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The Skeleton Key
Not yet published
Expected 1 Jan 23Earlier edition of ISBN 9781473680920
A reunion leads to tragedy, and the unravelling of dark family secrets . . .
It is the summer of 2021 and Nell has come home at her family's insistence to celebrate an anniversary. Her father, Sir Frank Churcher, is regarded as a cult figure by many. Fifty years ago he wrote The Golden Bones. Part picture book, part treasure hunt, it was a fairy story about Elinore, a murdered woman whose skeleton was scattered all over England. Clues and puzzles in the pages of The Golden Bones led readers to seven sites where jewels were buried - gold and precious stones, each a different part of a skeleton. One by one, the tiny golden bones were dug up until only Elinore's pelvis remained hidden. The book was a sensation. A community of treasure hunters called the Bonehunters formed, in frenzied competition, obsessed to a dangerous degree. People sold their homes to travel to England and search for Elinore. Marriages broke down as the quest consumed people. A man died. The book made Frank a rich man. And it ruined Nell's life.
But Sir Frank has reunited the Churchers for a very particular reason. The book is being reissued, along with a new treasure hunt and a documentary crew are charting the anniversary. Nell is appalled, and fearful. During the filming, Frank finally reveals the whereabouts of the missing golden bone. And then all hell breaks loose.
From the bestselling author of He Said/She Said and Watch Her Fall, this is a taut, mesmerising novel about a daughter haunted by her father's legacy . . .
A reunion leads to tragedy, and the unravelling of dark family secrets . . .
It is the summer of 2021 and Nell has come home at her family's insistence to celebrate an anniversary. Her father, Sir Frank Churcher, is regarded as a cult figure by many. Fifty years ago he wrote The Golden Bones. Part picture book, part treasure hunt, it was a fairy story about Elinore, a murdered woman whose skeleton was scattered all over England. Clues and puzzles in the pages of The Golden Bones led readers to seven sites where jewels were buried - gold and precious stones, each a different part of a skeleton. One by one, the tiny golden bones were dug up until only Elinore's pelvis remained hidden. The book was a sensation. A community of treasure hunters called the Bonehunters formed, in frenzied competition, obsessed to a dangerous degree. People sold their homes to travel to England and search for Elinore. Marriages broke down as the quest consumed people. A man died. The book made Frank a rich man. And it ruined Nell's life.
But Sir Frank has reunited the Churchers for a very particular reason. The book is being reissued, along with a new treasure hunt and a documentary crew are charting the anniversary. Nell is appalled, and fearful. During the filming, Frank finally reveals the whereabouts of the missing golden bone. And then all hell breaks loose.
From the bestselling author of He Said/She Said and Watch Her Fall, this is a taut, mesmerising novel about a daughter haunted by her father's legacy . . .
512 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2022
1510 people are currently reading
16151 people want to read
About the author
Erin Kelly
51 books1,606 followersErin Kelly was born in London in 1976 and grew up in Essex. She read English at Warwick University and has been working as a journalist since 1998.
She has written for newspapers including the The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph, the Daily Mail and the Express and magazines including Red, Psychologies, Marie Claire, Elle and Cosmopolitan.
She has written for newspapers including the The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph, the Daily Mail and the Express and magazines including Red, Psychologies, Marie Claire, Elle and Cosmopolitan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,506 reviews
January 11, 2023
There’s a lot going on in this book: Upcoming 50th anniversary of a sensational child book containing a special treasure hunt, obsessed treasure hunters called Bonehunters, a bunch fanatics harassing the book author’s family, a huge media coverage, two interwoven dysfunctional families and their so messed up members!
This book is ultra complex, messy, intelligent reading requests your entire focus and attention because you keep moving back and forth between different timelines to collect entire pieces of puzzle for truly understanding the bigger picture!
There are so many characters and so much is going at the same time. Don’t get stressed out because of long pages! Pacing is quite fast and intriguing! You don’t have time for getting bored but you get exhausted after trying to absorb so much details about events and huge bunch of characters including their interesting back stories. You don’t want to miss anything because any detail the author has implicated is important!
The Golden Bones was published in 1971 and it was the most ambitious, expensive picture book ever made. One night an art student who lost his way and was about to get enlisted, stopping by the room of another art student he has been fancied for a long time. The lost man’s name was Frank and his beautiful muse was Cora. At that very same night, Cora played him a record called “ Gather the Bones” which gave him inspiration to create the entire book, artwork and riddle game based on the song lyrics which were also based on a true story of a woman named Elinore. That very same woman lived in English countryside unhappily married heroine took a lover, Tam; upon discovering the affair, Elinore's husband murdered her and scattered her bones throughout the countryside. A passing witch casted a spell allowing Tam to resurrect Elinore if he could piece her skeleton back together to prove his love. Tam spent the next seven years gathering his dead lover's bones and arranging them on his bed.
After the treasure hunt game which was based on Elinore’s story became a huge sensation, hopeless art student Frank turns into Sir Frank Churcher leading his readers to seven sites where jewels were buried: one by one, tiny golden bones were dug up until only Elinore’s pelvis remained hidden.
For 50 years nobody has found where Elinore’s pelvis hidden.
Frank and Cora got married and Cora gave birth to their daughter Eleanor who preferred to be called Nell. Poor girl was attacked by paranoid schizophrenic fan of the treasure hunt named Ingrid who thought by tearing Eleanor’s pelvis apart with a knife would help her to resuscitate Elinore! Terrorized young Eleanor barely survived from the attack and Ingrid got institutionalized but there were still her devoted followers ( one of them is Stuart) kept harassing Eleanor to mess with her life.
Now that very dysfunctional family: the adulterer Frank, very narcissistic Cora, their next door neighbors/ long time friends/ also in laws ( their children were married with each other) and their children, grandchildren gather all together at family estate where the documentary crew filming their entire celebration. Frank and Cora’s son Dom is about to lunch the application of treasure hunt he’s been working during pandemic ( it nearly took 3 years of work) And Frank plans to reveal the whereabouts of the missing golden bone!
Eleanor doesn’t want to get involved in Golden Bones business, rejecting the money her family can provide her, turning into a recluse, reluctantly joining the family gathering with her 15 years adopted daughter. But she sees Stuart lurking around, a mysterious person starts dropping clues on fan boards about her secrets. And it seems like there are serious problems about application’s lunching. Eleanor/ Nell has every right to get frighten because all hell breaks loose and things get out of control!
Overall: it was smart, well developed mystery! It’s worth to get exhausted!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Book Group/ Hodder & Stoughton for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
This book is ultra complex, messy, intelligent reading requests your entire focus and attention because you keep moving back and forth between different timelines to collect entire pieces of puzzle for truly understanding the bigger picture!
There are so many characters and so much is going at the same time. Don’t get stressed out because of long pages! Pacing is quite fast and intriguing! You don’t have time for getting bored but you get exhausted after trying to absorb so much details about events and huge bunch of characters including their interesting back stories. You don’t want to miss anything because any detail the author has implicated is important!
The Golden Bones was published in 1971 and it was the most ambitious, expensive picture book ever made. One night an art student who lost his way and was about to get enlisted, stopping by the room of another art student he has been fancied for a long time. The lost man’s name was Frank and his beautiful muse was Cora. At that very same night, Cora played him a record called “ Gather the Bones” which gave him inspiration to create the entire book, artwork and riddle game based on the song lyrics which were also based on a true story of a woman named Elinore. That very same woman lived in English countryside unhappily married heroine took a lover, Tam; upon discovering the affair, Elinore's husband murdered her and scattered her bones throughout the countryside. A passing witch casted a spell allowing Tam to resurrect Elinore if he could piece her skeleton back together to prove his love. Tam spent the next seven years gathering his dead lover's bones and arranging them on his bed.
After the treasure hunt game which was based on Elinore’s story became a huge sensation, hopeless art student Frank turns into Sir Frank Churcher leading his readers to seven sites where jewels were buried: one by one, tiny golden bones were dug up until only Elinore’s pelvis remained hidden.
For 50 years nobody has found where Elinore’s pelvis hidden.
