Tall Bones by Anna Bailey

I'm having a great start to my 2021 reading year. 

Tall Bones by Anna Bailey is exactly the sort of book you want on cold grey January days. It hooks you in, and you'd like nothing more than to sit down and just keep reading. Sadly, this wasn't an option for me, but I did gallop through, carving out chunks of time so I could unfurl the mystery of what had happened to Abi when she disappeared into the woods never to be seen again.

It's a book of secrets. Everyone has a secret and could have been involved in Abi's disappearance for one reason, or another plus Abi has her own secrets too, ones that she kept even from her best friend Emma who is determined to find out what really happened.
The story is set in a small town with small-town views and prejudices. If for some reason you don't fit in with what the church and town expect, life is going to be tough. Very tough indeed.

This is a challenging read at times, due to the level of prejudice, but it does bring you closer to those characters on the receiving end of such narrow-minded judgement. I wanted those characters to come out on top. I was really rooting for them.

As well as a strong plot and story, there is some wonderful writing in this book. I found myself stopping on many occasions to reread a sentence or paragraph when a character, place or emotion had been described in a way I'd not seen before. It's a definite five stars from me.
Many thanks to the author, Random House UK and NetGalley for enabling me to read an advance copy of this book which is out on the 1st of April.