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Bone Secrets #3
Buried
Eighteen years ago, Chris Jacobs walked out of the forest, the lone survivor of a school bus load of children who’d vanished two years before. His memory was gone, his body beaten and emaciated.
Today, the sad remains of the missing children have been discovered along with evidence that they were held captive for years. But investigative reporter Michael Brody’s brother is still missing. He sets out to question Chris, hoping his memory has returned.
Constant fear of being found by his kidnapper has driven Chris into hiding. The only lead Michael has is Chris’s sister, Jamie. As they race to find Chris, Michael and Jamie somehow find each other among the decades of wreckage. But locating Chris may not be so easy. Now grown, his scars go far deeper than skin.
In Buried, the next thrilling Bone Secrets novel from bestselling author Kendra Elliot, a damaged hero digs deep into his terrifying past…and unearths a chance at love for the future.
Today, the sad remains of the missing children have been discovered along with evidence that they were held captive for years. But investigative reporter Michael Brody’s brother is still missing. He sets out to question Chris, hoping his memory has returned.
Constant fear of being found by his kidnapper has driven Chris into hiding. The only lead Michael has is Chris’s sister, Jamie. As they race to find Chris, Michael and Jamie somehow find each other among the decades of wreckage. But locating Chris may not be so easy. Now grown, his scars go far deeper than skin.
In Buried, the next thrilling Bone Secrets novel from bestselling author Kendra Elliot, a damaged hero digs deep into his terrifying past…and unearths a chance at love for the future.
362 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 26, 2013
4094 people are currently reading
4640 people want to read
About the author
Kendra Elliot
39 books6,349 followersAn Amazon #1 selling author, Kendra Elliot has sold over 14 Million books and been on the WSJ best seller more than a dozen times.
She grew up in the lush Pacific Northwest and still lives, but spends most of the time in the high desert in flip flops.
She grew up in the lush Pacific Northwest and still lives, but spends most of the time in the high desert in flip flops.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 829 reviews
August 13, 2020
4 Sterne (= sehr gut)
Bisher mein Favorit aus der Reihe!
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September 15, 2017
Buried by Kendra Elliot is the 3rd book in the Bone Secrets series. What a fantastic read.
A little about the series.
The Bone Secrets series, if you haven't read any of them, are a series of books that don't follow the same main characters book to book. Bit characters from the first book are main characters in the second, and so on. Book by book, we learn more about the characters, as each has their own story!
So, to that end, Michael Brody was a side character in Hidden, Book 1. As a jealous brat, he was endearing. You could feel the love he had for Lacey Campbell, and the hurt when he saw her with Jack Harper. When he showed up in Buried, as a primary character, I cheered him on as he found love.
A little background.
18 years ago, Michael Brody's brother Daniel went missing along with a school bus full of other children on their way back from a field trip. Two years later, the sole survivor, Chris Jacobs emerges from the woods, malnourished, injured, dirty, and scared.
Michael sets out to find out what has happened to his brother, and his only lead is Chris, who has secluded himself completely. So Michael finds the next best thing, Chris's sister Jamie.
Suddenly, a whirlwind of danger descends upon them. "The Tattooed Man" is suddenly hunting them down, as they race against time to find Chris Jacobs, and ultimately find out what happened to Daniel Brody and the other children on the bus.
My thoughts.
Buried was fast-paced, heart pounding, and twisted.
If graphic details bother you, you will be happy to know that Kendra Elliot is a writer who can make her readers understand horrific happenings, without the gory, gross details. I know that turns off many readers (though I'm not one of them, I'm okay with details). So, if you like twisty mysteries without grizzle, Kendra's books may work very well for you.
If you like a little romance with your murder mysteries, Kendra Elliot's books may also be for you. I'm not typically a romance kind of girl. However, they tie into the story neatly, and I find myself liking the characters, so I enjoy cheering for their love to grow.
Five twisty stars, all the way. I can't wait to start Book 4, Alone.
A little about the series.
The Bone Secrets series, if you haven't read any of them, are a series of books that don't follow the same main characters book to book. Bit characters from the first book are main characters in the second, and so on. Book by book, we learn more about the characters, as each has their own story!
So, to that end, Michael Brody was a side character in Hidden, Book 1. As a jealous brat, he was endearing. You could feel the love he had for Lacey Campbell, and the hurt when he saw her with Jack Harper. When he showed up in Buried, as a primary character, I cheered him on as he found love.
A little background.
18 years ago, Michael Brody's brother Daniel went missing along with a school bus full of other children on their way back from a field trip. Two years later, the sole survivor, Chris Jacobs emerges from the woods, malnourished, injured, dirty, and scared.
Michael sets out to find out what has happened to his brother, and his only lead is Chris, who has secluded himself completely. So Michael finds the next best thing, Chris's sister Jamie.
Suddenly, a whirlwind of danger descends upon them. "The Tattooed Man" is suddenly hunting them down, as they race against time to find Chris Jacobs, and ultimately find out what happened to Daniel Brody and the other children on the bus.
My thoughts.
Buried was fast-paced, heart pounding, and twisted.
If graphic details bother you, you will be happy to know that Kendra Elliot is a writer who can make her readers understand horrific happenings, without the gory, gross details. I know that turns off many readers (though I'm not one of them, I'm okay with details). So, if you like twisty mysteries without grizzle, Kendra's books may work very well for you.
If you like a little romance with your murder mysteries, Kendra Elliot's books may also be for you. I'm not typically a romance kind of girl. However, they tie into the story neatly, and I find myself liking the characters, so I enjoy cheering for their love to grow.
Five twisty stars, all the way. I can't wait to start Book 4, Alone.
August 13, 2017
Eighteen years ago a bus full of children disappeared into thin air. Two years later, the only survivor, Chris Jacobs, walked out of the wilderness with no memory of what he went through. Now the children's grave has been uncovered. The bodies are all accounted for except one: Daniel Brody. Daniel's brother, Michael, is determined to find out what happened to his brother. He is searching for Chris in hopes that his memory has returned. When he can't find Chris, Michael appeals to Chris's sister, Jamie, to help him find Chris. Jamie is hesitant to find Chris until she is attacked by a tattooed man who is also trying to find her brother. Jamie and Michael race to track down Chris before the mysterious tattooed man gets him first.
Another winner from Kendra Elliot. The killer in this book is truly scary. He is tying up loose ends and wants to make sure Chris never gets his memory back. Both Michael and Jamie are likeable characters. They seemed to get together rather quickly, but I felt like they could build a solid relationship.
The story is engrossing. There is a twist in the middle of the book that I certainly didn't see coming. What a shock! I loved the twist and loved the book. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
Another winner from Kendra Elliot. The killer in this book is truly scary. He is tying up loose ends and wants to make sure Chris never gets his memory back. Both Michael and Jamie are likeable characters. They seemed to get together rather quickly, but I felt like they could build a solid relationship.
The story is engrossing. There is a twist in the middle of the book that I certainly didn't see coming. What a shock! I loved the twist and loved the book. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
December 16, 2020
This series just gets better with each book. I loved that Michael is the hero in this one. I was so sad that he got his girl stolen in the last book and I had kinda hoped thing would work for him and San the rancher, but Kendra Elliot had a different heroine in store for him. I must admit, I did guess the baddie early on, but had no idea as to a possible motive and there were a lot of plot twists I just did not see coming. That didn't detract at all from the pulse pounding suspense or the wonderful insta attraction romance.
