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Leaving Bones Behind
Leaving Bones Behind is the fictional story of Sam Kelly, a young single mom and police detective, who wants to escape the never-ending macabre that shadows her as she works the dangerous streets of Chicago. Join her on her last day as a Chicago Police Detective, as she shares some of the dark experiences that continue to haunt her memories.
Journey with Sam as she seeks out a new life as a detective in the small town of Cherokee Falls. Within minutes of being sworn in, Sam is involved in a tragic shoot-out, which results in her surprising default appointment as Police Chief. She soon falls in love with the charming town but also discovers that the townsfolk have forgotten their own amazing history. Sam discovers one of the town’s young residents has mysteriously disappeared . . . and is determined to find her, dead or alive.
Support Sam as she soon learns that the dark side of humanity can find her anywhere. Embrace her as she struggles to overcome tragedy, to bring hope to others, and yearns for a little personal happiness . . . or at least some peace of mind.
Kelly J. McMullin is a former Detective and Explosive Technician for the Chicago Police Department. His own true experiences lend credibility, authenticity, and excitement to his writing. He currently lives in a small town in Central Illinois along with his wife and three teenage children.
For more information,
KellyJMcMullin.com
LeavingBonesBehind.com
Journey with Sam as she seeks out a new life as a detective in the small town of Cherokee Falls. Within minutes of being sworn in, Sam is involved in a tragic shoot-out, which results in her surprising default appointment as Police Chief. She soon falls in love with the charming town but also discovers that the townsfolk have forgotten their own amazing history. Sam discovers one of the town’s young residents has mysteriously disappeared . . . and is determined to find her, dead or alive.
Support Sam as she soon learns that the dark side of humanity can find her anywhere. Embrace her as she struggles to overcome tragedy, to bring hope to others, and yearns for a little personal happiness . . . or at least some peace of mind.
Kelly J. McMullin is a former Detective and Explosive Technician for the Chicago Police Department. His own true experiences lend credibility, authenticity, and excitement to his writing. He currently lives in a small town in Central Illinois along with his wife and three teenage children.
For more information,
KellyJMcMullin.com
LeavingBonesBehind.com
238 pages, Paperback
Published September 27, 2016
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About the author
Kelly J. McMullin
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 25, 2017
As hard as some books are to review, this one is the polar opposite. Easy to review. Because this tells it like it is. For the police work and in the style of police reports on top of it.
It was so jumpy and abrupt in the repetition and style of using the first person narrator English that I had to start it and stop it about 4 times. Yes, it gets to you after awhile. It does to me, anyway. Like reading YA when the talking flowers, fairies with wings, and various colored unicorns conduct the "every other" chapters style of telling a "tale". Which is the total opposite of this form method but drives me crazy to follow for any length of time, as well.
How is this opposite of that? Parts of it are like reading a 7 page witness police report or also quite like a social work set of input documents. Therefore: I heard, I saw, I hiked, I passed, he heard, he saw, he passed me the star (badge), he witnessed- do you "get" it? In the style of "the man appeared to be in his 40's, close shaven and with an unusual purple scar aside of his left eye and intersecting that eyebrow".
It's, for you older people out there, quite like Dragnet's Joe Friday's episode speak. "Just the facts, Mam."
BUT saying all that, this HAS to be the author's first book, the police work is nearly ACCURATE. Now please, do NOT confuse the detective and other copper fare you read as being at any point close to 50% realistic to their daily work and visuals. This is.
And also is all the Chicago sections, districts, hierarchy, wagon detail etc. etc. etc. And the town in Cherokee Falls near Bloomington? It's not real, but close to ones I know. Very! So close to be a photo.
So if you have a REAL interest in police work and what a line (impossible in the last 5 years) it needs to walk every day. And if you have propensity to be able to view truthful police procedural and fall out, then dig in to this one.
What made it a 4 star for me in the enjoyment factor was that I knew every single one of her locations. She had a stop (body pick up) just exactly on Wentworth Ave where my grandma's Blue Goose once operated. You can see the Dan Ryan across the street there too. And other cases mere blocks from Racine Ave. where I was born. (5602 S. Racine Ave. and it rhymes)- had to learn that before I could ride a bike, way before. I was a wanderer. But this is Garfield, Englewood, Lakeview as it is now.
So here it is- not an overabundance of foul language (mannerly at that), but the copper names and problems in Chicago the best part of the book. Do not overlook the payoff scheme she just manages to nip out of, and I can remember that body scam. In fact, it came back again- as did "free" special garbage pick ups.
But know before you start this that it does NOT flow well. It is 700 incidents in an average sized book. And Sam changes jobs and has too many events within that first year to list them all here or in an old encyclopedia- volume length. So be warned. This is NOT a book where action is "boring". In fact, it might probably work the best for you if you have very short attention and plot span preferences. And love 70 action incidents per 100 pages- as opposed to slow moving nuance depth.
And also I have to admit, I almost made it 2 star for the emotive descriptions of Sam during some periods of this plot line. That just did not fit into the whole. Knowing dozens and dozens of cops over the years, and doing their research for classes- and having at least 2 dozen in my relatives categories or in-laws or neighbors for the 60 years. With that kind of background, I do NOT believe Sam would be sobbing and of the conditions that were described by McMullin several times when she was saying good-bye or at a funeral or in hospital surrounds during a work shift etc. Nor interact with her child in such an effusive teary-poos pattern either. McMullin is a Kelly who is a man. He writes men better, IMHO.
They do NOT do that. Stereotype or no. Other than losing a spouse or child, not even a tear-let alone crying fits. They are still too busy watching the exits or facing the door.
This will never be popular reading in the best seller sense of popular. It's style is too abrupt and ugly in form to read. And the subject matter is far too true to the real world situations of 2017. I'm surprised it got published in the form it is in too. Just a guess, but men may like this level of action more than the cozy level woman reader. Maybe I'm wrong, but I doubt it.
I wish you luck, Kelly J. McMullin. You must have spent many years as a homicide detective and city cop. Great idea for spending your time "afterwards". I really wanted to give it 4 stars but the writing style stopped me. The content to reality is 4 star, fully 4 stars.
It was so jumpy and abrupt in the repetition and style of using the first person narrator English that I had to start it and stop it about 4 times. Yes, it gets to you after awhile. It does to me, anyway. Like reading YA when the talking flowers, fairies with wings, and various colored unicorns conduct the "every other" chapters style of telling a "tale". Which is the total opposite of this form method but drives me crazy to follow for any length of time, as well.
How is this opposite of that? Parts of it are like reading a 7 page witness police report or also quite like a social work set of input documents. Therefore: I heard, I saw, I hiked, I passed, he heard, he saw, he passed me the star (badge), he witnessed- do you "get" it? In the style of "the man appeared to be in his 40's, close shaven and with an unusual purple scar aside of his left eye and intersecting that eyebrow".
It's, for you older people out there, quite like Dragnet's Joe Friday's episode speak. "Just the facts, Mam."
BUT saying all that, this HAS to be the author's first book, the police work is nearly ACCURATE. Now please, do NOT confuse the detective and other copper fare you read as being at any point close to 50% realistic to their daily work and visuals. This is.
And also is all the Chicago sections, districts, hierarchy, wagon detail etc. etc. etc. And the town in Cherokee Falls near Bloomington? It's not real, but close to ones I know. Very! So close to be a photo.
So if you have a REAL interest in police work and what a line (impossible in the last 5 years) it needs to walk every day. And if you have propensity to be able to view truthful police procedural and fall out, then dig in to this one.
What made it a 4 star for me in the enjoyment factor was that I knew every single one of her locations. She had a stop (body pick up) just exactly on Wentworth Ave where my grandma's Blue Goose once operated. You can see the Dan Ryan across the street there too. And other cases mere blocks from Racine Ave. where I was born. (5602 S. Racine Ave. and it rhymes)- had to learn that before I could ride a bike, way before. I was a wanderer. But this is Garfield, Englewood, Lakeview as it is now.
So here it is- not an overabundance of foul language (mannerly at that), but the copper names and problems in Chicago the best part of the book. Do not overlook the payoff scheme she just manages to nip out of, and I can remember that body scam. In fact, it came back again- as did "free" special garbage pick ups.
But know before you start this that it does NOT flow well. It is 700 incidents in an average sized book. And Sam changes jobs and has too many events within that first year to list them all here or in an old encyclopedia- volume length. So be warned. This is NOT a book where action is "boring". In fact, it might probably work the best for you if you have very short attention and plot span preferences. And love 70 action incidents per 100 pages- as opposed to slow moving nuance depth.
And also I have to admit, I almost made it 2 star for the emotive descriptions of Sam during some periods of this plot line. That just did not fit into the whole. Knowing dozens and dozens of cops over the years, and doing their research for classes- and having at least 2 dozen in my relatives categories or in-laws or neighbors for the 60 years. With that kind of background, I do NOT believe Sam would be sobbing and of the conditions that were described by McMullin several times when she was saying good-bye or at a funeral or in hospital surrounds during a work shift etc. Nor interact with her child in such an effusive teary-poos pattern either. McMullin is a Kelly who is a man. He writes men better, IMHO.
They do NOT do that. Stereotype or no. Other than losing a spouse or child, not even a tear-let alone crying fits. They are still too busy watching the exits or facing the door.
This will never be popular reading in the best seller sense of popular. It's style is too abrupt and ugly in form to read. And the subject matter is far too true to the real world situations of 2017. I'm surprised it got published in the form it is in too. Just a guess, but men may like this level of action more than the cozy level woman reader. Maybe I'm wrong, but I doubt it.
I wish you luck, Kelly J. McMullin. You must have spent many years as a homicide detective and city cop. Great idea for spending your time "afterwards". I really wanted to give it 4 stars but the writing style stopped me. The content to reality is 4 star, fully 4 stars.
January 23, 2023
Really enjoyed writing this well written thoughtful book about a female Chicago police officer who moves into a small town and continues as a peace officer. It’s a good captivating yarn the writing just flows and the characters are wonderful. After reading this I am onto the next Sam Kelly adventure With Eyes Wide Open.
November 2, 2016
Great book!
Great story! Couldn't put it down! I loved the the reflections of her life as a big city cop and her transition to a small but not so quiet town.
Great story! Couldn't put it down! I loved the the reflections of her life as a big city cop and her transition to a small but not so quiet town.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews