The Bones Will Speak

I loved this book. This book was great and had me on the edge of my seat. I think I will look into more books from this author. I love the way this book caught my attention right away and kept it. This book was very hard to put down and I loved the characters and the serial killer story line very much. * I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Forensic artist Gwen Marcey is shocked when she finds her dog playing with a skull. One that is obviously human. After calling the police, she follows the dog to the location he found the skull. Once at in the area, Gwen finds a young girl who looks like her own daughter barely alive in an abandoned cabin. As she works with the police to figure out what is going on and they discover more bodies, they know they are now searching for a serial killer. At first, the only link between the dead girls is their resemblance to Gwen’s daughter.

With a little digging, Gwen is able to link the murders to a race-hating group, one that does not tolerate people inferior to them or people who betrayed them. People like Gwen whose drawings of potential bombing suspects led to two deaths and an arrest of member of the neo-Nazi group. Someone has a grudge and they want Gwen to pay.

Fast paced and intriguing, this book held my interest from page one. While a little vulnerable from past sickness and experiences, Gwen is whip-smart and likable. She’s a good mother and friend even though she’s struggling to make a living for herself and her daughter. The book kept me guessing as to who the killer was. I waffled between three and four suspects until he was revealed near the end of the book, which is a feat in itself as so often you know who is behind everything right away. The action sequences in the book, especially the one near the end, kept me on the edge of my seat.

The Bones Will Speak is the second Gwen Marcey novel by Carrie Stuart Park. While it was the first one I read, it definitely will not be the last one. Parks’ experience with police investigations and procedures is evident in the details of her story. Fans of Terri Blackstock, Dee Henderson, and Brandilyn Collins will enjoy the Gwen Marcey series.

***Thomas Nelson Fiction provided me with a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and fair review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I love books that have a synopsis that mentions a serial killer. I know that sounds morbid, but that means that the body count will be high and that there should be plenty of action written in the story to capture my attention. In Carrie Stuart Parks second novel, The Bones Will Speak, Parks does exactly what I wanted. She is a great fit for the suspense genre.

Since Gwen Marcey is a forensics expert who reconstructs faces from the victim’s memory or from a skull, the story gripped my attention from the first chapter. I liked how Gwen’s dog found the skull and brought it home to her. This sparked Gwen’s thirst for a mystery. And mine. I couldn’t wait to turn the pages and find out who the killer was and who the skull belonged to. The story never lagged. Parks did a great job at keeping my attention, even though I did figure out who the killer was pretty early on. I still kept flipping the pages, glued to the action to prove that I was right or wrong.

Gwen is a newly divorced woman who recently surpassed breast cancer. While trying to raise her daughter and living with the struggles of paying her bills, Gwen comes across mysteries, needing her expert opinion to solve the case. Gwen is the typical mother that too many women today can relate too. She wants to be a good mother and shelter her daughter from the horrors of her daily job, but she also wants to allow her daughter to have some freedom. The never-ending struggle consumes her thoughts and life.

The writing is written with close attention to the colors and details of the surroundings. Parks does a good job at allowing the readers to follow the first person point of view of an artist. I really enjoyed how Parks invites the reader into Gwen’s stream of concinsous to solve the murders. I understood every move that Gwen made and followed closely, wanting to be proved that the killer was who I thought it was.

Another aspect was Parks’ research into the Phineas Priesthood. It enhanced the story, not detract from it. I really enjoyed reading and learning about the inner workings and beliefs of this Priesthood, but I did not feel like I was reading it from a textbook. It was enjoyable. Parks voice floated from the page, creating an enthralling tale of history mixed with suspense, not taking away from the movement of the plot.

The tension of the serial killer filled the pages. There was no romantic tension. The whole story centered on Gwen and the serial killer who is targeting her with the victims who look like her fourteen-year-old daughter. Every time I thought Parks would slow down the action, it would escalate and make me want to read faster to keep up with Gwen as she ran for her life, protecting her daughter.

Parks really did not mention God a lot. There were references to Bible verses and how Jezebel died, but nothing that would overwhelm fans of the ABA market. On the same vein, there really was no questionable content to flinch from. As an avid reader of suspense, thrillers, and mysteries, it holds about the same amount of violence, but nothing cringeful or distasteful. The Bones will speak is an original story with a predictable villain, at least for me. But I truly enjoyed the twists and turns. Fans of Steven James, Terri Blackstock, Dee Henderson, Dani Pettrey, and Lynette Eason would love the story. I truly loved The Bones will Speak and can’t wait to see what else Carrie Stuart Parks puts out next.

