The Bone Stalker

Vegas Shadows #3

by Victor Methos

When a terrifying new killer targets Detective Lazarus Holloway’s inner circle, he ventures into the darkest corners of the city to unmask the murderer—and the one who’s really pulling the strings.

Lazarus Holloway is no stranger to violent crime. The seasoned detective has built a career on weeding out the worst of the worst from the glittering streets of Las Vegas.

But he never knew the worst could get this bad.

The Bone Stalker is a new kind of murderous. His MO is brutal, calculated, and ritualistic, removing only specific bones from his victims’ bodies. Each bone taken has a symbolic meaning…and they all tie back to Lazarus himself.

As Lazarus digs deeper with the help of investigative partner and guardian ad litem Piper Danes, they discover the detective isn’t the only connection. But before they can unravel the web of lies that’s been spun through the city for years, the killer ensnares another innocent in his trap.

Someone close to Lazarus becomes the bait. And he’ll stop at nothing to get her back—even if it means embracing the darkness he’s spent his life fighting against.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction

373 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication June 23, 2026

About the author

Victor Methos is the Edgar Award nominated bestselling author of over forty novels. He has been a criminal and civil rights lawyer in the Mountain West, conducting over 100 trials, and produces two books a year with his dog Fraiser by his side.

Reviews

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bone Stalker by Victor Methos is the third novel in the legal and crime thriller Vegas Shadows series. It once again features Detective Lazurus Halloway who works for the Las Vegas’s Criminal Intelligence Unit and Piper Danes, who was once an endangered youth and is now a court-appointed representative who acts on behalf of children or vulnerable adults in legal proceedings. This book focused more on the crime thriller side of the series.

The murderer known as “The Bone Stalker” is brutal, calculated, strong, and ritualistic. He removes specific bones from his victims’ bodies and the bodies all tie back to Lazarus in some way. As Lazarus investigates with the help of Piper, they discover more connections.

Piper is good at connecting with children and has a compulsion to save children in need. She’s empathetic with victims, smart, curious, kindhearted, and driven. She wants to prove that she and others can make a difference in the world. However, she is often guarded around adults and hates managing people. Lazarus is blunt, logical, sees the world as a puzzle to be solved, and is passionate about his job. He finds patterns in data that others miss and is good at piecing together hidden connections and has a photographic memory.

The storyline is gripping and grabbed my attention in the prologue. As the storyline progresses, readers get insight into the backstories of Lazarus and Piper and how that affects their thoughts and actions towards others. It’s medium-paced as it covers the investigation with periodic action scenes and twists followed by a heart-pounding conclusion. It’s a story with plenty of layers, some of which are quite dark, disturbing, and unsettling at times. The book was a page-turner that kept me engaged throughout the storyline. This book resolves the major cliffhanger from book two. Various themes are woven throughout the story including solitude, family, loneliness, corruption, murder, trust, and much more.

Overall, this thriller was suspenseful, tragic, and intense. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series. Combining a police procedural, child advocacy, a mystery, and an action-packed ending makes this novel is a must-read for those who enjoy legal and crime thrillers with a dark twist and characters that aren’t always likeable.

Thomas and Mercer and Victor Methos provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for June 23, 2025.
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My 4.12 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.

[Karly · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Rating: 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Love these broken characters and this gruelling series!!

When a terrifying new killer targets Detective Lazarus Holloway’s inner circle, he ventures into the darkest corners of the city to unmask the murderer—and the one who’s really pulling the strings.

Lazarus Holloway is no stranger to violent crime. The seasoned detective has built a career on weeding out the worst of the worst from the glittering streets of Las Vegas.

But he never knew the worst could get this bad.

The Bone Stalker is a new kind of murderous. His MO is brutal, calculated, and ritualistic, removing only specific bones from his victims’ bodies. Each bone taken has a symbolic meaning…and they all tie back to Lazarus himself.

As Lazarus digs deeper with the help of investigative partner and guardian ad litem Piper Danes, they discover the detective isn’t the only connection. But before they can unravel the web of lies that’s been spun through the city for years, the killer ensnares another innocent in his trap.

