Carolyn Haines, say it ain’t so!!! I’m so incredibly bummed that this is the last of the prolific Bones cozy mystery series starring Sarah Booth Delaney, my favorite Southern (yet politically progressive) sleuth! Y’all!! I have been reading this series since I was a teenager, and now it’s over? This is a terrible point in American history to end something that brings me so much joy. Oh well, another added bummer to the year of our lord 2026
Big thanks to Minotaur for the ARC! I’m loving all the sneak previews y’all have been doling out as of late. Here is my five-diamond review!
The gist: In another rip-roaring whodunnit adventure, Sarah Boothe gets hired by a hotel developer to figure out who the heck owns the legendary Delonge Mansion, a derelict house on the outskirts of town with a haunted past! She soon discovers the house has ties to a cold case involving her parents’ alleged fatal car crash. Are we finally getting answers to this age-old mystery?!
What I liked: Where to begin? I love that the author takes time to wax poetic about the beautiful Mississippi Delta landscape, Sarah Boothe’s historic homestead, horseback riding through the fields, etcetera, etcetera. These lyrical descriptions hooked me on this series, and they only got better with time. I also love all the characters in Sarah Boothe’s circle, who all have interesting backstories that don’t seem gimmicky. The mysteries are always tightly woven, and the surprises just keep on coming. Man, I’m going to miss this!
What irked me: Perhaps my only gripe is the cover, which gives the impression that this is a Christmas mystery, and it really isn’t. If anything, it’s more spooky-season-themed, with the haunted mansion’s lore, which was perfect for October reading!
The mystery: This mystery was impossible to figure out until the very end, at least for me! I had no idea who or what was behind the shady activity happening at the haunted mansion, and I was quite impressed when all the pieces were put together, taking us full-circle to Sarah Boothe’s first mystery: the cause of her parents’ car accident
Thoughts on the side characters: I love them all! Tinkie is a ride-or-die, through and through. Millie and Ceecee are fabulous, highly resourceful co-detectives, and Coleman is a Southern gentleman who treats Sarah Boothe like an equal, which is not typical for male lawmen south of the Mason-Dixon line. This cast feels larger than life, and I wish I could meet them in person to thank them for a job well done. And, of course, I’d be remiss not to mention the most important co-detectives of all: the pets, especially Poe and Pluto, because they really came through in a pinch!
Overall thoughts: This is a truly beloved mystery series that ended in the most perfect way possible. It’s sad to say goodbye, but I can always return to my favorite books in the series when I start missing all my old friends. Joy to the Bones indeed!
