This was my first Haines book, and my first journey into the Sarah Booth Delaney mysteries. The Devils Bones is book 21 in the series. That being said I didn’t feel completely lost or confused by any elements during the story, although there are times when it’s obvious there’s ongoing themes and a deeper character development would be made if i’d read more of the series prior to this one.
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The main character, Sarah Booth, is a pleasure to view the story through; as she’s humorous (as well as her friends), exploring relationships, and gets occasional visits from a friendly ghost that never really gives any direct answers. I can tell she has a lot to unfold over time, which added to her being realistic and relatable.
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Haines does a great job filling in blanks of the characters’ pasts when it’s important, while simultaneously evolving the story and character struggles. Even though everything takes place in a small town you feel like you’re on an adventure gallivanting across Mississippi tracking down a mysterious murderer as more and more bodies keep popping up. There’s constant surprises along the way, without feeling over done.
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I’m definitely looking into more of the Sarah Booth Delaney books
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Rating: 4.5/5

Another great whodunit by Carolyn! This is my favorite cozy mystery series and I hope there are many more books to come. One of the things I love about this series is that you can't guess who the bad guy is until the end.

3.5 Stars

The Devil’s Bones is the twenty-first book in Carolyn Haines’ Sarah Booth Delaney series. You read the right the 21st, this was my first book in this series and I was a bit shocked that there were so many before it. While this can be read as a standalone I could tell that there was a lot of background information on the characters that I was obviously missing. It did take me a few chapters just to get into the story since I was new to the series, but once I figured out who everyone was and how they all related to each other I was hooked. It is a fun and light whodunit mystery set in the south. By the end of the book I already felt like I personally knew the characters and I will definitely be going back to the start of the series and reading these books. I love a good murder mystery series, especially ones with strong female leads.

This book follows three quirky females: Sarah, Cece, and Tinkie. Sarah and Cece are visiting their pregnant friend Tinkie in Lucedale, Mississippi where Tinkie is treating them to a girls’ weekend at an uber exclusive bed and breakfast. It is supposed to be a fun girls’ weekend filled with your typical activities like going to the spa and eating good food, but because we are in the deep south one of the main attractions is the miniature Holy Land where all of Jerusalem is recreated – this is what Tinkie is most excited for. The friends attend the service at the church and are exploring the attraction when they stumble upon a dead body. Soon there are more and more dead bodies and a local pharmacist in jail. It seems as if the local police are not competent enough for this case and decides to take it on to help clear the pharmacist’s name.

I really enjoyed reading this book, there were parts where I actually laughed out loud, the humor in the conversations and thoughts the character’s have is really witty. It is also not easy to guess whom the culprit was, although at the end you will realize there were many subtle clues along the way that the author threw in. One minor thing I would have liked was a little bit of romance in the book, which was missing. Usually when I read cozy mysteries there is an underlying romance going on, maybe this was explored in the previous books. It is not a huge thing, but I like a bit of romance to cut through some of the gritty crime.

I recommend this book for those who want a classic southern whodunit.

~ Harshita

In The Devil’s Bones, Sarah Booth, a proudly pregnant Tinkie, Cece, and Jitty the ghost are on vacation! But, as usual, where Sarah Booth goes, trouble follows.

It’s Easter and the flowers around Bexler B&B in South Mississippi are beautiful. Not so beautiful? Finding a corpse on the first day of your girl’s weekend.

When the girls go to a local miniature Holy Lands exhibit, they find the corpse of Perry—a local, but not very ethical, lawyer. When good-looking and single Erik, the town’s pharmacist, is accused of murder, the girls decide to find the real murderer to save his life. Unfortunately, almost everyone in town has a motive—even the local Sheriff!

Another great entry in the Sarah Booth Delaney series. It’s number 21! If you like cozy mysteries with just a touch of the paranormal and a whole heap of southern charm, you must read this series. While you can start with The Devil’s Bones, it’s better if you have a bit of background by reading earlier books first. Still, this is an excellent mystery. 4 stars!

