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The Bones of Amoret
In this enigmatic follow up to his critically acclaimed debut novel The Cuts that Cure, Arthur Herbert returns to the Texas-Mexico border with this saga of a small town’s bloody loss of innocence.
Amoret, Texas, 1982. Life along the border is harsh, but in a world where cultures work together to carve a living from the desert landscape, Blaine Beckett lives a life of isolation. A transplanted Boston intellectual, for twenty years locals have viewed him as a snob, a misanthrope, an outsider. He seems content to stand apart until one night when he vanishes into thin air amid signs of foul play.
Noah Grady, the town doctor, is a charming and popular good ol’ boy. He’s also a keeper of secrets, both the town’s and his own. He watches from afar as the mystery of Blaine’s disappearance unravels and rumors fly. Were the incipient cartels responsible? Was it a local with a grudge? Or did Blaine himself orchestrate his own disappearance? Then the unthinkable happens, and Noah begins to realize he’s considered a suspect.
Paced like a lit fuse and full of dizzying plot twists, The Bones of Amoret is a riveting whodunit that will keep you guessing all the way to its shocking conclusion.
Amoret, Texas, 1982. Life along the border is harsh, but in a world where cultures work together to carve a living from the desert landscape, Blaine Beckett lives a life of isolation. A transplanted Boston intellectual, for twenty years locals have viewed him as a snob, a misanthrope, an outsider. He seems content to stand apart until one night when he vanishes into thin air amid signs of foul play.
Noah Grady, the town doctor, is a charming and popular good ol’ boy. He’s also a keeper of secrets, both the town’s and his own. He watches from afar as the mystery of Blaine’s disappearance unravels and rumors fly. Were the incipient cartels responsible? Was it a local with a grudge? Or did Blaine himself orchestrate his own disappearance? Then the unthinkable happens, and Noah begins to realize he’s considered a suspect.
Paced like a lit fuse and full of dizzying plot twists, The Bones of Amoret is a riveting whodunit that will keep you guessing all the way to its shocking conclusion.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 13, 2022
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568 people want to read
About the author
Arthur Herbert
6 books342 followersBe sure to follow Arthur on Bookbub for the latest on his releases and deals at https://www.bookbub.com/profile/arthu...
Arthur Herbert was born and raised in small town Texas. He worked on offshore oil rigs, as a bartender, a landscaper at a trailer park, and as a social worker before going to medical school. For the last eighteen years, he’s worked as a trauma and burn surgeon, operating on all ages of injured patients. He continues to run a thriving practice.
After the success of his debut novel, "The Cuts that Cure", his second novel, "The Bones of Amoret", will be published by Stitched Smile Publications on April 1, 2022.
Arthur currently lives in New Orleans, with his wife Amy and their dogs. He loves hearing from his readers, so don’t hesitate to email him at arthur@arthurherbertwriter.com.
Arthur Herbert was born and raised in small town Texas. He worked on offshore oil rigs, as a bartender, a landscaper at a trailer park, and as a social worker before going to medical school. For the last eighteen years, he’s worked as a trauma and burn surgeon, operating on all ages of injured patients. He continues to run a thriving practice.
After the success of his debut novel, "The Cuts that Cure", his second novel, "The Bones of Amoret", will be published by Stitched Smile Publications on April 1, 2022.
Arthur currently lives in New Orleans, with his wife Amy and their dogs. He loves hearing from his readers, so don’t hesitate to email him at arthur@arthurherbertwriter.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
May 27, 2022
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
THE BONES OF AMORET: A Novel by Arthur Herbert is an intense read from start to finish with an intricate mystery plot set in the small Texan border town of Amoret in the early 1980’s. This is a suspenseful standalone novel.
Doctor Noah Grady is the 84-year-old protagonist of this story, and he is relating his tale from forty years ago to an unseen reporter which lends itself to comparisons from 1982 to present day in landscape, immigration, and medicine. Noah is educated, compassionate and a man ahead of his time, but by no means perfect. Not only Noah, but the majority of characters are written in a way that makes them neither fully good nor evil as in some mysteries, but as flawed humans who are doing what they believe is moral or necessary.
The mystery begins with the disappearance of a prominent local citizen and from there the suspects, as well as the dead bodies begin to pile up. The author’s intricately woven plot threads had me guessing and changing my opinion on the suspect throughout. The entire story flows at a steady pace that continues to build on itself with a final twist that was a complete shock, but it was also believable as I sat there and looked back on what I had read previously.
I highly recommend this extremely well written, compelling mystery with a memorable protagonist that I will not soon forget.
THE BONES OF AMORET: A Novel by Arthur Herbert is an intense read from start to finish with an intricate mystery plot set in the small Texan border town of Amoret in the early 1980’s. This is a suspenseful standalone novel.
Doctor Noah Grady is the 84-year-old protagonist of this story, and he is relating his tale from forty years ago to an unseen reporter which lends itself to comparisons from 1982 to present day in landscape, immigration, and medicine. Noah is educated, compassionate and a man ahead of his time, but by no means perfect. Not only Noah, but the majority of characters are written in a way that makes them neither fully good nor evil as in some mysteries, but as flawed humans who are doing what they believe is moral or necessary.
The mystery begins with the disappearance of a prominent local citizen and from there the suspects, as well as the dead bodies begin to pile up. The author’s intricately woven plot threads had me guessing and changing my opinion on the suspect throughout. The entire story flows at a steady pace that continues to build on itself with a final twist that was a complete shock, but it was also believable as I sat there and looked back on what I had read previously.
I highly recommend this extremely well written, compelling mystery with a memorable protagonist that I will not soon forget.
March 30, 2022
The Bones of Amoret is my second read from Arthur Herbert and I was so excited. I absolutely loved the first book and couldn’t wait to dive into this. I’m happy to report, I loved this!
Arthur Herbert has a real talent for creating a twisting, turning, thrill ride from start to finish. I knew when I started reading that I wouldn’t be putting this down, so I recommend when you pick this up, you don’t start an hour before bed time or you’ll be up until you finish (like I was!). The pacing is perfect to keep you on the edge of your seat but also allowing you to really absorb what’s happening in the story.
The characters are brilliant. I felt like I really go to know them and it helped me connect to the story. Very intriguing with interesting back stories and secrets galore.
Another five star read. I loved this and I think you will, too!
Thank you to R&R Book Tours for the free review copy. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
Arthur Herbert has a real talent for creating a twisting, turning, thrill ride from start to finish. I knew when I started reading that I wouldn’t be putting this down, so I recommend when you pick this up, you don’t start an hour before bed time or you’ll be up until you finish (like I was!). The pacing is perfect to keep you on the edge of your seat but also allowing you to really absorb what’s happening in the story.
The characters are brilliant. I felt like I really go to know them and it helped me connect to the story. Very intriguing with interesting back stories and secrets galore.
Another five star read. I loved this and I think you will, too!
Thank you to R&R Book Tours for the free review copy. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
April 13, 2022
“One should die proudly when it’s no longer possible to live proudly.” This quote from Nietzsche exemplifies the character of the central character in this story, Noah Grady, both as a physician as well as a man who cares deeply about the dignity of humanity in general. Noah quotes the great philosopher while talking to a young man who’s dying and doesn’t want to spend his final days in the hospital. Not only is that a statement about dying with dignity, it’s also an acknowledgement of the challenges the young man has faced up to this point. Francis has AIDS, back when the disease was just being understood across the country, and the young man has not come out to his family.
I liked Francis as a character a lot. He reminded me of Mike, the character I wrote about in my screenplay “A Question of Honor.” Mike, too, lived in West Texas and was the son of a prominent rancher during that same period of history, so I understood. I could relate. But, this isn’t about me or my story. It’s about this wonderful novel, The Bones of Amoret.
Noah is a true heroic character, from the work he does in helping immigrants across the border to his compassion for his patients. He also has great wisdom, as displayed in the scene with Francis, as well as one with a Mexican man who could be blamed for Blaine’s disappearance. “Injustice is the default human condition, and human nature was going to have a lot of people in town ready to blame a poor Mexican who looked like an ogre.”
With the exception of one blip in the narrative, the plotting and writing is believable and thoroughly engaging. That blip occurs when Noah has discovered a dead man in a truck and wants to search the glove box. Instead of walking around the truck to open the passenger door to do that, he reaches from the driver’s side and across the body. I didn’t immediately fault the author for that. I wondered why the hell Noah didn’t tell me why he had to do the search that way. That’s how real the doctor was to me as I read his story.