Frank and Cora got married and Cora gave birth to their daughter Eleanor who preferred to be called Nell. Poor girl was attacked by paranoid schizophrenic fan of the treasure hunt named Ingrid who thought by tearing Eleanor’s pelvis apart with a knife would help her to resuscitate Elinore! Terrorized young Eleanor barely survived from the attack and Ingrid got institutionalized but there were still her devoted followers ( one of them is Stuart) kept harassing Eleanor to mess with her life.
Now that very dysfunctional family: the adulterer Frank, very narcissistic Cora, their next door neighbors/ long time friends/ also in laws ( their children were married with each other) and their children, grandchildren gather all together at family estate where the documentary crew filming their entire celebration. Frank and Cora’s son Dom is about to lunch the application of treasure hunt he’s been working during pandemic ( it nearly took 3 years of work) And Frank plans to reveal the whereabouts of the missing golden bone!
Eleanor doesn’t want to get involved in Golden Bones business, rejecting the money her family can provide her, turning into a recluse, reluctantly joining the family gathering with her 15 years adopted daughter. But she sees Stuart lurking around, a mysterious person starts dropping clues on fan boards about her secrets. And it seems like there are serious problems about application’s lunching. Eleanor/ Nell has every right to get frighten because all hell breaks loose and things get out of control!
Overall: it was smart, well developed mystery! It’s worth to get exhausted!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Book Group/ Hodder & Stoughton for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
February 1, 2023
Erin Kelly’s He Said/She Said was one of the first thriller ARCs I received. I devoured that book, and I’ll never forget it. Ever since, I try to catch all her new releases, so of course I was excited to add The Skeleton Key to my TBR.
Once again, Erin Kelly has delivered a nailbiting mystery with characters that truly shine. It’s the perfect ratio of character to plot for this genre, in my opinion. As with her other novels, the writing plunges you deep into the story and never lets go. I never knew what to expect, which is exactly how I like my thrillers.
The story of the Churcher and Lally families is one I will remember for a long time. The layering of details was flawless. There was so much to absorb. The Skeleton Key is a deliciously slower-building story that takes its time in its richness. I absolutely adored it and highly recommend it to longer-book-patient readers who are looking for a simmering, bold, fresh thriller.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Once again, Erin Kelly has delivered a nailbiting mystery with characters that truly shine. It’s the perfect ratio of character to plot for this genre, in my opinion. As with her other novels, the writing plunges you deep into the story and never lets go. I never knew what to expect, which is exactly how I like my thrillers.
The story of the Churcher and Lally families is one I will remember for a long time. The layering of details was flawless. There was so much to absorb. The Skeleton Key is a deliciously slower-building story that takes its time in its richness. I absolutely adored it and highly recommend it to longer-book-patient readers who are looking for a simmering, bold, fresh thriller.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
June 29, 2022
In the summer of 2021 the Churcher family gather for a television programme and a 50th anniversary relaunch of “The Golden Bones“ which is based on an old folk song telling the story of Elinore, her lover Tam and her husband who murders her, scattering her bones through the countryside. The book is a treasure hunt filled with clues and puzzles created by Sir Frank Churcher in order to identify the location of golden jewelled bones, a different part of Elinore’s “skeleton“. Six pieces are found, the final piece of the pelvis remains undiscovered. The book is the sensation, a massive hit with a hard-core and obsessive group of hunters who whip themselves into a frenzy to track the last piece down. It consumes some, it leaves one man dead and it wrecks the life of Nell, Frank and Cora Churcher’s daughter. In this new digital age there will be a new challenge via an app of clues that will lead to skeleton keys. Nell attends the launch party with massive reluctance, she tries to stay out of the film crews way and most importantly, that of the obsessive fans. During the filming Frank will reveal the resting place of the final golden bone, however, instead of the big reveal the lives of the Churcher family and that of their closest friends and neighbours the Lalleys implodes.
The book starts very dramatically and then in my opinion stalls for a while partly due to the non linear format going backtracks and forwards in time. Initially the pace is slow and the plot feels convoluted until pennies start to drop!! Things begin to click into place and from then on I’m hooked just like the obsessive fans!
Some scenes are lively and a bit mad but in the best possible way and I really enjoy their colourful nature. There are some good jaw descending with a thunk moments especially as you come to appreciate how Nell’s life has been tainted. I come to really like and admire her especially her frequent wry tone but most especially her love and loyalty to her ‘stepdaughter’ Billie who is a shining light among characters with somewhat dubious morals.
It’s a rollercoaster ride of discoveries, of duplicity and of who to dare to trust. There are rumours, speculations on revelations, threats, some heartache and a lot of destruction never mind the other mayhem! Along with sex, drugs, booze and not much rock ‘n’ roll we view dysfunction personified with the Churchers and the Lalleys which is entertaining reading. It builds to a very good crescendo and an enjoyable ending.
Finally, the social media feeds that intersperse the narrative are acutely observed with comments that come from the land of the utterly ridiculous and your question where brains are! They really add an extra dimension to the situations that unfold.
Overall, this is a good homage to Masquerade by Kit Williams which is a much loved book of the author.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
The book starts very dramatically and then in my opinion stalls for a while partly due to the non linear format going backtracks and forwards in time. Initially the pace is slow and the plot feels convoluted until pennies start to drop!! Things begin to click into place and from then on I’m hooked just like the obsessive fans!
Some scenes are lively and a bit mad but in the best possible way and I really enjoy their colourful nature. There are some good jaw descending with a thunk moments especially as you come to appreciate how Nell’s life has been tainted. I come to really like and admire her especially her frequent wry tone but most especially her love and loyalty to her ‘stepdaughter’ Billie who is a shining light among characters with somewhat dubious morals.
It’s a rollercoaster ride of discoveries, of duplicity and of who to dare to trust. There are rumours, speculations on revelations, threats, some heartache and a lot of destruction never mind the other mayhem! Along with sex, drugs, booze and not much rock ‘n’ roll we view dysfunction personified with the Churchers and the Lalleys which is entertaining reading. It builds to a very good crescendo and an enjoyable ending.
Finally, the social media feeds that intersperse the narrative are acutely observed with comments that come from the land of the utterly ridiculous and your question where brains are! They really add an extra dimension to the situations that unfold.
Overall, this is a good homage to Masquerade by Kit Williams which is a much loved book of the author.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
September 21, 2022
EXCERPT: Ingrid has gone limp in the cyclist's arms. She is making ugly, meaningless noises.
'I'm thirsty,' I tell Bridget.
Her training kicks in. 'That's a sign of shock. Here.' Her cape reveals itself to be the throw from my mother's sofa. She wraps it around me as she examines the wound. Mother of God, she's got the femoral artery. Rose, keep that pressure up. '
'Did we do the right thing?' asks Dom. He takes my hand. 'Bridget, she's freezing.'
'You both did brilliantly,' says Bridget. She puts one hand to my forehead and the other to my wrist.
I hear a siren sing in the distance.
'Have we saved her life, Mum?' asks Rose.
Bridget, who always says it's better to remain silent than tell a lie, doesn't reply.
'You've killed my sister,' cries Dominic to Ingrid. 'You should've been locked up years ago.'
The siren closes in.
'No.' Ingrid shakes her head. 'I was trying to save a life. All I've ever wanted was to bring Elinore back.'
The siren dies. Strobing blue light turns everyone into aliens. The ambulance door slams and I see the black boots and the green overalls of the paramedics at a sideways angle. My last thought as I close my eyes and slide backwards out of this world is how vain is the cause that I am about to die for.
For the woman that Ingrid is trying to save has never existed outside the pages of a book.
ABOUT 'THE SKELETON KEY': THIS REUNION WILL TEAR A FAMILY APART...
Summer, 2021. Nell has come home at her family's insistence to celebrate an anniversary. Fifty years ago, her father wrote The Golden Bones. Part picture book, part treasure hunt, Sir Frank Churcher created a fairy story about Elinore, a murdered woman whose skeleton was scattered all over England. Clues and puzzles in the pages of The Golden Bones led readers to seven sites where jewels were buried – gold and precious stones, each a different part of a skeleton. One by one, the tiny golden bones were dug up until only Elinore's pelvis remained hidden.