When multiple unmarked graves are discovered on an abandoned dairy farm near Salem, Oregon, it starts a chain of events that opens the wounds of a lot of people and reminds a killer that his job isn't done. Investigative reporter Michael Brody has more than a professional interest in the remains as it turns out that these are the remains of children who got on a school bus after a field trip and were never seen again. Eighteen years is a long time for anything to remain hidden. When one of the children appeared two years after the bus went missing, everyone hoped Chris Jacobs would have answers, but he had no memory of what had happened. Michael's brother was one of the missing children and his body was not among those recovered. Michael sets out to find the now adult Chris Jacobs and get some answers from him.
Jamie Jacobs got her brother back, but he was not the same happy kid who left on the bus that day. When Michael approaches her to help him find her brother, she has no interest in causing Chris additional pain and refuses to help Michael. Chris has been in hiding for years, but with events happening, Jamie decides to help Michael and together they set out to solve the mysteries surrounding this tragic event once and for all. But they aren't the only ones looking for Chris and it is a matter of life or death that they fine him first.
When multiple unmarked graves are discovered on an abandoned dairy farm near Salem, Oregon, it starts a chain of events that opens the wounds of a lot of people and reminds a killer that his job isn't done. Investigative reporter Michael Brody has more than a professional interest in the remains as it turns out that these are the remains of children who got on a school bus after a field trip and were never seen again. Eighteen years is a long time for anything to remain hidden. When one of the children appeared two years after the bus went missing, everyone hoped Chris Jacobs would have answers, but he had no memory of what had happened. Michael's brother was one of the missing children and his body was not among those recovered. Michael sets out to find the now adult Chris Jacobs and get some answers from him.
Jamie Jacobs got her brother back, but he was not the same happy kid who left on the bus that day. When Michael approaches her to help him find her brother, she has no interest in causing Chris additional pain and refuses to help Michael. Chris has been in hiding for years, but with events happening, Jamie decides to help Michael and together they set out to solve the mysteries surrounding this tragic event once and for all. But they aren't the only ones looking for Chris and it is a matter of life or death that they fine him first.
January 18, 2013
Kendra Elliot has written her best book to date and show’s why this series is called bone secrets.
Twenty years ago a school bus with nine children and the driver just vanished. Two years later one survivor walked out of the Cascade Mountains with no memory and near death.
Now it is eighteen years later and a grisly discovery has been made. They have found the mass grave of the children and others that were not on the bus but one child is still unaccounted for, that is our hero Michael Brody’s brother.
Fans of the series will remember Michael from the first book as the intense reporter ex-boyfriend of forensic odontologist Lacey Campbell. He is just as intense in this book in his quest to find out what happened to his brother and why his bones are not with the others. This quest leads him to the sister of the lone survivor who he now desperately wants to talk to. But Chris Jacobs has been in hiding and no one knows where he is. Jamie Jacobs is a principal and needs to have order in her life since her brothers abduction and return. She can’t just up and leave at the spur of the moment even if it is to help find her brother. That is, until she is attacked by why looks to be the man that tortured her brother all those years ago.
Mason Callahan and Ray Lusco with the Oregon State Police Major crimes are also back in this book and these two are such a hoot together.
This was a heartbreaking tale especially since it dealt with children. The author did a fantastic job of taking us through the discovery, the ME reports and the investigation on who had done this and a few other big twist that lead up to a shocking ending.
Twenty years ago a school bus with nine children and the driver just vanished. Two years later one survivor walked out of the Cascade Mountains with no memory and near death.
Now it is eighteen years later and a grisly discovery has been made. They have found the mass grave of the children and others that were not on the bus but one child is still unaccounted for, that is our hero Michael Brody’s brother.
Fans of the series will remember Michael from the first book as the intense reporter ex-boyfriend of forensic odontologist Lacey Campbell. He is just as intense in this book in his quest to find out what happened to his brother and why his bones are not with the others. This quest leads him to the sister of the lone survivor who he now desperately wants to talk to. But Chris Jacobs has been in hiding and no one knows where he is. Jamie Jacobs is a principal and needs to have order in her life since her brothers abduction and return. She can’t just up and leave at the spur of the moment even if it is to help find her brother. That is, until she is attacked by why looks to be the man that tortured her brother all those years ago.
Mason Callahan and Ray Lusco with the Oregon State Police Major crimes are also back in this book and these two are such a hoot together.
This was a heartbreaking tale especially since it dealt with children. The author did a fantastic job of taking us through the discovery, the ME reports and the investigation on who had done this and a few other big twist that lead up to a shocking ending.
May 30, 2020
4.5 stelle
Michael è un giornalista molto bravo, sempre sul pezzo, ma questa volta, non è il lavoro che lo porta sul luogo del ritrovamento dei resti di poveri bambini, scomparsi 20 anni prima, ma la speranza di avere finalmente la risposta, se lì sepolto, c'è anche il suo fratellino...Da qui inizia per lui, la caccia alla verità, perché l'unico che manca, è proprio il fratello, che fine ha fatto il suo corpo, perché non è con gli altri bambini ritrovati? Michael ha bisogno di ritrovare Chris l'unico sopravvissuto a tanto orrore, l'unico che sa la verità, per questo chiede aiuto alla sorella, Jamie, la sola persona che può essere in contatto con lui! Una storia adrenalinica, che ti lascia con il fiato sospeso; un giallo in cui piano piano si svelano indizi, c'è un assassino da scoprire, un movente da chiarire, una persona cara da trovare... Tutto questo lo viviamo dal punto di vista dei vari protagonisti, entriamo nei loro pensieri, dolori, paure e anche nel caso dell'assassino, nella sua follia e perversione... Non mancano, naturalmente, i colpi di scena! In tanti momenti mi sono commossa, non si può rimanere indifferenti, quando viene violata l'innocenza dei bambini 😢....
Michael è un giornalista molto bravo, sempre sul pezzo, ma questa volta, non è il lavoro che lo porta sul luogo del ritrovamento dei resti di poveri bambini, scomparsi 20 anni prima, ma la speranza di avere finalmente la risposta, se lì sepolto, c'è anche il suo fratellino...Da qui inizia per lui, la caccia alla verità, perché l'unico che manca, è proprio il fratello, che fine ha fatto il suo corpo, perché non è con gli altri bambini ritrovati? Michael ha bisogno di ritrovare Chris l'unico sopravvissuto a tanto orrore, l'unico che sa la verità, per questo chiede aiuto alla sorella, Jamie, la sola persona che può essere in contatto con lui! Una storia adrenalinica, che ti lascia con il fiato sospeso; un giallo in cui piano piano si svelano indizi, c'è un assassino da scoprire, un movente da chiarire, una persona cara da trovare... Tutto questo lo viviamo dal punto di vista dei vari protagonisti, entriamo nei loro pensieri, dolori, paure e anche nel caso dell'assassino, nella sua follia e perversione... Non mancano, naturalmente, i colpi di scena! In tanti momenti mi sono commossa, non si può rimanere indifferenti, quando viene violata l'innocenza dei bambini 😢....
April 10, 2015
This is 3rd in the series ... this is Michael Brody's story (the reporter from Hidden, Bk 1).
