Published May 7th, 2026 by Orenda Books
Gothic Fiction, Crime Fiction, Mystery, Folklore, Horror Fiction
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
When reporter Martha Strangeways is summoned to investigate the discovery of body parts on a remote railway track, she’s drawn into a strange case, as her own past comes back to haunt her … The atmospheric, chilling series continues…
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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.
And 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…?
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MY REVIEW:
Scotland, October 2019. Emma sets out to walk the Cailleach Way, a little-known trail that leads to the shrine of the Bone Mother, which is under threat from a developer who plans to build on the site. A few days later, part of a body is found on a railway line. Then the rest of the body is found laid out in ritualistic fashion at a landmark church wearing jewellery bearing the symbol of the Bone Mother. Journalist Martha Strangeways is called in to help investigate by her friend DI Derek Summers, and soon finds herself embroiled in a case that is much darker and dangerous than anyone suspended.
Unbearably tense, unsettling, ominous and totally addictive, The Bone Mother captured my attention from the first page and held it in a chokehold until the last. Steeped in folklore and legend, darkness runs through the pages of this story of rituals, secrets and murder. But be warned: once you start reading this one, make sure you have no other plans, including sleep, because you’ll not be putting this one down until you’re done. When I reviewed Suzy Aspley’s last book, her debut Crow Moon, I said there was a new queen of gothica in town and she has cemented that title with her spectacular sophomore offering. An exquisite sinister storyteller, she has crafted a story filled with emotion, dread and chilling, nail-biting tension. I was on the edge of my seat and devoured it in just one sitting, staying up until the early hours as I had to finish it before I could sleep.
The folklore of Cailleach – the Bone Mother goddess – is woven into every facet of this story. And Suzy’s meticulous research is evident in the details that are on these pages. Though she isn’t physically present the Bone Mother’s presence is felt at every turn. Many of the characters believe in her legend, and someone is clearly willing to go to murderous lengths to protect her sacred shrine. Suzy expertly weaves this myth with gothic horror and mystery to create an eerie tableau that keeps you guessing right up until the big reveal.
Martha is a plucky and likeable protagonist who is easy to root for, but she is also damaged and flawed. Martha has gone through a lot of trauma but it was great to see that she is dealing with it better this time around. Martha’s job as an investigative journalist makes her stand out from other crime protagonists. It also means that she can’t resist a mystery, gives her a unique lens through which to view each case and means she doesn’t technically have to adhere to the law. I’ll admit, I enjoyed watching her break the rules in order to get the answers she’s looking for.
Highly recommended.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮
Thank you to Orenda for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Originally from the north-east of England, former journalist Suzy Aspley has lived in Scotland for almost thirty years. She writes crime and short stories, often inspired by the strange things she sees in the landscape around her. She won Bloody Scotland’s Pitch Perfect in 2019 with the original idea for her debut novel and was shortlisted for the London Capital Crime festival’s New Voices award. In 2020, she was mentored by Jo Dickinson as part of the Hachette future bookshelf initiative. Her novel, Crow Moon, was also longlisted for the Caledonia Novel Award, and shortlisted for the Val McDermid Debut Award and the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize. Herald Scotland said, “Crow Moon meets the definition of “eagerly awaited” more than most debuts’. The Bone Mother is the second book in the series featuring journalist Martha Strangeways.
When she’s not writing, she’s either got her nose buried in a book, or is outside with her dogs dreaming up more dark stories.
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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx
