Bone Rites

by Natalie Bayley

"I collected the first bone when I was twelve. This fact was not mentioned in court... Such a tiny little bone, more like a tooth. I only kept it to keep him safe."
Kathryn Darkling, imprisoned in Holloway, is facing death by hanging for her vengeance killing. Haunted by a spirit, she still hopes to perform the ancient black magic that will free her soul, or her struggle to punish the mighty will have been in vain. Will the love of her life come to her aid? Or can she find a way to escape her fate?
Winner of The Virginia Prize for Fiction , Bone Rites is a dark, literary tale of love, loss and one woman’s obsessive fight for justice and redemption within a ruthless world. .

Genres: Historical Fiction, Horror, Historical, Crime, Queer, LGBT, Gothic

320 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2023

About the author

My spooky, dark literary novel, Bone Rites, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... winner of the Virginia Prize for Fiction is published by award-winning independent publisher, Aurora Metro Books.

I'm a UK born writer who has been living and writing in Sydney, Australia since 2000.

I write a monthly opinion column, The Unreliable Guide, for the Sydney print magazine, The Beast https://thebeast.com.au/

I like writing, reading, and whispering ideas to my two cats, Freddie & Floyd.

Reviews

[Tiffeny Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐

Bone Rites is a beautifully written and fast-paced historical fiction novel with some dark themes.

I found the plot refreshingly original and it kept me gripped from beginning to end.

I sometimes find that I get confused when books use dual timelines, but this story goes between the early 1900's and 1925 (present day) and I found it worked very well and was easy to follow.

The characters were incredibly intriguing especially our FMC Kathryn - she was truly captivating.

The ending came as a big surprise to me! I usually have some idea where the storyline is going, but nope not this time! I'd love to know what became of Jessica!

Overall I really enjoyed this book and would definitely like to read more by Natalie Bayley.

If you're looking for the perfect read for the spooky season this is it!

[Tracey Allen at Carpe Librum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bone Rites is a dark historical fiction novel set in the Edwardian period, in London. Dr Kathryn Darkling's story alternates between her Holloway Prison jail cell in 1925, and the events that led her there, beginning in 1905 with an irreversible injury suffered by her brother.

Kathryn is an easy character to warm to and the familial love she has for her younger brother powers the entire book. Pursuing an early interest in medicine, Kathryn struggles to succeed in a male dominated environment and takes measures to address them that had me clapping and cringing.

As Kathryn began to cross the lines of morality in the pursuit of her life's work, her sanity starts to shift and slide with the introduction of a supernatural influence after her service as a doctor in the war.

The research behind Bone Rites was seamlessly incorporated and the writing was polished, giving me great reading moments like this one:

"My hand connects with her face with such force the resultant crack silences the room." Page 223

At the time of reading, I could almost hear the reverberations of that crack and flinched from the impact of 'that' slap. The narrative is convincingly gothic and dark and will appeal to readers of Stacey Halls, Jess Kidd and Laura Purcell; in particular The Corset by Laura Purcell.

Bone Rites by Natalie Bayley is about female agency, sibling love, forbidden love, the ravages of grief, the horrors of war, justice, redemption and ultimately hope.

Enter my international giveaway giveaway over on Carpe Librum for your chance to win a signed copy!

[bea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bone Rites follows Dr. Kathryn Darkling, a woman of science in the early 1900s.

The story alternates between present day, where our main character faces her last days in prison before her execution, and the past, where we discover little by little the story of her life and what brought her to that point.

Grief, bone magic and the haunting of her younger brother Freddie, lost during World War I, transforms her into a vengeful angel thirsty to make her own justice in the name of the loved ones she lost.

Kathryn and the spirit she has for only company cannot rest until their ultimate plan isn't completed, driving her to commit the unforgivable and going against the core principles of the Hippocratic Oath.

This story was gripping from start to finish. I really enjoyed the timeline changes as they were pretty clear and built the entire plot revealing the full story at an interesting pace. I also felt like the storyline was pretty original.

I did not expect the several turns it took at the end and can only recommend this story to avid lovers of dark historical fiction.

[Britt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley & Aurora Metro Books for an eARC of this book. The following review is my honest reflection on the text provided.

Bone Rites kept me guessing until the very end. Bayley did a great job of walking that fine line between reality and fantasy so I had no idea if Kathryn was going to end up being magical or mentally ill.

