A Gift of Bones

Sarah Booth Delaney #19

by Carolyn Haines

Christmas comes to Zinnia, Mississippi—Sarah Booth Delaney must solve a case as the holiday approaches, in this new cozy mystery from Carolyn Haines.Christmas is just around the corner and Sarah Booth and Tinkie are preparing for a festive holiday season. After a turbulent season of solving cases, they’re ready for some holiday cheer. Sarah Booth and Sheriff Coleman Peters have finally gotten together, and this is the first holiday they’re celebrating as a couple. Sarah Booth busies herself with decking the halls and daydreaming about romantic Christmas nights with Coleman. Then her friend Cece Dee Falcon shows up needing Sarah Booth’s help—right now. She shows Sarah Booth a box that was delivered by courier and left at Cece’s front porch. It contains a lock of hair, a photograph of a pretty young woman, very pregnant, and a note demanding ransom for the return of the teen. Cece reveals that this is her cousin’s daughter, Eve Falcon, and that she’d lost touch with this part of her family years ago. Eve and Cece had been close, until the family had a terrible falling out, and banished Cece from their lives. The countdown begins as the kidnapper pushes for payment—or else, he threatens, Eve will meet her maker. It’s up to Sarah Booth and her friends to find the girl before something terrible happens on what should be the merriest day of the year.Carolyn Haines’s trademark humor and lovable characters are back, in a heartwarming Christmas story that will enchant and delight readers looking for a suspenseful mystery wrapped in joyful holiday merriment.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Christmas, Audiobook, Holiday, Cozy

253 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 16, 2018

About the author

Carolyn Haines is the USA Today bestselling author of over 70 books. In 2020, she was inducted into the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame. She was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alabama Library Association, the Harper Lee Award for Distinguished Writing, the Richard Wright Award for Literary Excellence, as well as the "Best Amateur Sleuth" award by Romantic Times. Born and raised in Mississippi, she now lives in Alabama on a farm with more dogs, cats, and horses than she can possibly keep track of.

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carolyn Haines has done it again with her latest installment, A Gift of Bones, book 19 in the "Sarah Booth Delaney" mystery series! I love this series so much and just loved this book!

Sarah Booth is finally in a relationship with Sheriff Coleman Peters when Cece Falcon, one of her closet friends comes to her for help. Her very pregnant cousin Eve has been kidnapped and Cece needs Sarah Booth and Tinkie's help to find her before her baby is born, but she doesn't want to involve the police. This puts Sarah Booth in a sticky situation since she's going to help her friend but doesn't want to jeopardize her relationship with Coleman. Still, she has to follow her heart and loyalty to her friends, especially since an unborn child's life is in danger...

What ensues is a race to find and save Eve before it's too late! Sarah and Tinkie are at the top of their game in this exciting mystery, and it was a novel that I couldn't put down until the last page-turning twist. I loved the Christmas feel of the book and the ending made me feel like I was enjoying a white, family Christmas--one full of wonder and joy. The novel is not only about solving the mystery of Eve's kidnapping, but it is, as always, about the friendships in Zinnia, the people who make this series so wonderful, and their relationships, which is one reason this is such a fabulous series!

Haines writes with such heart, warmth, and honesty that this southern girl always feels like I'm transported back home to Tennessee when I read her books. She's been one of my favorite authors for over two decades, and A Gift of Bones just shows why as this cozy mystery transports you to the south for a tale of suspense and intrigue and also a warm, beautiful Christmas.

This is the perfect book to read while wrapped up in front of the fire with a mug of hot cocoa! A Gift of Bones comes out October 16, 2018, just in time for merry, holiday reading, so make sure you pick up this wonderfully festive, suspense-filled read!!

**Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an ARC copy to read and review in exchange for my fair and honest review. **

[Sue Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a long-time fan of this series, and this 19th entry is one of the best ones. Christmas is coming to Mississippi and Sarah Booth Delaney has to come to the aid of her friend, CeCe's, whose pregnant cousin has been kidnapped. With the help of Jitty, the haint of Sarah's ancestral home, not only does the kidnapping get solved, but Sarah's belief in the possibility of Christmas miracles gets tested.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

It definitely doesn't have to be Christmastime to enjoy an awesome book set at Christmas. I had picked this one up at the library, because I'd seen different people online had read and liked it. Even though I had never read any of the previous books, I wasn't a bit lost. And it didn't take me long at all to get to know the characters and feel like they were good friends. It definitely made me want to start reading this series from the beginning, so that I can savor all the fun, humor and Coleman-history moments!