Twenty years ago, Michael's younger brother went on a school field trip. The other seven students, the teacher/driver, and the school bus were never seen again.
Two years later .... one of the children, Chris, appears out of nowhere, covered with scars, a brain injury, and numerous healed fractures. He never tells what he knows.
Today .... an old abandoned bunker is found. Inside the underground cavern are school back-packs. Bringing in dogs, the police find small bodies buried here and there ... all except for one.
I thought this one was even better than the first two of the series (HIDDEN & CHILLED). It's nice to see that Michael has somewhat matured since I first saw him. He's finally accepted that his best friend, Lacey, is going to marry another man and he is okay with that.
There's a huge twist in the middle of the story .... I was led in one direction without a second thought and then WHAM! it totally changed the entire story.
I gave it 5 stars ... I really like the author and her story-telling.
Twenty years ago, Michael's younger brother went on a school field trip. The other seven students, the teacher/driver, and the school bus were never seen again.
Two years later .... one of the children, Chris, appears out of nowhere, covered with scars, a brain injury, and numerous healed fractures. He never tells what he knows.
Today .... an old abandoned bunker is found. Inside the underground cavern are school back-packs. Bringing in dogs, the police find small bodies buried here and there ... all except for one.
I thought this one was even better than the first two of the series (HIDDEN & CHILLED). It's nice to see that Michael has somewhat matured since I first saw him. He's finally accepted that his best friend, Lacey, is going to marry another man and he is okay with that.
There's a huge twist in the middle of the story .... I was led in one direction without a second thought and then WHAM! it totally changed the entire story.
I gave it 5 stars ... I really like the author and her story-telling.
April 14, 2013
I might not finish. The mystery of who killed the victims and what happened to the brother might be a good plotline but there are to many inane conversations interjected in the solving of the mystery. I found the romantic plotline unbelievable because their reactions are so out of sync with what is happening in the story at the time. Sex scenes are silly. Its like the book cant make up its mind about whether its a romance or detective novel and consequently failed at both. sigh.
April 22, 2020
4,5✨bello
April 24, 2018
The plot is original, the pace is gripping BUT the background romance between Michael & Jamie is ridiculous! They fall in love in ONE scene! Really? Why? There are so many pages in this book I am sure Kendra Elliot could have spared a few chapters for the characters become a couple. Luckily, this was the only downside, so, not too bad...
June 30, 2016
Two-haiku review:
Bus vanished years back
One child escaped the evil
Now they're finding bones
Unexpected twist
Best book of series so far
Most evil bad guy
Bus vanished years back
One child escaped the evil
Now they're finding bones
Unexpected twist
Best book of series so far
Most evil bad guy
August 2, 2017
Buried
4 Stars
Twenty years after the disappearance of a school bus, the remains of the children are discovered buried in a field. As the brother of the only victim still missing, journalist Michael Brody attempts to locate the sole survivor, Chris Jacobs, who has gone off the grid. Michael contacts the man's sister, Jamie, but as the two race to find Chris, someone else is searching as well, and will stop at nothing to silence the only witness to the truth.
Series note: This book #3 in the Bone Secrets series, but can easily be read as a standalone as there is no ongoing story arc.
A good police procedural with a well-plotted story and a satisfying romance.
This case is simply horrific as the primary villain is seriously twisted and sick. The secondary villain is rather obvious, and the motive has insufficient foundation within the plot. That said, there is an excellent twist toward the end that I didn't see coming (kudos to Elliot!), and the final showdown is intense and exciting although the last chapter is contrived with everything tied up a little too neatly and conveniently.
Michael and Jamie are both appealing characters with a fantastic dynamic. Their attraction and the development of their relationship is believable despite the conflict between them.
In sum, while some of the plot points require a healthy suspension of disbelief, there is a good balance between the romance and the suspense, and the book is entertaining. Looking forward to the next installment.
4 Stars
Twenty years after the disappearance of a school bus, the remains of the children are discovered buried in a field. As the brother of the only victim still missing, journalist Michael Brody attempts to locate the sole survivor, Chris Jacobs, who has gone off the grid. Michael contacts the man's sister, Jamie, but as the two race to find Chris, someone else is searching as well, and will stop at nothing to silence the only witness to the truth.
Series note: This book #3 in the Bone Secrets series, but can easily be read as a standalone as there is no ongoing story arc.
A good police procedural with a well-plotted story and a satisfying romance.
This case is simply horrific as the primary villain is seriously twisted and sick. The secondary villain is rather obvious, and the motive has insufficient foundation within the plot. That said, there is an excellent twist toward the end that I didn't see coming (kudos to Elliot!), and the final showdown is intense and exciting although the last chapter is contrived with everything tied up a little too neatly and conveniently.
Michael and Jamie are both appealing characters with a fantastic dynamic. Their attraction and the development of their relationship is believable despite the conflict between them.
In sum, while some of the plot points require a healthy suspension of disbelief, there is a good balance between the romance and the suspense, and the book is entertaining. Looking forward to the next installment.
March 27, 2013
Eight years ago I learned a rather interesting lesson. That lesson being: The second you have a child, every fear you have ever possessed instantly become obsolete in comparison to the fear you have of losing your child. Claustrophobia. Arachnophobia. Achluophobia. Chump change.
The loss of a child is just something you do not recover from. Yes, a funeral, a trip or two to a therapist and moral support from your friends and family will help you deal with that loss (“Come to terms with it” is the phrase I hear bounced around the most.) And after a few years you are bound to have some semblance of normalcy. Dinners with friends. Family gatherings that aren’t strained by the silence of absence. But…the loss never goes away completely. You have closure but not your child.
But let’s imagine for a second that your child disappears. Poof! He leaves for a field trip, safe and sound under the protective eye of his school officials, but never comes home. Time passes and you are told to stop hoping. Your child is dead. You have no body to bury. You can’t say goodbye the way you need to, therefore your wounds stay open. Gaping with loss.
Then…two years later a child from that same bus walks out of the woods. Dirty. Injured. And with absolutely no memory of what happened to him or his classmates?
What would you do?
In Kendra Elliot’s latest “Bones Secrets” novel this is the scenario presented. Children go missing. Time passes. And then a ghost reemerges to finish a job he failed to finish 20 years earlier.
“Reporter Michael Brody is used to getting answers. The one that’s eluded him, though, for twenty long years is learning what happened to his brother Daniel the day his school bus disappeared. When the remains of the other children are discovered—and Daniel’s aren’t among them—a desperate Michael calls upon the sole survivor of the tragedy, Chris Jacobs, hoping he will finally break his silence.
Constant fear of being found by his kidnapper has driven Chris into hiding. The only lead Michael has is Chris’s sister, Jamie. Strong and impenetrable, she’s capable of burrowing deep into Michael’s heart. As they race to find Chris, Michael and Jamie somehow find each other among the decades of wreckage. But locating Chris may not be so easy. Now grown, his scars go far deeper than skin.”
Well…since I’m thinking it, I might as well say it. Kendra Elliot is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors in the Romantic/Psychological Suspense genre.
Why?
That’s simple…she still surprises me.
