from the very first page of this book i knew that i was going to love it and i was right a fantastic story one that i have never read about in a book before or a topic i've never heard of that much. of was told with great detail, Rattle is an addictive an haunting read one that once you start reading you not able to put it down, the story of two family's who's children are born with a bone disease and a man known as the bone collector who has a fascination with the bones of children with bone deformities ( He will find you follow you hunt you down until he gets what he wants YOUR BONES)
there is no way of getting away from him no way of hiding! i also liked the characters they was believable... Rattle will have you looking over your shoulder at every noise you will not be able to sleep at night and even when your in the Hospital you will be looking at the hospital cleaner and wondering is it you could it be ! an amazing book one that i will read again and will recommend to friends!!

This is something of a review of two halves... It's a great book, and almost a brilliant book. In the half, maybe two-thirds, I spent a lot of time being bowled over by the quality of the writing, and the complexity of the characters. It was so refreshing after a spate of indifferently written, over-egged thrillers. This may have been why I was slightly (and only slightly) disappointed with the ending. An awful lot happened in the final section and the action felt skated over, involving a somewhat disappointing amount of straight 'telling', as if it had been finished in a rush. As a result, the tension leaked away. I never really had any sense that Jake wouldn't be rescued, and the car crash escape of the Bone Collector felt a little contrived. However, the final chapter brought back a level of creepiness, and I'm really looking forward to what will unfold in the next book. A strong 4.5 stars! Thanks so much for the opportunity to read :)

Well that was thoroughly enjoyable and really rather terrifying. I really hope Fiona Cummins writes a sequel as I need to know how the story continues!

This novel has been seriously surrounded with hype these past few weeks so I was really eager to get into it, unfortunately, I do not seem to love it as much as others have. I didn’t find it that creepy and I couldn’t really connect with the characters, especially Etta Fitzroy.

This wasn’t a bad novel, it was just mediocre. From the hype surrounding it, I thought this was going to be shocking, exciting and scary all at the same time but it wasn’t really any of that. In fact, it’s quite a slow paced thriller and there certainly isn’t any mystery to it. Cummins is a good writer and she’s done an excellent job at developing each of her characters but the plot didn’t really strike me as anything incredible. There was only one thing that annoyed me about this book, and that was Erdman and Lilith’s child's name… Jakey? Seriously? That’s not a name.

The appearance of The Bone Collector is what scared me the most, and this is because it reminded me of a “true story” from Reddit/Creepy Pasta that is the stuff of nightmares for me (literally). It’s called The Smiling Man... ugh, I just got shivers. The slender, dead eyed, pinstripe suit wearing description of The Bone Collector made me think of The Smiling Man immediately and from then on, I couldn’t get the image out of my head.

Overall, I’m quite disappointed in this novel for not living up to my expectations. I still enjoyed it, kinda. The plot was different and interesting, Cummins' bad guy was unique etc but when something is as hyped as this was, you expect really great things and this wasn’t. It was simply an average thriller.

Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Loved it! Worth every one of the five stars! Perfectly paced, suitably gory and hard to put down! Looking forward to more from Fiona in the future.

Rattle by Fiona Cummins

When little girl Clara Foyle is stolen away from school and not a trace of her can be found, the local community learns to be afraid of shadows. Another small child, Jakey Frith, is especially frightened. He feels like he’s being watched and he’s even given the bogeyman a name: ‘Ol’ Bloody Bones’. Jake is a boy in need of particular care. He suffers from Stone Man Syndrome, a debilitating and agonising disease that will trap him within a second skeleton bit by bit. Jakey’s parents adore him more than anything in the world, more than their love for each other, and this knowledge eats away at them both, harming Jakey’s father Erdman in particular, but soon they will know the true meaning of worry and despair. The Bone Collector has a special place in his museum for such a special child.

Detective Sergeant Etta Fitzroy is assigned the case of Clara Foyle by The Boss and she jumps at the chance to prove herself. She needs to. Etta once grew far too involved in a case and it’s left its mark on her and her reputation. She knows she can’t make the same mistakes again. But how could anyone investigate these missing children and not get too close? Etta is determined to find them.

