In the Bones is a fast-paced, suspense-filled novel that takes place in Albertsville, a small town in Canada. It’s a spectacular read from new author Renee Miller, and it’s riveting and full of tension from start to finish. Ryan Cassidy is left a house in Albertsville by his deceased grandparents but there’s a catch: in order to take possession of the property, he is required to live there for a full year. That’s when all the trouble starts because little does Ryan know, the town, run by psychopath Carroll Albert, who controls the townspeople as if with an iron fist, holds a dark secret.

Ryan’s late grandfather leaves him a letter and in it there is a hint: “Hidden beneath the layers of small-town hospitality … is a dark and ugly monster. A single crime has made us all guilty.” He goes on to explain, “At the helm controlling this monster is a man who holds more power over these people than I can ever describe. You have a chance to stop him.”

To set him on the right track, Ryan’s grandfather, in his letter, then provides him with an additional few clues. And in such a way, Ryan, a writer by profession and a man of high moral character, embarks upon a most dangerous journey, where he begins to unravel the town’s deep mysteries. By the novel’s end there is a dramatic stand-off only to have the chilling answer found “in the bones”, which all along and shockingly have been on display and in full view for all to see at the Albertsville town hall.

Renee Miller’s writing style is unadorned and straightforward; she has a story to tell and she’s really good at it, leaving her readers guessing and wanting more. Almost effortlessly she draws us close to each of her characters and to the events surrounding them. Her characters come well-developed and it is through them that the book easily sees its development. The reader feels like he/she is right there in Albertsville, and some wonderful descriptions of the town make it all that much more real: “The blue sky and late afternoon light created the illusion of warmth …” or “The setting sun dusted the empty fields beyond the house in an eerie glow.”

Looking forward to Renee Miller’s next book. ( )