What do you think?
Rate this book
The Talking Bone: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 21 Jul 26“Rene Denfeld reminds us that storytelling remains one of the most powerful means we have of confronting our darkest human impulses and sometimes overcoming them.”—Washington Post
From the revered bestselling author, a compulsive, page-turning thriller inspired by her real life work exonerating innocents, a novel that asks how far we’ll go in our pursuit of the truth—an emotionally rich, luminously written book about evil and people trying to do good in the world.
Ruby Spencer is known as “the exonerator.” Her job as an investigator is to free innocent men from death row, and she’s good at what she does. What many people don’t know is that she spends her time finding missing women, too. The orphaned daughter of an orphaned mother, Ruby feels a natural affinity for those who have been mistreated by the world at large.
Her newest case takes her to Georgia, and involves a man set to be executed in two weeks. What begins as a routine exoneration unexpectedly sends Ruby down a winding path. Pursuing the truth, she begins to uncover crimes that lead to startling revelations about her own life.
With time running out, will Ruby’s search for answers ultimately lead her to danger?
From the revered bestselling author, a compulsive, page-turning thriller inspired by her real life work exonerating innocents, a novel that asks how far we’ll go in our pursuit of the truth—an emotionally rich, luminously written book about evil and people trying to do good in the world.
Ruby Spencer is known as “the exonerator.” Her job as an investigator is to free innocent men from death row, and she’s good at what she does. What many people don’t know is that she spends her time finding missing women, too. The orphaned daughter of an orphaned mother, Ruby feels a natural affinity for those who have been mistreated by the world at large.
Her newest case takes her to Georgia, and involves a man set to be executed in two weeks. What begins as a routine exoneration unexpectedly sends Ruby down a winding path. Pursuing the truth, she begins to uncover crimes that lead to startling revelations about her own life.
With time running out, will Ruby’s search for answers ultimately lead her to danger?
Audible Audio
Expected publication July 21, 2026
About the author
Rene Denfeld
24 books2,503 followersRene Denfeld is the bestselling author of THE CHILD FINDER, THE ENCHANTED, THE BUTTERFLY GIRL, SLEEPING GIANTS, and the forthcoming THE TALKING BONE (Harper July 2026), which was inspired by her real life work exonerating innocents.
Rene's poetic fiction has won numerous awards including the French Prix, an ALA Medal for Excellence and an IMPAC listing. Rene works as a licensed investigator, including exonerating. In 2017 she was awarded the Break The Silence Award for her advocacy work, and the New York Times honored her for heroism.
By day Rene continues to work in justice, having worked hundreds of cases over the years, including exonerations, death row and helping trafficking victims.
She lives in Portland, Oregon, where she is a happy foster and adoptive mother.
Rene's poetic fiction has won numerous awards including the French Prix, an ALA Medal for Excellence and an IMPAC listing. Rene works as a licensed investigator, including exonerating. In 2017 she was awarded the Break The Silence Award for her advocacy work, and the New York Times honored her for heroism.
By day Rene continues to work in justice, having worked hundreds of cases over the years, including exonerations, death row and helping trafficking victims.
She lives in Portland, Oregon, where she is a happy foster and adoptive mother.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
The Talking Bone is a well-written, engaging book about Denfeld's actual work as a licensed death row investigator – yes, her life's work is exonerating innocent inmates on death row. That fact alone would interest me in a book of this genre, but Denfeld's gifted writing style kept me intrigued and turning the pages to the very end.
As the orphaned daughter of an orphaned mother who had rough beginnings in life, you'll be rooting for Ruby Spencer to succeed as an exonerator, while trying to piece together just what all those under currents are as she makes her way through small towns in Georgia trying to prove one man's innocence while uncovering additional criminal acts against women.
This was my first book by this author, Rene Denfeld, and I very much enjoyed, 'The Talking Bone: A Novel.' I received the book in a Goodreads giveaway.
As the orphaned daughter of an orphaned mother who had rough beginnings in life, you'll be rooting for Ruby Spencer to succeed as an exonerator, while trying to piece together just what all those under currents are as she makes her way through small towns in Georgia trying to prove one man's innocence while uncovering additional criminal acts against women.
This was my first book by this author, Rene Denfeld, and I very much enjoyed, 'The Talking Bone: A Novel.' I received the book in a Goodreads giveaway.
Displaying 1 of 1 review