*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

The story, Rebecca's father kills himself, but she doesn't believe it, and because she is a cop, she can determine what really happened to her father. There was a lot of suspense, A LOT, and at the end I thought they would crack open a more sinister mystery, but no.

There were a lot of details, sometimes I thought they helped the story, sometimes they bored me to death, I tried to read them all because I thought they would give me clues. But yeah, most of the time I just wanted to skim through it.

The characters, at the beginning I liked Ash, then he became someone who wasn't interesting to me anymore, I don't know what was it. Rebecca, she didn't seem very professional, interviewing people, telling her theories and she kept thinking "i should be more careful", because obviously everyone in that town knew everybody.

Overall, I liked the suspense, sometimes it made me want to scream and say, just get it over with.

This story has a cast of characters that all have secrets to hide and agendas to pursue. One event - a death that could be suicide just as easily as it could be a well-planned murder - causes a town's population to question each other's actions and motives. Meanwhile, this death results in the reviewing of a long-cold missing persons case. Are the two cases connected? Who else could be involved? Is there any chance that an old love can be rekindled when there is so much mistrust and hurt lingering between the two? This book weaves together so many different storylines among the people in this town that it results in a tapestry rich in action, emotion and judgement. White pulls it all together in a book that you won't want to put down until you've read the last page!

I thought The Dark Bones was full of fast-paced action and strong, interesting characters. I especially thought Rebecca and Ash were well-developed and I want to read future books with them featured! The story itself was intricately crafted and White's attention to detail and ability to weave different subplots together to create a cohesive and interesting story were incredible. While this is the second book in the series, it definitely can be read as a standalone. I really enjoyed this book and I hope future books in the series include the characters from The Dark Bones.

Rebecca North left the rural town of her upbringing behind long ago. She became a white collar crime cop in the big city. So when her father Noah calls out of the blue saying he needs to speak to her immediately regarding a cold case disappearance of Whitney Gaignon and her boyfriend. Before Rebecca can follow up with her dad, she is notified that he died in an apparent suicide. Rebecca comes home to settle her fathers affairs. Being a cop herself, she can’t help but start to investigate her father’s death. It quickly becomes apparent that the suicide story is not a complete story. It appears that the Whitney Gaignon disappearance may have played a role in her father’s death. The small town of Rebecca’s youth has many secrets that it’s residents aren’t willing to let come to light.

The story is a tale of redemption on many levels for most of the characters involved. It is also a story of healing through closing old wounds. A worthwhile mystery. Would recommend.

Sit down and strap yourself in tightly because you are in for a thrilling ride! I didn’t want to put this read down for even a minute. So much suspense, as well as romance, kept me reading well past midnight. Loved Becca, Ash, Ricky, Tori and Kima, as they literally came alive right away. Looking forward to reading more about them, ( and guessing Ricky’s sister will join them). The suspense began with Becca receiving a call from her father, who ended up supposedly committing suicide. As Becca returned home she was faced with the repercussions of events from 20 years ago. Mysteries were revealed layer by layer adding so much depth to the plot, and keeping the roller coaster on track speeding through the wilds in West Canada. When you think you have figured out one part of the mystery, guess again! Don’t miss this suspenseful thriller, soon to be released on May 21st. Many many thanks to Loreth Anne White, Montlake Romance Books, and NetGalley for providing me with this exhilarating ARC. I will definitely enjoy reading more of Loreth Anne White’s books!

This book introduces the reader to Sergeant Rebecca North, a focused and talented detective in the Canadian federal police force's commercial crime branch. Originally from a rural small town, North has made a life for herself in the big city and has never desired to return to the place of her origins; there are too many secrets. However, a desperate call from her father (who lives just outside that rural town), causes her to worry about him and consider the need to go for a visit. However, she's too late for the visit. She receives news that her father has died in what has been declared as a suicide, complicated by a fire that burned his house to the ground. North does not believe her dad took his own life, so she returns "home" to investigate what happened. There, she faces a complacent police chief and a town that has accepted the ruling because her dad was known as the town drunk with an obsession to solve cold cases from his time on the police force. Her investigation leads to the realization that there are secrets, deeply hidden, involving her dad and the man she once loved. This exciting story will keep you guessing the entire time. I hope that this will not be the end to the Rebecca North story. Please write more!

