Crossed Bones

Sarah Booth Delaney #4

by Carolyn Haines

This entry in Carolyn Haines' best-selling "Bones" series finds Sarah Booth Delaney, a southern belle with a penchant for amateur sleuthing, back on the case. When black pianist Ivory Keys is murdered, Zinnia, Mississippi, divides along racial lines. The prime suspect is Scott Hampton, Key's protege, who is rich and white. Sarah is hired to prove Scott's innocence, but to do so, she'll have to navigate some treacherous waters.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Southern, Audiobook, Cozy, Romance

354 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

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

Reviews

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the things I love best about this series is Carolyn Haines absolute mastery of atmosphere. It completely immerses you in the Delta life. She has a wonderful way with words. I also love that Sarah Booth is full of faults and foibles and good intentions. These books don't always have a happy ending. Sometimes there's heartbreak and disappointment and regret. It makes them so much more real. That's what really struck me by the time I finished book 4.

[Liisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard not to give this book five stars. It's sheer reading pleasure. Even so, I look for plenty of humor in a book, and while this has some, its emphasis is on mystery and "whodunit," and in this case, it's nice to see the same main character in her Southern environment working on solving a case all the while trying to find her way in life.

[Shellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah Booth and Delta Blues

Made my southern roots tingle. Engaging characters,an interesting romp through a Dixie mystery. Not too heavy,but by no means insipid. I enjoy this series.

[Babs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again Sarah Booth is fantastic and we see another side to Coleman as well. I just love this series.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blues music and racial conflict.

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This series was highly recommended to me so I have quite a few of the audiobooks and I'm floored that anyone likes these books at all. 90% of this book focuses (once again) on Sarah Booth's lack of husband and baby; that got really old in the previous 3 books but it's the central point of this one. She's got 3 men in this book yet loses all three at once - should retitle the series "Sarah Booth Delaney....Loser". Sarah Booth barely spends any time at all on the actual case - instead we're stuck dealing with her dates & man issues. And the worst part of the series continues to be the ghost (Jitty?) who is nothing but a mean, nasty b#@ch! Her entire purpose is to criticize Sarah Booth for not having a husband or a baby. She's so mean she criticizes the men Sarah Booth does sleep with then when it falls apart tells her she should have found a way to keep the man. Just awful.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Subject matter was disturbing

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

My #HurricaneIrma read

[Mary Pomerantz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Southern charm and a gentle mystery. I enjoyed this book. It was a nice departure from the edgier novels I usually read.

[Teena in Toronto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarah Booth Delaney is single, in her thirties, the last of her line, living in her family's plantation and is a private detective. Ivory was an older Black man who was murdered at his blue club ... money was stolen and whoever murdered him was looking for something. Scott, a blues singer Ivory had befriended in prison, was a singer there and was arrested for his murder (was he framed?). Ivory's widow doesn't think Scott did it so hires Sarah to investigate. At first, Scott doesn't want her help but eventually welcomes it as they get to know each other. The Blacks in the town want justice for Ivory and this starts to cause racial tensions. In the meantime, Sarah has three possible suitors, though there is really only one she wants.

This is the fourth in the Sarah Booth Delaney series (there are currently 26 books in the series) ... it works as a stand alone as there is enough background provided. I recently read the first three and liked them enough to keep going with the series. I thought this one was just okay. It is written in first person perspective in Sarah's voice. As a head's up, there is swearing.

Sarah's mother's last name was Booth and her father's last name was Delaney and I thought it was weird that everyone calls her "Sarah Booth" rather than just "Sarah". It's odd that Jitty, the ghost of her great-great-grandmother's nanny, "lives" with her. Jitty is still really annoying ... she's very negative and always putting Sarah down and nagging her about being single and childless. I'm tired about hearing about Sarah's womb. Nandy was a useless character who didn't really add anything for me.

Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2024/01...