Always thrilling, Carrie Stuart Parks’ latest suspense novel The Bones will Speak will grip readers with a relatable heroine who struggles with her daily life, but the non-stop action will keep readers glued to the page, begging for another book from Parks. I received a complimentary copy of The Bones Will Speak from Thomas Nelson Publishing and the opinions stated are all my own.

This book has everything I look for in a suspense novel. The plot is realistic, the characters are well crafted, I learned something about an interesting topic, and the suspense at the end of the book is page turning.

We met Gwen Marcey last year in A Cry from the Dust (see my review here). She is a forensic artist, a divorced and single mom and a breast cancer survivor (her husband left her during cancer treatment). Without a solid contract with a law enforcement agency, she is having a tough time making ends meet.

Her dog brings home a skull and, when Gwen follows the dog to the source, she becomes entwined in the actions of a serial killer. Gwen faces the chilling reality that he is killing young girls looking a great deal like her own daughter. The research Gwen and her friend Beth do informs readers about white supremacy groups, active in nearby Idaho and eastern Washington.

I like the way the characters are developed. Gwen, a Christian, is still trying to keep from hating her husband who abandoned her when she needed him the most. Gwen's daughter is a typical fourteen year old, rebellious one moment, bragging on her mother's skills the next. I really like Gwen's friend Beth. She is sort of Gwen's discipler, not so subtly reminding her of verses about forgiveness. She is also a great researcher, hence much of what we learn about supremacy groups.

I recommend this book to those who like suspense built around a serial killer. Gwen is a fast thinking heroine and I'll be eagerly looking for her next adventure.

Carrie Stuart Parks is an award-winning fine artist and internationally known forensic artist. She teaches forensic art courses to law enforcement professionals and is the author/illustrator of numerous books on drawing. She began to write fiction while battling breast cancer and was mentored by Frank Peretti. She and her husband live in northern Idaho. You can find out more at www.carriestuartparks.com.

Thomas Nelson, 336 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Carrie Stuart Parks, and Thomas Nelson for providing me with a copy of this book, which allows me to provide you with this review.

Without having read Parks' previous novel, I felt unsure how to approach this second book in the series. Gwen Marcey is a forensic artist, working piecemeal for the local sheriff , but is unable to make ends meet. While out with her dog, they discover a skull and eventually a body that bears an uncanny resemblance to Gwen's own daughter. Pulled deeper into the mix, move victims emerge and Gwen finds herself visiting crime scenes she knows well from an artistic point of view. Honing her investigative skills, Gwen uncovers parallels between the victims and clues found at the scene, all of which lead back to a neo-Nazi group in the guise of a Christian church, the Phineas Priesthood. Gwen's past forensic work may also play a role in her being a target, a case with deep religious and supremacist roots. With a killer out on the loose, no one is safe, especially Gwen and her daughter. Set in the Montana backcountry, Parks uses what she knows best and formulates a wonderful forensic mystery that develops in unique ways, luring the reader deeper with each passing moment.

Parks has a wonderful way of laying out a mystery in a clear and concise manner, which attracts the reader from the early stages. Without bogging the reader down with excessive forensic information, the story moves quickly. A unique approach, forensic art, keeps the main character distanced from many other attempts authors have made to create their respective niche in the genre. Parks builds on her characters slowly, but constantly. Use of a more rural setting allows the reader more of a personal connection to each person introduced, rather than having to flip back an reacquaint one's self with the plethora of legal authorities. Also, use of short, sharp chapters pushes the reader forward, promising that they will 'read only one more' before completing a dozen. Parks has found her calling and with more novels using this style will surely allow her following to grow exponentially.

Kudos, Madam Parks for this wonderfully entertaining piece. I can only hope you'll keep writing and finding new ways to use the Gwen Marcey character to your benefit.

Gwen's dog returns home with a skull. When she gets her dog to follow the trail back to where he dug up the skull, she finds a young teenage girl who looks eerily like her daughter. Soon, she finds herself, her daughter, and her dog in the middle of a life or death game with a psychotic serial killer.

I have to say, HOLY COW AND WOW! I did not realize this was the second book in the series, therefore I had not read the first one. However, it made no difference to me and I don't feel like I missed anything by not reading the first one.

