The Skeleton Key

A book that starts with a quiet pace yet before I knew it I was hooked - glued to the page, the story taking me on a rollercoaster ride.

What defines or even validates an individual human being? A spouse, family, work, values, money, being strong or successful?

Proverbial fireworks and perhaps even real time goosebumps is what you'll get with The Skeleton Key. And that's even before the smashing finale with the epilogue.

It all comes down to two words: power and pettiness.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

I can always rely on Erin Kelly to come up with something original, intriguing and interesting. This amazing plot is similar to a fairytale treasure hunt, resulting in murder and lies. It's one heck of a thriller and I loved the quirky characters.

I absolutely loved this book. I couldn't sleep because I wanted to keep reading kinda good. Its a very clever story about a treasure hunt type book and the effects it had on the family that created it, invested in it, tried to solve it and others that fell into its path.
The main protagonist is Nell, the daughter of the author of this gripping bok - The Golden Bones. Nell struggles to trust others and lives a life in the shadows as she fears those that hunt the 'bones'. This makes it sound like its a horror, which I can assure you it is not. It's a pure thriller.

#TheSkeletonKey #NetGalley
Wowsome.
Summer, 2021. Nell has come home at her family's insistence to celebrate an anniversary. Fifty years ago, her father wrote The Golden Bones. Part picture book, part treasure hunt, Sir Frank Churcher created a fairy story about Elinore, a murdered woman whose skeleton was scattered all over England. Clues and puzzles in the pages of The Golden Bones led readers to seven sites where jewels were buried - gold and precious stones, each a different part of a skeleton. One by one, the tiny golden bones were dug up until only Elinore's pelvis remained hidden. The book was a sensation. A community of treasure hunters called the Bonehunters formed, in frenzied competition, obsessed to a dangerous degree. People sold their homes to travel to England and search for Elinore. Marriages broke down as the quest consumed people. A man died. The book made Frank a rich man. Stalked by fans who could not tell fantasy from reality, his daughter, Nell, became a recluse. But now the Churchers must be reunited. The book is being reissued along with a new treasure hunt and a documentary crew are charting everything that follows. Nell is appalled, and terrified. During the filming, Frank finally reveals the whereabouts of the missing golden bone. And then all hell breaks loose.
I loved it very much and enjoyed it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder Straughten for giving me an advance copy.

I really got sucked into "The Skeleton Key" by Erin Kelly. Having grown up looking at my best friend's parents' copy of Masquerade by Kit Williams, I totally get the whole frantic treasure hunt scene that happened. What is even more brilliant is the two very close families and mystery-thriller narrative that carries on at the same time. Both stories are excellent and combined, they make a thrilling read. Kept me enthralled for many days.

Erin Kelly is an author I will always follow as they continually deliver high quality stories that always exceed my expectations and this book is one more example of this astonishing writer. It is a bewitching story that I will not forget. Bravo!

I was delighted to receive this ARC, a dark twisty thriller - kept me engrossed from the moment I started. Erin Kelly is a genius to come up with such a plot!

Eleanor Churcher lives a life of a recluse, off the grid, far away from her famous family. But there are people, who are fascinated by her and would give everything to meet her. Or cut her into bits. This is a setting of a newest book by Erin Kelly, “The Skeleton Key”. The book goes back between present and the past, where we find out about the unusual book, “The Golden Bones”, written by Eleanor’s father, Frank. The book is a story of a murdered fair maiden, Elinore, but is also full of clues that sent readers, called Bonehunters, on a mad chase after seven sites, containing seven parts of her skeleton. In the present storyline the Churchers are preparing for a big 50th anniversary of the book, but of course something goes wrong.
This was one of the most gripping books I have read in some time – I was on tenterhooks most of the time, there were so many twisty and turny parts in the story that I squealed frequently and did not manage to predict any of them. But this is not just a thriller, the book reads almost like a fairy tale, about an ugly duckling that shies away from its close-knitted family. It is also a story about art, about being an artist, about family legacy, and about who owns the rights to the main character – the fans, the author or maybe someone else?
The characters are not always likeable, secrets, love, lust and betrayals are many, and the atmosphere feels like a dark thriller and a creepy Grimm tale. A homage to a famous “Masqyarade” by Kit Williams, “The Skeleton Key” is a creepy tale of an obsession that leads us to the darkest corners of our souls.

This is first book I have read by Erin Kelly, it won’t be my last.

I was instantly hooked by the beautiful cover when I saw this on NetGalley I was further drawn in reading the synopsis :

FROM THE COVER📖📖📖📖📖

Summer, 2021. Nell has come home at her family's insistence to celebrate an anniversary. Fifty years ago, her father wrote The Golden Bones. Part picture book, part treasure hunt, Sir Frank Churcher created a fairy story about Elinore, a murdered woman whose skeleton was scattered all over England. Clues and puzzles in the pages of The Golden Bones led readers to seven sites where jewels were buried - gold and precious stones, each a different part of a skeleton. One by one, the tiny golden bones were dug up until only Elinore's pelvis remained hidden. 

The book was a sensation. A community of treasure hunters called the Bonehunters formed, in frenzied competition, obsessed to a dangerous degree. People sold their homes to travel to England and search for Elinore. Marriages broke down as the quest consumed people. A man died. The book made Frank a rich man. Stalked by fans who could not tell fantasy from reality, his daughter, Nell, became a recluse.

But now the Churchers must be reunited. The book is being reissued along with a new treasure hunt and a documentary crew are charting everything that follows. Nell is appalled, and terrified. During the filming, Frank finally reveals the whereabouts of the missing golden bone. And then all hell breaks loose.

So I was delighted to receive a ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers Hodder and Stoughton.

REVIEW🗝🗝🗝🗝🗝

The novel is structured in way that slips into the past from the present day, where we hear from Nell in the first POV in the present, while in the past we have snippets told in the first POV from other key characters. This structure works well it creates a feel of slow burning eerie tension, almost like a sense of pending doom. The flashbacks were the best parts from me as they really opened up and developed the cast of characters from a completely different stance from what we hear from Nell’s reflections of the past.
That being said the characters are equally if not more monstrous when hearing directly from them. Kelly has created a lot characters in this novel, at the beginning I felt perhaps too many characters but as the novel processes each one plays a key role in expanding and tidying up the plot nicely.

The main protagonist is Nell, I’ll be honest I wasn’t overly keen on Nell she was a bit whiney and moral for my taste I found myself furiously disagreeing with Nell’s moral standpoint throughout, however as a character Kelly has created someone who illustrates the madness and up roar the “ The Golden Bones” has caused and in that sense she is the perfect narrator.

At first glance I thought the book was going to be, a sort fiction come puzzle book with the family story playing second fiddle to the treasure hunt, I thought we might even get to see the “the golden bones “ illustrations to play “ bonehunters”. Kelly opens with a authors note telling the background of the concept of “the golden bones” which has been loosely based on the 70’s real life treasure hunt picture book Masquarade which sparked the beginning of arm chair treasure hunters. This was something I had never heard off and it really intrigued me. I was looking forward to a classic family sage with some mystery intertwined with clues etc to solve “the golden bones”. This however is nothing like my first thoughts it wasn’t what I was expecting at all. The treasure hunt merely acts as a gateway to what is a often a macabre family saga full of disturbing secrets . It is the story of two families destroyed by success, power, jealously and pettiness. With deeply disturbing twists and turns the treasure takes a back seat and instead you are drawn into a twisted toxic family dynamic where deep issues are explored with true insight and brilliant imagination by Kelly. The book explores so many topical issues in a unique way. Very much not what I was expecting at all.

The pacing of the novel was fairly slow in the first two parts I found it moved very slowly and at times I was bored, the flashbacks with the eerie sense of something about to kick kept me reading in these lags, that being said the book may start with a quiet pace yet before I knew it I was hooked. By part three where it is all set in the past I was gripped. This a book that is rare in the fact it starts of slow and still had me reading, when it really takes off the pace is slow but increases in thrilling tension that is creepy, eerie, moving and compelling: well plotted and gorgeously-written, it is full of detail, invention and imagination. And that's even before the smashing finale and unsettling epilogue. The truth is most certainly outed in a speculator fashion with a deeply disturbing twist. I loved it

A truly unique fresh take on a classic format…fabulous story telling

The Skeleton Key is a remarkable novel. It is the story of a treasure hunt that has become more real than real life for its dedicated players. It is not long before it ceases to be a game.

The story is driven by a book, The Golden Bones, published in 1971, and the inspiration for generations of bone hunters, seeking Elinore’s bones to resurrect her skeleton. It is essentially a book of riddles and puzzles where the answers reveal the locations of the missing bones.

The Skeleton Key is beautifully plotted. It flits between different time periods from the late 60s to the present day. Two families live next door to each other, tied by both the present and the past. Post pandemic references quickly orient the novel in the present day. Yet references to the Bonehunters create an otherworldly feeling alongside the reality of twenty first century London. Readers are cleverly drawn into this parallel world by a writer at the height of her powers.

In many ways, it is a story about stories: the fairytales and myths that somehow become tangled with real life. And also about family: how we are doomed to live the lives on the landscape prepared by those who came before us.

Erin Kelly weaves a tapestry that will draw in lovers of games, puzzles and orienteering as well as those who just want a great story. This is her best novel yet.

'The Skeleton Key' by Erin Kelly is utterly mesmerising tale, weaving dual timelines to create a complex web of obsession, secrets and even a fortune hunt.
'The Skeleton Key' focuses on the joint Churcher and Lally families in the days leading to the 50th anniversary of the publication of the book/treasure hunt 'The Golden Bones' The book is a work of fiction, based on old ballads, mixed with mythology, geography and science. There is a puzzle hidden in the pages of the book and this has lead to a half-century long treasure hunt.
The story opens when our protoganist Nell is walking home from school and provides a dramatic opening scene as we are brought straight into the heart of the Churcher/Lally families and the madness of the 'Bonehunters'. We then turn back to a drunken night in 1979, when the older generation of Lal, Frank and Cora meet and create the initial pages of the infamous Golden Bones book. It is only when we jump forwards to the present day of 2021, that the reader begins to understand exactly what is happening with the two connected families and their intertwined history. How the fifty years since the creation of a book and puzzle about Elinor and Tam have provided the family with financial success but also propelled them into a dangerous spotlight. And now that the 50th anniversary of the publication has arrived, there is renewed interest and a new treasure hunt.
There are multiple timelines and indeed, points of view provided in 'The Skeleton Key' and this serves to provide the reader with a detailed but complex background to The Golden Bone storyline and how the book has impacted on Nell and her family. We also discover how the book came into being and the 'oneup-manship' between Lal and Frank which will eventually have tragic consequences for the whole family.
From the dramatic opening sequence, the pace then slows slightly, giving the reader time to settle into the narrative and understand the various cast and their connections. Then, once the family are united and the recording begins, the pace is ramped up dramatically and the reader is taken on a rollercoaster journey until the final paragraph. There are plenty of 'I didn't see that coming' moments and I really did love this story. And now, I'm off to read it again and enjoy the fun, madness and wonder of The Skeleton Key' all over again.

Oh I LOVE this novel so much!! I read it in one great gulp and lost a fair amount of sleep into the bargain! I was enticed by the story of the bone hunters and Elinore and when I read about Masquerade I was gutted to realise I was born two years too late for it. But as much as I wanted to read it for that I stayed for Nell and Billie. Erin Kelly has woven together the wonderful complex and detailed history for her characters and for the bone hunters and what Nell has been through at their hands. What really made this book work for me is that every single cultural reference, joke or witty aside Nell mentioned is something I’ve said, laughed at or could nod along to. I believe at one point she says to her brother Dom “that’s you that is” something I don’t think anyone under 45 would get but had me roaring with laughter. At times it felt like I could be Nell it was so familiar.
There are twists and turns galore and one twist that I totally didn’t see coming but also lovely quiet moments like Nell and Billie being invited for lunch by the ladies on the narrow boat next door.
The ending was everything I hoped for and I have smiled all the time I’ve been writing this.
This is a must read!

I loved this book and will be recommending it to loads of people. It drew me in right from the beginning with such an interesting premise. I was so intrigued by the idea of the book and the treasure hunt. Plus, it's completely believable the way the Bonehunters adapted over the years as forums took off. The characters were fascinating, all different, all believable. I felt invested in Nell and Billie on their boat but really enjoyed them all and their odd dynamic. Brilliant!

