Bone House

by Betsy Tobin

In this stunning debut, Betsy Tobin spins a classic tale of gothic suspense. Immersing readers in Elizabethan England, she masterfully evokes a heady place where science and superstition walk hand-in-hand and sensuality and violence are masked by the merest veneer of gentility.
...some people are the center of their world, and others are the spokes.
The center of one village was Dora, the great-bellied prostitute whose lush curves gave solace to men even as her compassion and honesty drew the company of women. So when Dora is found dead in an icy ravine, her loss impacts everyone. So, too, does it torment a young chambermaid at the Great House. Determined to discover the truth, she finds that Dora left behind many unanswered questions, along with a huge, slow-witted son, a boy of eleven trapped in a man's body. The deeper she digs, the more the mystery of Dora's life is revealed, until a terrible secret is laid bare.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, Historical, Gothic, Horror, Mystery Thriller

224 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2002

About the author

Betsy Tobin was born in the U.S. and moved to England in 1989, where she now lives with her husband and children. Her first novel, Bone House, was short-listed for the Commonwealth Prize, and won the Herodotus Prize in the United States. Her other novels include The Bounce, Ice Land, and Crimson China. Crimson China was Radio 4 Book At Bedtime in the UK, and was short-listed for Epic Romantic Novel of the Year.

Her latest book, THINGS WE COULDN'T EXPLAIN, is available for pre-order now on Amazon in the UK. (Digital ebook available in August. Paperback coming in November 2014!)

Watch the trailer at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA_TX...

Reviews

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - if I had to describe the feel of this book, I'd say "gothic mystery". It had that kind of atmosphere, and I got quite interested in the main character and in discovering Dora's past.

[Kendra Gaines · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book belonged to my grandma! (Recently my mom, sister, and I went over there to go through her millions of books and this one jumped out at me-I took home a bag of about 25 📚🤗) While it isn’t my typical genre- 1900s gothic suspense, it was fun to step out of my comfort zone and read something new. Set in England you’ll encounter a small town “witch hunt”, strange family ties, and mysterious death. Because I think there is a small population that would truly “love” this book, I would give it a 3 out of 5. I did enjoy it and found myself curious as to where it would end! 🖤

[Felice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bone House is a historical mystery by Betsy Tobin. The historical part of the book is the small English village setting in 1603. The mystery part of the book is the violent killing of the popular and pregnant prostitute, Dora. Dora's death weighs especially heavily on a young chambermaid from the local great house. This unnamed Maid is the novel's narrator. She was lucky to have gotten her job as maid to the elderly mistress and her deformed son, Edward. Her background is sketchy. Mom is the village midwife/healer and as such is both needed and feared. Mom's position has brought her into contact with the high and low of the village for good and bad reasons. Given Dora's profession she had many reasons to use the midwife's services. They were good friends and consequently Dora was a strong presence in the Maid's life.

The list of suspects in Dora's brutal murder is a who's who of the village including to the manor born Edward. When Edward requests the Maid's help to secretly commission a visiting painter to do a portrait of Dora they discover that her grave has been robbed. Dora's corpse is missing, why? Suddenly Dora's death is even more mysterious and sinister.

Tobin's Elizabethan village and it's citizens are well rounded. She uses a significant amount of detail regarding the daily life of the seventeenth century to set the mood. She easily excites interest in the habits, attitudes and beliefs of the period. The belief in the 1600's (any in many, many other centuries) in the inherent mental and physical frailty of women is used by Tobin to highlight the Maid's scant choices in life. She could emulate Dora's independence, even though it is founded on selling her body, or be forever indepted to either a husband or employer as a protector.

Bone House was an excellent read. It reminded me a little of The Observations. Each novel uses a sharp maid as a narrator, has a mystery at it's core and has quite a bit to say about how stifling and frightening it was to be a women in those times. Betsy Tobin has written a stimulating mystery, a provocative history and involving characters. That was the very nice, good news. The not so good news is that it is currently out of print as a paper book but you might find it in a second hand shop or as an e-book.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the premise of Bone House. I mean, COME ON! From the description, doesn't it sound complex and interesting? Well, unfortunately I have very little to say about it. I hate it when I read something that leaves me so completely ambivalent that I'm not even sure how I feel about the book.

The writing was beautiful, painting a hauntingly accurate picture of Gothic England. On the other hand, the descriptions were a bit much for me at times - rape, persecution of so-called witches, incest, mutilation - Bone House was interesting, but the some of the chilling details were just plain sickening.