The book was a sensation. A community of treasure hunters called the Bonehunters formed, in frenzied competition, obsessed to a dangerous degree. People sold their homes to travel to England and search for Elinore. Marriages broke down as the quest consumed people. A man died. The book made Frank a rich man. Stalked by fans who could not tell fantasy from reality, his daughter, Nell, became a recluse.
But now the Churchers must be reunited. The book is being reissued along with a new treasure hunt and a documentary crew are charting everything that follows. Nell is appalled, and terrified. During the filming, Frank finally reveals the whereabouts of the missing golden bone. And then all hell breaks loose.
MY THOUGHTS: I became fully immersed in the story of the Churcher and Lally families to the detriment of everything else I was currently reading. The extended family dynamics enthralled me. I became obsessed by their machinations, and their relationships, which are almost incestuous.
They are complicated families, their past and current lives closely entwined. Just how closely entwined becomes apparent during the course of the book. They support one another, play off against one another. Their children marry one another. It's all just one big happy family. Or is it?
The characters are superbly portrayed. Who could not love and admire Nell for abandoning the claustrophobic craziness and striking out on her own? Or Dom for becoming the quintessential 'city boy' in retaliation to his parents loose and louche lifestyle?
But when Nell's life, and by extension young Billie's life, is threatened by Frank's desperate need to always be in the spotlight, the centre of attention, the Churcher and Lally clans circle the wagons in an attempt to control the frenzy Frank has unleashed upon them, with unforeseen consequences.
While the mystery is great, it's the characters that make this book. Actions that start out with good intentions become derailed and disastrous making it an unpredictable and rewarding read. The story inside is every bit as stunning, intricate and enticing as the cover art.
I loved every word of this, my first book by Erin Kelly, and I will definitely be reading more from this author.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#TheSkeletonKey #NetGalley
I: @erinjelly @hodderbooks
T: @mserinkelly @HodderFiction
#contemporaryfiction #familysaga #mystery
THE AUTHOR: Erin Kelly was born in London in 1976 and grew up in Essex. She read English at Warwick University and has been working as a journalist since 1998.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Skeleton Key via Netgalley for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon,Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
'I'm thirsty,' I tell Bridget.
Her training kicks in. 'That's a sign of shock. Here.' Her cape reveals itself to be the throw from my mother's sofa. She wraps it around me as she examines the wound. Mother of God, she's got the femoral artery. Rose, keep that pressure up. '
'Did we do the right thing?' asks Dom. He takes my hand. 'Bridget, she's freezing.'
'You both did brilliantly,' says Bridget. She puts one hand to my forehead and the other to my wrist.
I hear a siren sing in the distance.
'Have we saved her life, Mum?' asks Rose.
Bridget, who always says it's better to remain silent than tell a lie, doesn't reply.
'You've killed my sister,' cries Dominic to Ingrid. 'You should've been locked up years ago.'
The siren closes in.
'No.' Ingrid shakes her head. 'I was trying to save a life. All I've ever wanted was to bring Elinore back.'
The siren dies. Strobing blue light turns everyone into aliens. The ambulance door slams and I see the black boots and the green overalls of the paramedics at a sideways angle. My last thought as I close my eyes and slide backwards out of this world is how vain is the cause that I am about to die for.
For the woman that Ingrid is trying to save has never existed outside the pages of a book.
ABOUT 'THE SKELETON KEY': THIS REUNION WILL TEAR A FAMILY APART...
Summer, 2021. Nell has come home at her family's insistence to celebrate an anniversary. Fifty years ago, her father wrote The Golden Bones. Part picture book, part treasure hunt, Sir Frank Churcher created a fairy story about Elinore, a murdered woman whose skeleton was scattered all over England. Clues and puzzles in the pages of The Golden Bones led readers to seven sites where jewels were buried – gold and precious stones, each a different part of a skeleton. One by one, the tiny golden bones were dug up until only Elinore's pelvis remained hidden.
The book was a sensation. A community of treasure hunters called the Bonehunters formed, in frenzied competition, obsessed to a dangerous degree. People sold their homes to travel to England and search for Elinore. Marriages broke down as the quest consumed people. A man died. The book made Frank a rich man. Stalked by fans who could not tell fantasy from reality, his daughter, Nell, became a recluse.
But now the Churchers must be reunited. The book is being reissued along with a new treasure hunt and a documentary crew are charting everything that follows. Nell is appalled, and terrified. During the filming, Frank finally reveals the whereabouts of the missing golden bone. And then all hell breaks loose.
MY THOUGHTS: I became fully immersed in the story of the Churcher and Lally families to the detriment of everything else I was currently reading. The extended family dynamics enthralled me. I became obsessed by their machinations, and their relationships, which are almost incestuous.
They are complicated families, their past and current lives closely entwined. Just how closely entwined becomes apparent during the course of the book. They support one another, play off against one another. Their children marry one another. It's all just one big happy family. Or is it?
The characters are superbly portrayed. Who could not love and admire Nell for abandoning the claustrophobic craziness and striking out on her own? Or Dom for becoming the quintessential 'city boy' in retaliation to his parents loose and louche lifestyle?
But when Nell's life, and by extension young Billie's life, is threatened by Frank's desperate need to always be in the spotlight, the centre of attention, the Churcher and Lally clans circle the wagons in an attempt to control the frenzy Frank has unleashed upon them, with unforeseen consequences.
While the mystery is great, it's the characters that make this book. Actions that start out with good intentions become derailed and disastrous making it an unpredictable and rewarding read. The story inside is every bit as stunning, intricate and enticing as the cover art.
I loved every word of this, my first book by Erin Kelly, and I will definitely be reading more from this author.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#TheSkeletonKey #NetGalley
I: @erinjelly @hodderbooks
T: @mserinkelly @HodderFiction
#contemporaryfiction #familysaga #mystery
THE AUTHOR: Erin Kelly was born in London in 1976 and grew up in Essex. She read English at Warwick University and has been working as a journalist since 1998.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Skeleton Key via Netgalley for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon,Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
August 10, 2025
Alas poor Elinore, I knew her…..
Book Information
The Skeleton Key was written by Erin Kelly. The book was published on September 1, 2022 and is 512 pages. Erin Kelly is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Poison Tree, The Sick Rose, The Burning Air, The Ties That Bind, He Said/She Said, Stone Mothers and Broadchurch: The Novel, inspired by the mega-hit TV series. Thank you to the author and to Mobius Books for providing an advance reader copy for review.
Summary
50 years ago, Sir Frank Churcher wrote The Golden Bones. It was a story about Elinore, a woman who was murdered and whose skeleton was scattered all over England. The book was part picture book and part treasure hunt and captured the attention of a nation. Unfortunately, some among the treasure hunters were unable to tell reality from fantasy which led to stalking, attacks and drove his daughter, Nell, into a very private lifestyle. On this 50th anniversary, the families involved are reunited, the book is reprinted and the treasure hunt is rekindled with a focus on the last bone….the only one never to be found. They are no less dysfunctional than they ever were….and that’s before total and complete chaos ensues……
My Thoughts
Awesome. This is a longer-than-average book that kept me enthralled. It made me look for opportunities to read just a few more pages throughout the day. I found it exceedingly well-written and well-paced.
This is the kind of psychological thriller that I enjoy. You get insights and information from different characters' perspectives and across various timelines. Often seeing outcomes from actions taken decades ago, and then flashing back to dig deeper into what really happened. The characters are well-developed and grow (often more dysfunctional) as we get to know them better. In a lot of ways, this is really the story of two families vs a treasure hunt mystery…but that doesn’t limit the number of twists or surprises. As the chapters progress, your perspective on the story and its characters will as well.
It's a suspenseful, obsession filled, intricately laid out story full of characters that are often not likable, certainly not trustworthy but always intriguing. It covers some hard topics but deals with them well.
It’s a mystery built inside of a mystery. It’s also a very enjoyable read.
Recommendation
If you like psychological thrillers, suspense and can afford to be completely engrossed in a story until the end….this one is for you.
