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The Bone Collector #1
Rattle
A serial killer to chill your bones
A psychopath more frightening than Hannibal Lecter.
He has planned well. He leads two lives. In one he's just like anyone else. But in the other he is the caretaker of his family's macabre museum.
Now the time has come to add to his collection. He is ready to feed his obsession, and he is on the hunt.
Jakey Frith and Clara Foyle have something in common. They have what he needs.
What begins is a terrifying cat-and-mouse game between the sinister collector, Jakey's father and Etta Fitzroy, a troubled detective investigating a spate of abductions.
Set in London's Blackheath, Rattle by Fiona Cummins explores the seam of darkness that runs through us all; the struggle between light and shadow, redemption and revenge.
It is a glimpse into the mind of a sinister psychopath. And it's also a story about not giving up hope when it seems that all hope is already lost.
A psychopath more frightening than Hannibal Lecter.
He has planned well. He leads two lives. In one he's just like anyone else. But in the other he is the caretaker of his family's macabre museum.
Now the time has come to add to his collection. He is ready to feed his obsession, and he is on the hunt.
Jakey Frith and Clara Foyle have something in common. They have what he needs.
What begins is a terrifying cat-and-mouse game between the sinister collector, Jakey's father and Etta Fitzroy, a troubled detective investigating a spate of abductions.
Set in London's Blackheath, Rattle by Fiona Cummins explores the seam of darkness that runs through us all; the struggle between light and shadow, redemption and revenge.
It is a glimpse into the mind of a sinister psychopath. And it's also a story about not giving up hope when it seems that all hope is already lost.
486 pages, Hardcover
First published January 26, 2017
276 people are currently reading
4379 people want to read
About the author
Fiona Cummins
13 books556 followersFiona Cummins is an award-winning former Daily Mirror showbusiness journalist and a graduate of the Faber Academy Writing A Novel course. She lives in Essex with her family. Rattle is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 545 reviews
January 5, 2017
It’s been awhile since I’ve read something that genuinely terrified me; woot and double woot! While I wouldn’t go so far as to say this counts in the horror category, it did have a The Silence of the Lambs -esque feel to it. Honestly, the villain in this book makes Hannibal Lector look like a kitty cat prancing on rainbows and butterflies. While this in itself was enough to make it an all-around disturbing read, the author did a fantastic job of playing at every fear and concern I have as a parent toward my children. This went beyond the typical “Dear God-Please Don’t let my children ever get kidnapped or murdered” typical fears; no, the author introduced us to a wide array of horrifying disorders that occur in real life to worry about as well.
You should go into this knowing as little as possible. My paperback didn’t have a summary on the back, and while I had a very vague idea of the plot, I never looked it up online and went in blind. I highly recommend doing this, therefore I won’t be discussing any particular plot points here. Instead I’d like to focus on how this book as a whole made me feel and some of the things that might be triggers for other readers, as this is the type of book that needs to be connected with the right type of person. I’ll be honest, I had to put this one down a couple of times to ease my anxiety and quickly chastise myself for googling images of the particular disorders mentioned here. I found certain parts highly disturbing, especially early on with descriptions of what happens to a child with “Stone Man Syndrome” each time they have any type of accident. My heart started aching as I recalled a story last year of a little boy suffering with this and this novel gave me insight into the horrifying life his parents endure each day. None of this is a criticism; in fact, I applaud the author for not only crafting such deep, realistic characters in a serial killer thriller, but also for shedding light and awareness on such disorders that need more funding to desperately find a cure.
There are many triggers found in this book, so if you are one to stay away from violence toward children (more so implied, not graphically described), and are disturbed by bugs and unsettling descriptions of the disorders highlighted here, this may not be for you. If you can handle more disturbing and graphic books, you may really enjoy the depth and extra attention to detail found in this story. It is extremely well-written and done with respect to those who are disabled, while not painting a fluffy, inaccurate picture of what these people go through on a daily basis. I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time; I’m also interested in taking what I’ve learned here and channeling it into helping promote a charity or funding of curing these disorders and providing help to families whom this horror is a daily reality. Fiona Cummins is clearly very talented and I’m waiting on pins and needles to see where she takes us next!
*Many thanks to Francesca at MacMillan for providing my copy; it was a pleasure to provide an honest review.
You should go into this knowing as little as possible. My paperback didn’t have a summary on the back, and while I had a very vague idea of the plot, I never looked it up online and went in blind. I highly recommend doing this, therefore I won’t be discussing any particular plot points here. Instead I’d like to focus on how this book as a whole made me feel and some of the things that might be triggers for other readers, as this is the type of book that needs to be connected with the right type of person. I’ll be honest, I had to put this one down a couple of times to ease my anxiety and quickly chastise myself for googling images of the particular disorders mentioned here. I found certain parts highly disturbing, especially early on with descriptions of what happens to a child with “Stone Man Syndrome” each time they have any type of accident. My heart started aching as I recalled a story last year of a little boy suffering with this and this novel gave me insight into the horrifying life his parents endure each day. None of this is a criticism; in fact, I applaud the author for not only crafting such deep, realistic characters in a serial killer thriller, but also for shedding light and awareness on such disorders that need more funding to desperately find a cure.
There are many triggers found in this book, so if you are one to stay away from violence toward children (more so implied, not graphically described), and are disturbed by bugs and unsettling descriptions of the disorders highlighted here, this may not be for you. If you can handle more disturbing and graphic books, you may really enjoy the depth and extra attention to detail found in this story. It is extremely well-written and done with respect to those who are disabled, while not painting a fluffy, inaccurate picture of what these people go through on a daily basis. I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time; I’m also interested in taking what I’ve learned here and channeling it into helping promote a charity or funding of curing these disorders and providing help to families whom this horror is a daily reality. Fiona Cummins is clearly very talented and I’m waiting on pins and needles to see where she takes us next!
*Many thanks to Francesca at MacMillan for providing my copy; it was a pleasure to provide an honest review.
December 29, 2016
This is a chilling debut from Fiona Cummins revolving around a serial killer, The Bone Collector, and his obsession with collecting unusual and rare animal and human skeletal deformities. They are displayed in the bizarre family museum of which he is the curator. His interest extends to abducting children who have bone abnormalities, like Clara Foyle and Jakey, who has Stone Man Syndrome where his body grows new bones that leads to the sufferer being encased in a prison of bones. The Bone Collector's intention is to display their skeletons in his museum. DS Fitzroy is haunted by the killing of young Grace Rodriguez and leads the hunt for Clara and Jakey.
The story is delivered through multiple viewpoints. So we see the marriage faultlines and despair of Amy and Miles Foyle as Clara is taken. We feel the strain that having Jakey and the demands his condition has wrought on Lilith and Erdman's marriage and the excruciating impact his disappearance has on them. Erdman is trying to survive the pressures of his job and failing, his love for Jakey leads him to try and find the serial killer. Fitzroy is driven and determined to catching the perpetrator, belatedly discovering his calling card. She desperately wants a child and her marriage is disintegrating. We only learn the name of the bone collector late in the story, lending him an insidious quality and a certain invisibility. This heightens the air of menace and fear the reader experiences. We are given an insight into his disturbing family background and how he learnt his macabre craft from his father.
It is the author's excellent skills in placing the reader right in the midst of what the characters experience that is the greatest strength of the story. Seeing through their eyes ensures we feel their agonies, fears, stresses and frustrations. You root for DS Fitzroy despite her flaws, and understand the pressures she is working under. I would highly recommend this character driven novel as a atmospheric and absorbing read. Many thanks to Pan MacMillan for an ARC.
The story is delivered through multiple viewpoints. So we see the marriage faultlines and despair of Amy and Miles Foyle as Clara is taken. We feel the strain that having Jakey and the demands his condition has wrought on Lilith and Erdman's marriage and the excruciating impact his disappearance has on them. Erdman is trying to survive the pressures of his job and failing, his love for Jakey leads him to try and find the serial killer. Fitzroy is driven and determined to catching the perpetrator, belatedly discovering his calling card. She desperately wants a child and her marriage is disintegrating. We only learn the name of the bone collector late in the story, lending him an insidious quality and a certain invisibility. This heightens the air of menace and fear the reader experiences. We are given an insight into his disturbing family background and how he learnt his macabre craft from his father.
It is the author's excellent skills in placing the reader right in the midst of what the characters experience that is the greatest strength of the story. Seeing through their eyes ensures we feel their agonies, fears, stresses and frustrations. You root for DS Fitzroy despite her flaws, and understand the pressures she is working under. I would highly recommend this character driven novel as a atmospheric and absorbing read. Many thanks to Pan MacMillan for an ARC.
February 5, 2024
Intense!
I suspected that I would love this book. It’s very intense. Filled with stomach gripping suspense.
Very different from a lot of other serial killer books that I have read. Not typical, and far-fetched characters.
Definitely deserves four stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I suspected that I would love this book. It’s very intense. Filled with stomach gripping suspense.
Very different from a lot of other serial killer books that I have read. Not typical, and far-fetched characters.
Definitely deserves four stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 21, 2018
Fiona Cummins’ debut novel has all the ingredients of a captivating thriller and keeps the reader hooked until the final chapters. After Clara Foyle is abducted outside a sweets shop, the community is swept up in the panic and a search commences. Detective Sergeant Etta Fitzroy is used to this panic, but must work quickly to nail down some leads before the trail goes cold and Clara is all but forgotten by the public. As she pokes around the crime scene, DS Fitzroy comes upon the skeletal remains of some animal, something she eventually learns is a rabbit. Affixed to the rabbit’s foot is a message, some code that might refer to a biblical passage, related to bones. There is surely an abductor out there, but no leads to offer anything concrete. Fitzroy is still haunted by another child abduction on her plate, one that has yet to be solved, though the family remains hopeful. When another young boy disappears, this time from his hospital bed, Fitzroy discovers another set of rabbit bones and is certain there is a connection. Who might have done this and for what reason? The only connection between Clara and Jakey Frith is their age...and that they both suffered from a bone anomaly. Poring over the evidence and family histories, DS Fitzroy concludes that the abductor must have an interest in bones. Meanwhile, lurking in the shadows, the Bone Collector has both children held captive, prepping them to add to his macabre personal museum, passed on to him by a curious father. With Clara and Jakey almost ready for their induction into the bone museum, DS Fitzroy has no time to lose. The smallest clue could crack the case wide open, but one false move and two children may soon become medical specimens. A brilliant novel that exemplifies just how ready Fiona Cummins is to break onto the scene. Fans of a ‘bone chilling’ thriller will flock to this and stay up late trying to race to the finish.
I always enjoy discovering new authors who seek to push their way onto the psychological thriller scene, perfecting their craft with a few strong novels. Cummins has done so with this single novel, laying the groundwork for a wonderful series with detailed plots and strong characters. Etta Fitzroy is a decent cop who has been trying to come to terms with a work-home balance and failing miserably. However, home is but a distraction as she is elbow-deep trying to trace the path of a serial killer/abductor who has an odd fascination. This drive pushes Fitzroy to break away from the mould her father—also a copper—left her, in a world where female strength is still in its infancy. The Bone Collector, that curious man in the shadows, has an interesting backstory and drive to continue his work. Able to plant himself into society, he has a history that is as detailed as it is horrific. Trying to continue his work, the Collector seeks to find the most interesting cases and display them, though only the most macabre will ever come to view the specimens on offer. The story is strong and flows easily from chapter to chapter, helping the reader to find their footing in short order. Short teaser chapters with time prints bridge the larger and more exploratory ones, all in an effort to keep the reader engaged until the very end. Cummins does a magnificent job and has left things hanging, if only to keep the reader begging for more. Depending on the depth that Cummins wishes to explore, I can see this series developing into something addictive for readers who enjoy the darkest side of police procedurals.
Kudos, Madam Cummins, for introducing fans to your work and showing that you belong in this genre. Your ability to spin such gruesome tales could catapult you shifting to the top, amongst some of the best in the field.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I always enjoy discovering new authors who seek to push their way onto the psychological thriller scene, perfecting their craft with a few strong novels. Cummins has done so with this single novel, laying the groundwork for a wonderful series with detailed plots and strong characters. Etta Fitzroy is a decent cop who has been trying to come to terms with a work-home balance and failing miserably. However, home is but a distraction as she is elbow-deep trying to trace the path of a serial killer/abductor who has an odd fascination. This drive pushes Fitzroy to break away from the mould her father—also a copper—left her, in a world where female strength is still in its infancy. The Bone Collector, that curious man in the shadows, has an interesting backstory and drive to continue his work. Able to plant himself into society, he has a history that is as detailed as it is horrific. Trying to continue his work, the Collector seeks to find the most interesting cases and display them, though only the most macabre will ever come to view the specimens on offer. The story is strong and flows easily from chapter to chapter, helping the reader to find their footing in short order. Short teaser chapters with time prints bridge the larger and more exploratory ones, all in an effort to keep the reader engaged until the very end. Cummins does a magnificent job and has left things hanging, if only to keep the reader begging for more. Depending on the depth that Cummins wishes to explore, I can see this series developing into something addictive for readers who enjoy the darkest side of police procedurals.
Kudos, Madam Cummins, for introducing fans to your work and showing that you belong in this genre. Your ability to spin such gruesome tales could catapult you shifting to the top, amongst some of the best in the field.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
February 23, 2018
Rattle by Fiona Cummins is the first book in the new The Bone Collector series. The series a dark sort of thriller read featuring a detective on the hunt for a serial killer with an peculiar type of victim.
The Bone Collector is after a certain type of victim in the story which introduces readers to certain medical conditions about bone deformities. A young child in the story suffers from this very rare disease which makes him a perfect target for the killer that Detective Sergeant Etta Fitzroy has linked to other disappearances.
As with most books that feature a killer this one isn’t exactly for the faint of heart. I was actually expecting a bit more horrific myself with comparisons to Silence of the Lambs. It’s definitely a solid read but I often wondered if you took out the victim type would this turn into any other police procedural/serial killer book out there.
The most compelling parts of the read for me were of little Jakey and learning about his horrific disease. I honestly can’t imagine what those diagnosed go through or what the parents go through trying to care for someone with the disease. You can’t help but feel for him but when reading the rest I never really felt as pulled in as during the parts with Jakey. Overall though it was a decent start to the series that makes me wonder where it will head next.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
The Bone Collector is after a certain type of victim in the story which introduces readers to certain medical conditions about bone deformities. A young child in the story suffers from this very rare disease which makes him a perfect target for the killer that Detective Sergeant Etta Fitzroy has linked to other disappearances.
As with most books that feature a killer this one isn’t exactly for the faint of heart. I was actually expecting a bit more horrific myself with comparisons to Silence of the Lambs. It’s definitely a solid read but I often wondered if you took out the victim type would this turn into any other police procedural/serial killer book out there.
The most compelling parts of the read for me were of little Jakey and learning about his horrific disease. I honestly can’t imagine what those diagnosed go through or what the parents go through trying to care for someone with the disease. You can’t help but feel for him but when reading the rest I never really felt as pulled in as during the parts with Jakey. Overall though it was a decent start to the series that makes me wonder where it will head next.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
February 24, 2017
"Rattle" by Fiona Cummins is a decent enough serial killer/psychopath thriller, written well for a debut author, but unfortunately for me it did not live up to the hype of all the rave reviews I've read about. I wasn't scared at all and in no way did this compare to 'Silence of the Lambs' and I've read all the books in that series and was definitely spooked out with them. The premise of the story was fine and it had a really original concept to the plot line, it was just for me there was too much about the families of the children involved and I just didn't take to DS Etta Fitzroy and throughout the book I started skipping chapters.
I'm sure this will still be a really popular book - based on other readers reviews I actually bought a signed copy of "Rattle" from Goldsboro Books - so I'm sure other readers will be tempted to read it, and no doubt will probably enjoy it but alas it was not for me.
I'm sure this will still be a really popular book - based on other readers reviews I actually bought a signed copy of "Rattle" from Goldsboro Books - so I'm sure other readers will be tempted to read it, and no doubt will probably enjoy it but alas it was not for me.
June 24, 2017
every once in a while a book comes along that takes your breath away & send chills to your every being, Rattle by Fiona Cummins is that book it creeped me out The bone collector was the creepiest character I've read about his presence chilled me to my inner core.
If you like creepy novels that takes one into the inner sanctum of a deranged serial killer this is for you BUT if you have a problem with beetles & deformed bones of children then DO NOT READ!!
I wont give to much away, lets just say Hannibal Lector WATCH OUT!! THE BONE COLLECTER could take your place as the most deranged serial killer of this genre.
Kudos to miss Cummins for writing a compelling serial killer thriller that I want to read about more, did not want this to end.
If you like creepy novels that takes one into the inner sanctum of a deranged serial killer this is for you BUT if you have a problem with beetles & deformed bones of children then DO NOT READ!!
I wont give to much away, lets just say Hannibal Lector WATCH OUT!! THE BONE COLLECTER could take your place as the most deranged serial killer of this genre.
Kudos to miss Cummins for writing a compelling serial killer thriller that I want to read about more, did not want this to end.
March 13, 2017
This books deserves a raw and rave review. After all the books that you can read... sometimes one just sticks with you and this one definitely did for me. 5 big BEAUTIFUL STARS!!! :) :)
What a fantastic debut novel by Fionna Cummins! Beautifully well written and engaging from start to finish! WHAT a ride my friends!!
I didn't want this to end... I was so sad. I NEED a sequel to this and want a series! Come on Fiona!!!
What a new fresh and unique disturbing serial killer called the Bone Collector. Shoot my bones wanted to lunge at him as I was reading... sick and evil man.
"He croons to his beetles, called them home. In one undulating mass, they warm up his arms, round his neck, down the back of his jacket. He enjoys the sensation of thousands of insects crawling over his skin, prefers it to the touch of human hands."
OK.... WTF I was thinking.....EWWWW.
That's just the little hair on the camel's back into the mind of this deranged killer... he enjoys special people that he stalks. Children that have a special medical diagnosis (in this case Stone Man Syndrome or Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressive). Little Jakey has this diagnosis and just broke my heart to watch a family's horror in taking care of child with this (basically a rare disease that causes people to grow a second skeleton). SO our lovely Bone Collector has an obsession with collecting these different types of bones.
This novel is dark and disturbing but somehow just keeps pulling you in. I definitely cringed and turned my head more then once reading this but swooped this one up in days!! Definitely has climbed my list for top reads of 2017. Emotional and amazing debut! I cannot wait to see what Fiona has in store of us next!!! :) Highly recommended!!!
What a fantastic debut novel by Fionna Cummins! Beautifully well written and engaging from start to finish! WHAT a ride my friends!!