Rattle is an astonishing debut novel by Fiona Cummins. To call it a piece of crime fiction isn’t sufficient because this is a clever novel that draws the reader in to a dark and disturbing world in which anything can happen, even the inexplicable. That doesn’t mean we’re taken into supernatural territory but there is something just a little bit strange about some of the characters, particularly the ‘relationship’ between Jakey and Ol’ Bloody Bones. The novel shifts perspectives and one is that of the Bone Collector himself. It’s creepy in the extreme and utterly compelling.

The novel is such a success for so many reasons and atmosphere and mood are certainly key. But this is supported by the structure which I loved. It moves quickly between perspectives, the voices shifting, and watching it all is the knowing eye of the author. Hints are dropped and add to the foreboding and menace as well as the novel’s curiosity. I’m a big fan of Sarah Lotz’s The Three and Day Four, and Rattle has a very similar appeal. Reality touches horror and it recoils.

The characterisation is powerfully done. We’re shown both evil and good but there are also characters, noticeably Erdman Frith, who change through the book and grow before our eyes. Erdman is my favourite figure in the novel although his son Jakey is absolutely adorable, as is Clara Foyle. I didn’t get on quite as well with Etta Fitzroy. At times, Etta’s introspection is a little tiring and you can most definitely see why her behaviour has got her into trouble in the past. But there is something of the superhero about Etta, battling against the villain, the Bone Collector, and nothing will stand in her way.

Rattle is a fabulous book, easily one of the best crime novels I’ve read in a fair old while, and I am so impressed by Fiona Cummins’ writing – it is perfectly pitched, its creation of mood fantastically achieved and the pace builds and builds. Above all else, Rattle is a thoroughly entertaining and skin-creepingly shuddering crime thriller. If this is a debut novel, we can only wonder at what will be next from this wonderful writer.

Rattle is a bit of a chiller. Fiona Cummins seems to have drawn up a list of all the things which she feels will make readers uncomfortable and then built a gripping thriller around some of the nastiest ideas – nice!

We have a serial killer who is stalking a very particular victim group.  A young child with a debilitating and life threatening illness, a family on the edge of breakup and a kidnapped girl who just wants home to her mum.

With so many vulnerable characters in Rattle it is no surprise that this is frequently a harrowing read. I was struck with how the adults in the story are all pushed to a breaking point. The children are placed in greatest peril but seem more able to accept what is happening and their resilience was a striking contrast to that of their parents.

I am reluctant to give away too much of the story in my review. Suffice to say that I ripped through Rattle in double quick time – one of those books you don’t want to put down.

Cracking debut from Fiona Cummins and a treat for thriller fans.

Maybe I have just read too many serial killer books but I think I may be alone in not finding this one any scarier than others!

However it is a good read and I did enjoy it... it was an easy read and whilst it followed the same predictable serial killer formula there was enough action to keep me hooked.

As a mum Im a sucker for a little victim and totally had my heart in my mouth as the scenes played out between the children.

I liked the depth given to the 'hero' Detective Sergeant Etta Fitzroy... she is a flawed, interesting character and I hope that she has future books.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Gripping, a real,page turner and will look for this author in future.

I was nervous of requesting this book as I’m such a wimp and don’t like being scared. I’d started to see reviews around of it though and it was really drawing me to want to read the book and find out more. I’m so glad I got a copy as it’s such a brilliant read.

The bone collector is such a creepy character. He’s a tall, thin man who can make himself almost invisible in the way he blends in. The idea of him being like a scary character within a storybook, and then somehow seemingly coming to life around Jakey with strange nightmare-like unexplained happenings, but also in that he’s a real person is enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine. He exists in reality and has a life outside of the horror he’s committing. I think he’s one of the most psychopathic characters I’ve read in a really long time.

I love how the book starts off with you not being sure who the creepy man is. There is the story of a little girl Clara going missing, and alongside that the story of Jakey. At the stage where you don’t know how, or even if, the children are connected it leaves you feeling very unsettled. The pain that a family must go through when a child is missing is palpable in this novel, and that added to the building sense of horror as we, the reader, know what is happening to the child really ramps up the tension.

This book reminded me a little of Mo Hayder’s novels in the way the horror slowly creeps up on you and then leaves you feeling very, very unsettled and unnerved but unable to stop reading.

Rattle is dark and twisted and very, very creepy but I loved it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys unnerving novels that creep up on you.

