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The Bone Garden
Nearly 500 years ago, a woman was burned… and this village never forgot.
Lonely widow Susan Reid, scarred by a childhood accident, makes an impulsive decision to start again in a remote Cornish village. Polherron is picturesque, steeped in myths and ancient traditions – the perfect place to disappear into a quieter life.
As Susan settles in, she becomes drawn to a local Edyth Legge, a young woman burned for witchcraft in the sixteenth century. With the village preparing for the Day of the Haegtesse — an annual festival marking the anniversary of Edyth's death — Susan begins to sense she's being watched. Then, when a child goes missing, the cracks in Polherron's charm begin to show.
She soon meets Jeremiah, a hermit who lives near the Dipping Pool – the place Edyth was tortured during the witch trials. Susan bonds with Jeremiah, and despite her fears about some of the locals, she trusts her new friend. And as the festival approaches and long-buried rituals stir back to life, Susan realises that this idyllic village hides a secretive community steeped in dark folklore.
Can Susan find the strength to confront her past and the people around her before the village decides her fate?
For fans of C.J. Cooke and Alex North, The Bone Garden is ideal for readers who love slow-burn folk horror and atmospheric psychological thrillers.
Lonely widow Susan Reid, scarred by a childhood accident, makes an impulsive decision to start again in a remote Cornish village. Polherron is picturesque, steeped in myths and ancient traditions – the perfect place to disappear into a quieter life.
As Susan settles in, she becomes drawn to a local Edyth Legge, a young woman burned for witchcraft in the sixteenth century. With the village preparing for the Day of the Haegtesse — an annual festival marking the anniversary of Edyth's death — Susan begins to sense she's being watched. Then, when a child goes missing, the cracks in Polherron's charm begin to show.
She soon meets Jeremiah, a hermit who lives near the Dipping Pool – the place Edyth was tortured during the witch trials. Susan bonds with Jeremiah, and despite her fears about some of the locals, she trusts her new friend. And as the festival approaches and long-buried rituals stir back to life, Susan realises that this idyllic village hides a secretive community steeped in dark folklore.
Can Susan find the strength to confront her past and the people around her before the village decides her fate?
For fans of C.J. Cooke and Alex North, The Bone Garden is ideal for readers who love slow-burn folk horror and atmospheric psychological thrillers.
329 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 5, 2026
About the author
Tess Burnett
3 books33 followersTess is a late bloomer. She has always loved writing, but only started writing seriously in her late 50s.
The Hanging of Hettie Gale was written whilst Tess lived in Ireland. She self published, then entered the Dorchester Literary Festival local writers' competition which she won. Now available in a shiny new version through Bloodhound Books.
Tess currently lives in Dorset and works as a medical secretary, dreaming about the day she can write full time. She has written four more books in various stages of completion, and has a head full of ideas yet to hit the page.
The Hanging of Hettie Gale was written whilst Tess lived in Ireland. She self published, then entered the Dorchester Literary Festival local writers' competition which she won. Now available in a shiny new version through Bloodhound Books.
Tess currently lives in Dorset and works as a medical secretary, dreaming about the day she can write full time. She has written four more books in various stages of completion, and has a head full of ideas yet to hit the page.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
May 10, 2026
I absolutely loved this book, set in a picturesque Cornish village that has a hidden side to it, one that you can’t quite put your finger on
Susan Reid lost her mother and her father after caring for them for years, she has a scarred face from a childhood accident and she was at the point where she wasn’t sure if she wanted to be in the world anymore, until an old friend suggested that she go away for a little while. Susan ends up leaving Croydon and going on holiday in Cornwall, she is warned by the locals not to go to Polherron the neighbouring village. Susan meets an estate agent who tells her that he has found the perfect cottage for her to move to, despite her never having said she wanted to move to Cornwall and he shows her Tarosvan. Over the next few months Susan views more cottages but is always talked out of buying them and finally ends up buying Tarosvan and moving to Cornwall.
When Susan moved there she is still extremely conscious about her scarring and tries her best to hide it, but the locals are all quite friendly and soon she becomes used to not hiding her scars. She meets a man called Jeremiah who lives in a bothy near the Dipping Pool, so called because that was where they dunked people accused of being witches hundreds of years ago. The village really lean into their history of this and a lot of the villagers call themselves “originals” because their family members were around when the first witch was accused and killed. Her friendship with Jeremiah blossoms and he tells her about a lot of the history associated with the village and warns her not to trust people too quickly.
There is something sininster going on behind the scenes, but will Susan be caught up in it, and if so, will she realise before it’s too late?
This book was so compelling that I really wanted to know where it was going and what was going to happen next! I loved the idea of the village and the villagers making sure that their past wasn’t forgotten but also understood that sometimes things can go too far when the wrong people are in charge.