Someone close to Lazarus becomes the bait. And he’ll stop at nothing to get her back—even if it means embracing the darkness he’s spent his life fighting against.

Well whenever I see this author I hit request and usually I am never disappointed once again I was delighted with the outcome.

This series is brutal, pretty violent and you do need to throw your disbelief out the window usually… but it has a bit of everything.

Broken characters that are trying to do the right thing while almost destroying themselves in the mix - Check!!! ✅

Thrills and spills with a thriller level serial killer with violence and brutality that keeps you guessing all the way - Check!! ✅

A good friendship that hasn’t turned into a romance, despite everyone telling her how hot he is hahaha - Check!!! ✅

I really like Lazarus and Piper, they are mates and they piss each other off but always throw each other on the line for each other makes it interesting to read. I do wonder each book if they will end up together but I do think it would ruin the friend chemistry and Lazarus is so broken that I don’t think anyone could put up with him hahaha.

Overall this book did not disappoint at all, I was really glad how it went and it wasn’t predictable which i enjoyed. I loved the ending I wasn’t expecting it… it was almost like a movie thats ended with a little secret scene… really good quality!!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Victor Methos, and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Victor Methos doesn’t ease you into this piece, as there is no time to waste and he has so much to share. This latest entry in the Lazarus Holloway series opens with a grisly rural Nevada murder and spirals quickly into something far more disturbing. Bodies are carved with surgical precision, bones removed like trophies, and a new predator—The Bone Stalker—emerges with a purpose that feels as personal as it is monstrous. At the centre of it all is Holloway himself: battered, half-recovered, and in absolutely no condition to be chasing a killer. Naturally, he does anyway.

That’s what makes this novel hit so hard. Holloway isn’t just hunting a psychopath—he’s fighting his own failing body while being pulled into a case that begins to blur uncomfortably with his past. The deeper he digs, the more this investigation feels less like police work and more like fate tightening the screws.

Methos keeps the pacing razor-sharp. Short, punchy chapters stack tension on tension, making this one dangerously easy to binge. There’s no filler here—just a relentless drip of clues, misdirection, and dread. The violence is raw without being gratuitous, and the psychological edge is where the story really thrives.

The partnership between Holloway and Piper Danes continues to evolve in compelling ways. Their dynamic carries a mix of sharp banter and unspoken weight, hinting at deeper layers Methos is clearly setting up for future instalments. It never overshadows the case, but it adds just enough emotional friction to keep things grounded amid the brutality.

And the twists? They land. Hard. Just when the narrative seems to settle, Methos yanks the rug out again, forcing you to reassess everything you thought you understood. By the time the final revelations hit, you’re not just reading—you’re bracing.

Set against the shifting, unforgiving backdrop of Las Vegas and its outskirts, this is a thriller that feels both intimate and expansive. Dark, tense, and unrelenting, it’s another strong showing from Methos—and a clear reminder that Lazarus Holloway’s story is far from finished.

Kudos, Mr. Methos, for another compelling thriller!

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at: http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Shannon Moeser · Rating 3 out of 5]

* Depressing Horror Story *

THE BONE STALKER is not a book that I enjoyed. It is not a book that will appeal to everyone, but I recognize that it will appeal to a select audience, and so what was a 2-star reading experience for me will be a 4-star one for that select group. Consequently, I am giving it a 3-star rating, but this rating comes with a warning to most of my friends who prefer mysteries and thrillers that are fundamentally optimistic. The entire storyline is extremely depressing.

In greater detail:

1) This is the third novel in the Vegas Shadows series, and it simply continues without explaining what occurred in the first two books. I often jump into a series in the middle, but I do not recommend doing so in this one. It does not work well as a standalone.

2) The blurb describes this as a "serial killer thriller", with emphasis on finding this killer. Yes, it is a serial killer crime story, but the main emphasis of the narrative is how the three main characters—Detective Lazarus Halloway, Guardian ad Litem Piper Danes, and Judge Hope Dawson—deal with their personal misery. All three had damaging childhoods, experiences that affect how they carry on in adulthood, and each has developed a different coping strategy. New challenges are thrown at them in this book. The serial killer is (mostly) a hidden horror figure, and when finally unmasked is just a caricature.

