3.5 stars rounded up.
Cherrie is a girlfriend and mother. She appears to have a good solid life. Things are ticking along nicely for her. Until that is, one day, her cover is blown by a podcast. You see, Cherrie was once Leigh-Ann and Leigh-Ann was once nicknamed Little Bones - daughter of the notorious serial killer Mr Bones. A secret that she has worked hard to keep from being uncovered. But when a child goes missing and the story of Mr Bones comes back into the news then her secret is out and her past revealed... Not only that but she also gets earmarked as a suspect to the current missing child. Until that is, her past comes really rather closer to home than she's like when her own son also goes missing...
This was a decent read that mostly kept my attention throughout and did leave me on the whole satisfied at its conclusion. It didn't however set my world alight with anything particularly spectacular but, at the same time, also didn't irk me along the way. It contained pretty much everything you'd expect from a book of this genre but sadly also included a fair bit of what I would say was superfluous padding which did distract a tad and also made what should have been a fast paced book - from the storyline anyway - into one which did drag on occasion.
This looks like being a debut book - if so then it's a pretty good start and I am very interested in seeing what the author is going to serve up for her next course. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Before a few years ago, I'd not read a thriller that involved the long-forgotten family of a serial killer. It seems to be a trend that's catching on. You might think I don't enjoy this trend, but you would be wrong. As a lover of true crime (and even mysteries that aren't), I LOVE this new take. Sure, it's not exactly completely new, but it's something that's happening more and more, and I, personally, am happy to have books like this thrown my way.


We have the main character, a podcast, a serial killer, a missing child, and a whole bunch of mystery. This is the book for me, and maybe you! I didn't try and figure out the end (as I almost never do), and so I was pleasantly (maybe??) surprised throughout the book. Lots of unexpected things. The characters, writing, and dialogue are all what you want in a book, and especially in a story like this.


I loved it!


Little Bones publishes 10.31.2020.


4.5/5 Stars

"Little Bones" by N V Peakcock is a One of A Kind book. It was amazingly unique in it's own kind of way. Just as the title states, "Little Bones" is focused on a crime committed in which the bones of the human skeleton are used in a criminal case to put a murderer behind bars. I chose to read this book because the TV series BONES is my favorite TV show and when I saw the title of this book, I just knew, somewhere in this book, bones of the human body would be a main topic of discussion. The book is very thoroughly in detail on the crimes that are committed. to where as you read the description, it's as if you are inside the book.

I was very intrigued by the premise of this thriller. A serial killer's daughter all grown up, a family of her own, and a new killer on the loose. The plot was very clever in how it unraveled. I am trying not to post spoilers, because I started this read knowing only what was written in the description and I feel everyone should read knowing no more than that. No tiny little spoilers and plot twists will come from me!

Told in first person perspective, Cherrie, who used to be name Leigh-Ann and later taunted by the name Little Bones, is now an adult. Her and her long-time boyfriend have a son together. Life seems dull, but perfect, just as Cherrie prefers. She is the daughter of a serial killer and is hiding from her past. Not even her boyfriend and close friends know who she once was.

Then everything changes. A boy in her town goes missing and a podcaster dredges up the story of Cherrie's dad. The horrifying story of Mr. Bones is retold and Cherrie's new identity is revealed to the world. The podcaster even suggests that Cherrie could be involved in the missing boy's disappearance. As the podcast grows in popularity Cherrie hears whispers among the town folk. Whispers that perhaps she inherited the serial killer gene. Whispers that she is responsible for the missing boy. Whispers that she too is a monster like her father. Slowly Cherrie feels her world crashing down around her. How will she tell those closest to her who she really is? How will she tell them that her dad used her as a prop to help abduct and kill young boys...

This kept me intruded pretty much throughout the entire story. There were times that the author got deep into the mind and thoughts of Cherrie and I got bored with the self loathing and sporadic way the main character behaved and the crazy thought process she followed. I seemed stuck between feeling bad for her being bullied and loathing her for her shady conduct.

The ending seemed rushed and was predictable, but overall it was a really good read. I got though it fast because I was intrigued and wanted to know exactly how it ended!

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for allowing me the eARC to read and give my honest review.

N.V. Peackock's "Little Bones" is due to be released October 31, 2020 here in the U.S. so preorder now! It was a 4 star read for me!