Susan Reid lost her mother and her father after caring for them for years, she has a scarred face from a childhood accident and she was at the point where she wasn’t sure if she wanted to be in the world anymore, until an old friend suggested that she go away for a little while. Susan ends up leaving Croydon and going on holiday in Cornwall, she is warned by the locals not to go to Polherron the neighbouring village. Susan meets an estate agent who tells her that he has found the perfect cottage for her to move to, despite her never having said she wanted to move to Cornwall and he shows her Tarosvan. Over the next few months Susan views more cottages but is always talked out of buying them and finally ends up buying Tarosvan and moving to Cornwall.
When Susan moved there she is still extremely conscious about her scarring and tries her best to hide it, but the locals are all quite friendly and soon she becomes used to not hiding her scars. She meets a man called Jeremiah who lives in a bothy near the Dipping Pool, so called because that was where they dunked people accused of being witches hundreds of years ago. The village really lean into their history of this and a lot of the villagers call themselves “originals” because their family members were around when the first witch was accused and killed. Her friendship with Jeremiah blossoms and he tells her about a lot of the history associated with the village and warns her not to trust people too quickly.
There is something sininster going on behind the scenes, but will Susan be caught up in it, and if so, will she realise before it’s too late?
This book was so compelling that I really wanted to know where it was going and what was going to happen next! I loved the idea of the village and the villagers making sure that their past wasn’t forgotten but also understood that sometimes things can go too far when the wrong people are in charge.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I received this ARC from Bloodhound Books in exchange for my honest review.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars
This was my first book by Tess Burnett, and I enjoyed it. However, there were also some things that did not work well for me.
What worked: I enjoyed the story, and Tess depicted the creepy vibes of the village of Polherron and its people extremely well. The sidelong glances, the villagers not finishing sentences, and mumbling things under their breath. The atmosphere really comes through in the writing. The story was engaging and unique enough to keep me interested.
What didn't work for me: I had to suspend my disbelief too often. I think the only person in the world who didn't see the ending coming was poor, naive Susan herself, because it was very obvious from miles away. I don't think that necessarily detracted from the story, but it did make it feel like there was a lot of filler to get us to the end. Also, the writing in the first third or so of the book felt clunky and disjointed. I found myself having to reread sentences several times to make sure I understood. The book is also written in 3rd person POV, which made me feel a little less immersed in the story than I would have liked.
Although Storygraph has this marked as a thriller, I would call it more of a mystery. I would recommend this for people who enjoy atmospheric books with creepy vibes. It also had a historical fiction feel to it that I enjoyed, but I think I would have liked more of Edyth's story as well.
I will definitely read more of Tess' books in the future!
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars
This was my first book by Tess Burnett, and I enjoyed it. However, there were also some things that did not work well for me.
What worked: I enjoyed the story, and Tess depicted the creepy vibes of the village of Polherron and its people extremely well. The sidelong glances, the villagers not finishing sentences, and mumbling things under their breath. The atmosphere really comes through in the writing. The story was engaging and unique enough to keep me interested.
What didn't work for me: I had to suspend my disbelief too often. I think the only person in the world who didn't see the ending coming was poor, naive Susan herself, because it was very obvious from miles away. I don't think that necessarily detracted from the story, but it did make it feel like there was a lot of filler to get us to the end. Also, the writing in the first third or so of the book felt clunky and disjointed. I found myself having to reread sentences several times to make sure I understood. The book is also written in 3rd person POV, which made me feel a little less immersed in the story than I would have liked.
Although Storygraph has this marked as a thriller, I would call it more of a mystery. I would recommend this for people who enjoy atmospheric books with creepy vibes. It also had a historical fiction feel to it that I enjoyed, but I think I would have liked more of Edyth's story as well.
I will definitely read more of Tess' books in the future!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Susan takes a holiday in Cornwall and ends up buying a house in a village that she was warned off of, but the estate agent was very good at his job and managed to sell her one in this village. All is not as it seems, and the villagers are very into local folklore, and it's just coming up to the century that Edyth Legge was declared a witch. First, she was ducked in the ducking pool, and because she survived that burnt at the stake. This was done in the 16th century, and all because poor Edyth had a birthmark on one side of her face, which convinced the locals that she was a witch.
Now Susan has a scar on the side of her face which was done by an accident when she was a child so she wears a hat and sort of veil to try to hide it, but as she bought a house in the village and she has tried to fit in, which she did quite well and people were not bothered about her scar so for once she decided to be like the normal people and go without covering it up.
Now she has settled in, and every year they have a festival called The Day of Haegtesse, honouring Edyth Legge by re-enacting the ducking and the burning using an effigy.
This year, it is going to be different, no spoilers, but I did find this a bit predictable, and could tell what was going to happen. Also, it did tend to drag in one or two places, but on the whole not too bad.
