Sophia Rose Reviews: Quiet in her Bones by Nalini Singh

Happy Monday today Sophia Rose returns with Nalini Singh's latest stand alone thriller, Quiet in her Bones. Fans of her paranormal/fantasy novels who haven't yet tried this side of her writing need to get on board because this lady can really write a chilling thriller. Sophia Rose will tell you all about it.
Enjoy!

Quiet in Her Bones by Nalini Singh

Domestic Thriller

Publisher:  Berkley

Published: 2.23.21

Pages:  384

Rating: 4

Format: eARC

Source:  Net Galley

Sellers: Amazon/ Barnes & Noble/ Kobo

ADD TO: GoodReads

 

GoodReads Blurb:

In this gripping thriller set in New Zealand, New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh takes you into the twisted world of an exclusive cul-de-sac located on the edge of a sprawling forest.

My mother vanished ten years ago.
So did a quarter of a million dollars in cash.
Thief. Bitch. Criminal.
Now, she's back.
Her bones clothed in scarlet silk.

When socialite Nina Rai disappeared without a trace, everyone wrote it off as another trophy wife tired of her wealthy husband.

But now her bones have turned up in the shadowed green of the forest that surrounds her elite neighborhood, a haven of privilege and secrets that’s housed the same influential families for decades.

The rich live here, along with those whose job it is to make their lives easier. And somebody knows what happened to Nina one rainy night ten years ago.

Her son Aarav heard a chilling scream that night, and he’s determined to uncover the ugly truth that lives beneath the moneyed elegance…but no one is ready for the murderous secrets about to crawl out of the dark.

Even the dead aren’t allowed to break the rules in this cul-de-sac.

 

Sophia Rose's Review:

A fulminating cul-de-sac holds secrets long after the night young Aarav hears his mother’s scream and sees her car’s taillights disappearing into the stormy night many years before.  Unlike what has been assumed, Nina Rai didn’t run away with a quarter million of her husband’s money, instead, her bones and car are found in the dense forest growth not far from her own home and her son is determined to get to the truth no matter how twisted it is.

Quiet in Her Bones is a standalone domestic thriller and a cold case mystery that focuses on those who knew the dead woman well as the police investigate in the background.  The point of view is entirely from Aarav Rai, the son of the deceased and he is a quirky not so reliable narrator that falls under reader suspicion as much as anyone else introduced in the story. 

There is a large cast of characters with most being the residents of a wealthy bunch of houses on a cul-de-sac outside Auckland.  The location is tucked away in a surrounding forest and near the sea on one side so the nearby city could feel miles away.  I liked how the author instilled so much atmosphere into the setting so the forest felt downright creepy and that cul-de-sac was full of people who had motive and were all hiding something.  Yes, a whole neighborhood that seems sunny and glamorous until one digs under the surface and Aarav grew up there as a quiet, awkward geek so he knows them well.  He spies on the neighbors and charms the gossips and those who know things to tell him for his hunt for his mother’s killer.

But, none are any more messed up than Aarav and his own remaining family.  As a child he grew up in a dysfunctional household with two people in a toxic marriage.  Both parents engaged in infidelity, getting drunk and verbally fighting with the frequent destruction of small objects flung at each other.  Nina came from a poor Indian village and was turned into an ornamental wife though she rebels.  Her replacement is sweet and biddable and lives for her daughter.  Aarav doesn’t like or trust many people, but his dad’s second wife and his half-sister are sweet and he does what he can for them.  He is only home because of an injury in a car accident, but usually lives in a plush city condo.  He’s a world famous author who should be focused on his next book, but is compelled to get to the truth even though his mind plays tricks on him so he remembers wrong or is missing memories entirely.

The reveal was a shocker and I did not see that coming.  I think I pointed the finger at several people and never had a strong feeling that I was onto the right solution.  I ended up just settling back and following along as Aarav assembled his facts. 

All in all, this latest thriller by Singh was an engaging page-turner that thoroughly satisfied my mystery-loving heart.  Great background, character development, and cunning mystery that I can highly recommend. 

I rec’d this book from Net Galley to read in exchange for an honest review.

Author’s Bio:

I've been writing as long as I can remember and all of my stories always held a thread of romance (even when I was writing about a prince who could shoot lasers out of his eyes). I love creating unique characters, love giving them happy endings and I even love the voices in my head. There's no other job I would rather be doing. In September 2002, when I got the call that Silhouette Desire wanted to buy my first book, Desert Warrior, it was a dream come true. I hope to continue living the dream until I keel over of old age on my keyboard.


I was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. I also spent three years living and working in Japan, during which time I took the chance to travel around Asia. I’m back in New Zealand now, but I’m always plotting new trips. If you’d like to see some of my travel snapshots, have a look at the Travel Diary page (updated every month).

So far, I've worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher and not necessarily in that order. Some might call that inconsistency but I call it grist for the writer's mill.
Website:  https://nalinisingh.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNaliniSingh/

Sophia’s Bio:

Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.

Sophia’s Social Media Links:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/sophia.rose.7587

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sophiarose1816

GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13418187.Sophia_Rose