Rating
4.5 Skeletal Stars
Book Information
The Skeleton Key was written by Erin Kelly. The book was published on September 1, 2022 and is 512 pages. Erin Kelly is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Poison Tree, The Sick Rose, The Burning Air, The Ties That Bind, He Said/She Said, Stone Mothers and Broadchurch: The Novel, inspired by the mega-hit TV series. Thank you to the author and to Mobius Books for providing an advance reader copy for review.
Summary
50 years ago, Sir Frank Churcher wrote The Golden Bones. It was a story about Elinore, a woman who was murdered and whose skeleton was scattered all over England. The book was part picture book and part treasure hunt and captured the attention of a nation. Unfortunately, some among the treasure hunters were unable to tell reality from fantasy which led to stalking, attacks and drove his daughter, Nell, into a very private lifestyle. On this 50th anniversary, the families involved are reunited, the book is reprinted and the treasure hunt is rekindled with a focus on the last bone….the only one never to be found. They are no less dysfunctional than they ever were….and that’s before total and complete chaos ensues……
My Thoughts
Awesome. This is a longer-than-average book that kept me enthralled. It made me look for opportunities to read just a few more pages throughout the day. I found it exceedingly well-written and well-paced.
This is the kind of psychological thriller that I enjoy. You get insights and information from different characters' perspectives and across various timelines. Often seeing outcomes from actions taken decades ago, and then flashing back to dig deeper into what really happened. The characters are well-developed and grow (often more dysfunctional) as we get to know them better. In a lot of ways, this is really the story of two families vs a treasure hunt mystery…but that doesn’t limit the number of twists or surprises. As the chapters progress, your perspective on the story and its characters will as well.
It's a suspenseful, obsession filled, intricately laid out story full of characters that are often not likable, certainly not trustworthy but always intriguing. It covers some hard topics but deals with them well.
It’s a mystery built inside of a mystery. It’s also a very enjoyable read.
Recommendation
If you like psychological thrillers, suspense and can afford to be completely engrossed in a story until the end….this one is for you.
Rating
4.5 Skeletal Stars
September 4, 2022
I was initially pulled in by the stunning cover and the synopsis. How could I resist the storyline and the beautiful way in which Erin Kelly writes?
Unfortunately, for me, this didn't really work. It's undeniable that the writing is almost poetic and artful, but the story failed to hit the mark. It took me a long time to become engaged in the story. I didn't really care for the characters and didn't really understand the logic behind the puzzle of the golden bones. The followers of the fabled story felt like a cult following and would do anything and hurt anyone to succeed in their goal.
The Skeleton Key features two families - The Churcher's and The Lally's. They seem to have lived quite an affluent lifestyle due to the success of The Golden Bones. It's quite the portrayal of dysfunctional families, and I felt both of them were largely unlikeable.
This wasn't a hit for me, but it won't stop me from reading Erin Kelly's other novels.
Unfortunately, for me, this didn't really work. It's undeniable that the writing is almost poetic and artful, but the story failed to hit the mark. It took me a long time to become engaged in the story. I didn't really care for the characters and didn't really understand the logic behind the puzzle of the golden bones. The followers of the fabled story felt like a cult following and would do anything and hurt anyone to succeed in their goal.
The Skeleton Key features two families - The Churcher's and The Lally's. They seem to have lived quite an affluent lifestyle due to the success of The Golden Bones. It's quite the portrayal of dysfunctional families, and I felt both of them were largely unlikeable.
This wasn't a hit for me, but it won't stop me from reading Erin Kelly's other novels.
June 5, 2022
Erin Kelly’s latest is an absorbing treasure-hunt mystery that’s also a murder story, a family saga, and also significantly about ageing, particularly how it affects men and women differently. Nell is the semi-estranged daughter of artist Frank Churcher, whose masterpiece The Golden Bones – a picture book containing clues to the location of, yes, bones made of solid gold – became a worldwide phenomenon in the 1970s. Now, on the 50th anniversary of its publication, a revival is planned, but the ‘big reveal’ goes drastically wrong and soon the entire Churcher family is embroiled in a murder investigation. The Skeleton Key is a sprawling story with subplots galore and a smart perspective switch somewhere in the middle. With so much happening, it doesn’t quite keep the same momentum throughout (I found a few of the aforementioned subplots a bit tiresome, and found myself furiously disagreeing with Nell’s moral standpoint towards the end!), but it’s good at being a story about a lot of things. For me it was most effective in its portrayal of a monstrous, powerful figure casting a shadow across far too many people; I suspect it’s one of those books in which different readers will find different meanings.
I received an advance review copy of The Skeleton Key from the publisher through NetGalley.
TinyLetter | Linktree
I received an advance review copy of The Skeleton Key from the publisher through NetGalley.
TinyLetter | Linktree
September 1, 2022
Erin Kelly is an author who always keeps you guessing. No novel of hers is anything like any other novel of hers, so you never quite know what you’re going to get. This is why I have a rather complicated relationship with her work, I think. I will adore one book, and feel rather meh about another one. ‘The Skeleton Key‘ lands somewhere in between the two for me.
The positives are mostly with the characterisation. These two families are immensely entwined, kind of like a bunch of Christmas lights you can’t seem to untangle. The parents have been friends for decades, the son of one family is married to the daughter of the other family. There is a lot of history here, decisions that were made for the good of the two families, secrets that are being kept hidden for the same reason. But all is about to fall apart.
One book has influenced these families’ lives in more ways than one. It brought them fame and money. But it also brought them stalkers, nutters and a whole lot of pain. Especially for Nell, who is an obsession for a whole community of people who are enthralled with treasure hunts. Nell isn’t like the other family members. She made a choice to try and distance herself from the lot of them, and leads a very different life. From the very beginning, I struggled to understand why she would have anything to do with these celebrations. Her father’s book, ‘The Golden Bones‘, pretty much ruined her life. If that had been me, I wouldn’t have come anywhere near this anniversary.
To be fair, I had issues with a lot of the decisions these characters made over the years. By way of flashbacks, the readers learns a lot about all of them, and very little of it is good. Frank especially is a total jerk. It’s the revelations about his actions that will influence the outcome of this story, and lead to a rather thought-provoking moment where the reader can try to decide which side of the fence they’d fall on.
The mystery of the missing golden bone is really secondary, and to be honest, for most of the book I wasn’t at all interested in its whereabouts. Even though the obsession with it runs like a thread through this story. However, this is definitely a character-driven novel with a focus on the many, mostly bad, decisions these characters have made throughout the years. Unfortunately for me, I found most of it a struggle. I didn’t particularly like the characters. I often couldn’t understand their behaviour or motivations, both in the past and present. They seemed to knowingly and stubbornly remain part of dysfunctional families and extremely toxic relationships for reasons that made no sense to me. It made me quite sad to realise their lives could have been so much different if they’d been in any way smart/brave/something enough to step away from the one they were living.
The pace was rather on the slow side, which doesn’t have to be a problem, but I found it was in this case. This is one of those novels where you finish and think it could quite easily have been at least a hundred or more pages shorter. Mostly, ‘The Skeleton Key‘ left me immensely conflicted. It wasn’t at all what I expected from the book description and, even as I write this review, I’m still not entirely sure I liked what I did get. Yet, I’m not annoyed I read it, nor did it feel like a waste of time. Could I possibly be any more conflicted, you ask? No, I don’t think I can be. Neither has it put me off reading whatever Erin Kelly comes up with next because I know that whatever it is, it will surprise me once again.
The positives are mostly with the characterisation. These two families are immensely entwined, kind of like a bunch of Christmas lights you can’t seem to untangle. The parents have been friends for decades, the son of one family is married to the daughter of the other family. There is a lot of history here, decisions that were made for the good of the two families, secrets that are being kept hidden for the same reason. But all is about to fall apart.
One book has influenced these families’ lives in more ways than one. It brought them fame and money. But it also brought them stalkers, nutters and a whole lot of pain. Especially for Nell, who is an obsession for a whole community of people who are enthralled with treasure hunts. Nell isn’t like the other family members. She made a choice to try and distance herself from the lot of them, and leads a very different life. From the very beginning, I struggled to understand why she would have anything to do with these celebrations. Her father’s book, ‘The Golden Bones‘, pretty much ruined her life. If that had been me, I wouldn’t have come anywhere near this anniversary.
