The Bone Garden: A gripping serial killer thriller from the New York Times bestselling author

by Victoria Twead

Some patterns should never be completed.
Bodies are turning up, posed with impossible care, surrounded by spirals built from bleached bones.
DS Constable Lara Lennox expects a straightforward hunt. Instead, she finds a killer who seems to know her team’s next move before they do.
A tense, page-turning psychological serial killer thriller by a New York Times bestselling author, perfect for fans of Rylie Dark, Chris Carter, and MJ Arlidge.
Book 2 of the chilling, unforgettable Dead of Night series.

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 8, 2026

About the author

Victoria Twead is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Amazon bestselling author. Eleven years living in a tiny, remote, mountain village in Spain and owning probably the most dangerous cockerel in Europe, inspired Victoria to write “Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools”. Subsequent books in the Old Fools’ series continue to pop up.

So far, her husband has utterly failed to wrestle the laptop from Victoria’s vice-like grip and she continues to write and publish other authors' books in Australia. Another joyous life-chapter has begun for the pair.

Reviews

[Julie Haigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5-star read. 

Known primarily for her memoirs, this isn't Victoria Twead's first foray into fiction: There are three books so far in her Sixpenny Cross village series, and this is already her second book in a much darker project. 

It's atmospheric, puzzling and creepy.  It's all the things you want in a thriller: Intriguing, gripping, tense, unpredictable. Grisly beginnings slowly build to an exciting conclusion.  I was in my element! I love books about forensics, forensic pathology, and forensic anthropology; whether true crime, memoir or fiction.

I've loved all her Two Old Fools Series about moving from the UK to Spain, and eventually Australia. They're lovely, chucklesome reads. This lady is too nice to write a good crime killer thriller. Isn't she? No, she's not! Cackle! 😊 She's already written two belters! Can't wait for the next!

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another incredible thriller from the pen of Victoria Twead. The killer has a strange fascination with bones, and Victoria really draws you into his story, and into his world. Her characters are so in depth: but she builds the background information into the story, making the characters step off the page, and become real. She can paint a picture with words: her use of similie, and the descriptions of smells, mean you are there, in the scene. And she understands how to ramp up tension: several times I was on the edge of my seat, and the final few chapters had me on the edge of my seat, biting my fingernails. This is a well-written and finely crafted book. I was asked to be an early reader, but this is my honest and unsolicited opinion.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read - I could not put the book down once I started reading! This second book was a wonderful follow-up of the characters in book one! Well done, Victoria Twead!