The setting plays an integral part in the story, from the typical small town dynamics to the countryside. The scenic descriptions were so vivid, I could see the land through Noah’s eyes as he rode his horse to the small cabin on his ranch. Noah loves the land almost as much as he loves his family, and that was a real heart-connection for me on both counts.
From the great descriptions, dialogue, characters, and intricate plot, I agree with the last sentence of the book blurb. “The Bones of Amoret is a riveting whodunit that will keep you guessing all the way to its shocking conclusion.”
And boy-howdy, what a conclusion.
I liked Francis as a character a lot. He reminded me of Mike, the character I wrote about in my screenplay “A Question of Honor.” Mike, too, lived in West Texas and was the son of a prominent rancher during that same period of history, so I understood. I could relate. But, this isn’t about me or my story. It’s about this wonderful novel, The Bones of Amoret.
Noah is a true heroic character, from the work he does in helping immigrants across the border to his compassion for his patients. He also has great wisdom, as displayed in the scene with Francis, as well as one with a Mexican man who could be blamed for Blaine’s disappearance. “Injustice is the default human condition, and human nature was going to have a lot of people in town ready to blame a poor Mexican who looked like an ogre.”
With the exception of one blip in the narrative, the plotting and writing is believable and thoroughly engaging. That blip occurs when Noah has discovered a dead man in a truck and wants to search the glove box. Instead of walking around the truck to open the passenger door to do that, he reaches from the driver’s side and across the body. I didn’t immediately fault the author for that. I wondered why the hell Noah didn’t tell me why he had to do the search that way. That’s how real the doctor was to me as I read his story.
The setting plays an integral part in the story, from the typical small town dynamics to the countryside. The scenic descriptions were so vivid, I could see the land through Noah’s eyes as he rode his horse to the small cabin on his ranch. Noah loves the land almost as much as he loves his family, and that was a real heart-connection for me on both counts.
From the great descriptions, dialogue, characters, and intricate plot, I agree with the last sentence of the book blurb. “The Bones of Amoret is a riveting whodunit that will keep you guessing all the way to its shocking conclusion.”
And boy-howdy, what a conclusion.
April 7, 2022
The Bones of Amoret is set in a small town in West Texas, not too far from the Mexican border. The story has a lot of the dynamics attributed to a small town, but it also includes a Texas-sized helping of action!
The story takes the unique form of a local doctor, Dr. Noah “Doc” Grady, talking to a newspaper reporter and recounting some events that occurred about forty years earlier. Doc is talking to the reporter in the 2020s, but the events took place over a period of days in the 1980s.
Doc is the protagonist and tells the story in the first-person narrative. Without going into too much detail, I’ll just say that the events include the disappearance of a local professor, the smuggling of Mexicans into Texas, murder, attempted murder, a shy young man who happens to be gay and drug traffickers. That may seem like a lot of parts for one story, but the author does a wonderful job of weaving them together in a way that makes the story an exciting read!
I mentioned the unique form the author took with the story. I thought that was very clever. In addition to Doc telling the story, given the four decades since the events took place, he was able to add some hindsight to make things clearer or give perspective.
For me, the characters are what really bring this story home. One of my favorite characters, aside from Doc, was Sheriff Lloyd McHenry, the local law enforcement. The Sheriff seemed to have more than a fair share of common sense. He didn’t rush to judgment. He also managed to “look the other way” when things were sometimes done for the betterment of people, but were otherwise illegal.
The description was top notch, and it really immerses the reader into the story. Here’s an example: "The ocotillo bushes around me undulated, obeying an invisible hand. As the wind skated along the river break it whistled, low and persistent and spectral, like a phantom’s moan. My teeth chattered.”
Another huge plus for this story is dialogue. The author sometimes used colorful dialogue to cement the West Texas setting. Here’s an example: “If brains were hog lard you couldn’t have used his to grease a big skillet.”
Actually, my only criticism comes near the end of the story. At the climax, and shortly thereafter, there are some pretty big reveals. I had a hard time accepting them in the spirit of believability.
Lastly, the story was well edited and told at a good pace.
In conclusion, I thought The Bones of Amoret to be unique, enjoyable, and sometimes very hard to put down. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good thriller!
The story takes the unique form of a local doctor, Dr. Noah “Doc” Grady, talking to a newspaper reporter and recounting some events that occurred about forty years earlier. Doc is talking to the reporter in the 2020s, but the events took place over a period of days in the 1980s.
Doc is the protagonist and tells the story in the first-person narrative. Without going into too much detail, I’ll just say that the events include the disappearance of a local professor, the smuggling of Mexicans into Texas, murder, attempted murder, a shy young man who happens to be gay and drug traffickers. That may seem like a lot of parts for one story, but the author does a wonderful job of weaving them together in a way that makes the story an exciting read!
I mentioned the unique form the author took with the story. I thought that was very clever. In addition to Doc telling the story, given the four decades since the events took place, he was able to add some hindsight to make things clearer or give perspective.
For me, the characters are what really bring this story home. One of my favorite characters, aside from Doc, was Sheriff Lloyd McHenry, the local law enforcement. The Sheriff seemed to have more than a fair share of common sense. He didn’t rush to judgment. He also managed to “look the other way” when things were sometimes done for the betterment of people, but were otherwise illegal.
The description was top notch, and it really immerses the reader into the story. Here’s an example: "The ocotillo bushes around me undulated, obeying an invisible hand. As the wind skated along the river break it whistled, low and persistent and spectral, like a phantom’s moan. My teeth chattered.”
Another huge plus for this story is dialogue. The author sometimes used colorful dialogue to cement the West Texas setting. Here’s an example: “If brains were hog lard you couldn’t have used his to grease a big skillet.”
Actually, my only criticism comes near the end of the story. At the climax, and shortly thereafter, there are some pretty big reveals. I had a hard time accepting them in the spirit of believability.
Lastly, the story was well edited and told at a good pace.
In conclusion, I thought The Bones of Amoret to be unique, enjoyable, and sometimes very hard to put down. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good thriller!
April 7, 2022
What makes a great book? For me, it’s the combination of a riveting story in a unique setting with excellent writing and authentic dialogue. The Bones of Amoret ticked all these boxes.
Set in far West Texas, the Bones of Amoret is narrated by main character, Dr. Noah Grady. He’s an old man telling a reporter about a dramatic and traumatic period of his life. The time is the early 1980s. Worlds away from 2022. Noah and his friends assist illegal immigrants as they cross the Rio Grande. As a doctor, Noah provides medical care, if needed. It’s a risky business, but one he feels compelled to take. A fateful decision to save a life, unleashes a potential threat from drug cartels.
At the same time, the investigation into the disappearance and possible murder of unpopular Blaine Beckett, throws suspicion on Noah, when his past comes back to haunt him.
Noah spins his tale, unwinding his past, and reflecting on actions he’s taken that are both selfish and selfless. He reveals his thought and feelings as he justifies the choices made by his younger self. Like any memoir some are true and some are what you wish were true.
There are moments of graphic violence and tender kindness as the plot twists and turns, leaving the reader breathless. The two plot threads collide in a tightly paced, thrilling ride.
Set in far West Texas, the Bones of Amoret is narrated by main character, Dr. Noah Grady. He’s an old man telling a reporter about a dramatic and traumatic period of his life. The time is the early 1980s. Worlds away from 2022. Noah and his friends assist illegal immigrants as they cross the Rio Grande. As a doctor, Noah provides medical care, if needed. It’s a risky business, but one he feels compelled to take. A fateful decision to save a life, unleashes a potential threat from drug cartels.
At the same time, the investigation into the disappearance and possible murder of unpopular Blaine Beckett, throws suspicion on Noah, when his past comes back to haunt him.
Noah spins his tale, unwinding his past, and reflecting on actions he’s taken that are both selfish and selfless. He reveals his thought and feelings as he justifies the choices made by his younger self. Like any memoir some are true and some are what you wish were true.
There are moments of graphic violence and tender kindness as the plot twists and turns, leaving the reader breathless. The two plot threads collide in a tightly paced, thrilling ride.
