Editorial review
Them Bones
By Alex Atkins
Christmas Eve, 1999—A 911 call is made. Two people are dead. The scene is horrifying, and blood is everywhere. Alex Atkins’ novel, Them Bones, reveals the story of three teenagers as they head towards this murderous nigh...
Reviewed by CANREADS
Christmas Eve, 1999—A 911 call is made. Two people are dead. The scene is horrifying, and blood is everywhere. Alex Atkins’ novel, Them Bones, reveals the story of three teenagers as they head towards this murderous night. It begins with the Hawton siblings, Dustin and Laney, taking in a homeless teenager named Shane. The three of them form a deep, almost telepathic connection quickly and become quite the family unit—until the rest of the Hawton family comes home. Linette, their mother, is a psychotic storm that sucks the life out of her children, but thankfully only stays for one or two days at a time. Her older brother Cary, on the other hand, is possessive and violent, and can’t stand the way Laney and Shane look at each other. These toxic kin drive a large wedge between the trio, putting not only Laney and Shane’s lustful romance on the line, but their lives as well. This story grows more intense with each page turned, until it finally climaxes on a cold Christmas Eve night.
Atkins’ storytelling keeps readers hooked from start to finish. The intricate plot is seamlessly connected through yearly snippets, highlighting the characters’ growth over time. Each character’s unique perspective reveals how multi-layered they are and readers slowly fall in love with them. The beautiful imagery transfuses the characters’ thoughts and emotions directly into the reader, and this makes Laney and Shane’s love story even more intoxicating. Their frequent steamy scenes, in addition to the author’s consistent foreshadowing to the expected murder, are perfectly woven throughout the book.
Ultimately, Them Bones follows three memorable teenagers who are fighting to survive a rather harsh world. With a romance that ignites a thrilling “will they, won't they” with each encounter, and a double homicide on the way, the pull-back to a story has never been so strong. Ingeniously crafted, Atkins’ masterfully blends smutty romance with a rich murder mystery, making it both addictive and magnetic. The reader becomes as addicted to the story as the lovers are to each other.
—CANREADS TORONTO BOOK REVIEW