Having read my own copy of Masquerade so much that it almost wore away, I was really interested to see how this premise would work out. Whilst for me, the main characters were unlovely, this helped to get to grips with them, their characters, and their parts in this story. Nell has lived with the aftermath of The Golden Bones, and the fandom that follows it for years, and has shied away from any benefit she may have received from it. And being attacked by a demented fan of the book, doesn’t inspire her to change her mind. A really gritty, interesting story, that at times is so fast paced I found myself holding my breath. Highly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Whilst this is a gripping book, there are a lot of characters, sub plots and family sagas. It’s a bit hard to keep track at times! It is the story of a treasure hunt and is Ideal for readers who enjoy a thriller set across different timelines.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advance copy of this book.

This is a book that keeps you gripped from the beginning. Eleanor Churcher is under threat from the Bonehunters, a weird group of people, worldwide, who are bent on finding the last bit of a puzzle. That last bit seems to be part of Eleanor's body. She is knifed , dare not go out without protection and constantly at risk. It's an icredibly gripping story, slightly unbelievable at times, but so well written..
Thank youu to NetGalley for a review copy, which was very much enjoyed.

I’m amazed some other reviewers found this hard to get into—I was hooked from the start and literally couldn’t put it down for three days. I’m yet to finish an Erin Kelly book where I haven’t had to go back to certain parts and re-read them, to see how she did it, and The Skeleton Key was no exception.

It’s such an enticing premise but if anything the finished product is even better than you think it’s going to be. The very final twist is a subtle one but changes everything, especially the dynamic between certain characters.

Oh my goodness. Erin Kelly gets better and better. Her last book was so hood I thought she couldn’t top it. But she really has. One of the best books I’ve read this year. This is a strong 5/5. I’d give more if I could. Read this over the weekend and now I’m sad it’s finished. I am worried nothing can anything be as good as this stunner of a book.

This book has the potential to be a smash hit of 2022. Not only is this a story of mystery and mayhem, but the craft on show is that of the greats of the genre. Just superb!

I absolutely loved The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly. What a beautifully well written, interesting book. It had be hooked from the start. My favourite book so far this year

This is probably Erin Kelly's best book to date, and that's saying something because sh'e's a wonderful writer and I love all her work. It's ambitious, complex, compelling, and atmospheric - ranging into Donna Tartt or Tana French territory. I inhaled it.

The Skeleton Key centres around a book called The Golden Bones, written by Nell’s father 50 years ago. Within the book were clues that fans could follow to take part in a treasure hunt, which inadvertently created an obsession that put Nell’s life in danger.

Firstly, this book should come with a warning that you won’t be able to put it down until you are finished. It was full of mystery, secrets and plenty of twists. I loved that there was a story within a story.

I found it refreshing that there are references to the pandemic (the story is set in 2021) and touches on how the characters were affected by lockdown, which made it very relatable.

This isn’t your typical thriller, it is original and the complicated family relationships are written perfectly. Such a fantastic read.

The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly.

This is a wow , can't believe an author has thought this up kind of book . To say it was fantastic is an understatement.
It is quite complex to describe as it's a book about a book , explaining a book ( told you ! )
The very first book was wrote by Eleanors father and it had a cult following , so much so that Eleanor hides herself away from public to get some peace in her life.
It was an amazing read .

Oh wow eerie!!! compelling, full of toxic characters.. One of the best books, ive read in along time Really didn't want it to end.

5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What a fabulous read! Thankfully we aren't expected to solve any cryptic clues we can just enjoy the thrill of the chase as the pace accelerates and the desperate treasure hunters resort to more and more devious ways of infiltrating the family and finding the treasure.

This is really the tale of a dysfunctional family, their secrets and their lies. It moves towards a brilliant climax with these long held secrets being revealed and layers of deceit being uncovered. However this book is far more than a thriller, the characterisation is amazing and I got deeply involved in their lives. Another winner from Erin Kelly!

A completely different take on the usual murder stories I read. This novel was set around a treasure hunt and featured two close, dysfunctional families. The Churchers and the Lallys were the brains behind the book whose success spawned an army of Bonehunters looking for bejewelled skeleton pieces, had devastating effects for each family. A captivating and enthralling read.

Took me a bit of time to get into. I think somethings you need to let a book flow over you and not question the whys and where fors. Just let it roll. I loved it but you need to stick with it.

The Skeleton Key is a “must read”. At first I wondered what genre I was reading but after the first few chapters, such thoughts weren’t important as the story envelopes you and suddenly I care about Nell & Billie. I want to know what went on with Lal, Frank, Cora & Bridget and if all is as it seems (and it’s not!!). Every time I thought I saw a twist coming, and once I guessed right, the other twists and turns surprise you and keep you wanting to read on. Definitely one to re-read!!
This book was gifted to me via Netgalley in return for a review and it was a pleasure.

I absolutely loved The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly. What a beautifully well written, interesting book. It had be hooked from the start. One of my favourite books so far this year!

Definitely not what I was expecting! A dark very strange novel spanning a lifetime and a literary sensational at the middle of it. One of those books that will stay with you. Fully recommend

Unputdownable - if that's a word! A truly unique plot, featuring a decades old mystery, an unforgettable family and incredibly well drawn characters. Even the online players of the game have their own personalities. A gripping, wonderful read.

This is literally the best book I've read in my entire life.

The story is perfection. Absolute perfection. It's seamless, it's flawless, and it flows like mercury. It's the first time I've ever been totally drawn in by a book. I haven't even finished it and I'm reviewing it at about 90% because I'm just so eager to let others know just how good it is.

It's up, it's down, there's not a single boring "skimmable" part in this book. I found myself totally drawn in by Nell, she's such a likeable character. She's sat on the outside of a large, dysfunctional family, looking in and only has the best intentions, despite not being a model citizen.

Several of the "sub-stories" had me totally gripped too. I found myself quite emotionally involved in some of them, particularly just how much it annoyed me that people devote their lives to "bone hunting" I was worried for Nell and Billie with their own little story, I was upset for Dom, I felt so much pity for Cora.

This lady deserves to smash records for this book, and I really hope she does. I've gone straight out and ordered the rest of her back catalogue. My favourite author of the past few years by a LONG shot.

What an amazing book!
The book follows the joint sories of the Churcher and Lally families who have been life long friends.
Frank Churcher came up with the idea for a book that would make him a lot of money. This book was ''The Golden Bones''. A treasure hunt book, full of clues to find the locations of several golden bones that make up the skeleton of fictional character, Elinore. Frank and his wife Cora, even named their daughter after Elinore, although she prefers to distance herself from this by calling herself Nell. The book has drawn fans from across the globe, some more obsessed with finding the scattered bones than others, and Nell has found herself in danger on more than one occasion, but none so terrifying as when she was stabbed as a child buy a crazed 'bonehunter'.
The story covers several decades, and flits from one time period to another to give a full background to the twisted tale. The book marred the life of so many people, and twisted the minds of bonehunters and family alike. This culminates in a murder that has been covered up for years, until something happens to bring everything to light once more.
An excellent read, that I would recommend to anyone. Well deserving of stars!

Nell Churcher has spent her whole life associated with The Golden Bones, a book written and illustrated by her estranged father Frank Churcher which contains clues to a golden skeleton whose bones are hidden around the UK.
The fanatical followers of the book, Bonehunters, have many outlandish theories about the messages and clues illustrated, and have blighted Nell’s life, because she bears the same name, Eleanor, as the woman in the book.
It is the 50th anniversary of the publication, and the family have been brought together for a TV special filmed at their house in Hampstead.
By setting the main action over a short number of days, and then moving back in time to significant events the tension is ramped up, as truths and betrayals within the family are uncovered.
An excellent read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read this book.

Oh my goodness!- I found myself wanting to be part of the golden bones treasure hunt, despite the fact it is a work of fiction!
The book si spectacular in drawing in the reader to the madness and to the truth as the book is up for re-release and the madbess intensifies.
The myriad of slightly deranged (and in some cases downright terrifying) fans of the book and treasure hunters supreme have made Nell's life a misery for years. Always fearful for her safety Nell has been stalked and wounded all in the name of Elinore- the fictional skeleton from the treasure hunt and it jsut seems to keep escalating, despite her worst enemy being behind bars.
Fast paced and really, really twisted this is one that will keep you up late into the night- deserved of more than 5 stars!

Published September 1, this is such a clever, intriguing read. Nell – Eleanor – comes to her family’s home (at her family’s insistence) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of her father’s book, The Golden Bones, wherein he painted a picture of Elinore, murdered and whose skeleton was scattered across England. Puzzles and clues suggested where some of the bones were buried, leading to a treasure hunt that has last all 50 years. Only the pelvis has remained hidden – and the Bonehunters, as they’re called, will do anything to find it. While father Frank Churcher, his wife and their son have enjoyed the spoils of the book, Nell has become a recluse. Now, to celebrate the anniversary, Frank has something special planned… he’s announcing where the final bone is hidden. Great, you think, until everything falls asunder. There’s layer upon layer of mystery in this frankly brilliant read: you get inside the head of all the main players, and it’s clear there’s a lot going on because of the book’s impact, and as well as the book’s impact.

I really enjoyed this gripping crime thriller cum family saga, not least because it centres around a hugely popular treasure hunt, with the author having taken inspiration from Kit Williams’ ‘Masquerade’. Like the author, I spent hours as a child leafing through the pages of my parents’ copy of this bestselling picture book, so a fictional ‘behind the scenes’ look at how a similar book and hunt came into being and the deadly consequences that it wrought really captured my attention.

The first third of ‘The Skeleton Key’ sets up the family dynamic – the book in the novel, ‘The Golden Bones’, is the product of two artistic best friends, who end up living next door to one another. They both marry and have children, two of whom also become a couple and have children of their own. Some time after the publication of their book, the daughter of one of the artists, arguably the more famous of the two, becomes a target for the more obsessive of the ‘Bonehunters’ and it’s partly from her perspective that we follow the story, though much later in 2021. The book also uses flashbacks to explain the actions of various characters – another element I thought was excellent.

The rest of the novel really picks up the pace as a gathering in the artists’ garden to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ‘The Golden Bones’ publication descends into chaos after real human remains are discovered whilst a television film crew roll cameras. As the ‘Bonehunters’ once again start to stir, family secrets start to become unearthed from all sides and risk tearing all three families apart.

This novel really has so much to recommend it. The plot is fantastic and the core group of characters are fascinating, flawed individuals. There are a series of jaw-dropping ‘reveals’ which I never would have guessed and the author brilliantly coaxes so many emotions from the reader along the way.

Many thanks to the publishers, Hodder and Stoughton, and to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review an advance copy of this five star read.

An absolutely exceptional book by author Erin Kelly.

Nell reluctantly returns to the family home to celebrate the 50th anniversary of her father's novel 'The Golden Bones', a beautifully illustrated treasure hunt that has captivated readers for the five decades since its publication. Her father's book is a story of passion and deceit, a backdrop to a life that has consisted of the same qualities for himself. But as she re-immerses herself in her chaotic and unconventional extended family, Nell begins to realise how far the effect of lies and love can really reach. Clues and truths echo from across the years and as lies are laid bare, its time to see how long the truth can stay hidden.

I absolutely loved this book! The narrative is cleverly unraveled with jumps backwards and forwards in chronology, with flashbacks to the publication of the book and to the present day for its 50th anniversary. The book is a maze of sub-plots and perspectives that build our knowledge piece by piece, changing our initial perceptions about events and characters as the story develops.

The main character Nell is a really likeable character and I enjoyed her resistance to her family and their values. Her fierce loyalty to Billie is heart-warming and, especially as events unfold, I can understand how the past has led to this admirable character trait.

The book has a reel of characters, which at first felt quite confusing. But the author is able to cleverly and successfully develop each character through the use of flashbacks and different perspectives so that, although there are many of them, the characters are each a fully-formed and integral role within the tangled timeline of their lives. The narrative is built on the themes of deception, rivalry, love and loyalty, and there are some genuine eye-brow-raising, gasp-out-loud moments as the plot unravels.

A firm five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly recommend!

Thank you to Erin Kelly, Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication. I reviewed an advanced review copy for free and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

A dysfunctional family history and a murder mystery surrounding a treasure hunt book ‘The Golden Bones’ which touches the lives of its creator Frank Churcher and his close family and friends. Inspired by the book Masquerade which was published in 1979, this book had me reminiscing my childhood and my total inability to solve any of its clues. Nell, Franks daughter, has had her life totally disrupted by the publication of The Golden Bones and the increasingly disturbing and violent theories and actions of the ‘bone hunters’. As the story progresses twists and family secrets come thick and fast. I loved this book and would highly recommend. It’s a strong 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for letting mr read the arc of this novel in return for a honest review.

Gothic Mysticism…
Haunting themes of gothic mysticism, mystery and spellbound thriller merge in this cleverly crafted and multi layered tale. This is more than simply a treasure hunt. With a beautifully drawn plot and a cast driven by complex personalities, this is intriguing and engaging and will keep the reader enthralled until the final page.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book.