I found Kathryn to be an incredibly compelling character. Considering her wealth and privilege, I wasn’t expecting to find her so relatable, but her sense of ‘other’ and inability to fit in made me want to root for her even when she seemed utterly delusional.

Bone Rites is well-written and unique in a way that historical fiction rarely manages. Kathryn and Freddie are characters who came to life and will not be easily forgotten.

[Leah (readmeaplant) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Aurora Metro for the advanced copy in exchange for my review

This book was nothing like I expected - in an amazing way!!

The 1st person POV was very well done and I was extremely engrossed in this story from the moment it started. The idea of doing magic to keep someone safe was interesting at first and the way the story progressed made my jaw drop. I read this so fast because I could not put this book down during my reading sessions and it was such an easy read as well.

I wasn't expecting this to take a historical aspect...I love historical fantasy so this layered with the killing was my cup of tea. As for the romance, I really wish that would have actually happened but I get the time period and the final confessions had me sooo sad.

The FMC's obsession and love with her brother was a little weird to me, but the ending was very freeing and I can also understand why she loves her brother as deeply as she does because of how they were raised.

I 100% recommend this book to anyone who wants a pre, during and post WW1 story set in Europe with a female killer who actually really isn't doing anything bad...

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oooohhh, I liked this! The perfect read to start off spooky season.

I was hooked from the very first line - “I collected the first bone when I was twelve.” We are thrown into Kathryn Darkling’s story as she sits in Holloway prison, awaiting execution for the bloody murders of prominent war figures. Through a serious of flashbacks, Kathryn spins her story of sisterly love, obsession, and black magic. But can she be believed?

Kathryn is such a well written character! I found myself empathizing with her suffering, while simultaneously being repelled by her actions and motivations. I kept rooting for her to pull it together, even though the book starts with her in prison.

The Bone Rites, or black magic, was such an interesting concept. A childhood relatively sweet dream that becomes a dark lifelong obsession. Do the Rites actually work? I kind of liked to think so while I was reading. I could have had more “magic” in the story, honestly.

The ending was definitely unexpected, and I think really cemented our MCs personality and mental state. “Love? You don’t know the meaning of the word.” This sums up Kathryn to a tee.

Give this a go if you enjoy fast paced character driven stories, unreliable narrators, spins on historical fiction, and blends between reality and fantasy.

Thank you the NetGalley and Aurora Metro Books for providing the ARC of this book. This review is my honest and voluntary opinion.

[Azthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

In "Bone Rites," we meet young Kathryn – a headstrong older sister and a bit of a wild child, drawn to the mysterious world of medicine and her father's library, especially the arcane knowledge of bone magic. She couldn't resist dipping her fingers into it, and little did she know, that would leave an indelible mark on her fate. Kathryn's story is one of obsession – for her younger brother, a secret lover from her med school days, and ultimately, an all-consuming thirst for revenge.

As her journey unfolds, sanity slips through her fingers, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. She transforms into a powerful yet haunted figure, almost like a deity, haunted by the echoes of her loved ones and wielding a power that few can comprehend. All of it triggered by the faintest whisper from her brother.

While I did wish for a bit more fantasy and magic woven into the plot, I found myself totally engrossed in the story as it is. Natalie Bayley's writing defies easy classification, and that's what makes it so darn mesmerizing.

In a nutshell, "Bone Rites" is a captivating tale of obsession, revenge, and the murky space between reality and the supernatural. It's a unique blend of genres that ensures you won't find anything quite like it, making it an incredibly engaging and thought-provoking read.

[anya · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I wouldn't have picked up this book if it wasn't for the yearly queer adult sff lists k.a. doore makes on her blog. It was also incredibly hard to find this book anywhere because neither my library nor libby had any and it wasn't sold as an ebook anywhere except amazon (I didn't want to buy a physical copy before I knew if I would end up liking it or not), which is such a shame because this book deserves a spotlight.

At its core, it's a stretch to call this book fantasy. Personally I would call it gothic horror/historical psychological thriller. The gothic horror aspects of it especially are so incredibly well done with a Frankenstein-esque vibe.

The story follows a disgraced doctor, Kathryn Darkling, in a jail cell confessing her crimes and how she got around to committing them to a priest before her looming execution. The present day is set in the year 1925 and we get flashbacks to her life before she turned herself in for her serial killings which, she explains, she was compelled to commit by the ghost of her dead younger brother who had died in WWI at fifteen years of age.

