4.5 stars rounded up

When the Bones Sing is a paranormal serial killer murder mystery set in a remote village in the Ozarks called (appropriately) Lucifer's Creek. Dovie doesn't believe in magic or ghosts, but she has inherited an ability to feel vibrations from the bones of the deceased and has been helping the local sheriff find the bodies of all the hikers that keep going missing in the woods near their town. Her best friend Lo is being haunted by the ghosts of the dead, or so he says, and believes they need to find the killer and put a stop to the murders in order for the dead to find peace.

It's a quiet, melancholy sort of book with a strong sense of place and characters who are deeply hurt but have still managed to survive. The mystery is pretty twisty and did not end up being what I expected. And yes, there is a romance subplot too. It's about the messiness of family, the difficulty of faith, and what it's like to be an outcast in your own community. It was lovely. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Where the Bones Sing is a gripping YA fantasy with a fast-paced, no-nonsense writing style that kept me hooked. Dovie can sense the presence of dead bodies, and her best friend Lo is haunted by shadows as they work to uncover the truth behind a string of disappearances. The book is perfect for the spooky season, with plenty of suspense and eerie vibes.

While there’s a subtle friends-to-lovers storyline, the romance isn’t forced, allowing the mystery to take center stage. The ending is satisfying despite all the chaos, and the gory descriptions add to the intensity without being overdone. One of the most thrilling YA books I’ve read this year!

I loved this story. Set in a very small town, Lucifer Creek (named for the sulfurous stench it puts out), Dovie has a special matrilinear gift; she can hear/feel the bones singing. The sheriff has been putting this to good use in helping to recover lost hikers on a major hiking trail through the Ozarks. In the last three years over two dozen hikers have gone missing and the town is oddly quiet about it. Well, not so odd when one considers without the hikers bringing dollars into the town the town doesn't exist so they're hushing up a serial killer.

Dovie's best friend from her earliest days, Lo(wan) returns from wherever he ran off to still haunted and frantic. He claims the ghosts of the murdered and buried hikers are after him and he must solve the mystery of their deaths. Dovie doesn't believe in ghosts or religion or the Ozark Howler (in spite of her father a glass artist making a huge one for his friend's massive lodge (a very poor local boy made very good and generous to the town).

Also in the story are Dovie and Lo's grandmothers former friends who fell out after Lo's mother was drowned in Lucifer's Creek and Dovie's mother disappeared. And we also have the hell and brimstone preacher who is turning the town against the kids as witches and Xan a young man who I don't want to spoil.

I found Dovie and Lo captivating. While I did figure out most of the mystery I think the red herrings were deployed to great advantage in this. The stakes are high as more and more hikers are disappearing and waiting for Dovie to find them. Are her friends and family involved? What about their missing moms (something else I did figure out but again enjoyed the journey to the conclusions) There were twists I didn't predict which is always a delight and I found the end very satisfying. I thought the setting was rich. You could practically feel the heat, humidity and the bugs. I love it when an author takes a rich setting and makes it almost its own character. It brings something extra to the story.

Ginny Myers Sain wrote the ever impressive Dark and Shallow Lies which made a long lasting impression on me. I was so excited to be approved for an ARC of her upcoming release When the Bones Sing.

WTBS follows best friends Dove ("Dovie") and Lowen ("Lo") who are both outcasts in a small Southern town- Lo because he lives up the mountain with his Grandma who taught him the ways of folk magic (would have loved a prologue or flashback of Lo's childhood... Maybe a future short story/prequel?), and Dovie because she is magic (though she'll tell you there's no such thing) and because of her maternal roots. Small towns can be brutal if you're not part of the flock.

Dovie sees her gift of feeling the bones of the dead call to her as just an ability or talent, same as someone who is naturally gifted at tracking or hunting. Sadly, her gift has been put to use far too often in the past few years with increasing rates of out of town hikers going missing and turning up dead and buried.

Not worse than the murders, but quite despicable in itself is the lengths that some will go to to keep the murders off the front page. For this small town relies on revenue from tourists to stay afloat and if word of the deaths gets out, the town and it's residents would surely go under.

Sain's writing is beautiful and immersive. I was caught in a storm with her characters, felt the water running down my face, making it hard to see, and felt their dread and adrenaline as the river rose increasing their risk of slipping and being washed away. I felt their anger at the continued loss of life and lack of answers. And I so clearly understood their unbreakable bond and the hesitation at letting it become something new.

What will it take to catch the monster praying on unsuspecting hikers/campers without ruining the town? Grab your copy on 3/4/25 to find out!

