When I read a book by Loreth Anne White I feel as if I am in the story. Her books are so descriptive and so captivating it is hard not to instantly get caught up in the story. This was such a great storyline with just the right amount of twists to keep you guessing. If your looking for a great suspenseful read pick this book because you will be reading all night!

Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. When bones are found under an old church it shakes up an old cold case of a missing 16 year old girl. This book is written from the perspective of a grip of 6 friends that were suspected in her disappearance as well as the investigating detective. Using DNA to crack a cold case is interesting but I thought that so many different view points slowed the story down and made it feel repetitive.

It is so refreshing to be able to open a book and know you’re going to love it. That is what it is like reading a Loreth Ann White book. This really was stellar.

The book begins with bones being found buried underneath the church. No one knows how they got there, but typically people don’t bury themselves so you already know something sinister has happened. This book is told from different point of views. One is the detective investigating the case and the other is a group called “the shore view six” which consists of affluent adults, who when they were younger did something that they’ve all tried to hide and forget.

We also get to meet the family of the recently found missing teenage girl, the teacher (who was just a young man himself), and the detective with her missing fiancé and baby on the way.

This was very layered as Loreth Ann White’s books typically are. There was a grief, lies, secrets, people who weren’t who you thought they were, a bit of a racial aspect, and attempts at retribution by some.

This was one of those books I couldn’t wait to get back to every day. There were so many twist in terms, and everyone seem to be hiding something and there were so many bombshells that just kept coming. Of course, the biggest one was at the end and I didn’t see it coming, which, of course made it phenomenal. The only negative would say about this book was there was something that was left unresolved that I would’ve loved an answer to, I can’t say more than that without giving away spoilers.

This is perfect for all fans of thrillers!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This is an excellent murder mystery with an ending that you’ll never see coming. The characters are all well written especially Jane. I truly did not see this ending coming!

This one was a rough start for me because I really disliked some of the characters, especially Angela, but she really did start to grow on me as time went on and I found myself liking her more and more. The story was good, although I didn't feel anything new was really brought to the table, but for sure would love to see these characters again (maybe a series!) because I do want to see what happens with them, so I think the characters made this one enjoyable for me.

This book was not at all what I expected and that’s the absolute highest compliment! It was SO fantastic and kept me hooked from beginning to end!

I very much enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed and the story kept me engaged throughout. I would recommend this book to others. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!I

I've heard so many good things about this author so I couldn't wait to dive into this one. Bones are unearthed under an old chapel that is being relocated, bringing about an investigation from a cold case forty seven years ago.

I was experiencing a book hangover so it took me a bit of picking it up and putting it back down to fully immerge myself into this one. However, when I did, I was able to see the flawless writing style this author has perfected. Her descriptions are immaculate. Her ability to pull the reader into what her characters are feeling impressive. This mystery was not my personal favorite of the year but it was still a good one and well worthwhile for my fellow readers. The reveal was quite honestly jaw dropping and heartbreaking. Four Stars.

Thank you Netgalley and Montlake for this ARC.

Loreth Anne White's lastest novel, "The Unquiet Bones" will give you chills and thrills on this WOW of a book!

Homicide detective, Jane, is determined to solve the mystery of this 47 year old case. Not only for the families involved but also to keep her mind off of the fact her fiancé is now a missing person. When Annalise Jansens bones are discovered so are the secrets she was keeping. Her best friends “The Shoreview Six” are back under the microscope. Is one of them lying? Are they all lying? What really happened that night 47 years ago?

This book grips you right from the start. There are a lot of characters at play, so it takes a minute to organize the who’s who. The twist was definitely one I didn’t see coming. I did feel like a few story lines were left open ended, but I guess that helped to mislead the reader from figuring it out. I’m loving Loreth Anne White books. This is definitely one you wanna grab March 5,2024.

The discovery of human remains beneath an old chapel leads to an investigation into the decades old disappearance of teenage girl, Annalise Jansen. Annalise’s group of friends are desperate to prevent investigators from exposing the truth about what happened the night she disappeared. But, how far are they willing to go to protect themselves and the lives they’ve built?l

I requested The Unquiet Bones on a whim through NetGalley and I’m so glad that I did! I was hooked on this book from the very beginning and I couldn’t put it down! I loved the main character, Jane Munro! She just exuded girl boss energy to me. I also loved the authors usage of multiple supporting POV’s including the potential victim’s family, suspects and a crime reporter. It really made the investigation feel as though was unfolding right in front of me. The only drawback was that there was a ton of characters in this book, and at times, I had difficulty keeping them all straight in my head. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would love if it became a series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the opportunity to read this ARC!

If you’re looking for a story that mixed cold case detective work, with a well written twist of multiple storylines about the cold case this is it!

This may be one of my favorite cold case novels. The story was to the point without being overly flowery. Every component of each persons story tied directly to the original cold case which is the overarching story of the novel. It didn’t flip back and forth too much where you sometimes get lost in the weeds.