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is #4 of the Sarah booth Delaney cozy mystery series. I liked it but didn't like it as much as some of the earlier ones. This book goes deep into racial tensions in the south following the murder of a beloved jazz musician, a black man, by the accused white man. Sarah Booth is hired by the black man's wife to prove that the white man did not do it. Am I a prude for wishing that Sarah Booth wasn't so fickle about men and always wants a relationship with several different ones? Not necessarily marriage. I think this might be the first book that has given me a glimpse of what she looks like. Did I know before that she had curly red hair? I love red hair! I guessed wrong at who the murderer was so kudos to the author for that. And as usual, Jitty, the ghost of Sarah Booth's great great grandmother's nanny, annoyed me. I'm also wondering at the strange names for these Mississippi Delta girls. Our protagonist is always referred to as "Sarah Booth". One girl in this book is named Stuart Ann. And Tinky?

Despite my little nitpicking on the details, this book, as the others in the series, are well written and I will continue to read them.

[Viccy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miss Sarah Booth Delaney is an Ole Miss Southern Belle. She was raised by her Aunt LouLane when both her parents were killed when she was young. Now, she lives in Dahlia House, trying to make a success of her private investigator business. Sarah Booth is hired by Ida Mae Keys to prove her husband, Ivory, was not killed by the prime suspect, a blues-playing former con named Scott Hampton. Scott met Ivory in prison in Michigan and Ivory completely turned Scott's life around, taught him to play the blues. Scott has been playing in Ivory's night club but he has been unable to leave behind his former Aryan Nation friends from his days in prison. Sarah Booth is running around trying to prove Scott is innocent, but she keeps getting distracted by all the men in her life, including a very eligible bachelor, a very married sheriff and a very bad boy. Will Sarah Booth be able to keep her heart intact while pursuing a killer? Wonderful, rich descriptions of the deep south make this series a cut above some cozies.

[amp · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series is well-written and I love the southern setting. Jitty took some getting used to, but she's grown on me. All of the characters are interesting and well-developed. The only issue I have is that Sarah Booth makes some really bad choices when it comes to men. Four books in and she's already slept with two murder suspects. She also seems to attract the attention of every man she meets and the feeling seems mutual. While I know the end-game is Coleman and I understand he's married for a lot of the series, Sarah Booth's bouncing from one man to another while he makes up his mind is starting to grate on my nerves.

Also, this is not a cozy. Cozies don't typically have the language and content present in this series. It is a lighter mystery, but not what I would classify as a cozy. I would not recommend to my cozy patrons but would for general romance readers.

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book dared to go where most cozies would fear to tred - race relations. Two men, one Black from Mississippi and the other White from Detroit, Michigan, met and eventually became very good friends in prison. Fast forward to a few years later. Both men have served out their sentences and have been making a decent living from their musical talents. All was well until the Black man was murdered and the chief suspect is the White man. Surprisingly, the widow of the Black man hires Sarah Booth to investigate because she refuses to believe that the accused White man and her late husband's friend is guilty. Of course, this is a cozy so things work out more or less well in the end. Still, it was a very good read.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fourth in the series about Sarah Booth Delaney and each one is better than the others. Sarah is a southern belle who is the emancipated version of southern women. While she knows all the "rules" she chooses not to use them as she cuts a wide swath through the Delta of Mississippi. This story takes on a bit of race relations in the south woven through a killing, a romance or two and a bit of music fantasy. Sarah has a delightful cast of characters who help her move through life in Zinnia. Can't wait to revisit the Delta for the next book in the series.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this series by Carolyn Haines! I especially enjoy listening to the audio versions. Narrator Kate Forbes becomes Sarah Booth Delaney. The books are witty, at times incredibly funny, at others poignant and sad. Sarah Booth's love life is nearly non-existentent, much to the chagrin of her resident ghost, Jetty, who needs Sarah Booth to procreate so that the family line continues and Jetty can continue to haunt the family home, Dahlia House. This is a most entertaining Southern mystery series with strong, although unconventional, Southern women.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shes got the blues

Or rather the hots for the naughty blues man Scott. Scott is far more interesting than he first appears to be. This one had me guessing for awhile. If only it took music to make people forget race like in the book. We are all the same and color doesn't matter, why is that so hard for some people to understand? For a book that has a murder with a racist symbol carved in the victim, it was very balanced and handled it all very respectfully. I wish the victim really existed because he's the kind of man I'd enjoy having a conversation with.