Fast paced mystery thriller that keeps you guessing right up until the end. Secondary characters could have been developed a bit more but otherwise, a solid read.

Detective Rebecca North, RCMP, returns to her home town after learning of the death of her father, Noah, a retired cop. They said that he shot himself, but she cannot believe that her father committed suicide…she had just heard from him the night before. He was worried about something, someone watching him and removing something from his cabin involving a former cold case. When Rebecca investigates on her own, she uncovers evidence that was missed by the local police. Was the decades old case, of two missing people, the catalyst that caused her father’s death? She receives help from her former lover, Ash Haugen, and is determined to get justice for her father. They will have to persevere as someone wants the past to stay dead. A follow up mystery to “A Dark Lure”, a very involved and wonderful mystery with characters that will imprint themselves in your mind. I had not read the first book in the series, but I did not feel lost while reading this book. I did, however, feel that I was missing out on a first book that I really needed and wanted to read…so I purchased it and can’t wait to start reading! I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

The Dark Bones is a twisty mystery filled with secrets and suspects. Detective Rebecca North returns to the town she left in her rear view when her father dies in a suspected suicide. Facing down past heartbreak and the guilt from leaving her father, Becca dives headfirst into investigating her father's death. Her father's last case was a cold case that brings up the past and the betrayal she experience first hand with her first love. Now flirting with a second chance at love while not knowing who she can trust, Rebecca faces down the danger of the present and the hurt of the past to uncover the truth and protect all those that get caught in the line of fire. A fast paced page turner, this mystery tugged the heart strings and kept me on the edge of my seat. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Loreth Anne White, and Montclair Romance for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

At a time when the thriller genre is supersaturated by authors who wish to peddle their wares, Loreth Anne White enters with a few unique qualities, one of which being the novel’s setting in rural Western Canada. Add to that, the slow development and eerie quality of her writing and the reader is in for a treat as they devour this, the second novel in her new series. The disappearance of two local teenagers two decades before has always been a cold case that nagged at Noah North, a retired cop. When he came upon some new information that may lead to a re-opening of the case, he wanted the world to know, including his daughter, Rebecca, who now resides in Ottawa. When Rebecca speaks to her father, he tells her, a little less than sober, that he knows she was not telling the truth those twenty years ago about what she and a friend were doing. Dismissing it, Rebecca returns to her life, only to receive a stunning call that her father’s committed suicide, shooting himself in the head with a shotgun. When Rebecca returns to her rural British Columbia community, she sees that much has changed and much remains the same. Trying her best to understand what’s happened, Rebecca is pulled into the middle of the case she thought everyone had forgotten, particularly when there is evidence that her father might have been drugged and therefore incapable of killing himself. Opening the old case file, Rebecca begins to piece a great deal together, including examining her friendships and relationships at the time. With the locals all coming to pay respects and opening a past she had compartmentalised, Rebecca North faces many harsh truths, while trying to see if the rumours of a pregnant teen girl fleeing to California still holds weight. With mounting evidence that someone is trying to silence a resurfacing of the case, Rebecca must race to get answers, if only to put her father’s death to rest. White stuns readers yet again with this great follow-up thriller that will please those who enjoyed the debut, and likely hook a new set of readers. Recommended for those who love a thriller that paces itself nicely and keeps the reader wondering.

