Buried Bones

Widow's Island #7

by Melinda Leigh

A college student’s murder shines light on community secrets left in the dark in the seventh Widow’s Island novella by #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh.

All communities have their secrets…but on Widow’s Island, there’s a skeleton in every closet, as Deputy Tessa Black knows all too well. When Tessa stumbles upon a half-buried body in the woods, a peaceful morning hike suddenly turns into a race to catch a killer.

Tessa identifies the skeletal corpse as Aurora Franklin, a young college student and aspiring actor. She’d come to Widow’s Island for a summer job, only to be strangled and discarded. Aurora has been dead for over a month—and not a single islander has reported her missing.

The investigation reveals a dangerous predator hiding in the Widow’s Island community. With her fiancé, park ranger Logan Wilde, by her side, Tessa must find Aurora’s murderer before they strike again.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Novella, Romance, Crime, Audiobook

104 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 19, 2021

About the author

#1 Wall Street Journal and #1 Amazon bestselling author Melinda Leigh is a fully recovered banker who learned that writing books is way more fun than analyzing financial statements. Melinda’s debut novel, SHE CAN RUN, was nominated for Best First Novel by the International Thriller Writers. Since then, she has garnered numerous writing accolades, including two RITA® Award nominations and an induction into the NJ Romance Writers Hall of Fame. Her novels have sold more than 15 million copies across the world. Melinda loves martial arts, rescue dogs, and sea turtles.

WEBSITE: https://www.melindaleigh.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/melindaleighauthorpage/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MelindaLeigh1

Reviews

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far all the books of the Widow's Island series that I know have been novellas. It is the same with this one, which makes it a quick read. Nevertheless, I love Melinda Leigh's style and how she keeps me guessing until very late in the book. 5 out of 5 stars

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buried Bones was another amazing installment in the Widow's Island romantic suspense series.

When Deputy Tessa Black stumbles across a half-buried body while on a hike with her sister, her peaceful morning takes a dark turn. After the body is identified as a young college student working a summer job on the island, Tessa is shocked to discover no one on the island reported her missing. Working alongside her fiancé, park ranger Logan Wilde, Tessa begins to dig into Aurora's life to search for a dangerous killer.

Aurora's murder investigation proved to be quite an interesting case. Looking for a break from college, Aurora comes to the island to work for the summer before she needs to make a decision about her future. She ends up being murdered not long after she arrived on the island and it was several weeks before her body was found. New to the island, she slipped through the cracks which definitely made things harder for Tessa. With few connections to anyone on the island, Tessa has a hard time finding anyone who really knew Aurora or who she was involved with. There were a few possible suspects throughout the investigation and I liked how thorough Tessa was in her search. I did end up guessing who the killer was before the reveal, but I really enjoyed the confrontation with them when Tessa arrived to arrest them. The end of the book is quite suspenseful and overall I thought it was very well done.

I continue to really enjoy Tessa as a character. She has a lot on her plate personally which I feel she's handling very well. I liked that she knew when to accept help and didn't try to take on too much by doing everything herself. Her relationship with Logan is excellent and I really enjoy how comfortable they are with each other. Some of my favorite moments in the book was when the pair just got to be together which there aren't many of due to the fast pace of the investigation. The romance element in this book plays a slightly bigger role than some of the previous books in the series although I still feel this series would work well for readers who prefer a heavier suspense element.

Overall Buried Bones was a fantastic read and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, The Lost Bones, soon. I highly recommend this series for readers of romantic suspense who prefer a focus on the suspense.

**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

[Henry · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable short light mystery. Similar to others in this series.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy a good novella, and this series is one of the best. You get a mystery, cozy romance, character development, all wrapped in a great ongoing story.

Deputy Tessa Black ditched her high stress job in Seattle for the slower pace of Widow's Island. One problem: Widow's Island has turned out to be a magnet for murder. While on a hike with her sister, Patience, they come upon the dead, decomposing body of a college girl. A day off becomes another workday for Tessa as she begins the process of figuring out how Aurora Franklin died and was left in the woods.

Aurora Franklin came to Widow's Island for a summer job. Tessa has to figure out if her murderer followed her here or if they were already on the island looking for prey.

[Obsidian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am giving this three stars because at this point, Tessa and Logan need to do a better job of not blundering in. I am realizing that in most of the novellas someone gets taken hostage. And then the murderer ends up dead due to Tessa or Cate in some cases killing the person. I don't know. I was not thrilled because the murdered in this one appears to be a serial rapist/murderer, but we may never find out all of his victims. And Cate's obsession with Tessa's wedding was aggravating. She really has no purpose in this series anymore.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

This is the seventh book in the cosy crime Widow's Island series, which alternates the narrative between Cate and Tessa, two friends who investigate various bad events on the isolated community of Widow Island. In this installment, Tessa takes the reigns and ends up investigating the murder of a young woman who she discovers hidden in the undergrowth during a hike.