I didn't want this to end... I was so sad. I NEED a sequel to this and want a series! Come on Fiona!!!
What a new fresh and unique disturbing serial killer called the Bone Collector. Shoot my bones wanted to lunge at him as I was reading... sick and evil man.
"He croons to his beetles, called them home. In one undulating mass, they warm up his arms, round his neck, down the back of his jacket. He enjoys the sensation of thousands of insects crawling over his skin, prefers it to the touch of human hands."
OK.... WTF I was thinking.....EWWWW.
That's just the little hair on the camel's back into the mind of this deranged killer... he enjoys special people that he stalks. Children that have a special medical diagnosis (in this case Stone Man Syndrome or Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressive). Little Jakey has this diagnosis and just broke my heart to watch a family's horror in taking care of child with this (basically a rare disease that causes people to grow a second skeleton). SO our lovely Bone Collector has an obsession with collecting these different types of bones.
This novel is dark and disturbing but somehow just keeps pulling you in. I definitely cringed and turned my head more then once reading this but swooped this one up in days!! Definitely has climbed my list for top reads of 2017. Emotional and amazing debut! I cannot wait to see what Fiona has in store of us next!!! :) Highly recommended!!!
August 15, 2023
This book deserves a rave review. Out of hundreds and hundreds of books read in the last two years sometimes a few come along that just really stick with you. These are the ones that you know you will remember in great detail and have impacted you on a deep level as a reader. Rattle is one such book.
For a debut novel this book is exceptionally well-written, it flows beautifully, you don't stumble and stand on the words as you read, you grab on and the story takes you on it's journey and you hold on really tight until the book generously eventually lets you go. I wanted more, I wanted so much more, I was sad when it ended, I wanted an immediate sequel, a series. I want more from this author.
A psychopath more frightening than Hannibal Lecter.
He has planned well. He leads two lives. In one he's just like anyone else. But in the other he is the caretaker of his family's macabre museum.
Now the time has come to add to his collection. He is ready to feed his obsession, and he is on the hunt.
Jakey Frith and Clara Foyle have something in common. They have what he needs.
What begins is a terrifying cat-and-mouse game between the sinister collector, Jakey's father and Etta Fitzroy, a troubled detective investigating a spate of abductions.
Make no mistake, this book has a serial killer that will stick with you for a long time in your memory, possibly your nightmares. The Bone Collector. He was so tangibly evil and messed up I felt I could almost reach through the book and touch his cold, dry and wrinkled skin. I pulled my hand back because I knew if I touched him I would never come back. I would be a new specimen for his collection.
The Bone Collector collects very special people. The book is well researched into a rare medical bone condition called Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP). This is a very rare inherited connective tissue disorder characterized by the abnormal development of bone in areas of the body where bone is not normally present (heterotopic ossification), such as the ligaments, tendons, and skeletal muscles. Specifically, this disorder causes the body's skeletal muscles and soft connective tissues to undergo a metamorphosis, essentially a transformation into bone, progressively locking joints in place and making movement difficult or impossible. FOP is characterized by malformed big toes that are present at birth (congenital). Other skeletal malformations of the cervical spine and ribs and the abnormal development of bone at multiple soft tissue sites may lead episodically to stiffness in affected areas, limited movement, and eventual ankylosis of affected joints (neck, shoulders, elbows, hips knees, wrists, ankles, jaw, often in that order).
Young Jakey suffers with this terrible condition, his bones grow extra bones until eventually he will be encaged within all this extra bone. This is of great interest to The Bone Collector, great interest indeed. The Bone Collector has a taste for unusual bones, and noting will stand in the way of him adding what he wants to his collection. As a young boy he was taught the skills required by his father, this generational evil is passed down the line.
Other children are missing, really awful and at first obscure "calling cards" are left at the abduction sites. Policewoman Etta Fitzroy is on the case and will not let go until she has caught the evil that is taking these precious children and not returning them home to their mummies and daddies. I loved Etta - she is very flawed and very real. She likes to buck the rules if she thinks it will get results, she really does put herself on the line a lot. She is tenacious and determined and I loved her as one of my new female police characters. I can't wait for more books hopefully from Fiona Cummins featuring Etta.
There is a dark and sinister undercurrent through this entire novel that had me on edge. The atmosphere is built up so you are not quite comfortable reading it, moments really did disturb me and I am fairly bomb-proof and I do believe I cringed and turned my head more than once. That is very clever writing, I felt the evil of The Bone Collector, the terror of the children, the distress of the parents and the anger, frustration and determination of Etta on the case. An emotional read.
There was nothing not to love.
I read an ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, all review opinions are entirely my own and completely unbiased.
Thanks so much for reading my review!
For a debut novel this book is exceptionally well-written, it flows beautifully, you don't stumble and stand on the words as you read, you grab on and the story takes you on it's journey and you hold on really tight until the book generously eventually lets you go. I wanted more, I wanted so much more, I was sad when it ended, I wanted an immediate sequel, a series. I want more from this author.
A psychopath more frightening than Hannibal Lecter.
He has planned well. He leads two lives. In one he's just like anyone else. But in the other he is the caretaker of his family's macabre museum.
Now the time has come to add to his collection. He is ready to feed his obsession, and he is on the hunt.
Jakey Frith and Clara Foyle have something in common. They have what he needs.
What begins is a terrifying cat-and-mouse game between the sinister collector, Jakey's father and Etta Fitzroy, a troubled detective investigating a spate of abductions.
Make no mistake, this book has a serial killer that will stick with you for a long time in your memory, possibly your nightmares. The Bone Collector. He was so tangibly evil and messed up I felt I could almost reach through the book and touch his cold, dry and wrinkled skin. I pulled my hand back because I knew if I touched him I would never come back. I would be a new specimen for his collection.
The Bone Collector collects very special people. The book is well researched into a rare medical bone condition called Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP). This is a very rare inherited connective tissue disorder characterized by the abnormal development of bone in areas of the body where bone is not normally present (heterotopic ossification), such as the ligaments, tendons, and skeletal muscles. Specifically, this disorder causes the body's skeletal muscles and soft connective tissues to undergo a metamorphosis, essentially a transformation into bone, progressively locking joints in place and making movement difficult or impossible. FOP is characterized by malformed big toes that are present at birth (congenital). Other skeletal malformations of the cervical spine and ribs and the abnormal development of bone at multiple soft tissue sites may lead episodically to stiffness in affected areas, limited movement, and eventual ankylosis of affected joints (neck, shoulders, elbows, hips knees, wrists, ankles, jaw, often in that order).
Young Jakey suffers with this terrible condition, his bones grow extra bones until eventually he will be encaged within all this extra bone. This is of great interest to The Bone Collector, great interest indeed. The Bone Collector has a taste for unusual bones, and noting will stand in the way of him adding what he wants to his collection. As a young boy he was taught the skills required by his father, this generational evil is passed down the line.
Other children are missing, really awful and at first obscure "calling cards" are left at the abduction sites. Policewoman Etta Fitzroy is on the case and will not let go until she has caught the evil that is taking these precious children and not returning them home to their mummies and daddies. I loved Etta - she is very flawed and very real. She likes to buck the rules if she thinks it will get results, she really does put herself on the line a lot. She is tenacious and determined and I loved her as one of my new female police characters. I can't wait for more books hopefully from Fiona Cummins featuring Etta.
There is a dark and sinister undercurrent through this entire novel that had me on edge. The atmosphere is built up so you are not quite comfortable reading it, moments really did disturb me and I am fairly bomb-proof and I do believe I cringed and turned my head more than once. That is very clever writing, I felt the evil of The Bone Collector, the terror of the children, the distress of the parents and the anger, frustration and determination of Etta on the case. An emotional read.
There was nothing not to love.
I read an ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, all review opinions are entirely my own and completely unbiased.
Thanks so much for reading my review!
October 30, 2016
This started out well but it pretty quickly became clear that there's nothing new here. The writing is ok, the plot interesting enough, but by the last third I wanted to skim whole pages and only read it all because it was a review copy. One of the main Detectives, Etta, becomes increasingly irrational and I was more annoyed by this than I should have been because, again, she seemed to be intelligent and capable at the beginning.
All in all, just an average read.
Thanks to Macmillan and Netgalley for the chance to read this review copy. All opinions are my own.
All in all, just an average read.
Thanks to Macmillan and Netgalley for the chance to read this review copy. All opinions are my own.
December 25, 2017
*DNF* - I really wanted to like this book and read more than half of it but I just couldn't relate to any of the characters and wasn't captivated by the story. I guess it just wasn't my cup of tea ... :(
May 31, 2022
3.5 Stars
That was deeply unsettling and a lot to process. Like A LOT. There were 'skeletons in the closet' aplenty in this thriller that sees two young kids being the object of a deranged mans obsession. I liked our fierce yet fragile Etta Fitzroy and enjoyed seeing a vulnerable character cast in the role of hero detective. Will definitely want to see how this all plays out after that ending so will read book 2 in the near future.
That was deeply unsettling and a lot to process. Like A LOT. There were 'skeletons in the closet' aplenty in this thriller that sees two young kids being the object of a deranged mans obsession. I liked our fierce yet fragile Etta Fitzroy and enjoyed seeing a vulnerable character cast in the role of hero detective. Will definitely want to see how this all plays out after that ending so will read book 2 in the near future.
November 19, 2016
This is a seriously creepy, incredibly well written debut novel. Detective Sergeant Etta Fitzroy is still haunted by the disappearance of a little girl, named Grace, when another child goes missing. Clara Foyle is abducted outside her school playground and, before long, her face is everywhere, while her parents struggle to cope with the guilt and loss. One of those interested in the news story is young Jakey Frith; a child who suffers from a rare condition called Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva, or ‘Stone Man Syndrome.’
Jakey’s father, Erdman Frith, has been struggling with his concern over Jakey since he was born; while his wife has turned bitter and resentful. Stuck in a dead end job, with a new boss who views him as a dead weight and a wife who sees him as a failure, he has a tendency to drink too much. However, what he doesn’t realise is that his son is in danger. The Bone Man, the Night Man, the man who haunts Jakey’s dreams, has a collection of specimens and he has his eye on Erdman’s son…
This is a fast paced thriller, which is full of excellent characters. There is Etta Fitzroy, who is driven and motivated, but is haunted by the fact she has no child of her own and by her disintegrating marriage. Indeed, there are many marriages in this book that are in jeopardy. Miles Foyle finds himself viewed as a suspect in his daughter’s abduction, while Erdman recalls a time when his marriage was happy and full of hope.
I truly hope that there will be a sequel to this book, as I really feel that these characters have more to offer. I thought the subject matter was difficult to read about in places, especially as a parent myself, but the author does a wonderful job of really making her characters come alive. These are not cardboard cut outs having events happen to them; but real people making decisions, trying to cope with what life throws at them and dealing with their emotions. I loved this and, if you like intelligent and well written crime books, you will hopefully enjoy this too.
Jakey’s father, Erdman Frith, has been struggling with his concern over Jakey since he was born; while his wife has turned bitter and resentful. Stuck in a dead end job, with a new boss who views him as a dead weight and a wife who sees him as a failure, he has a tendency to drink too much. However, what he doesn’t realise is that his son is in danger. The Bone Man, the Night Man, the man who haunts Jakey’s dreams, has a collection of specimens and he has his eye on Erdman’s son…
This is a fast paced thriller, which is full of excellent characters. There is Etta Fitzroy, who is driven and motivated, but is haunted by the fact she has no child of her own and by her disintegrating marriage. Indeed, there are many marriages in this book that are in jeopardy. Miles Foyle finds himself viewed as a suspect in his daughter’s abduction, while Erdman recalls a time when his marriage was happy and full of hope.
I truly hope that there will be a sequel to this book, as I really feel that these characters have more to offer. I thought the subject matter was difficult to read about in places, especially as a parent myself, but the author does a wonderful job of really making her characters come alive. These are not cardboard cut outs having events happen to them; but real people making decisions, trying to cope with what life throws at them and dealing with their emotions. I loved this and, if you like intelligent and well written crime books, you will hopefully enjoy this too.
September 4, 2022
In Rattle, Fiona Cummins makes a bold move, focusing on the distressed family for the first half of the book, letting the detective and boogeyman slowly gather momentum in shorter, choppy chapters. In this sense, she eschews the typical police procedural, which I found grating until it finally won me over.
Luckily, there's enough to keep us preoccupied between the various perspectives, the slow reveal of the bone collector, and delicious tension of the the next victim being set up. I appreciated the uniqueness of the bone collector and how logical (and, yes, perverse and horrific) his worldview turned out to be.
The detective I found less compelling. Many of the clues are discovered by happenstance and luck. She is, I would venture to say, not that great at her job. This could be an interesting foil to the Sherlock Holmes-types (everywoman detective uses grit and valor to solve cases!) but I mainly found it limited the dynamism of the plot.
However, I downloaded the second book right to my Kindle after finishing the first, so clearly Cummins has her hooks (and scalpel) in me.
Luckily, there's enough to keep us preoccupied between the various perspectives, the slow reveal of the bone collector, and delicious tension of the the next victim being set up. I appreciated the uniqueness of the bone collector and how logical (and, yes, perverse and horrific) his worldview turned out to be.
The detective I found less compelling. Many of the clues are discovered by happenstance and luck. She is, I would venture to say, not that great at her job. This could be an interesting foil to the Sherlock Holmes-types (everywoman detective uses grit and valor to solve cases!) but I mainly found it limited the dynamism of the plot.
However, I downloaded the second book right to my Kindle after finishing the first, so clearly Cummins has her hooks (and scalpel) in me.
March 12, 2019
EXCERPT: Upstairs, Jakey stirred as the front door shut on his father's anger. He was neither asleep nor awake, but somewhere in between. The halfway world of awareness and dreams.
A shadow man with sharp teeth and long skinny arms who looked just like the Bogeyman on the cover of Daddy's book was leaning over him, but Jakey gave a muffled scream, kicking out with his legs, and he disappeared in the dusty black hole beneath the bed, or inside the toy cupboard. Jakey wasn't sure.
All Jakey knew for certain was that the man meant to hurt him. Just like that little girl he'd heard them talking about on the television. And that dark things like dark places.
He pulled his Spider-Man duvet up to his nose, and tried to reach out with his sore arm. His fingertips brushed the hard plastic of his torch and knocked it on the floor. The door was open when his daddy said goodnight, but now it was shut. Jakey didn't like it when the door was shut.
Ol' Tommy Rawhead's here. Ol' Bloody Bones.
As soon as the name came into his mind, Jakey fought against the rise of panicked tears.
He's in my bedroom. He's come to take me away. And there’s no Daddy to scare him off.
He tried to shout for his mother, but something was stopping him, something was crammed in his mouth. He clawed at it with his right hand, but it was only his old stuffed rabbit, Mr Bunnikins.
Jakey squeezed his eyes tight, and counted to three, the way his father taught him to when the pain was too much.
Underneath the silence of the room, he could hear the rattle of Ol' Tommy's breath. Could he make it to the door? No, nooo. Those bony fingers would wrap around his ankles as soon as he got out of bed. What about the window? Too high in the sky. If only he could turn on the light. That would scare the Bogeyman away.
His eyelids fluttered, heavier now, the twin ropes of imagination and sleepiness binding Jakey to his bed. Ol' Bloody Bones has stolen that little girl, and next he's coming for me.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: A serial killer to chill your bones
A psychopath more frightening than Hannibal Lecter.
He has planned well. He leads two lives. In one he's just like anyone else. But in the other he is the caretaker of his family's macabre museum.
Now the time has come to add to his collection. He is ready to feed his obsession, and he is on the hunt.
Jakey Frith and Clara Foyle have something in common. They have what he needs.
What begins is a terrifying cat-and-mouse game between the sinister collector, Jakey's father and Etta Fitzroy, a troubled detective investigating a spate of abductions.
Set in London's Blackheath, Rattle by Fiona Cummins explores the seam of darkness that runs through us all; the struggle between light and shadow, redemption and revenge.
It is a glimpse into the mind of a sinister psychopath. And it's also a story about not giving up hope when it seems that all hope is already lost.
MY THOUGHTS: Even though I knew how this book was going to end, the peril of having read the second book in the series first, my eyes sucked the words from the page, and I often found myself not breathing.
Fiona Cummins is a first rate storyteller. She conveys both childish pleasures and fears onto the page in such a way that you can feel them. The same with the pressures the parents face, the unravelling of their relationships, the sniping and back biting, the dark thoughts that creep unbidden into their minds. She conveys the frustration of the investigating officers so that it is palpable in the air around the reader. You can taste it. . . that, and the evil of the perpetrator.
This is an absolutely amazing debut novel, and Cummin's second book, The Collector, is every bit as good. Highly recommended to lovers of the darker side of life.
💖💖💖💖💖
THE AUTHOR: Fiona Cummins is an award-winning former Daily Mirror showbusiness journalist and a graduate of the Faber Academy Writing A Novel course. She lives in Essex with her family. Rattle is her first novel.
DISCLOSURE: I borrowed Rattle by Fiona Cummins, published by Macmillan, from Waitomo District Library. A huge thank you to Julie for fast tracking the purchase of Rattle. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
A shadow man with sharp teeth and long skinny arms who looked just like the Bogeyman on the cover of Daddy's book was leaning over him, but Jakey gave a muffled scream, kicking out with his legs, and he disappeared in the dusty black hole beneath the bed, or inside the toy cupboard. Jakey wasn't sure.
All Jakey knew for certain was that the man meant to hurt him. Just like that little girl he'd heard them talking about on the television. And that dark things like dark places.
He pulled his Spider-Man duvet up to his nose, and tried to reach out with his sore arm. His fingertips brushed the hard plastic of his torch and knocked it on the floor. The door was open when his daddy said goodnight, but now it was shut. Jakey didn't like it when the door was shut.
Ol' Tommy Rawhead's here. Ol' Bloody Bones.
As soon as the name came into his mind, Jakey fought against the rise of panicked tears.
He's in my bedroom. He's come to take me away. And there’s no Daddy to scare him off.
He tried to shout for his mother, but something was stopping him, something was crammed in his mouth. He clawed at it with his right hand, but it was only his old stuffed rabbit, Mr Bunnikins.
Jakey squeezed his eyes tight, and counted to three, the way his father taught him to when the pain was too much.
Underneath the silence of the room, he could hear the rattle of Ol' Tommy's breath. Could he make it to the door? No, nooo. Those bony fingers would wrap around his ankles as soon as he got out of bed. What about the window? Too high in the sky. If only he could turn on the light. That would scare the Bogeyman away.