3) The narrative is extremely depressing. The word "pain" is repeated over and over. It refers, mainly, to physical pain but also sometimes is used in reference to emotional pain, because all three main protagonists suffer from both. The intensity of this depressing narrative is what gives the book its strength, but also—for me—made it almost unreadable.

4) There is one plot twist near the ending regarding what is behind the serial killer's murderous spree, but frankly by the time I got to it, I didn't care. Other readers who are not as affected as I was by the dispiriting storyline will possibly find this a good reason to continue on with the series.

5) I am not the least bit tempted to read the other books in the Vegas Shadows series. One horrific experience is enough.

Thanks to Thomas and Mercer for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.

[J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to both #NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me an advance copy of Victor Methos's latest #legalthriller, The Bone Stalker, in exchange for an honest review.

#TheBoneStalker is the third installment in the #VegasShadows series. Bruised and battered from his latest encounter, Detective Lazarus Holloway awakens in the hospital to learn not only the gruesome aftermath of the case, but also that he is stuck in the hospital recuperating for the next few weeks. Eventually, he is released into the care of friend and GAL Piper Danes, but that doesn't prevent him from showing up at CIU despite strict orders from his doctor and being on medical leave. While at the office, he receives a report that a close friend has been brutally murdered, which results in a lone and wild goose chase after a deranged serial killer.

Similar to the first and second installments, Detective Lazarus finds himself mired in a criminal matter, in which he ropes GAL Piper Danes and a few old cop buddies on the dl, that is linked to a corrupt overarching force; one who is single-handedly cementing the moniker 'Sin City' as its eternal namesake.

The third installment starts off fast-paced and entertaining, then peters out somewhere midway when the case takes a turn. The first novel in the series is the best, with the rest following in consecutive order. Much like the second installment, the writing is still clunky and does not feel as if it was written by the author. Once again, the redundant points made in short chapters (e.g., how many times is Lazarus going to almost black out from addiction and his kidney surgery?), as well as the characters losing more of their likable traits. Additionally, it felt like this novel was as sparse as the second regarding Judge Dawson who is supposed to be the mastermind behind the plots of the last two novels. I would have preferred hearing more about Dawson than anything involving Keri or newcomer Selene. Leave the family drama at home

Thus, the third installment unfortunately did not pay off suspense-wise in the way I had hoped. While there were some intriguing passages, this may be the weakest of the authors' series. I recommend reading one of his older standalones instead. Overall, three stars.

[Mal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the advanced reader copy.

This is the 3rd in the Vegas Shadows Books series, starring Detective Lazarus Holloway and lawyer Piper Danes. In this installment, Holloway is still recovering from the attack at the end of the last book that saw his partner and friend, Riley, killed, as well as an attack on his newly discovered daughter, Keri. Unable to actually sit back and recover, Holloway is pulled into a new case, prompted by the murder of one of his closest friends. As Holloway gets sucked further into a strange case involving the flaying of victims and the removal of their bones, Piper is contacted by a young woman who claims to be her half sister, which forces Piper to confront all the trauma she suffered as a child. Eventually, Holloway's case comes to a head, with some unbelievable reveals.

I'm still not sure how I feel about this book. It holds all the hallmarks of a Victor Methos story: sharp writing, extremely flawed characters, and Vegas as a character. The case of the bone stalker is just weird enough to keep the pages turning--and is made more compelling by the fact that Holloway has to deal with his alcohol addiction, desire to be out in the field while his body is still needing to heal, and having his daughter in his life. Piper's story felt less interesting in this book; her conversations with Selene, her sister, felt one note--they didn't move the story or the characters forward until a big reveal near the end that was surprising but didn't add much to the overall plot.

This might be Methos' most gruesome story that I've read. Don't eat while reading this, and for anyone who has difficulty with explicit descriptions of bodily harm, this might be one to skip. I found myself physically recoiling at many of the scenes, especially in the climactic series of events. This story is sticking with me and I'm definitely interested to see what happens with Holloway and Danes next.

The Bone Stalker is out June 23, 2026.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bone Stalker is a dark, razor‑edged thriller that drags you straight into the shadows of Las Vegas and refuses to let you look away. From the opening pages, there’s a sense of something feral moving beneath the city’s glitter—a predator with a ritualistic precision that feels both ancient and deeply personal.

