N.V. Peacock's adult debut is one of the best crime thrillers I have read this year - or any year. From the very first page the pace is breathless, and the growing tension relentless. It's overflowing with originality and innovative style.
The author takes one through a gruelling guessing game of red herrings - dropping them one by one, like lobsters into vats of boiling water, until just as one seems about to crack, she summarily dismisses them.
Cherries Forrester, part heroine, part anti-heroine is a character you will never forget.
I applaud loudly.

Cherrie, formerly Leigh-Ann, known in her childhood as Little Bones, the daughter of the serial killer Mr. Bones, becomes fixated on the disappearance of a young boy. When she visits a psychic who tells her that her own son is in danger, she doesn't believe it, until her son disappears too. I liked this a lot, even though I guessed pretty early on what was going to happen with the son's disappearance and who was involved, but it was still good and I wasn't sure until the end. Four stars.

Thank You Netgalley and the publisher for providing me the ARC!

Cherrie Forrester is having a dark secret. Her father was a notorious serial killer who murdered boys and her real name was Leigh Ann and she was nicknamed as Little Bones. She changed her name to Cherrie Forrester to start a new life. When a boy named Thomas Doncaster disappeared, the past comes back haunting her, especially when a podcast was aired talking about her past...

At first, the first few chapters were gripping and intense. The emotional trauma that Cherrie was going through seems realistic. I was hooked into the story that I couldn't put this book down. However, towards the end, it kind of became lame and the ending to me was a bit confusing. Most characters are not very likable but the writing was OK. The author did a good job making the reader hooked into the story.

Overall, it was a good thriller, though not fast paced. Worth four stars!

This book was the first true crime thriller I have read in a very long time. Usually I tend to gravitate to thrillers or mystery, but the synopsis of this one sounded really intriguing so I had to request for it. ⠀
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And the truth be told, it is a good read. It's not mind blowing, it is pretty real in some parts, and the premise is indeed an interesting one. But I wished the main character is a little more likable, because some of her acts were just plain stupid. I cant say what my own reactions to the similar situation would be, but I think they would definitely not be as aggressive as hers. If you are a crime or a thriller fan,you might like it, even though the twists and the ending were quite predictable. ⠀

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a great read, and very intense! I found myself liking the main character less and less as the story progressed and she began to devolve as a result of various stressors but at the same time I was trying to remind myself to empathize, as she was going through so much!!! It was truly a very unique and interesting story!

I received a complimentary review copy of Little Bones from the publisher in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley. Thank you to Avon Books UK, NV Peacock, and the NetGalley platform for this opportunity!

I'd like to open my review with a note that this is not my usual genre and I picked it up because a bunch of us NetGalley reviewers on the NG-endorsed Facebook readers group tried to start a book club for "read now" titles. This title switched from "read now" to request as the first readers grabbed it, and as such, we didn't have the reader base we had hoped, and the club read kind of fell through. This means I was left with a book I wouldn't have otherwise picked up with a looming publication date, and I squeezed it in where I could between my other ARCs and blog tour review dates. I would like to re-read this book in the future, and it's entirely possible that a more relaxed second read will lead me to update my review with a slightly higher rating.

In Little Bones, we meet a mother who was once the child and helper of a serial killer, but who has since been living a quiet, ordinary life for years. Her quiet life is thrown back into familiar turmoil when a podcast uncovers old mysteries and her own daughter goes missing. Who took her?

I'll start with what I loved, and that's the point of view taken in this book. A crime story told from the POV of the serial killer's daughter? Yes, please! That's not a perspective we get too often, in book or in film, outside of deposition and testimony scenes. I see a lot of people in previously written reviews commenting that they didn't like or connect with the main character, and maybe most wouldn't, but I feel like I'm uniquely situated to identify with her. My own estranged father is a sociopath, I now have a daughter of my own, and I strive to keep them apart for her protection. I guess you could say I feel connected to Cherrie, and I feel like the way she was written (at least before the narrative starts to shine the suspect light on her) rings true for someone in her position.