When the bones sing is a gripping upper YA supernatural thriller. The last Sain novel I read I enjoyed but worried that this one would be as sad as the last. I am happy to say it is not yay!
The supernatural element is perfectly twisted into this murder mystery novel. The whodunit isn’t the most unpredictable but the reason why was very good. The characters are well wrote. The romance was intertwined and blended perfectly. The only reason this isn’t 100% a 5 star is because there was some slow ends. A lot of going up and down the mountain. But the twists, the lore, and the plot give it a high 4.5 stars for me.

Blurb:
Dovie lives in Lucifer’s creek and has a unique talent. She can find dead bodies because they sing to her. For the past three years she had found 23 dead hikers and no one was doing anything about it. Her best friend Lowen says there is something supernatural going on and claims he sees their spirits. The only thing Dovie knows is she needs to find out who is killing the hikers before her best friend goes crazy and more murders happen. Can Dovie and Lo figure out who or what is committing these atrocious crimes?

Definitely a great thriller and a must read!
Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for the ARC.

I just lovee the way Ginny Myers Sain writes. The way she can completely transform the setting of a book into its own character, always amazes me. In this book, it was the small, super religious town in the Ozarks called Lucifer’s Creek.

Dovie has the ability to hear bones “sing” and assists the police in finding the bodjes of missing hikers. Her bestfriend, Lo, thinks he’s being haunted by these hikers and wants Dovies help solving their murders.

Ginny mixes magical realism and thriller in a truly masterful way. I really think no one does it like her. At one point or another, I was suspecting EVERYONE. I loved the twists, loved the ending, loved the magical spooky feeling throughout. This might be my favorite of all her books!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

I requested Ginny Myers Sain’s “When the Bones Sing” because it had an interesting premise to me. 17-year-old Dovie lives in Lucifer’s Creek, Arkansas, along with her dad, grandmother, and best friend, Lowan (Lo). Since she was a young girl, Dovie has been able to “hear” the bones sing to her of people who have died. Once she starts to “hear” the bones, she’s able to locate the bodies.

For the past three years, Dovie’s gift has been needed more than ever because over two dozen hikers have disappeared on the local trails. In recent months, Lo has begun to be haunted by dark shadows. He comes to believe they’re the murdered hikers and they want him to figure out who killed them.

Dovie begins to work with Lo on identifying the murderer, but they face multiple challenges and setbacks along the way. This novel was parts supernatural thriller, mystery, as well as a coming-of-age story. I wasn’t that surprised by the identity of the murderer, but enjoyed the ending. There were even times while reading that I was so engrossed in the book, the outside world disappeared around me.

Overall, I recommend this book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.

Another great southern gothic supernatural story from Ginny Myers Sain. I liked this book quite a bit because the narrator was a fun character. I may have found it odd that a girl who can feel the song of a dead person’s bones is so absolutely certain magic doesn’t exist, but it made her quirky and special. Dove has been able to feel the song of bones since she was four just like her mother and her grandmother before her. The other locals in the small town hills she lives in look at her with distrust but still ask her to go out and find the bodies of the missing hikers. And it’s strange but no one seems to be asking quests about how many there has been (23 in the last few years alone). As Dove and her best friend Lo try to figure out what is happening to the missing hikers they learn more about themselves and each other than they were bargaining for. Great book and a super quick read. I liked the mystery but wished it was a little more twisty than it was. Overall still a fun story.

This was such a fun time and so spooky, gives me slight T Kingfisher vibes but for young adults. I have students I think will really like this so it will be a book I add to my classroom library!

What I loved about this book is that it did not read as a YA book. It read like a wonderful mystery /suspense / ghost story with young adult characters. Ginny did a wonderful job with each character; made you care for each and every one of them whether they were guilty or not. Loved ho Dovie was both strong, stubborn and caring; loved the relationship she had with her dad and Lo and OMG, did I love Lo. Perfect for every age.

Dovie, can hear the bones of the dead sing, and has been helping the police the past few years find the bodies of the missing. With the help of her best friend she is out to find out what is really going on in the woods. This was very intriguing read, and hard to put down. However, I wish that romance aspect was taken out of the book. I feel it took away more from the story than adding to it.
4 stars.

This is the second book I have read by this author and she has done well again. I really did enjoy this book. There were so many twists and turns that kept me thinking my first guess was wrong. The author has a certain cadence to the voice of her stories that makes it feel almost dreamlike in quality. Kinda ensnares you in a way that you don't realize you're hooked on every word. I would definitely recommend this book.

Ginny is an auto read author for me since Dark and Shallow Lies and this book lived up to her reputation. She’s forever giving you the perfect twist of mildly paranormal, unsettling, and just freaky mystery stories.
I felt better prepared going into this book and was doing a decent job at the “who done it” and even though I had kind of figured it out I was still not prepared for the whole truth in the end. From the second I picked this book up I was hooked and consumed and finished it quickly.