Genuinely one of the best things I’ve read in ages. Imaginative with great characters. Loved how it developed and didn’t guess where it was going at all

What a book! Somehow Erin Kelly had done it again, no two books are remotely the same, I honestly don’t know how she finds her ideas.

I loved the concept of this tale, where two artists devise a book which grips the world- the book keeping clues to buried treasure- tiny gold skeleton pieces buried in specific locations across the UK, with one piece, the pelvis, never discovered. 50 years later, on the anniversary of its launch, and during a new launch of an online version, events take a macabre twist when a human pelvis is found in its place.

The story twists from past to current day, with some terrible consequences.

I couldn’t put this down, the storyline was complex but gripping and I just had to keep reading. Just Fabulous. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Extraordinary, I was totally immersed in this story, absorbing every word in case I missed something important. It’s a long book and it took a while to read but I thought it well worth it. Every character in the two main families is flawed and self absorbed and totally controlled by the phenomenon created by the parent generation of a treasure hunt book containing clues to the position of buried golden bones. Secrets and lies are revealed slowly through a dual timeline that shocks and confounds. How far would you go to protect someone you love and what is the nature of family?

I have to say this has to be my second favourite of erin’s books, the first being the burning air. All I can say is wow! What a masterful plot, it had me gripped from the very first page until the last. I’m so excited for the next one already.

The Golden Bones is going to follow me around for the rest of my life. How can I trust anyone? It all leads back to you!

Nell didn't want to go to the reunion to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of The Golden Bones. She'd had no benefit from it - in fact, it had made her life precarious and unbelievably challenging. I'd better explain. The Golden Bones was a treasure quest book painted and written by Frank and Cora Churcher. The story revolved around murdered Elinore whose golden and bejewelled bones were hidden around the country. The clues - some of them quite tortuous - were disguised in the words and pictures of the book - and all the parts were discovered except for the pelvis. As with such quests, some people were obsessive and the theories became more and more outlandish.

One theory which gathered enough believers to make it dangerous for Nell was that her pelvis was actually Elinore's pelvis and Ingrid Morrison attacked her with a knife. You could argue that it was Nell's fault: the family knew of the threat and she was delivered to and picked up from school every day by Ahmed. One day she decided that she'd go out with her friends - and Ingrid attacked her on her way home. Since then she's lived her life trying to stay away from the spotlight.

Nell has fifteen-year-old Billie to take into account. Billie's actually the daughter of a former boyfriend and she matters to Nell. They live on Nell's houseboat, Seren, which has to be moved regularly. It's a bit of a nuisance but it does limit the chances of Nell being found by the Bonehunters. The book made Frank (now Sir Frank) a rich man but it wasn't only Nell who suffered. Marriages broke down, homes were lost and a man was killed. Frank doesn't seem worried - in fact he craves the publicity - and hopes that it will help to sell his real work, the portraits of the women he's slept with. Some of them are far too close to home.

I did wonder if I was going to enjoy the book: treasure quests are not really my thing but Bookbag has reviewed a few of Erin Kelly's books and some respected reviewers have been blown away. I suspected I was missing something, so I started to read about a treasure quest...

... and I couldn't put it down. In the first few pages you'll wonder if you're going to have to come to terms with a cast of thousands, but relax - you're in safe hands. Every one of these characters will come to life as you read. Some - Nell and Billie - you'll be rooting for. Others - Frank Churcher, we're looking at you - will be despised. After you've turned the final page, you'll wonder how they're all doing.

I'd have read this book just for the joy of the characters but you also get one of the best plots I've encountered in a long time. It's like a jigsaw, which comes together piece by piece as you come to the inevitable - but totally unexpected - conclusion. It's an absolute cracker of a book and the brilliant thing is that there's a back catalogue to be explored. I'm going to start with The Poison Tree.

The book starts slowly with background information for the reader. A couple of times, I thought "why am I reading this?" as the recollections of Eleanore grew with no story to knit them together . Then it started. Like trying to read a kaleidoscope, the reader is bounced from year to year, person to person in a dizzying flickerboard and the story emerges, each revelation laying uncomfortably on the other. Growing up in a family with a famous author for a father and discovering the treacherous path taken by family members and friends could lead you to a life of quiet solitude and carefully chosen companions.

This isn't a book I would usually pick up since it looks and sounds like nothing like a fantasy YA novel but I was pleasantly surprised by how wrong I was.

The characters, the families and the history behind the book-inside-the-book made it an engrossing adventure I had so much fun with. We get slowly introduced toe Nell's world, her family, her father's legacy and the impact all this has had on her life since she was a kid.

The plot is intricately woven with some amazing details in it that had me going back and forth among the pages to confirm things. This is a book that needs to be read and reread.

I'd recommend it for BOTM picks as it brings up some interesting questions on a lot of subjects (not giving anything away but let's just say I can't wait for a discussion on this).

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Hodder & Stougton for this amazing ebook. I cannot wait to explore more from Erin Kelley.

I grew up with the Masquerade book this story inspired, it's vivid drawings revealing something new keach time you looked at it. My sister and I spent hours pouring over it.

Naturally, I was delighted to hear about this book and thrilled to get an ARC from Netgalley. Thank you.

There's a lot going on. It flips between timelines, retells tlimelines from different perspectives and it would have been easy for the story to get as lost as the treasure on which the story is based. But it doesn't. Erin skillfully weaves a tale about family - the ups, downs and absolute horrors that sometimes occur. The characters are flawed, weak but that's what makes them real. Some you will hate, some you will love.

It's a puzzle in literary form, that leaves you guessing till the very end.

"Less than a fortnight ago, I thought that the greatest derailment of my life - the before-and-after everyone has - was when Ingrid took a blade to my skin...Right now, that moment, and all the others...seem little more than a kink in the tracks. This is the moment my life slides off the lines entirely. This is the impact, this is the wreck."

Present day London and Eleanor (Nell) Churcher, in her forties, is attending a family anniversary at their insistence. Nell is nervous. She brings with her informally adoptive daughter, teenager, Billie. The Churcher family, including eccentric and arrogant, Sir Frank Churcher, bohemian mum Cora and immediate neighbours and long-time friends, The Lallys (including Frank's best friend, Lal) are all in attendance. It's fifty years since Frank, released 'The Golden Bones', a beautiful, lyrical book with an 'olde English' folklore tale of lost love accompanied by beautiful and complex images. The book was a treasure hunt, encouraging readers to locate the separate parts of a miniature golden skeleton of 'Elinor', buried about the UK. Avid fans, The Bonehunters, become obsessed with finding the final piece, the pelvis. Some became unhinged and fixated on the book's namesake, Elinor / Eleanor, AKA Nell, putting her life in danger over the decades, to the extent that she has been living under the radar on a house-boat. At the anniversary celebrations, the Bonehunters are kept outside by security whilst a documentary team record the republication of the book with a new digital treasure hunt and app, designed by Dominic, Nell's brother. As Frank swans about being the centre of attention, he doesn't know that the past is about to catch up with him. Within a couple of week, the families' lives will never be the same again as truths are devastatingly revealed.

This is an outstanding, character-driven saga about the secrets and lies of two eccentric and dysfunctional British families, spanning from the 1970s to present day. The concept of The Golden Bones (inspired by Masquerade) is fascinating, but it's engaging protagonist Nell who is the heart of the novel, trying to create a safe and loving world for herself and Billie. The quest to find the golden bones brings out strong emotions, having led to arguments, fights, marriage breakdowns, injury and even death. Unpredictable, intricate and tense, I struggled to put this down as the shocking twists were revealed and Nell showed her strength and determination.

A fresh and intriguing thriller/crime/mystery novel. I absolutely loved this and couldn't put it down. Highly recommend

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton, for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

From the very first page, this was a story that kept me interested. This story is the first I have read of its kind, and I am craving more! The story keeps unfolding itself in new and intricate ways, as it reveals new layers of the secret that is central to the story: The Golden Bones. The pace of the story is slow enough for details that add a ton to the story and fast enough to keep me engaged in the story; Erin has done that beautifully so. The dark themes in the book are handled with the uttermost grace. This book will have my thoughts captured for some time and not let me go. Go read this book!

Fifty years after the release of The Golden Bones, the bestselling book with a treasure hunt hidden in its pages, the anniversary holds the fans in its grips as it did all those years ago. Nell, a recluse after her childhood events, decides to attend this anniversary for her parents. But this anniversary does not happen without consequences.

I chose to read this book because, like the author, I too was fascinated by Kit William's 'Masquerade' book, although too young to do anything but marvel at the amazing pictures and read a nice but confusing story.
The Skeleton Key doesn't have any pictures, but it is certainly more than a nice story. From very early on, I felt drawn in to the lives of Nell and her family. I liked how the story evolved to reveal more of their characters and their motives. The narrative moves around on the timeline but unlike some stories, this wasn't confusing as the chapters were clearly titled with the date.. What was slightly confusing was the discussions concerning the Bonehunters and the significance of their forum posts, one has to pay very close attention to keep up with who said what and when!
This is a whodunnit mystery and a psychological thriller, mixed with a good dollop of social commentary about class prejudice and privilege. It is not always easy reading but it is totally engrossing and worth a few hours of anyone's time.

Welcome to a world, where it appears nothing is sacred anymore. Misdemeanors are covered up by throwing cash at them, and families are prepared to go all in to keep reputations in place. Is this possible, the art world closing in and covering up to protect its own. Its all about the bones….

“… Flesh will spoil and blood will spill but true love never dies. Gather the lady’s bones with love to see the lady rise…”
Erin Kelly :- The Skeleton Key.

As a form of torture Chinese Water and Waterboarding can easily be described as being extremities of the same idea. However, you couldn’t think of anything more apt to describe just how the author holds you in this story. A drip feed that descends into a creshendo, that pulls you along and threatens to drown you. Such is the pace that it gathers.

The charcters, the way in which they merge, the simple believability. You feel like you know them, that they are almost family members of yours, such is the way that they portrayed and the depth that they have.

The plot, is of similar strength and leaves just enough to the imagination, to really find yourself fully immersed in the goings on of the two families. The twists and turns, and the suffering that they are going through.

Would I recommend? Hell YES!

Status: Complete

Rating: 5.0/5.0

This is a book that will stay with me for a long time. A very complex story that moves through different timelines to really add depth to the characters and their quirks. The storyline is clever, the kind of addictive story that would transfer brilliantly onto the TV.

In true Erin Kelly style this book starts off quiet and slow-burning - a detailed exploration of the characters, the setting and the mystery. But then out of nowhere you are sucked in, find yourself thoroughly invested in twists and turns of this gripping story. ps Obsessed with Eleanor and Billie!

A twisted tale of treasure hunts, family, deception, and crime. Erin Kelly never disappoints - I didn’t know how she’d be able to follow Watch Her Fall but she’s done it, 5 stars from me!

Nell is pulled back into her family life after living off grid with her sort-of step-daughter, Billie. Her dad rose to fame through The Golden Bone, a treasure hunt to find the ‘bones’ of a mysterious folklore figure, Elinore, scattered across the country. Of course, a bunch of people take it too far and one tries to kill Nell when she’s a teenager. But she has to return when her dad is releasing an anniversary edition. What they don’t bank on is an actual human pelvis to be found and all hell to break loose…

Spanning 50 years, this really is an absolutely gifted telling of a twisted tale. I really didn’t see a lot of it coming, as I never do with Kelly’s books! The characters are mostly awful, in that brilliant way of a thriller. Snobby, rich, selfish, self-entitled. All apart from Billie, who I absolutely loved. The incident with the glass just made me love her more!

I don’t want to give much away and spoil this, but there are a few trigger warnings you might want to check on before reading.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

This is a wonderful twisty and twisted saga about two melded families, full of secrets, lies, deceit and maybe some things even darker.

In 1969 Frank Churcher, aided by some artistic friends, comes up with a project that will make him very rich and very famous.  But that money and fame comes with a huge price for some.  

The picture book that Frank produces is inspired by an old English folk song and contains a treasure hunt that becomes a lifelong and sometimes dangerous obsession for some people.

Fifty years after the book is first published a film crew descends on Frank's home to make a documentary about the success and infamy of 'The Golden Bones'.  All Frank's family, blood and extended are gathered together, whether they like it or not, and chaos of the highest magnitude ensues.

I have read and enjoyed all of Erin Kelly's novels but this is by far my favourite.  Okay, the plot is perhaps a bit bonkers at times but it is so entertaining and the characters are so fantastic I loved every single page of it. 

Highly, highly recommended.