It’s no secret that I am overly critical of thrillers. I (admittedly) trash them more often than love them. But it’s not to get a rise out of people or show my stellar literary muscles. The reasoning is much simpler than that. In my mind, if I can figure out the entire story by page 70 it’s a flop. So finding myself still surprised by motives and the people surrounding them in the last 15% of a book puts a smile on my face. And this is something Elliot has accomplished three times now.
As a matter of fact, she surprised me three times in this book alone.
Also interesting…Elliot has decided to reintroduce characters! (*throws confetti*) In my review of “Chilled” I made it a point to point out (wow that was a lot of points) that these novels could easily be read separately; that the plot “tones” carried over. Not the characters. And while you can still do this (I promise you won’t be running around in the dark looking for the light switch) Buried’s main character is none other than a ex-lover/reporter/all-around-good-guy Michael from Elliot’s first novel “Hidden.”
This little surprise added a whole other level of character intimacy that I wasn’t expecting when I first decided to read this book. I KNEW Michael. I loved Michael. I wanted Michael to be happy! Which in turn made me pay particular attention to the development of Jamie, his love interest. Was she good enough for him? Would she challenge him? Love him?
All of these added depth to an already intriguing story. A story that had me on the edge of my seat for all 361 pages. A story that had me cussing people’s inability to face their pasts, but at the same time understanding their reasoning for avoidance. We are humans after-all.
In three sentences: I was pleased with the romance. I was impressed by its steady pace. And I remained totally engaged in every aspect of the story (not tuning out during ME’s reports or detective dialogue.)
That could only mean one thing…This was a solid book!
A solid book that had me (for the first time ever) applauding the death of Twinkies. (You are just gonna have to read it to figure that one out.)
If you like a little love with your mystery, be sure to snatch this one up.
Happy reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: Tomorrow is not guaranteed, so be mindful of what you do today.
Click image for additional information
The loss of a child is just something you do not recover from. Yes, a funeral, a trip or two to a therapist and moral support from your friends and family will help you deal with that loss (“Come to terms with it” is the phrase I hear bounced around the most.) And after a few years you are bound to have some semblance of normalcy. Dinners with friends. Family gatherings that aren’t strained by the silence of absence. But…the loss never goes away completely. You have closure but not your child.
But let’s imagine for a second that your child disappears. Poof! He leaves for a field trip, safe and sound under the protective eye of his school officials, but never comes home. Time passes and you are told to stop hoping. Your child is dead. You have no body to bury. You can’t say goodbye the way you need to, therefore your wounds stay open. Gaping with loss.
Then…two years later a child from that same bus walks out of the woods. Dirty. Injured. And with absolutely no memory of what happened to him or his classmates?
What would you do?
In Kendra Elliot’s latest “Bones Secrets” novel this is the scenario presented. Children go missing. Time passes. And then a ghost reemerges to finish a job he failed to finish 20 years earlier.
“Reporter Michael Brody is used to getting answers. The one that’s eluded him, though, for twenty long years is learning what happened to his brother Daniel the day his school bus disappeared. When the remains of the other children are discovered—and Daniel’s aren’t among them—a desperate Michael calls upon the sole survivor of the tragedy, Chris Jacobs, hoping he will finally break his silence.
Constant fear of being found by his kidnapper has driven Chris into hiding. The only lead Michael has is Chris’s sister, Jamie. Strong and impenetrable, she’s capable of burrowing deep into Michael’s heart. As they race to find Chris, Michael and Jamie somehow find each other among the decades of wreckage. But locating Chris may not be so easy. Now grown, his scars go far deeper than skin.”
Well…since I’m thinking it, I might as well say it. Kendra Elliot is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors in the Romantic/Psychological Suspense genre.
Why?
That’s simple…she still surprises me.
It’s no secret that I am overly critical of thrillers. I (admittedly) trash them more often than love them. But it’s not to get a rise out of people or show my stellar literary muscles. The reasoning is much simpler than that. In my mind, if I can figure out the entire story by page 70 it’s a flop. So finding myself still surprised by motives and the people surrounding them in the last 15% of a book puts a smile on my face. And this is something Elliot has accomplished three times now.
As a matter of fact, she surprised me three times in this book alone.
Also interesting…Elliot has decided to reintroduce characters! (*throws confetti*) In my review of “Chilled” I made it a point to point out (wow that was a lot of points) that these novels could easily be read separately; that the plot “tones” carried over. Not the characters. And while you can still do this (I promise you won’t be running around in the dark looking for the light switch) Buried’s main character is none other than a ex-lover/reporter/all-around-good-guy Michael from Elliot’s first novel “Hidden.”
This little surprise added a whole other level of character intimacy that I wasn’t expecting when I first decided to read this book. I KNEW Michael. I loved Michael. I wanted Michael to be happy! Which in turn made me pay particular attention to the development of Jamie, his love interest. Was she good enough for him? Would she challenge him? Love him?
All of these added depth to an already intriguing story. A story that had me on the edge of my seat for all 361 pages. A story that had me cussing people’s inability to face their pasts, but at the same time understanding their reasoning for avoidance. We are humans after-all.
In three sentences: I was pleased with the romance. I was impressed by its steady pace. And I remained totally engaged in every aspect of the story (not tuning out during ME’s reports or detective dialogue.)
That could only mean one thing…This was a solid book!
A solid book that had me (for the first time ever) applauding the death of Twinkies. (You are just gonna have to read it to figure that one out.)
If you like a little love with your mystery, be sure to snatch this one up.
Happy reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: Tomorrow is not guaranteed, so be mindful of what you do today.
Click image for additional information
August 11, 2018
The rating reflects my enjoyment, not the quality of the storytelling I liked the multiple povs told in the third person. I also liked the twist. I was shocked. I know. Unbelievable. Lol.
However, I don’t like instalove and there is some of that in this book. The romance was underdeveloped. I also don’t like super sad stories and while this one doesn’t give explicit details (thank God), it was plenty sad. Overall, I’d wished I’d skipped this one. It wasn’t the thrilly (I just made that word up) escape I was looking for.
Trigger warning:
However, I don’t like instalove and there is some of that in this book. The romance was underdeveloped. I also don’t like super sad stories and while this one doesn’t give explicit details (thank God), it was plenty sad. Overall, I’d wished I’d skipped this one. It wasn’t the thrilly (I just made that word up) escape I was looking for.
Trigger warning:
December 9, 2020
I enjoy Kendra Elliot's writing and series. Buried is another good book in this series. The characters and storyline are intense to say the least. But at this point, my interest is most intrigued by Mason Callahan. I love seeing this characters development from these early days as I've "met" him in later books & series. I'll be continuing my journey through this series and the spinoffs that follow. 3.5 Stars
February 9, 2022
I first started reading Kendra Elliott's more recent books, particularly the Mercy Kilpatrick series and enjoyed them a lot. So I decided to go back and read her first novels beginning with the Bone Secrets series. The first two were pretty good, but this one not so much. Three stars for a fast- paced mystery, however, the "romance" was really a drag. A romantic interest in a crime/mystery novel is fine. However, this story involves the chase for a horrific serial killer and the love story of the two main adult characters after him, a school principal and a prominent journalist, is ridiculously juvenile. That his endearing term for her is "princess" is so demeaning that it makes me cringe every time it occurs, and I don't cringe easily. It seems that in her early novels Elliott couldn't decide between being a mystery writer and a romance writer. She has matured into a good mystery writer and the romance in her later books becomes much more subtle and adult.
