All the Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter

Available now

I recently learned that I love books with dark, scary, and evil mermaids. I don’t want pretty, inquisitive princesses, I want deadly and terrifying monsters of the deep. 

In All the Murmuring Bones, legend tells of a woman who made a deal with a merqueen that enriched her family with wealth and importance. Ships full of goods and sailors were always met with a safe return and profits for the family soared. As the family grew richer in wealth, they grew more closed and fearful of others discovering the secret to their success. As the families grew smaller and there were no more children to sacrifice to the mer, the family’s coffers dried up. Now, Mirren finds herself the last of the O’Malley’s. Broke, engaged to a horrible cousin, and full of secrets of her own, Mirren sets out to find the parents she once believed dead and discovers that wasn’t the only secret kept from her. 

Reader friends, this book is amazing. It’s absolutely stunning and I cannot find the words to describe how amazing it truly is. Mirren is a fabulous character. Over and over again she proves that she is a product of her environment and upbringing-much to the surprise and dismay of those around her. Her feelings toward her family are very complex and she repeatedly has to sit with the fact that even as they betrayed her again and again, she still loves them and understands why they acted the way they did. 

There is a delicious mystery that is woven throughout the novel and it was so rewarding to get to the end and see all the breadcrumbs Slatter left for us along the way. I love when a book is integral to the plot and this truly delivers. Tales passed down through generations are bound in heavy volumes, stored away in cavernous libraries and strictly off-limits. Of course our heroine does what every great heroine should do-she sneaks in at night and reads them by candlelight. Side note: I would totally buy a book full of just the O’Malley tales. They were creepy!

I loved how the setting played such an important role in the story. Hob’s Head, the O’Malley mansion, is a dark and dreary place that feels neglected and ready to crumble. You can feel the “wrongness” of the house as Mirren describes her time there. 

The magic system was very interesting in this novel. It’s not a secret and many people have the ability, but some seem either afraid to use it or can only perform small acts. There are some magical beings within the story and while it’s assumed that Mirren isn’t surprised by their existence, they still seem to hide their identity. It was interesting. Even with all of her magical ability, Mirren relies mostly on her physical strength and force of will to fight her battles. 

All the Murmuring Bones is a beautifully written gothic mystery full of magic and dark family secrets. It is a perfect book to either step your toe into the supernatural genre, or to kick off our upcoming spooky reading season. 

If you would like to add this incredible book to your shelf, you can find ordering information here:

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