A delicious read, I poured over it and hated having to put it down before finishing. Such a well told story, blending then (the 1960s) and now so compellingly, this is a total must-read.

Really loved this book.

It’s a long intertwining story flitting between the past and the present. Telling the story of two very dysfunctional families whose lives have been more or less dictated by “The Golden Bones” a fictional illustrated book written by the parents, and which has become an obsession for many.

I felt very involved in this book, it drew me in entirely and I felt every twist and turn. It’s an easy five star from me.

My honest review is based on a copy that I received from the publisher.

As someone who remembers the fascination of “Masquerade”, the superbly illustrated riddle that led to a buried treasure sometime in the 1980’s, this is a fictional account of a similar treasure hunt, dreamt up by an artist and which has secured him fame and fortune. The price of this fame, however, has a devastating impact on his friends and family, due to the obsessiveness of the treasure hunters and the quest for the elusive final piece. This is more than a story about a quest for hidden treasure, however, as it also explores complex family relationships and secrets. Complex and compelling.

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

Whilst I didn't always like the characters (by design, I am sure), the plot kept me interested with its tension and twists.

A twisting and , for me slightly overlong plot. Weaving between past and present the novel tells the story of two families through their relationships with each other and with the book written decades earlier. Much like Masquerade this book gives clues for treasure seekers to follow. The obsessive nature of some of them has helped create mayhem for Eleanor the main character.
I had to concentrate hard to follow the storyline but did enjoy several twists at the end.

Not a book for me I could not get into the storyline. However well written and likely to be popular with many readers.

As usual in my reviews, I will not rehash the plot...plenty of reviews like that out there already!

I was drawn to this book as the publisher's notes triggered memories of the furore caused by the publication of the Kit Williams book, "Masquerade" many years ago. I was fascinated by that book and loved the illustrations.

This book, though somewhat inspired by that, is entirely different. Far more sinister, as a number of deranged individuals misinterpreted the meaning of the book's premise...leading to dangerous times for the author's family...

The characters are very well written - not all are likeable, which adds to the depth of the writing - and the story weaves back and forth in time (always a plus for me).

There are dark undertones to the story - deeply buried family secrets and lies, hidden meanings in artworks, and a vivid picture of life in a dysfunctional family setup. That said, there is also light and optimism.

Without giving anything away, I was quite pleased at the outcome. I would recommend this book if you love "treasure hunt" type novels with an intriguing backstory - and more than a few twists!

I will look forward to reading more from this author!

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

The writing in The Skeleton Key was absolutely stunning. It was poetic, and it was so atmospheric I could clearly imagine what was unfolding, making me feel like I was right there in the events.

The story itself was interesting enough. I love books with treasure hunts and I’d hoped this would be engaging, allowing me to solve the puzzles alongside the characters. Unfortunately for me, it didn’t hit the mark, and instead of pulling me in and keeping me there, I almost didn’t want to pick the book up to continue reading because I was bored and lost interest quickly. The mystery surrounding the golden bone felt pushed to the side, and I didn’t feel like it received much attention. The focus was more on the characters, which is totally fine. I think I just held my expectations too high and expected different from what I got.

If you go into this book with no expectations, I think it’ll be a massive hit, especially if you love books with dysfunctional families, but for me, it just didn’t work. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher, for a chance to read and review this book.

Fifty years ago Sir Frank Churcher, artist & author wrote a book that captured world-wide attention. Part picture book, part treasure hunt the idea was to find & reunite tiny golden bones of a skeleton. Once all the pieces were connected, the quest for lost Elinore would finally be over as she rises again to be reunited with her lover. This book had a huge impact. People sold up their homes, marriages broke up & an online community called the Bone Hunters kept the internet buzzing. A man died & Frank's teenage daughter Nell was attacked by someone convinced they had to cut the missing bone from her. No wonder she became a recluse, but now to 'celebrate' the golden anniversary, the launch of an online version & the final reveal of the lost bone she returns home with Billie, her foster child.

I fell in love with the cover of this book (not very logical as I read it on Kindle!) but I was totally hooked from the start on the story of these two dysfunctional families & the quest. I loved Nell & Billie & read this all in a day. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book- one of my top reads of the year!

I really enjoyed this book as I felt the concept was really original. Told partly through the eyes of Nell, the daughter of two artists who have created a cult mystery/hunt picture book called The Golden Bones that has “bonehunters” around the world obsessed with finding the bones, very often at a serious expense to her. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the book, a special online app is being launched (think Pokémon Go), but the launch reveals a whole ton of family skeletons in the closet …
I really enjoyed this one. The characters feel very real and believable and I actually found myself believing in “The Golden Bones”! It’s a great seasonal read, too

this was an addictive read, The characters are well-developed and very real. Sometime their decisions made my blood boil but it all added to the story. It was an interresting story and i was completly invested in it. There was plenty of twists and turns. The story had a dark gothic vibe to it and i would definiatlly recommend.