Now, what I didn't like as much. While this is not my usual genre in terms of what I like to read, I grew up on crime TV shows like Law & Order and CSI. I became quite good at predicting the outcomes of every episode, and that was fun, but the best episodes were the ones I guessed wrong or the ones I guessed correctly to begin with and then doubted my guess the rest of the way through. That didn't happen in Little Bones. As many other reviewers have also said, the twist was predictable.

Crime thriller fans will enjoy this book, so I will not hesitate to recommend it to the right audience. In fact, I'll probably recommend it to my own mother, as she loves crime novels.

‘Little Bones’ is an attention grabbing thriller from N.V. Peacock. ‘Little Bones’ , tells the story of Cherrie (formerly Leigh-Anne), the daughter of a notorious child serial killer, who has spent her life, trying to hide from the hideous truth of her past. Cherrie has successfully rebuilt her life but lives in fear of her secret being found out and one day, her fear comes to pass, when a local boy is kidnapped and rumours starts that the dreaded Mr. Bones has returned. Soon, Cherrie’s own son has disappeared and she is forced to face the truth about her past and deal with the terrible consequences.
Cherrie is a fascinating character and it is easy to feel sympathise with her, however my feelings of unease began to quickly rise, as she talks about her memories of being ‘Little Bones’ and relying on these memories to find the necessary anger to find her son. The tale twists and turns rapidly, ensuring that the reader is brought on a wild rollercoaster of emotions, never entirely sure if we can sure Cherrie’s narrative, or her so-called friends. The psychological aspect of this book makes it so appealing as you cannot second guess the truth. There are clues throughout, but as the storyline twists, it is impossible to decide if you can believe these clues.
If you like your books dark and compelling, then this is definitely the tale for you.

Cherrie has a past like no other. She used to be Leigh-Ann Hendy (or Little Bones), the daughter of an infamous serial killer called Mr. Bones who would murder young boys so he could use their bones for his twisted art. Cherrie thinks she’s put it all behind her and that no one could know who she really is until a podcast reveals her identity. And after a new disappearance of a young boy, people are blaming her.

This was for sure the disturbing (and everything else) story the synopsis makes it out to be. The main character is our MC which I’ve said so many times is my favorite style. I never gave up trying to guess what would happen but I was not successful. There are surprises, twists, and a whole lot of suspense. Pretty sure that I doubted every character at some point.
The ending was not what I expected after all the suspense but it was definitely not a letdown. The last sentence still has me theorizing and I’m not sure how I feel about that.
I really liked this book and was not disappointed. If you find the synopsis intriguing I definitely recommend picking this one up!

I was initially hooked to reading the book after reading the synopsis of it.

First off, I'd like to thank NetGalley and Avon Books UK for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I actually like the concept of how the daughter of a known serial killer tries to live a normal life.

The story is about Leigh-Ann, the daughter of, Mr. Bones, a known serial killer that kidnaps young boys and collects their bones as his viewpoint of "art". After his arrest, Leigh-Ann tried to change her identity and live a life far from her past. As Cherrie, she has a lovely young boy, a group of friends from her simple job, and a supportive and caring lover. However, the story took a darker turn when history was about to repeat itself.

While the plot itself was what pulled me into reading the book, it only clicked to me midway through the book that I'd be dealing with a very unreliable female lead. There's a hint of madness on the blurb that I only got to fully acknowledge the more I got to know Cherrie in this book. There were page-turning moments, and chapters were I was really hooked into the story, but I felt really uncomfortable and sometimes annoyed with Cherrie as a whole character.

She was far from rational and sometimes tipping over to paranoia more times than I'd like in the book. There was a scene in particular where she didn't like her "mother-in-law" and proceed to have these very grime thoughts, that I started to have giant red flags waving in my head as I kept reading.

While the unstable main character didn't work for me much, the overall story has potential as a good mystery/crime thriller fiction.

I have three names: I was born Leigh-Anne. I became Cherrie. When I was a child they called me little bones. My father was Mr Bones,the notorious serial killer of twenty five years ago. As a child I witnessed his crimes. Everything is different now. I have a new identity. I'm a mother. I'm 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.