To be fair, I had issues with a lot of the decisions these characters made over the years. By way of flashbacks, the readers learns a lot about all of them, and very little of it is good. Frank especially is a total jerk. It’s the revelations about his actions that will influence the outcome of this story, and lead to a rather thought-provoking moment where the reader can try to decide which side of the fence they’d fall on.
The mystery of the missing golden bone is really secondary, and to be honest, for most of the book I wasn’t at all interested in its whereabouts. Even though the obsession with it runs like a thread through this story. However, this is definitely a character-driven novel with a focus on the many, mostly bad, decisions these characters have made throughout the years. Unfortunately for me, I found most of it a struggle. I didn’t particularly like the characters. I often couldn’t understand their behaviour or motivations, both in the past and present. They seemed to knowingly and stubbornly remain part of dysfunctional families and extremely toxic relationships for reasons that made no sense to me. It made me quite sad to realise their lives could have been so much different if they’d been in any way smart/brave/something enough to step away from the one they were living.
The pace was rather on the slow side, which doesn’t have to be a problem, but I found it was in this case. This is one of those novels where you finish and think it could quite easily have been at least a hundred or more pages shorter. Mostly, ‘The Skeleton Key‘ left me immensely conflicted. It wasn’t at all what I expected from the book description and, even as I write this review, I’m still not entirely sure I liked what I did get. Yet, I’m not annoyed I read it, nor did it feel like a waste of time. Could I possibly be any more conflicted, you ask? No, I don’t think I can be. Neither has it put me off reading whatever Erin Kelly comes up with next because I know that whatever it is, it will surprise me once again.
November 25, 2022
The Mystery of the Missing Mystery...
This book is billed as a mystery and a thriller. OK, I've said this many times so let me be swift - thrillers need to be fast-paced or they don't thrill. At 512 pages, this is the opposite of fast-paced, so let's drop the pretence of it being a thriller.
But where is the mystery? I often pause at 20% of a book to kind of consolidate in my mind what I've read so far and, frankly, to decide whether it has grabbed me enough to make me want to read the other 80%. At 20% of this mystery thriller, there is no mystery. Well, one, perhaps - namely, what is the plot? It's a long, rambling, admittedly well written, description of two dysfunctional families loosely tied together by a book one of them published long ago, that became a sensation that attracted a bunch of nutters, stalkers and weirdos. This is the book's 50th anniversary, so one assumes these aforesaid nutters, stalkers and weirdos are now doing their nuttery, stalkery and weirdery with the assistance of walking sticks, zimmer frames and reading glasses. (Ageist? I'm their age, and I assure you I lost any desire to run about stalking people over fantasy novels many decades ago, round about the same time as we stopped singing songs about the Age of Aquarius...)
But there's no plot, no mystery. And still 400 pages to go. Nope. Abandoned.
Perhaps it's the victim of misleading blurb syndrome. Perhaps if it had been marketed as contemporary fiction focusing on dysfunctional families the lack of a plot or a mystery wouldn't have mattered. But if a book is sold as a mystery thriller, then it should have the former and be the latter.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Hodder & Stoughton, via NetGalley.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
This book is billed as a mystery and a thriller. OK, I've said this many times so let me be swift - thrillers need to be fast-paced or they don't thrill. At 512 pages, this is the opposite of fast-paced, so let's drop the pretence of it being a thriller.
But where is the mystery? I often pause at 20% of a book to kind of consolidate in my mind what I've read so far and, frankly, to decide whether it has grabbed me enough to make me want to read the other 80%. At 20% of this mystery thriller, there is no mystery. Well, one, perhaps - namely, what is the plot? It's a long, rambling, admittedly well written, description of two dysfunctional families loosely tied together by a book one of them published long ago, that became a sensation that attracted a bunch of nutters, stalkers and weirdos. This is the book's 50th anniversary, so one assumes these aforesaid nutters, stalkers and weirdos are now doing their nuttery, stalkery and weirdery with the assistance of walking sticks, zimmer frames and reading glasses. (Ageist? I'm their age, and I assure you I lost any desire to run about stalking people over fantasy novels many decades ago, round about the same time as we stopped singing songs about the Age of Aquarius...)
But there's no plot, no mystery. And still 400 pages to go. Nope. Abandoned.
Perhaps it's the victim of misleading blurb syndrome. Perhaps if it had been marketed as contemporary fiction focusing on dysfunctional families the lack of a plot or a mystery wouldn't have mattered. But if a book is sold as a mystery thriller, then it should have the former and be the latter.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Hodder & Stoughton, via NetGalley.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
September 23, 2022
Since finishing this book I've been thinking how to voice my admiration for the author. I don't like rehashing the story because that's what blurbs are for, but I really do want to write down how this book made me feel after finishing it.
This book touched me in many ways. It has everything I need from a story: a wonderful, twisted plot, interesting characters and dozens of little things I as a reader can identify with. I just love treasure hunts but I wouldn’t go so far as the Bonehunters in this story and become a stalker or let this hunt ruin my marriage. It’s absolutely fascinating to read, very cleverly done and beautifully written. I’m sure I will read more of Erin Kelly’s books.
Thanks to Netgalley for this review copy.
This book touched me in many ways. It has everything I need from a story: a wonderful, twisted plot, interesting characters and dozens of little things I as a reader can identify with. I just love treasure hunts but I wouldn’t go so far as the Bonehunters in this story and become a stalker or let this hunt ruin my marriage. It’s absolutely fascinating to read, very cleverly done and beautifully written. I’m sure I will read more of Erin Kelly’s books.
Thanks to Netgalley for this review copy.
January 23, 2023
It was disappointing that the original premise and treasure hunt aspects were quite irrelevant to the story at the end. But the major issue with the book is its main character Nell who comes across as self-centered and self-righteous to a dislikable degree...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2022
Another stunning piece of literature from the pen of Erin Kelly. One rich, dysfunctional family, one violent treasure hunt and a whole host of secrets sit at the centre of this tale.
Moving seamlessly between past and present, an evocative haunting and beautifully imagined truth emerges. This is a novel rich in layers, both of character and action, you sink into it, each moment leading inexorably to the next until the truth is there for the reader to see.
An absolutely wonderful, intelligent and hugely compelling piece of writing
Highly Recommended.
Moving seamlessly between past and present, an evocative haunting and beautifully imagined truth emerges. This is a novel rich in layers, both of character and action, you sink into it, each moment leading inexorably to the next until the truth is there for the reader to see.
An absolutely wonderful, intelligent and hugely compelling piece of writing
Highly Recommended.
January 30, 2023
I was doing so good in the first of January at being on top of my reviews, and then I hit this book, and the mehness of it has caused a back-up that I'm trying to get back under control before February hits. Anyway, I was really excited about this book, but it didn't quite do it for me. It was perfectly fine! But I will never read it again (a litmus test I have been using more and more when deciding if I want to round up or down on half-star ratings).
The plot of this one is pretty complicated (one of my complaints), but the basic premise is that there is a children's book (based on a real book the author loves as a child) that left clues for readers to find treasure in real life (in this case a tiny golden skeleton split up into sections), and people became obsessed with it, making its author and illustrator a very rich man. It also painted a target on his daughter, who he named after the character in the book whose skeleton all the treasure hunters were looking to find. A large part of this book is Eleanor (who goes by Nell) dealing with the fallout from obsessive unhealthy fandom.
Anyway, all this has started up again as they've decided to make an app and create another treasure hunt, but on the date of the release, a real bone is found in the place that they've hidden the last golden bone from the previous skeleton (a pelvis). This digs up the past for Nell in a very unpleasant way, which also happens to threaten the safety of her foster child. Also complicating things are the many, many characters in Nell's family, all of whom cause a lot of drama, especially her parents and their "best friends" who live next door to them. Her parents' past histories and all of their drama is a significant part of the story.