September 24, 2015
I've never read a book which mentions a person's eye colour so many times. Hopefully never again.
Picked it up for the mystery/thriller part, ended up reading a corny romance.
Flashing green eyes, toned and tanned arms and legs, characters' dialogue is there to state the obvious or clichéd. Oh and did I mention green eyes?
Had me rolling my eyes and skipping entire sections of Jamie and Michael's interactions. Unfortunately there is a lot of those.
Maybe I should've done more research before picking this up. I assume people familiar with the author/series know what they'll get.
Probably won't be able to finish this even despite furiously skimming over pages of pointless elaborations and body descriptions.
Picked it up for the mystery/thriller part, ended up reading a corny romance.
Flashing green eyes, toned and tanned arms and legs, characters' dialogue is there to state the obvious or clichéd. Oh and did I mention green eyes?
Had me rolling my eyes and skipping entire sections of Jamie and Michael's interactions. Unfortunately there is a lot of those.
Maybe I should've done more research before picking this up. I assume people familiar with the author/series know what they'll get.
Probably won't be able to finish this even despite furiously skimming over pages of pointless elaborations and body descriptions.
May 3, 2020
se deciderete di leggere questo libro, dovrete essere coscienti che, nel momento in cui lo aprirete, non potrete più lasciarlo andare. I fatti accaduti, la caccia alla verità e il sentimento che nasce tra due persone che hanno sofferto in egual misura per una vicenda accaduta venti anni prima, vi terranno incollati alle pagine, con il cuore in gola e la voglia di mettere le mani addosso a chi ha stravolto la vita di nove famiglie.
Venti anni prima degli eventi attuali, un pulmino con nove bambini a bordo e un’insegnante scompare nel nulla. Nessuna traccia, nessun movente e soprattutto nessun corpo su cui poter piangere. A distanza di due anni, un solo bambino ritorna a casa, si fa fatica anche a riconoscerlo, è tutto pelle ed ossa e il suo volto è pieno di cicatrici. Qualsiasi cosa Chris Jacobs abbia visto è rimasta bloccata nella sua mente, non ricorda nulla, e soprattutto non vuole interagire con il resto del mondo. La famiglia fa muro contro l’esterno e lui riesce, bene o male, a recuperare una parvenza di vita. Ma appena compiuti i diciotto anni decide di andare via e vivere da solo, lontano da tutto e da tutti. Ma perché? Perché abbandonare la propria famiglia? Davvero non ricorda nulla?
Gli anni passano, in tanti hanno dimenticato quei bambini scomparsi tranne le loro famiglie che ancora cercano risposte e verità. Tra questi il giornalista Michael Brody che ha un interesse personale nella vicenda. Tra quei bambini c’era anche suo fratello Daniel e, quando in un bosco viene scoperto un bunker e poi una cisterna contenente molti corpi, spera, finalmente, di poter dare sepoltura a quel pezzo di cuore scomparso tanti anni prima. Ma i corpi sono solo sette e non otto come ci si sarebbe aspettati. Il corpo mancante appartiene proprio a suo fratello Daniel e a questo punto Michael non può fare a meno di mettersi in contatto con il bambino, ora un uomo, ritornato dall’inferno. Sì, i bambini tenuti segregati in quel bunker avevano sofferto le pene dell’inferno prima di essere sepolti come se fossero semplice spazzatura e, ora più che mai, Micheal ha bisogno di risposte. Deve assolutamente ritrovare Chris Jacobs, il sopravvissuto. Per farlo si mette in contatto con l’unica persona della famiglia rimasta ancora in vita: Jamie Jacobs, la sorella di Chris.
L’incontro tra le due persone che hanno sofferto per lo stesso tragico evento non avviene come Micheal si augura, Jamie, convinta che il fratello non sappia nulla, è decisa a non rivelare a nessuno dove il giovane si nasconda. Ma ormai gli eventi si sono messi in moto e con la scoperta del bunker e della fossa comune anche l’assassino deve ritrovare ed eliminare una volta per tutte l’unica persona in grado di riconoscerlo.
Ebbene, se pensate che vi abbia raccontato mezzo libro, rassicuratevi. Perché è da qui che ha inizio la vera storia fatta di adrenalina pura, ricerca costante della verità e soprattutto dalla voglia di scoprire chi è stato ed esigere giustizia per tutte quelle vite che non hanno avuto modo di crescere e vivere.
Micheal, che avevamo già incontrato nel libro precedente della serie, dimostra ancora una volta tutta la sua capacità di giornalista capace ed estremamente scrupoloso. Lo avevamo visto soffrire per un amore non corrisposto ma quando incontra Jamie il suo mondo si capovolge e, accanto a lei, accanto alla personalità di questa donna che ha tenuto a lungo represso il suo spirito, si sente un altro uomo e capisce davvero cosa sia l’amore.
Tra tentati omicidi, un assassino che sembra essere un fantasma, un ragazzo in fuga per proteggere la propria famiglia e il sentimento nato tra Micheal e Jamie, questo libro non vi lascerà respirare e, soprattutto, anche voi sentirete il bisogno viscerale di avere giustizia per tutte le persone coinvolte, sia i morti che i vivi, perché da quel lontano giorno nessuno ha avuto più una vita ma solo una parvenza di essa.
Bellissima la caratterizzazione dei personaggi. Micheal, forte in apparenza ma con un grande peso nel petto per la morte di quel fratello di cui non è mai riuscito a prendere il posto nel cuore dei suoi genitori. E Jamie che quel fratello lo ha perso in ogni caso visto che non si fa vedere da anni.
E intorno a queste due belle figure non mancano poliziotti che si farebbero ammazzare pur di scoprire la verità, medici legali che scavano ovunque per aiutare le indagini e un pazzo omicida che continua a seminare terrore.
Per cui, se vi piacciono i romantic suspense questo è un libro che non potrete fare a meno di leggere. In questa storia tutto è il contrario di tutto e la verità non è mai quella che pensate di aver scoperto. E, in mezzo a tutto questo casino, la consolazione di un amore bello e forte come quello di Jamie e Micheal.
Venti anni prima degli eventi attuali, un pulmino con nove bambini a bordo e un’insegnante scompare nel nulla. Nessuna traccia, nessun movente e soprattutto nessun corpo su cui poter piangere. A distanza di due anni, un solo bambino ritorna a casa, si fa fatica anche a riconoscerlo, è tutto pelle ed ossa e il suo volto è pieno di cicatrici. Qualsiasi cosa Chris Jacobs abbia visto è rimasta bloccata nella sua mente, non ricorda nulla, e soprattutto non vuole interagire con il resto del mondo. La famiglia fa muro contro l’esterno e lui riesce, bene o male, a recuperare una parvenza di vita. Ma appena compiuti i diciotto anni decide di andare via e vivere da solo, lontano da tutto e da tutti. Ma perché? Perché abbandonare la propria famiglia? Davvero non ricorda nulla?