Magic rituals, delusions, dealing with post-war ptsd, and manifestation of guilt as a compulsive haunting, Natalie Bayley does such an amazing job portraying this tortured woman. As someone who is constantly complaining about how characters meant to be portrayed as morally gray are never nuanced enough, I was so happy to finally read a character who is actually morally gray with all the fun moral dilemmas that comes with. One of my favorite things in this book is the exploration of how far you can take just vengeance before it becomes senseless murder. However, for a book so brutal and dark, it had so much heart and genuinely interesting reflections on society and grief.

The voice of the main character was so engaging and hooked me since the first page. The gothic atmosphere was also so perfect and was such a great spooky highlight of the reading experience.

I need more people to read Bone Rites!! Please! This author deserves to write more books and be celebrated!

[Tiffany aka Chai Tea And Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a book with a good hook (Hit me with a first line that says "I collected the first bone when I was twelve" and I'm in!) and it had me wrapped up in this fictional world the whole time. I didn’t want to stop reading because I didn’t want to leave. I’m super glad to hear that there is going to be a second book because I need answers! This is a historical fiction that combines black magic, science, and obsession. Add in an original plot that I haven't heard told over and over again, and that you aren't quite sure if you can believe what our main character is saying, and the pages flew by in this. Our main character comes off as empathetic, even when you are disgusted by the acts that commits. But isn't that true of modern serial killers? This is a perfect read for spooky season, or honestly, any season.

Kathryn Darkling is sitting in prison, awaiting execution for the murders she committed. Through a series of flashbacks, she lays the ground work for how she discovered the Bone Rites book in her father's library when she was twelve, to going to medical school, to how it turned into an obsession. She maintains that she was drew into Bone Rites by love for her brother, but can you really trust anything that she is saying?

Thank you to Love Book Tours for the copy, all thoughts are my own.

[ABG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bone Rites is a beautiful novel, one that utilises its main character to delve into the many complexities and realities that come with being many things: a sibling, a survivor of war, a queer person, a women in a male-dominated profession. These four aspects are tied together with a bit of magical realism and a vivid historical setting to weave a tale that spans years and countries but never bores.

I don’t want to give away too much of the plot for fear of spoilers - I think this book’s best gone into with minimal idea of how the story unfolds — but I will say that it knocked my socks off. The non-linear narrative works perfectly, building suspense and intrigue at a pace that’s not too fast or slow. The plot twists, while they were foreshadowed — I didn’t see any of them coming. The pacing somehow manages to be consistent despite a plot that varies in intensity — which is quite admirable. I think. And the plot — it has all these interesting themes woven in, like ‘Dulce et decorum est’ and women doctors during a time when they weren’t commonplace at all and the queer landscape of historical times and social injustice and the injustices of the justice system. And yet, this isn’t a novel bogged down by themes — the ‘heist’ aspects of it, the murders and tension, are only improved by our main character and the themes she embodies.

Bayley has a gift for crafting character and relationships, that much is obvious, and goes even beyond that — showing deftly how sweet relationships can quickly turn sour. Kathryn’s relationship with Freddie, her brother, was very reminiscent of my relationship with my own brother when he was younger, despite the historical setting of this novel. Jessica was so, so interesting to me, and probably my only nitpicky complaint about this book is that I wish we’d gotten a bit more of her — we only ever see her through Kathryn’s eyes, and never really get a sense of her own heart, I think. But I don’t think she was meant to feature that much, as her character does fulfill her required role in the narrative, so maybe that’s just a me problem. Kathryn’s friendships were also really unexpectedly sweet? Like, she often seems genuinely surprised when people care for her but she enjoys caring for them too, and that was really heartwarming to see. I think the author gave a really touching glimpse at intergenerational friendships even though those weren’t the focus of the story.

And, oh, characterisation and characters! Here is what sold my soul to Bone Rites: Kathryn herself. She’s incredibly nuanced and delightful- snarky, compassionate, morally grey, loyal and also questioning, daring and intelligent. This novel is told mostly through her and her relationship with one other character. Both of these maintain constant characterisation for characters who change a great deal through the course of the novel — not an easy feat! Kathryn is also… just so fierce and I wanted to root for her even as her morals began to delve more and more into the grey area.

The historical setting was beautiful, or horrifying, as need be, and extensively researched. I found myself screenshotting certain words or phrases for my own research. These details don’t bog down the story, but rather add to it, giving Kathryn and her story more depth and nuance than simply her narration does.

