Knife and Bone

The Circus Salmagundi Mysteries #4

by Kim Bannerman

A thief haunts the Circus Salmagundi, stealing bits of silver and cheap jewelry from the performers, and Rose the Tattooed Lady is determined to unmask the culprit before anything of real value is stolen. But when the circus sails into Port Alberni, the burglar leaves the boats to strike again, nabbing an ancient coin from an eccentric French historian.The theft sparks a series of accusations that spiral out of control, giving strength to interpersonal feuds while tarnishing the circus' reputation. As Rose is drawn deeper into the mystery, secret stories of forgotten histories, ghosts, racial tensions, and lost seafarers threaten to tear the town's foundations apart. Can Rose discover the culprit, return the coin, and restore the circus' good name before theft turns to murder?Navigating a twisting labyrinth of fortune telling, false accusations, and forgotten history, Knife and Bone exposes how previously-pleasant perceptions can be poisoned when doubt and distrust creep in. As Miss Rose herself proclaims, ‘Nothing sucks the joy out of a summer’s day like the prediction of certain death.'

258 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 20, 2023

About the author

Kim Bannerman's stories have appeared in anthologies like ‘She’s Shameless’ (Tightrope Books), ‘Teen Angst Poetry’ (St. Martin’s Press), ‘Wolf-Girls’ (Hic Dragones Press), and ‘When Birds Are Near’ (Cornell University Press). She received a Canada Council Grant to complete her novel ‘Bucket of Blood’ in 2008, and her novels include the Circus Salmagundi Mysteries series, beginning with ’Truly the Devil’s Work’, and the modern fairy tale, ‘The Tattooed Wolf’. She can be found online at www.kbannerman.com.

Reviews

[Crystal books_inthewild · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot say enough about this series!!!!

If you're looking for a thrilling, twisty, and totally captivating read, this is exactly what you need! I absolutely adored being back with Rose, the Tattooed Lady, as she tackles yet another mystery, this time involving a sneaky thief and a stolen ancient coin. The circus setting, the eerie vibes, and the constant unraveling of secrets? Perfection.

Rose is as fierce and determined as ever, fighting for justice and uncovering truths, while the added character development of the Geek was a total highlight for me—he really comes into his own in this book, and I loved seeing him step into the spotlight. And let’s talk about that BC setting... it’s like the landscape itself is another character in the story, with all its history and hidden tensions.

The mystery kept me hooked the whole way through! There were enough clues along the way to let me feel like I was cracking the case right along with Rose. The suspense was real, and the deeper I got, the more invested I became in figuring out who was behind the theft...

If you like a good, character-driven mystery with a dash of history and a whole lot of heart, this one (and this whole series!) is a must read. I can’t wait to see what happens next with Rose and the gang!