Gli anni passano, in tanti hanno dimenticato quei bambini scomparsi tranne le loro famiglie che ancora cercano risposte e verità. Tra questi il giornalista Michael Brody che ha un interesse personale nella vicenda. Tra quei bambini c’era anche suo fratello Daniel e, quando in un bosco viene scoperto un bunker e poi una cisterna contenente molti corpi, spera, finalmente, di poter dare sepoltura a quel pezzo di cuore scomparso tanti anni prima. Ma i corpi sono solo sette e non otto come ci si sarebbe aspettati. Il corpo mancante appartiene proprio a suo fratello Daniel e a questo punto Michael non può fare a meno di mettersi in contatto con il bambino, ora un uomo, ritornato dall’inferno. Sì, i bambini tenuti segregati in quel bunker avevano sofferto le pene dell’inferno prima di essere sepolti come se fossero semplice spazzatura e, ora più che mai, Micheal ha bisogno di risposte. Deve assolutamente ritrovare Chris Jacobs, il sopravvissuto. Per farlo si mette in contatto con l’unica persona della famiglia rimasta ancora in vita: Jamie Jacobs, la sorella di Chris.
L’incontro tra le due persone che hanno sofferto per lo stesso tragico evento non avviene come Micheal si augura, Jamie, convinta che il fratello non sappia nulla, è decisa a non rivelare a nessuno dove il giovane si nasconda. Ma ormai gli eventi si sono messi in moto e con la scoperta del bunker e della fossa comune anche l’assassino deve ritrovare ed eliminare una volta per tutte l’unica persona in grado di riconoscerlo.
Ebbene, se pensate che vi abbia raccontato mezzo libro, rassicuratevi. Perché è da qui che ha inizio la vera storia fatta di adrenalina pura, ricerca costante della verità e soprattutto dalla voglia di scoprire chi è stato ed esigere giustizia per tutte quelle vite che non hanno avuto modo di crescere e vivere.
Micheal, che avevamo già incontrato nel libro precedente della serie, dimostra ancora una volta tutta la sua capacità di giornalista capace ed estremamente scrupoloso. Lo avevamo visto soffrire per un amore non corrisposto ma quando incontra Jamie il suo mondo si capovolge e, accanto a lei, accanto alla personalità di questa donna che ha tenuto a lungo represso il suo spirito, si sente un altro uomo e capisce davvero cosa sia l’amore.
Tra tentati omicidi, un assassino che sembra essere un fantasma, un ragazzo in fuga per proteggere la propria famiglia e il sentimento nato tra Micheal e Jamie, questo libro non vi lascerà respirare e, soprattutto, anche voi sentirete il bisogno viscerale di avere giustizia per tutte le persone coinvolte, sia i morti che i vivi, perché da quel lontano giorno nessuno ha avuto più una vita ma solo una parvenza di essa.
Bellissima la caratterizzazione dei personaggi. Micheal, forte in apparenza ma con un grande peso nel petto per la morte di quel fratello di cui non è mai riuscito a prendere il posto nel cuore dei suoi genitori. E Jamie che quel fratello lo ha perso in ogni caso visto che non si fa vedere da anni.
E intorno a queste due belle figure non mancano poliziotti che si farebbero ammazzare pur di scoprire la verità, medici legali che scavano ovunque per aiutare le indagini e un pazzo omicida che continua a seminare terrore.
Per cui, se vi piacciono i romantic suspense questo è un libro che non potrete fare a meno di leggere. In questa storia tutto è il contrario di tutto e la verità non è mai quella che pensate di aver scoperto. E, in mezzo a tutto questo casino, la consolazione di un amore bello e forte come quello di Jamie e Micheal.
December 29, 2018
An entire bus of children disappeared when Michael was younger, his brother, Daniel, among them. When the bodies are found 18 years later, Michael hopes that he will finally get some closure, instead, his brother's body is missing leading Micheal to pick up the investigation again. He starts by interviewing Jamie, the sister of Chris, the only boy to escape 2 years after going missing. Michael isn't the only one trying to find Chris; the killer of all those kids is on his trail as well and is following Michael and Jamie.
The suspense in this one was pretty good. The initial crime got my attention, but the "why" eluded me until the end. It was clear that the killer was working with someone from the beginning, but I didn't guess the who or why before it was revealed. There were a few surprise twists too that I didn't see coming. The romantic plotline was ok. It was much better than the one in book 2, but I think book 1 might have set some expectations that the following books in the series just couldn't live up to. I liked Michael and Jamie together in this book, but the romance could have been developed more.....or less. This would have been a great suspense book without the romance. The little that we got seemed out of place at times.
The suspense in this one was pretty good. The initial crime got my attention, but the "why" eluded me until the end. It was clear that the killer was working with someone from the beginning, but I didn't guess the who or why before it was revealed. There were a few surprise twists too that I didn't see coming. The romantic plotline was ok. It was much better than the one in book 2, but I think book 1 might have set some expectations that the following books in the series just couldn't live up to. I liked Michael and Jamie together in this book, but the romance could have been developed more.....or less. This would have been a great suspense book without the romance. The little that we got seemed out of place at times.
October 4, 2020
No character development, an inane attraction / romance and a thin plot made it barely bearable.
July 4, 2018
A good romantic suspense with lots of fast paced exciting action. I liked the hero's confidence and his method of interacting with heroine who was also strong in her own way. The story had plenty of twists and turns with an ending that surprised me. Reporter Micheal is still searching for his missing brother and seeks out Jamie, the sister of the boy who was kidnapped with his brother and escaped.
March 13, 2015
Am really liking this author - she sure can weave a good mystery! Although I did figure out who was behind all killings about halfway through this book, I still enjoyed it.
A serial killer/hostage taker/kidnapper, etc. all rolled up into one very sick and twisted pervert.
A bit of romance with a hot scene between the 2 main characters of this book.
2 thumbs up and 4 stars (couldn't give 5 because I figured out the bad guy too soon) :)
Highly recommend this book to those that like a good serial killer murder mystery.
A serial killer/hostage taker/kidnapper, etc. all rolled up into one very sick and twisted pervert.
A bit of romance with a hot scene between the 2 main characters of this book.
2 thumbs up and 4 stars (couldn't give 5 because I figured out the bad guy too soon) :)
Highly recommend this book to those that like a good serial killer murder mystery.
November 13, 2023
Buried was a great addition to the Bone Secrets series with a suspenseful plot centered around a man's search for answers about his missing brother.
Reporter Michael Brody has always been able to get answers for his work but for twenty years the truth about what happened to his brother Daniel the day his school bus disappeared has eluded him. When the remains of the other children are discovered, with Daniel's not among them, Michael seeks out the only survivor Chris Jacobs to find out what happened to his brother. But Chris has been in hiding for years leading Michael to ask Chris's sister Jamie for help. As the pair search for Chris, someone is following their trail. Someone who will do anything to make sure Chris never talks.
The search for Chris and what happened to Daniel was a great mystery that pulled me in from the start. The book opens with Chris's reappearance after being missing for two years before switching to present day when the remains of the other children from the bus are found. From there we follow Michael's search for Chris so he can finally get answers about Daniel. Michael and Jamie's search for Chris is pretty fast-paced and the fact we know someone is trailing them while they don't adds to the tension. I ended up figuring out who was behind everything pretty early on but I enjoyed watching the characters work everything out. The ending was well done with just the right amount of suspense to keep things interesting.
