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A chilling horror-thriller debut where a mother's search for her missing daughter battles against the shadows of a historic, dangerous legend.

Single mother Jenna arrives on the tranquil shores of Athelsea fueled by the desperate hope to find Chloe, her teenage daughter who’s disappeared from their London home. She has no idea why–all she knows is that Chloe had changed in the previous two weeks, haunted by something, or someone, and the ferry ticket here is the only clue she has.

As she explores the village and interacts with the locals, Jenna soon realizes a macabre secret is being hidden in plain sight. A dark legend of a vengeful woman called the Bone Queen is spoken of in hushed tones amongst the villagers, some of whom are frantically trying to suppress the tale that has long terrorized their lives.

As Jenna starts to learn more about the Bone Queen and her previous victims, the village’s grip on reality begins to loosen and no one can say for sure who, or what, is responsible for the deaths and disappearances on Athelsea. Suffering from what she can no longer distinguish between paranoid hallucinations or real manifestations, Jenna must act quickly before Chloe is next…

The Bone Queen has left her mark, and one day she’ll collect.

Theresa and I are reading this - starting today with the aim to be done by Tuesday, 12/9

Thru Chapter 13, 26% (view spoiler)[ So Cloe is missing or has run away. It sounds like she runs across an urban legend on the internet and is "marked". Jenna and her sister Hattie head to Athelsea, an Island, where they believe Cloe went based on some information they found in her room. They arrive on the island where at the same time some bones have been found. They learn about the legend of the Bone Queen from the local clergy, Sheelagh. I'm not for sure what the actual legend is. Maybe the wife of the head of the prison who killed their 3 kids and then his friends kill her?? (hide spoiler)]

Thru Chapter 32, 62% (view spoiler)[ Chloe has found herself in the "hotel" where the people who believe in the Bone Queen are located. Supposedly, one of them (Adam) is able to remove the "mark". She's been drugged and locked in a room. She's not exactly sure where she's at. Meanwhile, one of the people from the Lily murder 22 years ago has been found murdered with the Bone Queen image cared into his chest. (hide spoiler)]

Thru Chapter 44, 80% (view spoiler)[ So, her sister Hattie is dead?? Seems she died when Jenna was supposed to be watching her. I think were down to 2 of the original group of friends that were there when Lily died. Still not sure what the group of folks that Chloe is hanging out with have to do with the stuff going on today. Is someone in the group, or the group as a whole, killing them off? (hide spoiler)]

Done. (view spoiler)[ Well that really was disappointing. I didn't find the story engaging and the ending....well......I just seemed typical. (hide spoiler)]

Through Chapter 13 / 26%

(view spoiler)[
odd little sea faring town. . .I like that the sisters are there looking for one's daughter but what a scary lore to stumble across

I do wonder if the girl is really there and why she was drawn there. what is the benefit of the person "marking" people - just to lure and kill? see elaborate and it's a small town, anyone odd person arriving would stand out, right? Unless the whole town is lying! lol

but what's with the dreams and the guy in the bar feeling . . unable to breath? is there going to be a paranormal element or just the 2 mysteries? (hide spoiler)]

yikes, 2 stars? I'm liking it so far but I'm worried! lol reviews are really mixed!

24 chapters / 50%

I'm trying (view spoiler)[ to figure out why a reasonable, smart teenager would believe these guys? why would she leave her home - just days after this weird video and info

just because she got a rash on her arm?

and so far I'm finding the back and forth with timelines a bit confusing. I think these adults who hid a murderer - a man that murdered a women no less - terrible and I don't blame someone for seeking revenge

but is the mom somehow a part of this? I thought she didn't know this island. . .why would the Bone Queen grab her daughter if it's not tied to this revenge plot?
(hide spoiler)]

41 chapters / 76%

okay, so . . . . ?!
(view spoiler)[ Adam killed Lilly but they knew that Adam was also dead?

and where is the little boy or did I miss he was in the midst of all that?

I'm still not sure why the daughter is believing this group or mixed in with them. why was she so willing to just walk away from her life and live. . .well, she didn't even know what she was going to. Why would she do that? (hide spoiler)]

and done

I agree, this one didn't quite work for me either

(view spoiler)[
I still don't understand why Chloe. and why Jenna.
they could have chosen anyone. why comment on her thread and somehow it worked to get her there? that felt silly, rushed and nonsensical

and yeah, I began to wonder, as soon as I knew Adam and Lilly were found dead but no mention of the little boy that he was probably Aaron. . .

I'm also not sure why mix Ruth in with it all. Aaron could have just as easily had a mass of kids he'd lured to the island to "kill" all the people tied to his mother's death. could have it tied to some anniversary or something. but all this - it doesn't feel tied together or cohesive reason to do all of it

and to mix in the paranormal/ghost thing with it all just didn't work for me either. the fact that Hattie was already gone but jenna was still seeing her?! it felt like a silly trick on the reader that didn't quite get the gothic spooky feel to pull together either (hide spoiler)]