Anyway, this was a five hundred page mystery book, and it was too much. It was too long, and there was just TOO MUCH. I was compelled at first but then things just seemed to get bogged down and I lost interest quite a bit. Not even the pretty clever ending could bring it back all the way. I just think this needed some trimming, either of characters or subplots, or page length. My circuits were overloaded and shut down.
Still, not mad I read it.
[3.5 stars]
The plot of this one is pretty complicated (one of my complaints), but the basic premise is that there is a children's book (based on a real book the author loves as a child) that left clues for readers to find treasure in real life (in this case a tiny golden skeleton split up into sections), and people became obsessed with it, making its author and illustrator a very rich man. It also painted a target on his daughter, who he named after the character in the book whose skeleton all the treasure hunters were looking to find. A large part of this book is Eleanor (who goes by Nell) dealing with the fallout from obsessive unhealthy fandom.
Anyway, all this has started up again as they've decided to make an app and create another treasure hunt, but on the date of the release, a real bone is found in the place that they've hidden the last golden bone from the previous skeleton (a pelvis). This digs up the past for Nell in a very unpleasant way, which also happens to threaten the safety of her foster child. Also complicating things are the many, many characters in Nell's family, all of whom cause a lot of drama, especially her parents and their "best friends" who live next door to them. Her parents' past histories and all of their drama is a significant part of the story.
Anyway, this was a five hundred page mystery book, and it was too much. It was too long, and there was just TOO MUCH. I was compelled at first but then things just seemed to get bogged down and I lost interest quite a bit. Not even the pretty clever ending could bring it back all the way. I just think this needed some trimming, either of characters or subplots, or page length. My circuits were overloaded and shut down.
Still, not mad I read it.
[3.5 stars]
Read
June 5, 2023Incredibly compelling family-secrets story, with the premise of a book like Masquerade by Kit Williams that made it's creator's family rich, and also targets.
Absolute genius. Brilliantly structured with all the secrets unspooling horribly yet inevitably. Everyone is dreadful and especially everyone in the art world is dreadful: it's wonderfully full of suppressed rage and resentment. I appreciate this isn't *sounding* fun but it's genuinely unputdownable: you just have to know what happened in the past and what's happening now, and the tension is great. I enjoyed every minute.
Absolute genius. Brilliantly structured with all the secrets unspooling horribly yet inevitably. Everyone is dreadful and especially everyone in the art world is dreadful: it's wonderfully full of suppressed rage and resentment. I appreciate this isn't *sounding* fun but it's genuinely unputdownable: you just have to know what happened in the past and what's happening now, and the tension is great. I enjoyed every minute.
September 23, 2022
I found it slow,boring and predictable The "book quest" feels like just a prop for what is essentially the story of two-not really interesting- dysfunctional families. Characters,for all the drama,felt flat for me.
Lots of readers have loved this,so...
Lots of readers have loved this,so...
April 1, 2023
I listened to the audiobook, which was very well narrated. This was a tale of a very dysfunctional family, and success turning into something toxic and damaging. An interesting cast of characters, not all are very nice, but that can enhance a story like this!
December 15, 2022
What drew me in to The Skeleton Key were a) the cover of the book, which seemed to promise both magic and ordinary life and b) the fact that it was built around a book. In this case, a treasure hunt book that's now 50 years old, involves a quest to re-assemble a skeleton, has a world-wide, obsessive fan base, and has shaped the lives of two close families—one the author/illustrator's, the other his best friend's.
Erin Kelly has structured this novel brilliantly, switching back and forth in time, doling out crucial pieces of information at regular intervals, but never revealing the full story until the novel's conclusion. Normally, this might have been a DNF title for me because it's much more about family dynamics than about a book and the magic it creates, but Kelly kept me hooked.
The narrative voice alternates between omniscient and first-person, and in the first-person sections the voice we hear is that of Nell, short for Eleanor, the daughter of the author/illustrator. The book's skeletal heroine is Elinore, so not surprisingly Nell has been hounded her entire life by "boneheads," individuals attempting to solve the book's puzzles and locate the jeweled bones associated with them. Early on readers learn that, as a child, Nell was attacked by a bonehead who was convinced the removing a bone from the body of the living Nell/Eleanor would somehow complete the quest set up in the book.
The Skeleton Key spins out in multiple directions and readers come to see deep, often disturbing, links among the two central families and immense character flaws in each of these individuals. If you enjoy books drenched in suspense with characters you can never quite be certain of, you're going to love reading The Skeleton Key. I found that to be true—even though the novel wasn't as bookish as I'd hoped when I began reading.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
Erin Kelly has structured this novel brilliantly, switching back and forth in time, doling out crucial pieces of information at regular intervals, but never revealing the full story until the novel's conclusion. Normally, this might have been a DNF title for me because it's much more about family dynamics than about a book and the magic it creates, but Kelly kept me hooked.
The narrative voice alternates between omniscient and first-person, and in the first-person sections the voice we hear is that of Nell, short for Eleanor, the daughter of the author/illustrator. The book's skeletal heroine is Elinore, so not surprisingly Nell has been hounded her entire life by "boneheads," individuals attempting to solve the book's puzzles and locate the jeweled bones associated with them. Early on readers learn that, as a child, Nell was attacked by a bonehead who was convinced the removing a bone from the body of the living Nell/Eleanor would somehow complete the quest set up in the book.
The Skeleton Key spins out in multiple directions and readers come to see deep, often disturbing, links among the two central families and immense character flaws in each of these individuals. If you enjoy books drenched in suspense with characters you can never quite be certain of, you're going to love reading The Skeleton Key. I found that to be true—even though the novel wasn't as bookish as I'd hoped when I began reading.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
September 23, 2022
This book was not what I was expecting! But in a good way.
A family bought together by a wonderful thing are slowly torn apart.....
Secrets, lies, deception, sex and a weird "cult" that believe the answer lies in the bones of Nell, and will stop at nothing to get them!
A family bought together by a wonderful thing are slowly torn apart.....
Secrets, lies, deception, sex and a weird "cult" that believe the answer lies in the bones of Nell, and will stop at nothing to get them!
June 20, 2022
the title was misleading and I am very disappointed because there weren't any skeletons carrying keys
September 6, 2022
Honestly, it was that beautiful cover image that me drawn to the book at first but then knowing it was from Erin Kelly, of course, I was sure I was in for a treat. Nope, I have not read many books by the author to form an opinion but The Poison Tree is still crystal clear in my mind and for that alone, I should probably go back and give that book the whole 5 stars for creating such an impact.
The Skeleton Key has a unique plot, keeping aside the central theme of dysfunctional families, the story has an author whose picture book The Golden Bones has clues for a real treasure hunt and the frenzy the release of the book creates for him and his family. Being named after the central character in a fictional book written by your father has not given Eleanor Churcher an easy life. Stalked, stabbed and threatened by the crazy treasure hunters called Bonehunters, Nell stays away from her family as much as possible to escape the madness that has the bone hunters making her life a miserable hell.
Erin Kelly sketches two families intertwined in every possible way and thru different POVs and different timelines, bringing about a story that is all about secrets and power games. The Churchers and Lally's living in semi-detached houses and sharing everything together have more than 50 years of friendship between them but nothing is as rosy as seen from the outside world and for Nell, who discovers the extent of the despicable secrets that are waiting to tumble out of the closet, it is more shocking than most.
The relationship between Nell and Dom and that of Billie and Nell are the highlights of the story, in fact, the arc of each and every character in the book was brilliantly done. Billie, however, is like a breath of fresh air in this dark family drama. It is not just about the mystery of a skeleton but Erin Kelly keeps the readers on their toes convoluting the plot with one reveal after another every step of the way and there are so many subplots running in the story that the momentum of the story also has its own pace, whereas some parts I could literally fly with it there were also some other parts which were very slow in its unraveling.
A solid winner from Erin Kelly, The Skeleton Key is a perfect choice for all fans of the family saga with a mystery woven thru it.
Many thanks to Net Galley, Hodder & Stoughton, and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.