When I read that premise, I knew I had to get a copy of the book. So i was grateful when NetGalley approved my request .Cherrie now lives with her boyfriend and her six year olĺd son, Robin. When a young boy is kidnapped and murdered, then Robin goes missing, the local people find out who Chrrie really is. This is one of those books you can't say too much about as I don't want to spoil the story for potential . Just go out and get yourself a copy of this fabulous book.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #AvonBooksUK and the author #NVPeacock for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A dark atmospheric book that had me gripped. This is the story of Cherrie, daughter of the notorious serial killer Mr Bones.
Cherrie is now a mother herself and has managed to create a new life for herself and keep her dark past hidden untill her own son goes missing. I loved how this book was creepy yet has an underlying dark humour threaded into it. This was quite a different read for me but I thoroughly enjoyed it

I volunteered to read this book, through netgalley in exchange, for an honest review. This book is well written. This is the second book featuring a podcast and it is really enjoyable. The pacing of this book is great. This book is set in the UK. This is definitely my favorite true crime book of the year. You guys have to get this book it will leave you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what happened. I highly highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. This ebook will be in stores on October 31, 2020 for A$9.99 (AUD). This is a great true crime book. I can't wait to read more books by this author in the future.

This one had me hooked from the beginning! With the daughter of a convicted serial killer as the main character, I thought the premise was pretty intriguing.

I thought the characters seemed pretty realistic; there were times where Cherrie was so narcissistic that I couldn't help rolling my eyes. We didn't see much of Leo after Robin was taken, and when we did see him, he didn't seem to be very upset that his son was missing...But then I'm reminded of the fact that there's no textbook way to act when your family is hit with a tragedy. Some people shut down, some seem fine, and others steal a butcher knife and break into people's houses.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy! I will recommend.

This book surprised me. It was really good. I got through it in a day as I was totally gripped.
A young mothers life is suddenly shattered when someone releases a podcast. It details the life of murderer Mr Bones and his daughter Little Bones. The problem is she’s Little bones. Living her life under a new name. Next a young boy is snatched and found murdered. Then Cherrie / Leigh Ann’s son Robin is taken. Is she innocent or does the leaf never fall far from the tree.
You will be hooked.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the arc in return for an honest review

Fascinating book that I really enjoyed. Suspense up until the last minute. I would read more books by this author.

This one was pretty good. I loved Cherie as a character and the person who ended up doing it was a big shock. I'm not a big crime thriller fan but I really enjoyed this one.
I definitely disliked the police and how they handled things and treated Cherie. But it was a solid thriller and was pretty fast paced.

I liked this book for the most part. It was a quick and compelling read. However, none of the characters were very appealing and Cherrie, the protagonist, made a lot of weird decisions.

I was given this by NetGalley for an honest review.

I am a big fan of thrillers, I’m a big fan of morally grey or troubled main characters. So this was a great pick for me.

Little Bones follows Cherrie, who went by a different name when she was younger - as the child of serial killer Mr Bones, who used his daughter to lure his victims.

Now a mother, Cherrie struggles to deal with the secrets she is keeping from those around her. But when a little boy in the neighbourhood goes missing, the old stories of Mr Bones resurface and her identity is compromised.

I loved the main character, she was unashamedly feisty, made bad choices and at times was questionable. I love it when Female characters are allowed to be heavily flawed.

This book kept me guessing the whole way through which is a mark of a good thriller. The only thing was I wish it had just been a little shorter. Some parts could have been tightened up a bit.

All in all I highly recommend if you are after a good thriller.

This was a very solid crime thriller I enjoyed. We meet Cherrie, and come to learn she has a hidden past with a father who was a serial killer known as Mr. Bones. Cherrie's nickname back in the day became Little Bones since she was often with him unknowingly while he picked up victims. While she tried hard to erase this part of her life, it comes back when a boy and her own son go missing in the town. I really enjoyed the "did she do it" "didn't she do it" in my head throughout the plot right until the end. This would make a great film and kept things moving.
Thankful for the ARC!

As a Mother and a gran i didn't think id be strong enough to read this book but so glad i was. i felt very emotional pain that Sherrie did in loosing her son, it was brilliantly written of course the ending was a huge surprise, no one could have foreseen that, loved it! 5*****