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

4 stars

This is the twenty-first book in the Sarah Booth Delaney series by Carolyn Haines.

There were a lot of deaths in this book and in a way I felt like that was a bit of overkill. Every time you turned around someone else was dying. The setting, however, was pretty unique and worked well with the plot. I liked the characters a lot and the dynamics between the main cast was nice.

I enjoyed the read but felt like it was a bit overwhelming at times. Just when you could wrap your head around one death, there was another one. I kept getting the victims confused. The one through line is that Eric, the pharmacist was the one who was getting framed for the deaths. That made things a bit easier but a whole lot convoluted.

I will definitely want to read more books in this series since the cast was so good.

If you want to read a good cozy mystery, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

I learn all sorts of things from reading cozy mysteries and this latest Sarah Booth book has given me another entry for my bucket list. A small town in Mississippi is home to a small reproduction of the Holy City in the story and in reality and it gives us the perfect backdrop for an Easter mystery. What started out as a wonderful girls weekend away before Tinkie's pregnancy makes life a bit more suddenly becomes a holy nightmare with people dying. Having read a few Sarah Booth books previously, I was familiar with the character Jitty, the family ghost whom only Sarah Booth can see and talk with. Jitty likes to shape change into notable women and give cryptic warnings. The crack team of Sarah Booth and Tinkie show what it means to be the best detectives as well as best friends. This is definetly a "girl power" novel, from gun toting Tinkie, to the bronco busting Sherrif Glory. This story also comes with plenty of suspects which means lots of red herrings and a sighting of an old foe.

Congratulations to the author on this 21st release of the successful long running "Sarah Booth Delaney" mystery series. I have read most of the series and always enjoy returning to this series. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinions are my own.

I love returning to the ladies who always make me laugh. Each book leaves you with a feeling of having visited good friendships among wonderful Southern Culture . In this next in series they are on a girls weekend when a body is found while at a tourist site created as a Holy Land. Antics ensue and fun begins as they all join in solving this fun mystery. I Loved this next in series.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest, voluntary review. As always, Carolyn Haines has written another phenomenal Sarah Booth mystery. Her writing is stellar along with her fantastic characters. This book is both entertaining and a quick read that all mystery fans will enjoy. You can't go wrong with Sarah Booth and all her crazy friends. Enjoy! 📚

Carolyn Haines’ Sarah Booth Delaney series is above all a series about love you- to -the end friendships. Never is this more apparent than in The Devil’s Bones as newly pregnant Tinkie is treating best friends Sarah Booth Delaney and Cece to a girl’s weekend at a luxury B & B outside of Lucedale, Mississippi (MS). The trip is over Easter weekend and a high point of the trip is a sunrise Easter service at The Palestinian Gardens set to the scale of the Holy Land.
The women hail from Zinnia, a small town in Sunflower Co, MS. up in the Delta. Sarah Booth is the owner of the Dahlia House plantation inherited after the early death of her parents. She also inherited a resident haint able to go where Sarah Booth goes. Tinkie is an original Daddy’s girl; she can run on five inch stiletto heels and shoot better than Sarah Booth Delaney. Important skills because they are the closest of friends and partners in a detective agency.
Cece is a journalist who had to fight for acceptance as she transitioned from Cecil to Cece. She successfully faced the hatred and became a successful, local journalist. Sorry, I have loved these women for a long time and I wanted to share some background information right up front.
After attending the Easter service and witnessing the interruption by an angry environmentalist, the women go to explore the Holy Land miniature, aka the Devil’s Garden, aka The Devil’s Bones. They soon find the body of a hated local lawyer. The first of many bodies they will find.
The main suspect hires Sarah Booth and Tinkie to clear his name, but he acts so squirrelly at times, they sometimes have hard time believing his stories. While those two are investigating, Cece has joined up with an on-line journalist and is exploring her potential in that field.
There are a number of things I really like/dislike about this book. First off, I love Haines’ writing, especially her humor:
“I watched in amazement at the things Tinkie’s hips could do. No wonder she’d defied scar tissue in her Fallopian tubes. Those hips just tossed those swimmers right on past the blockage and to the egg.” Tinkie was dancing FYI
I love how I always mistake these books as cozies, and then I realize there are some really hardcore crimes going down. I never learn because I am always beguiled by the people and the setting- mostly common to all twenty one of the books. In The Devil’s Bones , the bodies just keep a comin’, but in a new setting.
I love the unexpected elements she inserted in The Devil’s Bones , such as the main suspect's big secret of why he keeps disappearing.
I love the details of her setting; I wanted to cry when Haines wrote about the wild azalea’s blaze of orange.
I do have some definite dislikes; the time line for the suspect being arrested –tox screen evidently magically performed at the crime on Easter Sunday in a few hours is hard to believe.
I disliked that Sarah Booth’s traveling haint, Jitty, was a house slave at Dahlia House, a fact that is almost totally glossed over in this book. Jitty loves appearing in different guises, in this book mostly as white women.
I really missed their men, their other friends, the animals and, as much as I hate to admit it, Sunflower Co. I lived in the Delta for awhile; I am here to tell you it is a whole ‘nother world.
I find this series and this book charming and well worth the read.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Bodies Keep Appearing, Serial Killer Perhaps?
This mystery is the21st in a series where the books can be read in any order. This episode has Sarah and her friends discovering bodies every day! These are not quite cozy mysteries but they won't give the readers nightmares either. The mystery is very good. There are red herrings and pieces that just don't fit together. The final reveal was very good. I have read a few other books in this series and they are all hard to put down. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