A well-crafted story of what it means to be human, Bone Rites is one of my favourite novels I’ve read this year. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys morally grey heroines, historical fiction, or ‘dark’ fiction of any kind.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an ARC review, received via NetGalley.

Bone Rites follows the narrative of Kathryn Darkling, AKA The Westminster Vampire. Kathryn was born a wealthy young woman with an analytical mind and the desire and skill to be a doctor, but the circumstances of the early 1900s sets all host of obstacles in her way. The story is told in alternating timelines: the past that explains how Kathryn could possibly go from a young person with a future to someone who is awaiting their hanging at the gallows, and the present where she is formulating a plan to still get her way. The two time periods are woven remarkably well together, and when they inevitably meet, the book does not stumble over the transition.
As a child, Kathyrn found a book of magic bone rites in her father’s study, and performing a successful ritual on her little brother, gets her first taste of both medicine and magic. This book handles the concept of speculative fiction quite well, and the bone rites, while central to the story, never overcome the historical setting. Kathryn is studying to be a doctor when World War One begins, and she finds herself working in the war hospitals. The book covers discrimination against women in the medical field and the pressures of making choices in that regard, especially in the era at the time. Kathyrn is a female character who has pursuits beyond the traditional for the time period, including a bit of murder. She has a sharp mind, and her sexuality is explored without necessarily being defined, but likely falls somewhere in the bi/pans umbrella. She is in love with a woman, but, the plot does stay focused on the bone rites and her inseparable link to them. But, ultimately, this is a story centered around revenge, and more than that, around the brutality of war and all that it destroys. Kathryn might be described as “morally grey” but it’s rather hard to fault her for any of her wrongdoings and I find her particularly relatable. This is, in my mind, a well written female character. While I may not agree with her choices at every turn, she is an interesting and complicated protagonist as we follow along with her tale of madness and magic, uncertain where the twists and turns will lead us.
Some of the ending felt as though loose ends could be tied together more neatly, but, overall I was satisfied with the ending and how it left things.
If you’re looking for a queer/sapphic/big bi energy story for scary season but don’t want romance in the front seat, this is the read for you. Likewise, if you enjoy gothic elements without straight up horror, this is will scratch that itch. I enjoyed this tale, the historical setting, and Kathryn’s motivations as a character felt very real which is always important to me as a reader.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're after a character driven book narrated by an kind of deranged kind of iconic sapphic surgeon, then boy do I have the book for you

This book isn't at all what I expected but I enjoyed it immensely! I thought I was in for an escape/heist horror fantasy novel but what I got was a detailed character study.

Told between two timelines - one from Holloway Prison in 1925, where Kathryn Darkling is telling her story to a priest the week before she is to be hanged, and one following her from childhood to her arrest. She studies to become a doctor in Edinburgh, but never qualifies before serving as a nurse during the first world war. The horrors she sees there (along with the loss of her brother) stay with her throughout the rest of the book, as she lives in Paris and then London, putting together a skeleton that she believes will bring her brother back to life.

It's hard to decide whether Kathryn is the hero or the villain in this story or whether Freddie is real or her imagination, but I absolutely loved how the narrative had me constantly questioning it. At first I was truly believing in the paranormal aspects of the story, especially as she is the narrator and is convinced of this, but as we go on we see peeks of behaviour that had me questioning her grip on sanity.

I also love how the story dealt with the horrors of war, the grief caused from it, who is really responsible for this, does this make them truly bad or is it more grey, how women fit into society. Kathryn often believes herself to be making the best decisions for others and doesn't understand how some women (Jessica, Mrs Auburn, her other friends) choose to live differently, and I found the story explored this in interesting ways.

My only gripe is that I don't 100% know how I feel about the ending, it felt a little rushed.

Thank you to Aurora Metro Books and Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

content warnings: blood/gore/violence (graphic), death of a sibling (graphic), death/war/injury (graphic like this book is partially set in an army hospital in WW1 you get the picture), attempted rape (graphic), murder (graphic), misogyny, drug use, pandemic, alcohol use, beheading, domestic violence

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a lot. The book opens in 1925 in Holloway prison where our protagonist Kathryn is imprisoned, awaiting execution. 10 days is all she has before her hanging takes place but she needs to do one more thing before she dies. The very first line of the book was enough to hook me ‘I collected the first bone when I was twelve.’ Told from Kathryn’s PoV in the form of flashbacks as she tells her story from her prison cell. Spanning the period from 1905, when she is 12 years old and living with her parents and younger brother Frederick in Darkling House, to 1925 this is a dark gothic novel bridging the period that includes WWI.