Detective Lazarus Holloway is the perfect anchor for a story this unsettling. He’s seasoned, steady, and used to staring down the worst humanity has to offer, yet this case shakes him in ways he can’t quite hide. The killer’s brutal signature—the careful removal of symbolic bones—creates a chilling pattern that circles closer and closer to Lazarus himself. It’s the kind of twist that tightens the entire narrative, making every discovery feel like a step toward something far more intimate and dangerous.

Piper Danes adds a sharp, grounded counterbalance to Lazarus’s growing obsession, and their partnership gives the story a welcome emotional texture. As they dig deeper, the city’s polished façade begins to crack, revealing a web of secrets that’s been quietly tightening for years. The tension builds beautifully, each revelation darker than the last.

And then the case turns personal. When someone close to Lazarus is taken, the novel shifts into a breathless, high‑stakes chase that pushes him right to the edge of the darkness he’s spent his life resisting. It’s gripping, atmospheric, and threaded with a moral complexity that lingers long after the final page.

Gritty, haunting, and compulsively readable, The Bone Stalker is a thriller that knows exactly how to get under your skin—and stay there.

With thanks to Victor Methos, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[Beth Von Voigt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detective Lazarus Holloway and guardian ad litem Piper Danes return in the third installment of the Vegas Shadows series. I would highly recommend reading the first two books in order to understand all the connections between the characters and events of the third.

Lazarus has dealt with some very unsavory criminals in his career, but none quite like this. Dubbed “The Bone Stalker”, this killer focuses on the bones of his victims and leaving messages for Lazarus at each scene. While investigating a potential person of interest, he notices a young boy at the scene and drags Piper into his mess once again. Only this time, Piper’s attention is torn between being there for Lazarus and dealing - or not dealing with - with the trauma of a woman claiming to be her sister appearing.

This story is contains all of the elements of a Methos thriller that I’ve come to love. The immediate case is particularly gory and twisted. It’s not for those with weak stomach. I love that Piper continues to show up for Lazarus even though she suspects he’s just using her. She’s the one constant positive in his life. She seems to me to be the go with the flow hero even though she doesn’t realize it. I love the judge being a villain and how deceitful and emotionless she is. The action will grip you from the beginning and hold on until the very last page! *Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer press for the ARC.

This is an edge of your seat, thriller from Victor Methos. This is the third book in the Vegas shadows series starring Detective Lazareth Holloway. The story picks up where the second book ended with Lazarus recovering from an almost fatal injury. He wakes up reeling from the death of a close friend as well as the attack on his newly discovered daughter, Keri.

Lazarus does the one thing that he knows how to do best, throws himself back into his work. This time he is following the case called the bone stalker. This killer is targeting people in his life. He is determined to get to the bottom of the crimes before someone else gets hurt.

This book kept me guessing till the end. I really enjoyed. I had not read the previous two installments, and I was still able to follow the story pretty well. It’s helpful to know the backstory, but this certainly can be read as a standalone book. I really enjoyed that dynamic between Lazarus and the other people in his life, including his friend Piper and as well as his newly discovered daughter Keri. I found the book was well written with few lags. The ending was also neatly wrapped up while still leaving the story open for more. I would highly recommend this as a great vacation read.