The story as a whole was well throughout, well written & I have to say I didn’t think the killer was who they were. I am usually really good about figuring it out but this kept me in the weeds.

I hope there are others! I hope we get to find out what happened to Matt!

I truly enjoyed this and look forward to future books like this!

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for this ARC!

I read my first book my Loreth Anne White earlier this year and fell in love with her as an author. I love reading Canadian authors and have added all her other books to my TBR.

The Unquiet Bones had to many twists and left me guessing right until the end. The story flows brilliantly from the POV of many different characters. The last half of this book had me staying up way too late to finish it as I needed to know who did it!

Highly recommend picking this book up.

The Unquiet Bones by Loreth Anne White

Forty seven years ago, fifteen year old Annalise goes missing. Six teenagers that Annalise spent time with are dubbed the Shoreview Six by the media and each of them has some kind of suspicion thrown their way. A few of the kids look very suspicious but luckily for them there is an older teen that catches the most attention and helps to take eyes off of them.

Now bones have been found under a little chapel that is being moved. The Shoreview Six are under suspicion again and they are all feeling the heat. Lies were told in the past, in fact lies were told among the members of the Shoreview Six and it seems no one can be trusted to tell the truth. All six are being pressured not to tell the truth now. All of the Six have gained great heights in the public eye and or at home and all of them have everything to lose if the events of all those years ago are dredged up.

Homicide detective Jane Munro's bosses have relegated her to cold cases because of trauma in her personal life. She's late in her pregnancy but her partner is missing and the stress led to her acting out at work. Never did anyone expect her first cold case to be such a huge, explosive news story. Thanks to advances in forensic science, secrets that would have been safe forty seven years ago have the potential to be blasted to the world. It's an exciting time for those searching for long lost answers but the Shoreview Six can see that their lives are going to come crashing down on them unless they can lie like they've never lied before. They know they can't trust each other and maybe aren't even safe from each other.

There are a huge number of characters in this story, past and present. To add to that frustration, a few of the characters use different names in the two timelines. And Annalise liked to give everyone nicknames or abbreviations so I had way too many people spinning in my head and some of them were the same people, if only I could remember which names they went by. Jane Munro uses her white boards and I needed one to keep everyone straight. Still, I thought the story was interesting and I especially like Jane. There is a side mystery in her life and I would love if she was the main character in a sequel, where that side mystery can be addressed head on.

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for this ARC.

3.5 stars

When human bones are found beneath an old chapel in the woods, evidence suggests the remains could be linked to the decades-old case of missing teen Annalise Jansen.

But for a group of Annalise’s old friends, once dubbed the Shoreview Six by the media, it threatens to expose a terrible pledge made on an autumn night forty-seven years ago. Despite the intense police and media scrutiny, the group stuck to their story. (Yes, this tired trope again!)

Nearly fifty years later, three women are now digging for the truth.

Homicide Detective Jane Munro’s fiancé, Matt Rossi failed to return from a Solo hiking trip six months ago, and she is carrying his baby-a baby that he never even learned about. It’s been an emotional few months since the disappearance and Jane has since been assigned to the Cold Case unit, so when the bones are discovered-the case falls to her.

Angela Sheldrick, a reporter known for reporting breaking news first, and for often “sensationalizing” stories, gets wind of the news and doesn’t mind putting it out there, before fact checking what she has learned. Her goal is to get approval to host a reality crime series calls “Someone Always Knows” and this could be the case that sells her idea to her bosses.

And, forensic anthropologist, Dr. Ella Quinn, will allow the “unquiet bones” to speak the truth.

Although this plot has been used much too frequently this year, what elevates this story a bit above the rest is the Science shared by Dr. Quinn about forensic genealogy and familial DNA testing.

It is being used to solve many decades old murders such as the high profile Golden State Killer case, and most recently the case in Idaho involving a criminology student charged with killing 4 fellow university students.

Who knew that bones can will reveal if a person was healthy or ill, muscled or frail, vegetarian, or carnivore, and even if the person had been breastfed and for how long?

I enjoyed this aspect of the story much more than the story itself.

But despite that, the women are great characters and there is unfinished business so I get the feeling we just might meet them again for another case in a second installment.

And, I would be okay with that!

This title will be available on March 5, 2024.

Thank You to Montlake for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

3.75 ⭐A shocking discovery of human bones reopens an almost fifty-year-old cold case...Bones found, six old friends, and a twisted tale of who knows what... a mystery thriller that I find hard to put down, and definitely did not see the twist coming.

When human bones are found beneath an old chapel in the woods, evidence suggests the remains could be linked to the decades-old case of missing teen Annalise Jansen. Homicide detective Jane Munro—pregnant and acutely attuned to the preciousness of life—hopes the grim discovery will finally bring closure to the girl’s family.