The Devil's Bones by Carolyn Haines is the 21th book in the Sarah Booth Delaney series, and I loved it!! I love the whole series, please keep them coming. Not only is this book really funny at times, it can also be emotional. As always Devil's Bones does not disappoint. Sarah Booth, Tinkie, newly pregnant, and Cece go away for a girls weekend. They plan on attending Sunrise Easter service at Palestinian Gardens, a minature Holy Land In Lucedale, Mississippi. While walking the 20 acre they find a dead body at the Mount of Olives. There are twists and turns around every corner. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you love mysteries with a little bit of everything, I strongly recommend this book/series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received this book in exchange for an honest exchange. You can receive your copy here : https://www.amazon.com/Devils-Bones-Sarah-Delaney-Mystery/dp/1250257867/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1KRNCPB9ZGIFI&dchild=1&keywords=devil%27s+bones&qid=1594928392&sprefix=devil%27s+bon%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-2
Ok, Carolyn Haines!! This is the 21st book in the series. Most of my reviews say that I have not read the previous books in the series, however, I have read fifteen of the previous books. I have not been able to get my greedy paws on a copy of the other books, whether it be ARC or the book being too old for the library to carry. I LOVE THESE books with every part of my being! The characters are like family at this point and I look forward to the adventures that Sarah Booth Delaney will go on with her highly developed characters that she keeps as company. I do NOT know why Sarah Booth Delaney is not on my TV! By the end of this year, there will be 25 of these books! Alison Sweeney would make the PERFECT Sarah Booth with her horse-riding skills. Alison Janney would make a great Jitty with her physical comedy twist on the ghostly character. Reese Witherspoon would make a perfect Tinkie! I just want to say that I thought all of this PRIOR to reading this book, as there is a Reese reference in this book!
This book takes place in the Deep South at a super exclusive and isolated Bexley B&B. We barely make it an entire chapter before good ol’ Jitty, Sarah Booth Delaney’s resident ghost makes an appearance as a nutty woman in a toga. This B&B was fully complete with sunrise Mass, The Holy Land made to scale and a walking tour that gave attendees the chance to see geography of the Middle East and the travels of Jesus of Nazareth. What better place for Easter mass? Sarah Booth Delaney decides to tour the Holy Land by themselves so they could examine the wonderful plaques and biblical significance of each. As they come across Jerusalem, they discover a body, a dead body. Sarah and Tinkie tend to find things like this ALL THE TIME! Sarah is a private detective and Tinkie is a DG from the south. That is Daddy’s Girl. This is just the beginning of the adventure. The story of who the body is quickly discovered, but why and who killed him and the cause is a long process. We encounter some gunshots, danger and did I mention Tinkie is pregnant-FINALLY! So much happens in this book and it is so much fun and would make an amazing TV series! I really hope that someone options this and SOON! This is the kind of TV we need right now!

