Elisa Redd has been waiting almost seven years for her daughter, Lydia, to come home. Lydia and her friend, Bethany, disappeared and haven’t been seen or heard from since. Elisa thinks it had to do with Lydia’s marriage. She’d been happy to get married but came home from the honeymoon emotionally broken—and soon after has “accidents because she’s clumsy.”

Sarah Booth and Tinkie are private investigators. It helps that Sarah Booth’s significant other is the Sheriff so they can coordinate on cases.

This case is more difficult than usual due to the time that’s elapsed. Time is of the essence though since, Tope, Lydia’s husband has a new girlfriend he wants to marry so he’s going to declare Lydia dead as soon as the seven-year waiting period is up.

Amid rumors of moonshine stills, herbal remedies for girls “in trouble”, several more missing girls, a tale of a hanging, a grave, and almost everyone lying to Sarah Booth and Tinkie, they begin to wonder if they’ll ever solve the case.

Add in the fact their friend, Tammy, who is a medium and is having dreams that could relate to the disappearances and there’s a talking raven, a ghost, and a thunderstorm to beat all, and it’s understandable that even Sarah Booth and Tinkie worry this might be the case they can’t solve.

This is book twenty-six in the series. Tinkie is a mother now and baby Maylin is getting the princess treatment. Coleman still has his own place but is staying with Sarah Booth more often than not. They make a good pair and are respectful of each other’s work.

There are twists and turns, false clues, lies, plots and subplots, that blend together to make one great mystery. I’m looking forward to what comes next.

Ebook/Cozy Mystery: I want to thank Netgalley for a copy of the book. IAs nuch as I love Sara Booth and her antics, this book was just okay for me. The plot and explanation of the missing/murdered women was way out there, especially in this day and age of computers, no privacy, and forensics. The villain came out of left field as the reader has not met him in previous books.
I do love the first person narrative and the character building of characters by the author.

If you are a fan of cozy mystery books, you will enjoy the plot and characters in this book! If you are also a fan of Edgar Allan Poe, you will enjoy the allusions to his works throughout the book as well. This book is part of a series, but you do not need to read the previous books in order to enjoy this cute mystery!

Thanks so much to Net Galley and St Martins Press for a gifted copy of this book!

When I got the email to review this book, I was so excited. Normally even if I don’t have an ARC I read the next book in this series as soon as it’s released. Unfortunately, I was in the middle of trying to read as many new authors attending an upcoming signing event as possible and I didn’t get this read before the pub date. Once I started, I was reminded why I love the world of Sarah Booth Delaney and how quickly I can get lost in it.

There is so much I love about this world and how reality is mixed with clearly not real, and this book did not disappoint! It included all the characters I have come to love as well as minor characters taking a more front seat role. I did miss a couple of the gang that were missing completely or only had a minor part, but with such a big found family that has to happen. It also made me realize how old I am with the references to the early 2010/11 being “older” models, when did older models extend past the 90’s?

One of my favorite things about this series is how Haines blends real life issues into the case, as well as how she puts into words what I have never been able to about my love for my Southern history and all the complications that go along with it. I say it every review, but each book brings out a different aspect. I think my favorite quote in this book was “So many horrible things have been hidden from history books. When injustice is the basis for a society, it is doomed.” That is so true and needs to be acknowledged more than it is. The stigma around domestic abuse and the lack of access to abortion care in the rural South, especially after the overturn of Rowe v Wade hit home without being political at all. Without giving spoilers, there were so many aspects of this book that could happen in the real world even though they were told in a very fictional one.

I really loved how strong Coleman and Sarah Booth’s relationship was in this book, even more so than the previous books. The way it is always a foundation to the storyline is always a strong point, but in this book, it really made me love him more. Jitty let Sarah Booth get more involved in the case before “helping” than she has in previous books, but and I loved it, especially how receptive Sarah Booth was to her in the first chapter.

The plot kept me guessing the whole time. There were so many pieces that didn’t fit together no matter how hard I tried to make them fit. Even the characters I had figured out (and was supposed to), kept me on my toes. When it got to the climax, I was still questioning what the truth was. It wasn’t until the last chapter that I really believed what I was reading. I cannot wait to see what comes next for Sarah Booth and the gang!

This wasn’t my absolute favorite Sarah Booth book, but it was high up there and I loved it so much. Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s/Minotaur Books and Carolyn Haines for the electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was a fun story. Finished it in a few days while on vacation. It had very interesting characters w a well described background and interaction among people in it. Story line was great and it keep me wanting more. Looking forward to what’s next in this series

I’ve actually read every book in this series and I love the characters and the setting. This mystery was just the perfect amount of cozy with humor and a little drama.

I don’t think I can give this a fair review because I’m realizing this can’t be read as a stand alone. I was so confused during it all because I had no idea who the characters were or anything. I feel like if I had been reading the series from the start it would be a fantastic book!

I'm always glad for a chance to visit with Sarah Booth and Tinkie in Zinnea. This is a series that I have read from book 1 and this one didn't disappoint. Once again Sarah Booth and Tinkie find themselves in a mystery involving a Lydia, a missing daughter, and her abusive husband that wants to declare her dead so he has access to her money. As the two begin to search for for Lydia, they also discover that there are other missing women as well. Coleman is always there to back her up and make sure that she stays safe.