After plodding through, determined to finish the book, I was completely disappointed by the ending. As I sit writing this, days later, I am still left unsatisfied by the author's choices. I did not care for the element of romance Tobin attempted to add to the story. It felt disjointed and just confused things for me.

Despite the fact that I didn't care for the story, I cannot bad-mouth the writing - Tobin is wonderfully original and artistic. The narrative flows effortlessly, and the prose is imaginative and picturesque. Betsy Tobin has created a marvelously dark, Gothic atmosphere in Bone House. Although I can't say it's a book that I'll recommend to friends, Bone House is a well-written and absorbing Gothic mystery. The writing is exceptional enough that I might give Tobin another chance. Her novel Ice Land looks interesting...

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book a bit more than 3 stars but a lil less than 4. I really liked Ms. Tobin's book ICE LAND - which led me to find this one. It is enjoyable - a bit of a historical mystery with strong characters and images. I was again struck by Ms. Tobin's unique gift of thrifty writing. She rarely over writes. Her sentences and style are simple and direct but the descriptions and characters are still full and rich because she seems to chose her words so carefully. Since this was her first book, and ICE LAND her second, I eagerly await the third.

[Avigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book that was extremely realistic, I felt as though I was in the room with the characters. Her discriptions were also very chilling. Betsy Tobin spins a classic tale of gothic suspense. Betsy Tobin has written a very compelling little tale about finding one's place in the world (as well as one's true self,) disguised as a murder mystery. The writer has crafted her tale with authenticity and historical detail that raises the book above just another historically set novel

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a dark story, no doubt, though there was something hopeful about it in the end. i read it in 2 sittings and was drawn to the story and the writing- great style and imagery. i really liked this book. good twists and turns and palpable emotion.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book, had me captivated from the first page! The characters are interesting and engaging, story line unique, and writing very good especially for a first novel. I would definitely recommend this one and look forward to more from Ms. Tobin!

[Daniela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very good thriller. You never expect the way this story ends, it keeps you guessing, and it keeps you turning page after page.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel, set in Elizabethan England, is both an exploration of class structure and a dandy murder mystery. And when no other explanation for happenings occurs, the Elizabethan mind goes to witchcraft; and being accused of witchcraft can ruin one’s livelihood, if not positively deprive one of life. And this is a very good book.

The book starts in winter, in a village a few days’ ride from London; Dora, who was beloved by the village, has been found dead in a ravine, her legs incased in the ice of the creek. Dora was a huge woman, who would help any man, woman, or child in the village with food, advice, compassion, and her body, if that was also called for by someone in need, and when she died, she left behind her son, Long Boy, eleven years old but the size of a grown man, and mentally challenged. Our narrator is an unnamed nineteen-year-old woman; she and her mother, the village midwife, have known Dora for fourteen years, and very much regret her passing. Our narrator has worked for five years in The Great House, home of the local lord (who has a body twisted out of shape) and his aged mother; she started in the kitchen, but was taken upstairs by the master’s mother, who taught her to read and uses her as her personal maid. Dora is buried, and a Flemish painter with very good English has come to do the portrait of the master’s mother, while our narrator’s mother is taking care of Long Boy, who has come down with fever that comes and goes. Then the word comes to the Village that Dora’s body has been taken from her grave, and as the story continues, the twisted-body Master asks the Flemish painter to do a portrait of Dora, based on what our narrator remembers about her. When Dora’s body is found, whispers of witchcraft begin, centering on the narrator’s mother, who has no husband to defend her.

This was a very good book, and one that nicely tied up all the lose ends; it also shows that if one was Noble, or close to Noble, in Elizabethan England, that Might made Right to the disadvantage of anyone who was not Noble. (Of course, it could be noted that times have not changed that much.)

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Bone House, author Betsy Tobin's first book very much. It's a fascinating Gothic work of fiction.

The story is set in England during Elizabethan England. It starts with the death of local prostitute, larger than life Dora. She leaves behind a large, slow-witted son, Long Boy, whose care is assumed by by the narrator, a young chambermaid at the local manor (I don't know that she's ever named) and her mother, the village midwife. When Dora's body is stolen from her grave, it starts an investigation by the magistrate, with suspicions of witchcraft and even devil worship.