I read the series debut quickly so that I could sink my teeth into this advance copy. Both proved to be stellar reads for me, my first experiences with Loreth Anne White’s work. The story was strong and developed without losing momentum, while the reader learned more about a new collection of characters from this remote community, while also getting updates on those from the debut. Rebecca North takes centre stage in this piece and keeps them reader enthralled with her development. In a novel that straddles two time periods, Rebecca’s backstory and character development occur almost simultaneously. A teen struggling to find herself, she fled for the other side of the country, only to be pulled back with her father’s death. The reader can see the great contrasts, as White uses her narrative to show both time periods. Other characters find their way onto the page and build both the present and 1998 narratives effectively, from teens to responsible adults who have made something with their lives. White plants wonderful characters of many flavours to add depth to the story and these people feed off one another so well. White uses a different technique here, with short chapters and interspersed flashbacks to a time that is then revealed in the present story. These quick chapters worked well and contrasted nicely with the debut novel, which sought to use longer chapters with smaller ‘perspective break’. The reader will surely enjoy the momentum gained by these brief story breaks that propel the larger narrative forward. Much is revealed and the reader will surely enjoy the underlying mystery that proves to entertain and educate in equal measure.

Kudos, Madam White, for another stellar novel. I am eager to see if you will build on this series, as you have a real fan in me. I hope others discover this series soon!

4* I think I'd have rated this more if I hadn't just binge-read the entire Mercy Kilpatrick series...

... which in some ways this was similar to.

I couldn't help judging one Montlake offering against another, and I did unfortunately find this one a little lacking, because it was a bit too far-fetched and the romance aspect didn't work for me. I think that the leads didn't connect organically and that too much stayed unspoken, especially after Ash's reveal, which I really think should have had him in therapy. And, the fact that Rebecca was able to shed her real life back home, and her on-off lover, so quickly and easily made me wonder about her ability to have healthy relationships, especially since she and her father were kind of estranged; it felt more estranged than simply distant.

The tale irritated a bit by going back and forth a little too much, with too much of the past being featured in italics to be able to distinguish it from the present; reading too much non-regular font is taxing and loses my attention, and I suspect that I'm not the only one, from what style guides advocate. There were a few too many minor characters used as red herrings and just a little too much (unconscious, or not? I wasn't sure) emphasis placed on a couple of male characters' names that made me wonder if they were in the frame, and I wasn't really wrong. I was totally blindsided by how devious and unscrupulous the baddies actually were, but again, there were hints of how Rebecca had always had a bit of an iffy feeling about one of them and it did make me wonder.

I think this book would have worked better without any romantic aspect, as what was here felt forced. I couldn't see any fire or passion or longing or sadness at being apart. I only saw Rebecca's culling of Ash from her life, her making a new selfish life for herself - not that I blamed her, after the reveal/s - and he kind of came across as a bit pathetic a character. As it turned out, there were reasons for that, but the reveal didn't feel organic and was blurted out too easily to someone who'd been absent from his life for over 20 years. I just didn't believe in them as a couple, but with a bit more editing and weeding out of the unnecessary stuff, this could have been close to a 5* tale for me. And, it's made me want to check out more of this author's works.

ARC courtesy of Montlake Publishing and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.

Sergeant Rebecca North returns to her hometown in Cariboo Country upon the death of her father. Rebecca’s regrets are deep when she returns to the scene of her father’s death, all evidence pointing to him having taken his own life. However, Rebecca is determined to do right by her father, who had reached out to her on the day of his death, telling her of how he was being followed, of his case notes being rifled through, all circling around him digging up a cold case that is inexorably tied to Rebecca’s past, the past that had kept her from returning home.

Now a hot shot white collar crimes investigator, Rebecca puts all her efforts into finding out the events surrounding her father’s death. On the eve of the first day of her return, she runs smack dab into Ash Haugen, the man she had avoided for far too long, the man whose actions on the day of the disappearance of the woman who had been tied with the scandal that had driven Rebecca to flee from life as she had known it.

As Rebecca retraces the steps of her father on the days leading up to his death, she uncovers something far more deeper, darker, and sinister surrounding the cold case her father had been unable to let go. Rebecca takes on an investigation that has her stepping on toes of those would kill to keep their secrets buried, the mysterious events surrounding the disappearance of two key people who had left destruction in their wake of the kind they had no inkling of.