This one kept me reading late into the night. It is well-written and has just enough twists and turns. I'm ready for the next one.

Carolyn Haines involves Sarah Booth Delaney in dark Southern stories in Tell Tale Bones. Elisa Redd wants Sarah and her husband Sheriff Coleman to investigate the disappearance of her daughter years ago since her husband wants to declare her dead and inherit her fortune. Over the years other women have disappeared and currently the husband's new target has just wound up dead. Following all the traces leads through dark territory. Read and enjoy.

This was such an engaging read. I found myself quickly invested in the case. I was very entertained. This was so much fun. I loved it.

Its always a treat to delve into the Sarah Booth and friends’ mysteries.
This time the are looking for Lydia Redd Maxwell, 6 years since she disappeared and her husband wants to have her declared dead, but her mother is determined to find her either alive or find out what happened to her. Tope, the husband, is after Lydia’s money, he is not liked by most and is known for being abusive.
I always like Jitty showing up and glimpses of history.

I suspect fans of the series (this is #26!) will enjoy Tell-Tale Bones more than I did. If you go by GR ratings that will prove correct. This is the first in the series I've read which may explain a lot. I read a cozy to escape into a fun mystery. I just didn't find that in this book. Addressed in the story are spousal abuse and women's health and other topical themes. That's all fine and good but not what I'm looking for when I read a cozy. I called it a day at 33%.

Sarah Booth Delany and her partner Tinkie were requested to research the death of Lydia, who was declared dead and was never found. Lydia was considered a drug supplier, mainly medical marijuana. Elisa was Lydia's mother and she was convinced that her daughter had been murdered. Lydia and Sarah knew each other for 10 years, Because of this friendship, Sarah wanted to help. So when Elisa begged for Sarah Delany’s help, it was an easy answer. .

The number one suspect was Tope, who was Elisa’s husband. Did he physically abuse these women? Perhaps a substantial inheritance encouraged Tope to murder. Lydia, so along with Lydia there could have been a second woman, Bethany who came up missing and Bethany was expelled “she was A friend that I wanted” Lydia attended Ole Miss as a protest speaker, which she was expelled.
Vivian Dantzler was yet another woman in association with Tope. Took her own life by jumping to her death, amazingly this occurred at Tope's home. Did Tope take Lydia’s life, perhaps to take her fortune.

‘Missing girls, ten grand in reward money’

Thank you Carolyn Haines, and Minotaur books for the opportunity of reading this novel.

This was a first time read for me in the cozy cute mystery category and I have to say I was throughly entertained and for sure will continue because of this!

Love this series!
In this instalment, the story has a background theme of Edgar Allan Poe and one of his short stories.
The plot makes you wonder what happened to the missing characters and if they are still alive.
Recommend it to anyone who loves cozy mystery.

I’ve been reading and loving this series for decades! This time Sarah Booth and Twinkie look into the cold case of a missing woman. As always, the characters are well developed and lively, the plot is tight and multi-layered and the craftsmanship is expert. Highly recommended! I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next in the series. I received a complimentary copy of this book and chose to write a voluntary, unbiased review.

This is the twenty sixth installment of this wonderfully humorous but brilliant cozy mystery series. It's one of my favorites. Sarah, tinky and the gang are back to find women who have gone missing and empty graves. There is a lot happening in this cheeky but funny story. I spent a lovely afternoon reading this well written tale.

Interesting addition to this long-running cozy mystery series (I can't believe this is book 26!). I usually enjoy Sarah Booth's and her PI partner, Tinkie's exploits as they conduct investigations and find missing people (as is the case in this book). And there's plenty of twists and turns and red herrings and zanniness in this story...but I didn't connect as well with book as I have others. I'm not sure why. It's still an good book with great characters, and I'm sure many long-time readers will enjoy it.
Maybe if I read it again at a later date, my opinion will change, and I'll give it higher than 3 1/4 stars.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

In Tell-Tale Bones, spousal abuse, disappearances, a psychic, a ghost, and Edgar Allen Poe combine to create an intriguing cozy mystery.

Sarah Booth and her best friend, Tinkie, are private detectives in small town Zinnia, Mississippi. Sarah Booth is frequently visited by her family’s ghost, Jitty, who tries to help solve their cases too.

The women have two cases in this book. A psychic has been having recurring dreams about a beating heart a la Edgar Allan Poe. A mother is concerned that her daughter’s abusive husband is trying to steal her estate. The daughter has been missing for almost seven years along with her best friend. Are they dead or just hiding? If the former, where are their bodies and were they killed by the husband?

This is the twenty-sixth book in this series, but the originality of the plot keeps the storyline fresh. The relationship between the two main characters is what keeps me coming back to this series again and again as their lives continue to grow from book to book. This series is definitely better when read in order.

The plot is a little darker than most cozies but not in a triggering way. The mystery is twisty and keeps the reader involved until the conclusion.

Overall, while the plot is rather sad, Tell-Tale Bones is an interesting read. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

Tell-Tale Bones is book #26 in the Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery series by Carolyn Haines.

Sarah Booth and her partner Tinkie take on a cold case that becomes more involved than they expected.

I can’t believe this is book #26! I look forward to these books. It is like a trip down South to visit old friends. I really like the characters and while this can be read as a stand-alone book, if you read from the beginning of the series, you see how they have grown and their lives have changed. This kept me guessing until the end.

Thank you to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.