Christmas miracles can definitely happen as readers will see when for one, Zinnia, Mississippi gets its first-in-a-long-time Christmas snow, siblings get reunited and a sick little baby receives care he needs. I loved this whole mystery and even though there wasn't a murder, I was so caught up in trying to figure things out, that I almost didn't notice. Once a few clues were dropped, I had an idea of what was going on, but not the person who was in control of all this.

I was laughing as I was reading about the Christmas pageant that Coleman, sheriff and Sarah's boyfriend, was describing to her as they drove home after the case was solved and the perp taken away. The flying baby Jesus doll had to be hysterical! I love this author's style and sense of humor, and it will be my extreme pleasure to read more in this series!

[Eilonwy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just before Christmas, Sarah Booth Delaney's friend Cece receives a message that her young cousin Eve is being held for ransom. Complicating matters, Eve is pregnant and due any minute, while Cece is estranged from that part of her family. Can Sarah Booth figure out who is holding Eve, why they would do such a thing, and most important, where Eve is?

I enjoyed last year's Christmas mystery in this series so much that I decided to look for another one even though I'm supposedly reading the books in order now.

This did not disappoint! I love this series. Sarah Booth has a great voice and outlook, the Mississippi delta setting is vivid, and all of the characters are great people to spend time with. The pacing is great, as always with these books, and I zoomed through the story. Everything worked out to great satisfaction. I'm not entirely sure about the medical plot driver, but that's a small quibble.

Now I've got to get back to the beginning and keep working my way forward.

[Mburrows · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very fun, as always.

[Bookish Trina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Gift of Bones is a well-written cozy, mystery filled with mirth and great characters. The true meaning of Christmas is explored as well as staying focused on what’s important: family and friends. Although this book is #19 in the series, it works as a standalone as well. I enjoyed this light Christmas mystery.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Synopsis from the Publisher/NetGalley.com
Christmas comes to Zinnia, Mississippi—Sarah Booth Delaney must solve a case as the holiday approaches, in this new cozy mystery from Carolyn Haines.

Christmas is just around the corner and Sarah Booth and Tinkie are preparing for a festive holiday season. After a turbulent season of solving cases, they’re ready for some holiday cheer. Sarah Booth and Sheriff Coleman Peters have finally gotten together, and this is the first holiday they’re celebrating as a couple. Sarah Booth busies herself with decking the halls and daydreaming about romantic Christmas nights with Coleman.

Then her friend Cece Dee Falcon shows up needing Sarah Booth’s help—right now. She shows Sarah Booth a box that was delivered by courier and left at Cece’s front porch. It contains a lock of hair, a photograph of a pretty young woman, very pregnant, and a note demanding ransom for the return of the teen. Cece reveals that this is her cousin’s daughter, Eve Falcon, and that she’d lost touch with this part of her family years ago. Eve and Cece had been close, until the family had a terrible falling out, and banished Cece from their lives. The countdown begins as the kidnapper pushes for payment—or else, he threatens, Eve will meet her maker. It’s up to Sarah Booth and her friends to find the girl before something terrible happens on what should be the merriest day of the year.

Carolyn Haines’s trademark humor and lovable characters are back, in a heartwarming Christmas story that will enchant and delight readers looking for a suspenseful mystery wrapped in joyful holiday merriment.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pleasant surprise for me. When I choose it on NetGalley I did not realize it was #19 in a series so I almost didn’t read it. But even though I was jumping in not knowing any of the characters I really enjoyed it. The writing was a little more polished than most “cozy” mysteries and I was quickly immersed into the story and lives of the characters. And the wrap up of the mystery was even a surprise for me. Looks like I will be reading more of this series – though I will probably go start at the beginning now.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Glen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's Christmas time, and Sarah can't figure out why the holidays are festive and melancholy at the same time. Then the niece of one her friends is kidnapped.