His eyelids fluttered, heavier now, the twin ropes of imagination and sleepiness binding Jakey to his bed. Ol' Bloody Bones has stolen that little girl, and next he's coming for me.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: A serial killer to chill your bones
A psychopath more frightening than Hannibal Lecter.
He has planned well. He leads two lives. In one he's just like anyone else. But in the other he is the caretaker of his family's macabre museum.
Now the time has come to add to his collection. He is ready to feed his obsession, and he is on the hunt.
Jakey Frith and Clara Foyle have something in common. They have what he needs.
What begins is a terrifying cat-and-mouse game between the sinister collector, Jakey's father and Etta Fitzroy, a troubled detective investigating a spate of abductions.
Set in London's Blackheath, Rattle by Fiona Cummins explores the seam of darkness that runs through us all; the struggle between light and shadow, redemption and revenge.
It is a glimpse into the mind of a sinister psychopath. And it's also a story about not giving up hope when it seems that all hope is already lost.
MY THOUGHTS: Even though I knew how this book was going to end, the peril of having read the second book in the series first, my eyes sucked the words from the page, and I often found myself not breathing.
Fiona Cummins is a first rate storyteller. She conveys both childish pleasures and fears onto the page in such a way that you can feel them. The same with the pressures the parents face, the unravelling of their relationships, the sniping and back biting, the dark thoughts that creep unbidden into their minds. She conveys the frustration of the investigating officers so that it is palpable in the air around the reader. You can taste it. . . that, and the evil of the perpetrator.
This is an absolutely amazing debut novel, and Cummin's second book, The Collector, is every bit as good. Highly recommended to lovers of the darker side of life.
💖💖💖💖💖
THE AUTHOR: Fiona Cummins is an award-winning former Daily Mirror showbusiness journalist and a graduate of the Faber Academy Writing A Novel course. She lives in Essex with her family. Rattle is her first novel.
DISCLOSURE: I borrowed Rattle by Fiona Cummins, published by Macmillan, from Waitomo District Library. A huge thank you to Julie for fast tracking the purchase of Rattle. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
December 15, 2016
All my reviews can be found at http://thebookreviewcafe.com
If you only read one book next year here’s a piece of advice, make sure it’s Rattle by Fiona Cummins, I’m sure this book is going to be Huge in 2017. When ever I pick up a new book by an unknown author (to me) I always have a few reservations, will I like their style of writing, characters and plot? But any qualms I had disappeared after reading the first chapter of this highly engaging novel. This is the authors debut novel, but it certainly doesn’t read like one, it’s exceptionally well written, with an intriguing plot, which is both dark and sinster. Rattle is one of those books where an incredible sense of malevolence is there from the from the very first page and it remained there until the last spine chilling chapter, it’s a highly compulsive read, dark, totally gripping and very dramatic. It’s categorised as a crime thriller, but it goes beyond that it’s much darker and definitely more disturbing than the usual crime read.
I really don’t want to say to much about the plot as it really is one of those you need to read with little more than the book description to go on. What I will say is the author has produced a serial killer (The Bone Collector) like no other, he made my blood run cold, in fact I actually suffered nightmares whilst reading this book, but my god what a complex character. This is a serial killer with two very different sides, the carer versus the evil caretaker, but his total lack of empathy in either role make him terrifying, even more so when Fiona Cummins describes his thoughts and feelings with such conviction, It gives the reader a glimpse into the mind of a sinister psychopath which made for a chilling read.
The author has the rare talent of making all her characters come alive, the victims family’s are very well depicted, their loss and anguish is palatable, as family’s personal relationships begin to disintegrate I couldn’t help become emotionally involved in their story, and the innocent victims well let’s just say they will melt even the hardest heart. Detective Etta Fitzroy was another intriguing character, she’s tenacious, and driven and shows great empathy for both the victims and their families, like many Detectives in fiction she does have issues but they add credibility to her character.
Rattle is told during the period of just over a week, the chapters have time stamps which add a sense of urgency to the plot. I’m sure my heart rate went through the roof, as Fiona Cummins doesn’t let up on the suspense. The dialogue is sharp and the writing fluid and at times beautifully descriptive, which added to my enjoyment of this rivetting novel.Fiona Cummings has given the reader a roller coaster of a thriller for sure, but this novel is also a rich and harrowing story of the psychology of evil and those who strive to stop it, insights that will stay with you long after you’ve finished Rattle.
In case you haven’t guessed I actually loved this book and it’s a MUST READ for fans of crime thrillers and if you like them Dark then you are going to love it too. Rattle is a chilling and inventive debut from a very talented author and I personally think this book is going to be HUGE when it’s published at the end of January 2017.
If you only read one book next year here’s a piece of advice, make sure it’s Rattle by Fiona Cummins, I’m sure this book is going to be Huge in 2017. When ever I pick up a new book by an unknown author (to me) I always have a few reservations, will I like their style of writing, characters and plot? But any qualms I had disappeared after reading the first chapter of this highly engaging novel. This is the authors debut novel, but it certainly doesn’t read like one, it’s exceptionally well written, with an intriguing plot, which is both dark and sinster. Rattle is one of those books where an incredible sense of malevolence is there from the from the very first page and it remained there until the last spine chilling chapter, it’s a highly compulsive read, dark, totally gripping and very dramatic. It’s categorised as a crime thriller, but it goes beyond that it’s much darker and definitely more disturbing than the usual crime read.
I really don’t want to say to much about the plot as it really is one of those you need to read with little more than the book description to go on. What I will say is the author has produced a serial killer (The Bone Collector) like no other, he made my blood run cold, in fact I actually suffered nightmares whilst reading this book, but my god what a complex character. This is a serial killer with two very different sides, the carer versus the evil caretaker, but his total lack of empathy in either role make him terrifying, even more so when Fiona Cummins describes his thoughts and feelings with such conviction, It gives the reader a glimpse into the mind of a sinister psychopath which made for a chilling read.
The author has the rare talent of making all her characters come alive, the victims family’s are very well depicted, their loss and anguish is palatable, as family’s personal relationships begin to disintegrate I couldn’t help become emotionally involved in their story, and the innocent victims well let’s just say they will melt even the hardest heart. Detective Etta Fitzroy was another intriguing character, she’s tenacious, and driven and shows great empathy for both the victims and their families, like many Detectives in fiction she does have issues but they add credibility to her character.
Rattle is told during the period of just over a week, the chapters have time stamps which add a sense of urgency to the plot. I’m sure my heart rate went through the roof, as Fiona Cummins doesn’t let up on the suspense. The dialogue is sharp and the writing fluid and at times beautifully descriptive, which added to my enjoyment of this rivetting novel.Fiona Cummings has given the reader a roller coaster of a thriller for sure, but this novel is also a rich and harrowing story of the psychology of evil and those who strive to stop it, insights that will stay with you long after you’ve finished Rattle.
In case you haven’t guessed I actually loved this book and it’s a MUST READ for fans of crime thrillers and if you like them Dark then you are going to love it too. Rattle is a chilling and inventive debut from a very talented author and I personally think this book is going to be HUGE when it’s published at the end of January 2017.
February 27, 2017
Rattle is one scary, creepy extremely well written novel by debut author Fiona Cummins.
The Bone Collector is a serial killer who likes to collect skeletons of victims with rare form of bone disorders for his display museum. He kidnaps 5-year-old Clara Foyle who has cleft hand from her nursery school. The parents are torn apart and then the Bone Collector sets his eyes on Jackey who has Stone Man Syndrome that causes a second skeleton to be formed. While Jackey and his family are in danger Detective Etta Fitzroy starts investigating Clara Foyle’s disappearance at the expense of her own personal life.
The characters in this book are very well developed and the story keeps on your toes. The author portrays the strain that Jackey’s disease has on his parents and the effect of a disappearance of a child on a marriage skillfully. It is a disturbing read due to the violence against children but a very well written book and a Must Read for all psychological thriller lovers .
Many thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
The Bone Collector is a serial killer who likes to collect skeletons of victims with rare form of bone disorders for his display museum. He kidnaps 5-year-old Clara Foyle who has cleft hand from her nursery school. The parents are torn apart and then the Bone Collector sets his eyes on Jackey who has Stone Man Syndrome that causes a second skeleton to be formed. While Jackey and his family are in danger Detective Etta Fitzroy starts investigating Clara Foyle’s disappearance at the expense of her own personal life.
The characters in this book are very well developed and the story keeps on your toes. The author portrays the strain that Jackey’s disease has on his parents and the effect of a disappearance of a child on a marriage skillfully. It is a disturbing read due to the violence against children but a very well written book and a Must Read for all psychological thriller lovers .
Many thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
August 8, 2018
What I loved about this book was the author's use of language. I wish I'd marked some passages while reading so I could give some examples. It wasn't until I'd finished that I realised that there was no overt gore or yuckiness written into the story and yet every page dripped menace and fear. It was a pervasive feeling throughout the book. I think that's clever writing. So I guess how you take it in is up to your own imagination. I've got a very active imagination so maybe that's why I found the story so utterly menacing.
The villain of this tome is one of the nastiest, creepiest villains I've encountered. He's so implacable, relentless and utterly lacking in empathy. The description of him brought to mind a cross between the Slender Man and Crispin Glover's character in Charlie's Angels (no offence to Crispin Glover intended).
