Riddle of Spirit and Bone

by Carolyn Korsmeyer

In contemporary Buffalo, Dan's world is upended when he unearths a young woman's skeleton while replacing the gas main in a city neighborhood. Using the meager clues available, he and his archaeologist friends embark on a quest to piece together the mystery of her death. In 1851, the newly widowed Madeleine Talmadge and her orphaned nieces, Jane and Lydia, seek the aid of a cunning spiritualist, Alexander Dodge Lewis. Lewis leads them on a perilous journey from one sé ance to the next, attempting to summon the spirit of Madeleine' s late husband and promoting Lydia's latent abilities as a medium. Jane, suspicious of his motives and fearful of his influence, seeks to disentangle her aunt and cousin from Lewis' s beguiling sphere— with dire consequences. As the past collides with the present, layers of time peel back to reveal long-buried secrets of loss, love, and murder. Alongside its riveting plot, Riddle of Spirit and Bone offers subtle rumination on what can be observed, what can be known, and what can be trusted.

314 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 4, 2025

About the author

Carolyn Korsmeyer is the author of five books of philosophy and three novels, Charlotte's Story (TouchPoint 2021) and Little Follies: A Mystery at the Millennium (Black Rose Writing, 2023)and Riddle of Spirit and Bone (Regal House, 2025).

Reviews

[Lisa November · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great plot and storyline, but the writing was not compelling.

[Catelyn Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 2 of 2025: Riddle of Spirit and Bone, by Carolyn Korsmeyer
✨ 3.3 stars ✨

💫 ∿ My Rating System ∿ 💫
🌺 ✦ 50 points total ✦ 🌺
🌸 ✦ ÷ by 10 → 5⭐️ rating system ✦ 🌸
⊹ Story: 11 points ⊹
⊹ Characters: 12 points ⊹
⊹ Emotional Resonance: 9 points ⊹
⊹ Writing Style: 6 points ⊹
⊹ Thematic Depth: 5 points ⊹
⊹ Pacing: 4 points ⊹
⊹ Resolution: 3 points ⊹

· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·

Riddle of Spirit and Bone
By Carolyn Korsmeyer

· ─ 𖥸 ─ ·

⊹ My Rating: 3.3 stars ⊹

Story: 8 points
This story has a ton of potential. The premise is so eye-catching and intriguing, which is what made me buy the book in the first place. There are two timelines in this story, one set in 2015 and the other in 1851. I really enjoyed the 1851 timeline, but found it difficult to get through the 2015 timeline; it just didn’t feel like a lot was happening.

Characters: 7 points
Similar to my views on the story, I liked the 1851 characters a lot better than the 2015 ones. The characters in the 1851 timeline were more complex and dealt with a lot of conflict that was interesting to read about. The 2015 characters seemed a lot more flat and forgettable in my opinion.

Emotional Resonance: 6 points
I liked watching the plot play out, following Jane through the story as more and more pieces started falling into place. I was really rooting for her for the entire story. It was more difficult to relate to the other characters, though.

Writing Style: 3 points
I liked the mysterious aspect of the story and how the author was able to clearly show Jane’s skepticism and further character development in the story. However, many parts of the story were confusing. The main points of view are supposed to be Dan in 2015 and Jane in 1851, but there are parts where the thoughts and feelings of other characters are put directly onto the page, making it hard to follow. One chapter would be from one character’s point of view, but there would be a random paragraph or two in the middle of the chapter, even in the middle of a single scene, that would be from a different character’s point of view. Then, it would return to the original point of view.

Thematic Depth: 4 points
This story explored tragedy intermingled with love, showing how difficult it is to try and figure out what the right thing to do is. I thought the endings for the 1851 characters were very touching, both tragic and fulfilling.

Pacing: 2 points
I think that there were parts of this book that seemed very slow. It could have been condensed, and some parts could have even been cut out entirely, especially in the 2015 timeline.

Resolution: 3 points
I think the story ended well, tying up all of the threads of the story that were being unraveled throughout the book. As I stated earlier, I think the endings for the 1851 characters were very fitting.

[N.J. Mastro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Filled with intriguing twists and turns, Riddle of Spirit and Bone takes readers into the spiritualist movement that swept 1850s America. Dark rooms, séances, and midnight meetings where characters seek to commune with the spirit world occur as, meanwhile, more than a century later, archeologists try to piece together the story of a female skeleton whose bones show death by trauma from the same period. Who was she, where did she come from, and how did she die? More importantly, who killed her? Korsmeyer’s evocative descriptions of a place and period in history, along with her engaging dual narrative deftly linking the past with the present, will keep readers turning the page.

[Regina Buttner · Rating 5 out of 5]

With dual timelines separated by more than a century, Riddle of Spirit and Bone begins when an inquisitive team of students is drawn into the mystery surrounding the death of a nameless young woman whose bones they’ve discovered in an unlikely resting place. Tracing the 1851 route of the grand Erie Canal from prosperous Troy, New York to present day Buffalo, this novel immerses the reader in a tale of love, deception, and the beguiling roots of the Spiritualist movement.

–Regina Buttner, author of THE REVENGE PARADOX

[Kimberly Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This dual timeline novel is set in Buffalo, New York in present day and 1851.

In the modern storyline, Dan is working on a gas pipeline project, when he unexpectedly unearths a skeleton. Once it’s determined a cold case from a century and a half ago, a university research team is called in to investigate.

In 1851, penniless orphans Jane and Lydia have their lives upended (once again) when their Aunt Madeleine’s husband dies, leaving his wife unnamed in his will. Madeleine moves her nieces to western New York, but along the way seeks out the burgeoning spiritualist movement to obtain answers from her husband beyond the grave. Jane and Lydia respond very differently to these séances to commune with the dead.

This atmospheric novel alternates between past and present, as the mystery of the long-abandoned skeleton comes to life. A compelling, page-turning read, and a fascinating look at the spiritualist movement. A highly recommended read.

[Pauline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the historical fiction part of it - travel and spirituality and gender roles and all that in the nineteenth century, and it was kind of interesting how the people in 2015 gathered clues to solve the mystery. But it was fairly obvious early on what was going to happen, at least in general terms. And I didn't find the characters in 2015 as interesting as those in the earlier timeline. It was interesting to listen to but not something that made me want to find more by the author. At least not fiction - maybe I'd enjoy her non-fiction more.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. The dual timelines worked great and the fact that much of it took place in my hometown of Buffalo, NY made me love it all the more. ❤️❤️ It was also a great read for the spooky month of October.

[Sarah Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mystery spanning three centuries, and two main story lines. Archaeology, spiritualism, and romance all wrapped up into one.

[Patrick O'Dowd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riddle of Spirit and Bone by Carolyn Korsmeyer is a captivating blend of mystery, history, and the supernatural. The intertwining narratives of Dan uncovering the secrets of the past and the Talmadge family’s haunting encounters with a manipulative spiritualist make for a gripping read. The novel explores trust, loss, and the consequences of seeking answers in ways we may not fully understand. With richly developed characters and a plot that keeps you on edge, this is a must-read for fans of historical suspense with a touch of the eerie.