I would like to thank Bloodhounds for an ARC copy, and as always, my take on this novel.
Now Susan has a scar on the side of her face which was done by an accident when she was a child so she wears a hat and sort of veil to try to hide it, but as she bought a house in the village and she has tried to fit in, which she did quite well and people were not bothered about her scar so for once she decided to be like the normal people and go without covering it up.
Now she has settled in, and every year they have a festival called The Day of Haegtesse, honouring Edyth Legge by re-enacting the ducking and the burning using an effigy.
This year, it is going to be different, no spoilers, but I did find this a bit predictable, and could tell what was going to happen. Also, it did tend to drag in one or two places, but on the whole not too bad.
I would like to thank Bloodhounds for an ARC copy, and as always, my take on this novel.
Review of advance copy
I love a bit of Gothic mystery, mythology and folklore so I knew this book would be right up my street. It’s creepy and atmospheric and set in a hot summer where the heat adds to the sense of dread.
At the age of three, now 63-year-old widow Susan Reid was scarred in a terrible accident in her home. Her birth parents were convicted of child neglect and she went to live with her adopted family. After her husband Robert died young, followed by her mother and then her father, both of whom she cared for, Susan feels she has no purpose in life, her ever-growing pile of tablets are lined up, just in case.
Then one day an old friend suggests she take a holiday, so off she goes to rural Cornwall, where she has a lovely week and ends up being persuaded to buy a cottage in a village called Polherron, by estate agent and ‘Mester’ Colin Hussey. Locals warn her off and even the taxi doesn’t want to drop her there, but she goes ahead anyway.
The village has an annual tradition called the Day of the Haegtesse, in memory of a young woman – Edyth Legge – who was burnt at the stake for being a witch in the sixteenth century. Witches were tried first by being ducked underwater. If they drowned they were innocent, if they survived they were burnt at the stake. Not exactly a win-win situation.
One of the reasons Edyth was thought to be a witch was a birthmark on her face in the exact same place as Susan’s scar. I’m not going to tell the whole story – suffice to say it’s all getting a bit uncomfortable for Susan and the only person she can really trust is Jeremiah, know as The Hermit.
It’s a great story, full of myth, suspense and a sense of foreboding. I think we know what’s going to happen, we just don’t believe it. My only reservation is that it could have moved a bit quicker, but I loved it anyway.
Many thanks to @lovebookstours for inviting me to be part of #TheBoneGarden tour.
At the age of three, now 63-year-old widow Susan Reid was scarred in a terrible accident in her home. Her birth parents were convicted of child neglect and she went to live with her adopted family. After her husband Robert died young, followed by her mother and then her father, both of whom she cared for, Susan feels she has no purpose in life, her ever-growing pile of tablets are lined up, just in case.
Then one day an old friend suggests she take a holiday, so off she goes to rural Cornwall, where she has a lovely week and ends up being persuaded to buy a cottage in a village called Polherron, by estate agent and ‘Mester’ Colin Hussey. Locals warn her off and even the taxi doesn’t want to drop her there, but she goes ahead anyway.
The village has an annual tradition called the Day of the Haegtesse, in memory of a young woman – Edyth Legge – who was burnt at the stake for being a witch in the sixteenth century. Witches were tried first by being ducked underwater. If they drowned they were innocent, if they survived they were burnt at the stake. Not exactly a win-win situation.
One of the reasons Edyth was thought to be a witch was a birthmark on her face in the exact same place as Susan’s scar. I’m not going to tell the whole story – suffice to say it’s all getting a bit uncomfortable for Susan and the only person she can really trust is Jeremiah, know as The Hermit.
It’s a great story, full of myth, suspense and a sense of foreboding. I think we know what’s going to happen, we just don’t believe it. My only reservation is that it could have moved a bit quicker, but I loved it anyway.
Many thanks to @lovebookstours for inviting me to be part of #TheBoneGarden tour.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Once again the Tess Burnett, author of The Hanging of Hettie Gale gives her readers a tale of women who are unjustly accused and punished only because they are poor, alone, or in this case scarred or bear a birthmark.
Susan Reid, a lonely widow lacking in confidence due to a burn scar which covers half of her face, decides to spread her wings and move to the small Cornish town of Polherron for a fresh start.
Although picturesque this small town is still caught up in the story of a “witch” that was burned almost 500 years before.
A celebration called Haegtesse is held every year in this village to commemorate the day that Edyth Legge, a woman bearing a birthmark on one half of her face, was burned after accusation of witchcraft and “dipping.” The villagers revel in the preparation leading to the festival and the celebration of this dark act. This is not your average quaint village.