Happy Reading!

I liked this book, but didn’t love it. The main character got on my nerves and made it hard for me to like her. The story seemed to drag in the middle but the end picked up speed. Maybe it was the topic that made it hard for this mom to love, but over all the book didn’t live up to my hopes.

As a child, Leigh Anne would sit with her father in his car and lure young boys to their deaths. As a mother, she has changed her name to Cherrie and is a long way away from the nightmare that ruined her life. But when a podcast reveals her true identity and suggests she may be connected to a recent disappearance of a young boy, and a psychic tells her her own son is in danger, Cherrie has to relive the ordeal over again. But is she so innocent this time?

Little Bones is the perfect crime novel for the dark, autumn nights, and as it’s set around Halloween, it’s great if you’re wanting something creepy and dark!

Cherrie, once known as Leigh Anne, also called Little Bones (her father, the serial killer of young boys who made art work out of their bones, unsurprisingly gained the nickname Mr Bones) is doing her best to keep a low profile as she goes through life, with her boyfriend Leo, her son Robin, and her job at Dawson’s Food with her closest friend Tracy. But when Tracy drags her to see a psychic, Cherrie starts to sweat. She doesn’t believe in psychics, but what if she’s wrong? What if this woman can see into her past, and uncover all the secrets she’s been trying so hard to bury?

I was hooked from the very beginning of this book – there is no underlying secret about the main character for you to discover, it’s all already out there in the blurb or revealed very early on. But that doesn’t make this unsatisfying. Gradually Cherrie gives away a little more and a little more information about her past and her father’s terrible crimes (and some of the discriptions of the murders are awful, so bear in that mind) but it’s almost like this plot thread isn’t the main focus of the whole novel.

If you’re a fan of books which weave podcasts into the narrative then this would work for you too, as it’s through a podcast that Cherrie’s current identity gets linked to Little Bones, and when her world starts falling apart. I really enjoyed the transcripts of the podcast episodes dotted throughout the book.

The writing style was mostly very engaging and absorptive, but there were some times I got lost in Cherrie’s thoughts which were a little rambling. There were some repetitive comments about Cherrie watching Grey’s Anatomy all the time, and every mention was about the oversexed doctors, or the doctors having inappropriate sex at work, or the doctors having too much sex with each other, and it just got a little ‘yeah yeah, think of some other way to talk about it, stop repeating the same words.’ It became so much that it really started to grate on me. I also had a couple of issues with how Cherrie felt towards her father at the end of the novel, in that she grew softer and more forgiving towards him, and while that is a plot point, and I suppose mildly understandable – he was her father afterall – I just think it’s very disjointed with the feeling of the rest of the book, about these abducted children and their mourning parents… so yeah. Might just be a personal opposition to the book, and I understand it was the character’s internal struggle, not the authors approach to these subjects (and it wasn’t major! It just didn’t sit right with me) but it did take me out of the story for a bit and so ruined the reading experience slightly.

Overall, though, I really, really enjoyed this and will be keeping an eye out for more of N.V. Peacocks work in future!

I received this as an ARC through Netgalley and it was fab. I was hooked from the start.

Leigh-Ann Hendy witnessed unspeakable things carried out by her father, serial killer Mr Bones, earning her the nickname Little Bones. Now 25 years later as Cherrie Forrester she has the perfect life. With a loving boyfriend, gorgeous eight year old son Robin and a group of friends she never thought she would have a true life podcast bring it all crashing down and the past back to the present.

When Robin goes missing could this be the case of a simple runaway or has he been abducted by someone more sinister? Someone who can't forget what Mr Bones and Little Bones did?

I loved this book. Unputdownable. Every time I thought I had worked it out there were enough red herrings and coincidences to keep me guessing till it all fell into place at the end. Highly recommended 5 stars.

Cherrie is a normal woman, who does normal things. She gets up every morning and gets her son Robin off to school., she goes to work at the local grocer in the deli department.. Until one day after meeting with a psychic that gives her an ominous warning that her son is in danger, she wakes up and happens across a podcast that can tear her whole world apart... You see Cherrie was born Leigh-ann Hendy and is the daughter of the nortorious seriel killer known as Mister Bones. In trying to link the crimes the podcaster exposes Cherries new identity and things just go down hill from there.
Little Bones is definitely a fast paced thriller and a pretty quick read.. Throughout the whole story I thought I knew who the bad guy was going to be, and I was completly wrong.. I definitely didn't see what happened coming..
It did loose me a bit in the middle. There was alot happening and became a bit confusing.. It did come through in the end though.. I did quite enjoy this story and would read more by this author..