Going into this book I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy it as I didn't like Michael's character very much in the first book, Hidden. Thankfully the things that bothered me about his character in that book weren't an issue in this one largely because he wasn't there to throw a wrench in Lacey's romance anymore. Michael and Jamie fall for each other pretty quickly in this book which wasn't a complete surprise as that tends to happen in romantic suspense but I liked that Michael was the one to go all-in first. The connection between the two was well done and I liked how willing Jamie was to help him get answers about his brother. Their relationship develops nicely over the course of the book and I was happy with where they ended up by the end of the book.
Overall Buried was a fantastic read and I'm looking forward to picking up the next book, Alone, soon.
Reporter Michael Brody has always been able to get answers for his work but for twenty years the truth about what happened to his brother Daniel the day his school bus disappeared has eluded him. When the remains of the other children are discovered, with Daniel's not among them, Michael seeks out the only survivor Chris Jacobs to find out what happened to his brother. But Chris has been in hiding for years leading Michael to ask Chris's sister Jamie for help. As the pair search for Chris, someone is following their trail. Someone who will do anything to make sure Chris never talks.
The search for Chris and what happened to Daniel was a great mystery that pulled me in from the start. The book opens with Chris's reappearance after being missing for two years before switching to present day when the remains of the other children from the bus are found. From there we follow Michael's search for Chris so he can finally get answers about Daniel. Michael and Jamie's search for Chris is pretty fast-paced and the fact we know someone is trailing them while they don't adds to the tension. I ended up figuring out who was behind everything pretty early on but I enjoyed watching the characters work everything out. The ending was well done with just the right amount of suspense to keep things interesting.
Going into this book I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy it as I didn't like Michael's character very much in the first book, Hidden. Thankfully the things that bothered me about his character in that book weren't an issue in this one largely because he wasn't there to throw a wrench in Lacey's romance anymore. Michael and Jamie fall for each other pretty quickly in this book which wasn't a complete surprise as that tends to happen in romantic suspense but I liked that Michael was the one to go all-in first. The connection between the two was well done and I liked how willing Jamie was to help him get answers about his brother. Their relationship develops nicely over the course of the book and I was happy with where they ended up by the end of the book.
Overall Buried was a fantastic read and I'm looking forward to picking up the next book, Alone, soon.
January 14, 2021
I liked this book very much; it is for a goodreads group read.
Read
September 6, 2014I was drawn to this one purely by the really intriguing setup. Twenty years ago, a school bus carrying students from an expensive private academy disappeared into thin air. Not a trace was ever found. As the book starts, it's 2 years after that, and a starving, weakened young boy named Chris Jacobs walks out of the woods. He's one of the kids who was on that bus.
We then move on to the present day, 18 years later. We find out that Chris was never able to provide any information, beyond the fact that he showed signs of torture. He had a head injury and even spent a few months in a coma, and after that he always claimed he could not remember a thing.
The police have given up on finding anything, until the chance discovery of human remains in a barn deep in the woods. The skeletons are identified as the teacher who was on the school bus and all but one of the missing children.
Michael Brody, a journalist, is the older brother of the one missing child whose body was not found. He's determined to find out what happened to his brother, and for that he needs to talk to Chris Jacobs and somehow make him remember. But Chris is a very reclusive man who's living completely off the grid, and Michael's only hope of finding him is through his younger sister, Jamie.
I gave up on this after listening to about 2 hours of the total 10. It just wasn't very good. The writing was clunky and pedestrian (I got bored of having every single POV character gushing about how other characters were oh-so-hot and oh-so-sexy), and the characters' reactions were too often on the baffling side. They kept thinking and doing and saying things that came off as completely inappropriate for the circumstances. Like, Michael comes over to Jamie to discuss the discovery of the kids' bodies, and Jamie gets hung up on how his eyelashes are so dense and black and what a waste it is for a man to have such great eyelashes and she remembers every tube of mascara she's ever had to buy and... what the hell? These characters just didn't behave like real people.
Also, I didn't trust that the decisions by some characters to withhold crucial information really made sense, other than to make the plot work in particular ways. Chris is the most obvious one. With so many other kids missing and his very existence proof that more could be alive, I didn't quite buy that he would have been basically left alone after a little while. We are told early on that he does remember more than he says and that the killer threatened to get at his family, but surely that's the first thing his psychiatrists would consider when first talking to him? I didn't buy that he wouldn't have been pushed a lot harder than he seems to have been, especially with the other missing children being from such wealthy, powerful families.
I was also getting a bit queasy about the descriptions of what had happened to the kids. There wasn't anything too graphic in the sections I read, but there was certainly the suggestion and some very firm hints. I wasn't sure I wanted to get more.
It also didn't help that the narrator, Luke Daniels, was frankly awful. He didn't narrate, he intoned. And he kept going off-text with what he put in the chracters' tones. Michael constantly sounded like a total arsehole (especially when interacting with Jamie), and though some of his actual actions did cross the line, Daniels was adding things that weren't really there in the text. Also, the way he voiced the female characters was atrocious. They all sounded breathy and childlike and either whiny or close to tears.
MY GRADE: A DNF.
We then move on to the present day, 18 years later. We find out that Chris was never able to provide any information, beyond the fact that he showed signs of torture. He had a head injury and even spent a few months in a coma, and after that he always claimed he could not remember a thing.
The police have given up on finding anything, until the chance discovery of human remains in a barn deep in the woods. The skeletons are identified as the teacher who was on the school bus and all but one of the missing children.
Michael Brody, a journalist, is the older brother of the one missing child whose body was not found. He's determined to find out what happened to his brother, and for that he needs to talk to Chris Jacobs and somehow make him remember. But Chris is a very reclusive man who's living completely off the grid, and Michael's only hope of finding him is through his younger sister, Jamie.
I gave up on this after listening to about 2 hours of the total 10. It just wasn't very good. The writing was clunky and pedestrian (I got bored of having every single POV character gushing about how other characters were oh-so-hot and oh-so-sexy), and the characters' reactions were too often on the baffling side. They kept thinking and doing and saying things that came off as completely inappropriate for the circumstances. Like, Michael comes over to Jamie to discuss the discovery of the kids' bodies, and Jamie gets hung up on how his eyelashes are so dense and black and what a waste it is for a man to have such great eyelashes and she remembers every tube of mascara she's ever had to buy and... what the hell? These characters just didn't behave like real people.
Also, I didn't trust that the decisions by some characters to withhold crucial information really made sense, other than to make the plot work in particular ways. Chris is the most obvious one. With so many other kids missing and his very existence proof that more could be alive, I didn't quite buy that he would have been basically left alone after a little while. We are told early on that he does remember more than he says and that the killer threatened to get at his family, but surely that's the first thing his psychiatrists would consider when first talking to him? I didn't buy that he wouldn't have been pushed a lot harder than he seems to have been, especially with the other missing children being from such wealthy, powerful families.
I was also getting a bit queasy about the descriptions of what had happened to the kids. There wasn't anything too graphic in the sections I read, but there was certainly the suggestion and some very firm hints. I wasn't sure I wanted to get more.
It also didn't help that the narrator, Luke Daniels, was frankly awful. He didn't narrate, he intoned. And he kept going off-text with what he put in the chracters' tones. Michael constantly sounded like a total arsehole (especially when interacting with Jamie), and though some of his actual actions did cross the line, Daniels was adding things that weren't really there in the text. Also, the way he voiced the female characters was atrocious. They all sounded breathy and childlike and either whiny or close to tears.
