Tall Bones by Anna Bailey

When Emma leaves her friend Abi at a party in the woods, she believes that their lives are just beginning. Many things will happen that night, beneath the stark beauty of the stars, but Emma will never see her friend again.

But what happens next in Whistling Ridge is so much more than the story of a missing girl.

It’s a spellbinding story that will keep you guessing, a story of surprises and secrets, regrets and rage, love and lies. Abi’s disappearance cracks open the façade of this small town, peeling away the layers of its past. Even within Abi’s own family there are questions to be asked – of the older brother whom Abi betrayed, of the shining younger sibling who hides his wounds, of her mother and her father – both in thrall to the fiery preacher who has an unsettling grasp on the whole town. And then there is Rat, the outsider, whose exciting presence is a catalyst for change.

Anything could happen in a tinderbox like Whistling Ridge. All it will take is just one spark… the truth of what happened that night at the Tall Bones. Beautifully written, arresting, and constantly surprising, Tall Bones is a gripping read from a stunning new voice.

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I love novels set in small towns. I love the claustrophobic feel of those settings, knowing that what any one character does is unlikely to remain secret for long. Small towns work particularly well for thrillers, and when something happens secrets ooze out as people become keen to share their views and what they know, both hindering and helping an investigation. Tall Bones is a novel that appealed due to its small-town setting, and I was eager to explore this particular slice of small-town America having heard many good things about it.

Following a party, a young woman goes missing. Pretty and popular, there appears to be no trace of her, and the police soon draw a blank as to what happened to her, ready to label her a runaway were it not for the single bullet casing found near to where she was last seen. This novel is a little different to others in that the police do not have a strong presence in the novel, and we see little of their investigation although it is ongoing. Rather, questions are asked by Abi’s best friend, Emma, who refuses to believe that her friend would leave without telling her. As she starts asking questions, she begins to find that Abi had secrets that she wasn’t aware of, and she wonders how well she really knew her.

Emma is a brilliant character who I quickly became fond of. I loved her determination to find out what happened to Abi even though the odds are against her and as it becomes clear that some do not want their secrets to be revealed. Emma’s character also offers an insight into the way in which those considered outsiders may be treated and looked down upon, also illustrated through the enigmatic Rat – a Romanian who turns heads and sets tongues wagging, and perhaps a few pulses racing.  Rat has his own reasons for helping Emma, but it’s good to see that she has someone on her side, whatever their motivation, when she has lost the only person she could call a friend.

I think that Emma’s character also highlights the way in which appearances matter to so many.  She is not a size zero, and doesn’t have the slender frame and thigh gap that so many seem to aspire to.  She feels a need to try and fit in with those around, despite her naturally curvaceous figure.  It’s such a shame that so many feel ostracised because they aren’t a certain size or shape, and many feel that they must strive for unhealthy and often unattainable goals. It has little bearing on the novel, other than to again mark Emma out as a loner without Abi, and yet I felt that Anna Bailey nailed the pressure that so many find themselves under and the impossible aspirations that some girls and women strive for as a result.

I did find Tall Bones a little slow to start.  Following Abi’s disappearance, we learn more about those closest to her – Emma, Abi’s siblings, and her parents – but very little happens.  The pace soon picks up as, scene set and characters established, we start to learn more about the residents of Whistling Ridge and the background to Abi’s disappearance.  If the pace is a little slow for me personally, the characterisation more than makes up for it.  Whistling Ridge has more than its fair share of small-minded, gossipy individuals who are oh so quick to pass judgemental on those around them.  The attitudes and behaviour of many are shocking, with some views and attitudes feeling incredibly dated despite the novel’s relatively modern setting.  It’s an oppressive place, and it’s easy to sympathise with the bored teenagers, looking for ways to get their kicks and struggling under the narrow-mindedness of a generation that doesn’t understand them. 

Tall Bones is an intriguing novel with fascinating and brilliantly fleshed out characters. It highlights the parochial views still held by some and the prejudice that many face on a daily basis. It’s a fascinating slice of small-town America, and I loved seeing the mystery surrounding Abi’s disappearance unfold as the town’s secrets are gradually revealed.