It's all so drearily PC.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Gift of Bones by Carolyn Haines is the 19th book in the Sarah Booth Delaney series, and I loved it!! I love the whole series, please keep them coming. Not only is this book really funny at times, it can also be emotional because I feel like I know Sarah Booth and the other main characters. As always A Gift of Bones is a great mystery with romance thrown in, Sarah Booth has she finally made her choice. There are twists and turns around every corner. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you love cozy mysteries with a little bit of everything, I strongly recommend this book/series.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Barbara Hackel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like to enter the world of Zinnia and the Delta where time has stood still in many ways. Although crime and murder have come to the small town, it is still a place where people know one another, and even your immediate ancestors. So it isn't a stretch to believe that someone would contact a stranger and not only know that person's secrets, but those of the family as well. In this genteel society there are those that have always had the public eye, and not always in a positive way.

When CeCe (formerly Cecil) Falcon shows up at Sarah Booth Delany's and needs immediate help, and wants Sarah Booth and Tinkie not to tell Coleman specifically about her problem. Fearing this might cause permanent damage to their new relationship, Sara Booth continues to try and persuade CeCe to change her mind and bring in Coleman on the case. It seems that CeCe's younger cousin, Eve is missing. Not only that, she is pregnant and due to deliver the baby on Christmas Eve. Eve's parents want nothing to do with her. It is a race to the end to find Eve and the baby before something terrible happens. Along the way Sarah Booth and Coleman do have some wonderful Christmas memories. Even Jitty, Sarah Booth's civil war haint, shares Christmas from the great Beyond with Sarah Booth.

A beautiful story of a Christmas miracle in the Delta with an actual white Christmas to boot. Author Carolyn Haines has shared another heartwarming story full of great characters, friendship, and love. Don't miss it!

Thanks to Net Galley and St Martin's Press, I received an ARC copy of this book to read. The comments and review are completely my thoughts and given voluntary.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anyone who enjoys this series will probably enjoy this episode, as Sarah Booth helps her friend CeCe look for a kidnapped cousin. The trouble is that I'm really tired of the series--it's got too strong a supernatural element, I prefer a bit less romance in my mysteries, I'm less and less sympathetic to Sarah Booth and her friends, and this episode is full of Christmas cheer (at the wrong season for me). CeCe's cousin is the victim of a viciously unkind mother, and has disappeared from her job, although she's very pregnant and going to have a baby soon. But who could be asking for ransom? And will the kidnapper free her when CeCe pays the ransom?

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ebook/Mystery: This is book 19 in the series and I have only read three others. I do like the series and I am planning to reread book #1 and catch up. Since I read this on two sittings over a weekend, that shouldn't be too much of a problem. I like Sarah Booth and her sidekick Tinkie. Living in the south, I can relate to much of what Sarah Booth goes through. It is currently autumn, so I enjoyed all the Christmas feel in the novel.

I did get this book from NetGalley in lieu of an honest review. I also need to mention that I have a fondness for the author, who I follow on the Facebook and is a graduate of South Alabama (where my son's is currently in school; go Jags). Carolyn Haines is a pet lover and that really shows in her books, but I wish she would put her dog on a leash.

We have had this plot before about a missing pregnant woman in Rock-a-Bye Bones. It is different and I kept reading trying to figure out the kidnapper and if the mom was going to be okay. I do recommend this book, but I would suggest waiting for the paperback.

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Gift of Bones is a good small town private investigator cozy mystery.

Eve is days away from giving birth when she disappears. A ransom demand is sent to her cousin. Private investigator, Sarah Booth Delaney, and her partner, Tinkie, are hired to find the missing woman.

The missing woman’s life becomes the focus of the investigation. With parents who disowned her for her unwed pregnancy and an unknown baby daddy, suspects are hard to find.

The setting in a small town Mississippi detective agency and the use of an unwed mother as the victim are frequent cozy tropes. However, the use of a transgendered character updates the story to 2018. Other than that, a Gift of Bones is a good cozy mystery but not unique. I like the previous entry in the series much better and gave it 4 stars. However, a Gift of Bones gets a reluctant 3 stars.

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advance copy.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this series! I've stopped reading quite a few series before they get to this high number of books as the characters grow stale or the mysteries become just too eye-rolling [hurts my eye muscles]. But not with Sarah Booth Delaney and friends! She and her bestie Tinkie are private investigators, so it makes sense for them to get involved in what they are hired to do or asked as a favor.
This one has a lot of twists and turns, with all kinds of clues woven into the story. It keeps the reader intrigued. And it's Christmas, so the tidbits of holiday traditions and music are lovely.
One of my favorite bits was the mention of a song that brought back a flood of memories for me. Sarah Booth hears a song in a roadhouse by Jim Reeves - Put Your Sweet Lips A Little Closer to the Phone. I grew up listening to Jim Reeves, a favorite of my mom. This bit just made me smile. And add a Jim Reeves channel to my Pandora.....
I can absolutely recommend this book, this series and this author.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this edition of the the Sarah Booth Delaney series , Cece asks for Sarah Booth help in locating her cousin, Eve, who has been taken. Sarah Booth needs to act quickly as Eve is due to give birth very soon. Sarah Booth and Tinkie work hard to uncover secrets in Eve and Cece family to find her before any harm comes to her or her child.

I always love catching up with Sarah Booth and the group from Zinnia Mississippi . They are always fun and I enjoy the books very much. Can't wait for the next one.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Christmas fun (for the reader, not for the characters in the story). Cece's cousin Eve, whose baby is due on Christmas Eve, has been kidnapped. Cece's friends all contribute towards the $130,000 ransom, but Cece does not want Coleman (police) involved. As she and Coleman have only very recently come together at last as a couple, Sarah is very uncomfortable about not telling him the truth.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure how it would be as a stand-alone. The Sarah Booth Delaney series is a fave of mine. Rich in entertaining characters and just easy, fun reads.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always a pleasure reading these adventures. They make me smile, feel warm inside and now and again, even a tear.

[Madeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t think I am in the right age category for this story.

The ending was unusual for sure. Definitely not a 4.03 star read.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Christmas mystery. Pretty standard background for this series. Interesting mystery-pregnant women who have gone missing. And the reason is unique.

[Susan Moxley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great christmas mystery read that will keep you on the edge of your seat guessing til the very end,

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah is all ready for Christmas and more time with her boyfriend Coleman, when her friend Cece rushes in to tell her that Cece’s cousin has been kidnapped. Cece says they can’t tell Coleman or the police so Sarah and her friends set out to find the cousin. The cousin also happens to be pregnant and due on Christmas Eve.

[Tina Frey Horvath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love a good mystery, and when it’s set at Christmas time, even better. The characters are soo likable!

[Clwseattle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read and enjoyed all the Sarah Booth Delaney books and while this one has a great story I am sorely disappointed in the writing, especially in the first half of A Gift of Bones. I found everything about the writing to be juvenile, from the dialogue to the plot holes, from the repetition to the atypical behavior of the a main characters. It almost feels as if someone other than Carolyn Haines wrote the first half then she picked it up and finished it off.

I understand (and often personally appreciate the reminders) that authors must inform new readers the back story of series books, but that pretty much was all that this was for a great part of the book. But, I am not referring to the longing and memories of Sarah Booth Delaney herself, which are poignant and well written.

Sadly, 3 stars, mid C (barely)

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas is coming up and Sarah Booth, Tinkie and everyone else are excited and getting ready to celebrate the holiday. Coleman and Sarah Booth are finally together and will be celebrating the holiday as a couple for the first time.
Cece asks Sarah Booth to help her find her pregnant cousin who has been abducted, and not tell Coleman. Why was she abducted?
Twists and turns that keep you guessing, humor, and characters so well developed that I have grown to love. Never disappointed by a Carolyn Haines book. Her writing has so many details you need to really pay attention or go back to reread to make sure you didn’t miss something.
A heart warming story.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC prior to publication and decided to voluntarily review it. Opinions expressed are my own.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Much like eating twinkies. They’re never as good as you think they’ll be and yet, you still eat them. Why do I keep reading these? Glutton for punishment? Hope springs eternal? Despite my frustrations, which are many and varied, I still care about the characters. So I trudge on..... 😏

This one was way repetitive. A few times I thought I’d lost my place and was rereading a page. Nope. Cece’s challenges were done to death. In past books they get a brief mention and it’s more effective that way when juxtaposed with her current life.

Also, I know it’s been a lot of years since I read the first one but I don’t seem to remember Tinkie and Sarah Booth being close in high school. She started by coming back to town and kidnapping Chablis. She pretty much dismissed Tinkie as a rich ditz, based upon her past experience with her, until she got to know her....in the first book. In this one we get Christmas memories at each other’s house. Maybe I’m just thinking too much.