Cherrie is in a satisfying relationship with her boyfriend and they share a 5 year old son named Robin. She is keeping a secret that is about to be exposed because of a missing neighborhood boy and a podcast looking into a notorious serial killer nicknamed “ Mr. Bones”. who was her father. She was born as Leigh Ann and dubbed “ Little Bones” after she helped one of her fathers victims escape and her unwitting role in the murders was exposed. Her identity is exposed and her own child is the next to go missing and it’s a race to not only save her son but to clear herself from suspicion.
This was another book that had the ingredients of a good story but fell flat. The main character is unlikeable which in some cases can work for a plot line but her actions were dumb and there were unnecessary plot lines tossed in. It was also repetitive and her inner dialogue was tiresome. The author did a good job at misdirection but this was a struggle to stay engaged.
Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. This will be released on October 31st.

When Cherrie Forrester was eight years old, her father was tried and convicted as the serial killer, Mr. Bones. He lured young boys, often with Cherrie as a witness, to their ultimate deaths, where he then used their bones to make "art." Cherrie, then Leigh Ann Hendy, was dubbed Little Bones. Years have gone by, and when an podcast dedicated to the disappearance of a young boy, outs Cherrie as Little Bones, her world comes crashing down. That's not the worst of it. Days later her own son, Robin, disappears from the local fair, and all eyes turn to her. Has Little Bones really been resurrected or is there a copycat on the loose?

Holy cow! I really went into this book without knowing the synopsis so the revelation that Cherrie was Little Bones was very startling. I felt on the edge of my seat for the entire ride. I questioned everyone, including Cherrie. I loved the first person narrative and that the main character may be unreliable. I also loved the inclusion of a true crime podcast and side characters who made me feel strong emotions. I did have an inkling of how the story would resolve, but again, I was questioning everyone and everything because the author does a great job of casting doubt and suspicion. The very last sentence threw me for a loop and I'm still not exactly sure how I feel, or what the author wanted me to feel but I will definitely be recommending this book to fellow thriller fans.

I really really liked this morbid book.
It gave me the vibes of 'the whisper man' by Alex North and if you liked that book then this one will be a good one for y'all. Thankyou netgalley and @avon_books for the review copy and wow the cover is stunning and the book even more so.

Firstly let me tell that the writing was engrossing until the very end, I just couldn't put it down. A lot of characters with their complexities were very well portrayed and had the exact dept needed for the story to move smoothly. The situations, the landscape, the pain, the struggle, every single detail was thoroughly explained without redundancies and that is what I loved the most. The morbidity or rather the painful irrational and unbelievable crimes against children are so heartbreaking and raw that I detested us humans for awhile.
The worst portrayed thing was the truth of our social media and how wrongly it can be used to harm others and that struck a deep cord in my soul.

I loved the timely movie, tv series and Sherlock Holmes references which kept the story in a certain high and never made things too much. The only thing which gave away the story was that I guessed who had done the crime as soon as I read some elements in the beginning but reading the end didn't make it any less thrilling.
This book isn't for the weak hearted and has a lot of trigger so take care before you read it but I hope everyone does read it. Thankyou again for the review copy avon books. #netgalley #avonbooks #nvpeacock #littlebones

Little Bones was an easy enough read and the storyline sounded exciting. Unfortunately, the main character was too unbelievable and didn't feel real. Her relationship with her partner was very strange to me and I found it hard to figure out what age her son was supposed to be. At times he seemed really young but then he would do things that a small child wouldn't such as eating a takeaway in his room. The writing wasn't bad and it was an easy read but it didn't grip me like I expected it too. Some of the dialogue was so unbelievable too and it pulled me right out of the story. Some parts of the story were very slow and drawn out but the twists and turns were well plotted and the mystery was there. While I didn't dislike the book, it wasn't exactly the fast paced crime I was hoping it would be. All in all, I give it three stars and I'm grateful to Avon Book UK and Netgalley for the chance to read an advanced copy.