I’ve been a fan of Erin Kelly for a while, and always find myself gripped by her books. The Skeleton Key was no exception.

I was expecting duplicity and events hidden in plain sight thanks to having read a few of Kelly’s books. That didn’t mean I was any better at anticipating what form they would come in or be any less surprised when the layers shrouding each character slowly retreated to reveal the truth of the situation.

Nell was a fantastic main character: she’s both outside of the events taking place and more central to them than she wants to admit to. Nell has been haunted since a child by the success of her father’s best-selling work, and you feel her reluctance to be involved again.

But as events yet again take a turn towards the dramatic, Nell has no choice to get to the truth of what is going on: for her own safety and the safety of the family she is trying to build.

There’re layers of deception; characters not being who Nell – and therefore, us as the reader – believe; and the truth about how far things can go when something has a passionate following who are prepared to leave sense behind.

Kelly’s writing is as gripping as ever. While this story had a slower pace than some of her previous novels, I couldn’t put it down. She has a masterful way of increasing the tension but keeping the pacing steady. The few jumps into the past gave us good insight into some of the main characters rather than having them offer a narration in the present day – it prevented them undermining any of the reveals or throwing the reader off.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. The violence compared to her others is minimal (not that the others are particularly violent), and it felt a different style due to no sudden change in narration or perspective halfway through. But it was an engaging and gripping book that I recommend to either fans of Kelly’s writing or those looking for a gripping book.

Frank and Lal are friends who find inspiration in the folksongs and myths that Cora (subject of Frank's desire) shares with them. Together they create a book that weaves myths and clues and illustrations and promises golden buried treasure for anyone who can decipher it. As their lives intertwine Frank marries Cora, Lal marries Bridget and the four live in adjoining houses and share their imperfect lives. The popularity of their book leads to obsessive Bonehunters some of whom see Frank's daughter Nell as the final clue - and try to cut her bones out.

Spread between the 60s, 90s and current day Nell lives with the paranoia of being constantly hunted. However the wide reaching effects of Frank's bestseller are destructive not just for her when a reveal for the anniversary publication goes horrifically wrong as a real murder victims bones are uncovered.

This is a clever and plot twisting tale inspired heavily by the 1970s book Masquerade (read it if you haven't). Nell is a tricky character as her paranoia makes her an unreliable narrator and the woven storylines between the decades do take some twisting to wrap up

Saw this described as 'an excellent reminder of why we love reading' and I honestly could not agree more. It had me completely glued to the page and awake in the early hours of the morning desperately trying to pull the threads together. Truly ingenious. Erin Kelly has done it again!

Family sage meets murder mystery in this compelling story of treasure hunts, legacies and past hurts. An absorbing read. Highly recommend.

I've loved Erin Kelly's novels since reading her debut, The Poison Tree and her writing reminds me of the great Ruth Rendell, one of my favourite authors. Kelly's novels are so original and each one is totally unique.
In 2021 Nell returns to the family home to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the publication of her father's book, The Golden Bones which was a publishing sensation and led to Nell becoming a recluse.
I wasn't sure about this one when I read the synopsis and it did take me a while to get into it. However, I persevered, and I found it to be an intriguing and utterly compelling read. I was really drawn to the characters and the relationships between the two families and felt that the multiple timelines and narrators worked well. A recommended read.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

A slow start for this mystery thriller but an interesting premise surrounding a picture book and a treasure hunt. A powerful read.

I think I've started to realise that games and treasure hunts within stories don't really do it for me. I just didn't find myself hooked into this one, despite the rather interesting premise. Two families embroiled in a lifetime of secrets and intertwined histories. A book that contains the answers to a hidden fortune. However, I just didn't like any of the characters, or find them interesting enough for me to really care about the plot. The flashbacks may have helped to build up the character's backstories, but really it slowed the pacing a lot and also all the backstory just added to their unpleasantness. There's very little in the way of tension or mystery, with a lot of the book focusing too much on the family dynamics.

Needed more mysterious aspects for me to enjoy this one, but the writing was well done so I might consider another book by this author in the future.

First to address the elephant in the room- there were no skeleton keys. However, there didn't need to be. The writing was great; having Nell be the main character really highlighted how all the adults in her life are awful people. She could've ended up that way too if it weren't for Billie. I loved the Poirot/Murder on the orient express vibes going on in the book and at the end. I was on the edge of my seat wondering who was responsible. 4.5/5 stars.

4.5/5, what an interesting and excellent book! I loved reading this book! I was captivated by the story, and the way the families existed alongside each other whilst having so much hidden from each other. I think the idea behind this book, and the book within the book, are excellent and were executed really well!