Although enchanted with the small coastal town Susan soon learns that things are not as they seem on the surface in Polherron. She soon feels that she is being followed and watched. Great darkness lies below the surface of the Dipping Pool, the village and the villagers.
This is not just a chilling dark tale; it also brings to heart the injustices reaped upon those who society judges as different.
May 11, 2026
I was instantly drawn to this book by the beautiful, but dark, front cover and I was sure that I recognised the author.
I actually read The Hanging Of Hettie Gale a couple of years ago and after a check through my review, remembered that I'd really enjoyed reading.
Now, I'm slowly creeping my way back to my first love of reading horror and knowing how the first book affected me, I was ready for anything with this read - especially going in blind, like I do!
There were so many points that emerged as I started reading this and I was so, so glad that I'd picked it up.
This was set down in a idyllic Cornish small town and as Susan moves in, she is drawn to the history of the town and it's local legend, Edyth Legge, a young girl burned at the stake for being a witch, all the way back in the 16th century.
I loved the whole atmosphere that was created here, delving into the folklore horror, with strange goings on, a festival to mark Edyth's death and a hermit who lives close to the torture site - this definitely had me on edge the whole way through.
This was beautifully written and draws you right into the middle of this claustrophobic community.
It's a read that has you feeling uneasy and just waiting for the next thing to drop.
I was completely hooked from the start and definitely spent a few more hours sitting up at night than I maybe should have done!
I'm loving this genre at the moment and really need to read more from this author soon.
I actually read The Hanging Of Hettie Gale a couple of years ago and after a check through my review, remembered that I'd really enjoyed reading.
Now, I'm slowly creeping my way back to my first love of reading horror and knowing how the first book affected me, I was ready for anything with this read - especially going in blind, like I do!
There were so many points that emerged as I started reading this and I was so, so glad that I'd picked it up.
This was set down in a idyllic Cornish small town and as Susan moves in, she is drawn to the history of the town and it's local legend, Edyth Legge, a young girl burned at the stake for being a witch, all the way back in the 16th century.
I loved the whole atmosphere that was created here, delving into the folklore horror, with strange goings on, a festival to mark Edyth's death and a hermit who lives close to the torture site - this definitely had me on edge the whole way through.
This was beautifully written and draws you right into the middle of this claustrophobic community.
It's a read that has you feeling uneasy and just waiting for the next thing to drop.
I was completely hooked from the start and definitely spent a few more hours sitting up at night than I maybe should have done!
I'm loving this genre at the moment and really need to read more from this author soon.
May 9, 2026
Thank you to LBT for having me on this book review tour and for my gifted copy of this epub.
Omg. I’m not really sure where to begin with this book honestly I’m not. I love a good witch book and well to this book is now a new favorite one doesn’t do it justice in the least !!!
We follow Susan who thinks she is just gonna take a vacation but then decides to buy a house in the village that she was warned off of but you know when you have a good real estate agent that really just sells you on it you just go with it and buy it.
Can I just tell you how creepy this village made me feel. I was legit creepy the whispers the whole vibe I’m just not sure I would be able to stay !!
Susan was such an interesting character she was instantly drawn to the town because of the legend Edyth Legge a witch that was burned at the stake all the way back to the 16th century!!
This book had me in the edge of my seat just reeling !! I was having a hard time reading at night if I’m being honest here lol. I mean I live in the woods with nothing around me !!
This book has so many different layers that made me really bit want to put the book down !!
Overall I will be buying this book and more by this author because this book is just amazing and thr writing by this author even better !!! Highly recommend!!
Omg. I’m not really sure where to begin with this book honestly I’m not. I love a good witch book and well to this book is now a new favorite one doesn’t do it justice in the least !!!
We follow Susan who thinks she is just gonna take a vacation but then decides to buy a house in the village that she was warned off of but you know when you have a good real estate agent that really just sells you on it you just go with it and buy it.
Can I just tell you how creepy this village made me feel. I was legit creepy the whispers the whole vibe I’m just not sure I would be able to stay !!
Susan was such an interesting character she was instantly drawn to the town because of the legend Edyth Legge a witch that was burned at the stake all the way back to the 16th century!!
This book had me in the edge of my seat just reeling !! I was having a hard time reading at night if I’m being honest here lol. I mean I live in the woods with nothing around me !!
This book has so many different layers that made me really bit want to put the book down !!
Overall I will be buying this book and more by this author because this book is just amazing and thr writing by this author even better !!! Highly recommend!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2026
📆 dual timeline.
👀 multi POV
🐢 -🐇 fast-paced
💬 "This baby 'taint no witch, child. She's your daughter,"
Oh my gosh, I could not put this book down, which wasn't great at 2am as I wasn't convinced it wouldn't cause nightmares!
