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Bell Elkins #3.5
A Haunting of the Bones
Bell Elkins, prosecuting attorney for Raythune county, West Virginia, had always believed what she’d been told: Her mother abandoned the family when Bell and her sister, Shirley, were children. Later, Teresa Dolan died somewhere out West.
And then comes a shattering discovery.
During an excavation in a remote area of the county, a skeleton is found. DNA testing proves it is related to DNA already on file: that of a convicted felon named Shirley Dolan. Along with the age and approximate time of death, the DNA link leads to a chilling conclusion: These are the remains of Bell’s mother, Teresa Dolan. She didn’t run away. She was here all along. And further examination reveals that she was a homicide victim.
Bell automatically pins the blame on her late father, Donnie Dolan. But evidence emerges that it could not have been him. And so Bell must solve the most agonizingly personal case of her career: Who murdered her mother?
And then comes a shattering discovery.
During an excavation in a remote area of the county, a skeleton is found. DNA testing proves it is related to DNA already on file: that of a convicted felon named Shirley Dolan. Along with the age and approximate time of death, the DNA link leads to a chilling conclusion: These are the remains of Bell’s mother, Teresa Dolan. She didn’t run away. She was here all along. And further examination reveals that she was a homicide victim.
Bell automatically pins the blame on her late father, Donnie Dolan. But evidence emerges that it could not have been him. And so Bell must solve the most agonizingly personal case of her career: Who murdered her mother?
109 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 2, 2014
96 people are currently reading
635 people want to read
About the author
Julia Keller
29 books482 followersJulia was born and raised in Huntington, West Virginia. She graduated from Marshall University, then later earned a doctoral degree in English Literature at Ohio State University.
She was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University and has taught at Princeton and Ohio State Universities, and the University of Notre Dame. She is a guest essayist on The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer on PBS and has been a contributor on CNN and NBC Nightly News. In 2005, she won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing.
Julia lives in a high-rise in Chicago and a stone cottage on a lake in rural Ohio.
She was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University and has taught at Princeton and Ohio State Universities, and the University of Notre Dame. She is a guest essayist on The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer on PBS and has been a contributor on CNN and NBC Nightly News. In 2005, she won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing.
Julia lives in a high-rise in Chicago and a stone cottage on a lake in rural Ohio.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 8, 2022
This is a murder mystry. It wasn't bad, but it was quite predictable.
November 6, 2016
This short novella developed a bit more of the series character, Bell Elkins. It gave the protagonist information upon the disappearance of her own Mother more than 34 years before, when Bell was three and her sister 6 going on 7. And resolved questions also concerning the questions of her Father's guilt in a wider sense for numerous actions that they had seen him commit. All bad. And the ones that they had not seen him commit. Which could have been worse.
It was ok. The first half kept my interest. Then quickly it deteriorated to a typical evil old person "brag at 97 about and concerning a past crime" mode of cartoon dimensions finish. Keller writes some authentic procedure and town life characterizations, but the plot direction and especially the motives/ reveals? Trite and contrived. Not as in real life either- which after decades usually ends in an evasion or a whimper. The good are too good and the bad are too cored /stereotyped completely nasty. For those readers who are reading the series, it would be worth it for the gathering of background for Belfa and her sister. Not a series that has enough locale nuance or personality of complex inputs for my taste. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 for the writing progression. It's clear.
It was ok. The first half kept my interest. Then quickly it deteriorated to a typical evil old person "brag at 97 about and concerning a past crime" mode of cartoon dimensions finish. Keller writes some authentic procedure and town life characterizations, but the plot direction and especially the motives/ reveals? Trite and contrived. Not as in real life either- which after decades usually ends in an evasion or a whimper. The good are too good and the bad are too cored /stereotyped completely nasty. For those readers who are reading the series, it would be worth it for the gathering of background for Belfa and her sister. Not a series that has enough locale nuance or personality of complex inputs for my taste. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 for the writing progression. It's clear.
August 14, 2017
A Mothers End
Really enjoyed this novella as bones are revealed that DNA reveals is the mother of Bell and her sister. This investigation finally confirms that their mother did not abandon her children but instead was murdered.
Really enjoyed this novella as bones are revealed that DNA reveals is the mother of Bell and her sister. This investigation finally confirms that their mother did not abandon her children but instead was murdered.
October 11, 2021
Bell Elkins has to deal with a change to her history when the bones of her deceased mother are found. For years she thought her father had killed her mother. Now she learns this is not true.
Bell does discover who the actual murderer is, but she feels she can't prove it so she has to satisfy herself that the physical and mental condition of the murderer are just rewards.
This story expands on the relationship between Bell and her sister and is for a short story interspersed in a series quite an interesting read.
Bell does discover who the actual murderer is, but she feels she can't prove it so she has to satisfy herself that the physical and mental condition of the murderer are just rewards.
This story expands on the relationship between Bell and her sister and is for a short story interspersed in a series quite an interesting read.
November 24, 2022
I read Julia Keller for years when she wrote for the Chicago Tribune and was so surprised that she resigned to write novels. Surprised until I read her first book and then began to wonder what took her so long. Her books deal with life's harsh realities and, even though it seems impossible that any of her characters will ever be free of their terrible histories, they are so real that I feel compelled to know everything that happens to them. I think this is a series that demands our time.
December 7, 2020
Engrossing
Julia Keller seems to grab the reader and takes one for a taunting engrossing ride through the rural mountains of WV. Great character development and graphic depiction of our mountain living.
Julia Keller seems to grab the reader and takes one for a taunting engrossing ride through the rural mountains of WV. Great character development and graphic depiction of our mountain living.
December 6, 2017
A shorter series of events between books in the Bell Elkins series.
May 3, 2018
Excellent!
Well worth reading, interesting well drawn characters. The setting is depicted beautifully as is the culture of the area.. Recommended.
Well worth reading, interesting well drawn characters. The setting is depicted beautifully as is the culture of the area.. Recommended.
February 14, 2019
A continuation of the series. A look at how her mother died. Also the relationship s between the sisters.
June 27, 2019
Excellent novella detailing the story of Bell Elkins' mother's disappearance.
September 1, 2019
Answered questions
This short story gives us a glimpse of Belfa's mother and the mystery surrounding her disappearance. Unexpected answers provide a real punch for an ending.
This short story gives us a glimpse of Belfa's mother and the mystery surrounding her disappearance. Unexpected answers provide a real punch for an ending.
September 21, 2019
An important piece of the Bell Elkins story. It felt uneven to me in many places, but at least now we know what happened to her mom.
May 23, 2020
These short novella's are opening up more truths about Bella's past. Answering some questions readers might have. Enjoy these as much as Julia Keller's books.
March 17, 2023
Really a novella. I enjoy Keller's Bell Elkins series, but this one was not only short but a bit flat.
March 27, 2015
The benefit of ebooks is that they can be produced between novels as in this case to showcase an author's work and promote their next book.
I would encourage anyone uinfamiliar with Julia Keller to sample this short novella and sample earlier stories in this excellent series.
It also points ahead to another offering due August 2015, with a sneak preview. I guess it is all about marketing and promotion but on the positive side this filler made Keller write a terrific short story - what did really happen to Belle's Mother?
While it does tie up some loose ends it is all a little too neat and tidy. Sometimes life is about never knowing however hard you look for the truth.
That is perhaps echoed in Bell and Shirley's initial response to the discovery of bones that might hold the answers to what became of their Mum.
Beautifully written as always and strong on dialogue and relationships between all classes of people it is a story you will want to read and will enjoy. It shows the blackness of a human heart and the scope of a person to heal and move on.
It does however show the writer's world where what they so goes; their reality is the extant truth. If people are traceable they can be found; if people are old they can still be alive and if the story can be told it will be in all its telling.
Much is lost; many words go unspoken. Let us delight in wordsmiths like Keller who relate tales and spin accounts to delight and enjoy. Who are we to deny an author's creativity; a lost narrative is lost forever a shared oral tradition or fireside story can be enjoyed until the end of time itself.
Let us delight in reading and promote authors for the stories they share and spin from within their wonderful imaginations. Julia Keller is one such writer I enjoy and recommend without hesitation.
I would encourage anyone uinfamiliar with Julia Keller to sample this short novella and sample earlier stories in this excellent series.
It also points ahead to another offering due August 2015, with a sneak preview. I guess it is all about marketing and promotion but on the positive side this filler made Keller write a terrific short story - what did really happen to Belle's Mother?
While it does tie up some loose ends it is all a little too neat and tidy. Sometimes life is about never knowing however hard you look for the truth.
That is perhaps echoed in Bell and Shirley's initial response to the discovery of bones that might hold the answers to what became of their Mum.
Beautifully written as always and strong on dialogue and relationships between all classes of people it is a story you will want to read and will enjoy. It shows the blackness of a human heart and the scope of a person to heal and move on.
It does however show the writer's world where what they so goes; their reality is the extant truth. If people are traceable they can be found; if people are old they can still be alive and if the story can be told it will be in all its telling.
Much is lost; many words go unspoken. Let us delight in wordsmiths like Keller who relate tales and spin accounts to delight and enjoy. Who are we to deny an author's creativity; a lost narrative is lost forever a shared oral tradition or fireside story can be enjoyed until the end of time itself.
Let us delight in reading and promote authors for the stories they share and spin from within their wonderful imaginations. Julia Keller is one such writer I enjoy and recommend without hesitation.
February 10, 2017
3 1/2. This series makes me more interested in West Virginia than I ever thought I'd be. Love Bell Elkins
December 4, 2014
I am a big fan of Julia Keller's books. The Bell Elkins series set in rural West Virginia is a compelling series. Keller has been utilizing novellas to tell some of Bell Elkins stories. This one, A Haunting of the Bones, is set in the present with flashbacks to the past. What happened to Bell's mother? It had been assumed that Bell's mother ran off to get away from her abusive husband. Now bones are discovered by archaeology students. Could it be Bell's long lost mother? Was she murdered? And who murdered her? Initially Bell assumes that her abusive father killed her mother...but is it that simple?
Very enjoyable book for fans of Julia Keller Bell Elkins series. I really enjoyed it.
Very enjoyable book for fans of Julia Keller Bell Elkins series. I really enjoyed it.
May 31, 2015
This novella helps to give some background information on Bellfa Elkins. Belfa believes that her mother ran away & left her & her sister alone with their abusive father. But, did their mother run away? When bones are discovered during an archeological dig are they ancient? Will the bones help Bell solve some of her past? I enjoyed the premise of this short story but found the eventual solution less than satisfactory. The writing is good & I enjoyed the back story but wished that there was a better conclusion.
March 17, 2015
Another novella in the life of Bell Elkins. This time around she finds out what happened to her mom 30 some years ago. She did not run away with the roofer as her dad always told them, but did he play a sinister part in her disappearance? I just wished that it would have been longer. I don't want to have to wait until the end of August for the next full length novel to be released!
April 23, 2015
3.5 stars.
This is a quick novella in the Bell Elkins series which helps to provide more background information on Bell and her family. I enjoy this series as it takes place in West Virginia which is a colorful backdrop if you know that state.
This is a quick novella in the Bell Elkins series which helps to provide more background information on Bell and her family. I enjoy this series as it takes place in West Virginia which is a colorful backdrop if you know that state.
January 21, 2017
Adds to the character outline of Belfa Elkins, a prosecuting attorney, who has clawed her way to a "normal" life from the ravages of a totally dysfunctional family, while still bearing the scars. A nice twist to the plot of the mystery in this book.
December 3, 2014
3.5 star read
December 22, 2014
I had not read any other books in this series and I needed a little background.
January 28, 2015
4th book in this series. Not as good as the others. Way too short. 75 pages??
October 18, 2015
The story completes the back story to belle and her sister. A short story but a nice complement to her novels.
April 30, 2015
seems like kind of a big thing to put into a short novella like this, but I like the story.
May 18, 2015
Quick read - really too short. Well written and interesting but I wanted more.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews