RATING: 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
Published: January 23, 2018
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Format: e-ARC
Pages: 464
SYNOPSIS:
When long-buried secrets come back to the surface…
The bones of seven young girls, picked clean and carefully preserved, discovered years ago… that’s all Sergeant Ryan DeMarco knows about the unsolved crime he has unwittingly been roped into investigating during what is supposed to be a healing road trip with his new love, Jayme.
DeMarco is still reeling from the case that led to death of his best friend months ago and wants nothing more than to lay low. Unfortunately, the small southern town of Jayme’s idyllic youth is not exactly a place that lets strangers go unnoticed–especially strangers who have a history of solving violent crimes. And if there’s anything DeMarco knows, it’s that a killer always leaves clues behind, just waiting for the right person to come along and put all the pieces together…
Walking the Bones is a story about things buried–memories, regrets, secrets, and bodies. Acclaimed author Randall Silvis delivers another heart-stopping investigation as DeMarco finds himself once again drawn into a case that will demand more of himself than he may be willing to give.
THOUGHTS:
Walking the Bones is the second book to Ryan DeMarco Mystery Series. And this story follows the mystery of the death of 7 girls whose bones are found in a church. The case has been cold and the investigation leads to a dead end and it’s up to DeMarco to find a new lead with this case.
This book has a very interesting plot but I feel like it lacks the execution or elaboration of the mystery. This is quite a long book, almost 500 pages. But the beginning was such a slow burn that I was contemplating if I could finish this or not; good thing the chapters are short that it gives me the illusion of progress. Plus, I feel like the story revolves around 30% of DeMarco’s past issues in life (quite a lot of it), 20% of his and Jayme’s relationship (sex talk and sex scenes included) and 50% of the actual plot of solving the mystery.
I really enjoyed the mystery solving part of this book however, the other parts not so much. I appreciate the back story because we have a glimpse of the events that affects DeMarco’s character and attitude in the present. But as soon as I am warming up with Jayme, I immediately dislike her. I have issues with their relationship and although she brings out the best of him, there are times where I feel like she is not so good with DeMarco. And come on, that ending? The final chapter?? What was that even?
Other than the slow-burn story, the characters are unlikable. I did not like the side characters and I did not care about their issues with one another. This book is sometimes exhausting to read because of all the hatred and dramas going on.
But other elements of this book aside, the mystery aspect is quite okay, tolerable. But is it good? Maybe yes, maybe no. There are fetish and back story as to how things happen, so maybe it is good. Like what they say, the killer must have a motive and we are given one which was justified. But there are a lot of loose threads here and there that does not add much with the story.
I still recommend this book if you like a slow burn and a character driven story.
That’s all for this review. If you would like to know about the first book check out my review: Two Days Gone.
Till next time!
Maria❤
A Daughter of Parchment and Paper 
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