Rattle is due to be published on 26 January and is available to pre-order here.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This review is written with thanks to McMillan and Netgalley for my copy of Rattle.
When Clara Foyle and Jakey Frith are abducted, it falls to Detective Sergeant Etta Fitzroy to find the perpetrator. Etta finds that someone has left a rabbit skeleton for her, and this leads her to believe that these cases are connected to the case of Grace Rodriguez, a child who went missing a year ago. It is clear that the perpetrator is very dangerous, but can Etta find them before it is too late?
It is clear from the outset of Rattle that the criminal to whom the reader is introduced is a very chilling individual. The blurb compares him with Hannibal Lecter, and I dismissed this as exaggeration. I know now that I was wrong to do so! There are several chapters that are written from the perpetrator's perspective and this gives the reader a glimpse into his mindset, showing us how twisted he really is. As such, I was fearful of what he would do to his victims. I actually had nightmares whilst reading this novel, but despite this, I was reluctant to put it down so I could discover what happened.
One of the victims, Jakey Frith, has Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva, more commonly known as Stone Man Syndrome, and this becomes intrinsic to the plot of Rattle. This is a medical condition of which I had no knowledge prior to reading this novel, and I found it fascinating to read about it. Cummins has researched the condition very thoroughly, and her descriptions of Jakey's symptoms are so detailed that I could clearly imagine Jakey's pain. This increased my sympathy for him and kept me engaged in the investigation into his disappearance.
The ending of Rattle is not typical of the crime novels I have read recently, in that Cummins has left it rather open ended. In some ways, I was disappointed by this; however, I recognise that the questions it raises mean that this novel will stay with me long after I publish this review. It is truly chilling.

So. How to start with summing up this book? Well, if I'm honest then I'm going to start with a pretty big warning and a disclaimer. This isn't a fuzzy book full of hope. This is a crime drama with more than a hint of the macabre about it. If you dislike books involving crimes against children, then you may wish to steer clear. Don't get me wrong, there is no sexual element to this book and most of the 'violent' scenes are implied rather than described but it is very clear what has and what is about to happen and it is not a story that everyone will be able to stomach for the very reason that the children in question, Clara and Jakey are very young.
Now, with that out of the way, let's talk about the book. I have deliberately avoided doing my usual trick of rewriting the blurb as this book doesn't need it. The beauty of this is in discovering every twisted and tense page for yourself and if you take the blurb and my warning you will have a good idea of what to expect as you turn each page. I have seen this billed as a horror novel, or at least as one having an element of horror about it. I suppose in some respects that is true and it does take a step closer to the dark side than your average thriller. It's not quite what I would describe as horror, but then I love a real good scare, and have probably been desensitised to most horror books over the years having been obsessed with the genre since I was about three. That said, the theme of the book, the central obsession of the antagonist, is pretty grotesque, somewhat akin to Jame Gumb in The Silence of the Lambs, or Marcus Andrews in a certain book by Jeffery Deaver. If you know which one I mean, you'll know where this book is going. It may now have scared me witless but it damned well had me hooked.

Fiona Cummins has created a perfect dysfunctional detective in Etta Fitzroy. Obsessed with the case of missing Clara Foyle she is still haunted by a case from the year before when another child had gone missing and she made a grievous error in dealing with one of the suspects. Her marriage is strained and desperate for a family of her own she is avoiding seeing her sister with her newborn baby. She has every possible distraction going on at home to add enough personal conflict to the story, without letting it drown things out. She is a strong character and yet she is ultimately vulnerable and in truth, through focusing on nothing but the case, she is a bit of a blooy mess. She has great empathy for the families affected by her investigations, perhaps a shade too much for a police office who needs to maintain a certain distance, but it humanises her. Makes her engaging and I really liked her.

Written from multiple points of view, Cummins has captured the essence of each character beautifully. As the grief and acceptance of their daughter's disappearance starts to take hold, you feel the tiny fissures in the Foyle's marriage slowly widen until they become gaping chasms. As for Jakey Frith's parents, they have already suffered unbelievable stress over their marriage and yet their reactions, their memories of the happier times in the early days of their marriage, serve to heighten the sense of loss and the fear they feel as the story progresses. All of them are written so sympathetically, with so many facets to their character that I felt every moment of their pain. And the children... Their innocence emanates from the page as does their fear. It is the passages told in their voice which are likely to affect you the most.