Right from the beginning, I’m hooked on the plot...There’s so much guilt at the heart of this, with abundant lies and coverups, which delivers a dark setting... tension-fueled... twisty... fast-paced plot.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this - However, there are aspects of the plot that I find hard to believe - the way the six acted as teenagers, and the way the forensic anthropologist explained the discovery of the bones being female... but then went into detail about the different between sex and gender, 🙄(eyes rolling time) Despite that... the story is incredible, heartbreaking in some many ways... well-written-character development...a page turner for sure..and one you should not miss.

Thank you, NetGalley and Montlake for providing me with an eARC. All opinions are my own.

This started out slowly and it was a little difficult to keep all the characters straight. Overall a good read and at least one good twist. (The second twist I had already figured out well before it was revealed).

Wow! I have never read a book by this author, and I'm glad I did!

The story begins with construction workers excavating a site to relocate a chapel from Hemlock Mountain. They come across human bones and a partially preserved body, along with some personal effects of the victim.

The case is handed over to homicide detective Jane Munroe of the RCMP. She discovers that this is a 50-year-old cold case pertaining to a missing teenager (Annelise Jansen).

Annelise was part of a group of friends at the time, called 'The Shoreview Six'. They were questioned at the time, but they all declared that they knew nothing about what happened to the missing teenager. Another teenage boy went missing that same night, and everyone has suspected that the two of them ran away together, or then that he killed her.

The friends are now middle-aged adults, and are well-established in their lives, careers and communities. However, when they hear about the discovery of the bones, each one of them panics, and that can only be because they all have something to hide.

Jane, who is pregnant with the child of her missing fiancé, knows the pain of not having closure regarding the whereabouts of a loved one, or the circumstances surrounding their demise, and she and her team are determined to get to the bottom of this case. The bones are unquiet, they will speak and tell their story, and reveal the truth of what happened that night.

The story is told from multiple POVs of each of the characters, and though you may guess some of the plot twists at times, there are others that you will never see coming! When you trace the origin of the whole tragedy of the death of one of the teenagers, you will realize that it was the result of one person's unnecessary lie told out of jealousy.

As regards the other death, well, it's a shocking and tragic revelation. The culprit who sent Annelise down the path of self-destruction, did not get a fitting-enough punishment, despite whatever they experienced later on in life, in my opinion. They deserved much, much worse.

The author, Loreth Anne White, has created an atmospheric story with her description of the locations, and she even manages to create a 'retro' feel to the part of the story that is set in 1976.
Great, well-etched out characters, especially the lead detective who is not some Hollywood-type detective as a lot of these mystery/ thrillers tend to portray, but a pregnant woman, who is a bit of a vulnerable mess herself.

The only character whose role was cut short abruptly was that of Faith, Anneslise's sister, who featured prominently at the beginning, and even throughout the book, but just disappeared at the end, without any reference to closure for her.

There is a crazy level of guilt and paranoia, leading to so much mistrust, because nobody knows just what the other has done, and who may actually be guilty, and in the end, it destroys them all.
This was an amazing read, and I devoured it in a day, because I just HAD TO KNOW! There was one resolution that I was not quite satisfied with, and one question that remained unanswered, therefore I have given it 4.5 stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for the digital ARC of this title, in return for my honest review.

4.5 rounded down

April 2023. Two brothers, working on excavator on Hemlock Mountain dig up human bones, which is investigated by homicide detective, Jane Munroe of the RCMP. This proves to be a decades-old case of 15-year-old missing teen, Annelise Jansen. Have her friends at the time, known as the “Shoreview Six”, now highly respected, successful and wealthy members of society, concealed information, which Jane needs to unearth, much like poor Annelise’s bones?? The story is told via multiple points of view, which, in the hands of the writer of skilled at Loreth Anne White, works extremely well, as it creates a multi layered storyline.

I always eagerly anticipate a new novel by this author, as I know I’m in for some excellent storytelling. As ever, it’s rich in atmosphere via the locations, delivering the right level of chills, and you feel a sort of ghostly presence of Annalise throughout, as she is, through forensics science, able to tell part of her story. I really like this aspect of the storytelling, her bones are a silent witness, and hence are “unquiet“.

Right from the start time I’m invested in the plot, which gives many a hint which sends my suspicion antenna into overdrive There’s so much guilt at the heart of this, with abundant lies and coverups, which delivers many a shock in the twisty, tension fuelled, fast paced plot. In the second half the sense of impending doom is palpable as characters try to save themselves, but it becomes clear that no matter how hard you try, the past never truly leaves us and can haunt a life. The ripple effects of this tragic story are very clear to see as the unexpected conclusion arrives but which explains so much.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoy this mystery thriller, finding it hard to put it down. However, there is one aspect of the plot for which we don’t get a definitive answer, so hence four stars and not five.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Montlake for the much appreciated arc in return for a honest review .

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time! The story revolves around a 47 year old cold case. The multiple POVs were wonderfully done. The portrayal of our lead character and detective was excellent. Highly recommend! Kept me on my toes and reading late into the night. I just finished downloading quite a few other titles by this author to my Kindle. Read this book!!!