The Dark Bones takes place in the same setting as that of A Dark Lure, a definite favorite of mine and countless other readers when it comes to Loreth Anne White. Her mastery over bringing scenery to vivid life, the chills that runs up and down your spine owing to the evil that can lurk in your midst; all of that and more makes The Dark Bones just as highly readable.

I loved how the story developed up to a certain point. Don’t get me wrong, I truly did enjoy the book from start to finish. But I felt that there was a disconnect from a certain point onward in the story, from how it was at first initially developed to how everything was eventually resolved. Perhaps this was felt mostly owing to the fact that the villain(s) in this story wasn’t as prominently characterized as some of the books I have read from Loreth. I believe one of the most fascinating aspects of Loreth’s books is the fact that she care bring pure evil to life in a way that still has you questioning certain things, even when you know that there are no excuses to be had for their behavior in the end. I missed that in this story, mayhap one of the reasons why I felt that disconnect towards the latter half of the book.

In Rebecca North, Loreth creates the kind of strong heroine that her books always deliver. Independent, strong headed and strong willed, with a stubbornness that I can relate to being a woman myself. Rebecca’s role in the book as the lead detective through most of the story was fascinating; she after all had her considerable experience as a white collar crime investigator up her sleeve. Her determination to keep Ash at arm’s length, because she wanted him and didn’t trust him in equal doses played its role.

While I understand the need for strong female leads, I sometimes wonder if society at large has built up these expectations around women that we have to do everything by ourselves, if we are to show that we are strong and capable. We have come to a point in our debates on feminism and the role of women in society in which leaning on a man for support is often seen as weakness, which I do not believe it to be.

I did recognize where Rebecca’s character was coming from – she had her reasons to distrust Ash and his intentions. But for two people with such a strong connection that practically leaps off the pages from the moment they come into close proximity, I had a hard time envisioning Rebecca’s need for Ash, which somehow seemed mismatched when it comes to reciprocating how Ash views her. She had been all that he had dreamed of, everything he had wanted, until he had been forced to give up on his dream, tied to his own actions, born out of a need to answer deeply disturbing questions about his own self.

Ash’s character is the kind of hero that Loreth writes so well. I was drawn to him on an inexplicable level, Loreth’s mastery over characterization making it no hardship to fall deeply for Ash. I felt immensely sad and disturbed by his childhood, a truth that most had not seen. I found it odd that Rebecca’s father who had been a cop himself, had not seen the truth when it came to Ash, had never discovered the dark secrets that lay buried in Ash’s tortured soul. At the same time, I know how deeply seated these issues in society can be, especially in smaller communities where victims could end up being accused for the very atrocities that they desperately needed to escape from.

I wanted to shower Ash with love. I wanted to hug him close, wishing I could have saved him from way back when he needed it the most. I wanted to weep for him. Long after having turned the last page, I still cannot seem to get over his past, something that Loreth never delved deep into. Rebecca was center stage of the novel, and it is only through her pursuit of the truth that Ash’s past comes to light. If I could, I would reach through the pages, pluck Ash out of them, and give him the longest hug ever recorded in history. That is how deeply I felt about him and his character. It may also have something to do with the fact that even with all that he had endured, there is a wealth of kindness, love, & integrity inside of him, having survived horrors of the kind that I cannot even fathom.
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I also wished Loreth had delivered just a bit on the tangible sexual and emotional connection between Ash & Rebecca. I do not think it would have taken away anything from the main story. Instead, I believe that it would have only added more nuance to a story through exploration of a facet of both Ash and Rebecca’s character that Loreth brought so strongly to life amidst the backdrop of everything else that was going on. After all, the connection between Ash and Rebecca had been what kickstarted the events from years back, what had driven Rebecca away while Ash had been forced to stay behind, what had in essence led to Rebecca’s return home in the end.