Erin Kelly is one of my ‘go to’ authors when I am looking for compelling, intelligent story telling that leaves a lasting impression. The Skeleton Key does all of that and more. It is rich, full of character, intricately layered and absolutely excels in the richness of dysfunctional family dynamics and toxic relationships.

I’ve said before that I admire good plotting, enjoy dark mysteries and love a good thriller, but nothing puts me more in awe of an author than the ability to make characters live and breathe on the page. Erin Kelly has that ability in spades and it is what draws me back to her books every time. She is an understated writer, but her books are full of nuance, layered and complex with characters whose lives you feel you understand because they are so well drawn. She especially does bohemian characters really well and that always makes me smile.

The Skeleton Key is the story of two close dysfunctional families, the lies they tell, the casual neglect of their children and the monstrous ego of at least one of their number.

This story belongs to Eleanor, the daughter of Frank and Cora Churcher. Frank is a famous artist, his fame having come from sales of a best-selling book, The Golden Bones, a richly illustrated treasure hunt based on an old folk song, which offers clues to a golden, jewel encrusted treasure in the form of a skeleton, parts of which are buried across the British Isles. Kit Harrington’s Masquerade was such a book, but the mystery of The Golden Bones has endured now for 50 years and become almost mythological.

Over the years many pieces have been found, but one piece, the pelvis, has remained elusive. A cult has built up over the years, drawing fanatics and sometimes dangerous and violent obsessives to its core, alongside genuine treasure hunters, passionate about finding all the pieces and ensuring the skeleton can be put back together again.

It is a quest which has put Eleanor (Nell) in danger more than once and which led both to her estrangement from her family and to Nell living life as much off the grid as she is able.

Now the 50th anniversary of the publication of The Golden Bones draws near and Nell has come back to finally see the pieces reunited and the treasure hunt brought to a close. No-one is more relieved than Nell.

But the path to Nell’s peace of mind is of course not straightforward and as events unfold in the lead up to this ‘Golden Anniversary’ many disturbing secrets will come to light and two close families will be riven apart. In a dual timeline story which moves effortlessly between past and present, Kelly brings every character to life so brilliantly.

Verdict: Erin Kelly has delivered another massively compelling, beautifully imagined, page-turner full of richly drawn characters, secrets upon secrets in a book which is both fabulously original and so layered it falls into the millefeuille category. Beautifully written, full of seriously flawed characters and lots of toxicity, this book is both riveting and unmissable. The Skeleton Key is undoubtedly a top ten book of 2022.

Firstly, thank you to Erin Kelly, the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I read this book in a matter of days, and was hooked by the storyline. I did feel a bit confused about the relationships and who was connected to who, but that was probably more me than the actual book.

The storyline was great - I loved the concept of the treasure hunt and the drama that ensues, as well as the dysfunctional family and how they all live alongside each other.

It moved easily between present and past and didn't lose anything in either time. I loved learning the backstory of the parents and where the present day drama originated.

Great novel, and will be reading more of Erin's books!

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher & Erin for the ARC.

A fast paced thriller, difficult to tear yourself away from. Well written and expertly crafted.

I really enjoyed this book. I sympathised with Nell, the main character, and her unique position. The book moved along at a really fast pace, without ever feeling rushed or forced.
A great relationship between Nell and Billie and living on a boat on the Thames was also an interesting feature.
A really good read.

This was a slow start but it did not take too long before I was hooked and wanted to discover all the secrets. I loved Eleanor/Nell as she was so brave and kept herself to herself not worrying about her family and all the money that they had. She was also very moralistic and lived in an almost perfect worlds.
Great read which i highly recommend.

The Skeleton Key is the story of two dysfunctional families, the Churchers and the Lally's, the lies they have told and the secrets they have kept over decades of friendship.

The Golden Bones, written and illustrated by Frank Churcher is celebrating its 50th anniversary and all the family have been called back home to celebrate. Estranged daughter Nell is hoping it will finally put an end to her life mostly in hiding, due to the cultish nature of some of the fans of the book putting her in danger on more than one occasion. Unfortunately, all it does is uncover more lies and secrets that threaten to rip both families apart.

Written over multiple timelines, this is an intricately-woven mystery that builds gradually, setting the scenes and illustrateling the many characters beautifully. After the initial slow-burn start and feeling a little concerned about keeping track of all the characters, once you are drawn in, it is very difficult to put down!

This book truly blew me away, the use of a treasure hunt as a plot for a crime thriller novel is a genius idea! Such a unique book in a genre where it’s so hard to be different. I could picture every single character and place throughout! I particularly liked how your perceptions of the characters constantly changed and the side plots of the character’s lives made them feel three dimensional. I’ll be recommending this book to lots of people for sure.

Sometimes you just read a book that makes you go WOW. This was that book to me. It started off slowly setting the scene then Bam. Your into it. I found once it got really started uncovered secrets were constantly revealed. I had to break the book down into sittings just so I could absorb the story.
What I really loved was the ending began at about 3/4 of the way through. Like an onion peeling away the layers.
Everything so beautifully described. This must. be a perfect book to be made into a film.
I loved the character Nell. They way she stood by Billie and new used the family money to get ahead in life.
I will certainly be reading more books by this author.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to see an ARC

Wow! This book took me all round the houses and back again... I was shattered when I eventually finished! Not that it was hard work, don't get me wrong. Just a lot of trying to figure it out and chasing my tail when another of my theories didn't pan out.
So... Nell has returned home to her (mostly) estranged family to celebrate the anniversary of her father's famous book - The Golden Bones - a treasure hunt book that, well, let's just say has been the bane of the majority of Nell's life. But I'll leave you to discover the whys and wherefores of that. Suffice to say that things don't quite go according to plan and shenanigans ensue as a skeleton is found. Flitting between the present and the past in multiple timelines the truth of what it all is really about starts to come out. With corresponding, at time almost spectacular, fallout...
This is a long book and it contains a lot of story. Told over a long timespan. But it never felt long, or overwhelming. It's colourful and rich and contains some of the best and dysfunctional characters I have read about in time. Nell herself I took to immediately. Others took a while and some I was never sure about - often with good reason! I especially enjoyed the "interconnections" between the Churchers and the Lallys in what I would guess would be a co-dependent relationship. Of sorts anyway. The treasure hunt parts were exciting to read about and the parts about the Bonehunters and the forum were so well done.
The action ramps up as the story crescendos to finally give up the whole truth, and exhausted I sat back and applauded the author for a job well done. Never saw the half of all that!
I've read and enjoyed a few of this author's books but I think this one is definitely my favourite. So much so that I am itching to get my hands on the Audible and re-listening to the story.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly.
THIS REUNION WILL TEAR A FAMILY APART ...
Wow. A beautiful intriging book. I loved the cover. Definitely recommend. 5*.

In May 1992, sixteen-year-old Eleanor Churcher gave her bodyguard the slip. Ingrid her stalker, intent on removing her pelvis, attacked her with a knife. In Ingrid’s mind that pelvis was the last golden bone needed to bring Elinore back to life. Eleanor survived, but with a shattered, paranoid view of the world in which she must live; Ingrid was incarcerated for life in an institution; Elinore remained the fictional subject of an old folksong. All because, in 1969, Frank Churcher and his soon to be wife, Cora, conceived the idea for a book. Cora, an authority on old folksongs, was particularly interested in “To Gather the Bones”, in which Elinore was murdered by her husband, who then scattered her bones across the country. Tam, her secret lover, searched for and finally recovered the bones and, by a combination of magic and love, restored her to life. Frank, an impoverished artist, creates a series of pictures showing scenes from the song and, with the help of his best friend and fellow artist, Lal, they devise a plan. A small, articulated, gold skeleton comprised of seven bones is created, the bones are hidden around Britain, and a book containing Frank’s pictures, Cora’s verses and (mainly) Lal’s riddles is published in 1971. People are invited to buy the book, solve the clues and find the bones. This could have been a short term phenomenon but some fans, the “Bonehunters”, become fanatics, and some begin to think that it’s all real – that finding all the bones and assembling the skeleton will bring Elinore back to life.
That is a very long introduction, but it provides the basis against which the attack on Eleanor, and all the other events in the book makes sense. It is, however, not the main thrust of the book, which is much more an analysis of the two families, Frank’s and Lal’s living more or less as a ménage á deux or more accurately á neuf as Lal acquires a wife and both couples produce children, of whom Eleanor is the eldest. Outwardly a mutually supportive arrangement, all sorts of problems and secrets accumulate and come to a head when celebrations are planned for the fiftieth anniversary, and the reveal of the last remaining bone – that pelvis that Mad Ingrid was searching for. The whole organisation of the “Bonehunters” is almost a story in itself as it illustrates the way in which the internet and social networks can allow disparate people to act together and how false ideas can become dominant and dangerous. The story is largely told from Eleanor’s point of view, with insights into events which she will only learn of later. In a number of instances, we see the same event from different points of view with different interpretations dependent on the viewer. The plot is hugely complex, the foregoing doesn’t even scratch the surface, and the different interpretations provide an other layer of complexity. Everything does, eventually, coalesce and we end up with Eleanor at last complete (as is Elinore, of course). It is quite a trip.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

I was really hooked into this one almost immediately. I had never heard of Masquerade by Kit Williams and its bookish treasure hunt before, so appreciated the author's short introduction. What an intriguing idea and Erin Kelly has taken that and created this fantastic, entertaining and original story.

We begin with an introduction to the Churchers and the Lallys - two families so close they are almost one. Loud, chaotic and unconventional in a number of ways everyone is gathering to celebrate the anniversary of The Golden Bones - a ridiculously successful treasure hunt book that has captivated fans for 50 years. The idea of the book is to reunite the bones to bring the character of Elinor back to life. The bones are hidden in the real world and the mystery has attracted a devoted following of Bonehunters. Some of these hunters will go to any length and Nells life has been put in danger more than once by desperate fans.

As the daughter of Frank Churcher, the creator of the Golden Bones her life has been only complicated by the book and the unwanted attention it has brought. Now living on a narrow boat and trying to live a life away from the drama, she is rather unwillingly pulled back into the family circle to celebrate the anniversary. When a promotion stunt around the last remaining missing bone goes spectacularly wrong, the hunt for the missing bone spirals out of control and family secrets are uncovered.

The story slips between the past and the present and is told from the viewpoints of several of the characters. Would have been easy to lose the pace of the story but I felt this was brilliantly done and really added to the getting to know the characters and understanding their motivations and relationships.

I really liked the main character of Nell with her splashes of humour and wry observations. I really felt for her when her life was uprooted by the hunt, putting not only her life in danger but also her relationship with Billie, a young woman she is caring for on the line. Their relationship too was really well written capturing the genuine affection as well as the teasing and the tensions.

Actually all the central characters were really well written. Balanced and believable- Frank with his ego, big hearted Lal, childlike Cora and Dominic who wants to protect his mum but also gain his fathers approval.

Great portrayal of family dynamics too where your family can be a safe harbour but at the same time be able to push all your buttons. They are also the people who know where the bodies are buried (literally in this case) and the way Nell struggles with her conflicting emotions over different members of the family is so well done.

While the main thrust of the story is the Golden Bones, it has many layers and subplots so the reader is kept fully entertained throughout - fame, ageing, family, secrets, money, ego, jealousy- so much going on but all beautifully held together. A special mention to the portrayal of how men and women are treated differently by society as they age through the characters of Cora and Frank (oh I could happily have slapped Frank!!)

Great pacing as the story builds to a climax and it left me wondering if I would agree with Nells moral stance as all the secrets are revealed. While pretty dark in places this book still manages to be fun and original and I absolutely loved it.

Huge thank you to Net Galley & Hodder & Stoughton for the chance to read an early copy

The Skeleton Key is just my sort of book. A dark family led story with lots of secrets that have been hidden for years.
Frank Churcher wrote a hugely successful treasure hunt book called the The Golden Bones 50 years ago, it laid a series of clues to 7 golden bones scattered across the country. It has made his family very rich but has also brought them many problems, particularly their daughter Nell. From an early age age she has been targeted by the Bonehunters, an obsessive group of treasure hunters who believe she hold the clue to the final missing bone.
The book is being re-released for the 50th anniversary and Frank has gathered his friends and family to watch him unveil the location of the final bone. What happens next opens up a whole can of worms and soon the Churchers and their close friends, the Lallys, find out far more than they want to about their intertwined lives over the last half a century.
Frank Churcher is a fabulous and horrifying invention, as patriarch, father and friend, he has damaged everyone around him, it’s time for him to get his comeuppance. However, for that to happen the family need to be honest with each other and that isn’t going to be easy.
I would highly recommend this book, it’s the perfect novel to settle down and get lost in. A great cast of characters, a clever plot and a highly satisfying ending. Thank you to #netgalley and #HodderBooks for allowing me to review this ARC

A novel about a literary treasure hunt with a mystery at its heart - a description the stands good for the novel itself. Very cleverly written so that the novel’s theme mirrors the theme of the book it is written about. Thoroughly gripping and a first class read.