It's a fascinating story where we see the growth of the chambermaid's character as she tries to find out happened to Dora and also to protect her mother. What are her ties to the Great House? Who is this portrait artist who has arrived from the Continent and what is his interest in Dora? The story moves along at a nice pace and gradually and effectively ties the various characters and actions together. The ending is ultimately quite satisfying with a couple of surprising twists and turns. I enjoyed it very much, an excellent debut. (4 stars)

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

So much happening here. A lot of it was atmospheric and interesting, but then it all unravelled/resolved in a hurry. But not before I went on a little diversion working out whether in 1605 there would have been a clock on the mantel that would indicate the half hour remaining before the painter arrived (verdict - maybe as the technology existed but they seem still very new, fancy and expensive?). A lot of it was just me trying to resist frustration at how many times "the great-bellied woman" was mentioned. She has a name!!! Also I wondered if Long Boy being named after a person from her past was going to become relevant when a person from her past showed up, but that wasn't resolved either. Maybe we're supposed to infer it.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't connect with this book at all. I couldn't keep my mind on it while I was reading it at first. I sort of got lost between when our mc went to the house to be a servant. Had to go back and re-read the passage. It isn't that it was a difficult read so much as my attention wandered while I was reading it. It wasn't engaging me.

I didn't buy the ending or rather what led to the ending. Dora was so strong in person and in character that the actions didn't fit. I wasn't shocked by who did the deeds.

[Dona · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book! I picked it up for free--the previous owner said, "Beach read" as I snagged it from her shelves. I would agree--to be fair, I ate up this novel last evening, and it was easy on the palate--until the Jerry Springer ending! Two words--without including a real spoiler: "Long Boy" Whaaaat? In the BONE house?

[Rebecca Mildren]

well told, but what a morbid story! I wish I had my time back

[Beatrice · Rating 1 out of 5]

literally what the fuck this author must be a freud lover. she rlly said odysseus complex xoxo. NASTY

[Kimberly Hopkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Several interesting plot twists near the end.

[Kasey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m noticing a theme with this author but I won’t say what

[Cynthia Varady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bone House is Betsy Tobin’s first novel about a small village rattled by the death of Dora, an enigmatic and irresistible prostitute. Everyone in the village mourns her death for their own reason; the men for the pleasure she brought, and the women for her friendship. Yet, to the unnamed narrator, Dora’s death seems suspicious.

The reveal of the mystery is slow and methodical, and for a while I wondered if there really was a mystery to solve. But as we move deeper into Tobin’s 17th century English village, with its cold and dark winter nights, it becomes apparent that secrets abound, especially where Dora is concerned.

Many of the relationships in the novel revolve around women; the narrator with her mother, the village midwife; the narrator with her friend Mary, the married tavern owner where many of the novel’s important scenes take place; the narrator’s relationship with her mistress, the elderly and somewhat infirm widow of the cruel and vile master who lorded over the great house with fear and abuse.

As for the male characters of note, there is the crippled and hunchbacked master of the great house (the son of the elderly mistress), the painter who has been brought over from the continent to paint a miniature of the mistress and her son, and Long Boy, Dora’s odd and slow minded son.

As the narrator delves into Dora’s death, we discover that everyone has secrets, some secrets more horrible anyone could have ever imagined.

Tobin weaves a fantastic murder-mystery in Bone House, creating a fast read, filled with dynamic characters, and a thriller that will keep you in suspense until the very end. I look forward to read more of Tobin’s novels, and would recommend Bone House for lovers of historical fiction and mysteries.

To read the Duel, visit: DuelingLibrarians.net

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well written suspense novel that is based in a rural village during the time of Queen Elizabeth's reign. The story revolves around Dora, a prostitute who is known for her lush curves and sensuality but also for the solace she brings to those she befriends. She arrived as a stranger but the years have made her a center of gravity for all those who live in the village. So when she is found dead in a ravine, her loss is felt keenly by everyone. Leaving behind her a son who cannot understand what has happened and questions that cannot be answered.

One young woman is left with the feeling that something is not quite right. As she tends to the boy with her mother and begins to learn more about this woman who she never really knew, she begins to uncover evidence that the death was not an accident after all. Then the unthinkable happens, the body is stolen and the village begins to suspect that a murderer may not be the only thing that stalks them now. With suspicions of witchcraft aroused and fingers being pointed, she finds herself in the middle of uncovering not only Dora's past but the very beginnings of her own. When everything you think you know is wrong what do you do with your bone house?