On a side note, Sergeant Grace seems to be an interesting character. The strong, capable, and the do-not-need-anything-else-in-my-life kind of strong heroine that Loreth loves to write.

Recommended for fans of Loreth Anne White and for those who love tangible thrillers and mysteries. The Dark Bones definitely delivers.

Final Verdict: Loreth Anne White’s masterful manipulation of the world she draws her readers into is one reason why The Dark Bones stands out. Recommended!

Rating = 4/5 (GREAT READ)

This is the first book I have read by this author and I will definitely be seeking out more. I did not realize when I first started reading this story that it is the second book in the series, A Dark Lure being the first, but that did not deter me or cause any problems in understanding the storyline or characters. It is obvious from some references made that there is a previous book with some of the characters providing more of a backstory, but again, there was no confusion or lack of understanding and I was easily able to follow along. This book hooked me from the first page and kept me enthralled until the last. It is a fantastic read and I will be going back to read the first to see how the series started.

Starting with a frantic phone call, the past and present collide to solve the mystery of missing teens, a possible suicide, arson, rape, attempted murder, kidnapping, torture, drugs, blackmail, and abuse (physical and emotional trauma), as well as revealing a scandal secret involving a huge cover-up and plenty of shocks, twists, and turns. There are multiple storylines ongoing in this read with several families but they blend seamlessly into the overall story and each reaches a satisfactory resolution within the main plot. There is definitely a lot going on in this book but the deeper, grittier events are handled with care. A huge cloud of suspicion hangs over the town and its’ residents and many layers have to be peeled back to discover the truths behind the lies.

We get a look at a young woman who was desperate to flee after high school to escape heartbreak and betrayal and is drawn back to her hometown due to loss and has to face guilt, deception and several ugly truths to unravel a bone-chilling mystery and a young man who made a stupid, drunken decision that shattered his dreams of escaping his awful childhood but gets stuck instead living the life he despised and the far-reaching ripple effect that one fateful night made affecting multiple lives and leaving many unanswered questions, including a mystery involving missing teens that was left unsolved. When all the layers are pulled back and everything is laid bare will these two characters be able to pick up the pieces and mend their shattered souls to have the happy ending they had once dreamed of?

This story is more than just a wonderful thriller; you also get ongoing mystery and suspense in each and every page that will hold you captive and an emotional second chance romance with a promising ending.

*I received an advanced copy from the publisher, via NetGalley, and am providing my honest review.

Complex and occasionally very dark mystery featuring Sergeant Rebecca North of the Canadian federal police. Rebecca returns to her rural home town when her father dies in an apparent suicide and house fire.
There are few surprises, many of the characters are archetypes and the romantic subplot is very predictable, but the energy of this story creates a compelling read, set in an interesting and unique location.

The story ventured back twenty years to when Whitney was missing having wanted to escape this small town.

After the initial opening scene the story began in the present twenty years later. This is a character driven story and it took some time to process all the many layers of these characters.

A cold case from twenty years ago got reopened when Noah stumbled upon some pertinent information. This new evidence brought danger to his doorstep.

Overall:
It’s okay. It’s a bit wordy. The opening scene was thrilling, scary, and entertaining, but the rest of the story didn’t follow that same pattern, at least not until the end. Moving forward twenty years, shelving this scene to a cold case dampened the buzz of excitement I was feeling.

I was unaware that this was book 2. I’m not sure if reading the first book would’ve helped clarify any details. It might’ve helped with the character development of the many characters that was introduced. But I can’t be certain. I did struggle with sorting out the relations between characters. Given this was a small town where everyone knew one another and was somehow connected to each other created a long list of suspects.

Rebecca was a smart detective who had put away criminals, therefore unlocking the truth behind her father’s death was par for the course in her line of work. Rebecca grew up in this town returning after twenty years to investigate her father’s death. Sharing evidence with the people who she grew up with wasn’t something she was willing to trust in, so she kept her notes to herself hiring an outside team.

