Title: Bone Music
Author: Christopher Rice
Series: Burning Girl, #1
Narrator: Lauren Ezzo
Published: March 2018, Brilliance Audio
Length: 14 hours 14 minutes
Source: Publisher
Summary:
There’s more than one way to stoke the flames of revenge…
Charlotte Rowe spent the first seven years of her life in the
hands of the only parents she knew—a pair of serial killers who murdered
her mother and tried to shape Charlotte in their own twisted image. If
only the nightmare had ended when she was rescued. Instead, her real
father exploited her tabloid-ready story for fame and profit—until
Charlotte finally broke free from her ghoulish past and fled. Just when
she thinks she has buried her personal hell forever, Charlotte is swept
into a frightening new ordeal. Secretly dosed with an experimental drug,
she’s endowed with a shocking new power—but pursued by a treacherous
corporation desperate to control her.
Except from now on, if
anybody is going to control Charlotte, it’s going to be Charlotte
herself. She’s determined to use the extraordinary ability she now
possesses to fight the kind of evil that shattered her life—by drawing a
serial killer out from the shadows to face the righteous fury of a
victim turned avenger.
My thoughts: This is the first book I’ve read by Christopher Rice and while I don’t tend to typically read science fiction, this one leans more towards a thriller than straight science fiction. Plus I could deal with the medicine/technology part of the science fiction aspect it delved into, however scary the real-world applications this might have if it ever came to fruition.
This book hooked me from the very beginning and never really let up until the end. I was completely captivated all the way through, which is interesting considering that there were what seemed like almost three differently plot lines going on. You have Charlotte trying to keep her privacy and evade a deranged and twister stalker, a serial killer going after young women, and a drug company creating and administering an experimental drug without federal approval. Of course, as a reader, you know that somehow these will all connect in the end, but at first, it’s a bit disjointed and your mind is working overtime trying to figure out how and when. But…be patient – it will be get there and it will probably not get there the way you think!
One of the most appealing parts of this book are the characters. Charlotte – Charley – Rowe, in particular – is fascinating. We are given parts of her backstory, which is utterly tragic, and so you understand why she is the way she is. She’s strong and smart, but she’s also anxious and paranoid. She is a force to be reckoned with, but also not afraid to ask for help when she needs it. The other characters we meet – Marty, Luke, Kayla, Dylan, Cole, Dale and Lonnie, just to name a few – are fleshed out and vivid. We get just enough information about them to form a good picture in our heads.
This book is fast-paced, intense and keeps you guessing as to what’s going to happen next. There is a lot going on at all times, and because it’s the first in a new series, there is a lot of setting up to do. I am definitely looking forward to the next book in this series and seeing where Christopher Rice takes this series as a whole. I just hope we don’t have too long a wait!
Audio thoughts: This was a great book to listen to on audio and Lauren Ezzo did a fantastic job with the narration. She was able to infuse just the right amount of tension and suspense into her voice as needed and kept me on my toes throughout the book – especially the last few chapters, which were pretty intense. I hope she continues to narrate the rest of this series!