I also have to say this is the first book by Carrie Stuart Parks that I have read, but it most certainly will not be my last! I have absolutely fallen in love with this author! What sealed the deal for me with this author is that she was actually a forensic artist! How cool is that! To know that a lot of the police id techniques and other forensic information was accurate, made the story that much creepier! WOW!

From the very first page right up to the last page, I was completely engaged! I couldn't believe how quickly I read this book! I really could have read it in one sitting, however, back to school activities got in the way! Absolutely amazing how she draws you in and keeps you on the edge of your seat, the entire time!

I had no clue who the serial killer was and was just floored when it was revealed. Ha! I probably read too fast to pick up on the details that may have given it away. Ha! The characters, the forensic details, and the true suspense built into this book makes it one of my favorite reads! I've already gone back and requested the first one in the series from the library! I. CAN'T. WAIT!

As with any good thriller, there were several likely suspects (evildoers, as my daughter would say), plenty of red herrings, and that sense of impending doom for the characters that keeps me turning the pages in the vain hope that if I read fast enough, I’ll somehow be able to prevent whatever evil plan the villain has cooked up. That might sound delusional, but it’s indicative of the level of suspense the author has managed to achieve.

Gwen Marcy is a fascinating character. She’s a single mother of a rebellious teenage daughter (her husband divorced her while she was going through cancer treatments), and she’s trying to pull her life back together. She also has an interesting occupation: she’s a forensic artist, which means she takes skulls and reconstructs them to help identify the victim. It’s an interesting occupation and brings to mind Tim Downs and his forensic entomologist (an occupation Gwen could never have: she hates bugs). However, Gwen is a more well-adjusted character than Downs’s Bugman.

The one slightly odd thing about The Bones Will Speak is the way the story is told: it’s a combination of first person (Gwen’s point of view) and third person (the other characters). This is an unusual writing choice and it did jar me at first, but I forgot about it once I got into the story, partly because the story and characters were so compelling.

Overall, The Bones Will Speak was an excellent thriller, and while it’s not exactly a tourist advertisement for Utah, I’ll certainly be on the lookout for the next Gwen Marcy book.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

All in all this is a pretty good crime/mystery novel. To me it was not a thriller, but more of an typical crime book. It lacked the “What the heck is happening right now!” moments for me to count as a thriller and the actual thrilling parts were also missing. So only a crime-mystery book to me.

But that is okay, was is the book itself. It is not great. I did not enjoy the overall story and how it went, i could not connect to any of the characters and i could sadly predict the murderer after the first introduction of him. Which takes the mystery part for me right out of the book especially if that introduction happens way before the first half of the book as it did in this one. So, yes, i did not enjoy this book that much.

But maybe there were other reasons that I did not enjoy this book that much. Maybe I was just not in the mood to read this type of book right now. Or maybe the writing style –even though it was okay- was just not for me. Or the character and her life story were to near to me and she did not behave as I would expect to behave. I don’t know. Maybe this I just the book for me. So 3 stars because I can see the potential. I can see how other people would enjoy this. I am just not one of them.

If you do want to try it, don’t expect a heart-stopping thriller, and more of a typical crime-show mystery. You can try to work through this novel with the characters and try to figure out what is happening. Maybe you will not guess the right murderer the second that person is introduces as I did. Or maybe you will understand some of those other character better then I did and enjoy it more. Give it a try if you love crime/mystery and see for yourself what you think. Maybe you will find your next favorite crime series to follow along. Or you will have a similar option as I did about this book: nice try, maybe better luck next time! Still it is worth a read if the summary sounds interesting to you.

Now that I have read both “A Cry From the Dust” and “The Bones Will Speak” I am certain that I will have a place on my bookshelves for any forthcoming novel by Carrie Stuart Parks. I have always enjoyed suspense novels but in the past few years have begun to shy away from those that have too much gore. Carrie’s books have just enough details to ramp up the suspense as well as give the crimes credibility but she does not include anything that makes me cringe or keeps me awake at night. I also like the fact that she draws from her own career and personal experiences for her plot and character development.

In “The Bones Will Speak” forensic artist Gwen Marcey is trying to pick up the pieces after a bout with cancer, an unwanted divorce, and financial pressures due to the loss of her job. A discontented teen daughter adds to her stress. When her dog brings home a human skull, Gwen’s life becomes even more complicated as more bodies are discovered and there is even a possibility that she and her daughter are being targeted by a serial killer.

