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The Bone Queen by Will Shindler


 In The Bone Queen, Will Shindler delivers a moody, folklore-laced thriller set against the isolated shores of Athelsea. The novel follows Jenna, a single mother who travels from London to the remote village after her teenage daughter Chloe vanishes without explanation. The only clue? A ferry ticket to a place Jenna has never heard of.

From the very first chapter, the atmosphere is thick with unease—coastal isolation, whispered legends, and a mother unraveling under the weight of fear. I’ll admit, I was initially taken aback. The opening chapter felt uncannily similar to my own novel, The Island. Similar enough that I actually pulled my book off the shelf and reread both openings—twice. Thankfully, while the setup echoes familiar territory, the story quickly veers into its own mythology.

At the heart of the novel is the legend of the Bone Queen—a vengeful female figure spoken of in hushed tones. The lore surrounding her is structured in a way that feels very modern, almost reminiscent of the Slender Man phenomenon. There’s that same sense of creeping digital folklore—an internet-age haunting that bleeds into real life, blurring the line between myth and manifestation.

The strongest element of the book is its pacing. It’s a fast read, propelled by short chapters and escalating paranoia. As Jenna digs deeper into the village’s secrets, the story leans into psychological uncertainty. Are the visions real? Is the legend supernatural—or something more human and sinister? The tension between folklore and mental instability adds a compelling layer.

That said, while atmospheric and quick-moving, the novel felt somewhat derivative at times. The missing child trope, the isolated coastal town, the collective silence of villagers guarding a dark secret—these are familiar beats within the thriller-horror genre. Readers who consume a lot of folklore-driven suspense may find it treads well-worn ground.

Overall, The Bone Queen is an entertaining and efficient thriller with strong atmosphere and a contemporary urban-legend twist. While it didn’t fully break new ground for me, it delivers a solid, fast-paced read for fans of small-town horror, modern myth, and maternal desperation.

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