kinda predictable but every character was a suspect at one point or another and it was still fun to solve the whodunit alongside. Recommended! 🙌

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley, author, and publishers. All opinions are my own. Pub date 31st Oct.

When Cherrie Forrester was eight years old, her father was tried and convicted as the serial killer, Mr. Bones. He lured young boys, often with Cherrie as a witness, to their ultimate deaths, where he then used their bones to make "art." Cherrie, then Leigh Ann Hendy, was dubbed Little Bones. Years have gone by, and when an podcast dedicated to the disappearance of a young boy, outs Cherrie as Little Bones, her world comes crashing down. That's not the worst of it. Days later her own son, Robin, disappears from the local fair, and all eyes turn to her. Has Little Bones really been resurrected or is there a copycat on the loose?

Holy cow! I really went into this book without knowing the synopsis so the revelation that Cherrie was Little Bones was very startling. I felt on the edge of my seat for the entire ride. I questioned everyone, including Cherrie. I loved the first person narrative and that the main character may be unreliable. I also loved the inclusion of a true crime podcast and side characters who made me feel strong emotions. I did have an inkling of how the story would resolve, but again, I was questioning everyone and everything because the author does a great job of casting doubt and suspicion. The very last sentence threw me for a loop and I'm still not exactly sure how I feel, or what the author wanted me to feel but I will definitely be recommending this book to fellow thriller fans.

Thank you to #Netgalley, author #NVPeacock, and #AvonBooksUK for an advanced reading copy of this fast-paced thriller!

Cherrie Forrester has it all, an adorable son, a doting boyfriend, and a job she enjoys. But when young boys begin to disappear and a podcast reveals her hidden identity, "Little Bones', the daughter of infamous serial killer Mr Bones., her carefully curated life begins to fall apart. As a child, Cherrie witnessed her father's crimes and he used her to bait the little boys that he killed and made "art" out of.

With her past being dug up by a wannabe journalist, a psychic with dire warnings, an overbearing mother-in-law, and posters of missing boys going up, Cherrie's past become the forefront, threatening her, freedom, identity, and marriage.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! A lot of readers mentioned that an unlikable main character ruined it for them, but I didn't find Cherrie unlikable- I found her complex and sometimes her choices had me yelling at the book, but overall I found her to be a really interesting and redeemable character. I found her boyfriend to be similarly complex and at times unlikable, but I think that the reactions they have to their son's disappearance make sense. This book was gripping- I kept waking up in the middle of the night wanting to read it and I finally finished it this morning at around 5am! When a book seriously affects my sleep I know it is a good read. I recommend this to all of the true crime, mystery, and thriller readers!

My only criticism is that the writing was a bit choppy or frenetic in places, but overall I highly recommend this book- especially to read alone at night!

The titlle and description pulled me in, I knew I needed to read this book! Overall I enjoyed the storyline, it had a clever plot and I was looking forward to finding out who had Cherrie’s son!

I didn’t expect the ending, a good twist as it wasn’t something I predicted but I felt it was quite rushed at the end.

I think little bones and Mr Bones have so much potential and further stories could grow from it and maybe even tv series!

Overall a good enjoyable thriller!

This is NOT a True Crime account

I almost didn't get this book. I had read a few reviews saying it was a True Crime account, which is not my preference. It is NOT True Crime. It is a totally fiction book about crimes against children.

Cherrie Forrester is 35 years old. She lives with her son and long-time boyfriend. She changed her name years ago, after her father was discovered to be a serial killer of young boys known as Mr. Bones who used their bones in his grotesque art pieces. It came to light after he was caught that his young daughter helped him lure the young boys and also helped him after they were captured, earning her the name of Little Bones.

Cherrie has done her best to outrun her infamous past but when a local boy disappears and a podcast announces her new name and describes her past history, she does her best to keep her secrets from her family and friends, who she has never told.

I enjoyed this story although it was slow moving and repetitive at times. I did find it hard to be sympathetic to Cherrie, based on her past history.

There were definite red herrings thrown into the path of the reader and I actually was almost to the end of the book before I figured out part of the story.

I actually rated this book 3 1/2 stars and would have kept it at 3 stars for rating purposes except for one thing. The very last sentence of the book had me raising my rating to 4 stars. I loved it. (Don't cheat and read it before the end of the book.)

I received this book from Avon Books UK through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

“𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙮, 𝙖𝙡𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙛 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚. 𝘼𝙨 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙮, 𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙤𝙛𝙛 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩.”

Let me tell you the premise of the story and the beginning was so exciting. It was almost impossible to put it down after reading first couple of pages. I admired the well portrayed characters and smooth story telling. However it went into slumber with a slow and repetitive pace of second half.

Cherrie Forrester has a secret about her past. She lives a normal life with an adorable son, an affectionate boyfriend, and a likeable job at Dawson’s Food. But a young boy disappears and a true crime podcast reveals Cherrie’s hidden identity as “Leigh-Ann Hendy aka Little Bones”, the daughter of infamous serial killer Mr. Bones who abducted and kill young boys and used their bones for sculptures. As a child, Cherrie witnessed her father’s crimes who sometimes used her to bait the little boys.

With her past being dug up by a wannabe journalist, her carefully curated life begins to fall apart, threatening her freedom, identity and her only son. Things starts to go haywire when her own child, Robin, goes missing.

This book deals with a wide variety of subject-matter such as victim blaming, ensuing mob mentality and dangers of Yellow Journalism. As I said earlier the writing was okay but the pacing was slow and inconsistent. Although there were some things I didn't like about this book, I cannot deny the fact that the first half was so strong for a debut novel. I will be looking for more from this author in the future.

*𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘼𝙫𝙤𝙣 𝙐𝙆 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨.

Wow. I loved this perspective - from the daughter of a serial killer... Who has re-invented herself and moved on... until a podcast digs up the past and brings it all back to life... Little Bones kept me on the edge of my seat and I loved every minute of it!