Excellent reading! Put your morals to the test - superb tale based on a 'treasure hunt' type book such as Masquerade by Kit Williams in the late 70s. 3 friends are art students. A dreamy, poetic book is produced with exquisite artwork based on old myths and most of all, a mystery to solve: the bones of the heroine in the book must be 'found' to bring her back to life. Cue puzzle solvers, mystery freaks and totally bonkers conspiracy theorists taking everything into their own hands - all exacerbated by the internet. Things get serious - a member of the family of the author is put in mortal danger.

2 families, the Churchers and the Lallys have made lives together on the success of the book. But there are strains in the relationship. Beneath the happy 'communal living' of the families (houses side by side in a very lovely part of Hampstead) lie secrets, lies, oneupmanship, jealousies, arrogance, betrayal and power. I loved the relationship between Nell (Frank Churcher's daughter) and Billie especially. A heady mix, characters to love (and loathe) and your judgement will be tossed about like flotsam! Very exciting - by the end of the book, you're pretty sure you know who did the right thing! But only at the end... the very end.

Wow an absolute whirlwind of a story. I cannot praise or recommend this book highly enough. So many twists and turns and plenty of deceit and elements of the very worst in human nature.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this storyline and can see how it could be taken to the level it was... obsessive treasure hunters and clues to be interpretated.. The internal struggle of the ones that started the whole thing off and how they have become a victim of their own success,
I found it facinating that finding the skellington was so addictive... I was driven to want to see the clues that would take me to the final part of this skellington myself...
A fantastic storyline

I loved this book, very compelling plot which completely draws you in to the world of Bonehunters and the lives of the two families. The family drama is at the heart of it, I enjoyed the relationships between them all, even though some had terrible secrets. The solving of the Golden Bones clues is a great story with all the twists and turns it takes. Nell is a great central character and I liked her relationship with Billie. The fear she felt from being stalked by those trying to solve the clues was palpable and very real world, being set in the present day. I enjoyed the various timelines aspect, going back into the past and hearing a different characters voice explaning their take on a situation. Great twists and turns, fantastic thriller and highly recommend!

I love the way Erin Kelly writes and this book was no exception. It was wonderfully written and I really enjoyed it. Her thrillers are always so fun and twisty and they just always manage to grip me. Such a great book.

I have heard so many good things about The Skeleton Key that I decided that I had to find out for myself and I am so glad that I did. This is a book that packs in so much mystery, that the reader gets one hell of a ride from start to finish.
Nell Churcher has been hounded by the book The Golden Bones written by her father all her life so it was with some hesitation she returned home for the 50th celebrations where the hunt for the final piece of Elinore. With the “Bonehunters” back out in force it was always going to be questionable if everything was going to go to plan, but nobody expected what actually happened.
The Churchers and the Lallys are a close group. They live next door to each other and two of the children even married. On the face of it the friendship seems very close but in reality there are secrets and lies that always bubble under the surface that over the course of the book are revealed to the reader and the realities of what tie them together are not quite as nice as you would expect and you could only describe the relationships as totally toxic.
The book flits between the past and the present which I love as it always seems to make the story move quickly. I like dipping in and out of the backstory as it explains the events of the present perfectly. I loved the characters (even the ones that really didn’t have any redeeming qualities). The self-centeredness of Frank Churcher was believable to the point that you wondered why his family stuck with him and put up with his behaviour. The more I read the more I understood why Nell had distanced herself from them all and the baggage they brought with them even if it looked like it may cost her the one thing she truly wanted.
I will admit that I didn’t want to put this book down and resented every single interruption from my family. As the truth was revealed and just how many people had a hand in the outcome was a surprise although when you get to know each character and the lengths they will go to in order to protect themselves maybe it shouldn’t be. The Skeleton Key has got to be one of my favourite books so far this year and was just the different kind of book from what I have been reading that I needed.

The Skeleton Key is such an eclectic mix of amazing styles, stories and mysteries. It's a contemporary thriller, but with so many layers that echo the literary greats. I felt ghosts of AS Byatt and John Fowles rubbing shoulders with Lisa Jewell and Janice Hallett. Highly recommended!

One of my favourite reads of the year! I throughly enjoyed this book so much so that at 13% through I ordered a physical copy of the book. Erin Kelly is an auto buy author for me now. I couldn’t read this book quick enough and looked forward to picking it back up.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Erin Kelly is a fantastic writer and dreamer of amazing plot lines! The Skeleton Key is no exception. Weaving a tale of treasure, toxic family relationships, murder and more is no mean feat yet the author is so adept at this. This is an unputdownable book that readers will not forget. Thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for the eARC.

What a great read! I love the uniqueness of the story, the characters and the way the story comes together. All the relationships are pretty complicated but toxic but ultimately they’re all still family. This is my first read of an Erin Kelly but I am in love with her writing so will definitely be reading more,

Fabulous thriller set around a treasure hunt/picture book published 50 years previously by Nell's father. The story is packed with obsession, mystery and tension, with fixated fans and an author, family patriarch Frank Churcher, who fans the flames by revealing the whereabouts of the final bone to be found. Engrossing and gothic.

Colby Mills once felt destined for a musical career, but tragedy grounded his dreams. Now the dust has settled, he spontaneously takes a gig playing at a bar in Florida, seeking a rare break from his duties at home.

Intriguing thriller exploring the effects of the misdeeds of parents on their children. Great set-up about a best-selling treasure-hunt book in the style of Kit Williams' 'Masquerade' and its obsessive 'Bonehunter' fans. Several plot strans deftly handled and well-drawn, fascinating characters.

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 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.

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!

This is a compelling and original thriller, quite different from anything I have read before. It is incredibly well thought out with twists I definitely didn’t see coming. Nell is an appealing, offbeat heroine from a dysfunctional family and I so wanted her to triumph. The novel just gets more and more exciting as the story goes on. I would recommend starting this book when you have lots of time to lose yourself in it!

In the summer of 2021, Nell returns to her family home to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Golden Bones, written by her father.
In part a treasure hunt, the book led to a group of obsessed fans joining together as The Bonehunters, convinced that Nell is actually Elinore, the main character in The Golden Bones, and that she knows where the last missing piece of treasure is.
Full of mystery, twists and turns, The Skeleton Key’s narrative darts between past and present, revealing ugly family secrets along the way.
I really enjoyed it, but it’s not an easy read - there are a lot of characters and details to remember- but definitely a book worth spending time over.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.

This book was a bit of a slow burner at first and I wasn’t exactly sure where it was going but….
Once it got it’s hooks into you there was no going back. The story of how rivalries and obsessions can become imbedded in a family and that they can destroy lives. The ripples of past events, and ‘sins’, can become all engulfing waves years later.
The suspense kept growing and kept you guessing right to the end.

This is a brilliant and originally book, I have found Erin Kelly's work (in the past) really hit and miss. I found this book gripping, especially as I love puzzles in my day to day life so a frantic treasure hunt that costs sanity, and marriages with super high-stakes gripped me from the off. What a stellar book and I shall be recommending it to everyone!!

I’m getting to that age, and I may be getting to it prematurely. No, not the menopause. That age when the relationship of responsibility between parent and child switches. All my friends are having to deal with aging, cantankerous, increasingly conservative parents. But for some of us, this balance of responsibility has been skewed almost their entire lives.

Enter Nell, the protagonist of Erin Kelly’s latest novel. Nell, like me, comes from a bohemian hippy family where the parents grow their own pot and aren’t particularly discrete about their extra-marital sex. Unlike me, Nell’s family is also at the centre of an international treasure hunt, prompted by a picture book her parents wrote in the 1970s.

I had come into this book expecting something of a treasure hunt for the reader, along the lines of Alexandra Benedict’s The Christmas Murder Game or Janice Hallett’s The Twyford Code, but to the best of my knowledge this is not the case (Although it’s perfectly possible this book is full of acrostics that went right over my head!). What I got instead is what I was so badly wanting from Eve Chase’s The Birdcage: a properly twisty family story, spanning generations and delivering plenty of shocks along the way.

In this, Kelly absolutely delivers. There is a mystery at the heart of the story that has both Nell and the reader reaching down wrong turns almost all the way through. But at the same time, the narrative darts back and fore into the past, laying context on key moments, giving deeper insight into Nell’s family. And let me tell you, some of it is not pretty! This is a warts and all look at family interactions, and the quiet neglects and traumas of those of us who were brought up ‘to be independent’.

At the same time, we’re presented with kids who fell into (or through) the system. The hardships faced by those with no parents, whether that be because of absence or death. Kelly doesn’t seem to judge one side as worse-off than the other, but rather reveals the myriad ways in which we are all, as Larkin has it, “fucked up” by Mum and Dad.

Besides the brilliant twists and heart-breaking secrets, the book is a really nice read. Nell is an easy character with whom to spend the majority of the novel, and the writing is very smooth – I got through the book quite quickly.

All in all, one of my favourite books of the year. Definitely come to this book if you’re looking for a mystery that will keep you on your toes, and an authentic and sympathetic look at that true step into adulthood: realising your parents are the real kids!

Really enjoyable mystery book. The premise is totally different from anything I’ve read before and is so richly written you can picture the book involved and it makes you want to be part of it.

The family undertones and nods to the power wielded make it relevant and just a really powerful read.

This book was incredible. Odd families, sketchy characters, great storyline that takes you back in time whe artistes we’re just that.
A controversial book is being republished on the anniversary of its release. The Golden Bones is highly anticipated and the media are whipping up interest in the search for the last bone to complete the skeleton of Elinore.
I find it difficult to précis this book because there are too many great characters and layers of intrigue.
Buy And read, you will love it.

Mesmerizing, full of twists and turns, an absolute delight to read and experience. I will be seeking more from this author immediately!

I struggled with this a little, there were a lot of characters and I found it a little tricky to remember who everyone was.

That said, what an interesting premise, a totally original story and a great thriller. It was a real page turner.

THIS REUNION WILL TEAR A FAMILY APART ...
Summer, 2021. Nell has come home at her family's insistence to celebrate an anniversary. Fifty years ago, her father wrote The Golden Bones. Part picture book, part treasure hunt, Sir Frank Churcher created a fairy story about Elinore, a murdered woman whose skeleton was scattered all over England. Clues and puzzles in the pages of The Golden Bones led readers to seven sites where jewels were buried - gold and precious stones, each a different part of a skeleton. One by one, the tiny golden bones were dug up until only Elinore's pelvis remained hidden.
The book was a sensation. A community of treasure hunters called the Bonehunters formed, in frenzied competition, obsessed to a dangerous degree. People sold their homes to travel to England and search for Elinore. Marriages broke down as the quest consumed people. A man died. The book made Frank a rich man. Stalked by fans who could not tell fantasy from reality, his daughter, Nell, became a recluse.
But now the Churchers must be reunited. The book is being reissued along with a new treasure hunt and a documentary crew are charting everything that follows. Nell is appalled, and terrified. During the filming, Frank finally reveals the whereabouts of the missing golden bone. And then all hell breaks loose.

What a great twisted read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

I’ve been reading Erin Kelly since The Burning Air and she’s pretty much unbeatable in her ability to grip the reader and immerse them in her world of domestic noir. This was read in a very enjoyable weekend with Alice Feeney’s Daisy Darker so I was knee deep in my favourite territory - arty, bohemian families, with big rambling houses, full of eccentricities and dark secrets. I was ready for skeletons to start tumbling out of closets and that was almost literally the case here. The Churcher’s and the Lally’s have a history that goes back decades and now they live in each other’s pockets, in two adjoining houses on Hampstead Heath, smelling of oil paint and weed. Back in the the 1970’s, when their friendships and marriages began, artist Frank used some old folk verses to create a picture book full of clues to hidden treasure. The story is macabre, as a young woman named Elinore is suspected of infidelity and murdered by her husband. He then scatters her bones in sites across the British Isles. The verses in the book, The Golden Bones, contain clues to the whereabouts of hidden treasure - a one off, tiny gold skeleton with a jewel set in it’s pelvis. When the book caught the public imagination, a group calling themselves The Bonehunters emerged and with the birth of the internet hunters and enthusiasts could solve clues together, pass on information and stoke rumours. Unfortunately, for some it became an obsession and twenty years later, Frank’s daughter - also named Eleanor- is attacked outside her school by a knife-wielding woman who is certain the final piece of treasure - the pelvis - resides within her actual body.