And then there is our antagonist. He is a character so dark and twisted and yet he is what his family have made him. In his eyes he is carrying on a centuries old tradition, even if it is one which is so sick that no rational person could begin to understand it. He is a collector of the macabre, the unusual, and he has been waiting his entire life to complete is collection. One of his victims is the ultimate prize. One of his victims leaves him feeling conflicted. And he is a truly conflicted character as you cannot understand how a man who is driven by such a dark passion could feel the love that he describes towards his family, even if now it is with a certain degree of detachment. You don't learn who he is until later in the novel, discovering his identity at the same time as Fitzroy, but his presence throughout is threatening, his intent clear, and his rationality in the face of inexplicable evil the most chilling aspect of all. He is not the scariest character I have ever read, but there is something sinister and chilling about him, from his appearance to his delight at what is to come. And he likes beetles. Not the band, the bugs. I hate bugs.


Now this book fully pulled me in and kept me hooked. The pacing is perfect, the flow between the different points of view flawless, keeping the narrative moving onward and me as a reader engrossed. It is hard to believe that the whole book took place over the space of a few days as there is just so much going on. If I hadn't had to go to work, I'm sure I would have blasted through this is a day. As it was, it only took me a couple of evenings to finish as I was so invested in the story and finding out the fates of the children. I needed them to be okay, for Fitzroy to find them before the unthinkable could happen, but you'll have to read for yourself to find out if I was left satisfied or gutted. It was a bloody creepy and action packed ending, that's for sure. I think my mind is still whirring.

What did leave me satisfied was the quality of the writing, the ability of the author to engage me, to write a story of people who are suffering from a form of disability, approaching the subject with great sympathy without focusing too much on the disability itself. It was also her ability to chill and intrigue. To create a character so inherently evil and reprehensible and yet one I couldn't turn away from. To capture the devastating impact of loss upon a family without letting it overwhelm the text and for creating characters with a strength and fortitude driven by uncompromising love that only a parent can have for their child. To sum it up - she wrote a damn good book and I look forward to reading whatever comes next.

A macabre and twisted 5 stars from me.

Rattle by Fiona Cummins is a mystery and thriller and general fiction (adult) read.
A serial killer to chill your bones A psychopath more frightening than Hannibal Lecter. He has planned well. He leads two lives. In one he's just like anyone else. But in the other he is the caretaker of his family's macabre museum. Now the time has come to add to his collection. He is ready to feed his obsession, and he is on the hunt. Jakey Frith and Clara Foyle have something in common. They have what he needs. What begins is a terrifying cat-and-mouse game between the sinister collector, Jakey's father and Etta Fitzroy, a troubled detective investigating a spate of abductions. Set in London's Blackheath, Rattle by Fiona Cummins explores the seam of darkness that runs through us all; the struggle between light and shadow, redemption and revenge. It is a glimpse into the mind of a sinister psychopath. And it's also a story about not giving up hope when it seems that all hope is already lost.
This was a fantastic read with brilliant characters. It wasn’t who I thought it was. I do hope there is more to come. Highly recommended. 5*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley.

If you like books that are chilling and gory with a dark psychopath as the central character then this psychological thriller is for you.

It is extremely well written and is sure to be a huge hit in 2017.

I look forward to reading more from Fiona Cummins. and give this book a well deserved 5***** rating.

I always love a good serial killer novel, especially when the antagonist is likened to Hannibal Lecter, so I was very excited when I picked up Rattle. He’s not quite Hannibal, but this book does have a highly memorable killer, known as The Bone Collector. A depraved introvert with a penchant for collecting abnormal skeletons, and he is on the hunt for new exhibits to display in his secret, ghoulish museum. It is a job that has been passed down to him from his father, his grandfather before him, for centuries down the bloodline, and it is a role he cherishes.

Detective Etta Fitzroy is the cop assigned to the case when two children with rare bone deformities go missing. She is sure there is a link between the disappearances and an older unsolved case of hers, a girl who went to ballet class and never returned. All that was found of her were her toes. Can Fitzroy track down this hideous monster before the lives of another two families are torn apart?

This is quite an upseting read in places as it involves children, but not just any children, children with conditions that make them even more vulnerable, who should be taken extra special care of. I was able to empathise with the parents of the missing children who had not only lost their babies, but were now losing their marriages due to the strain put on the couples.