Briefly, always a strong woman, Kathryn was training to be a doctor when WWI broke out and she became a nurse dealing with the shattered bodies of the victims of war. But there was one victim of the conflict who haunted her…

A dark tale of obsessive love and a desire for revenge that involves some shocking scenes and a gradual loss of sanity that fuels her actions. Kathryn was a very well constructed character, initially seeming like a caring person there were hints of a darker side and you watch as she gradually falls further and further from grace. An addictive read that I finished in two days this was an excellent book with a shocking ending that I didn’t expect. Fabulous!

[h t · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 stars.

Thank you to Aurora Metro and Netgalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Kathryn Darkling, imprisoned in Holloway, is facing death by hanging for her vengeance killing. Haunted by a spirit, she still hopes to perform the ancient black magic that will free her soul, or her struggle to punish the mighty will have been in vain.

Once I first saw the beautiful cover and read the summary of Bone Rites, my mind went straight to "The Corset" by Laura Purcell and I knew I had to request this story for the similar atmosphere.

That insane attention grabber of the first sentence, "I collected the first bone when I was twelve." Like okay Ms. Kathryn Darling, let me into your brain because something is brewing up there. The bluntness remined me of my previous read of "American Psycho" by Bret Easton Ellis. Usually reading dual timelines makes it a bit tricky keeping my focus, but this was done quite well to the point where I never got lost mentally.

The depiction of grief and how it translates for Kathryn is personally one I done think I've quite read before showing how different everyone handles it. The more her grief consumes her, the more she has the impulse to collect bones, especially during the war periods.

Who doesn't love a tortured, morally grey main character with that classic complicated toxic love for a friend? How much can we truly believe from Kathryns memory of events for the actual truth? Is she just mentally ill combined with the ptsd from war or is there a witchy force Influencing beyond her control? I definitely think I'll need to give this one another read through, as well as to buy a paperback copy for my library.

[Amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bone Rites is a suspenseful historical fiction novel about revenge, grief, and war. Natalie Bayley’s writing style is artful and the plot was something completely new. The nonlinear timeline was executed perfectly - I really enjoyed every minute of this read. There were sapphic elements, moral questions, and the struggle with moving on after losing family. Kathryn’s story was heartbreaking at times, as she’s suffering from severe psychosis and being taunted by the hallucination of her dead brother. She starts out collecting bones in the name of love but this process becomes twisted up with her revenge and grief. The more we move through Kathryn’s past, the more I enjoyed Bone Rites. The ending wraps everything up nicely and things end relatively well considering the possible outcome. I am curious to know if Jessica faces any repercussions for her assistance or if things went exactly as planned. Overall, Bone Rites is a great addition to anyone’s TBR!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a free copy, I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

[Bookish Coffee UK · Rating 5 out of 5]

My honest thoughts
I just wanna start by expessing how much this story has embedded itself into my very soul.. I struggled to but it down, to not dream about what Kathryn was going to do next, even dreaming that she'd taken my left little toe bone to help me 🤭😏

I love the character of Kathryn and feel she was just trying to help during the war, struggling with the spoils of war, loosing Freddie, loosing Jessica, loosing everyone she let in.. with all that I think she was just exhausted and just trying to get her brother back..

And the ending blew my mind 🤯 (I wont give it away as I feel EVERYBODY needs to read this!!)

Anyway this storyline was just pure brilliance! Gribbing from the very first sentence to the very last word. Making you wish there was more.. feeling slightly sad that the books actually finished.

Natalie Bayley youve created a master piece! I still think about it now.. I need more!!! Definitely in my top 3 read this year!!!

I would give 10 / 5 stars if I could!

[Jessica Rush · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🦴💉⚕️🩸🦷

This gothic fiction novel pulled me in from the very first page. We are introduced to Kathryn Darkling AKA The Westminster Vampire who is in Holloway Prison due to be hanged in two weeks for her crimes. The duel timeline is between now and the events leading up to how she got into prison, as she tells her story to her Reverend.

The story was so compelling that it was tough to put down. The life of Kathryn from the moment she collected her first bone was a rollercoaster of events. She had to deal with loss, grief, and confusing feelings for her best friend. She had to go through an era of war where nightmares were real. She went through so much and there was such an anger in her, you could almost understand why she did everything she did.

