Title: Quiet in Her Bones by Nalini Singh
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Domestic Mystery, Suspense
Length: 383 pages
Book Rating:
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
In this gripping thriller set in New Zealand, New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh takes you into the twisted world of an exclusive cul-de-sac located on the edge of a sprawling forest.
My mother vanished ten years ago.
So did a quarter of a million dollars in cash.
Thief. Bitch. Criminal.
Now, she’s back.
Her bones clothed in scarlet silk.
When socialite Nina Rai disappeared without a trace, everyone wrote it off as another trophy wife tired of her wealthy husband. But now her bones have turned up in the shadowed green of the forest that surrounds her elite neighborhood, a haven of privilege and secrets that’s housed the same influential families for decades.
The rich live here, along with those whose job it is to make their lives easier. And somebody knows what happened to Nina one rainy night ten years ago. Her son Aarav heard a chilling scream that night, and he’s determined to uncover the ugly truth that lives beneath the moneyed elegance…but no one is ready for the murderous secrets about to crawl out of the dark.
Even the dead aren’t allowed to break the rules in this cul-de-sac.
Review:
Quiet in Her Bones by Nalini Singh is a spellbinding domestic mystery.
Aarav Rai has spent the last several years hoping he would hear from his missing mum, Nina. She, along with $250,000, inexplicably disappeared without a trace on a stormy night ten years ago. Not long after returning to his childhood home following a serious car accident, Aarav and his father Ishaan are notified by Senior Sergeant Oliver Regan and Constable Serafina Neri that Nina’s car has been found. A mystery writer, Aarav recognizes they are not telling them everything. Regan and Neri soon relay the distressing news that a skeleton has been discovered as well. Aarav has flashes of memories from the night his mum went missing, but he has been unable to decipher what, if anything, they have to do with his mum’s disappearance. And with a recent head injury, can Aarav trust what he remembers about the night she vanished?
Despite his broken leg and residual issues from the head injury, Aarav is determined to uncover the truth about Nina’s death. There is no love lost between him and his father, so he knows he won’t find answers from him. Instead, he begins analyzing their friends and neighbors to see if one of them might be involved in his mother’s death. Aarav quickly deduces there are plenty of secrets hiding behind the closed doors of the wealthy enclave.
Aarav rushes headlong into his investigation and he risks his recovery in the process. His eating habits are unhealthy and he is awake long into the night pouring over his suspicions. Aarav is also suffering from debilitating migraines and his recent memories are not always clear. But considering his recent accident, Aarav puts these unexpected health issues down to his injuries. Making sure to keep a written record of the details he uncovers, will Aarav unmask a killer?
Quiet in Her Bones is a riveting mystery with a beautiful setting and an intriguing storyline. Aarav judges himself harshly as he undergoes therapy to quell his anger. The cul-de-sac where his father lives appears serene but what secrets are lurking within the walls of their neighbors’ homes? With the police closing in on a viable suspect, Nalini Singh brings this thrilling domestic mystery to a twist-filled conclusion. Highly recommend to fans of the genre.