A teenager in a small Ozark town can hear the bones of the dead singing, leading her to help solve the mysterious disappearances and murders happening in her community. With the help of her best friend who is haunted by dark shadows, they must uncover the truth hidden in the hills before more lives are lost.

I am completely new to this author, and let me tell you, this book is an absolute hidden gem! From the moment I cracked it open, I was completely captivated and utterly unable to tear myself away. The narrative slowly weaves its spell around you, drawing you in without you even realizing it.

The protagonist, Dovie, is a truly likable character, and her unique gift adds a fascinating layer of intrigue to the story. Even her best friend is endearing, with his character gradually unfolding to further enhance his charm.

The setting described in the book is hauntingly eerie and isolated, perfectly complementing the unfolding events. Although I have never been to the place depicted, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had somehow visited before, making the story all the more immersive and believable.

Throughout the book, I found myself constantly guessing and second-guessing, as the cleverly crafted storyline kept me on my toes. The unexpected twists and turns, culminating in a surprising ending, left me both shocked and satisfied.

If you revel in the thrill of unraveling mysteries with a hint of paranormal, deciphering truths and contemplating possible outcomes, then this book is an absolute must-read for you. Just be warned - once you start, you won't be able to put it down. Set aside some time, because this book demands to be devoured in one sitting.

Thank you, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I love how easily I'm pulled into this story. It's so interesting and thoroughly enjoyable! I don't usually go for stories like this one but the cover caught my eye.

I don’t know if I could accurately describe the way this book made me feel. But I’ll try-

When the Bones Sing is a beautifully written novel about Dove, a girl who can hear the bones of the dead and digs up their bodies. She’s done this way too many times in the last three years and now she and her childhood best friend Lo, the town witch, have to find out who is murdering the hikers who come far and wide to hike a beautiful trail in Arkansas.

Dove doesn’t believe in magic, but everyone in her life does, and through the story you see her soften, to believe in things she can’t quite understand and go from atheist to believer of all things magical. This book holds so much love and light and it takes you on a journey to illuminate the darkness roaming in the woods.

This book is face paced, well written, and keeps you turning the page- and when people say “I couldn’t put it down” I only did because I had to.

The ending was beautifully done and left me in tears.

At this point I think I’d read Ginny Myers Sain’s grocery lists.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

I loved Dark and Shallow Lies so much that I made it a traveling book in my Facebook book club. My expectations for When the Bones Sing were already high, and Sain did not disappoint. All aspects were executed with phenomenal precision - world building, character development, writing style, pacing, and plot. You'll find an abundance of decadent creepiness within these pages. It's written so well that it's almost believed, and the idea is wholly original.

I saw someone post about this book in a group and they raved about it. I immediately added to my TBR and requested an ARC. Was excited when Netgalley approved.

Missing hikers and a teen who can hear bones sing, sounded intriguing and different. This book hooked me right away and I enjoyed the imagery and spooky mountain vibes.

This was my first read from this author and I'm a fan. Would definitely check out other books.

Deep in the Ozark mountains lies the little town of Lucifer’s Creek, home to Dovie Warner, who can hear the bones of dead people sing to her. They call her to find them, and they’ve been coming fast and furious in the last three years. When Dovie realizes her small town has a serial killer, she and best friend Lowan Wilder will set about a quest that may just get them in over their heads. This book was the perfect blend of creepy atmosphere and mysterious thriller that’ll leave you turning pages to find out what happens next.

A Southern Gothic supernatural thriller about a girl who can hear bones sing to her; say no more. This story had all the makings for me, and I enjoyed it right down to the spine-chilling ending.

A teenage girl named Dovie lives in a small Ozark town in Arkansas where can hear the bones of dead sing to her. In Lucifer's Creek, more than two dozen people have disappeared on the local hiking trails without a trace. Seventeen-year-old Dovie doesn't believe in magic, even though she comes from a long line of women who can hear bones sing. However, for the past few years, she has been hearing the bones sing so loudly and persistently and they won't stop until they are dug up. Some believe it is the monstrous Ozarks Howler snatching them up. But Dovie doesn't believe in the Howler or the haunting shadows that her friend Lo sees. All she believes in is her intuition that leads the local Sheriff to the bones. Her desire is to reunite the families with the bones of their loved ones so they can find peace. Lo doesn't know peace, though, as the shadows follow him everywhere. The truth of their deaths isn't hidden in their bones but somewhere deep in the hills. Lo and Dovie must unearth it before someone else is killed.

I loved the storyline and its dark, eerie vibe between Dovie's magical gift and Lo's haunting shadows. Their friendship and love interest brought it all together for me, and I was rooting for them to the very end. I am looking forward to reading more by Ginny Myers Sain.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.