May 31, 2022
When I read the jacket summary and opening paragraphs for “The Bones Of Amoret”, I thought that this book would be right in my wheelhouse. I lived in the area where the story takes place back in the 1980’s. Additionally, I moved back 4 years ago so the plot’s timeframe is bookended for me. I also happen to work in the medical field. I am always in search of another good noir/mystery and there aren’t very many with that setting – I was stoked!
I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s style, intellect, pacing, use of prose, attention to detail, and overall storytelling ability. When I consider that he is also a physician and writes on the side, I am tremendously impressed. Egad, the mental capacity of some people – I am so jealous!
Bottom line, I liked the book a lot BUT I hated all of the characters and about 25% of the way in, I almost bailed out.
Objectively, the story is told from the perspective of a doctor who details for a present day reporter, the events of his life that involve illegal alien smuggling, medicine, adultery, murder s and the other secrets of a one horse town in far west Texas. A prominent citizen disappears and the body count piles up with many twists and turns along the way, told in compelling fashion that sucks you right in and keeps you engaged to see if there will be a satisfying resolution.
The problem I had with the main protagonist is that he was completely amoral and self-serving, in my opinion. Like many physicians (and liberals) with a “God” complex, he thinks he knows best at all times, about everything and the ends always justify the means for this kind of narcissist. None of the suffering or deaths would have happened in the first place, if he had any sense of right and wrong, but that is never a consideration.
The blind spot of the main character really bugged the hell out of me, maybe because I am too close to both the time(s) and place. Laws, morality, and borders are what they are for a reason, and repurposing them under the guise of “compassion and empathy” may work for many people but not for me.
Try almost losing some or all of your entire family, three times, because illegal aliens can’t be bothered to follow the most basic of laws on this side of the border (drunk driving), after already having broken into the country illegally in the first place.
I am still looking for that book that is told from the perspective of a patriotic American Hispanic who abides by the law, and is ultimately the most negatively impacted by illegal immigration in so many ways that cascade resoundingly year after year but is never considered. There is no shortage of them. They simply are of zero interest to the “creative/entertainment” culture of today. They wouldn’t fit the “approved” liberal narrative, so they cease to be useful tools.
But I digress, the book was excellent. I received an ebook copy for an honest review and I ended up buying the audiobook to get it done in time. This turned out to be well worth the purchase, the narrator of the audiobook was stellar! I also purchased all of the author’s other works because, contrary to popular belief, conservative people can be open minded and good writing is hard to come by nowadays.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in a well written west Texas noir style mystery. It would also make a pretty good movie.
I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s style, intellect, pacing, use of prose, attention to detail, and overall storytelling ability. When I consider that he is also a physician and writes on the side, I am tremendously impressed. Egad, the mental capacity of some people – I am so jealous!
Bottom line, I liked the book a lot BUT I hated all of the characters and about 25% of the way in, I almost bailed out.
Objectively, the story is told from the perspective of a doctor who details for a present day reporter, the events of his life that involve illegal alien smuggling, medicine, adultery, murder s and the other secrets of a one horse town in far west Texas. A prominent citizen disappears and the body count piles up with many twists and turns along the way, told in compelling fashion that sucks you right in and keeps you engaged to see if there will be a satisfying resolution.
The problem I had with the main protagonist is that he was completely amoral and self-serving, in my opinion. Like many physicians (and liberals) with a “God” complex, he thinks he knows best at all times, about everything and the ends always justify the means for this kind of narcissist. None of the suffering or deaths would have happened in the first place, if he had any sense of right and wrong, but that is never a consideration.
The blind spot of the main character really bugged the hell out of me, maybe because I am too close to both the time(s) and place. Laws, morality, and borders are what they are for a reason, and repurposing them under the guise of “compassion and empathy” may work for many people but not for me.
Try almost losing some or all of your entire family, three times, because illegal aliens can’t be bothered to follow the most basic of laws on this side of the border (drunk driving), after already having broken into the country illegally in the first place.
I am still looking for that book that is told from the perspective of a patriotic American Hispanic who abides by the law, and is ultimately the most negatively impacted by illegal immigration in so many ways that cascade resoundingly year after year but is never considered. There is no shortage of them. They simply are of zero interest to the “creative/entertainment” culture of today. They wouldn’t fit the “approved” liberal narrative, so they cease to be useful tools.
But I digress, the book was excellent. I received an ebook copy for an honest review and I ended up buying the audiobook to get it done in time. This turned out to be well worth the purchase, the narrator of the audiobook was stellar! I also purchased all of the author’s other works because, contrary to popular belief, conservative people can be open minded and good writing is hard to come by nowadays.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in a well written west Texas noir style mystery. It would also make a pretty good movie.
July 10, 2023
Amoret is a fictitious small town in west Texas not far from the border with Mexico. The book is narrated by Dr. Noah Grady, now age 84, about events that happened forty years before. He is telling his story to a newspaper reporter from El Paso who had requested an interview. She came to ask him about Blaine Beckett, a pompous, sanctimonious and unpopular intellectual from Boston who had married a rich woman from Amoret and mysteriously disappeared. Dr. Grady knew the solution to the mystery all along, but doesn’t spill the beans to the reporter, or to us, until the final few chapters.
Instead he would have the reporter patiently listening to his story believe that there were several credible theories surrounding Blaine Beckett’s disappearance and multiple suspects, including himself, responsible for it, even though he knew for over three hundred pages of narration that all but one of them were false. But what Dr. Grady lacked in reliable narration he more than made up for in medical knowledge and surgical skills. For a general practitioner in a small west Texas town forty years ago, his incredible expertise in virtually everything exceeded even today’s top doctors from the best medical schools.
The book is supposed to be about actions which have consequences, but the only consequences material to his story stem from the adulterous affair between Dr. Grady and Blaine Beckett’s wife. Other actions such as when Dr. Grady did his medical duty to dangerously save the life of a Mexican drug mule had no connection to Blaine Beckett’s disappearance, the centerpiece of his story. Nor were the consequences of Dr. Grady’s relationship with a cartel to fund a medical clinic so he could provide free medical care to illegals anything but an irrelevant distraction from the mystery of Blaine Beckett’s disappearance.
Despite unfairly withholding vitally important information about Blaine Beckett until the end, the book’s author, like Dr. Grady, is also a physician with a penchant for storytelling, and he creates a fine cast of characters, including Dr. Grady’s Mexican wife, her son Miguel, and Blaine Beckett’s bitter father Max. There is also a nice piece of payback to the villain that is very satisfying. I won’t say who the villain is, but at one point the sheriff investigating Blaine Beckett’s disappearance and its consequences cites the principle of Occam’s Razor: The simplest explanation is usually the right one.
Instead he would have the reporter patiently listening to his story believe that there were several credible theories surrounding Blaine Beckett’s disappearance and multiple suspects, including himself, responsible for it, even though he knew for over three hundred pages of narration that all but one of them were false. But what Dr. Grady lacked in reliable narration he more than made up for in medical knowledge and surgical skills. For a general practitioner in a small west Texas town forty years ago, his incredible expertise in virtually everything exceeded even today’s top doctors from the best medical schools.
The book is supposed to be about actions which have consequences, but the only consequences material to his story stem from the adulterous affair between Dr. Grady and Blaine Beckett’s wife. Other actions such as when Dr. Grady did his medical duty to dangerously save the life of a Mexican drug mule had no connection to Blaine Beckett’s disappearance, the centerpiece of his story. Nor were the consequences of Dr. Grady’s relationship with a cartel to fund a medical clinic so he could provide free medical care to illegals anything but an irrelevant distraction from the mystery of Blaine Beckett’s disappearance.
Despite unfairly withholding vitally important information about Blaine Beckett until the end, the book’s author, like Dr. Grady, is also a physician with a penchant for storytelling, and he creates a fine cast of characters, including Dr. Grady’s Mexican wife, her son Miguel, and Blaine Beckett’s bitter father Max. There is also a nice piece of payback to the villain that is very satisfying. I won’t say who the villain is, but at one point the sheriff investigating Blaine Beckett’s disappearance and its consequences cites the principle of Occam’s Razor: The simplest explanation is usually the right one.
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April 26, 2022Reviewed for Lone Star Literary Life.
Featured on Lone Star Book Blog Tours. Lone Star Blogger Team average rating: 4.67.
Featured on Lone Star Book Blog Tours. Lone Star Blogger Team average rating: 4.67.