[Taylor Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished Wishbones by Carolyn Haines. The 8th book in the Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery series. I read them all in order. I don’t read books in the paranormal category, but I am so glad I read these, and grateful my library has the series. The characters are fun and believable, the story flows very well, and the plot had me guessing right to the end. I also loved the “character” interviews at the end of some of the books. I would recommend these to anyone who loves cozies.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jitty is once again urging Sarah Booth to find a man and make a baby. In this book, Sarah Booth actually finds three men: a married lawman, a rich available businessman, and a sexy blues musician. Ivory Keys was a gifted black pianist and his murder has set off a racial divide in Zinnia, Mississippi. The prime suspect is Key's protege, Scott Hampton, a rich white boy who had been a racist. But Key's widow is convinced Scott is not guilty and hires Sarah Booth to prove his innocence.

[Becki Basley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crossed Bones (Sara Booth Delaney Mystery Series ) Rb Digital Audiobook. This book sees Sara projected into the middle of another murder mystery.. this time it’s very dangerous. She is hired by an African American woman to prove that a white man did not kill her African American husband,a blues musician. As the case starts to threatens to tear the Southern Town apart, Sara’s heart is torn between three men. A good paced adventure and an interesting ending. I’m still a fan.

[L Y N N · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had been reading a bit almost every night in this for a couple of weeks and finished those last 120 pages today! Couldn't resist! I love this series. Sarah Booth is a true southern gal, born and bred, but isn't the typical DG (Daddy's Girl) of the spoiled rich kids of Zinnia, Mississippi. I appreciate her independence and the fact that she was orphaned at a young age and raised by an aunt. And she has her own personal ghost!

[Dawn Blaylock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timeless commentary

In this country, we are more aware of race separation than perhaps any time since integration occurred. This mystery has and underlying tale of one man's vision to unite the world via music....not a bad approach and a vivid reminder that talent knows no cultural or economic differences.

[Lisa Cobb Sabatini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Carolyn Haines keeps readers guessing in her captivating mystery, Crossed Bones. Protagonist Sarah Booth Delaney quickly captures readers' attention, and the quirky cast of characters keep readers wanting more. This whodunit is full of surprises, and readers rapidly turn pages with delight.

[Amanda Holiday · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is going to review without spilling the beans of a heck of an ending. A snarling musician is accused of murder, but the wife of the victim pops for SBD's fee. Tinkie sets her up with a rich man. Coleman gets back with his wife for a try at saving the marriage. Holy Cow! That could be a season's worth of episodes of a TV show, but that's just the side action as SBD reaches the truth.

[Stacy Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a harder time with this book than the previous books. I guess it speaks to Mrs. Haines' writting, but there were some extremely unlikable characters in this story. Though that fit well, I still had a difficult time with them, and it didn't help that our heroine made some seriously poor choices. Still worth the read, especially if you are a fan of the series.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give the book 5 stars for its message of tolerance and peace between the races, but lowered the rating because the pestering ghost took up way too much real estate. Got so boring.

And Emanuel's conversion and sudden generosity to people he'd despised was unbelievable--perhaps I would have believed it if the author had shown it happening rather than telling us it had happened.

[Dot Morrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this book and love it. I just love the southern sayings and the culture. Just hoping that Sarah and Coleman get together, his wife is something else. Then you have the crazy Mandy stalking Scott. What about Scott and Sarah? She's got 3 men in this book yet loses all three at once. What will she do? Sarah is trying to prove Scott innocence and running into all kinds of problems. I love her own ghost Jitty that no one else knows about. Now on to the next book.

[Linda Smatzny · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book, Sarah Booth, is hired to find the killer of Ivory Keys by his widow and to prove that Scott Hampton is not the killer even though he has been arrested. Sarah is also trying to figure out what she really wants out of her life and her men. The book was a fast easy read.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read on racial divide in a town where a black pianist is murdered and the prime suspect is his friend a white musician. The town is in an uproar and Sarah Delaney has the task of finding the truth and bringing her town together again.

[Helen Colquett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whew Carolyn Haines has done it again— idk why I always fall for the obvious case and then BAM it’s the bozos who can barely speak. Also, poor Sarah Booth lost three men in one night 😅 I’m ready for sir Hamilton to be back 😏