It’s no surprise that as the book reaches it’s fiftieth anniversary, speculation and concern from some parts of the family, has reached fever pitch. With the help of son Dom, the book has been re-issued in a Golden Anniversary edition, complete with locations for people to check in online. The families come together at the houses on the heath, to film for a television special about the book, including a secret unveiling that Frank’s been planning. As he gives a speech, under a tree on the heath, to everyone assembled and on camera, it’s clear he’s planned a publicity stunt. Could this be the final piece of treasure? However, even Frank is shocked when one of his grandchildren climbs the tree and instead of treasure pulls free a woman’s pelvis. The book follows the aftermath of this gruesome discovery, how it affects both families and starts a police investigation. Everyone is under suspicion. The author takes us back into the past, shows us events from different characters point of view, and turns the reader into a Bonehunter of sorts, trying to work out who this woman was and how her pelvis ended up buried in a tree on the heath.

We meet Eleanor again, but this time as a woman and she prefers it when people call her Nell. She weirdly had my dress sense, although I might draw the line at dungarees from now on having read the criticisms about them on middle-aged women! Anything to do with the book raises Nell’s blood pressure and it’s hardly surprising. It has influenced how she lives, as anonymously as possible on a narrow boat that she moves every so often on the London waterways. She claims this is to avoid mooring rates, but it also feels part of her PTSD, the need to keep moving and be hyper-vigilant. She has more than one reason to stay safe these days, because her step-daughter from a previous relationship is living with her. Unbeknown to social services her father left a long time ago. Nell hasn’t had much luck with friends or relationships and she blames the book for this too. She feels she can’t trust anyone since she fell in love with Richard when she was a teenager and he turned out to be an investigator, hunting the final bone on behalf of a rich Bonehunter. His protestations that he loved her anyway fell on deaf ears and she was left heartbroken. Now she’s more paranoid than ever and terrified that the police investigation will bring social services back into their lives.

I was fascinated with the dynamics of these two families living on top of each other in a way that was almost like a commune. The children would flit between houses, gravitating towards the parent who seemed most able to give that parental attention that they needed. Their friendship starts in the 1970’s as they shared ideas, drugs and a desire to create art. The families are so close that when Frank’s son Dom and Lal’s daughter Rose are found kissing it almost feels incestuous. Now there are shared grandchildren, linking them through blood. Where once there was equality, even if they were so poor there was nothing to share, now it seems like everyone functions for Frank. He is the successful artist and his whims should be accommodated. He felt like a law unto himself to me: working when he wants; neglecting his family; indulging his sexual appetites wherever he can. His mercurial temperament is excused because of his talent, but some family members already find him unbearable. Lal’s drinking seems to distract everyone from Frank’s bad behaviour and his decline has been very useful. It eliminates him as artistic competition too. We travel back to one particular night several times from different viewpoints. Wanting to break away from The Golden Bones Frank has created a collection of beautiful nude paintings. However, unable to let them show on their own merits, Frank has let it be known that every model in the show is one of his conquests. The tongues start to wag and by opening night it’s at fever pitch. I can’t work out whether he underestimates the family, or whether it’s a deliberate attempt to humiliate and dominate, but one of the models seems familiar. If Frank’s suggestion is true, he has betrayed everyone close to him. To make things worse he’s openly flirting with a waitress, in front of his wife and children. Luckily, Lal gets predictably drunk, drawing the attention and concern elsewhere.

In the present day both Lal and Frank are arrested, leaving the family scrabbling for the truth. Will it pull them all together or apart? The psychological interplay between family members is brilliantly done. Nell and Dom mean everything to each other, working as each other’s stability since both parents are absent when consumed by their work or drink and drugs. Dom and Rose’s relationship is borne out of the same impulse, desperately seeking stability and being steadfast in providing it for their own children. Nell has to decide whether this family is healthy for her and her daughter. The dynamic between Frank and his family becomes clearer as the novel goes on, with a wife seemingly dependent on medication to cope and Dom desperately trying to protect her. Frank is like a puppet master, in a strange echo of his role in the book, he’s choreographing events and controlling how they act, using distraction to hide what he doesn’t want them to see. He uses friend Lal as a whipping boy, in a terribly destructive dynamic. Frank can do what he wants as long as Lal is drinking and flying into rages, alienating his family. I felt there was a rivalry there and even a contempt for Lal, whose use is to be the comparison point - as long as Lal’s life and work is worse, then Frank is okay. Lal is, quite simply, a scapegoat. Even so, it is Nell’s character arc that I loved because she has to confront a lot of her past and start to build a better future as a family of two. Her strength is shown in the real quest of the book, not for golden bones, but for the truth. However messy, unexpected and inconvenient that might be.

The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly
Publishers Hodder & Stoughton
Published in 1/9/22

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

No spoilers

Original and intriguing, I was gripped from the outset. The detail was such that it portrayed a vivid picture without ever getting bogged down. The twists kept coming and I did not predict the ultimately satisfying conclusion.
And I loved Eleanor and Billie.

Highly recommended.

I’d like to thank the author, publishers and netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read an advance digital copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

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This book touched me in many ways. It has everything I need from a story: a wonderful, twisted plot, interesting characters and dozens of little things I as a reader can identify with. I just love treasure hunts but I wouldn’t go so far as the Bonehunters in this story and become a stalker or let this hunt ruin my marriage. It’s absolutely fascinating to read, very cleverly done and beautifully written. I’m sure I will read more of Erin Kelly’s books.

Loved this book - so descriptive, meticulously researched and plotted and also really enjoyed the nod to the book Masquerade - such a brilliant idea. I've loved all of Erin's books since The Poison Tree and this one certainly didn't disappoint - highly recommended.

Told over three interlocking timelines we learn the story of the Churcher family whose armchair adventure book The Golden Bones took off on a global scale, giving them plenty of financial success, but leaving deep scars running throughout their lives. What should have been an innocent treasure hunt turned sinister as the obsessive ‘Bonehunters’ crossed the line into a dangerous mentality, believing that Nell (the daughter of the book’s author) was the key to unlocking the final piece of the puzzle, putting her life in immediate danger.

Gothic details are littered throughout the story despite it not having an actual supernatural element. Skeletons, blood, roses, a creaky old attic, candles and stained glass combined with a decades old secret which carries a dark undertone through every page.

The Skeleton Key is an incredibly detailed and immersive story, I was completely swept away with very real crimes that were haunting the Churcher family, but also drawn into the fantasy world of the die-hard treasure hunters who took their search for the truth to the extreme. The building momentum as each of the strands began to wind together made the book impossible to put down and left me exhausted from such a rollercoaster of emotional revelations.

‘Flesh will spoil and blood will spill but true love never dies
Gather the lady’s bones with love to see the lady rise ‘ - ‘To Gather the Bones’.

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Skeleton Key’ by Erin Kelly. I complemented my reading with its unabridged audiobook edition.

I have been reading Erin Kelly since her 2011 debut, ‘The Poison Tree’, and have always found her novels unique, fascinating reads. Her latest presents her readers with a literary puzzle. It completely wowed me from start to finish.

In her opening Author’s Note, Erin Kelly writes that the inspiration for ‘The Skeleton Key’ was her childhood favourite: “the 1979 treasure hunt phenomenon Masquerade by artist Kit Williams. On every page, riddles were posed, and intricate, dreamlike paintings depicted Jack Hare in his quest to deliver a jewel from the moon to the sun.”

At the heart of ‘The Skeleton Key’ is The Golden Bones, part picture book, part treasure hunt. Created in 1971 by Sir Frank Churcher, it is a dark fairy tale about Elinore, a murdered woman whose skeleton was scattered all over England. The pages of the book contained clues and puzzles intended to lead questers to seven sites where seven gold mounted jewels, each representing a different part of a tiny skeleton, were buried. The book was a global sensation and a community of treasure hunters known as the Bonehunters formed. Over the years six sites were discovered, leaving only Elinore's pelvis hidden.

In the summer of 2021 the bohemian Churcher family are gathering for the 50th anniversary reissue of the book along with the launch of a new Golden Bones online treasure hunt. A film crew is at their posh Hampstead home documenting each part of the process.

Frank’s daughter, Eleanor (Nell), is reluctantly attending as after being stalked by dangerously obsessed fans unable to tell fantasy from reality, she had become a recluse. What were her parents thinking giving her a name so close to their fictional character?

As might be expected given that this is a mystery/thriller, during the filming something goes very wrong. No further details to avoid spoilers.

Kelly’s narrative flows smoothly between the past and the novel’s present with the dates and locations clearly indicated in the chapter headings. Somewhat like a puzzle, this builds up a sense of the characters’ motivations revealing mysteries along the way.

Kelly explores a number of themes, including the power of myth and folklore, dysfunctional family dynamics, and how out of control some fans can become, especially when fuelled by conspiracy theories.

Overall, I found myself completely immersed in this intricately plotted Gothic mystery. I simply loved it.

Highly recommended.

I've not read any books by Erin Kelly before but the beautiful cover and intriguing blurb caught my eye. In her foreword, the author explains that the inspiration for this story was one of her favourite childhood books: Masquerade by Kit Williams, which contained clues for a treasure hunt - the prize being a jewelled hare. In this book the prize is the tiny gold skeleton of a woman, broken into pieces and buried at locations around the UK.

Fifty years ago, Frank Churcher had the idea to write and illustrate a folk tale about a poor farmer who has to find and reunite the bones of his lost love, Elinore. To accompany the story, Frank created a tiny gold skeleton, which he broke up, burying the various bones around the country, with the clues to their location hidden in the text of the book. This book, The Golden Bones, became a huge bestseller and made both his fortune and his name as an artist, but it ruined the life of his daughter Nell. For years she's been stalked by the fans of the book (who call themselves 'Bonehunters') who believe the story is real and that her father hid the last missing piece of the skeleton inside her body. She refuses to accept any of her father's money and now lives incognito on a narrow boat with her unofficially adopted daughter, Billie.

To celebrate the book's 50th anniversary, Frank is relaunching The Golden Bones with an app and a documentary, and is planning on finally revealing where that last piece is hidden. All his family will be there at his house, including Nell and Billie, along with a film crew. Meanwhile, outside the house (and in online forums) the Bonehunters are circling...

The Skeleton Key is a beautifully written psychological suspense/domestic thriller with larger-than-life characters - Frank, in particular, is a complete monster - gothic overtones and a jaw-dropping finish. As well as Frank and his wife Cora, there is Frank's friend the alcoholic but talented Lal (with whom he always seems to be in competition), plus Lal's wife Bridget, and their children and grandchildren. The story moves back and forth between 1971 and the present day, until we're all caught up with every family secret and every betrayal. You soon appreciate that Nell did exactly the right thing by distancing herself from these horrible people!

The past and present timelines knitted seamlessly together, the treasure hunt was great fun, and the parts with the skeleton were inspired! And I shall never look at detergent in quite the same way again! Including the legend of Elinore at the end of the book was a nice touch.

The Skeleton Key is a fabulous story, recommended for fans of Lisa Jewell and Alice Feeney.


Thank you to Erin Kelly and Hodder and Stoughton for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

I adored this book and the twisted mystery that the author had woven into it. The basic premise of the story is one that the author explains at the beginning. She refers to the Kit Williams book, Masquerade. The idea of this book was that the reader had to solve clues to discover the location of a golden hare. The book was published in 1979 and I do have a copy of it, I never worked out locations but I adore the artwork.

Frank and Lal have known each other for years. The Golden Bones is a book that Frank is credited with coming up with, but there is more to it than that. The idea is that there are 7 jewels that when found will form a miniature skeleton of Elinore. The book is made up of clues, puzzles, equations and various other brain teasers that lead the treasure hunters to the locations of each of the bones. It has been 50 years since the publication of the book and as interest has dwindled, what better time to spark a resurgence? The final bone is stillmissing.

The story focuses not so much on the treasure hunt but on how the book has affected the families of Frank and Lal. Both men have had their highs and lows and the author does show these within this timeslip story. She also looks in detail at Nell's story, she is the daughter of Frank and someone that has been on the negative side of the publicity that the book has had.

The families live side by side, and their children have grown up together and known each other all their lives. But Nell is one that has become more of an outsider, she moves constantly and is always looking over her shoulder. The reasons for this are made apparent in the story.

The author has woven a very twisted and mysterious tale around the book and the families. Things really come to a head when a grand unveiling does not go to plan and old secrets finally start to come out. This is when you finally realise how twisted the older generations in the families are willing to go, and little others are thought about.

This is a glimpse into two very dysfunctional families, based on secrets, fear and control. I really found this to be an addictive read and it was great to be able to see differences of opinion, and how things changed over the years as the author flits back and forth over timelines.