MY GRADE: A DNF.
May 27, 2015
Not bad but not good either
But if you've not read any of the previous novels, the rush of many different characters coming at you all at once in the first chapters would be, and was, confusing. I had to re-read a few pages just to figure out who was who! But once I got them semi-straight, it wasn't too bad. The overall plot was good and the ending was a pretty big surprise. There were several times I just had to SMH though - too many coincidences and some behavior was utterly unbelievable....like, the parent of a missing child, a Senator no less, just NOW remembering a bona fide stalker, with a court-ordered TRO and then suddenly, the other parent suddenly "remembering" wealthy enraged person, threatening the parents of a child gone missing TWENTY YEARS AGO? Unbelievable. In fact, there were so many acutely unreal moments I could barely finish the book.... it got boring! Troopers who LET bad guys go?! Sitting in a governor's mansion parking garage and ZERO security?
Good writing skills, but unfortunately when combined with truly lousy research, it really missed the point of a crime novel. Just a tiny bit of research would have made this a four or even five star novel but the way it is now? If there was a 2.5 star rating, I'd use it.
[excuse the rambling review. Am using Kindle's keyboard and it's awful!]
But if you've not read any of the previous novels, the rush of many different characters coming at you all at once in the first chapters would be, and was, confusing. I had to re-read a few pages just to figure out who was who! But once I got them semi-straight, it wasn't too bad. The overall plot was good and the ending was a pretty big surprise. There were several times I just had to SMH though - too many coincidences and some behavior was utterly unbelievable....like, the parent of a missing child, a Senator no less, just NOW remembering a bona fide stalker, with a court-ordered TRO and then suddenly, the other parent suddenly "remembering" wealthy enraged person, threatening the parents of a child gone missing TWENTY YEARS AGO? Unbelievable. In fact, there were so many acutely unreal moments I could barely finish the book.... it got boring! Troopers who LET bad guys go?! Sitting in a governor's mansion parking garage and ZERO security?
Good writing skills, but unfortunately when combined with truly lousy research, it really missed the point of a crime novel. Just a tiny bit of research would have made this a four or even five star novel but the way it is now? If there was a 2.5 star rating, I'd use it.
[excuse the rambling review. Am using Kindle's keyboard and it's awful!]
February 10, 2013
I have enjoyed all of Kendra Elliot's books, but this one is my favorite so far. I think that she took a tough subject and handled it delicately.
Michael Brody, whom we met in Elliot's first book, is back. He's a reporter, the son of a senator and a famous doctor. His brother was one of several children who disappeared while returning from a school trip. Jamie Jacobs' brother is the only known survivor of that trip. However, he has amnesia and can't help anyone. It's twenty years later and the buried secrets of that trip are about to be uncovered.
I don't want to say too much more about the story, because I don't want to spoil it, but I will say that the story does involve pedophilia. Elliot handled this subject very well - she doesn't hit you over the head with horrible descriptions. On the flip side, she follows in the path of great thrillers that allow your imagination to play out the rest of the scene. And sometimes, what you imagine is worse than what is given to you.
I highly recommend this book. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to her next one.
Michael Brody, whom we met in Elliot's first book, is back. He's a reporter, the son of a senator and a famous doctor. His brother was one of several children who disappeared while returning from a school trip. Jamie Jacobs' brother is the only known survivor of that trip. However, he has amnesia and can't help anyone. It's twenty years later and the buried secrets of that trip are about to be uncovered.
I don't want to say too much more about the story, because I don't want to spoil it, but I will say that the story does involve pedophilia. Elliot handled this subject very well - she doesn't hit you over the head with horrible descriptions. On the flip side, she follows in the path of great thrillers that allow your imagination to play out the rest of the scene. And sometimes, what you imagine is worse than what is given to you.
I highly recommend this book. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to her next one.
October 6, 2013
This was a Kindle deal of the day so it cost me less than a euro. I was a bit worried about reading #3 in a series, but in the event I think there are only a few connected characters?
So. What can I say. After about 50% through I just started skimming so that i could find out which of my 2 main candidates was the real baddie behind the baddie. But even then I really didn't like it.
The basic story is fair enough, not a bad premise for a thriller although all the signposts are there to who the baddie might be, including a clichéd attempt to point towards someone else. There are some badly written sex scenes that were not needed at all.
But the biggest reason for me giving it one star are the characters. There is a reason I don't read Dan Brown and that is the cliché characters: good looking male character who is near darned perfect, totally drop dead gorgeous female character who's downright gorgeousness stops people in their tracks. The cops, one messy one not. etc etc etc.
I'm sure this series will appeal to a lot of people. I'm not one of them.
So. What can I say. After about 50% through I just started skimming so that i could find out which of my 2 main candidates was the real baddie behind the baddie. But even then I really didn't like it.
The basic story is fair enough, not a bad premise for a thriller although all the signposts are there to who the baddie might be, including a clichéd attempt to point towards someone else. There are some badly written sex scenes that were not needed at all.
But the biggest reason for me giving it one star are the characters. There is a reason I don't read Dan Brown and that is the cliché characters: good looking male character who is near darned perfect, totally drop dead gorgeous female character who's downright gorgeousness stops people in their tracks. The cops, one messy one not. etc etc etc.
I'm sure this series will appeal to a lot of people. I'm not one of them.
March 1, 2016
This is book 3 in the Bone Secrets series and I definitely like it better than the first two books. I believe Ms. Elliot found her stride in this one and there is a nice balance of suspense and romance.
The romance was insta-lust/love, but it did feel more like a relationship because they wanted more than sex and they were both attracted to the person as well as the looks. When there were stressful events occurring they were supporting each other and concerned versus in some novels where there is suspense and stress and all the MCs are thinking about is sex (and in those cases it seems so ridiculous). I think this book provided a good balance.
The plot was really good with the Ghostman being the very evil villain. His evil deeds are more referenced without any gory details.
The two primary cops of Mason and Ray continue to be well developed and really do make good characters for this series.
As in the other books in this series, I have liked the cover art and thought it was a very cohesive look for the whole series.
I definitely enjoyed reading this one.
The romance was insta-lust/love, but it did feel more like a relationship because they wanted more than sex and they were both attracted to the person as well as the looks. When there were stressful events occurring they were supporting each other and concerned versus in some novels where there is suspense and stress and all the MCs are thinking about is sex (and in those cases it seems so ridiculous). I think this book provided a good balance.
The plot was really good with the Ghostman being the very evil villain. His evil deeds are more referenced without any gory details.
The two primary cops of Mason and Ray continue to be well developed and really do make good characters for this series.
As in the other books in this series, I have liked the cover art and thought it was a very cohesive look for the whole series.
I definitely enjoyed reading this one.
June 23, 2015
How in the world do I review this book?! It really twisted my head around! It gave me a nightmare about my own child, so saying that I identified with the characters is a good bit of an understatement! The romance between Jamie and Michael seemed a bit off, as if it came on too fast, but there really wasn't much time devoted to the romantic side of things. This story was action packed! The twists were not easily figured out, and the surprise twist at the end really threw me! This was not a book easily put down, and trying to read it on a holiday weekend was probably not the greatest idea, cause food was one of the least of my concerns! Definitely would recommend to others!
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