April 11, 2022
Set in 1982, THE BONES OF AMORET is a suspenseful story of the small town of Amoret, TX, and the characters that inhabit that town. Doc Grady, the main character of the novel, is the town’s doctor. He serves the people of this border town in more ways than one.
Right from the beginning of reading THE BONES OF AMORET, I was struck by the first-person narrative. The novel is told in conversation between Doc Grady and an unidentified reporter or author forty years after the events in question took place. This was a great choice in writing style by Mr. Herbert. I imagined ol’ Doc Grady sitting on his porch, rocking away, sipping whiskey, gazing into the past, and telling his story. This style also allowed for some hindsight from the narrator showing how medicine and the town of Amoret has progressed since 1982. I did read the e-book, but also suspect the conversational tone of the novel would make a great audio book.
While most of the novel is serious, I welcomed the brief respites of occasional levity. From Lola by the Kinks on the jukebox (for Lola the bartender) to Doc Grady’s dad jokes, I found myself chuckling on more than one occasion while reading.
Mr. Herbert’s writing is visually descriptive. I felt immersed in the town of Amoret and Doc Grady’s story. Aspects which stood out include the barren details of the desert landscape, the conditions of the patients at the clinic or hospital, and the brutality of the different crime scenes. Sentences like this really pulled me into the story:
“Events were picking up momentum, like a crested roller coaster feeling the first pull of gravity.”
I can feel my heartrate speeding up just thinking about the momentum!
The characters in THE BONES OF AMORET are three-dimensional and realistic. From main to secondary characters. each has a distinct personality and motivation. Doc Grady makes decisions which might be of questionable legality; but he believes those decisions are not of questionable morality. I appreciated how the sheriff and his team, while working in a small town, aren’t treated by the other characters in town (or by the author!) as small-town bumpkins. They are capable and good men.
The mystery of Blaine Beckett’s disappearance drives the plot of the novel. There are various suspects, investigations, and theories. From the description of the novel, I was expecting more involvement from Doc Grady in solving the crime. But in reality, the sheriff and his team have the investigation well in hand. And Grady has a lot of other plates to keep spinning, including his medical practice and homelife.
While the whole story reads at a good pace, the ending seemed rushed and not necessarily implausible, but somewhat difficult to believe. I don’t know that I would change the ending per se, but I was left wanting more. Maybe I missed some of the big clues that would have made the ending more satisfactory. Or maybe I am missing ol’ Doc Grady’s storytelling. I certainly could have sat with him longer.
Overall, it’s Mr. Herbert’s writing that kept me interested in this story. I recommend THE BONES OF AMORET to readers interested in great writing, well-developed characters, and multiple mysteries.
Right from the beginning of reading THE BONES OF AMORET, I was struck by the first-person narrative. The novel is told in conversation between Doc Grady and an unidentified reporter or author forty years after the events in question took place. This was a great choice in writing style by Mr. Herbert. I imagined ol’ Doc Grady sitting on his porch, rocking away, sipping whiskey, gazing into the past, and telling his story. This style also allowed for some hindsight from the narrator showing how medicine and the town of Amoret has progressed since 1982. I did read the e-book, but also suspect the conversational tone of the novel would make a great audio book.
While most of the novel is serious, I welcomed the brief respites of occasional levity. From Lola by the Kinks on the jukebox (for Lola the bartender) to Doc Grady’s dad jokes, I found myself chuckling on more than one occasion while reading.
Mr. Herbert’s writing is visually descriptive. I felt immersed in the town of Amoret and Doc Grady’s story. Aspects which stood out include the barren details of the desert landscape, the conditions of the patients at the clinic or hospital, and the brutality of the different crime scenes. Sentences like this really pulled me into the story:
“Events were picking up momentum, like a crested roller coaster feeling the first pull of gravity.”
I can feel my heartrate speeding up just thinking about the momentum!
The characters in THE BONES OF AMORET are three-dimensional and realistic. From main to secondary characters. each has a distinct personality and motivation. Doc Grady makes decisions which might be of questionable legality; but he believes those decisions are not of questionable morality. I appreciated how the sheriff and his team, while working in a small town, aren’t treated by the other characters in town (or by the author!) as small-town bumpkins. They are capable and good men.
The mystery of Blaine Beckett’s disappearance drives the plot of the novel. There are various suspects, investigations, and theories. From the description of the novel, I was expecting more involvement from Doc Grady in solving the crime. But in reality, the sheriff and his team have the investigation well in hand. And Grady has a lot of other plates to keep spinning, including his medical practice and homelife.
While the whole story reads at a good pace, the ending seemed rushed and not necessarily implausible, but somewhat difficult to believe. I don’t know that I would change the ending per se, but I was left wanting more. Maybe I missed some of the big clues that would have made the ending more satisfactory. Or maybe I am missing ol’ Doc Grady’s storytelling. I certainly could have sat with him longer.
Overall, it’s Mr. Herbert’s writing that kept me interested in this story. I recommend THE BONES OF AMORET to readers interested in great writing, well-developed characters, and multiple mysteries.
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April 24, 2022Noah Travis Grady, the narrator of The Bones of Amoret by Arthur Herbert, is the typical, old-fashioned town doctor. Or maybe not so typical.
Noah is multifaceted, full of kindness and standing firm for what he thinks is right. He helps immigrants who cross the southern border illegally. Two of those immigrants were Angelica, whom he marries, and her son, both of whom he loves with a passion. He helps Francis Barnett with his AIDS, And he's good at keeping secrets. Like his 20-year affair with Blaine Beckett’s wife. Now he is focused on finding out how Beckett has disappeared and why. And who would kill his adopted son. Or so he says. Is all of Noah’s kindness and bonhomie real or just a mask?
Is Noah a reliable narrator? He is retelling a large chunk of his, and others’, personal history in an interview with an unnamed female journalist. The events he's relating happened about 40 years in the past. So, he's now a bit older. How accurate is his memory?
I like Noah Grady. Whether his reminiscences about his past experiences are exactly how the events really occurred doesn’t matter. Noah is a likeable narrator and storyteller. His gripping storytelling engendered joy or sadness in me dependent upon what he was retelling. Arthur Herbert also makes fully concrete the other, secondary characters. All were fully fleshed out and fit well into the story arc.
The Bones of Amoret held my attention to the end. I will be reading other works by Arthur Herbert.
Noah is multifaceted, full of kindness and standing firm for what he thinks is right. He helps immigrants who cross the southern border illegally. Two of those immigrants were Angelica, whom he marries, and her son, both of whom he loves with a passion. He helps Francis Barnett with his AIDS, And he's good at keeping secrets. Like his 20-year affair with Blaine Beckett’s wife. Now he is focused on finding out how Beckett has disappeared and why. And who would kill his adopted son. Or so he says. Is all of Noah’s kindness and bonhomie real or just a mask?
Is Noah a reliable narrator? He is retelling a large chunk of his, and others’, personal history in an interview with an unnamed female journalist. The events he's relating happened about 40 years in the past. So, he's now a bit older. How accurate is his memory?
I like Noah Grady. Whether his reminiscences about his past experiences are exactly how the events really occurred doesn’t matter. Noah is a likeable narrator and storyteller. His gripping storytelling engendered joy or sadness in me dependent upon what he was retelling. Arthur Herbert also makes fully concrete the other, secondary characters. All were fully fleshed out and fit well into the story arc.
The Bones of Amoret held my attention to the end. I will be reading other works by Arthur Herbert.
April 10, 2022
The Bones of Amoret by Arthur Herbert is one of the most satisfying mystery books that I have ever read. Too often I have been able to solve part (if not all of) a mystery by the middle. But Herbert is the master of twists and turns, as well as cooking up some delicious red herrings that are too tempting to ignore.
But even more tantalizing than the thrill of finding out the who and why behind the seemingly senseless murders, the cast of characters provide so much color, even in the midst of somber situations. Herbert’s talent for writing witticisms with a West Texas drawl make characters like Noah Grady spring to life. And his tendency to write things as he sees them in his mind’s eye translates into a truth that is not always pretty.
While there is love and friendship in this book, there is certainly a whole host of hate and vengeance. If there were ever a time to learn the lesson that in order for there to be good, evil must exist, this book would definitely be a candidate for a case study. It would also open up questions about what lies in the middle ground, I imagine.
Given the way that this book ends, I fully expected to walk away with some scars. But there is something in the way that Herbert writes that makes me accept that things are not as simple as right and wrong, good and bad. That every human has two sides of the same coin within them and that it only takes a split second for one side to emerge triumphant over the other.