First up I loved the Cornish setting, especially the mention of the Museum of Witchcraft in Boscastle which was one of my favourite places as a child. It made my witchy heart sing. I love folklore and myths, and anything witch related has always fascinated and terrified me. There are definitely some places that feel eerie, and like the past is closer than usual, just like at the Dipping Pool.
I think I guessed pretty early on what the "plans" were, but if anything that made the book even better while I tried to work out of they really would carry them through or not. I just raced through the pages desperate to find out.
I feel like I could write a whole essay here on how people treated those who were different in the past, those such as Edyth who had a birthmark. I find this fascinating, and we still "other" people in all kinds of ways today. But that wouldn't really tell you how good the book is. So I'm just going to say that you should definitely read this one.
👀 multi POV
🐢 -🐇 fast-paced
💬 "This baby 'taint no witch, child. She's your daughter,"
Oh my gosh, I could not put this book down, which wasn't great at 2am as I wasn't convinced it wouldn't cause nightmares!
First up I loved the Cornish setting, especially the mention of the Museum of Witchcraft in Boscastle which was one of my favourite places as a child. It made my witchy heart sing. I love folklore and myths, and anything witch related has always fascinated and terrified me. There are definitely some places that feel eerie, and like the past is closer than usual, just like at the Dipping Pool.
I think I guessed pretty early on what the "plans" were, but if anything that made the book even better while I tried to work out of they really would carry them through or not. I just raced through the pages desperate to find out.
I feel like I could write a whole essay here on how people treated those who were different in the past, those such as Edyth who had a birthmark. I find this fascinating, and we still "other" people in all kinds of ways today. But that wouldn't really tell you how good the book is. So I'm just going to say that you should definitely read this one.
May 9, 2026
Susan Reid has spent her life trying to disappear. Scarred, widowed, and careful until a move to a remote Cornish village promises a clean slate. Welcome to Tarovasan Ms. Susan Reid. The village seemed quiet until local folklore and a centuries old witch burning start bleeding into the present. Children go missing, the old festival ramps up, and neighbors who’ve kept the same grudges for generations begin acting like they’re protecting something. Susan’s past trauma makes her both target and outsider. People distrust her, but her scarred history also gives her a weird attunement to whatever’s crawling back from the past. She follows small clues that reveal the town’s revered legend isn’t just a story but that someone has been recreating the burnings and sacrifices, using the festival as cover to purge those they deem different. The final reveal ties the modern perpetrators to the town elders’ bloodline and a suppressed pact from 500 years ago, forcing Susan to choose between hiding again or confronting a violence that’s literally been inherited. Stakes are personal and communal with the ending hinging on whether truth breaks the town or destroys her first.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Tess Burnett scared me half to death with her debut novel 'The Hanging of Hettie Gale'. Now, the author raises the terror stakes with tropes of folk horror exploring the dark side of a small Cornish village which might be in thrall to a centuries old curse.
This is not an American-style slasher horror novel. It is a deeply unsettling story told with quiet dignity and an ever-growing sense of unease until Susan, an outsider in this tight knit community finds herself at the centre of a diabolical plan to appease an ancient evil.
The plot is every bit as chilling as Robin Hardy's and Anthony Shaffer's now classic 'The Wicker Man'. I refer to the novel which is much better than the rightly highly acclaimed British Lion film.
The characterisation is masterful, and the isolated location of the Dipping Pool and the Bothy, an ideal backdrop into which the author unleashes spinetingling suspense and eventually utter terror.
This is not an American-style slasher horror novel. It is a deeply unsettling story told with quiet dignity and an ever-growing sense of unease until Susan, an outsider in this tight knit community finds herself at the centre of a diabolical plan to appease an ancient evil.
The plot is every bit as chilling as Robin Hardy's and Anthony Shaffer's now classic 'The Wicker Man'. I refer to the novel which is much better than the rightly highly acclaimed British Lion film.
The characterisation is masterful, and the isolated location of the Dipping Pool and the Bothy, an ideal backdrop into which the author unleashes spinetingling suspense and eventually utter terror.
May 12, 2026
Deliciously creepy and unsettling, The Bone Garden has a fear factor everyone can understand, whether you grew up in a small town with unique customs or were warned to stay away from those places. It's The Wicker Man meets Midsommar, the reader left in the dark as much as Susan is as she pieces together the village's brutal history and why she seems to be targeted. It has intrigue and uncertainty in every chapter to keep you hooked.
Susan's naivety may seem a bit much at times, but ask yourself what would you do in her shoes? Believe the craziest of stories about your neighbours or try to fit in after a lifetime of being ostracized? She's consistent in her character, seeing the best in everyone and finally beginning to blossom after 60+ years, you can't help rooting for her. The Bone Garden is easy to read and really makes you question what would you believe and what would you do?
Thanks to LoveBooksTours for having me on the book tour!
