River Bones: A Mystery Novel (Hardcover)

~ Mary Deal (Author)
Key Phrases: patient building, Mary Deal, Talbot House, Clampett Tract (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A mystery surrounds the lush orchards and farmlands of California's Sacramento River Delta. As Sara Mason returns to her hometown in order to start a new life, she learns that a serial killer is terrorizing its residents.

Despite battling the memory of the drowning deaths of her younger sister and alcoholic parents, Sara is determined to make peace with her past. However, she soon learns that the elusive psychopath who strangles his victims, snaps their necks, and then buries each along with a dead animal, is now stalking her. Sara's attempt to rebuild her life is hindered even more by the discovery of skeletal remains both on and near her property. She must move out as the criminal investigation focuses on suspects like the gravedigger Crazy Ike, a cat-killing vagrant, a Peeping Tom, and several others who may be connected to the twenty-eight victims. After several attempts on her life, Sara discovers critical clues and bravely volunteers to be a decoy for the sheriff's department.

Sara Mason is a woman whose destiny has brought her back home, but her decision may lead her down a path lined with danger and straight into the arms of a madman in this captivating thriller.

About the Author

A native of the Sacramento River Delta, Mary Deal has lived in England, the Caribbean, and now resides in Kapaa, Hawaii. River Bones is her third book and first mystery novel set in her hometown area. Visit her online at www.marydeal.com. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 276 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (April 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595717519
• ISBN-13: 978-0595717514
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,383,955 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars River Bones A Review, July 6, 2008

By	Gerard C. Smith (Beaufort, SC United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: River Bones: A Mystery Novel (Paperback)

Mary Deal's River Bones is the real deal, a mystery novel that will keep you reading into the scary predawn hours.

Life should be simple for Sara Mason recently returned to the Sacramento Delta of her orphaned and impoverished youth. Now a successful developer of computer games she plans the good life in a lovingly restored Victorian mansion. But, long buried bodies start turning up it becomes obvious that a serial killer still stalks the Delta and has zeroed in on Sarah. There are plenty of suspects: Crazy Ike and his shovel, Huxley the man who has romantically intrigued Sara, Pierce a man who apparently died from a lightning strike but returned, Tripp the odd groundskeeper at an old folks home, Fredrik, a man obsessed with death. Sara cannot live her envisioned life until the killer is caught and the police don't seem up to the job, So Sara has no choice but to seek the solution.

Like I said, following this thriller will keep you up until the murders are solved. That's okay, you'll find staying up for the resolution of this most satisfying mystery worth the sleep deprivation. It's that good.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Video Preview of River Bones, June 17, 2008

By	Kim Chatel "klchatel" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: River Bones: A Mystery Novel (Paperback)

Length:: 1:36 Mins

River Bones: A Mystery Novel

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars River Bones, November 20, 2008

By	Donald A. Dozier (Redding, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: River Bones: A Mystery Novel (Paperback)

Mary Deal has hit a "home run" with River Bones! I was raised on a ranch just west of Rio Vista right on the Sacramento River, attended Rio Vista High School and spent many a scary night slowly wending my way home along winding back roads through the tule fog so accurately described in the book.

River Bones is a great mystery thriller and the fast pace of the story keeps you turning page after page! This book will easily become a "one-nighter" for many readers. It is hard to stop reading! Mary's character, Sara, is very believable and the descriptions of the delta area, towns and seasons are right on the mark.

The rest of the cast of characters in the book are excellent and the reader will not be able to determine who the real villain is until the last few pages of the book.

Let us all hope that we will see Sara Mason in future books.

Don Dozier
Redding, CA