Even more than a great mystery, I love how this book is a snapshot of West Texas in the ‘80s. One could argue that the social and racial tensions of those days are still prevalent. I don’t know if that was Herbert’s intent, but it’s a sobering thought, nonetheless. I can’t recommend this book enough to all the mystery readers out there. I hope to read more of this author’s work in the future.
But even more tantalizing than the thrill of finding out the who and why behind the seemingly senseless murders, the cast of characters provide so much color, even in the midst of somber situations. Herbert’s talent for writing witticisms with a West Texas drawl make characters like Noah Grady spring to life. And his tendency to write things as he sees them in his mind’s eye translates into a truth that is not always pretty.
While there is love and friendship in this book, there is certainly a whole host of hate and vengeance. If there were ever a time to learn the lesson that in order for there to be good, evil must exist, this book would definitely be a candidate for a case study. It would also open up questions about what lies in the middle ground, I imagine.
Given the way that this book ends, I fully expected to walk away with some scars. But there is something in the way that Herbert writes that makes me accept that things are not as simple as right and wrong, good and bad. That every human has two sides of the same coin within them and that it only takes a split second for one side to emerge triumphant over the other.
Even more than a great mystery, I love how this book is a snapshot of West Texas in the ‘80s. One could argue that the social and racial tensions of those days are still prevalent. I don’t know if that was Herbert’s intent, but it’s a sobering thought, nonetheless. I can’t recommend this book enough to all the mystery readers out there. I hope to read more of this author’s work in the future.
April 12, 2022
I never saw it coming. Never.
The Bones of Amoret was different than what I am used to reading.
Dr. Noah Grady is relaying, or retelling, a story of his past. A time of a disappearing person; a time of sneaking people over the Mexico Texas border; a time when a child gets murdered… a time in Dr. Grady’s past that keeps you guessing at every turn.
The story wasn’t as fast paced as many mysteries I have read. It wasn’t what I would consider ‘gripping’ or ‘edge of your seat’ but the story flowed so naturally that you were invested (I mean, I certainly was). There were many nights that I couldn’t put the book down because I was involved in the story. I was involved in the character of Dr. Grady, his family and the town people. I wanted to learn more about them and learn about what was happening to this small town that seemed so peaceful until one day it wasn’t.
What I got was definitely some twists and turns that I never saw coming!
The Bones of Amoret was the first book I have read by this author and hopefully not the last as I truly did enjoy reading this curveball of a mystery!
The Bones of Amoret was different than what I am used to reading.
Dr. Noah Grady is relaying, or retelling, a story of his past. A time of a disappearing person; a time of sneaking people over the Mexico Texas border; a time when a child gets murdered… a time in Dr. Grady’s past that keeps you guessing at every turn.
The story wasn’t as fast paced as many mysteries I have read. It wasn’t what I would consider ‘gripping’ or ‘edge of your seat’ but the story flowed so naturally that you were invested (I mean, I certainly was). There were many nights that I couldn’t put the book down because I was involved in the story. I was involved in the character of Dr. Grady, his family and the town people. I wanted to learn more about them and learn about what was happening to this small town that seemed so peaceful until one day it wasn’t.
What I got was definitely some twists and turns that I never saw coming!
The Bones of Amoret was the first book I have read by this author and hopefully not the last as I truly did enjoy reading this curveball of a mystery!
April 14, 2022
In Small Towns, Everybody Knows Everything About Everyone…Or Do They?
Amoret is a small West Texas town with a past that many would question; but for Dr. Noah Grady, it’s one that was justified. This story follows Dr. Grady as he tells of events from 1982 that still haunt him to this day. There are many skeletons in Amoret, and he’s thankful one set of them is not his. With his own demise nearing, he finally shares his story with a reporter forty years after the “sadness they had with the Becketts.” Now at eight-four, and with most of the players residing at Mount Calvary Cemetery, Dr. Grady decided it was time to share those secrets. After all, he was hip-deep in almost all of it!
Arthur Herbert’s tale in The Bones of Amoret was not only an easy read, but also a fascinating story full of twists and turns I did not see coming! I literally read the entire book within twenty-four hours. Even as I read it, thinking I had a pretty good idea of the direction of the story, I was not expecting it to end at all the way it did. The details of the town and depth of understanding from the medical side of this story were accurate and easy to follow. The cast of characters created for this small town are the kind you may rub shoulders with every day.
While reading this, make sure you reserve judgement. After all, you may have made the same choices as the characters when you understand all the facts. Make sure to leave plenty of time to read because once you start, you will not want to stop reading until the very end. It will have you holding onto the pages for dear life!
Amoret is a small West Texas town with a past that many would question; but for Dr. Noah Grady, it’s one that was justified. This story follows Dr. Grady as he tells of events from 1982 that still haunt him to this day. There are many skeletons in Amoret, and he’s thankful one set of them is not his. With his own demise nearing, he finally shares his story with a reporter forty years after the “sadness they had with the Becketts.” Now at eight-four, and with most of the players residing at Mount Calvary Cemetery, Dr. Grady decided it was time to share those secrets. After all, he was hip-deep in almost all of it!
Arthur Herbert’s tale in The Bones of Amoret was not only an easy read, but also a fascinating story full of twists and turns I did not see coming! I literally read the entire book within twenty-four hours. Even as I read it, thinking I had a pretty good idea of the direction of the story, I was not expecting it to end at all the way it did. The details of the town and depth of understanding from the medical side of this story were accurate and easy to follow. The cast of characters created for this small town are the kind you may rub shoulders with every day.
While reading this, make sure you reserve judgement. After all, you may have made the same choices as the characters when you understand all the facts. Make sure to leave plenty of time to read because once you start, you will not want to stop reading until the very end. It will have you holding onto the pages for dear life!
May 27, 2022
It took me a bit of time to adjust and get used to the narrator but as soon as I got used to his voice I settle and connected with the story. There’s some really beautiful wording/quotes to start this book off that really stood out to me. What got me intrigued to begin with was the ‘Amoret’ sign so I got excited to what will happen to fit the title of the book. I wasn’t aware that this was a follow up novel so this is probably why I initially got more confused about what was going on. Don’t get me wrong I loved the feel of the era and the character build up I just didn’t feel like I could connect straight away to the main character.
It’s really interesting when you reflect back in time to how people like doctors really came across they were town and villages lifelines and you get that impression from a few instances that occur early on in the story. I was taken back by the twists when they kicked in and how this turned around to the doctor becoming a suspect. I also felt a little bit silly when I realised Amoret was actually in fact a place. The mystery that occurred was adventurous and I did eventually fall for the Texas accent that was flowing through my ears. I did have to think twice with what El Paso was too.
Although I didn’t love this audio I did think it did a great job at attempting to catch my full attention it just wasn’t the right audio for me. I think this is a book I would’ve appreciated reading more than listening to. However I have to say the author is great with the detail and bringing the setting to life for you to visualise.
It’s really interesting when you reflect back in time to how people like doctors really came across they were town and villages lifelines and you get that impression from a few instances that occur early on in the story. I was taken back by the twists when they kicked in and how this turned around to the doctor becoming a suspect. I also felt a little bit silly when I realised Amoret was actually in fact a place. The mystery that occurred was adventurous and I did eventually fall for the Texas accent that was flowing through my ears. I did have to think twice with what El Paso was too.
Although I didn’t love this audio I did think it did a great job at attempting to catch my full attention it just wasn’t the right audio for me. I think this is a book I would’ve appreciated reading more than listening to. However I have to say the author is great with the detail and bringing the setting to life for you to visualise.
May 27, 2022
I first heard of this author when I was on a tour for his debut, The Cuts that Cure. As soon as I saw the invitation for The Bones of Amoret I didn't hesitate to jump on board, and I was NOT disappointed.
Arthur Herbert can write. As with his debut, I instantly fell into the story and blasted through it. For one thing, this has my favorite setting in a book .. a far off small town. It also has twists and turns and a lot of drama and action.
The absolute best thing though, are the characters. They are fleshed out really well and add so much depth to the story. There is one part ... oh man, my heart just broke. You just have to read it to see.