The plot unravelled well, and was well written, especially for a debut author although I did find it slow in parts and would have liked it to be a bit more exciting or eventful. This book does suck you right in, it appealed to my dark and morbid side leaving me hungry to hear more about The Bone Collector and his ghastly hobby. His role as carer for his wife, and complete lack of empathy made my blood run cold and sent a shiver down my spine. In a way I found that more unsettling than the kidnapping of the children.

The author has done a fantastic job of researching the disease Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva, which one of the missing children suffers from. Better known as “stone man syndrome” it causes muscle to turn into bone, locking limbs in place, and is often fatal. This is not something I had heard of prior to reading Rattle, and kudos to Fiona who has depicted the condition in such a sensitive manner.

This is a great debut novel and Fiona Cummins has laid the groundwork for some brilliantly disturbing work to come. Overall rating four stars and definitely worth a read.

Rattle is the outstanding debut novel by Fiona Cummins. It's only the third book I've read so far due to be published in 2017, but I predict this novel is going to be huge!

Rattle focuses on the depraved life of the villain (literally) that they call the Bone Collector, desperately being hunted by Detective Etta Fitzroy. Depicted as a psychopath more frightening than Hannibal Lector, he is truly horrifying.

Clara Foyle and Jakey Frith have more than their young age and rare disorders in common. They are both being sought out by the Bone Collector as his next victims. Or as he would prefer, 'additions to his collection'.

For the Bone Collector's collection is quite something... but he will not rest until it is complete.

For Clara and Jakey, their already challenging life's are about to be turned upside down in away that no one could imagine. Fitzroy must use her already strong instincts about a previous case to lead her to the Bone Collector, and she will not rest until she sees him bought to justice.

I don't want to say too much more about Rattle, as it is a novel that you must discover for yourself!

Rattle has a dark and disturbing undertone throughout the novel, that leaves the reader constantly on edge. I can guarantee you won't want to put this one down. And, as much as I really don't want to meet the Bone Collector again, I am kind of hoping for a sequel...

The Bone Collector is on the hunt for new exhibits to display in his secret, macabre museum. It is a job that has been passed down to him from his father, and his grandfather before him, and it is a role he cherishes.

Little Jakey Frith has Stone Man Syndrome, a condition that causes his body to create another external skeleton, encasing and entrapping him one lump at a time. His frantic parents are torn between protecting him and letting him live his life for as long as he has it. Little do they know someone is intent on making his short life even shorter. And while Clara Foyle’s wealthy family are so busy they hardly notice her, there is someone that has taken a great interest in the small girl, and in particular her deformed hands.

DS Etta Fitzroy is haunted by a missing child case and is driven to solve it no matter what the cost to her career but the clues are confusing and her personal investment is clouding her instincts.

As these four worlds collide it becomes a race against time for good to conquer pure evil.

This is a great debut, and at times you will almost feel like you have slipped into the middle of a series as the characters have such developed back stories. Etta is determined to a fault, both in her personal and private life, giving the character an endearing vulnerability. While the Bone Collector is such a fascinating multi-faceted creation, as the glimpses into his home life show. It is Jakey’s parents, however, who really make this book and highlight the author’s prodigious writing skills. Their heart-breaking situation, caring fastidiously for a life-threateningly delicate child who only wants to play and run like other children, is expertly depicted, as is the strain it causes on their relationship. I am sure this is a strong start to what will be a very popular new crime series.

Now I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to horror! I physically can't watch horror films and I can't read horror books either, mainly as it would be rather difficult to read with a huge cushion in front of my eyes. They tend to get into my head and transfer to my nightmares way too easily for me! Concerned that I was only missing out Rattle due to my nervous disposition, I became determined to "man up" and give it a go. I was rather worried though about comparisons to Silence of the Lambs, a book I was too scared to read and a film I had only heard (that big cushion again!) But fear not, this is so much more than a scary serial killer crime thriller. Or should I say be afraid, be VERY afraid because Rattle is also a terrifying shock fest with a totally unique and gripping plot. Yes, it scared the **** out of me but I loved every minute!