I loved the way the book was written, with the then and now, it was easy to follow, and it made the story more interesting to see how she was coping with being in prison after everything she had seen and heard and did.

It isn't specifically mentioned, but Kathryn had relationships with both female/male partners. I believe she is bisexual but her heart was always with her first love.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of the ebook. This review is left voluntarily.

[blok sera szwajcarskiego · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received an arc from NetGalley, thanks!

All hail all kinds of toxic love!

Bone Rites is a strange book, one that starts with a storm after which comes calm. We meet Kathryn as a child, an older sister and untamed daughter, enchanted by medicine and grimoire from her father's library, dedicated to bone magic. She puts her fingers in it, just to get a taste, but what she doesn't know is that she will never get rid of that stain. Obsessed with her younger brother, with a friend and secret lover from medical school, and then obsessed with revenge, Kathryn becomes lost in sanity, not sure what is real and what is not. She becomes goddess, haunted by the loved ones, powerful as not many before, ready to destroy the world the second she hears her brother's whisper in the ear.

I wish a bit the fantasy plot was more relevant, and the magic part was explored more, but it would be a lie to say I wasn't interested in current one. It's impossible to categorize what genre Natalie Bayley wrote, but it sure is mesmerizing.

[Sam Symonds · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I collected the first bone when I was twelve... Such a tiny little bone, more like a tooth. I only kept it to keep him safe.” One of the most intriguing first lines I’ve ever read! I was hooked from the beginning of Bone Rites and stayed hooked until the end. Kathryn Darkling is a captivating female main character. She’s headstrong and confident and loves her brother more than anything in the world. Her love for those she cares about is strong and she puts a lot of faith in them.
Bone Rites switches between Kathryn’s time before prison and her confession while in prison. It’s done in such a way that it’s not confusing and only adds to the build up of the story. Bayley’s style of writing is thrilling and brings Kathryn’s story to life.
Bone Rites is at times scary in its realness , utterly thrilling, and has realistic LGBTQ+ representation that is fitting for the setting of the book. Such a perfect October read and would recommend for anyone that likes spooky reads but not overly scary or terrifying.
Really, really enjoyed reading this! Thank you so much for my copy!

[Sue Plant · Rating 5 out of 5]

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this macabre book

just in time for hallooween, this grisly tale will haunt many who read it

its a slow build up to the event but stick with it cos its the stuff of nightmares

Kathryn Darkling life only began when her father died and she could then go and study to be a doctor, but before she even qualifies world war one begins and her skills are needed over there

her darling brother is safe at boarding school and being to young to join up she has no fears for his safety but when a telegram arrives addressed to her... her life spirals out of control and so begins the journey of the bone rites

its captivating and holds your attention for the shock value and for Halloween its perfect

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was incredibly good. The pacing is spectacular and the MC's descent into madness is so horrifically wrought. Some of the final scenes with her "confessions" to the priest and her long lost love were just staggering—several times I felt like reading from the beginning to see if she was always like this and I missed key signs or if there was a more definitive break. The tension was delicious and the MC is just so nuanced and complex at every stage of her life. I'm taking off one star because the ending felt like it was for a different book then the one I read, as if the author had picked that ending in advance and committed to it even when the characters took her to a different place.

[Courtney (moyashi_girl) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Bone Rites!
It's not my usual read, but it was definitely an entertaining and atmospheric read.
I really liked the historical setting and thought it was written really well!

Kathryn was also such a fascinating main character. I both felt for her and was disturbed by her actions.
I also was really interested in her relationship with Jessica and wished we had more scenes with them together.
I'm also really curious about what happened to Jessica after that ending!

In the end, this is a great book that I would definitely recommend, especially if you are interested in a dark historical thriller.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kathryn Darkling is the older sister of Little Freddie. She pretty much helps raise him. She finds a book called 'Bone Rights' in her father's library that shows her dark magic. When an accident happens with little Freddie, she performs the ritual to keep him safe. This is the start of her fascination with bones. She goes into medicine, uncommon at the time.

This is told through dual timelines with Kathryn in Holloway prison awaiting being hanged. I really enjoyed it. Loved how we followed Kathryn right up from childhood to the present day. I'm hoping for a sequel though. Definitely recommend.

