Delighted to join the blog tour for The Diabolical Bones by Bella Ellis today! Huge thanks to Steven at Hodder for the invitation to join and the absolutely stunning review copy!
Author : Bella Ellis
Title : The Diabolical Bones
Series : Brontë Mysteries #2
Pages : 352
Publisher : Hodder & Stoughton
Publication date : November 5, 2020
| ABOUT THE BOOK |
Haworth Parsonage, February 1846: The Brontë sisters– Anne, Emily, and Charlotte–are busy with their literary pursuits. As they query publishers for their poetry, each sister hopes to write a full-length novel that will thrill the reading public. They’re also hoping for a new case for their fledgling detecting enterprise, Bell Brothers and Company solicitors. On a bitterly cold February evening, their housekeeper Tabby tells them of a grim discovery at Scar Top House, an old farmhouse belonging to the Bradshaw family. A set of bones has been found bricked up in a chimney breast inside the ancient home.
Tabby says it’s bad doings, and dark omens for all of them. The rattled housekeeper gives them a warning, telling the sisters of a chilling rumour attached to the family. The villagers believe that, on the verge of bankruptcy, Clifton Bradshaw sold his soul to the devil in return for great riches. Does this have anything to do with the bones found in the Bradshaw house? The sisters are intrigued by the story and feel compelled to investigate. But Anne, Emily, and Charlotte soon learn that true evil has set a murderous trap and they’ve been lured right into it..
| MY THOUGHTS |
The Diabolical Bones is the second book in the Brontë mysteries series. After reading and loving The Vanished Bride last year, I absolutely couldn’t wait to spend more time with the detecting Brontë sisters and let me tell you right off the bat that I personally think The Diabolical Bones is even better and I loved every minute of it!
A set of human bones is discovered hidden away in a chimney at the home of the Bradshaw family. Who did the bones belong to? What happened to them? And how did these remains end up hidden in a chimney? Did Clifton Bradshaw sell his soul to the devil, as many villagers believe? Could the bones possibly be the result of some kind of satanic ritual? It doesn’t get much more intriguing than that, now does it? Solving this mystery could offer the sisters some distraction while anxiously waiting to hear if their poetry will be published but the case of these bones will soon turn far more dark and disturbing than they bargained for.
Once again the Yorkshire Moors provide the ideal setting. Snow covers the ground around the Parsonage and I could feel the cold seeping into my bones. This contrasts perfectly to the warmth with which Bella Ellis brings these characters to life. It is just so abundantly clear how much this author cares for the Brontë sisters and her love for them shines through on every single page. Each sister has a distinctive voice and while last time I felt I was leaning very much towards Emily, this time around it was Anne who turned out to be the star of the story for me.
Just like in its predecessor, The Diabolical Bones takes the reader on quite the dark path. There may be a mystery to solve but all the while, Bella Ellis shines a spotlight on what life was like for the people living in the Brontë era. From poverty to child labour, from racism to discrimination … there is so much going on in this story that goes way beyond solving a suspicious death and some of is pretty devastating.
Rich in atmosphere and beautifully written, I found The Diabolical Bones utterly engrossing. There is something so immensely captivating about Bella Ellis’ writing and it always manages to transport me to a time and place far away from reality. And in the middle of all this weirdness that 2020 has thrown at us, that is exactly what I need. I can’t wait to go detecting with Charlotte, Emily and Anne again! Highly recommended! ❤️
The Diabolical Bones is available to buy! Support your local bookshops buy ordering directly from them or purchase from Bookshop.org UK
| ABOUT THE AUTHOR |
Bella Ellis is the Brontë-inspired pen name for the award winning, Sunday Times bestselling author Rowan Coleman. A Brontë devotee for most of her life, Rowan is the author of fourteen novels including The Memory Book, The Summer of Impossible Things and The Girl at the Window.
Novel Deelights 
Wonderful review definitely want to read both of these! xx
LikeLike
This sounds like a wonderful series! Loved your review, Eva 😍
LikeLike
I recently listened to the audiobook of The Vanished Bride and really liked it. i didn’t realize there was a second book out, but will not have to look for it. I agree, there is a lot more to these stories than just the mystery. Wonderful review.
LikeLike