I was disappointed with how many times the evidence was explained. A constant rehashing to each new character working the case annoyed me. It held the story from progressing. Once Rebecca reached the point in her father’s investigation, the story took off in an exciting direction.

Ash’s story held my interest. This part of the story had my full attention. While I appreciated the big reveal I wasn’t overly surprised. There were moments when I didn’t read this book word for word. I did skim through sections trying to find the connection, but like I said Ash was the story I connected with most. Everything else was just filler.

After Detective Rebecca North sort of blows off her dad's freaked-out phone call, chalking it up to paranoia, he is found dead of an apparent suicide a few hours later. A penitent Rebecca returns to her home-town, learns the facts and, despite the evidence, does not believe for a minute that her father took his own life! The challenge is in proving it, since she is the only one who feels that way.

The story was gripping and the writing excellent with enough action for an exciting movie; however, the language was offensive. Just saying...

RCMP Det Rebecca North has returned home after her Father dies. It is ruled a suicide but Becca isn’t buying it. Her Father was investigating an old case that could have been a motive for his death. She starts an investigation of her own and encounters a former love. Ash and Becca had a bitter break up 20 years ago, but now she needs his help with her investigation. Ash made a mistake that destroyed Becca’s trust and tore them apart. Ash also has secrets that continue to impact his life. Can Becca trust him? There are people who don’t want her Fathers death and the possible connection to a 20 year old missing persons case investigated.

This is a dark and twisted book that will have you on the edge of your seat. There is a long list of suspects and plenty of twists. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Detective Rebecca North was eager to leave the small town where she grew up. After her boyfriend's betrayal, she couldn't get out of town fast enough. She's built a good life for herself working on white collar crime in Ottawa.

But now Rebecca is back after the apparent suicide of her father. Noah North was a retired police officer who made his own moonshine and drank too much of it. He was also paranoid. But being paranoid doesn't mean that someone isn't out to get you. Rebecca doesn't believe that her father committed suicide but, rather, that a cold case that he was investigating was the cause of his death.

As Rebecca investigates her father's death and the old case that might have caused it, she is forced to work with Ash Haugen, the man who broke her heart and, who might be a suspect in the old case. Ash is clearly keeping secrets. When Whitney, the girl he betrayed her with, and her boyfriend disappear, everyone thinks they just left town to move to LA for a better life. But some months later an investigation is begun when Whitney never contacts anyone from home.

The town seems filled with secrets as Rebecca uncovers a lot of them in her investigation. In fact, she finds herself in a lot of danger as she gets to close to uncovering those who killed her father.

The story was filled with flashbacks. We begin by seeing Whitney on the run from hunters who want her dead. We also see what happens on that hot July day twenty years earlier when Rebecca discovers Ash after a sexual encounter with Whitney. And what happens when Whitney comes across an injured Ash and swears he had an accident falling off a horse.

This was an entertaining mystery with well-developed and complex characters. I was totally engaged in this suspenseful story.

A very good read. This is my first read by Loreth Anne White and will not be my last. The storyline is thrilling and hooked me from the first paragraph. It did start a bit slow but then picked up. This is the second book in the Dark Lure Series but I had no problems following it.
Rebecca returns home to prove that her father did not commit suicide. With the help of her ex boyfriend Ash whom she ran away from and left town because he “betrayed” her, they start investigating her father’s death and stumble upon a 20 year old cold case disappearance . I liked the detail of the small town, gossip and unhelpful sheriff. A good mystery that will jeep you guessing till the end.
Thank you #netgalley #thedarkbones

One of the best mystery/thrillers I have read in a long time. Loreth Anne White's writing is beautiful and intriguing. The Dark Bones is one of her best! Rebecca North gets a cryptic call from her father imploring her to help solve a twenty year old disappearance. Rebecca is due in court and brushes him off. He dies from an apparent suicide that night. Rebecca goes home for the memorial service and to investigate if he did indeed commit suicide. Many plot twists and who done it's. I loved this book!