Definitely one I recommend for Thriller fans. This is one author I will be reading more of. I sincerely appreciate the publisher and Blackthorn Book Tours for providing me with a review copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
Arthur Herbert can write. As with his debut, I instantly fell into the story and blasted through it. For one thing, this has my favorite setting in a book .. a far off small town. It also has twists and turns and a lot of drama and action.
The absolute best thing though, are the characters. They are fleshed out really well and add so much depth to the story. There is one part ... oh man, my heart just broke. You just have to read it to see.
Definitely one I recommend for Thriller fans. This is one author I will be reading more of. I sincerely appreciate the publisher and Blackthorn Book Tours for providing me with a review copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
June 29, 2022
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
The Bones of Amoret is the second book in this series. And what a thriller it is. Set in Amoret, Texas, 1982, and the disappearance of Blaine Beckett, Author Arthur Herbert gives his readers a roller coaster of a ride that will have you on the edge of your seats. With characters that develop perfectly as the story unfolds, along with the riveting twists and turns throughout, this whodunit thriller will have you guessing till the end.
I found myself wrong and turned around many times, but the surprises will have you going WOW! And for sure, this one will stay with you long after you finish the book. The Bones of Amoret by Arthur Herbert is for anyone who loves a good thriller!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
The Bones of Amoret is the second book in this series. And what a thriller it is. Set in Amoret, Texas, 1982, and the disappearance of Blaine Beckett, Author Arthur Herbert gives his readers a roller coaster of a ride that will have you on the edge of your seats. With characters that develop perfectly as the story unfolds, along with the riveting twists and turns throughout, this whodunit thriller will have you guessing till the end.
I found myself wrong and turned around many times, but the surprises will have you going WOW! And for sure, this one will stay with you long after you finish the book. The Bones of Amoret by Arthur Herbert is for anyone who loves a good thriller!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
May 26, 2022
This is definitely a whodunit mystery, with the author displaying a great sense of humor. I got a copy of the audiobook from the author and iReadtours but was not required to give a good review.
The narrator did an outstanding job as the elderly Doctor Noah, who tells a reporter of the day he was a suspect in another man's murder. His storytelling and regression make the novel entertaining and unique. However, it takes away from the quick pace expected of a suspense novel and reads more like a male version of a cozy mystery. I love stories set In my state of Texas. A fair warning that there's profanity in English and Spanish, but otherwise quite a delight with great plot twists and ending.
The narrator did an outstanding job as the elderly Doctor Noah, who tells a reporter of the day he was a suspect in another man's murder. His storytelling and regression make the novel entertaining and unique. However, it takes away from the quick pace expected of a suspense novel and reads more like a male version of a cozy mystery. I love stories set In my state of Texas. A fair warning that there's profanity in English and Spanish, but otherwise quite a delight with great plot twists and ending.
May 28, 2022
Wow, there are so much going on in this story it keeps you glued to your seat. First you don't know what happened to Blaine, then when you think you know what happened to him you find out you're completely wrong. Then you're not sure who the bad guy is until the very end. This story keeps you guessing until the end about just about everything. I stayed up all night to finish this book because I just couldn't stop reading it. I look forward to reading more from this author.
I received this book free for a fair and honest review.
I received this book free for a fair and honest review.
October 5, 2024
Noah Grady is a very clever cowboy. He’s also a doctor. Soon it becomes obvious that someone wants him dead. Might be his ex-lover’s husband who has gone missing. It might be a very unhappy Mexican who was having an affair with Noah’s client. It might have been the cartel who were mad at him for changing plans on one of his projects of getting the Mexicans transferred to America. He’s telling the story to a journalist and he says a lot of things that I thought were funny (But I swear to God, if any child of mine told me they wanted to be a lawyer, I'd ask them if they'd looked into being a piano player at a whorehouse first, ‘cause that’s more honorable work) and he had a fresh way to make it interesting to me and the result of the story was very satisfying.
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May 25, 2025I do not rate books I cannot finish if they are well written but just didn't appeal to me.
I got several chapters into this book before putting down for the last time. It's a mystery about a small town in Texas, as narrated by an octogenarian. Sounded right up my dark alley.
Maybe it was the slow pacing? and I wasn't in the mood to keep waiting for more to be slowly revealed? I know it tells an important story but I was not compelled to finish it.
But it probably was the narrator who kept dropping quaint little sayings from the early 1900s? I was not a fan of these homespun phrases and did not add anything for this annoyed reader.
It's definitely a "me" issue as this book has been well received. There's no accounting for reading tastes. :/
I got several chapters into this book before putting down for the last time. It's a mystery about a small town in Texas, as narrated by an octogenarian. Sounded right up my dark alley.
Maybe it was the slow pacing? and I wasn't in the mood to keep waiting for more to be slowly revealed? I know it tells an important story but I was not compelled to finish it.
But it probably was the narrator who kept dropping quaint little sayings from the early 1900s? I was not a fan of these homespun phrases and did not add anything for this annoyed reader.
It's definitely a "me" issue as this book has been well received. There's no accounting for reading tastes. :/
May 23, 2022
Loved it!!
May 10, 2022
I chose to listen to this book after receiving a free audio copy from iRead Book Tours. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.
I like the way this book is presented with Noah Grady recounting the story of crimes committed 40 years ago. He’s a doctor in a small Texas town and does his best to help everyone he can. As good of man as he is, he still has his secrets. I like how he is portrayed as a good man with flaws. His telling of the mysteries that occurred back then is engaging and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It wasn’t a book I couldn’t put down, but it was a book I had to finish.
There are quite a few characters and even more plot twists! I didn’t even try to figure out how the story was going to end because I knew I’d be wrong. I was surprised at how everything worked out, which is what I expected.
The narrator does a fantastic job with the voice of Noah Grady. He sounds like an old-timer telling a story. He’s got great timing and a good pace. I’m sure the book is just as good, but I’m glad that I listened to the audiobook.
I definitely recommend The Bones of Amoret which is the first book I’ve read by Arthur Herbert but hopefully not the last.
I like the way this book is presented with Noah Grady recounting the story of crimes committed 40 years ago. He’s a doctor in a small Texas town and does his best to help everyone he can. As good of man as he is, he still has his secrets. I like how he is portrayed as a good man with flaws. His telling of the mysteries that occurred back then is engaging and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It wasn’t a book I couldn’t put down, but it was a book I had to finish.
There are quite a few characters and even more plot twists! I didn’t even try to figure out how the story was going to end because I knew I’d be wrong. I was surprised at how everything worked out, which is what I expected.
The narrator does a fantastic job with the voice of Noah Grady. He sounds like an old-timer telling a story. He’s got great timing and a good pace. I’m sure the book is just as good, but I’m glad that I listened to the audiobook.
I definitely recommend The Bones of Amoret which is the first book I’ve read by Arthur Herbert but hopefully not the last.
May 11, 2022
I not really a audiobook "reader" most of the time, but the narrator was really interesting and pulled me into the book. I loved how I felt I was being talked to (but to a reporter in the book), as if we were just having a conversation about the things happening in his life.
It was suspenseful in all the right ways, and the scene/world building was fantastically descriptive. I felt like I knew Doc Grady and could see exactly what that small town life was all about. It was a mystery to end and I really enjoyed listening to it.
It was suspenseful in all the right ways, and the scene/world building was fantastically descriptive. I felt like I knew Doc Grady and could see exactly what that small town life was all about. It was a mystery to end and I really enjoyed listening to it.
May 16, 2022
I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed it. The narrator used a great voice for the main character and good voices for the rest of the characters. This has a great story that is full of suspense and family drama. I love that it was an old man giving an interview about something that happened over 35 years before. This was very well done. The ending really surprised me. I received a copy of this book from ireadbooktour for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
April 14, 2022
“Two of the strongest elements of human nature are the need to feel safe, and a mistrust of folks who’re different.”
The Bones of Amoret by Arthur Herbert is an off-the-rails thriller that will capture your attention and then hang on tight to it all the way to the end. And no way will you see that end coming.
Noah Grady is a small-town doctor in the West Texas town of Amoret back in the 1980s. His side gig is helping immigrants after they illegally cross the Texas/Mexico border. His wife, Angelica, and her son, Miguel, crossed that border two years prior, and they have been living harmoniously in Amoret until the husband of Noah’s previously lover goes missing. While Noah helps a lot of people, he is no saint, but is he responsible for a man’s disappearance and possible death? Proving and maintaining his innocence won’t be easy and may be downright deadly. Does the good doctor toss his oath to do no harm out the window into the desolate desert of far West Texas? Forty years after the fact, Dr. Noah Grady willingly divulges the events of those days to a reporter for an El Paso newspaper, giving this overall fiction an air of editorial believability. Anything can, will, and does happen in West Texas, with only killers and coyotes wise to the truth.