2.5 ⭐
This may be a great read for fans of true crime and thrillers. I love me some true crime, I'm obssesed with it and I think that maybe that was the reason this book fell flat for me. The story wasn't bad at all but I didn't find it intriguing enough. It was predictable from the start and that took away the fun that thrillers always bring, figuring out who was it, who did it. It felt repetitive and too slow at times but it was a quick enough read to keep me reading.

It’s always a case of the book I read last being the best book on my Netgalley list! Little Bones is a fantastic, dark thriller. It’s full of twists and turns an£ I loved it!
I really enjoyed Cherrie as a character, she was exciting and different from protagonists I've met before.
I would have liked to see more of the podcast and / or the the story of Mr Bones explores some more.

Ending was a rushed but other than that this is the perfect story!

This one doesn't live up to the blurb. Full of unlikable characters and the plot feels disjointed. I honestly skipped the second third of the book. The pacing was slow and too much was unnecessary and added nothing to the story. The conclusion was anticlimactic and made little to no sense, it felt like it came out of nowhere. There were a lot of points that could have made this a great story. The serial killer father, the podcasts, but it missed the boat unfortunately.

I was so excited by the plot of this book, the daughter of a serial killer whose identity is discovered via a podcast. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to the plot.

I found the main character Cherrie to be whiny and very unlikable. I'm not someone who has to love the main character but I prefer to not be constantly annoyed every time they open their mouths.

I was hoping the serial killer of a father would be a much bigger role in the novel. Other than a few flashbacks, oh which I would have liked more of, he makes a very brief appearance.

The book wrapped up rather quickly and with little to no drama. It's like we kept building the suspense and for nothing. Everyone was a suspect at some point in the book so toward the ending, it became predictable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an advance copy.

This book was difficult to get through because it is a disturbing story. I have read worse books and I have definitely read much better books...and I'm not sure if that's due to the subject matter or the writing. While Little Bones had some interesting parts, much of it was boring and redundant. The writing in this book is okay, but the pacing is a little slow and inconsistent. Rather than a continual ramping up of tension and suspense, there's a peak of suspense, followed by an extended period of nothing really happening, until the end of the book when there is the resolution.

The characterization is well done but there wasn't one I liked, also I didn't feel the stakes seemed real. So much more could have been written about how and when who knew what. A complete let down. My actual rating would be a 2.5 if halves were an option.

**This review will be cross posted on my Blog, Instagram, and Facebook page close to the pub date**

When a child goes missing, a podcast brings back the gruesome history of the small town into focus again. Is the serial killer who abducted, killed and made macabre art out of the children's bones many years ago back? Or is it his daughter, who as a child helped him kill, and is now a living an ordinary life? But when her own child goes missing, everyone's a suspect including the mother herself.

This was such an interesting read an I enjoyed it very much. Gripping from the get go and super fast paced. And even though the subject is kinda dark, it's written in a light way, from the perspective of a serial killer's daughter, that does not feel jarring at all but adds more to the feel of the book.

What I really liked was how strong and badass (reckless even, but believable) the protagonist was written as. I was half expecting the typical crying and wailing over the missing kid and the broken motherhood but it was such a delight to read this character for a change. The final reveal was kinda predictable but every character was a suspect at one point or another and it was still fun to solve the whodunit alongside. Recommended! 🙌

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley, author, and publishers. All opinions are my own. Pub date 31st Oct.

This book to be honest wasn't my cup of tea. I didn't enjoy it at all. There were certain times when I felt like giving up but I did manage to finish the book. I really disliked the lead character, Little Bones. She was not a person deserving to lead a book. And the overall story felt too loose, too flimsy for my taste. Overall I didn't enjoy the book. And a big thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for giving me this book in exchange of my review.

🚨📚 book review 📚🚨

I have read lots of thrillers/crime in my time, and never been phased by them but I have to say, certain bits of this - I wasn’t sure if I could carry on reading. The storyline was good but SOME of the details what was done to they boys ....not sure there was any need for that.
over all, I enjoyed the book and the way it showed, that when someone is responsible such crimes, the affect it has on their family and not only the family of the victims.

Thanks #netgalley #nvpeacock #avon