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE BONE STALKER is the third installment of the Vegas Shadows book franchise. I was anxious to read it, because Lazarus is my favorite MMC (main male character). In this installment, watching him wrestle with his own faults while staying committed to protecting those around him made the book more interesting. This round was deep, dark, and insanely good.
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Out of all of Victor Methos’ books I’ve read, this one is the darkest of them all. The kills were descriptive and gritty. At times, the violence gets quite graphic, and I felt I had to stop reading for a bit because of how gruesome the killings were. But I stayed with the book, consuming it like a man possessed.
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The plot and subplots were impressive and easy to get lost in. I enjoyed what I was reading and didn’t want to stop.
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I believe more books are coming in this series. There’s one resolution that wasn’t solved, in my opinion. (I am hoping there will be more books in the series!)
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I highly recommend this book to readers. Thank you, Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer, for the advance readers’ copy, and all thoughts and opinions were of my own.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bone Stalker is the 3rd book in this series, and grizzled veteran Detective Lazarus Holloway matches wits with a vicious killer who is taunting him by targeting people Halloway holds near and dear. The book picks up with Holloway still recovering from severe injuries suffered in his last adventure, and he’s quickly put to the test when a body is found with their bones brutally removed. This is a gruesome and at times violent edition in this series, as Holloway battles his inner demons as well as his debilitating injuries in a plot that keeps readers firmly engaged. Even the subplot involving Holloway’s sometime partner, juvenile guardian attorney Piper Danes has meaning. Plenty of action scenes, not for the squeamish, and a riveting police procedural add up to another winner in this series. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Greville Waterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third in the Vegas Shadows series and it really is necessary to have read the others first to have a good idea of what is going on. Lazarus is as troubled as ever as he pursues the grisly Bone Snatcher a seemingly superhuman killer with a penchant for extracting and chewing the bones of his victims.

As always Pierce is looking out for him and becomes inextricably intertwined in his pursuit of the killer.

There is fascinating human interest too as Lazarus is forced to take on board the responsibilities of fatherhood and Piper too is faced with an apparent long lost relative which helps her to reexamine her childhood.

It is a densely plotted and violent thriller which shocks and enthrals in equal proportions.

I enjoyed it immensely and was left wondering if there is more to come in this series.

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The Bone Stalker” by Victor Methos is the third installment in the Vegas Shadows series.
From the very first pages there’s a sense of a savage predator moving beneath the city’s glamorous facade.
Detective Lazarus Holloway and partner Guardian ad Litem Piper Danes are tracking down a serial killer that has hit too close to home. The killer’s brutal signature is the removal of the victim’s bones leaving symbolic messages. The descriptions of the murders and bodily harm are graphic so if this is a trigger for you, this book may be the one to skip. This thriller has taken a much darker and gruesome turn than the previous two books. I found myself having to skip past some of the action which is why I am giving it 3 stars. For everyone else who does not have this sensitivity, I think you will enjoy this emotionally intense, character driven addition to the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Lori Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received as an ARC through Netgalley to read and review, this is an honest review.

Published by Thomas & Mercer

The Bone Stalker is a haunting read, with gruesome, brutal way the killer murders the people that have been marked to die. The serial killer made the mistake of putting themselves into the cross hairs of Detective Lazarus Holloway. He despises people that do awful things to innocent people... and the race is on with the company of trusted colleagues fight against a murderer that won't stop unless dead or in jail.

Hauntingly descriptive but beautifully poignant with well thpughtout character depth.

Highly recommended.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for providing the copy of The Bone Stalker by Victor Methos.. When I started reading books by Methos, I was entranced by the writing style, so I’m not sure what changed and I couldn’t get interested in this book. I missed the courtroom battles from his earlier books. Lazarus was annoying as he insisted on drinking and acting like an action hero right after he underwent surgery. I stopped caring when he kept ripping his stitches and bleeding. This wasn’t the book for me, but if you love action and ‘manly’ men, it’s the book for you! 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

[KDRBCK]

The Bone Stalker by new to me author Victor Methos is book three in the Vegas Shadows Series. The book is published by Thomas & Mercer, is part of a series but can be read as a stand alone. For best reading experience I recommend to read the books in order.
Seasoned Detective Lazarus Holloway's latest case is a serial bad man who leads the Detective on a goose chase, a race against the tim, is fast paced, complex, gives all the feels, deserves all the stars.
I recommend the book and the series, 5 stars.

[Victoria Cochran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC!

Once again, the life of Lazarus Holloway had me in a chokehold. I absolutely LOVED this third novel in the series. I’m so mad at myself for starting it before it ended, because waiting for each book is painful. Even though it had been months since I read the second book in the series, what happened previously came back fast. This book is fast-paced and gripping! I was reading at stop lights! I can’t wait for more Lazarus.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️ I think this was my favorite book so far of the series. The story picks up right where the last one ended. I really enjoyed the main storyline of this one. It was a darker and grittier than the previous 2 books. I also like that there is an ongoing story and the same background characters throughout the series.