“Some breaks work for you, some against you.”
On the surface, The Bones of Amoret starts off as a reflection of a long-ago mystery, but as the chapters roll by, the story is anything but simple and straightforward. Arthur Herbert has the storytelling gene, for sure, because he launches the reader and many of the characters into a labyrinth of lies and secrets and dares them to find their way out, doling out breadcrumbs of information and maybe a few red herrings. When the veracity of it all finally claws its way to the surface, the revelation is nothing short of spectacular and surprising. How fun!
While Dr. Noah Grady is a likeable main character throughout the entire story, he wobbles on that pedestal a bit as he recounts his participation in those events to both the reader and the reporter. You can decide for yourself if Noah is a hero or a villain (or maybe both) after you turn that last page. Without a doubt, Arthur Herbert has adroitly developed a dynamite plot and some very intriguing characters.
The mood of this story is hard to pin down because it oscillates between heartbreaking and tantalizing and then meanders sometimes toward amusing and lighthearted. For certain, The Bones of Amoret will keep readers consumed and wondering what's next at the end of each chapter.
The Bones of Amoret by Arthur Herbert is perfect for readers who like a hefty helping of ‘whodunit’ baked into their mystery/suspense/thriller, with a side order of ‘I didn’t see that coming’ to sweeten the deal.
“It’s mankind’s evil that gets the headlines. Sometimes we need a reminder that God sprinkles the goodhearted among us too.”
I received a free copy of this book from Lone Star Book Blog Tours in exchange for my honest review.
The Bones of Amoret by Arthur Herbert is an off-the-rails thriller that will capture your attention and then hang on tight to it all the way to the end. And no way will you see that end coming.
Noah Grady is a small-town doctor in the West Texas town of Amoret back in the 1980s. His side gig is helping immigrants after they illegally cross the Texas/Mexico border. His wife, Angelica, and her son, Miguel, crossed that border two years prior, and they have been living harmoniously in Amoret until the husband of Noah’s previously lover goes missing. While Noah helps a lot of people, he is no saint, but is he responsible for a man’s disappearance and possible death? Proving and maintaining his innocence won’t be easy and may be downright deadly. Does the good doctor toss his oath to do no harm out the window into the desolate desert of far West Texas? Forty years after the fact, Dr. Noah Grady willingly divulges the events of those days to a reporter for an El Paso newspaper, giving this overall fiction an air of editorial believability. Anything can, will, and does happen in West Texas, with only killers and coyotes wise to the truth.
“Some breaks work for you, some against you.”
On the surface, The Bones of Amoret starts off as a reflection of a long-ago mystery, but as the chapters roll by, the story is anything but simple and straightforward. Arthur Herbert has the storytelling gene, for sure, because he launches the reader and many of the characters into a labyrinth of lies and secrets and dares them to find their way out, doling out breadcrumbs of information and maybe a few red herrings. When the veracity of it all finally claws its way to the surface, the revelation is nothing short of spectacular and surprising. How fun!
While Dr. Noah Grady is a likeable main character throughout the entire story, he wobbles on that pedestal a bit as he recounts his participation in those events to both the reader and the reporter. You can decide for yourself if Noah is a hero or a villain (or maybe both) after you turn that last page. Without a doubt, Arthur Herbert has adroitly developed a dynamite plot and some very intriguing characters.
The mood of this story is hard to pin down because it oscillates between heartbreaking and tantalizing and then meanders sometimes toward amusing and lighthearted. For certain, The Bones of Amoret will keep readers consumed and wondering what's next at the end of each chapter.
The Bones of Amoret by Arthur Herbert is perfect for readers who like a hefty helping of ‘whodunit’ baked into their mystery/suspense/thriller, with a side order of ‘I didn’t see that coming’ to sweeten the deal.
“It’s mankind’s evil that gets the headlines. Sometimes we need a reminder that God sprinkles the goodhearted among us too.”
I received a free copy of this book from Lone Star Book Blog Tours in exchange for my honest review.
April 23, 2022
Arthur Herbert is a new to me author. I learned of The Bones of Amoret after reading a friend's review.
The book is set in a small west Texas town near the Mexico border and takes place in the early 1980s. Those two things alone were enough to pique my interest.
Noah Grady, the main character, is a doctor who is beloved by many. He has a good heart and does a lot to help the people of the community, particularly the Mexican immigrants. The story is told from Noah’s reflections forty years later in a conversation between him and an unknown reporter.
In 1982, Blaine Beckett, one of Amoret’s residents, goes missing. His burned-out Jeep was found in a dry creek near a box canyon outside of town. There is no sign of Blaine. The local sheriff investigates, and we soon learn that Noah has secrets, one of which is that he carried on an affair with Beckett’s wife. Because of this, he briefly becomes a suspect but is quickly ruled out. After all, there isn’t a body. Eventually, the sheriff surmises Beckett chose to disappear.
But in the meantime, there are plenty of events that keep a reader guessing. Besides his medical practice, Noah helps illegal immigrants cross into Texas. On one run, when a young man who is nearly dead of dehydration is found carrying drugs, it could cause a problem. Noah, with his good heart, can’t leave the man to die.
Shortly afterward, Noah and his family become targets of someone bent on revenge. Is it the drug cartel or is Beckett involved? The author lays out plenty of events that keep the reader guessing. Near the end, we learn Noah’s biggest secret of all, which came as a total surprise to me.
The book is well written, and the descriptions of the Texas landscape are superb. Herbert did a fantastic job of capturing small town life in the early 1980s. The characters are well developed. Of note, there are times when Noah jumps back to the present day in his conversation. The first time this occurred, it jarred me a bit, but once I realized what he was doing, the story flowed. After all, you’d expect an eighty-four-year-old to digress at times.
I’m confident I’ll be reading more books by this author.
The book is set in a small west Texas town near the Mexico border and takes place in the early 1980s. Those two things alone were enough to pique my interest.
Noah Grady, the main character, is a doctor who is beloved by many. He has a good heart and does a lot to help the people of the community, particularly the Mexican immigrants. The story is told from Noah’s reflections forty years later in a conversation between him and an unknown reporter.
In 1982, Blaine Beckett, one of Amoret’s residents, goes missing. His burned-out Jeep was found in a dry creek near a box canyon outside of town. There is no sign of Blaine. The local sheriff investigates, and we soon learn that Noah has secrets, one of which is that he carried on an affair with Beckett’s wife. Because of this, he briefly becomes a suspect but is quickly ruled out. After all, there isn’t a body. Eventually, the sheriff surmises Beckett chose to disappear.
But in the meantime, there are plenty of events that keep a reader guessing. Besides his medical practice, Noah helps illegal immigrants cross into Texas. On one run, when a young man who is nearly dead of dehydration is found carrying drugs, it could cause a problem. Noah, with his good heart, can’t leave the man to die.
Shortly afterward, Noah and his family become targets of someone bent on revenge. Is it the drug cartel or is Beckett involved? The author lays out plenty of events that keep the reader guessing. Near the end, we learn Noah’s biggest secret of all, which came as a total surprise to me.
The book is well written, and the descriptions of the Texas landscape are superb. Herbert did a fantastic job of capturing small town life in the early 1980s. The characters are well developed. Of note, there are times when Noah jumps back to the present day in his conversation. The first time this occurred, it jarred me a bit, but once I realized what he was doing, the story flowed. After all, you’d expect an eighty-four-year-old to digress at times.
I’m confident I’ll be reading more books by this author.
May 9, 2022
I personally found The Bones of Amoret - A Novel by Arthur Herbert to be a very well written book, and a simply amazing audio book. The narrator did a great job with the audio effect and I liked how the different voices were done. It really allowed me to create images of the characters in my head as I listened to the story!
April 7, 2022
Some stories you read, and they’re fun, but they don’t make a lasting impression. Some stories, though, grab you by the heart and stick with you long after the last page has been turned. The Bones of Amoret is one of those stories.
