My Sister's Bones: 'Rivals The Girl on the Train as a compulsive read' Guardian

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Now Billie has become Cassie’s confidante, the only one Cassie trusts enough to tell the truth to, and Billie is suddenly thrust into an unfamiliar—and disturbing—role; one that drives her to make choices that will forever change the way she looks at the world. Couldn't put the lights out until I'd finished it! Gripping, emotional and very well-written' Emma Curtis, author of One Little Mistake Kate Rafter has spent her life running from her past. But when her mother dies, she's forced to return to Herne Bay - a place her sister Sally never left.

The book contains a multitude of disparate mysteries that all are seemingly unconnected... until they aren't. Linked only by the protagonist they centre around, this is a thriller on a large global and political scale, the likes of which I have not encountered in a mystery novel, for quite some time. My Sister’s Bones works a miracle. . . . Funny and idiosyncratic, elegant and simple . . . [Cathi] Hanauer gives power and dignity to the subject of anorexia.” — The Village Voice With an elegant and deft touch Nuala Ellwood has created a tale that is gripping, engrossing and surprising at every turn. I loved it Rowan Coleman The absolute lynchpin for my enjoyment of this book was Kate’s story, a seasoned war reporter who on her return from war-torn Aleppo in Syria, is battling the twin demons of PTSD and personal emotional stress caused by the death of her mother, and the non-connectedness to her sister Sally who is in the grip of alcoholism, and suffering personal distress at the disappearance of her daughter, Hannah. Reflecting my enjoyment of other thrillers such as Matthew Frank’s If I Should Die, and Kate Medina’s Fire Damage, which also explored the realm of PTSD, I found Ellwood’s portrayal of Kate, so emotionally affected by her horrific experiences in Syria, utterly authentic, bolstered no doubt by the author’s own familial links to the world of war reporting. Her confusion, anger and twisted sense of self worth and guilt was heart-breaking and emotional throughout, really tapping into the reader’s empathy, and depicting perfectly one woman’s personal experience of war. I also admired the clear-headed, objective portrayal of the Syrian conflict exhibited by the author, and its balanced and unflinching tone when describing the danger and human devastation that Kate experiences holed up in this war torn city. I liked the way that we as readers are drawn in and out of states of mistrust towards Kate, due to the symptoms of her stress, constantly questioning her veracity as a reliable narrator, and a credible witness to what she believes is happening in the house next door. Her story and actions totally carries the thrust of the book, and without giving anything away I was a little worried that her story had been too swiftly curtailed to carry my interest to the end.I don't want to spoil this book for anyone by talking further about the plot but I just want to say that this is a book full of surprises. Well written with fully flushed out characters. After all it is a sad and disturbing and tragic story. The author did a great job, the writing and structure is superb. I enjoyed it not from the beginning but I got more captivated the further I read. This book is definitely different to other thrillers and I highly recommend it. Kenwright commented on the acquisition: “As a producer I am always looking for that intangible something special. And I love thrillers! On reading Nuala’s novel I immediately thought this could be the one; a thriller that transcends the genre, almost reinvents it. I bought multiple copies for my friends and the verdict was unanimous: the best British thriller in recent memory. So the search begins, to find a screen-writer that matches Nuala’s extraordinary talent for character, suspense and great story-telling.”

The things that Kate saw and experienced on her travels haunted her, one thing especially. We are are unraveling layers of Kate's journey bit by bit taking each layer off. Its very cleverly done. At times I found it difficult to work out which sister was the most disturbed or whose narrative was the more reliable which made for an highly engaging read. This book really messed with my head as you try to work out if Kate and her sister are imagining things or if there is something much more sinister going on, and for me that’s what a book of this genre should do, keep you guessing right up to the end. As the plot progressed I really felt I was no nearer to guessing the outcome than when I started, and I remained in the dark until the last couple of chapters. Her first night home, she's awakened by a scream. Looking out her window she sees a very young boy ... who is the spitting image of her deceased brother, David. She convinces herself it's only a dream, a hallucination ... but is it?While the story is very dark, and rarely offers a moment of reprieve, the ending did show much improvement and even a ray of hope for those who live to tell the tale. UK theatre and film producer Bill Kenwright ( Broken) has optioned the screen rights to British author Nuala Ellwood’s well-received suspense thriller My Sister’s Bones. A touching coming-of-age novel featuring a protagonist who’s the kind of girl every woman wishes she’d had as a best friend growing up

There are surprises at every turn. It's a compelling read, very cleverly written. All the characters are fully developed .. these are people who could be your neighbors. A stunning book. Compelling, unsettling and powerful this is a book that will stay with me for a long time.' C. L. Taylor But something isn't right in the old family home. On her first night Kate is woken by terrifying screams. And then she sees a shadowy figure in the garden... Loved I Let You Go and Behind Closed Doors? My Sister's Bones is guaranteed to be this year's most twisty and twisted read - you'll never see what's coming! Ava Marsh, author of UNTOUCHABLE Sally’s alcohol issues multiplied after her teenage daughter, Hannah disappears. Now, after the death of her mother, she crawled inside the bottle, not even bothering to hide it or fight it.

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My Sister's Bones is a tense, atmospheric, deliciously dark story' Amanda Jennings, author of In Her Wake Memorable, jaw-dropping ... harrowing fiction that skilfully draws parallels between the effects of civil war and domestic violence Sunday Times A beautifully written, spine-tingling thriller that had me on the edge of my seat. My Sister's Bones is a compelling tale about the evil unleashed by war and the evil that can lurk in the very heart of our homes. Heart-wrenching and compelling Sanjida Kay, author of Bone by Bone Kate Rafter is a successful war reporter. She’s the strong one. The one who escaped Herne Bay and the memories it holds. Her sister Sally didn’t. Instead, she drinks. But when their mother dies, Kate is forced to return to the old family home. And on her first night she is woken by a terrifying scream. My verdict is that this is a good read but not one that you need to rush out and buy today. If it comes across your reading path, then give it a go. It didn't blow me away, but it's a fairly decent read that will probably appeal to many people.