This was a fabulous read and one that I soon found myself very much wrapped up in. It is devious, sneaky and riveting. The pages just disappeared and I didn't realise how long this book was until I came to write my review, it is 500+ pages and it took me two sittings. Brilliant book and one I would definitely recommend.

Absolutely recommend this book. The writing is crisp and modern; Nell's voice is strong - even when she herself is feeling weak; and the two families - the Churchers and the Lallys - are well-drawn. There are sub-plots involving Nell - her fight for Billie, a girl with a feckless father, and her strained relationship with Richard.

The intricacies of the main plot are astonishing. We are on shifting ground and never quite know what the main characters are capable of. There's Frank Churcher, artist with an eye for the ladies, and Cora, his wife, who drifts about in a dope-induced haze; there's Lal, Frank's best friend, also an artist, and an alcoholic, and his wife, Bridget, who keeps him under control.

Nell and her brother Dom are the Churcher children, grown up now, having survived a disturbing childhood incident. Dom is married to the Lally's daughter, Rose, so the families, - who are next-door neighbours - are closely entwined. They all know each other inside out - except for the secrets which slowly come to light.

Set against all this are the mad and sometimes dangerous Bonehunters - avid aficionados of Frank's illustrated book which sets puzzles and provides clues to the whereabouts of the various bones of the Golden Skeleton.

A marvellous mixture of dysfunctional family life and the search for treasure, The Skeleton Key is one of the best books I've read this year.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for approving me for an ARC of this book. I’d also like to thank Tandem Collective UK for inviting me to take part in my first listen along. This is the first book of Erin Kelly’s that I have read and I was excited to dive in.

The story centres around Nell (Elinore) and the upcoming 50th anniversary of her parents popular children’s book, The Golden Bones. The story flicks back and forth between current day events and moments from the past, spanning many decades. It’s through this story telling that we learn just how much Nell’s life has been affected by her parent’s book.

I loved Nell as a main character and admired her need to create distance between herself and her family. The legacy her parents set her up for was something no child should have to bear and I often found myself angry and Frank and Cora’s lack of parenting. The saving grace in Nell’s family was Billie and I loved watching their bond grow from strength to strength.

The obsession with the book, The Golden Bones, is very dangerous and shows just how quickly people can form groups and become obsessed with the latest trend. The ‘Bone Hunter’s’ were willing to sacrifice anything to find the missing pieces of Elinore and some even paid with their lives. The much anticipated celebration of the book only brings one question. Where is the last missing piece?

This a a slow burn, highly addictive, psychological thriller that is seeped in history and family drama’s. There are plenty of twists and turns, quite a few of which took me completely by surprise. It will leave you trusting no one and guessing up until the last turn of the page.

I enjoyed the audio so much that I went and got myself a copy because the book itself is just too pretty to leave behind. It was so much fun to participate in the listen-along and chat to other readers as we went, I hope this will be the first of many. I’m now off to read the rest of Erin Kelly’s collection!

Thanks so much to Erin Kelly and Hodder & Staughton for my chance to read ‘The Skeleton Key’. As a child I was obsessed with the idea of Kit Williams’ book ‘Masquerade’ (now I feel old) and the fact that a real life gold treasure could be found if you cracked the clues in a book. Having read ‘The Skeleton Key’, Im not the only one who was obsessed with it- Erin Kelly’s devilishly cunning book pays fantastic homage to this book but is so much more than that.
Timewise, ‘The Skeleton Key’ starts in the 1960s where Frank Churcher writes a new folkstory about Elinore, whose bones have been scattered across England in mythical locations. The story is illustrated with beautiful pictures full of hidden clues to the real-life whereabouts of some of the bones, cryptic clues and the like. Frank and his best friend Lal find a tiny model skeleton, decorate the bones and bury each bone in one of the locations. The book is an overnight success, and all the bones are found by the Bonehunters – all except the pelvis. The Bonehunters are obsessed with finding the missing bone, believing that if they can uncover all the bones, Elinore will rise again.

Frank, Lal and their families become rich through the success of the book but it comes at a cost, as the Bonehunters become obsessive about Frank’s daughter Eleanor at great personal cost.

We move on to the 50th anniversary of the book; the Bonehunters are still searching for the pelvis, scouring anything they can find to seek clues. Eleanor has kept a low profile ever since her childhood, convinced that any publicity will be bad for her personally. Frank and Lal are working with a TV crew to produce a documentary about Frank’s life and his artistic profile since the book was published; as part of the book, he has planned to reveal the final secret about Elinore’s missing bone, but all is not as it seems.

The storyline flits back and forth from the 60s to now, revealing elements of the story from the perspective of various characters; the more I learnt, the more I kept changing my mind about the characters and who I trusted, their motivations and the driving force behind their actions. It’s a bigger character list than previous Erin Kelly books, and there were moments when I was a bit confused by who was who but it all became clearer as I read on. I think the original Masquerade book was very ‘of its time’ if that makes sense; if it was written now, clues would be solved by computers quicker than they were written. ‘The Skeleton Key’ captures that perfectly, the 1960s/ 70s sense of artistic freedom but without everything being automatically recorded and captured. It cleverly moves the story forward too as Frank and his son develop an app to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the book, allowing a new generation of armchair detectives to get involved.

I would highly recommend ‘The Skeleton Key’ to any readers who like a gothic-feel, head-twisting, family-based crime drama.

Wow what a thrilling adventure. The Skeleton Key is the story about a book within a book, one that evokes a passionate search for bones - those of the legendary Elinore and and causes a group of fanatics to pursue every skeleton bone until one remains: the pelvis. However, the hunt becomes obessessive and destructive and is forced to end when someone dies. The book created a fortune for Frank and Cora Churcher and added to their vanity and shallowness , however for their daughter Nell, it brought much more menacing and sinister attention, as the infamous Bone Collectors failed to separate fantasy and reality, linking Nell with the Elinore of the story. Her life takes a much darker turn triggered by the Elinore Saga and she remains a recluse. However, family are planning a TV show to launch alongside the 50th anniversary golden edition of the book that will see fans seek the final golden bone. What starts off as a gothic tale of a legendary Skeleton twists forebodingly into unearthing some dark skeletons, secrets and lies that have repercussions for all. The non linear structure means that we piece fragments slowly to start but the end is a pacy and thrilling race that unveils some jawdropping surprises. A story of lust, obsession, death, secrets and lies. With thanks to @Netgalley for the ebook . The cover image of the book is simply stunning and perfectly matches the contents. This is a perfect read for Autumn and Halloween. #theskeletonkey #erinkelly #netgalley #hodderbooks

I found myself wholly wrapped up in the family dysfunction and The Golden Bones quest at the heart of The Skeleton Key. It served as the perfect distraction taking me away to a world where crazed bone hunters not only hunt for clues in the real world, but also share their obsession in chat rooms online, ever seeking the one final missing bone to complete Eleanor's skeleton. Two families, the Churchers and the Lallys, merged as one when this children's mystery quest/picture book created in the 70s bound them together through thick and thin. A global fascination has dogged the steps of Frank Churcher, its creator, since the publication of The Golden Bones, overshadowing his more serious artistic endeavours, leaving him bitter.

I loved the story as a whole and the characters that people this gripping read. Initially it felt like quite a vast cast but they fall into place soon enough making the family tree clear. Nell's story and life on a canal boat sparked my imagination. Ever hiding and avoiding anything to do with the Golden Bones, as it proved dangerous to her in her youth, she loves her family deeply but is happy to keep a distance from anything to do with The Golden Bones. The family dynamic and the way they are with each other says to me our ingenious author must have come from a big family. It feels so real; full of flaws, tantrums, lifelong understandings and the untruths one might grow up believing to be real. Through it all shines love, in whatever form that might take. It's so well written with the bouncing back and forth in time shedding bits of light on events from the past that have a consequence in the present day of 2021. I relished this novel and am reminded what a vast talent Erin Kelly possesses. Enjoying The Skeleton Key as much as I did, I must revisit her previous works and read those I may have missed.

The Skeleton Key is a mystery to be solved with great tension, twists, sarcasm and chocked full of angst and heart. It covers lots of ground but will leave the reader satisfied with the outcome and the path it took to get there. I hope you agree.

A book based on myths and legends involving a search for the hidden bones of the heroine becomes an overnight success for the author and commences a feeding frenzy of followers seeking her remains by solving numerous anagrams, mysteries and puzzles. The author and his best friend live in adjoining houses, both heads of artistic families with wives and children encumbered by the tragic legacy of struggling under the constant scrutiny and threat from a worldwide army of bone hunters who will stop at nothing to solve the mystery encapsulated in the book.. Moving between timelines we learn of a near fatal attack on one of the children. The lifelong passions and jealousies of two dysfunctional families that succeeds in damaging and risking the lives of those they profess to love. Lies and deceit over several decades that are slowly uncovered to reveal a storyline brilliant in its execution and shocking in the depth of travesty that individuals sink too, in striving for public recognition of artistic achievements. Level after level of corruption, disloyalty and deceit leads towards a conclusion that symbolises two families stripped to the bones of decency and honesty in an effort to. validate every devious action and decision of the past. Many thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC of a five star compulsive read that was impossible to put down.

EXCERPT: Ingrid has gone limp in the cyclist's arms. She is making ugly, meaningless noises.

'I'm thirsty,' I tell Bridget.

Her training kicks in. 'That's a sign of shock. Here.' Her cape reveals itself to be the throw from my mother's sofa. She wraps it around me as she examines the wound. Mother of God, she's got the femoral artery. Rose, keep that pressure up. '

'Did we do the right thing?' asks Dom. He takes my hand. 'Bridget, she's freezing.'

'You both did brilliantly,' says Bridget. She puts one hand to my forehead and the other to my wrist.

I hear a siren sing in the distance.

'Have we saved her life, Mum?' asks Rose.

Bridget, who always says it's better to remain silent than tell a lie, doesn't reply.

'You've killed my sister,' cries Dominic to Ingrid. 'You should've been locked up years ago.'

The siren closes in.

'No.' Ingrid shakes her head. 'I was trying to save a life. All I've ever wanted was to bring Elinore back.'

The siren dies. Strobing blue light turns everyone into aliens. The ambulance door slams and I see the black boots and the green overalls of the paramedics at a sideways angle. My last thought as I close my eyes and slide backwards out of this world is how vain is the cause that I am about to die for.

For the woman that Ingrid is trying to save has never existed outside the pages of a book.

ABOUT 'THE SKELETON KEY': THIS REUNION WILL TEAR A FAMILY APART...

Summer, 2021. Nell has come home at her family's insistence to celebrate an anniversary. Fifty years ago, her father wrote The Golden Bones. Part picture book, part treasure hunt, Sir Frank Churcher created a fairy story about Elinore, a murdered woman whose skeleton was scattered all over England. Clues and puzzles in the pages of The Golden Bones led readers to seven sites where jewels were buried – gold and precious stones, each a different part of a skeleton. One by one, the tiny golden bones were dug up until only Elinore's pelvis remained hidden.

The book was a sensation. A community of treasure hunters called the Bonehunters formed, in frenzied competition, obsessed to a dangerous degree. People sold their homes to travel to England and search for Elinore. Marriages broke down as the quest consumed people. A man died. The book made Frank a rich man. Stalked by fans who could not tell fantasy from reality, his daughter, Nell, became a recluse.

But now the Churchers must be reunited. The book is being reissued along with a new treasure hunt and a documentary crew are charting everything that follows. Nell is appalled, and terrified. During the filming, Frank finally reveals the whereabouts of the missing golden bone. And then all hell breaks loose.

MY THOUGHTS: I became fully immersed in the story of the Churcher and Lally families to the detriment of everything else I was currently reading. The extended family dynamics enthralled me. I became obsessed by their machinations, and their relationships, which are almost incestuous.

They are complicated families, their past and current lives closely entwined. Just how closely entwined becomes apparent during the course of the book. They support one another, play off against one another. Their children marry one another. It's all just one big happy family. Or is it?

The characters are superbly portrayed. Who could not love and admire Nell for abandoning the claustrophobic craziness and striking out on her own? Or Dom for becoming the quintessential 'city boy' in retaliation to his parents loose and louche lifestyle?

But when Nell's life, and by extension young Billie's life, is threatened by Frank's desperate need to always be in the spotlight, the centre of attention, the Churcher and Lally clans circle the wagons in an attempt to control the frenzy Frank has unleashed upon them, with unforeseen consequences.

While the mystery is great, it's the characters that make this book. Actions that start out with good intentions become derailed and disastrous making it an unpredictable and rewarding read. The story inside is every bit as stunning, intricate and enticing as the cover art.