Set in west Texas in the town of Amoret, out where the land is as much a character in the tale as any of the people, the story unfolds through the eyes of Dr. Noah Grady. He’s telling his story as his life draws nigh unto its end, and we see events unfold through flashbacks as he talks to a much younger reporter doing research on the events of forty years earlier.
Like any of us, Noah has been faced with choices throughout his life. Sometimes he did the right thing, sometimes he did the expedient thing. But he always chose to do what he thought would best protect those he cared about. He helped illegal immigrants get across the border and gave them medical treatment when necessary. The choice to save one of them instead of leaving him to die got the attention of some bad folks focused on him for his trouble. He took actions that he felt were necessary to protect Angelica, his wife, and her son Miguel. He looked after his own in an unforgiving landscape filled with its own harsh beauty. He was a sympathetic character who will stick with me, even if some of his choices weren’t necessarily “right” by societal standards.
I also really liked Sheriff McHenry. Yes, he cared about law and order and seeing justice served. But he also realized that sometimes, justice isn’t best served by strict adherence to what law and order would require. He and Noah had an interesting and largely cordial relationship, and it made for good reading.
The ending of the story wasn’t one that I figured out. Herbert does a good job of laying down rabbit trails for the reader to follow, and then changes direction on you at the last minute. I love stories where the author keeps me guessing!
“It’s mankind’s evil that gets the headlines. Sometimes we need a reminder that God sprinkles the goodhearted among us too.” Noah Grady is one of the goodhearted.
Great characters, wonderful setting and description, dialogue that was true to where the story took place, tension that moved the book along at a brisk pace – all of these things make The Bones of Amoret a five-star read. Highly recommended!
Set in west Texas in the town of Amoret, out where the land is as much a character in the tale as any of the people, the story unfolds through the eyes of Dr. Noah Grady. He’s telling his story as his life draws nigh unto its end, and we see events unfold through flashbacks as he talks to a much younger reporter doing research on the events of forty years earlier.
Like any of us, Noah has been faced with choices throughout his life. Sometimes he did the right thing, sometimes he did the expedient thing. But he always chose to do what he thought would best protect those he cared about. He helped illegal immigrants get across the border and gave them medical treatment when necessary. The choice to save one of them instead of leaving him to die got the attention of some bad folks focused on him for his trouble. He took actions that he felt were necessary to protect Angelica, his wife, and her son Miguel. He looked after his own in an unforgiving landscape filled with its own harsh beauty. He was a sympathetic character who will stick with me, even if some of his choices weren’t necessarily “right” by societal standards.
I also really liked Sheriff McHenry. Yes, he cared about law and order and seeing justice served. But he also realized that sometimes, justice isn’t best served by strict adherence to what law and order would require. He and Noah had an interesting and largely cordial relationship, and it made for good reading.
The ending of the story wasn’t one that I figured out. Herbert does a good job of laying down rabbit trails for the reader to follow, and then changes direction on you at the last minute. I love stories where the author keeps me guessing!
“It’s mankind’s evil that gets the headlines. Sometimes we need a reminder that God sprinkles the goodhearted among us too.” Noah Grady is one of the goodhearted.
Great characters, wonderful setting and description, dialogue that was true to where the story took place, tension that moved the book along at a brisk pace – all of these things make The Bones of Amoret a five-star read. Highly recommended!
April 14, 2022
“Believe me, ma’am, I know how sordid and melodramatic all this sounds from the outside, like a soap opera.”
I am going, to be honest, here, I was quite doubtful about this story as I began reading the initial pages. It was a tad confusing following the narrator talking to a reporter and then you have a little bit of story that is still being told by the narrator but in the other character’s voices. With the reading of each succeeding chapter, the flow got into a rhythm like a slow winding moving river and it became quite navigable and riveting.
Bones of Amoret by author Arthur Herbert is one of those books whose story will come back full-fold to me with memories of brilliant writing and a Class 5 Rapids ride. This story revolves around a medical doctor who is also the narrator. He is trying his best on many fronts. The author crafted a story that is haunting and to a certain degree quite poignant.
Bones of Amoret is set in the remote West Texas Mexico border area where you are more likely to see javelina coming at you down the road before you see a car. It is a story that encompasses many things all at once brilliantly. From helping people in search of a better life. From about doing wrong and then doing right. Most importantly this is a story about murder. Several murders in fact. What precipitates those murders is the chilling story of who and why they were committed. That’s the river ride I was not expecting.
There are many twists I never could possibly imagine or saw coming in this mystery. I could not ever imagine a guess. That is the brilliance of this story and the writing – surprising its readers until the very end pages like the last hard rapid of a long and brilliant river ride. If you love crime and mystery stories then this book is a must, must-read.
I am going, to be honest, here, I was quite doubtful about this story as I began reading the initial pages. It was a tad confusing following the narrator talking to a reporter and then you have a little bit of story that is still being told by the narrator but in the other character’s voices. With the reading of each succeeding chapter, the flow got into a rhythm like a slow winding moving river and it became quite navigable and riveting.
Bones of Amoret by author Arthur Herbert is one of those books whose story will come back full-fold to me with memories of brilliant writing and a Class 5 Rapids ride. This story revolves around a medical doctor who is also the narrator. He is trying his best on many fronts. The author crafted a story that is haunting and to a certain degree quite poignant.
Bones of Amoret is set in the remote West Texas Mexico border area where you are more likely to see javelina coming at you down the road before you see a car. It is a story that encompasses many things all at once brilliantly. From helping people in search of a better life. From about doing wrong and then doing right. Most importantly this is a story about murder. Several murders in fact. What precipitates those murders is the chilling story of who and why they were committed. That’s the river ride I was not expecting.
There are many twists I never could possibly imagine or saw coming in this mystery. I could not ever imagine a guess. That is the brilliance of this story and the writing – surprising its readers until the very end pages like the last hard rapid of a long and brilliant river ride. If you love crime and mystery stories then this book is a must, must-read.
April 14, 2022
This book grabbed me from the first line and didn’t let go until the last. I read it in two sittings and way past my bedtime.
One of the things I loved about The Bones of Amoret is the setting. If you have never seen the incredible beauty of the Chihuahuan Desert in far southwest Texas, you are missing a treat. But this author did a fabulous job of describing the scenery, so that even if you’ve never been there, you could visualize it.
The main character, a medical doctor in the small town of Amoret, wore many different hats. Noah Grady had a big heart and helping immigrants cross the river safely for a chance at a better life showed that explicitly. Add in his love for a mentally handicapped adopted son and you get the picture of a wonderful man filled with compassion.
But Noah Grady has a secret. And the author kept it under wraps until the very end. While I thought I had figured out the direction the story was heading several different times while reading, none of them were correct.
Blaine Beckett disappears at the beginning of the story. The whodunit and what happened unfolds in layers, much like peeling back an onion. And I couldn’t wait to peel back another layer and get deeper.
The author doesn’t shy away from giving his character huge obstacles, both mental and physical, to try and overcome. At times, I chewed my fingernails, wondering which one would be his demise.
If you love a riveting tale of mystery, action, suspense, sensitive social issues, and deep-abiding love, The Bones of Amoret is for you. The bonus is the gorgeous setting in the Big Bend area where the Chisos Mountains rise tall and the ravines run deep.
One of the things I loved about The Bones of Amoret is the setting. If you have never seen the incredible beauty of the Chihuahuan Desert in far southwest Texas, you are missing a treat. But this author did a fabulous job of describing the scenery, so that even if you’ve never been there, you could visualize it.
The main character, a medical doctor in the small town of Amoret, wore many different hats. Noah Grady had a big heart and helping immigrants cross the river safely for a chance at a better life showed that explicitly. Add in his love for a mentally handicapped adopted son and you get the picture of a wonderful man filled with compassion.
But Noah Grady has a secret. And the author kept it under wraps until the very end. While I thought I had figured out the direction the story was heading several different times while reading, none of them were correct.
Blaine Beckett disappears at the beginning of the story. The whodunit and what happened unfolds in layers, much like peeling back an onion. And I couldn’t wait to peel back another layer and get deeper.
The author doesn’t shy away from giving his character huge obstacles, both mental and physical, to try and overcome. At times, I chewed my fingernails, wondering which one would be his demise.
If you love a riveting tale of mystery, action, suspense, sensitive social issues, and deep-abiding love, The Bones of Amoret is for you. The bonus is the gorgeous setting in the Big Bend area where the Chisos Mountains rise tall and the ravines run deep.
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