Quiet in Her Bones

 

Quiet in Her Bones- Nalini Singh

Berkley Publishing

Release Date: February 23, 2021

Rating: 📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: 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.

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Quiet in Her Bones follows Madness of Sunshine as Nalini Singh's second break from her traditional paranormal romance books (Wolf Rain, Archangel's Sun) to dive into the world of pure psychological thrillers.  In the rich and lush world of New Zealand's forests, socialite Nina Rai disappears.  Ten years later, her bones are found and old dramas are revived as her son Aarav tries to piece together what happened.

The problem with doing a review for Quiet in Her Bones is that it is almost impossible to write anything about the book that isn't a spoiler in some way.  Almost none of the characters in Quiet are particularly likable, including Aarav, who is the story's narrator.  What's interesting is trying to figure out why that is. Is he just a jerk? Is he, as he believes, a sociopath? Is he hiding something even from himself- and by extension, from the reader? Or is he a seriously messed up guy who uses being a jerk as a self defense mechanism? Possibly all of the above? My view of Aarev was like view of the mystery- it kept changing as new things were discovered or hidden.  

Like our main character, the plot of Quiet in Her Bones is a kaleidoscope that changes with ever new look and twist.  That's the brilliance of Nalini Singh's writing: even when you aren't sure you're enjoying the book, you can't stop reading to discover the truth.  Some of Quiet's plot bogged down with too many false leads and possible red herrings, and there are plenty of times when you're wondering what in the world Aarev thinks he's doing.  But keep reading and the secrets of a perfect little cul-de-sac are revealed and suddenly past and present merge into a plot where you can't put the book down until you've answered all the questions.  

Amazing descriptions of the New Zealand forests and beaches blend with the tiny domestic dramas of a few homes in a private cul-de-sac to reveal one of Nalini Singh's most psychologically thrilling books yet. A must read for mystery and suspense fans.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review