[jlreadstoperpetuity · Rating 4 out of 5]

So while reading this book, I am picturing Tim Burton vibes in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - all for good reason.

Set in Edwardian London society, this dark historical fiction details the rise and spiral of Kathryn, a woman attempting to excel in the male dominated field of medicine - and while she was very good at it, the twist comes boiling down when her sanity started to slip.

Honestly, I was so engrossed leafing thrrough pages that i done finished in in one reading. I am a fan of what others may find as confusing timelines 😅 makes reading all the more intriguing for me. The author did justice using this approach in this book.

All in all, while I wished for more supernatural incorporation, the word building more than made up for it

[Nafeesa ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

Wow. Just wow. Whatever I thought the story was going to be about, it wasn't this.

This story is set in the Edwardian period, where we follow Dr Kathryn Darkling's life. There is a dual timeline, alternating between her prison jail cell in 1925 and the events that led to her imprisonment, starting in 1905.

The plot was so unique. I have never read anything like this before. Sometimes, I struggle to follow a dual timeline, but this was done so well that I was not confused once.

The characters were very memorable. I really enjoyed the fmc Katheryn. Who she was, what she believed, the way she interacted with people. A character I'm going to remember for a very long time!

The ending, I need to know what happens to Jessica! I did not see that ending coming at all, but I loved it. Please tell me there's a sequel in the works?!

Horror. Mystery. Love. Grief. Thriller. Romance. Loss. Murder. Justice. Betrayal.

Highly recommend.

[Gemma Best · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Bone Rites’ is a really interesting, fast paced historical fiction which I really enjoyed reading. Sometimes historical fiction can feel a little slow in places but not this novel. I really love Kathryn - she is such a haunted character, I felt like I lived every decision she made with her. The ending is unexpected and I did not see it coming. This is such a beautifully written and complex story, I can’t wait to see what Natalie Bayley does next.

I received a gifted copy of this novel. This review is my honest opinion and written voluntarily.

[Cristy Villemaire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bone Rites is definitely on my top reads this year. I love a good historical fiction story, and this absolutely did not disappoint. It's no wonder it has won awards and so popular in the reading community.

Our protagonist, Kathryn Darkling, is way ahead of her time. She has always been fascinated with books, science, and medicine. Since she can remember, her father's library had it all, books, mystery, and one particular book that always intrigued her called Bone Rites. To her misfortune, her father wants her to be a proper lady and thinks that education is wasted on a lady. Living in victorian England, Kathryn's dream of becoming a doctor seems impossible. Until her father passed away and she got her wish. What happens next is a series of events that unravel with a little bit of magic and a little bit of mystery.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I devoured this book in one sitting. A thrilling story of love, war and revenge. The main character's dark actions are driven by her love for her brother, who died too soon to the horrors of war. In between it all, there are tales of her love and trysts with other women, and her strange relationship with the holy man who came to take her last confession.

Also, I didn't expect that ending, but it was more satisfying and perfect than I thought it would be.

[Lydia Gates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC!

This book is a really well done example of a narrative with dual timelines where we get both present, condemned Kathryn and Kathryn as she grows up into that person. The book withholds details of her convicted crimes expertly so that the reader slowly experiences the story in the same way that the Reverend did and can draw their own conclusions about both her guilt and mental state, but doesn’t ever feel too frustrated with what they don’t know.

Does this book have real magic? That’s for the reader to decide, and it’s honestly one of my favorite tropes. We have evidence on both sides, and that is another trial the reader can take to court while experiencing the story. The horrors of war are taken to task, as is the question of who is a real monster and what criminals who might never be condemned for their crimes deserve. We meet many who would look the other way to get revenge or see some kind of justice done, and I think that is ultimately realistic.

Elements of sapphic love as well as gender nonconformity in response to misogyny are explored, and that is something I would have liked to see even more of because I’m a queer sap. The story of Jessica and Kathryn is honestly heartbreaking, but makes sense for the setting the time and expectations place upon them. This isn’t a romance novel, though, so I really can’t ask for more.

In the end, I’m definitely on team “Women’s Rights and Women’s Wrongs.”

[Vanessa Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read, I couldn't put it down! I don't really like non-linear narratives but that is exactly what made this book so good. It sets you up to make judgements, and then takes you back to explore what led the protagonist to do what she did. The historical and medical aspects were fascinating, especially the role of women in medicine at the time. Add in the gothic themes and you get 5 stars from me!