ARC review through Netgalley (Kia ora rawa atu)

Boney Creek is a bit of a strange one to review – because its has a lot of vibes, strong and fun vibes in fact. But the book is also somewhat eclectic. For example the setting itself, Boney Creek, is a tiny dusty town, bordering on being a ghost town with a population of barely over 200 – and it presents as quite a sinister place, given the isolation, the murders, and the small town reception that our MC receives. Yet there is a fair amount of humour dancing through this narrative too.

So I’d say this book is actually somewhat cozy, although errs on the heavy side at times. It’s not an action heavy thriller, the mysteries in this book are largely personal and there are a LOT of conversations with secrets spiling over from both participants. Probably my only beef, or rather specific recommendation is that this book is most likely to be enjoyed by mystery fans who can keep up with lots of different characters and backstories, I found myself at times getting confused between who hated who and why (that may be a me problem).

I also just wanted a bit MORE Boney Creek, this strange, bare town with next to no population. The story is really a more person-centered narrative, and my boring-head was wanting more lonely highways and dusty fields!

Okay Paula Gleeson can officially do no wrong. This was so good! Where has she been hiding? BONEY CREEK took off at break neck speed and didn’t let up for the entire book. The small town and unsolved murders gave this book a creepy vibe that I loved. It has a well-developed plot, multidimensional characters, and twists I didn’t see coming.

“Dead trees are not hard to come by around here, just depends on whose property they’re found on.”

Boney Creek is a location with one good store, sadly the book felt the same.

Taking place in a tiny town called Boney Creek, population 217, a husband and wife, Addie and Toby, move here to flee their past trauma. Unfortunately they may be heading into another all too soon. Seven “accidental” deaths have accrued in the past several months. Pretty soon Addie’s past journalistic tendencies rear there head and she goes on a wild hunt to uncover the truth. But is there more to uncover than both her and Toby realize?

This is a very intriguing premise for a story but there are a lot of things that I took issue with. I found the characters of Addie and Toby to be unrealistic in action and in speech for about three quarters of the book. The way they would respond to situations did not seem at all believable. Often times they seemed over dramatic in light situations and under dramatic in heavy situations. This had me questioning the main character at all times and I don’t think that was intended. Also, at the start of the story Toby brings up the reason he is in Boney Creek seemingly setting up a subplot. But that subplot seems to be forgotten until the last several chapters of the book. At the conclusion of the book is a prime example of a heavy situation not taken to the height of its severity. The final twist of the story causes so many issues for the characters but they seem fine with the unspoken repercussions.

I wanted to like this book because of the mysteries it held. But I just couldn’t get past the naivety of the characters. If the entire book was written like the last tenth of the story it would be a solid thriller but unfortunately the creek was just too dry to sustain life.

Boney Creek is a dusty, dying small town where not a lot happens – if you don’t count the recent, strange deaths of seven locals and a past serial killer. On the back of their own personal trauma, Toby and Addie escape to Boney Creek to run the general store. Soon though, Addie’s repressed journalistic instincts and Toby’s own agenda see them questioning the recent deaths – is there something hinky going on? do those deaths link with what happened in the past? – and not everybody is happy with them sticking their noses in.
Though ostensibly set in the US, I picked the author’s voice as Australian, and I would have preferred this story be set in our outback for authenticity. However, I still found Boney Creek to be a well-paced enjoyable rural noir or small-town mystery novel. Recommended.

This was such a good book. I absolutely enjoyed it and look forward to reading other books by this author in the future. Great writing and wonderful storyline.

I absolutely loved Paula's last book and needed to request this one but unfortunately it fell flat for me. The characters just didn't work for me and truly annoyed me. They kept lying to eachother. I was also expecting the big mystery to be darker so that left me very underwhelmed. I just would've liked a little more.

Enjoyable, engaging characters, mystery light.

Addie and Toby move to a small town - Boney Creek ostensibly to run the general store. Addie in her city life was a journalist and can’t resist digging into the recent deaths of 7 townsfolk, is it linked to the minders in the 1980s.

I was expecting more mystery but the characters are well constricted and it feels like a a small town.

A well written solid 4 star book.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher Thomas and Mercer for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A couple moves to Boney Creek population 217 after a series of unexplained deaths. The young couple have their own secrets as well.

Thrilling, scary, wow what a read! I loved the small-town atmosphere and the feeling of dread and risk at every turn. There were so many twists and turns with a surprise ending. Well done!

Who doesn’t love a good mystery in a small town where the townspeople are hiding something and there is an air of uneasiness. The author did a very good job describing the scene to feel isolated and in ruins - just like you would picture a ghost town in the middle of nowhere. It’s the perfect location for murder.