Susan's naivety may seem a bit much at times, but ask yourself what would you do in her shoes? Believe the craziest of stories about your neighbours or try to fit in after a lifetime of being ostracized? She's consistent in her character, seeing the best in everyone and finally beginning to blossom after 60+ years, you can't help rooting for her. The Bone Garden is easy to read and really makes you question what would you believe and what would you do?
Thanks to LoveBooksTours for having me on the book tour!
May 8, 2026
This book is well and truly CHILLING 🥶
Susan, our main character, suffers a tragic facial disfigurement following a childhood accident. Oddly, her disfigurement almost perfectly matches the birthmark of a young resident that used to live in the very unwelcoming Cornish village of Polherron, whose fate was sealed at the burning of the stake… 🧙♀️
Susan is hounded into buying a quaint cottage in the village, and takes up the opportunity as a mourning widow with no family left to care for 💔
But the village has its secrets, and Susan’s surface-level acceptance into the oddly behaved community in her new town suggests that there are terrifying plans underway for Susan at the next Pagan festival… 🔥💀
I had shivers the whole way through reading this book! I felt so awful for Susan who wanted to escape the tragedies of her past and begin again in a beautiful new home, not knowing what the brainwashed residents had in store for her 🤯
Without giving any spoilers, the last 10% of the book had me literally reading with fear - the procession to the dipping pool was so intense and I was terrified that Susan’s story would end there! 😱
If you like tales of witchcraft reaped in community tradition and folk horror, PICK THIS UP 👏🏼
Susan, our main character, suffers a tragic facial disfigurement following a childhood accident. Oddly, her disfigurement almost perfectly matches the birthmark of a young resident that used to live in the very unwelcoming Cornish village of Polherron, whose fate was sealed at the burning of the stake… 🧙♀️
Susan is hounded into buying a quaint cottage in the village, and takes up the opportunity as a mourning widow with no family left to care for 💔
But the village has its secrets, and Susan’s surface-level acceptance into the oddly behaved community in her new town suggests that there are terrifying plans underway for Susan at the next Pagan festival… 🔥💀
I had shivers the whole way through reading this book! I felt so awful for Susan who wanted to escape the tragedies of her past and begin again in a beautiful new home, not knowing what the brainwashed residents had in store for her 🤯
Without giving any spoilers, the last 10% of the book had me literally reading with fear - the procession to the dipping pool was so intense and I was terrified that Susan’s story would end there! 😱
If you like tales of witchcraft reaped in community tradition and folk horror, PICK THIS UP 👏🏼
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The book's subtitle says this is a chilling gothic mystery steeped in folklore - and I think it's underselling the book.
The book is haunting, atmospheric, creepy, somewhat paranormal, and – despite it being with a hefty touch of witchcraft and folklore, what I saw there most of all was – it’s filled with some horrible people, from both past and present. And, I do love some good book crazies. There are more than just a few of those here.
Although you might feel like you know where stories like this one go – this one will take you by a surprise. The past and present get tangled in an elegant web here. Reality and folklore create another web. Layers upon layers of creepy, tense, atmospheric webs.
The book is haunting, atmospheric, creepy, somewhat paranormal, and – despite it being with a hefty touch of witchcraft and folklore, what I saw there most of all was – it’s filled with some horrible people, from both past and present. And, I do love some good book crazies. There are more than just a few of those here.
Although you might feel like you know where stories like this one go – this one will take you by a surprise. The past and present get tangled in an elegant web here. Reality and folklore create another web. Layers upon layers of creepy, tense, atmospheric webs.
May 23, 2026
I may be the only one, but I grew to hate this book. The Bone Garden starts off great, with a well written description of Susan’s life that is very relatable. Who hasn’t had the feeling that our life is going nowhere? The landscape of her new community is fun to read, but the middle plot of the story is SO SLOW and heavy handed with foreshadowing. We all see where this is going, but I felt like it took forever to just GET TO IT. And surprise, where we thought it was going? It did. I kept expecting a twist that never arrived.
Where Susan ended up in her personal journey didn’t seem well supported throughout the book.
I could have read the first third and last third and not missed anything.
Where Susan ended up in her personal journey didn’t seem well supported throughout the book.
I could have read the first third and last third and not missed anything.
Review of advance copy
Genre: Gothic | Mystery | Folklore | Psychological Thriller
Pages: 326
Publisher: Bloodhound Books
Rating: 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Wow! What a great storyline! The town has a dark secret dating back 500 years. Susan moves to this small Cornish town to get away from her past. Her husband is died and both her parents have passed. She needs a new start and what a better way than to move to a new place. But nothing could have prepared her for the secrets she is about to uncover. The plot was jaw dropping and had me hanging onto every word. It was a fast paced read and left no holes in the storyline. I loved every page of this book. 10/10 recommend for a thriller seeker like myself.
