Title: The Bone Mother

Author: Suzy Aspley

Genre: Thriller/Gothic

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication Date: 7th May 2026

Rating: 5/5

Cover:

Summary:

Rituals
Secrets
A killer who will protect them at any cost…

Martha Strangeways has settled into a quiet life in Strathbran, after the horrific events that traumatised the village a year earlier. But all this is turned upside down when her friend at Glasgow CID, DI Derek Summers, calls on her to help with a disturbing case: a human ear, with an unusual Celtic earring, has been found next to a railway line in the Highlands.

When the body of a young woman wearing matching jewellery turns up at a landmark church shortly after, the mystery deepens. Why has she been laid out in a ritualistic fashion? Does her trek along the little known Cailleach Way have anything to do with her death? And who is running the Facebook group where she posted details of her journey to the shrine of the Bone Mother goddess?

As Martha tries to unpick the threads, she finds herself entwined with a ghost from her own past, and in conflict with the owner of a project that threatens to destroy the goddess’s sacred land.

With Halloween approaching, and someone determined to protect the goddess at all costs, can Martha and Summers catch the killer before they strike again, and this time much closer to home

Review:

I thought Crow Moon (the first book in this brilliant series) was fantastic so I was very excited to read The Bone Mother, and I wasn’t disappointed! This is an atmospheric, bone chilling, gothic and spellbinding thriller which I was completely captivated by from start to finish. The fabulously named Martha Strangeways is a character I just absolutely love. She is smart, determined, and feels incredibly real. Her past trauma is still as present in this book as it was in Crow Moon but she has also grown in many ways and continues to be a character that is very easy to root for. The narrative is intriguing from the off and I absolutely love the way Suzy Aspley integrates the rich folklore and often deeply held beliefs of Scotland, particularly the more rural and remote parts. The fact that it is set here in Scotland is one of my favourite things about the series because Aspley gets the atmosphere and strong unyielding sense of nature here just pitch perfect in my view. It makes for a truly gothic and darkly unsettling mystery with just a hint of the otherworldly. 

I loved The Bone Mother and was thrilled to be back with Martha Strangeways as she finds herself enmeshed in a strange and twisted case with ritualistic elements that create a creeping sense of dread and menace from the start. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys beautifully written thrillers full of rich mythology and a stunning atmosphere. I only hope I don’t have to wait too long for the next book in this excellent series. 

★★★★★

Thank you so much to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for inviting me on this tour and organising it. I kindly received a copy of the book from the publisher. My review is entirely my own honest opinion.

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