This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Book Bub, ##Medium.com, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
The Skeleton Key has a unique plot, keeping aside the central theme of dysfunctional families, the story has an author whose picture book The Golden Bones has clues for a real treasure hunt and the frenzy the release of the book creates for him and his family. Being named after the central character in a fictional book written by your father has not given Eleanor Churcher an easy life. Stalked, stabbed and threatened by the crazy treasure hunters called Bonehunters, Nell stays away from her family as much as possible to escape the madness that has the bone hunters making her life a miserable hell.
Erin Kelly sketches two families intertwined in every possible way and thru different POVs and different timelines, bringing about a story that is all about secrets and power games. The Churchers and Lally's living in semi-detached houses and sharing everything together have more than 50 years of friendship between them but nothing is as rosy as seen from the outside world and for Nell, who discovers the extent of the despicable secrets that are waiting to tumble out of the closet, it is more shocking than most.
The relationship between Nell and Dom and that of Billie and Nell are the highlights of the story, in fact, the arc of each and every character in the book was brilliantly done. Billie, however, is like a breath of fresh air in this dark family drama. It is not just about the mystery of a skeleton but Erin Kelly keeps the readers on their toes convoluting the plot with one reveal after another every step of the way and there are so many subplots running in the story that the momentum of the story also has its own pace, whereas some parts I could literally fly with it there were also some other parts which were very slow in its unraveling.
A solid winner from Erin Kelly, The Skeleton Key is a perfect choice for all fans of the family saga with a mystery woven thru it.
Many thanks to Net Galley, Hodder & Stoughton, and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.
This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Book Bub, ##Medium.com, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
January 23, 2023
I really must apologise for nominating this this one to an online reading group I belong to. My previous experience with Erin Kelly has been quite mixed. He Said/She Said taught me more about solar eclipses than I ever wanted to know, The Poison Tree was ruined by an ignoramus American editor, but I quite liked Watch Her Fall and thought The Burning Air an excellent school revenge story. The Skeleton Key features a literal golden key and a literal human skeleton, as well as a jumbled artistic clan composed of an alcoholic Irish ex-priest and a paedophile Englishman perhaps modelled on Augustus John or Eric Gill, who got rich by creating a puzzle book like Kit Williams’s Masquerade but featuring a princess rather than a hare. As the story flashes back and forth from the 1970s to 2021 with many characters, the reader is apt to find it hard to follow. But the worst parts are narrated in first person by Nell, the daugher of one of the artists. She is supposed to be creating stained glass artwork, but unfortunately her vocabulary is mostly limited to expletives. Typical examples:
‘The plate of shit Frank wants her to enact is a dish best served cold.’
'Oh, this is fucked. This is fucked up.’
‘The online shit-stirring wold have been harmless if the jewel had been left in the tree. . . . Taking the jewels would have been harmless . . . without the online shit-stirring . . .’
'This is shitty, trying to guilt trip me.'
'Shitting hell. This is the most fucked-up thing I’ve ever heard.’
'And what's Rose's hot take on it all? 'Eleanor, please don't be snotty,' says Cora. 'Fuck off, Cora.'
The book is followed by seven pages of acknowledgements thanking others responsible for this production, including the author’s children. Then we have ‘Reading Group Questions,’ including ‘Who is your favourite/least favourite character and how true did each of them feel?’ I fear there are too many candidates for the least favourite.
‘The plate of shit Frank wants her to enact is a dish best served cold.’
'Oh, this is fucked. This is fucked up.’
‘The online shit-stirring wold have been harmless if the jewel had been left in the tree. . . . Taking the jewels would have been harmless . . . without the online shit-stirring . . .’
'This is shitty, trying to guilt trip me.'
'Shitting hell. This is the most fucked-up thing I’ve ever heard.’
'And what's Rose's hot take on it all? 'Eleanor, please don't be snotty,' says Cora. 'Fuck off, Cora.'
The book is followed by seven pages of acknowledgements thanking others responsible for this production, including the author’s children. Then we have ‘Reading Group Questions,’ including ‘Who is your favourite/least favourite character and how true did each of them feel?’ I fear there are too many candidates for the least favourite.
December 19, 2022
I feel like I'm about to write a Dear John letter. Like, "Dear book...it's not you, it's me."
My favorite part of this book was the whole idea of the hunt. I actually wished there was more about the actual hunt itself.
But holy hells, there are SO many timelines. I had so much trouble telling when we were in the book. And SO many characters. Aside from our messy, messy family, there are cops and boyfriends and children of boyfriends and treasure hunters and stalkers and crazies and waitresses and every single one of them appears to be somewhat important to the story. I got so that I didn't really know who belonged to the family and who didn't. It also didn't help that there was Eleanor who was sometimes Nell who was sometimes a child and sometimes not (depending on timeline) and there was Elinore who is NOT Eleanor and who is sometimes a fictional character and sometimes a golden skeleton. There are also 3 unimportant children, one of whom (very young) is only memorable because he loves to run around naked.
And as I said above, the family is messy. Messy and toxic and precious and pretentious and each and every one of them needed to go.
I liked Eleanor (Nell) not Elinore enough that I was interested in her story and I mostly loved Billie, but the story was messy enough that I honestly was more confused than anything.
3 stars because I liked the idea of it and a couple characters, but I'm not so sure I'd try the author again.
My favorite part of this book was the whole idea of the hunt. I actually wished there was more about the actual hunt itself.
But holy hells, there are SO many timelines. I had so much trouble telling when we were in the book. And SO many characters. Aside from our messy, messy family, there are cops and boyfriends and children of boyfriends and treasure hunters and stalkers and crazies and waitresses and every single one of them appears to be somewhat important to the story. I got so that I didn't really know who belonged to the family and who didn't. It also didn't help that there was Eleanor who was sometimes Nell who was sometimes a child and sometimes not (depending on timeline) and there was Elinore who is NOT Eleanor and who is sometimes a fictional character and sometimes a golden skeleton. There are also 3 unimportant children, one of whom (very young) is only memorable because he loves to run around naked.
And as I said above, the family is messy. Messy and toxic and precious and pretentious and each and every one of them needed to go.
I liked Eleanor (Nell) not Elinore enough that I was interested in her story and I mostly loved Billie, but the story was messy enough that I honestly was more confused than anything.
3 stars because I liked the idea of it and a couple characters, but I'm not so sure I'd try the author again.
August 11, 2022
It’s Summer 2021 and also the 50th anniversary of the book “the Golden Bones” written by Frank Churcher. The book consists of pictures, part story and also a treasure hunt for fans of the book. Nell has been told to come home and celebrate with the family. And also, the launch of an app to coincide with the book and help them in a quest find the last of the missing bones.
The story is told in Eleanor’s point of view who is the daughter of Fank Churcher, and she is also a victim of an obsessive fan and lives as a recluse because of what happened to her. The story continues with the treasure hunt of the bones and the jewels that are linked with them. The story also tells of the problems the family face due to the popularity of the book.
Thank you, Hodder and Stoughton, for a copy of “The skeleton Key” by Erin Kelly. I was intrigued by the premise of the story and the title but in halfway through it changed direction and the storyline wasn’t what I was expecting. This was more about a dysfunctional family more than the mystery I found out this too be. And that and also how long winded the story was that I started losing interest. This is not a bad book it but not a bad book it just wasn’t for me. 3 stars from me.
The story is told in Eleanor’s point of view who is the daughter of Fank Churcher, and she is also a victim of an obsessive fan and lives as a recluse because of what happened to her. The story continues with the treasure hunt of the bones and the jewels that are linked with them. The story also tells of the problems the family face due to the popularity of the book.
Thank you, Hodder and Stoughton, for a copy of “The skeleton Key” by Erin Kelly. I was intrigued by the premise of the story and the title but in halfway through it changed direction and the storyline wasn’t what I was expecting. This was more about a dysfunctional family more than the mystery I found out this too be. And that and also how long winded the story was that I started losing interest. This is not a bad book it but not a bad book it just wasn’t for me. 3 stars from me.
December 30, 2022
This book was just not right for me. I listened to the audio book and there was too much jumping back and forth to really enjoy the plot. And the worst thing was, that I absolutely disliked the main character. She's self absorbed, whiny and painstakingly annoying.