Pages: 326
Publisher: Bloodhound Books
Rating: 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Wow! What a great storyline! The town has a dark secret dating back 500 years. Susan moves to this small Cornish town to get away from her past. Her husband is died and both her parents have passed. She needs a new start and what a better way than to move to a new place. But nothing could have prepared her for the secrets she is about to uncover. The plot was jaw dropping and had me hanging onto every word. It was a fast paced read and left no holes in the storyline. I loved every page of this book. 10/10 recommend for a thriller seeker like myself.
Review of advance copy received from Author
‘The Bone Garden’ is such a creepy thriller. Everything about the village of Polherron is creepy and honestly, I think I’d have run off scared on the second day of staying there! Susan is obviously braver than I am and it’s really unnerving reading about how the villagers act around her and learning more about the small village's macabre history.
Tess Burnett really builds the tension slower and this whole novel feels so claustrophobic in some places. It was a mixture of two of my favourite things - history and dark thriller. I really enjoyed it and I’ll definitely be reading more from this author in the future.
Tess Burnett really builds the tension slower and this whole novel feels so claustrophobic in some places. It was a mixture of two of my favourite things - history and dark thriller. I really enjoyed it and I’ll definitely be reading more from this author in the future.
May 5, 2026
This story had an extra layer of emotion with the lead character being an older lady. You really felt for her moving house, making friends and being coerced into the events that unfolded.
This is a folk horror, it is beautifully written with myths and tricks intertwined into the pages.
The atmosphere made your heart stop as you went through the book, and I think if you like psychological thrillers this is worth reading with an older lead character with different emotions, life skills and emotions.
It is steeped in legend, and also shows the danger of cults and beliefs that potentially can go wrong.
I loved the cover and I would recommend this :)
This is a folk horror, it is beautifully written with myths and tricks intertwined into the pages.
The atmosphere made your heart stop as you went through the book, and I think if you like psychological thrillers this is worth reading with an older lead character with different emotions, life skills and emotions.
It is steeped in legend, and also shows the danger of cults and beliefs that potentially can go wrong.
I loved the cover and I would recommend this :)
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I loved this book. Definitely has that page turning quality.
Susan is a widow, carer, now on her own and suddenly decides to up sticks to a little village in Cornwall, after taking a holiday there. Well out of her comfort zone, she makes friends with a local hermit and gradually local folklore and present-day goings on become entangled.
Plenty of Gothic tales, mystery, not very nice locals and old tales of witchcraft.
Once or twice, it dragged a bit, but on the whole a very good read.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. I enjoyed it!
Susan is a widow, carer, now on her own and suddenly decides to up sticks to a little village in Cornwall, after taking a holiday there. Well out of her comfort zone, she makes friends with a local hermit and gradually local folklore and present-day goings on become entangled.
Plenty of Gothic tales, mystery, not very nice locals and old tales of witchcraft.
Once or twice, it dragged a bit, but on the whole a very good read.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. I enjoyed it!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is my first book by this author and not my usual genre, I am so glad I decided to read it.
It's one of those books that can be described as lost in a good book.
From the start, I was captured and intrigued and wanted to read until I finished, and I wished there was more.
It has strong, interesting characters, well written revelations, twists, and a gripping page-turner book you are reluctant to put down.
I absolutely loved it and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to others.
My thanks to Bloodhound books for the advanced copy. This is my honest and unbiased review of this book.
It's one of those books that can be described as lost in a good book.
From the start, I was captured and intrigued and wanted to read until I finished, and I wished there was more.
It has strong, interesting characters, well written revelations, twists, and a gripping page-turner book you are reluctant to put down.
I absolutely loved it and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to others.
My thanks to Bloodhound books for the advanced copy. This is my honest and unbiased review of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Susan lives a lonely life in Croydon, then a chance meeting with an old school friend leads her to taking a holiday in Cornwall. She ends up buying a house in the mysterious village of Polherron ( a place she warned against by a few people).
When Susan was a child she was badly burned, leaving half her face disfigured, hundreds of years before a young woman with a disfigured face was drowned in Polherron for being a witch.
This sets the scene for the book and rather predictably it followed where I thought it would, that aside the book was ok, a bit slow but otherwise ok.
When Susan was a child she was badly burned, leaving half her face disfigured, hundreds of years before a young woman with a disfigured face was drowned in Polherron for being a witch.
This sets the scene for the book and rather predictably it followed where I thought it would, that aside the book was ok, a bit slow but otherwise ok.
May 3, 2026
At the start of the story Susan Reid isn't really living, just marking time. Then a chance meeting with an old friend encourages her to take a break in Cornwall. There she is persuaded to buy a cottage and move to Polherron, just in time for the Haegtesse- a festival remebering a local woman burned as a witch. At first Susan seems to be fitting in, and, despite the scars resulting from a childhood accident, making friends. But she starts to feel that something is very wrong - or is she just imagining it?