This is crafted beautifully and is a fine example of a time when women were forced to endure the smothering of their individuality and suffering. The girl's developing understanding of the past fate that has been handed to Dora and the other women of the village including her mother will reveal to her a new world where her position is left not only vulnerable but up to her to face.

[Laura McHale Holland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book in a thrift store for a quarter and was swiftly drawn into the story. Not knowing much about 17th century England, I cannot speak to the author's accuracy, but the details she chose created compelling scenes that evoked a time long gone. The author's style of writing is elegant. I was greatly intrigued about a town where so many people loved Dora, a larger-than-life woman who came from another land and settled in their realm, had sexual relations with a number of the men, was a good friend to many of the women, and not judged for her unconventional life. Indeed, many revered her. I cared for the narrator as the story moved along, and the other characters were distinct and well drawn. I was left a little dissatisfied with the ending, but not extremely so. I think I wanted Dora to have had a more interesting background when all was revealed at the end. I would recommend this book and will look for other books by this author.

[E Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was O.K. as long as I considered it sort of a
fairy tale because it did not seem like a realistic portrayal
of Elizabethan England. Everyone in town is fascinated and seems
to really like the town prostitute who is found dead. The chambermaid, who tells the story, certainly has a whole lot of free time to run about the village. She even confronts her master to ask if he's the father of the dead prostitute's unborn child. Doesn't seem like the way the lives of servants during that period have been portrayed before.

Other things didn't ring true. The relationship between the chambermaid and her mother seems so cold and strange. The artist
and his relationship to Dora were way too coincidental. The
final conclusion was so bizarre and out of the blue. I guess it
was supposed to be a big surprise, but it just seemed implausible.

[Chrissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from my sister.

Betsy Tobin pulls off a novel of romance, mystery, murder and deeply hidden secrets - all centered around a dead woman. Dora the "great-bellied prostitute" is the character around which all other character's lives rotate in one way or another. Set in Elizabethan England, the tale of Dora is told through the voice of a lady's maid, who lives nearby. She sets out to uncover the truth behind the mysterious death of her friend and neighbor, by seeking to know Dora better. The more she finds out, the more determined she is to discover the truth, although in the end the truth is unbearable.

I read this novel quickly and thoroughly and enjoyed it.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent tale that is filled with memorable characters. This debut novel is guaranteed to give lovers of historical fiction a rewarding experience. Set in a small 17th century village the murder of a local prostitue leads our narrator, a maid in the Great House, to investigate. Excellently crafted, this novel manages to draw the reader into 17th century life and what it was like to be a woman in those times.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Or 6 out of 10. Realise it is a stylist decision to strip out names and personalities of the first person narration but it misses a trick for drawing you in. The story is not ultimately convincing, especially given the period it is placed in. One exception to this is that of the witch strand. This was genuinely chilly, but the indifference of the central characters diluted it somewhat. A great premise for a novel, but a little undercooked.

[Luce Cronin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Gothic novel set in the early 1600's Elizabethan England. This is the author's first book and shows a promising career for her. A well written novel that , aside from being a good murder novel of its genre, gives you an insight into the treatment of women during that period of time . Also, it looks at the use of witch trials to rid villages of independently minded women, or women who demonstrated any deviation from the social norms of the time.

[Christine Murdock · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is more of a short creepy story. There is no character development. The story is about Dora's life as seen through the eyes of a young neighbor 8yrs old to 22 yrs old. The mystery hooks you....you will want to know what happens. Although, once all secrets are revealed, very disappointing. YUCK! Disgusting! The book didn't leave me with a good feeling. Once, I discovered what Bone House refers to....blah. I know there are better books to read!

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tobin sews up the novel in record time. She did catch me off-guard with the resolution to the mystery, but I still preferred the conclusions that I wrote in my mind as I was reading. The novel was intriguing and unpretentious. The heroine was blessed with a little more entitlement than I suppose she would have been in that era in history.

[Gisele · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great first novel for Betsy Tobin! Beautifully written, it is a suspenseful mystery that is at once brutal and tender. Set in Elizabethan times, this gothic story features truly authentic characters from the upper and underclasses of this time period which the reader becomes completely invested in...just a great read!

[Joanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been awhile but I think this was about a woman,the town prostitute or sorts, who is found murdered. I think a young girl tells the story and tries to solve the mystery of the woman's murder. Okay story.