This book had me turning the pages as fast as I could read. I didn’t want to put it down until I found out who the killer could be. Plenty of twists and surprises kept the story moving and the tension built throughout the book until its climatic last pages. I can’t wait to read about Gwen’s next adventure.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. My actual rating is 3.5 ⭐️'s

I must admit, I found this book to be a slow-starter. I struggled with the first 50% of this book but I kept with it as I could feel there was something there.

The characters were interesting and little tid bits were thrown out to keep me hooked, which I suppose was the main reason I kept going. The background story was also interesting (Gwen's) but I think I need to read the first book as I could tell I was missing out on a lot of why things happened as they did.

Once I got over the hump, the book picked up momentum and the pace was GO GO GO. I was gripped! It is a shame that it took so long as I think that may put off a few readers and that would be a shame.

I am also one of those readers who likes to read "About The Author" and the Acknowledgements...I guess it is like those movie buffs who sit and watch the credits. I think, if they put the time in to thank people and tell us a little about themselves than it is the least I could do. The main character (Gwen) seems to be loosely based on the author and the expertise of a Forensic Artist clearly comes through in this book!

I would definitely recommend having a read of this and I will be picking up Book 1 myself to see if it links the stories/characters together. Certainly worth a read!

Carrie Stuart Parks hits another home run with The Bones Will Speak, her sophomore novel. In my opinion, she’s a cross between Kathy Reichs and Patricia Cornwell for the Christian market, which I find refreshing and exciting. Her knowledge of forensic art, only makes her novels that much more believable. I loved digging along with the multi-layered heroine (a forensic artist). She’s savvy, tough, a little snarky and resourceful, but she’s also tender and relatable. From page one I was hooked and stayed on the edge of my seat, literally gasping at one point with a surprising twist. I wish I could rate the book higher. I absolutely loved it and can’t wait for the next book. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

I hadnt read A Cry From The Dust before starting The Bones Will Speak. Other than the odd reference here and there, it was fine. It didnt make any difference to the overall story and I dont feel like I have missed anything by not reading it. Although having thoroughly enjoyed The Bones Will Speak I am definitely going to get my hands on a copy.

At first I found the story quite hard to get into. I was a little annoyed that it kept going back and forth from third person to first person point of view. Other than that, I really enjoyed the story. All the characters are really well written and very believable. I thought the main characters forensic artist role was extremely interesting and a new way of looking at crime scenes.

Overall a very well written and gripping story that will keep you guessing to the very end.

The Bones Will Speak by Carrie Stuart Parks In this authentic novel, Parks continues the story of her heroine, Gwen Marcey. Gwen stumbles into a murder investigation by finding a girl who has been tortured and temporarily abandoned. The eerie thing about the victim is that she so closely resembles Marcey’s own daughter. After putting some clues together, Gwen realizes that she is being stalked by a serial killer who is somehow related to the Christian identity movement. Can she outwit the killer to save many lives including her daughter’s and her own?
The things I most enjoyed about this book were the flawed but unassuming main character, the unique job she held, and her courage. The way Parks teased the reader along kept me guessing until the killer was revealed. The ending of the book was rollercoaster fast and just as suspenseful. Those readers who enjoy crime fiction with lots of suspense will find this book keeps them awake late into the night. I really enjoyed it.

Execellent, gripping read from the first page. Would love to read more from this author in the future.

I used to read Patricia Cornwall religiously, but I got tired of all the bad language so I haven't read anything like that since. Carrie Stuart Parks is a new author to me and I enjoyed her latest book The Bones Will Speak, it had all of the great forensic elements without the rotten language. The suspense and mystery had me on the edge of my seat and I liked the forensic artist angle, it was something I hadn't read before.

Highly recommended!

Gwen Marcey, the title character, reminds me of another beloved character in the field of forensics. In fact, I'd call Gwen the female Bugman (created by Tim Downs). She's quirky, dedicated, has a unique specialty...and doesn't know how to follow orders.

The characters are memorable, the mystery is engrossing, and I found just enough humor to lighten a very dark story. Good luck trying to figure out who is behind it all before Gwen does!

Something else I like about Carrie's writing: Faith flows naturally from the events of the book. It isn't forced or preachy, but it's in there, and it fits. So, while the tales are dark and dangerous, the reader finishes with a sense of hope remaining once the final page is turned.