In a nutshell two children are abducted by this creep who gets off on bone deformities. He has quite a collection of bones. His only interest in other people is in what lies beneath their skin. The police officer investigating the disappearance of these children is slowly driven to despair and anguish as she pushes herself beyond her limits to find the kids. All this is exacerbated by a still birth she had some time ago. She knows what it is to lose a child. You also got a few chapters from the villain's perspective which were quite disturbing. Inside his head is not a pleasant place to be. This book is not for everyone but the strong, writing which put my feelings through the wringer, made it a winner for me.
The villain of this tome is one of the nastiest, creepiest villains I've encountered. He's so implacable, relentless and utterly lacking in empathy. The description of him brought to mind a cross between the Slender Man and Crispin Glover's character in Charlie's Angels (no offence to Crispin Glover intended).
In a nutshell two children are abducted by this creep who gets off on bone deformities. He has quite a collection of bones. His only interest in other people is in what lies beneath their skin. The police officer investigating the disappearance of these children is slowly driven to despair and anguish as she pushes herself beyond her limits to find the kids. All this is exacerbated by a still birth she had some time ago. She knows what it is to lose a child. You also got a few chapters from the villain's perspective which were quite disturbing. Inside his head is not a pleasant place to be. This book is not for everyone but the strong, writing which put my feelings through the wringer, made it a winner for me.
April 30, 2019
I started this book with an open mind, aware that writers often get medical conditions and disabilities off, but Fiona is one who without a doubt had no business handling a genetic condition like mine: Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva.
I suffer from FOP, along with my identical twin sister, so I know what I'm talking about.
Her first mistake was referring to it as the highly offensive, and inaccurate, ‘Stone Man Syndrome’.
That aside, despite her acknowledgements page referencing fine resources for FOP, she clearly must not have been listening and chose to disrespect a disability in favour of selling her stupid book.
To paraphrase, my condition, FOP, has very distinctive and clear symptoms, and the negative impacts it has. For the sake of her horror story, she’s been very selective and used elements of the disability as a plot device when it was convenient.
It was a major red flag when she introduced FOP to the reader as a syndrome where the sufferer has as many years left to live as there are letters in its name.
She’s done the poorest handling and misinterpretation of FOP I have ever come across, after BBC’s Casualty mess.
She had not in any way explained how FOP had affected Jakey’s mobility, pain threshold & management, or daily life. FOP has no pattern, and each individual has a completely unique set of flare ups that have impacted our health such as limb movement, but she completely forgot or intentionally ignored this: instead, she disgustingly explained that Jakey ‘limps’, has a ‘wonky head’, his ‘arms don’t work’, and struggles to breathe at the drop of a hat.
The lack of this most important aspect of FOP raises too many questions; how far has the FOP affected him? Can he stand on his own? How well can he walk? Can he still run? Does he use a walking stick, wheelchair, or need other equipment? Is he sedentary? How has he adjusted to flare ups and loss of mobility? Can he still brush his own teeth, or dress himself? Can he eat solid foods? Does he have difficulty with hobbies or other daily tasks? When was his last flare up? What meds, if any, is he on? Are his parents in contact with other FOPers?
His mobility or lack thereof is inconsistent. Adjusted either for the plot’s convenience, or lack of understanding FOP, or plain laziness. For example, at one point he’s so weak he has to drag himself across the floor to navigate his home. Later she has him walking up and down stairs.
She wrote him off as being in excruciating pain whenever it served as a plot device, in a constant state of depression, he’s for some reason fragile and weak, and been infantilised. He is a seven year old, but she wrote him as too frail to wash himself, or ride a pushbike.
It was impressive in that she did explain the other setbacks of FOP such as no surgery, no intramuscular injections, no tissue trauma, no falls or bumps, no viruses or colds that can all trigger a flare up; but failed miserably enough in all other areas to the point that she’s presented a dangerously inaccurate portrayal of FOP. I sincerely hope all who read this book will ignore her depiction, and seek out the truth from real resources and FOP support guides.
It was horrific in one chapter when she described Jakey clawing and scratching at a flare up site to enable him to literally rip his skin and bleed heavily. It was for shock value, it was not realistic at all, and tactless. A flare up’s pain level can vary, and it can reach the immeasurable range – but what’s stable is that an FOPer will do what they can NOT to touch or apply pressure to the site. Mutilation / self harm is nothing but ignorant & disgusting.
In a lot of areas she sensationalised and played up the ‘body horror’ of FOP, which was indescribable to me as a sufferer. She’d liken the bone to alien invasions, stone, that Jakey was helpless and useless, how deformed the disease can turn a person, how macabre it is.
She wasn’t showing FOP as ‘another genetic condition’, a character who happens to be disabled, but as an excuse and an opportunity to describe how ‘creepy and unnatural’ it is, like a sideshow oddity – the fact that her villain is a collector of the macabre serves as proof of her weak 'plot'.
She's chosen FOP for the horror, to hit a nerve - because a lot of her prose was dedicated to describing how deformed & misshapen Jakey is, how the condition has a life of its own and controls Jakey's body, describing it as a parasite.
What’s ended up as the biggest mistake, other than Stone Man Syndrome’s horrible freak side-show name dominating the real name, is that her plot twist was Jakey’s father Erdman is an identical twin whose brother had FOP – except he, Erdman, did not.
This is the biggest mistake you can make in genetics: identical twins share all their genetics, and yes, that includes disabilities. It was already calling for suspension of disbelief because as FOP is so rare, with 1-in-2-million cases, there’s about five pairs of identical twins. My sister and I are one of them; so there’s no plausible odds that in her story, she’s got three FOPers related by blood. I still cannot deal with how she does not recognise that FOP Is hereditary, and how identical twin genetics work.
Please, invest yourself in and spread awareness of my condition, to prevent further misdiagnoses (can be fatal), and to help us find a cure! This book is getting a TV series adaption; awareness is always helpful, but it's two steps back when the audience has access to horrible misrepresentation and facts.
I suffer from FOP, along with my identical twin sister, so I know what I'm talking about.
Her first mistake was referring to it as the highly offensive, and inaccurate, ‘Stone Man Syndrome’.
That aside, despite her acknowledgements page referencing fine resources for FOP, she clearly must not have been listening and chose to disrespect a disability in favour of selling her stupid book.
To paraphrase, my condition, FOP, has very distinctive and clear symptoms, and the negative impacts it has. For the sake of her horror story, she’s been very selective and used elements of the disability as a plot device when it was convenient.
It was a major red flag when she introduced FOP to the reader as a syndrome where the sufferer has as many years left to live as there are letters in its name.
She’s done the poorest handling and misinterpretation of FOP I have ever come across, after BBC’s Casualty mess.
She had not in any way explained how FOP had affected Jakey’s mobility, pain threshold & management, or daily life. FOP has no pattern, and each individual has a completely unique set of flare ups that have impacted our health such as limb movement, but she completely forgot or intentionally ignored this: instead, she disgustingly explained that Jakey ‘limps’, has a ‘wonky head’, his ‘arms don’t work’, and struggles to breathe at the drop of a hat.
The lack of this most important aspect of FOP raises too many questions; how far has the FOP affected him? Can he stand on his own? How well can he walk? Can he still run? Does he use a walking stick, wheelchair, or need other equipment? Is he sedentary? How has he adjusted to flare ups and loss of mobility? Can he still brush his own teeth, or dress himself? Can he eat solid foods? Does he have difficulty with hobbies or other daily tasks? When was his last flare up? What meds, if any, is he on? Are his parents in contact with other FOPers?
His mobility or lack thereof is inconsistent. Adjusted either for the plot’s convenience, or lack of understanding FOP, or plain laziness. For example, at one point he’s so weak he has to drag himself across the floor to navigate his home. Later she has him walking up and down stairs.
She wrote him off as being in excruciating pain whenever it served as a plot device, in a constant state of depression, he’s for some reason fragile and weak, and been infantilised. He is a seven year old, but she wrote him as too frail to wash himself, or ride a pushbike.
It was impressive in that she did explain the other setbacks of FOP such as no surgery, no intramuscular injections, no tissue trauma, no falls or bumps, no viruses or colds that can all trigger a flare up; but failed miserably enough in all other areas to the point that she’s presented a dangerously inaccurate portrayal of FOP. I sincerely hope all who read this book will ignore her depiction, and seek out the truth from real resources and FOP support guides.
It was horrific in one chapter when she described Jakey clawing and scratching at a flare up site to enable him to literally rip his skin and bleed heavily. It was for shock value, it was not realistic at all, and tactless. A flare up’s pain level can vary, and it can reach the immeasurable range – but what’s stable is that an FOPer will do what they can NOT to touch or apply pressure to the site. Mutilation / self harm is nothing but ignorant & disgusting.
In a lot of areas she sensationalised and played up the ‘body horror’ of FOP, which was indescribable to me as a sufferer. She’d liken the bone to alien invasions, stone, that Jakey was helpless and useless, how deformed the disease can turn a person, how macabre it is.
She wasn’t showing FOP as ‘another genetic condition’, a character who happens to be disabled, but as an excuse and an opportunity to describe how ‘creepy and unnatural’ it is, like a sideshow oddity – the fact that her villain is a collector of the macabre serves as proof of her weak 'plot'.
She's chosen FOP for the horror, to hit a nerve - because a lot of her prose was dedicated to describing how deformed & misshapen Jakey is, how the condition has a life of its own and controls Jakey's body, describing it as a parasite.
What’s ended up as the biggest mistake, other than Stone Man Syndrome’s horrible freak side-show name dominating the real name, is that her plot twist was Jakey’s father Erdman is an identical twin whose brother had FOP – except he, Erdman, did not.
This is the biggest mistake you can make in genetics: identical twins share all their genetics, and yes, that includes disabilities. It was already calling for suspension of disbelief because as FOP is so rare, with 1-in-2-million cases, there’s about five pairs of identical twins. My sister and I are one of them; so there’s no plausible odds that in her story, she’s got three FOPers related by blood. I still cannot deal with how she does not recognise that FOP Is hereditary, and how identical twin genetics work.
Please, invest yourself in and spread awareness of my condition, to prevent further misdiagnoses (can be fatal), and to help us find a cure! This book is getting a TV series adaption; awareness is always helpful, but it's two steps back when the audience has access to horrible misrepresentation and facts.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2017
I listened to the audiobook and I was so impressed with the story.
Wow this lady can certainly write and I must admit at times I was scared.
I listened to this story when I was in bed late at night with my scented candle flickering in the dark and it really added to the atmosphere.
What am I like i ask you it's no wonder I dream at night but then again I think anyone would dream after reading this book.
The narration was absolutely superb and really added to the story for me and I will listen to this audiobook again in the future as it's too good not too.
The only downside for me is that I really need to listen to part two but I think I have a few weeks to wait.
This book is absolutely brilliant and if you should chance upon it I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Very highly recommended.
Wow this lady can certainly write and I must admit at times I was scared.
I listened to this story when I was in bed late at night with my scented candle flickering in the dark and it really added to the atmosphere.
What am I like i ask you it's no wonder I dream at night but then again I think anyone would dream after reading this book.
The narration was absolutely superb and really added to the story for me and I will listen to this audiobook again in the future as it's too good not too.
The only downside for me is that I really need to listen to part two but I think I have a few weeks to wait.
This book is absolutely brilliant and if you should chance upon it I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Very highly recommended.
December 4, 2020
Thought this book was going to be alot better by the description but was disappointed as love reading books about serial killers. Clara foyle a young child kidnapped, Jakey a young boy who has a condition who's in a wheelchair and his bones are easily broken.DS Ella fitzroy on the case.couldnt connect with the characters could of been a better read for me.
March 29, 2018
his is the debut novel by author Fiona Cummins. The Bone Collector is a serial killer with an obsession of collecting rare skeletal deformities from both humans and animals. This is the opening book to a series that I am sure will get better but sadly for me it did not connect.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Kensington books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Kensington books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
November 18, 2018
Gruwel ten top...geweldig.
January 19, 2017
Now I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to horror! I physically can't watch horror films and I can't read horror books either, mainly as it would be rather difficult to read with a huge cushion in front of my eyes. They tend to get into my head and transfer to my nightmares way too easily for me! Concerned that I was only missing out Rattle due to my nervous disposition, I became determined to "man up" and give it a go. I was rather worried though about comparisons to Silence of the Lambs, a book I was too scared to read and a film I had only heard (that big cushion again!) But fear not, this is so much more than a scary serial killer crime thriller. Or should I say be afraid, be VERY afraid because Rattle is also a terrifying shock fest with a totally unique and gripping plot. Yes, it scared the **** out of me but I loved every minute!
The Bone Collector is one of the creepiest and darkest characters I think I have ever come across. His quest to secure the best exhibits for his personal museum sees him methodically hunting down his victims based on the unique pathology of their bone disorders. And children are very much top of his grotesque shopping list. I could feel my blood pressure rising as I kept reading "just one more chapter", terrified by the thought of what was about to happen to those poor children. But the stylish writing and the remarkable character creations, especially that of detective Etta Fitzroy, kept me turning the pages-there was no way I was going to let The Bone Collector scare me away! I loved Etta's determination and how the search for closure for previous victims took over to such an extent that it affected her personal life.
Once picked up you won't be letting this book out of your sight. It's a completely engrossing tale that really stands out from the crowd with its dark and chilling storyline but I had the feeling that it was also sending out an unexpected message of hope. I felt like I had been living out my own personal fears of loss and mortality alongside the affected families, with The Bone Collector a ghostly "grim reaper" presence, watching and waiting in the shadows. But by the end, I actually felt quite uplifted, which surprised me and I do love a book that messes with my emotions as you well know!
This is a fantastic debut and I can't wait to see where Fiona Cummins takes us next. Be warned though that it can be rather gory in places, as you might expect from the cover blurb, so that's worth remembering if you are a little bit squeamish. But for me, every gruesome detail was relevant necessity and I didn't hide behind that cushion once!
The Bone Collector is one of the creepiest and darkest characters I think I have ever come across. His quest to secure the best exhibits for his personal museum sees him methodically hunting down his victims based on the unique pathology of their bone disorders. And children are very much top of his grotesque shopping list. I could feel my blood pressure rising as I kept reading "just one more chapter", terrified by the thought of what was about to happen to those poor children. But the stylish writing and the remarkable character creations, especially that of detective Etta Fitzroy, kept me turning the pages-there was no way I was going to let The Bone Collector scare me away! I loved Etta's determination and how the search for closure for previous victims took over to such an extent that it affected her personal life.
Once picked up you won't be letting this book out of your sight. It's a completely engrossing tale that really stands out from the crowd with its dark and chilling storyline but I had the feeling that it was also sending out an unexpected message of hope. I felt like I had been living out my own personal fears of loss and mortality alongside the affected families, with The Bone Collector a ghostly "grim reaper" presence, watching and waiting in the shadows. But by the end, I actually felt quite uplifted, which surprised me and I do love a book that messes with my emotions as you well know!
This is a fantastic debut and I can't wait to see where Fiona Cummins takes us next. Be warned though that it can be rather gory in places, as you might expect from the cover blurb, so that's worth remembering if you are a little bit squeamish. But for me, every gruesome detail was relevant necessity and I didn't hide behind that cushion once!
February 7, 2017
Read my review here: https://bookbumzuky.wordpress.com/201...
This novel has been seriously surrounded with hype these past few weeks so I was really eager to get into it, unfortunately, I do not seem to love it as much as others have. I didn’t find it that creepy and I couldn’t really connect with the characters, especially Etta Fitzroy.
This wasn’t a bad novel, it was just mediocre. From the hype surrounding it, I thought this was going to be shocking, exciting and scary all at the same time but it wasn’t really any of that. In fact, it’s quite a slow paced thriller and there certainly isn’t any mystery to it. Cummins is a good writer and she’s done an excellent job at developing each of her characters but the plot didn’t really strike me as anything incredible. There was only one thing that annoyed me about this book, and that was Erdman and Lilith’s child's name… Jakey? Seriously? That’s not a name.
The appearance of The Bone Collector is what scared me the most, and this is because it reminded me of a “true story” from Reddit/Creepy Pasta that is the stuff of nightmares for me (literally). It’s called The Smiling Man... ugh, I just got shivers. (It was also created into a short film, here here). The slender, dead eyed, pinstripe suit wearing description of The Bone Collector made me think of The Smiling Man immediately and from then on, I couldn’t get the image out of my head.
The "spoiler" below is a creepy picture of what I kind of imagine both The Smiling Man and The Bone Collector to look like. I hid it so I wouldn’t scare anyone! Open at your own risk!
Overall, I’m quite disappointed in this novel for not living up to my expectations. I still enjoyed it, kinda. The plot was different and interesting, Cummins bad guy was unique etc but when something is as hyped as this was, you expect really great things and this wasn’t. It was simply an average thriller.
Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
This novel has been seriously surrounded with hype these past few weeks so I was really eager to get into it, unfortunately, I do not seem to love it as much as others have. I didn’t find it that creepy and I couldn’t really connect with the characters, especially Etta Fitzroy.
This wasn’t a bad novel, it was just mediocre. From the hype surrounding it, I thought this was going to be shocking, exciting and scary all at the same time but it wasn’t really any of that. In fact, it’s quite a slow paced thriller and there certainly isn’t any mystery to it. Cummins is a good writer and she’s done an excellent job at developing each of her characters but the plot didn’t really strike me as anything incredible. There was only one thing that annoyed me about this book, and that was Erdman and Lilith’s child's name… Jakey? Seriously? That’s not a name.
The appearance of The Bone Collector is what scared me the most, and this is because it reminded me of a “true story” from Reddit/Creepy Pasta that is the stuff of nightmares for me (literally). It’s called The Smiling Man... ugh, I just got shivers. (It was also created into a short film, here here). The slender, dead eyed, pinstripe suit wearing description of The Bone Collector made me think of The Smiling Man immediately and from then on, I couldn’t get the image out of my head.
The "spoiler" below is a creepy picture of what I kind of imagine both The Smiling Man and The Bone Collector to look like. I hid it so I wouldn’t scare anyone! Open at your own risk!
Overall, I’m quite disappointed in this novel for not living up to my expectations. I still enjoyed it, kinda. The plot was different and interesting, Cummins bad guy was unique etc but when something is as hyped as this was, you expect really great things and this wasn’t. It was simply an average thriller.
Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2018
A psychopath more frightening than Hannibal Lecter.
My list of problems with this book:
1. Boring killer. Seriously the worst ever I think! More frightening than Hannibal Lecter????
2. An incompetent police with emotional problems (she constantly thought about her own problems all through the book)...
3. Parents that you didn't care about, hell I didn't' care much about the fate of the children either since I couldn't connect to a single character in the book.
4. One of the parents had a BIG MYSTERY that was revealed towards the later part of the book. Totally unrealistic and laughable.