I loved every word of this, my first book by Erin Kelly, and I will definitely be reading more from this author.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#TheSkeletonKey #NetGalley

I: @erinjelly @hodderbooks

T: @mserinkelly @HodderFiction

#contemporaryfiction #familysaga #mystery

THE AUTHOR: Erin Kelly was born in London in 1976 and grew up in Essex. She read English at Warwick University and has been working as a journalist since 1998.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Skeleton Key via Netgalley for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon,Instagram and my webpage

I really wasn’t sure what to expect from this book other than it was a thriller which I like and it was by Erin Kelly who I like, then I was taken on a completely unexpected journey far from the template of a normal thriller, an absolute page turner which I blitzed in two days as I couldn’t tell where the story was headed until the plot twists happened. Very well written and thoroughly enjoyable.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't sure about this book at first as the story flitted between past and present and it felt ever so slightly disjointed but once we got to Part Two I was hooked.
Such an original storyline mixed with characters that came to life on the page with their own personal issues in their lives. I defy anyone to predict the way this book progressed, wonderfully written, it just flowed and amazed at the same time. There was a real jaw dropping moment that I hadn't expected and that doesn't happen very often these days.

This is my first Erin Kelly and I loved it. The great thing about reading an author new to you is that you have a fabulous back catalogue of books to dive in to and I can't wait.

The Skeleton Key tempts you with a little bait in the early pages then gently draws you in until before you know it, it's got you hook, line and sinker and you're staying up past bedtime to finish it.

#NoSpoilers This is a real epic of a story with lots of twists and turns. Only downside of this type of intricate book is reading it on a Kindle it can be difficult if you need to flick back and check a detail or plot point. Not the author's issue but a general niggle.

A cracking good book.
Highly recommend.

Skeleton Key

The Skeleton Key is a compelling, intricate and bizarre murder mystery thriller.
There is so much to this story I cannot begin to imagine how Erin Kelly was able to 1 - create such a plot and 2, how she was able to keep track of every little detail. It’s remarkable and brilliant.
I felt, at one stage, it started to drag a little, but it wasn’t long before I, once again, became a bone hunter. I read every word, searching for clues, wishing to unravel (much like the characters themselves) the mystery myself, although the characters and their lives begin to unravel quite differently.

When I first started, I never expected to feel the range of emotions that this book was able to pull out of me, from suspicion, confusion and anger to heartbreak and sadness. This book has it all.

Please check for Trigger Warnings.

Thank you so much, Hodder & Stoughton & NetGalley, for the eArc in return for my honest review.
This story is going to stay with me.
Erin Kelly is now an auto-buy.

Well, I could not put this book down! It is the perfect combination of family drama and puzzling mystery that had me drawn in from start to finish.

The legend of The Golden Bones surrounded and haunted Nell and her family for years. Obsessed fans were a threat Nell thought was behind her. But with the final piece of the puzzle about to be revealed, the past Nell thought was behind her is very much part of her present.

A definite five stars from me!

Thanks to the author, Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the eARC of this book.

Amazing!! I literally couldn’t put this down I was a walking zombie for days cause I just wanted to keep reading! Will be looking out for more from Erin

A masterpiece of gothic family saga, which transcends genres and gets into your very bones!

I’m a big fan of Erin Kelly’s beautiful writing, her mastery of character and her impeccably plotted narratives. I am always transported to the world within the pages and there’s something extra-sensory about her novels: I feel all of the emotions, taste and smell what the characters do. I love submerging myself in the dark layers of an Erin Kelly novel. Needless to say, I had high expectations for The Skeleton Key before I’d even turned the first page. These were exceeded immediately and I don’t say it lightly when I say that this book is a true masterpiece! It transcends genres and eras, giving readers a sweeping family saga on the one hand and a macabre murder mystery on their other. Kelly perfectly blends the gothic, mystical, folklore elements of The Golden Bones (the book within the book) with the psychological elements of an imploding family, hell bent on siphoning off the toxicity that has been simmering below the surface gleam for many years. I throughly enjoyed the multifaceted nature of the plot and was equally invested in the hunt for Elinore’s bones, the intergenerational impact of this on the family and the discovery of a human pelvis at the announcement in celebration of the 50th anniversary of The Golden Bones. So many different elements of the novel progress and run alongside each other, until through a series of shocking twists, they all converge and draw to a breathtaking conclusion. I particularly enjoyed how the plot organically ebbs and flows between timeframes to reveal elements crucial to the plot and how key moments are retold through different lenses, mimicking the retelling and ever evolving folklore of Elinore and Tam’s story in To Gather the Bones.

One aspect of Kelly’s writing that draws me to her stories every time, is her incomparable ability to draw fascinating, emotionally complex and ultimately humanly relatable characters. The Skeleton Key has a cacophony of such characters at its heart. This novel is resplendent with characters you loathe, characters you want to fight for, characters you want to grab by the shoulders and shake and characters you can’t quite grasp a handle on. All of the characters are exceptionally constructed and Kelly breathes life and plausibility into all of them, whether they are a lead or supporting player. Nell is a brilliant central character and I really felt drawn to her, rooting for her throughout. I really enjoyed how her layers are peeled back and readers really get to know her over the course of the plot. This novel is such a journey for her, travelling from a place of fear and invisibility to a new sense of freedom and stability, via some serious enlightenment and a form taking of control. This blended so well with her relationship with Billie, which was another aspect of the wider plot that I was fully invested in. The characterisation is so rich in this novel that it’s possible to write a whole essay on them! Refraining myself from doing that, I’ll just mention some of the themes that are so brilliantly explored through the characters. You can expect to ruminate on: guilt, privilege, competition, wealth, mental health, abuse, greed, loyalty, obsession, love, hatred, revenge, morality and trust. It’s the rich tapestry of character and plot that makes The Skeleton Key such a unique and mesmerising read.

The Skeleton Key is a book to become immersed in, a book to allow yourself to understand the original concept of the puzzle within the illustrated book, the Golden Bones,

Within the pages of the original book Elinore's bones were scattered and the readers were challenged to find them all to make her whole once more. The book was such a sensation that a group of treasure hunters self--styled the Bone hunters collaborated to find the last piece, without success.

The book caused its creators harm via one of their daughters, Nell but now twenty years later the book is being reissued for the modern age - and the publicity takes off once more.

The story behind the book is unveiled within this multi-;layered tale which skilfully uncovers those bonds that bind, and break us.

A fabulous tale which deserves dedicated time to get the best experience from it.

Nell’s family are famous thanks to her fathers success in creating “The Golden Bones” part book and part treasure hunt. Frank Churcher’s mythical tale follows Elinore who is murdered and her bones are scattered at locations across England. The book was amazingly successful and for the 50 years since it was first created all but on of the hidden jewelled bones have been found and a community of obsessive “bone hunters” have grown up. Nell has opted out of normal life and hidden away from dangerous stalkers who confuse her with the book character. She reluctantly agrees to return home for a reunion without realising that a digital version of the book is being released and a documentary crew are there to film the launch. An unstoppable chain of events are set off and Nell finds herself overwhelmed by family secrets that have up until now been kept under wraps.

A beautifully complex tale of friendships, jealousy and family loyalty all laid bare and the consequences of decisions made in the past. An array of flawed characters circle each other and Nell has to decide where her loyalties lie. A fabulous read that I didn’t want to end.

I could not stop thinking about this book from the moment I started reading it. I loved the concept of a grisly folk tale updated into a children's book, a national treasure hut for golden bones, the way the idea later took root online and twisted into something macabre in a few troubled minds. And the way the book's success affected the whole family and their closest friends in different, often dark ways.

Erin Kelly's psychological thrillers are a cut above their competitors - she builds fascinating worlds and fills them with interesting, sometimes loathesome but always very real characters. They feel like the classic Barbara Vine novels that made me fall in love with thrillers in the 1990s.

Thoroughly recommended.

Honestly, it was that beautiful cover image that me drawn to the book at first but then knowing it was from Erin Kelly, of course, I was sure I was in for a treat. Nope, I have not read many books by the author to form an opinion but The Poison Tree is still crystal clear in my mind and for that alone, I should probably go back and give that book the whole 5 stars for creating such an impact.

The Skeleton Key has a unique plot, keeping aside the central theme of dysfunctional families, the story has an author whose picture book The Golden Bones has clues for a real treasure hunt and the frenzy the release of the book creates for him and his family. Being named after the central character in a fictional book written by your father has not given Eleanor Churcher an easy life. Stalked, stabbed and threatened by the crazy treasure hunters called Bonehunters, Nell stays away from her family as much as possible to escape the madness that has the bone hunters making her life a miserable hell.

Erin Kelly sketches two families intertwined in every possible way and thru different POVs and different timelines, bringing about a story that is all about secrets and power games. The Churchers and Lally's living in semi-detached houses and sharing everything together have more than 50 years of friendship between them but nothing is as rosy as seen from the outside world and for Nell, who discovers the extent of the despicable secrets that are waiting to tumble out of the closet, it is more shocking than most.

The relationship between Nell and Dom and that of Billie and Nell are the highlights of the story, in fact, the arc of each and every character in the book was brilliantly done. Billie, however, is like a breath of fresh air in this dark family drama. It is not just about the mystery of a skeleton but Erin Kelly keeps the readers on their toes convoluting the plot with one reveal after another every step of the way and there are so many subplots running in the story that the momentum of the story also has its own pace, whereas some parts I could literally fly with it there were also some other parts which were very slow in its unraveling.

A solid winner from Erin Kelly, The Skeleton Key is a perfect choice for all fans of the family saga with a mystery woven thru it.

Many thanks to Net Galley, Hodder & Stoughton, and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.

This review is published on my blog https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India, Book Bub, Medium.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

I am a new reader of Erin Kelly, but I am hooked. Loved this book and will look for her other novels. It's a thriller, a gothic novel, but not a horror story. A complex plot & a page turner.

The Skeleton Key shows Erin Kelly at her best; an enthralling tale with a nod to the real life treasure hunt sparked by Kit Williams’ Masquerade. In the novel, Frank Churcher’s book, The Golden Bones, incites similar levels of frenzy and obsession. And when the book’s 50th anniversary edition is released, old wounds reopen and murder and mayhem ensue.

I am so annoyed at myself for taking so long to get around to this! I loved Watch Her Fall by Erin Kelly, and now I've given another of her books 5 stars, I desperately need to check out her backlist.

The Skeleton Key is a slow-building family saga and I think the author did a fantastic job of showing these messy and toxic relationships. The atmosphere was impeccable.

From the synopsis, I expected this to have more action but I'd say this leans more towards being a mystery rather than a thriller. It was a little too long at 500+ pages but once I was past the halfway point I flew threw it.

This is unlike any book I've read! Before I knew it I was hooked, and couldnt put it down! The characters were fascinating, and I felt fully invested in Nell and Billie. Brilliant!

i had a phase of my youth where i was utterly compelled by armchair treasure hunts like forrest fenn, masquerade and the secret. to get a book that's basically a distilled interrogation of that culture is an absolute hoot. loved it.

A thoroughly enjoyable read! I have my own recollections of, as a child, poring over the beautiful illustrations of Masquerade, and remember how it gripped the country during that time. And today, with the power of social media and the increasing number of conspiracy theorists this novel is entirely believable in its premise. The overarching ego of the man behind the book, secrets, passion, bitterness and envy - a great recipe for disaster, Beautifully written, you're drawn into the world of the families caught up in the drama (whether they wish it or not) and will very much have your own ideas on just how you really want it to all work out...

I was immediately drawn to this, both from the cover and the description - treasure hunting? Check! Book writing? Check! Family mystery? CHECK
I honestly loved it, the suspense was brilliant and kept me turning every single page as fast as I could. It’s good that you weren’t sure who you could trust or what was going to happen. It incorporates fame, fortune and success and the drama and family ties that surround it. Very very good!

Nell's family meets up to celebrate the upcoming publication of the 50th anniversary edition of her father's book and its new treasure hunt. With trepidation Nell arrives at her parents’ home which brings back all the memories she has tried to bury. All her family is there. As well as a camera team filming an exclusive documentary. Meanwhile, outside the house, the hard core fans are gathering.

A story of a woman who has hidden herself from the public because of the decisions of her parents. She’s trying to protect her foster daughter as much as herself from the events and the repercussions of the past.

A page-turner with an MC that has scars on her body and soul. Solving the decades old riddle, unearthing several family secrets on the way, is the only way for Nell to keep her foster daughter and make peace with the past.

A gripping book that I struggled to put down. Brilliant plot with a host of interesting characters, I will definitely read more by this author.

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for this ARC
I really liked the premise of this book but wasn't sure it was for me and wow - it thrilled me.
I have read other books by Erin but have to say this is the best yet.
Absolutely brilliantly written and great storyline - more please!

This was such an interesting and incredible read, there was such depth and intrigue. I found myself completely entranced by the story.