September 13, 2022
I read the reviews about this book and was very interested in reading it. But, I didn’t enjoy it at all. I found it confusing and the characters were strange. It’s a shame as I had high hopes for this book. It just wasn’t for me. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
March 6, 2023
Erin Kelly has done it again- this was a solid 5 star read for me! What a well plotted, complex novel. Sometimes delving into a novel blind is the best way, but I admit that after the first chapter I nearly DNF’d the book, thinking it was some dystopian story about a weird bone hunting society. Luckily I had full trust that Kelly would not disappoint me (she never has in the past) and was soon totally hooked.
It's very difficult to review such a multi-layered, well-plotted mystery without giving anything away, Let’s just say that it’s a story about fame, greed and family secrets. A LOT of dark family secrets. As an added bonus, the book also contained two of my favourite themes: a story based on an old legend, plus a “book within a book”.
Whilst the story started out revolving around Frank Churcher’s famous book The Golden Bones, which has led to his fame and wealth but also to the formation of a worldwide fan base of “bone hunters” who have put his own daughter at risk (you will have to read it to find out why), it soon became more character driven, exploring the intertwined relationships of the Churcher and Lally families. As dark secrets were revealed, and family dynamics became more and more dysfunctional, my fascination with these characters made me loath to put the book down. There were quite a few “aha!” moments when pieces of the puzzle fell into place and revealed cleverly plotted twists. Kelly is a talented writer who not only knows how to utterly enthral her readers, but also to weave magic into the multiple threads that form her stories.
Whilst the story is mainly being told by Eleanor, the daughter of author Frank Churcher, we get small glimpses into the past and through different eyes, which reveal those pieces of the puzzle we may not have anticipated. Each character is fundamentally flawed, which made them more compelling, and some truly unforgettable in all their dysfunctional glory. I can’t say much more without giving things away, so I will leave it at this: do yourself a favour and pick up this clever mystery today to find out for yourself why I couldn’t put it down. Another brilliant piece of writing by the talented Mrs Kelly.
*blog* *facebook* *instagram*
It's very difficult to review such a multi-layered, well-plotted mystery without giving anything away, Let’s just say that it’s a story about fame, greed and family secrets. A LOT of dark family secrets. As an added bonus, the book also contained two of my favourite themes: a story based on an old legend, plus a “book within a book”.
Whilst the story started out revolving around Frank Churcher’s famous book The Golden Bones, which has led to his fame and wealth but also to the formation of a worldwide fan base of “bone hunters” who have put his own daughter at risk (you will have to read it to find out why), it soon became more character driven, exploring the intertwined relationships of the Churcher and Lally families. As dark secrets were revealed, and family dynamics became more and more dysfunctional, my fascination with these characters made me loath to put the book down. There were quite a few “aha!” moments when pieces of the puzzle fell into place and revealed cleverly plotted twists. Kelly is a talented writer who not only knows how to utterly enthral her readers, but also to weave magic into the multiple threads that form her stories.
Whilst the story is mainly being told by Eleanor, the daughter of author Frank Churcher, we get small glimpses into the past and through different eyes, which reveal those pieces of the puzzle we may not have anticipated. Each character is fundamentally flawed, which made them more compelling, and some truly unforgettable in all their dysfunctional glory. I can’t say much more without giving things away, so I will leave it at this: do yourself a favour and pick up this clever mystery today to find out for yourself why I couldn’t put it down. Another brilliant piece of writing by the talented Mrs Kelly.
*blog* *facebook* *instagram*
January 15, 2023
This novel is not your typical mystery/thriller. There is so much going on. The novel alternates between three timelines…60s and 70s, 90s, and 2021 within the Churcher and Lally families. Unfortunately, I had a hard time keeping part of the story straight with all the back and forth between the three timelines. I also felt the novel was way too long. It seemed to never end. The official synopsis and cover of the book is what made me request it in the first place. I seriously thought I could give a better review; I rarely give reviews under 4 stars. There were some unexpected surprises in the novel, especially towards the end. The mystery of the bones and the folklore surrounding them was awesome too, but I felt there was too much unnecessary family drama in the story.
Thank you NetGalley and Mobius Books for a complimentary copy of this novel. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thank you NetGalley and Mobius Books for a complimentary copy of this novel. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
January 14, 2023
Rating: 2.88 leaves out of 5
Characters: 2/5
Cover: 5/5
Story: 1.5/5
Writing: 3/5
Genre: Gothic/Mystery
Type: Ebook
Worth?: Not for me, maybe not for you
Hated|Disliked|It Was Okay|Liked|Loved|Favorited
Want to thank Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to read this book. I was really disappointed with this book. I really loved the summary of it and the cover really drew me in. The beginning was good but as it went through it was just very dull. There was nothing rising with the story so there wasn't really a climax. If anything I was left mind numb and not in the good way.
Characters: 2/5
Cover: 5/5
Story: 1.5/5
Writing: 3/5
Genre: Gothic/Mystery
Type: Ebook
Worth?: Not for me, maybe not for you
Hated|Disliked|It Was Okay|Liked|Loved|Favorited
Want to thank Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to read this book. I was really disappointed with this book. I really loved the summary of it and the cover really drew me in. The beginning was good but as it went through it was just very dull. There was nothing rising with the story so there wasn't really a climax. If anything I was left mind numb and not in the good way.
September 4, 2022
The Skeleton Key started out as a five-star read for me. I was completely drawn in by the mystery of the treasure hunt book 'The Golden Bones' and the weird cast of obsessed fans who couldn't tell fiction from reality. It reminded me a lot of Byron Preiss' The Secret, which still has obsessive treasure hunters pouring over the spectacular art by John Jude Palencar, and scouring the American Continent in search of hidden jewels.
But half way through, The Skeleton Key changed its focus, and instead of the mystery and folklore that drew me in, it became a pretty generic family drama nested within a crime tale. 'The Golden Bones' ended up being pretty irrelevant to the plot overall. It was a plot device that Kelly used for deflection to hide the true motives of her characters. And unfortunately, the crime and family drama elements were the parts I was least interested in.
The characters are well-developed, with unique personalities, who make frustrating decisions. But each of them felt true to how they'd been characterised. They were really well written. And Erin Kelly's prose is beautiful and descriptive. She really set the scene and painted a picture of privilege and dysfunction. The pacing, however, was a little off, and I did find that The Skeleton Key ended up outstaying its welcome by around page 300. It was long, and slow, which meant it just didn't keep me fully engaged to the end. As I neared the last few chapters, I was just ready for the book to be over; which felt especially disappointing given how absolutely engrossed I'd been at the book's beginning.
The Skeleton Key is a well-written book with an absolutely five star concept. But ultimately, its slow pace and changing focus meant I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have.
But half way through, The Skeleton Key changed its focus, and instead of the mystery and folklore that drew me in, it became a pretty generic family drama nested within a crime tale. 'The Golden Bones' ended up being pretty irrelevant to the plot overall. It was a plot device that Kelly used for deflection to hide the true motives of her characters. And unfortunately, the crime and family drama elements were the parts I was least interested in.
The characters are well-developed, with unique personalities, who make frustrating decisions. But each of them felt true to how they'd been characterised. They were really well written. And Erin Kelly's prose is beautiful and descriptive. She really set the scene and painted a picture of privilege and dysfunction. The pacing, however, was a little off, and I did find that The Skeleton Key ended up outstaying its welcome by around page 300. It was long, and slow, which meant it just didn't keep me fully engaged to the end. As I neared the last few chapters, I was just ready for the book to be over; which felt especially disappointing given how absolutely engrossed I'd been at the book's beginning.
The Skeleton Key is a well-written book with an absolutely five star concept. But ultimately, its slow pace and changing focus meant I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have.
August 15, 2022
Nell has been persuade most of her life because of a book her father wrote about a treasure hunt.
Now on the fiftieth anniversary of that book being published she is in the spotlight again.
I am usually hooked on books by this author but unfortunately this one didn’t grip me, maybe because I’m not a fan of treasure hunts.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Now on the fiftieth anniversary of that book being published she is in the spotlight again.
I am usually hooked on books by this author but unfortunately this one didn’t grip me, maybe because I’m not a fan of treasure hunts.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
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