This has to be one of the funniest mystery series out there. The characters are amazing and the mystery entertaining. This is a great book in a well established series.

The last thing one expects to find at an Easter sunrise service is a dead body but that's what happens in this latest installment in a long running series that will be fine as a standalone. Sarah Booth, private investigator, and her friends Tinkie and Cece are on a ladies weekend in Lucedale, Mississippi, in part because of the lovely Palestinian Gardens, a miniature Holy Land (!). These three can't avoid trouble, though, and this time Sara Booth's decision to find out who really killed the aptly named Perry Slay sets off a series of events that is both scary (for them) and occasionally amusing (for the reader). No spoilers but know that someone targets the three of them! With a gun! Regular cozy readers know that the pharmacist isn't the killer and that lots of people dislike Slay and that there will be some red herrings. The nicest part of this series is the interaction between the women and that holds true here as well. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A fun read.

This is such a fun series and the girls are at it again. You gotta love Tinkie and Sarah Booth as PIs. The girls go away for a much needed B&B spa weekend retreat now that Tinkie is pregnant. Given that it's Easter they go to see a miniature holy land exhibit, where mayhem starts. A few murders later, a shifty prime suspect and a bunch of other suspects keeps you guessing. I didn't know the true culprit until well close to the end of the story. I love that the author, Carolyn Haines also incorporates the motley crew of animals as rescuers and let's not forget Jitty - our Haint. I just wish Jitty could or would be allowed to give Sarah Booth more clearer instructions and clues.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this fun read.

Sarah Booth and the gang have taken a long weekend to go to a spa and celebrate Tinkie’s pregnancy! The spa is set on the site of a miniature Holy Land. Easter service isn’t even finished before the first body is found. The local pharmacist, Eric, is the chief suspect. Eric hires Sarah Booth and Tinkie and the search begins. Soon the bodies and the suspects pile up. Cece joins up with a visiting blogger in exploring the area while the others search for the murderer(s).

Of course, I love the characters and the mystery is great. I loved this book and look forward to another this year.

A fast paced mystery with lots of victims and suspense. Private eye Sarah Booth and her partner Tinkie have their hands full in what was supposed to be a girls weekend in the miniature Holy Land. What happens is not holy.

This is another great installment in the Sarah Booth Delaney series. I have read them all and love how each story is unique yet there is always something that ties them together. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions are my own.

I have been reading stories about Sarah Booth since the first in the series, Them Bones, was published in 1999.  There are now over twenty titles in all.


Starting to read one of these mysteries is like taking a long exhale.  They are relaxing, fun and require some suspension of disbelief.  Sarah Booth has a haint (ghost) named Jitty who appears to her in various costumes and always with the same hope which is to find Sara Booth a husband and give her a child and a new generation to the family.  Up until now this has not happened but Jitty always hopes as she takes part in the stories.  Sara Booth is surrounded by a cast of other regulars as well from her best friend Tinkie to the sheriff. 


Where Sara Booth goes, murder and hi jinks follow.  It is no different in this stories which takes place near Easter. 


Regular readers of Ms. Haines's books will eagerly pick up this latest entry.  The books can be read out of order but if you are looking for lots of escape, start at the beginning and then move forward.


Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

I have voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this title given to me through NetGalley. This book was just absolutely wonderful. It was just so easy to get lost in and I just couldn’t put it down. I just lost myself within this amazing story. I most definitely will read more by this author.

I realized once I started reading this one that it was a part of a series. I DNF'd until I could read the previous titles in the series and will come back and edit my review when I do.