The Bone Collector is one of the creepiest and darkest characters I think I have ever come across. His quest to secure the best exhibits for his personal museum sees him methodically hunting down his victims based on the unique pathology of their bone disorders. And children are very much top of his grotesque shopping list. I could feel my blood pressure rising as I kept reading "just one more chapter", terrified by the thought of what was about to happen to those poor children. But the stylish writing and the remarkable character creations, especially that of detective Etta Fitzroy, kept me turning the pages-there was no way I was going to let The Bone Collector scare me away! I loved Etta's determination and how the search for closure for previous victims took over to such an extent that it affected her personal life.

Once picked up you won't be letting this book out of your sight. It's a completely engrossing tale that really stands out from the crowd with its dark and chilling storyline but I had the feeling that it was also sending out an unexpected message of hope. I felt like I had been living out my own personal fears of loss and mortality alongside the affected families, with The Bone Collector a ghostly "grim reaper" presence, watching and waiting in the shadows. But by the end, I actually felt quite uplifted, which surprised me and I do love a book that messes with my emotions as you well know!

This is a fantastic debut and I can't wait to see where Fiona Cummins takes us next. Be warned though that it can be rather gory in places, as you might expect from the cover blurb, so that's worth remembering if you are a little bit squeamish. But for me, every gruesome detail was a relevant necessity and I didn't hide behind that cushion once!

Wow! The first line of the synopsis set the bar high – a psychopath more frightening than Hannibal Lecter?! This was followed swiftly by me reading that Rattle is Fiona Cummins’s debut novel. Oh right, I thought, shaking my head and feeling a bit deflated. There is no way a debut author can create a character of that calibre.

I started the first few chapters, and having expecting to be bitterly disappointed I found the opposite, I was hooked. This man is a sicko!! He has his eye like an eagle watching his prey, waiting for the right time to swoop in and take his chances. As he swoops so starts the nightmare that leads to dark places. He is pursued primarily by Etta Fitzroy who is a Detective in the Met Police. Having been through some tough times she has become a hard cookie, but she has a soft centre. Will she be able to work out who he is? Will we as readers? Will she catch up with him and put a stop to him or will he get away scot free? So many questions, so many twists and turns, and so much to say – but I can’t as I wouldn’t want to give anything away and spoil it for other readers.

What I can say is that is a truly accomplished piece of writing. Dark, gritty, intelligently written, well researched and with strong characters, Rattle had a bit of everything that I love in a great book. The ‘baddie’ really felt grimy, nasty and I almost shudder in disgust when I think of him. On the other hand, Etta Fitzroy is a great Detective, and I loved getting to know both characters. I felt like there was a real opportunity to get to understand Etta more clearly as the story progressed, and I would compare her to strong female detective leads in other established authors work.

The book is written in a sophisticated way using a wide vocabulary that had me reaching for the vocab button on my kindle to look up words on more than one occasion. Being so descriptive helped bring the book to life even more for me. I love to be able to visualize a scene, and in these scenes I could imagine not only how they looked, but how they smelt and sounded too.

Does the psychopath freak me out more than Hannibal Lecter? I have been pondering this all day. For me they are different beasts, each of which have their unique personalities and how shall I say modus operandi. Both of which are captivating and scary as hell!

If you are a fan of thrillers with a touch of grisly, and if you are a fan of Karin Slaughter, Robert Bryndza or the man himself, Thomas Harris I think you would enjoy Rattle.

Wow!! What a read. This is a rather chilling tale of a “bone collector”. A girl went missing a year before the story starts, on her way to ballet class and all that was found were her toes. Another little girl went to the sweetshop and mysteriously disappeared. A family are struggling with not only their lives but of the diagnosis of their little boy. This is hauntingly written. I struggled to put it down. Scenarios are so well written you can see them and even feel the emotion. Punchy chapters keep you guessing revealing a little but only a little so that you need to turn to find out more. An emotive subject sensitively and very well handled. When I started this I wondered if it was for me as it was rather unnerving at times. It most definitely was and very glad I read it. A difficult subject matter both in the story line and the medical issues however to me the book is more about characters and perceptions than gruesome scenarios. Fibrodysplasia Ossificans progressiva now has a platform of awareness. A disease where a second skeleton is formed (Stone man syndrome) which causes muscles to turn to bone locking limbs in place. A book to stay with you and remember. A stunning debut novel.