Hollow Bones

After a bit of a slow start, the pace and suspense of this book picked up to a comfortable level. The plot twists weren't enough to give the good kind of whiplash one would expect from a mystery read, but were solid nevertheless. The occult/supernatural elements, unfortunately, seemed like more of an afterthought and didn't play a significant enough role in the story, in my opinion. The characters were somewhat developed and compassion and empathy for the main protagonist was definitely there, but other characters, given their pivotal roles, could have done with more fleshing out. Overall, it was a decent read that attempted to stand out within its genre, and for other readers, may be successful in doing so.

Hollow Bones is a haunting retelling of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, and I loved every minute of it! While Merritt, a reporter on the rise, sets out to expose the shady but charismatic pastor of New Hope church, Essa, the former pastor's orphaned daughter, struggles to keep her quiet life from shattering when her brother, Clyde, is suspected of burning the church down. Clyde's pregnant girlfriend, Juliet, is determined to keep her new family together.

I'm a fan of the dark and gritty female-centric storytelling, and this hit just the right note for me! The characters are well-developed, the setting starkly beautiful and at times creepy, and the suspense engrossing. This book will fit nicely on the shelf with my favorite Appalachian mysteries.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for ARC.