This is a haunting novel which it is difficult to put down.
This is a haunting novel which it is difficult to put down.
Review of advance copy
I received a copy for a book review tour. The blurb caught my attention immediately so I knew I had to read it.
I absolutely enjoyed The Bone Garden it kept me gripped from the first page and I couldn't put it down.
Although I did think oh so and so is going to happen it was still fantastic the way it played out.
Did I hold my breath while it was all unraveling? Yes I did. I enjoyed everything about this story. The characters, the way it was written.
I can't wait to read more by Tess Burnett
I absolutely enjoyed The Bone Garden it kept me gripped from the first page and I couldn't put it down.
Although I did think oh so and so is going to happen it was still fantastic the way it played out.
Did I hold my breath while it was all unraveling? Yes I did. I enjoyed everything about this story. The characters, the way it was written.
I can't wait to read more by Tess Burnett
May 11, 2026
Another stellar read from Tess Burnett!
This book started out with a similar format to many historical fiction books- a woman who moves to a Cornish village for a fresh start and becomes intrigued by a story told by the locals.
This is where the similarity ends, for the story of Edyth Legge is certainly unique.
This book is intriguing and so atmospheric, and I was utterly engrossed throughout. I have read plenty of books around the witchcraft era, and this is another fabulous read in the subgenre.
This book started out with a similar format to many historical fiction books- a woman who moves to a Cornish village for a fresh start and becomes intrigued by a story told by the locals.
This is where the similarity ends, for the story of Edyth Legge is certainly unique.
This book is intriguing and so atmospheric, and I was utterly engrossed throughout. I have read plenty of books around the witchcraft era, and this is another fabulous read in the subgenre.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
My goodness this kept me captivated throughout a flight it was so engrossing. I loved how the past impacted on the story but it wasnt told as seperate chapters so you werent going back and forth. I thought the ending was poetic justice at the pond and tied everything together. I liked the author explained all the relationships in the village and i didnt need to make notes like i have had to with other books.
All in all a good read with historical undertones
All in all a good read with historical undertones
May 7, 2026
Reading the Bone Garden is like listening to a ghost story around a campfire - mysterious, sinister and dark. Throughout the story, there is an uncomfortable tension between the naivete of the main charater and the secretiveness of the villagers. You know something big is coming, you're just not sure what. And then the climax, where truth and myth collide and you find out just how easily people can be manipulated by those in power.
May 7, 2026
The Bone Garden by Tess Burnett.
I really did enjoy this book. I loved the cover and blurb of this book. It was the reason I signed up for this tour. I really liked Susan. The plot was a page turner. I couldn't put it down. I did like Susan and Jeremiah and how they were together. A gripping and twisty read. I loved that Susan was older. so different. I will definitely see what her other books are. I love discovering new authors. definitely recommend.
I really did enjoy this book. I loved the cover and blurb of this book. It was the reason I signed up for this tour. I really liked Susan. The plot was a page turner. I couldn't put it down. I did like Susan and Jeremiah and how they were together. A gripping and twisty read. I loved that Susan was older. so different. I will definitely see what her other books are. I love discovering new authors. definitely recommend.
May 11, 2026
If you love a good book that’s atmospheric, creepy and contains lots of witchcraft, this is the perfect book for you. I was immediately drawn into the story. The main character is an older lady and I felt really sorry for her with everything that happened. The dark atmosphere of the book made me shiver a few times, but it was fantastic. The characters in the village were just strange making it even more delicious! I recommend this book very highly.
April 2, 2026
When Susan takes a holiday in Cornwall the last thing she expects is to be buying a cottage in a tiny village called Polherron. However, once settled in she gets involved with celebrations for the Day of the Haegtesse but it doesn’t end quite how she imagined. A well written story but a little bit predictable in places.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Well what a jewel to behold. Tess Burnett has excelled herself with her second novel. Starting rather like the best seller, Frozen River, we swiftly move to Susan...and how such a challenging stage of a woman's life is explored..this resonated...and how this story should and must be told. Certainly not one to miss out on. Recommend.
Review of advance copy
This is the first book I’ve read by Tess . I enjoyed it but found it very predictable and even though it is classed as a thriller read I found it more a mystery book.
This book is about Susan who goes on holiday in Cornwall and ends up buying a house . She becomes drawn to a local girl who got burned for witchcraft nearly 500 years ago . A creepy book set in a creepy village .
This book is about Susan who goes on holiday in Cornwall and ends up buying a house . She becomes drawn to a local girl who got burned for witchcraft nearly 500 years ago . A creepy book set in a creepy village .
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