It seemed like there was a word count in order to make this more than a novella, and Haines just used too many of the same words...in the same order, over and over.

[Jjean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good mystery and a little romance too<> Entertaining characters - just easy and fun to read.

[Jessica Sinn (Books and Trouble) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book in this long-running series, so this was like reconnecting with old friends! After reading a few formulaic cozies, I realized that the Bones books offer so much more in terms of character development and a sense of place. Ms. Haines knows Southern culture and her expertise shows in the distinct Mississippi dialect. And then there’s the small town setting! I felt like I was right there with Sarah Booth on midnight horseback rides through the dark and spooky woods, or on the dancefloor at the local honkytonk with Tinkie by our side! In this 19th installment (wow!), she and her bestie Tinkie are on the case again—this time to find a kidnapped pregnant lady before she gives birth on Christmas Eve. The clock is ticking—in more ways than one as Sarah Booth navigates this tricky mystery as well as her fledgling relationship with the town sheriff. Let's just pause for a moment and acknowledge the miracle of those two finally getting together after so many years of push and pull. Please, Sarah Booth, I bet you to not mess this up! I must admit that I wasn't on board with her lying by omission to Sherriff Coleman when her other BFF CeeCee asked her to solve the case on the sly. But then again, I can’t fault her too much for being loyal to her friend. I could go into detail and give away spoilers, but what fun would that be? All I can say is that this is one of my most favorite books in the series and that I highly recommend it to fans of Southern mysteries. Once again, Sarah Booth and Tinkie are forces to be reckoned with and I loved every moment we spent together on this wild ride! Side note: this book is best “read” on audio because the narrator Kate Forbes is the best in the business! Another side note: mad props to Ms. Haines for taking a risk by addressing some heated political issues that may or may not please her target audience.

[Susan Yawn Tanner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Gift of Bones revisits the denizens of Zinnia with a poignancy I particularly enjoyed. Perhaps that was due in part to the spirit of Christmas that permeates the antics of Sarah Booth and her sleuthing partner, Tinkie. But perhaps the greater part was due to the self-forgiveness that both Sarah Booth and CeCe discover as the mystery unfolds. And a mystery it is, well-crafted and solidly delivered. Carolyn Haines makes every moment of action and every line of dialogue count.

Tinkie comes into her own in Gift of Bones, more an equal than sidekick to the inimitable Sarah Booth. For this reader, Tinkie’s yearning for a child, skillfully woven throughout the series, is representative of the longing so many of us feel for that one ‘something’ that may never be. We each come to resolution or acceptance in our own way.

A fan of Coleman since early days, I’ve sighed through Sarah Booth’s various loves and flirtations over the course of this series. Therefore, the reunion of these two heretofore star-crossed lovers was a very satisfying reward for my patience.

As always, I was appalled by the villain’s intentions and grateful that Ms. Haines never requires readers of the series to experience those intentions graphically. I found a Gift of Bones more insightful and a bit less zany than previous offerings in this line but still infused with the lively madcap escapades that Sarah Booth fans have come to love.

I recommend this book without reservation. Never one to reread a book, I wouldn’t be surprised to find myself reopening the cover of a Gift of Bones early next December.

[Siobhan Ward · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think one of the problems with this book for me is that I don't normally love this kind of book. I'm not sure how to describe them other than as long, somewhat fluffy mystery series aimed mostly at women. There are a lot of them and I tend not to read them, but made an exception for this Christmas one. However, this was definitely not the book to change my mind on the genre. While there were great parts of the book, so much of it felt weirdly forced, almost like someone purposely trying to write a "modern" book that hit all the right notes, like including a transgender character and repeatedly talking about her "struggle" to become a woman, etc. It just seemed like the author was trying to make sure her book was modern and "current," but missed the mark.

I also don't think I've ever read a "magic Black character" trope where the character was actually magic... Usually it's a metaphor for a Black character who swoops in and solves all the main (white) character's problems, but nope, in this case it's the ghost of an enslaved person who was the nanny of one of Sarah Booth's ancestors who then stayed around to help the family forever?? It was just so weird and out of place and uncomfortable.. It added nothing to the book other than really starting it off on the wrong foot for me.

Anyway, I don't think I'll be reading more of Sarah Booth Delaney. I wish all the best to her and all of her very random friends, but this was not the series for me.