5. Inner monologues. I wanted to scream at them that I don't care! Get on with the plot.
6. The narrator (I listened to the audiobook) was not bad, but the voices of the children just didn't work for me.
Reading the sequel? No, I don't think so...
My list of problems with this book:
1. Boring killer. Seriously the worst ever I think! More frightening than Hannibal Lecter????
2. An incompetent police with emotional problems (she constantly thought about her own problems all through the book)...
3. Parents that you didn't care about, hell I didn't' care much about the fate of the children either since I couldn't connect to a single character in the book.
4. One of the parents had a BIG MYSTERY that was revealed towards the later part of the book. Totally unrealistic and laughable.
5. Inner monologues. I wanted to scream at them that I don't care! Get on with the plot.
6. The narrator (I listened to the audiobook) was not bad, but the voices of the children just didn't work for me.
Reading the sequel? No, I don't think so...
November 11, 2016
If I could give this more than 5 stars, I would. I find it astonishing that this is a debut novel. What a spine chillingly creepy book!
A serial killer to chill your bones A psychopath more frightening than Hannibal Lecter. He has planned well. He leads two lives. In one he's just like anyone else. But in the other he is the caretaker of his family's macabre museum. Now the time has come to add to his collection. He is ready to feed his obsession, and he is on the hunt. Jakey Frith and Clara Foyle have something in common. They have what he needs. What begins is a terrifying cat-and-mouse game between the sinister collector, Jakey's father and Etta Fitzroy, a troubled detective investigating a spate of abductions. Set in London's Blackheath, Rattle by Fiona Cummins explores the seam of darkness that runs through us all; the struggle between light and shadow, redemption and revenge. It is a glimpse into the mind of a sinister psychopath. And it's also a story about not giving up hope when it seems that all hope is already lost.
I'm hoping that this is the start of series for Etta Fitzroy. She is a troubled soul, and this only added to the depth of the book. I also liked the fact that Etta's boss, is referred to as "The Boss". Just a superb read. Pre Order it now, it will be the most talked about book of 2017!
A serial killer to chill your bones A psychopath more frightening than Hannibal Lecter. He has planned well. He leads two lives. In one he's just like anyone else. But in the other he is the caretaker of his family's macabre museum. Now the time has come to add to his collection. He is ready to feed his obsession, and he is on the hunt. Jakey Frith and Clara Foyle have something in common. They have what he needs. What begins is a terrifying cat-and-mouse game between the sinister collector, Jakey's father and Etta Fitzroy, a troubled detective investigating a spate of abductions. Set in London's Blackheath, Rattle by Fiona Cummins explores the seam of darkness that runs through us all; the struggle between light and shadow, redemption and revenge. It is a glimpse into the mind of a sinister psychopath. And it's also a story about not giving up hope when it seems that all hope is already lost.
I'm hoping that this is the start of series for Etta Fitzroy. She is a troubled soul, and this only added to the depth of the book. I also liked the fact that Etta's boss, is referred to as "The Boss". Just a superb read. Pre Order it now, it will be the most talked about book of 2017!
December 30, 2016
The publishers are saying "A psychopath more frightening than Hannibal Lecter" so I started reading with very high expectations. Almost immediately I was drawn into the rather sick and depraved mind of The Bone Collector and believe me when I say it's not a pleasant place to be! This book has it all, a policewoman with a troubled past, a really disturbed serial killer who preys on children and the shattered families left distraught by his actions. Rattle is a gripping and terrifying debut novel.
Warning. If you are squeamish then avoid this book!
Warning. If you are squeamish then avoid this book!
January 30, 2018
Despite its unprepossessing title and book cover this was like a feature length episode of Criminal Minds without the divinely delectable Derek Morgan but featuring instead the equally brave DS Etta Fitzroy. I’ve read a lot of books in this genre over the years and many are unworthy of the title ‘suspense thriller’ but not this one. I thought it was really well written which is always a huge plus and the story unfolded cleverly with some very good descriptions. Etta is a really interesting addition to the number of good fictional police detectives. She’s dogged and brave but also has a vulnerable side as she had a stillborn child and deeply desires to be a mother. The families whose children were stolen by the Bone Collector were well described too as was the way their lives imploded as a result of their loss. I particularly liked Erdman despite his propensity for messing up he is ultimately a hero. I knew absolutely nothing about the disease FOP that Jakey suffered from and I can only imagine how hard it must be to live with this cruel disease. But what of the ‘Night Man’, ‘Ol’Bloody Bones’ the bone collector? I liked the fact we had no idea who he was for much of the book and there were some excellent descriptions of him that made it easy to picture him. His dark suit, ‘his black eyes and carved out face’ with an ‘unpleasant smell like decaying animals’, a ‘set of ageing bones held together by the flimsiest threads of sinew and flesh’ and ‘when he smiles, it seems like a warning’. I did guess what his job was as it had to be a job that gives you a degree of invisibility but I won’t spoil it here! There’s a really good mix of fact and fiction in his background as he claimed he was related to Howison, a Resurrectionist who existed, as did John Hunter, there is a Hunterian Museum and the Irish Giant referred to is also true.
There were some moments of real tension in the book. One of the ones where I could scarcely breathe was when Jakey was in bed and he knew that Ol Bloody Bones was going to get him as was the section where Etta and Erdman track him down to his fathers house. I’m really glad there’s a follow up as I want to read more.
There were some moments of real tension in the book. One of the ones where I could scarcely breathe was when Jakey was in bed and he knew that Ol Bloody Bones was going to get him as was the section where Etta and Erdman track him down to his fathers house. I’m really glad there’s a follow up as I want to read more.
December 9, 2016
Rattle is terrifying! Pan Macmillan took a huge risk when they included the line "A psychopath more sinister than Hannibal Lecter" on the marketing material for this book. The Silence of the Lambs is the ONLY book that has ever given me nightmares, I was dubious if any character could be more sinister than Lecter. Oh my goodness, there is now! Fiona Cummins has created an incredible character, the Bone Collector is evil to the core. Put him up against Hannibal Lecter and I really think he'd win the fight.
Not only is Rattle a chilling, gripping and heart-pounding story, it's exquisitely written too. There are some of the most beautiful descriptions in this story, and some of the most rounded and creatively drawn characters that I've come across for a very long time.
Lead character, Etta Fitzroy has been an absolute joy to discover. Worn-down, sometimes irrational, always emotionally involved in the case she is working on and with a crumbling personal life, she's the star of the story. Etta was on a missing-child case a year ago, the little girl was never found and Etta continues to think about her every day. When another small girl disappears, Etta is determined that this time she will be successful.
Fiona Cummins is an incredibly talented author, she takes her readers by the hand and pushes them forcefully, right into the middle of her story. We are allowed into the mind of not just the police who are investigating, but the children who are missing and their parents, and last, but really really not least, we are privy to the thoughts of the Bone Collector himself. This structuring of the novel works wonderfully well and adds layers to what is already an excellently thought out plot.
Not only does this author present an intriguing, quite horrific story-line that is dark and chilling, she also draws characters who leap from the page. The descriptive prose is exquisite and the use of such beautiful, lyrical words to describe such horrific acts is both clever and startling.
Running through the story are themes of revenge and redemption, but it's also about fear and how it can change lives. Fiona Cummins explores how a chronic illness can impact on everyone who is in contact with the sufferer and how that fear can alter other emotions such as the ability to love, or to grieve, or to forgive.
I could go on and on and on about Rattle, in fact I've been telling everyone that I meet that they have to buy this just as soon as it is published.
I have no doubt that Rattle is going to be a massive best seller for Fiona Cummins, and thoroughly deserves to be.
An absolutely top-class thriller. It's polished, confident and very very clever. I loved it!
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Not only is Rattle a chilling, gripping and heart-pounding story, it's exquisitely written too. There are some of the most beautiful descriptions in this story, and some of the most rounded and creatively drawn characters that I've come across for a very long time.
Lead character, Etta Fitzroy has been an absolute joy to discover. Worn-down, sometimes irrational, always emotionally involved in the case she is working on and with a crumbling personal life, she's the star of the story. Etta was on a missing-child case a year ago, the little girl was never found and Etta continues to think about her every day. When another small girl disappears, Etta is determined that this time she will be successful.
Fiona Cummins is an incredibly talented author, she takes her readers by the hand and pushes them forcefully, right into the middle of her story. We are allowed into the mind of not just the police who are investigating, but the children who are missing and their parents, and last, but really really not least, we are privy to the thoughts of the Bone Collector himself. This structuring of the novel works wonderfully well and adds layers to what is already an excellently thought out plot.
Not only does this author present an intriguing, quite horrific story-line that is dark and chilling, she also draws characters who leap from the page. The descriptive prose is exquisite and the use of such beautiful, lyrical words to describe such horrific acts is both clever and startling.
Running through the story are themes of revenge and redemption, but it's also about fear and how it can change lives. Fiona Cummins explores how a chronic illness can impact on everyone who is in contact with the sufferer and how that fear can alter other emotions such as the ability to love, or to grieve, or to forgive.
I could go on and on and on about Rattle, in fact I've been telling everyone that I meet that they have to buy this just as soon as it is published.
I have no doubt that Rattle is going to be a massive best seller for Fiona Cummins, and thoroughly deserves to be.
An absolutely top-class thriller. It's polished, confident and very very clever. I loved it!
http://randomthingsthroughmyletterbox...
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