These are always quick and easy reads, fast paced and full of action, which doesn't shy away from some dark topics. This is no different, and Tessa soons find herself wrapped up in the secrets of the islands inhabitants again. You do have to suspend your disbelief a little bit though. For such a small community they have an awful lot of murders, and a hell of a lot of strangers turning up on the island at one time or another. There's always a lot of convenient revelations and clues too, and in this case we also have a few red herrings that aren't ever cleared up - such as the guy looking for Aurora at the tour office. I also find the character development sometimes a little lacking. The suspects are always a little over the top, there's no subtlety involved when you're writing a complete story in 100 pages, however overall I enjoyed this for what it is.

[Sonia Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5🌟
"Someone had gotten close enough to Aurora to kill her."

And Tessa will find the murderer, with Logan helping.

It's fantastic that a short novella contains such a well developed mystery story. I really enjoyed it.

It was a pleasure to see Tessa, Logan and Killer Hen🐔 again. Also the setting of Widow's Island is riveting.

"She was learning to live day by day—and accepting joy whenever it appeared in her life."

“Don’t take this the wrong way. I care very much about our wedding, but the details . . . not so much. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. As far as I’m concerned, we’re already living our best life just because we’re doing it together. Making our relationship legal is icing.”
    ~ Logan to Tessa

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the novellas in the Widow’s Island mystery series will work as standalone regarding the cases they solve. However, the romantic relationships and town happens have me recommending you read them in the order in which they are released.

In Buried Bones, Deputy Tessa Black is on a hike with her younger sister when they stumble upon a body partially buried. She calls in the local doctor/medical examiner to determine cause of death. When she discovers the young woman was murdered, Tessa and her fiancé, park ranger Logan Wilde, work to stop a killer.

This was a clever tale with plenty of twists and lots of trouble. Besides the case, we got updates on characters, that pesky hen and more. The romance is sweet and balances out the cases.

Fans of small-town/remote settings with strong suspense/mystery elements will enjoy Buried Bones and the Widow’s Island Mystery series. These are in kindle unlimited and audio. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

While on a nature walk, Deputy Tessa Black and her sister discover the remains, mostly skeletal, of what turns out to be a young woman.

Tessa, along with her fiance, Park Ranger Logan Wilde, start their investigation by trying to identify her. Plenty of people have gone missing over the years, but none seem to match this victim.

Identified as a college student who had been hired to work on Widow's island for the summer, the more they delve into her background, the more questions they have. Why has this woman never been reported as missing? Why did she choose Widow's Island to spend her summer?

The investigation reveals a dangerous predator hiding in the Widow’s Island community.

This novella is a short, fast read filled with suspense. Suspects are many, but who would have wanted this young woman dead? Characters are deftly drawn, intriguing to watch.

Many thanks to the author / Montlake / Amazon Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction novella. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buried Bones is the 7th book in the Widow's Island series and once again, we have Tessa front and center. Tessa and Logan are out for a hike in the woods, when she stumbles upon a body buried in a shallow grave. The skeleton is identified as Aurora Franklin, a young college student and aspiring actor, who had come to Widow’s Island for a summer job and disappeared shortly after. She was never reported missing as she and her parents were estranged and her best friend knew that she often stopped communicating when she was in a new relationship. Tessa and Logan begin to ask questions of her employer and landlord to try and piece together what happened after she arrived on Widow's Island. The investigation reveals a dangerous predator hiding in the Widow’s Island community and Tessa needs to find him/her before they strike again.

Once again, this novella is a short, fast read or listen filled with suspense. There are several suspects, but clues are sparse. Who wanted this vibrant, young woman dead? The break in the case comes from an unexpected source and Tessa needs to take care that she doesn't put herself in danger. This is one where I did guess who the murderer was as clues are uncovered. With Logan by her side, they are able to arrest the suspect and put him/her behind bars where they belong. Because this is a novella, the secondary characters are not well developed, but the main ones are as they have been involved in the previous books in the series. For this reason, I recommend you read them in order. The narrator was changed for this novella and I enjoyed Jane Oppenheimer's performance. She seemed to have more expression and emotion as well as making me feel like part of the story, instead of reading it to me.

[Read All About It · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love a quick suspenseful mystery with beloved characters from the past this is your read.
Tess and Logan are back investigating a young woman’s murder. I just love there Widows Island short stories that pack a powerful punch. These pages keep flying until the very end.
Crazy good!!

[Carvanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook: Narrator - Jane Oppenheimer

I loved this narration! Ms. Oppenheimer’s voice and performance was exactly what I like in the narration. She gave the perfect enunciation to each character’s voice as well as their responses. This lacked the irritating overacting that the previous narrator was prone to give. I am thrilled at this change!!





I really enjoyed this addition to the series. The mystery definitely pulled me in and while I suspected who the killer was, I loved the pathway that led to them. I also liked that Tessa’s sister had a larger part in the story, although I was expecting much more from her behavior than what I received. Logan continues to prove what a great hero he is and I definitely need a Logan of my own.

Dual POV
Safe no ow/om drama; light on the romance
Triggers rape off page, no details at all
Steam 0 /5; no steam

[Charlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 7 did not impress. Everything from beginning to end was just meh. 😒

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Widow's Island seems like a deadly place. For such a small community, there seems to be a lot of murder and mayhem going on. It's definitely not a place I would want to take the fam for vacay. I also think they need a bigger police force. The small one they have now can't seem to keep up with all the dead bodies and skeletons that keep popping up.

[Sue Plant · Rating 5 out of 5]

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this quaint little book

never a fan of novellas but there is something about this series and how the author writes that you can actually forget this is a short story

so much is packed into this book

a hike leads to the discovery of a body
once the victim is identified and the post mortem reveals that in fact it is murder, the hunt is on to find the killer and with not a lot of detail to go on and that nobody has reported the victim as missing, its difficult to find where to start

it was great to come back and see the regulars in this series and catch up with where they are at...roll on the next one in this series

always a pleasure to read a melinda leigh book

[julia ☆ [owls reads] · Rating 2 out of 5]

#1 Close to the Bone: ★★★★☆ | 4 stars
#2 A Bone to Pick: ★★★★☆ | 4 stars
#3 Whisper of Bones: ★★★☆☆ | 3 stars
#4 Bred in the Bone: ★★★☆☆ | 3 stars
#5 Below the Bones: ★★★☆☆ | 3 stars
#6 A Broken Bone: ★★★★☆ | 4 stars

*

Sadly, Buried Bones didn't really do it for me. This was a pretty self-contained mystery, which I liked, but I found there was very little emotion to it considering it involved a murder? and it was solved so quickly and in the most obvious way possible. I was also surprised, but not upset, that some of the deaths here seemed to be more violent and gore-y than the previous books! But the thing I was interested most here was Patience and what was going on with her, so the ending was super sweet to me. I am curious to see where the rest of the series goes.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. Drat! These novellas go by way too fast. Another great installment. Looking forward to the next one.

[LianaReads blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the romance side in here and how the characters that work together are so focused on investigating the murder on the tourist island but also keep their private life on the line. Tess is such a great female character, and her curiosity and backbone had me cheering out for her throughout the pages. Thrilling and addictive, with a few twists that left me in awe, Buried Bones is a must read story.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very short story. I have to admire the way she told a simple mystery without making it too obvious who the killer was, especially since this story was so short.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this entire series of novellas by Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot.

[Sandra R · Rating 4 out of 5]

A police crime/suspense with a hint of romance. (The H/h are engaged and work together). Beautifully written story about a murder investigation on a tourist island. This is part of a series, but each investigation is contained. I would recommend reading them all from the beginning so you have a feel for the characters and their ongoing relationships and stories, but saying that, this novella can be read as a stand alone. There are red herrings and an interesting back story, a bit of blood, action and some confronting crime scenes. This was a novella, but it's a perfectly paced story with nothing feeling rushed or missing - great job - 4.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the eARC in return for my opinion.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Pacific Northwest’s scenic, isolated, and atmospheric Widow’s Island is disturbed once again when an unearthed body turns up during the height of the tourist season. This tandem-written series between Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliott remains rock-steady with the clever, quick novellas that are engaging installment after installment.

Buried Bones is the seventh novella in the Widow’s Island series. The books work best in order as there is a character and relationship arc spread throughout the series though, each does contain a standalone mystery.

Tessa and Patience are hiking to the top of Crone Mountain for some sister time when they come across a decomposed body just off the trail. With the help of her fiancé, forest ranger, Logan Wilde, Tessa tracks the evidence to a killer.
Tessa’s life has definitely taken a strong turn for the better lately as Logan has helped her with her mom suffering from Alzheimer’s and her teen sister. She is learning to balance work and a private life which includes wedding preparations. Logan is doing better with his PTSD, too. But, something is up with Patience- she’s too quiet. Unfortunately, this new homicide has to be dealt with first.

I’ve likely said this before, but this series is addicting and is a wonderful blend of island- small town setting, engaging characters, and strong plotting. There is a good blend of romantic suspense, but in this one, they focused on the mystery more. The mystery wasn’t twisting, but it was satisfying and especially after that breath-stealing climax. I’m glad that the next release comes shortly and I can dive right back into the Widow’s Island world.

In summary, I devoured it swiftly and want more. Those who enjoy well-thought mystery and character development with a keen attention to setting should give these quick-read romantic suspenses a go.

I rec'd an eARC through NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.

[ROBIN RUIZ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m don’t usually read novellas but if it is written by Melinda Leigh, I’d read anything. While this is part of an ongoing series… I jumped right into this and I loved it! I will continue to read all books in this series!
This book has it all strong characters, action, fast paced, plenty of suspects, family and a community I want to visit again and again !

[Maureen ~Bitch Can Write A Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series. And this fast paced visit was no exception. Tessa is a great character. I love her strength from being a cop but also her raising her sister and taking care of her mom with dementia. I also absolutely love Logan. As well as the friendships.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Widows Island where you can find family, love and murder! Thoroughly enjoy this novella series. I will read anything Melinda Leigh writes. Okay, not anything, if she writes a math book, sorry, not reading, not buying. These Novellas (this is book 7) can be read as a stand a lone, but you lose out on the depths we came to know the other characters in this series, they all are intertwined in some shape or form. You actually feel like you know them. This was pure entertainment, with suspense. Deputy Tessa is intelligent with strength and vulnerability. Logan, is a veteran who is truly Tessa's strength and is now a park ranger. So who murdered Aurora? And why is everyone hiding something? Thank you NetGalley, Montlake and Melinda Leigh for another great visit to Widows Island. I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions.

[Peggy Jaeger · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dead college student, a mother with dementia, and a sister who's keeping secrets are all the premise behind Melina Leigh's newest Widow's Island book.
When a body of a young girl is found, Deputy Tessa Black begins an investigation that leads her down the path of migrant summer workers on the tiny island. What she finds is a hidden past of rape and murder no one expected to find on the peaceful little island.
As usual, the characters are the mainstay in a Melinda Leigh book and all of them- even the secondary and walk-ons are perfect for the setting and plot. Leigh seamlessly weaves the everyday life of Tesas- she's getting married, and caring for her ailing mother and teenaged sister -with murder most foul.
Excellent addition to the series.
4 stars

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deputy Tessa Black stumbles on a body while hiking with her little sister. Her park ranger boyfriend/fiance Logan who has recently moved in with her is called to assist as there are only 3 lawmen on the island. The coroner/doctor is also asked to help.

Tessa and Logan investigate the background of the college student found murdered in the woods. She was working for the summer at a whale watching business but no one asked any questions when she stopped showing up. The business owner has a temper and likes college girls according to his ex wife. The ex wife is also crazy, and the man supervising the cabins where the girl was staying has a record as a sex offender. So many suspects will they find the right one before someone else gets killed?

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt for the victim that Tessa found at the start of this one. It seemed she had her whole life in front of her, when it was stolen. Tessa and Logan did a great job of investigating the murder and finding the killer and while I'm glad that the killer was caught, I liked the softer scenes in this one. Tessa having a bit of trouble with the chickens and her mom laughing, Patience giving Tessa a hard time about what happened with the chickens. And then there was the ending part, from Logan's way of getting Tessa out of sight, to Tessa having a great day with the girls, something she sorely needed.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars.

As this was a novella, it wasn't very developed, but being the fourth of the series that features Tess and Logan, enough development has happened that I fully enjoyed this story. The mystery and police work aspects of this series is always very light, and the identity of the killer is kind of haphazard, but I've come to expect that of this series. Widow's Island is not Morgan Dane or Bree Taggert and nor do I expect it to be. I'll continue reading this series as long the authors keep publishing it.

Trigger warning: mention of rape

[Manuela - Fathoms Amidst The Lines · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got an ARC of this from Netgalley (thank you very much!), it sounded good from the summary and it was. It was a relatively quick read, it's only 10 chapters and about 100 pages (or so says my reading app). It's fast-paced and easy to keep up with what's going on. It's #7 in a series, and I haven't read any of the previous books, I never even heard of the author until now, so I don't know how much info is in the previous books, but it does read well as a stand-alone.

Overall, it was a good and quick read, I read it in three or so hours with breaks. It's got enough action to keep you engaged, but also enough character interaction to want to know more. I'd definitely be interested in reading the first six books in this series and seeing how this book connects to them.