ARC Review: Quiet in Her Bones by Nalini Singh

Quiet in Her Bones
Author: Nalini Singh
Publication: Berkley (February 23, 2021)

Description: In this gripping thriller set in New Zealand, New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh takes you into the twisted world of an exclusive cul-de-sac located on the edge of a sprawling forest.

My mother vanished ten years ago.
So did a quarter of a million dollars in cash.
Thief. Bitch. Criminal.
Now, she's back.
Her bones clothed in scarlet silk.

When socialite Nina Rai disappeared without a trace, everyone wrote it off as another trophy wife tired of her wealthy husband. But now her bones have turned up in the shadowed green of the forest that surrounds her elite neighborhood, a haven of privilege and secrets that’s housed the same influential families for decades.

The rich live here, along with those whose job it is to make their lives easier. And somebody knows what happened to Nina one rainy night ten years ago. Her son Aarav heard a chilling scream that night, and he’s determined to uncover the ugly truth that lives beneath the moneyed elegance…but  no one is ready for the murderous secrets about to crawl out of the dark.

Even the dead aren’t allowed to break the rules in this cul-de-sac.

My Thoughts: Novelist Aarav Rai is back living at his childhood home after a car accident the damaged his foot, lungs, and brain. He's not happy to be there. His mother Nina disappeared ten years earlier and his childhood was filled with fights between his parents. He seems to remember hearing a chilling scream when she left home that night but doesn't remember anything else.

Then the unthinkable happens, his mother's car is found off the road in the bush and her bones are in it. Aarav is determined to find out what happened to his mother that night and has a wonderful pool of suspects in the rich enclave where they live. But his injuries which include memory loss and migraines don't make his investigation easy. And he's also supposed to be working on his second novel...

The Cul-de-Sac where they live is filled with people who knew Nina and some of them had reasons to hate her. Nina Rai was a loving mother but she also drank too much and could be quite cruel. Aarav is having nightmares that seem like shards of memory that make him think that he might have had something to do with his mother's death though he isn't willing to believe that.

The story was an intriguing thriller made even more complex by the memory issues the Aarav is having which include hallucinations. Since he is the viewpoint character, we share in his confusion as he looks into the lives of his neighbors to try to discover who murdered his mother. We also gradually learn about his car accident and other events in his life. 

Fans of atmospheric thrillers will enjoy this intriguing story. I especially enjoyed the scenery and culture of New Zealand that were essential elements of the story.

Favorite Quote:

Politeness is a good thing; it works to keep people outside, keep them talking--and keep them from looking too deep. People tell me all kinds of things because I'm polite and empathic.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.