For me this book started quite slowly even though the initial action had devastating consequences. I was drawn in however, and by the time Rebecca had returned to her old home was totally hooked. Some of the storyline was a little cliched but setting things in such a northern location added elements which wouldn't happen elsewhere. The close community connections were brilliantly done and made everyone a potential suspect.

Rebecca North, Ash Haugen and the location are the main protagonists and all of them work on almost all levels.  I hope there will be another book in this series, just so I can visit with them again.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who read the first book, although it's definitely not a prerequisite and those who enjoy a  little romance in their reading matter.

4. 5 Stars
Detective Rebecca North is shocked to hear her father has committed suicide. Especially since he called with ramblings of an old, cold murder case the day he supposedly took his life. So, Rebecca heads up north, to a town she’s been avoiding for years determined to find out what happened. What she discovers isn’t as clear cut as the investigators originally thought, and much of the mystery behind her father’s death is wrapped around her first love, Ash Haugen, the man who shattered her heart twenty years ago. Feelings Rebecca thought she buried deep resurface: the pain of betrayal, coupled with the bittersweet pull she still feels towards Ash as they work side by side trying to sort out what happened both with her father’s death and the cold case he was looking into.

The Dark Bones is a captivating mixture of police procedural, thriller, mystery, and a second chance romance. I was hooked from the start! What went wrong between Ash and Rebecca years ago, as well as the current cases had me devouring the story, eager to unravel all the mysteries! Loreth Anne White’s cold, wintery small-town setting in Northern Canada was beautiful and haunting.

The Dark Bones is a sequel to A Dark Lure, but I don’t think it’s necessary to read A Dark Lure to enjoy the story. The previous characters, Olivia, Cole and Tori do play a part, but it’s only secondary to the main story.

The Dark Bones was so much better than A Dark Lure. I think Ms. White did a great job with the characters and the slow build up of the plot and tying the story together. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

The Dark Bones is the first book that I've read by Loretta Anne White. Although not my usual genre, I needed a change. I enjoyed the setting, pace, and writing. Although the romantic part was anticipated, the outcome of the case was unexpected.
Thank you NetGalley for providing an advance copy for my unbiased review.

Although I did not read the first book in this series, I had no difficulty following the plot and becoming enmeshed in the intricate tale of Rebecca North and her quest for the truth. Rebecca returns home to her small rural community in Western Canada after a drunken call from her father, a retired Mountie, who makes no sense in the call but seems to be requesting her help. Shortly after the call, Noah North is found dead, in a scene that seems to be a suicide. Rebecca is determined to find out the truth about his death and to follow the clues that he was following about two teens who went missing over two decades earlier. In her determination to find the truth, Rebecca teams up with her old boyfriend, Ash Haugen. This book is a dark mystery, interwoven with romance. It is told in the current time with flashbacks to the past, It is a story of too many secrets and lies and the twisted road that drugs and abuse lead to. The ruthless characters who are determined to keep th past hidden are the kind in which the eerie music is played any time they enter the scene. The short chapters made the book easy to read. Fans of dark mystery/suspense and romance will enjoy this novel.

I loved this mystery set in my beloved PNW . It rings true to life . I loved the setting and the plot.
I will be reading more from this author
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

Taking place in the Pacific Northwest, this story includes Native Americans, ranchers, hunters, and the impoverished residents of a small town. Each of the characters is unique, and each has depth, no stereotypes. RCMP Sergeant Becca North is the protagonist who returns to her small town to run a gauntlet of former friends, bad memories and evil-doers. The style of writing provides just the right level of description while the action never slows. The story has emotion, excitement and intrigue. After beginning the book, I had to stop my life and finish it. This author knows how to tell a story!

Twenty years ago two teenagers go missing. A retired cop starts looking at the case again. Some new evidence has come to light and he tries to finally figure out what happened to them. There are people that don’t want him to figure it out and try to stop him. I know my explanation of this book seems very bland, that is how the story being told made me feel. This was my first book by this author. I am still not sure what I think about it. The story was there but I believe it was the pacing of the story that left much to be desired. I kept finding that it was easy for me to put down and I wasn’t always wanting to pick it back up. The only reason I stuck with it was because I needed to review it. The story started interesting enough and I was really drawn in. Then it seemed to slow down and bounce back and forth between past and present. The ending had some twists that I didn’t figure so that was really good but the overall feeling of the book left me lacking. It seemed the writing more told you instead of making you feel it. The unexpected twists we’re not enough for this to be a book I would tell my friends about because it took me so long to get through it and then the ending felt incomplete. Maybe it would have benefited from an epilogue. I wouldn’t tell you to skip this book if you are a fan of this writer. If this is your first book by her, maybe start with the first book of this series. I don’t know if it will make a difference or not but maybe it will.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read such a gripping novel....

a man is murdered in his isolated homestead but its been made to look like suicide...

a fire is by accident when two witnesses go to investigate what has happened to the old man but as they were stealing moonshine they ran off

what follows next is a brilliant piece of writing that will keep you up for hours wondering if it will be sorted, so hooked on the characters that your heart was in your mouth at times with what was happening...think i am a bit in love with kibu...the dog...

another author to keep an eye out for and another added to my ever growing list of authors that i have found since beginning this journey with netgalley

Something bad happened 20 years ago...something that altered the lives of 2 teens and took the lives of 2 others. Rebecca left the town of Clinton behind and is now a RCMP Sargent. Her father , a retired RCMP Corporal and an alcoholic calls with incoherant questions about an old case...the disappearance of a teenaged girl and her boyfriend. Before Rebecca can get back home he dies by an apparent self-inflicted gunshot. Becca becomes suspicious and starts to investigate. She's led back to her old boyfriend Ash Haugen and they work to discover what really happened to her father...and...what happened 20 years ago.
I really liked this book!! It grabbed me from the first page and didn't let go until the surprise at the end. It's exciting and intense. I loved Ash and Becca. Ash just about broke my heart. He's been hiding a painful past and this caused him to make the mistake 20 years ago that destroyed his relationship with Becca.. Rebecca is a strong professional that is working through her pain to solve the mystery of her father's death and what happened all those years ago. Both are 3 dimensional well-developed characters, as are the secondary characters. Another important element in this book is the Canadian winter. Loreth Anne White made me feel the cold wind and snow...the bleakness and the isolation of January in the far north.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes a good suspenseful mystery...with a touch of romance. The Dark Bones is the second in a series...now I have to read the first!
Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this book to read and review.

Detective Rebecca North receives word that her father has committed suicide. She returns to a home she left a long time ago feeling guilty that she had no idea her father would kill himself. The question is then raised, did he?

What follows is Rebecca's investigation as to what took place in her father's last day and that brings her back to what happened twenty years ago. The plot is engaging and the characters are ones you can root for. I would love to see another book with these primary characters . I thoroughly enjoyed this read.

Thank you Netgalley for this book!

Wow, just wow! What a fantastic read. This is a new Romantic Thriller by Loreth Anne White. Thanks goes to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review in advance 0f publication. My opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

The Dark Bones grabbed my interest from the first page, and I remained enthralled to the last. It’s an extremely fast paced novel, and I was totally surprised when I realized it was 440 pages long. The characters are compelling, and the plot is full of plenty of bone chilling suspense. This is definitely a thriller!

Rebecca North’s character returns when she learns of her father’s passing from an apparent suicide. This does not sit well with her because she’d talked to him shortly before his death, and he was following a lead that involves the disappearance of two people twenty years before. Her first love is involved as well.

I loved Rebecca’s determination to exonerate her father and restore his dignity. She starts her own investigation into her father’s death and quickly determines it’s no suicide. I loved her strong sense of right and wrong. When she realizes Ash must be part of her search for the truth, she pushes aside her heart break over what he did so long ago for the good of her investigation.

Ash Haugen is an interesting hero with a great deal of hidden pain. He regrets hurting Rebecca, the only woman he’s ever loved. I loved his humble attitude and determination to help Rebecca, even though it causes him a huge amount of remorse and guilt. I loved his willingness to protect Ricky, the thirteen-year-old who has little to no stability in his life.

The romantic element is excellent. I really wanted Rebecca and Ash to find their way back to the love they’d shared as teenagers. The bond between them is incredibly strong and very believable.

The mystery in this chilling tale is intense and intriguing. It’s certainly a page turner and kept me glued to my Kindle. The climax is fantastic and so worth the wait. The villains are evil, and Ms. White holds them close to her chest. I love it when I’m surprised when I learn who is behind the gruesome events that unfold.

If you enjoy romantic thrillers with deep, dark secrets, with amazing characters and plenty of bone-chilling moments, then you will love The Dark Bones as much as I. Ms. White is one of my favorite suspense authors. When a book of hers comes available, I don’t even have to read the book description to know I want to read it. Happy reading!

Really good read. Romance and murder make a gripping read. I read this book in one sitting. I was hooked from the start.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2019/05/15/the-dark-bones-by-loreth-anne-white/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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I was so excited to read this second book in the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/247100-dark-lure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Dark Lure series</strong></em></a>.  <strong>The Dark Bones</strong> is another case set in the beautiful Canadian wilderness near a smallish community.   I was able to get the first book <strong>A Dark Lure</strong> on audiobook through Kindle Unlimited.  It focused on Olivia,  with other characters being her boss and his son, Cole,  a retired policeman and his adopted daughter Tori.

The town is where Cole, Olivia and Tori now live on Broken Bar Ranch.  Another retired policeman lives here and his daughter, Rebecca is a detective in another town. She ends up coming home after her father dies to take care of what was bothering him which is all tied up with her past.  It is good to see more of Cole, Olivia and Tori from the first book. Tori plays a part in this story.

Rebecca has the skills to work on sorting out the past and present, but it is dangerous; these people are killing to keep it quiet.  She also has a personal past which adds to her emotional burden, along with the grief about her father. She grew up in this town, so she knows her way around and is well-acquainted with some of the people.

The plot is well crafted and suspenseful. I worried for several characters at various points on this action-packed ride.  There is a bit of romance in this series but the mystery and suspense hold the center stage.  I love this author's work and can't wait to read more!

4.5⭐
The Dark Bones was an excellent mystery with a dash or romance. That easily pulled me in and kept me gripped throughout. Thanks to likable, well rounded characters and an engaging, extremely descriptive, well paced story. That not only kept me guessing, but entwined the past and the present really well.

Would happily recommend.

I could not put this book down!!!! And I promise you that you will not be able to put it down either!!!!

“The Dark Bones”is a perplexing mystery about Noah North and how his death intertwines with two missing teens. Such a great read. It had the perfect amount of mystery and suspense and was straight to the point. It kept me on my toes! Never a dull moment in this great read! I found myself thinking about the characters while I went about my daily routine. I was sucked in whole heartedly and I love that. I will recommend this one to all my friends! I was fortunate to receive this novel from Netgalley as an Advance Reader Copy, in exchange for an objective review.
#TheDarkBones #NetGalley

Second volume in the Dark Lure series of which I didn’t read the first part, The Dark Bones can be read alone without any trouble. In fact even if the characters from the previous volume appear here and there in this novel, there is enough information about them to understand what happened to them – especially as there’s few relation with the plot in The Dark Bones. Here we follow Rebecca who’s coming back in her native town after her father’s apparent suicide, and finds herself facing the man she used to love twenty years earlier.

I had trouble with this couple. I’m always skeptical in reunion stories when after many long years of separation feelings and attraction are still as or more present without any consideration to the fact each person inevitably changed during this long time. That’s what happens in the novel, especially concerning the hero. The positive side is that he’s candid about his feelings and he admits them to the heroine very fast, all the while saying he doesn’t expect anything in return after his declaration. And he’d better not because she’s very opposed to the idea, dwelling on how much she suffered when he cheated on her all those years ago. In fact I found her very harsh with him in general, even if she’s very attracted too. And her volte-face seemed too sudden to me.

On the plot side, Rebecca, who is a policewoman in another town, is quickly sure her father didn’t commit suicide, and while looking for answers she finds evidences he was investigating an old disappearance case. I found strange that she’s allowed in participating to the investigation once she succeeds in having competent police services intervene. As the victim’s daughter and a possible suspect’s former girlfriend I’d have find more logical if she’d been put aside. On the other hand the story would have been less interesting if she had just looked at everything from the side lol. The plot is revealed little by little and the way all the evidences pointing towards Ash finally go in another direction was well thought, but I had the feeling there was many repetitions at times. And actually it seemed too easy that everything points systematically towards him.

One point where I think the author is really talented is for creating an atmosphere. Here we are in a little town where everyone knows everyone and everything is known really fast, and where rumors are rife, but without the funny side of some authors. Same for the meteorological side, it’s snowing at each page or so and just like the heroine I almost died of cold lol. But the reader is well put into the place’s atmosphere and that highlights the investigation’s difficulties when everything is soon frozen or covered.

All in all I was more hooked by the investigation that I found interesting than in the couple who didn’t convinced me.

Loreth Anne White is a queen! I have fallen so in love with her Angie Pallorino series (reviews HERE) and now this series. She truly excels at thrillers that are multi-faceted and headed up by strong women. I also love the various Canadian settings she writes about - I am always immediately sucked into her books and this latest is no exception. You do not need to read the first book in this series to enjoy this one but it would help you understand some of the secondary characters and the setting better. I can't wait for more!

The Dark Bones comes out soon on May 21, 2019, you can purchase HERE!

"Oh Jesus, Becca." He surged back up to his feet. "I wanted you. I needed you. Touching me. Your hands in my blood, inside my pain, fuck it. Your care-- I wanted your care. Whitney was finally gone. I wanted to drown in you. Just you." Emotion burned back into his eyes.

This was a rewarding read. Loved the Canadian setting, loved the mystery, and well, gotta admit, the second chance romance was well done too. It's told in dual time line so that you can see how Rebecca to be be who she is today - which is, btw, a pretty awesome protagonist. She's also sure her father didn't commit suicide, as is Ash, her old love. The two of them team up to find the truth and in the process dig up some old enemies. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is well written and just twisty enough to keep you guessing.