The main character is unfortunately the biggest drawback of the story - she is hard to connect with, annoying, aggressive and self centered. Her internal monologue is whiny and I wish she would just stop talking. She is not someone I would ever want to be friends with.

While the pacing in the middle of the book seemed slow/ dragged along and the main character is unrelatable and forced, the story itself was a solid mystery - intriguing with an unpredictable ending. The author did a great job connecting all the dots and bringing the mystery to a conclusion.

*this ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Boney Creek is an enjoyable thriller with enough suspense and intrigue to keep readers turning the pages. The story is well-paced, with short chapters that make it easy to read in small doses or devour in one sitting. Clancy’s character is a standout, bringing much-needed energy and wit to the story. Her confidence and humor provide a refreshing contrast to Addie’s more introspective nature, and I found myself eagerly anticipating her scenes. The plot itself is solid and wraps up with a twist that, while unexpected, ties everything together nicely.

However, I did find the story lacked a bit of depth overall. The narrative felt slightly predictable, with a straightforward storyline that left me wanting a bit more complexity. Addie and Toby occasionally felt like background characters, which, combined with minimal character development, made it hard to feel fully invested in them. The big reveal at the end, while interesting, was presented a bit too quickly, leaving little time for it to fully sink in before the story wrapped up.

If you’re a fan of Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, you’ll find Boney Creek to be a simpler, easy to digest page-turner version that’s worth the quick read.

Great sense of setting. There were a lot of references to mysterious past actions that kept the pace quick but didn't seem to pay off completely. Journalist main character was a pretty bad journalist.

Great story about a couple that move to an isolated small town where unexpected deaths have been happening. Addie and Toby buy the local store and Addie works to discover the truth of the recent string of deaths, as well as deaths from a serial killer may years ago. I enjoyed the read. It was a page turner. Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read this book for my opinion.

Very enjoyable read with a good mystery to it as to what is going in Boney Creek. I didn't love the main female character as I found her to be pretty selfish, but both her and her husband had some lessons to learn in keeping secrets. All in all, I'd definitely recommend this one.

3.5 ⭐️ This book had me hooked from the start and while I found the characters charming, I found this fatal flaw too obvious in many thrillers of an unlikeable main character from the big city who moves to a small town that reeked of “they would have gotten away with it if it hadn’t been for that bored, nosy, white lady”. The mystery was interesting but those were a lot of pieces. The landing stuck, though, and I appreciated the dialogue that put the FMC in her place. A solid, cozy thriller.

This book was quite enjoyable, but an easier read than I expected. I was anticipating more grit, and perhaps something darker. It has the usual small town vibes, with a list of characters who all seem to have secrets. I did occasionally find it a little frustrating that the protagonist kept referring to her hidden secret, but not explaining it. Once I know there’s something we’re not being told, I don’t need reminding so often.
The book is worth a look, for a small town mystery that isn’t too harrowing.

Boney Creek by new to me author P. Gleeson, published by Thomas & Mercer is a small town mystery/ thriller.
Addie and Toby are new residents of Boney Creek. They moved here to start over, but trouble follows them.
A story full of unexpected twists and turns that had me guessing till the last page.

Addie and Toby move to Boney Creek- a small town with big secrets to escape their own troubles. Following a series of mysterious deaths that Addie is dedicated to solving. This was an interesting book with many characters and an interesting storyline.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC.

I really enjoyed this one! Boney Creek by Paula Gleeson is an engaging novel that brings small-town charm to life with a cast of relatable, well-developed characters. The main character, who is not a qualified investigative journalist, feels refreshingly human, which adds a nice layer of realism to the story. Watching her navigate the intricacies of small-town life and stumble through her investigation is both endearing and entertaining, making her someone you root for throughout the book.

The setting of the small town is another highlight, with Gleeson capturing the essence of a close-knit community where everyone knows each other, and secrets are hard to keep. It pulls you into the atmosphere, making you feel like you’re right there in the midst of it all.

While I enjoyed the novel, it did feel a bit slow in places. The pacing lagged at times, making it more of a leisurely read than a page-turner. Because of this, I probably wouldn’t revisit Boney Creek again, but it was certainly enjoyable the first time through.

Overall, Boney Creek is a solid mystery with a relatable protagonist and an authentic small-town vibe. Though not the fastest-paced, it’s a satisfying read, and I look forward to more from Paula Gleeson in the future.

I liked this one.

I did think it would be darker – more small town noir. It’s…light. But the mystery is good and I liked our characters.

Now, there’s a lot of time and attention paid to a secret that ends up really dull, but the murder mystery of it all is good and the reveal was satisfying.

Needed a little edge, but overall enjoyable and I’d read the author again.

• ARC via Publisher