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A Rattle of Bones

A Rebecca Connolly Thriller
3.94 goodreads logo

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( 304 ratings, 55 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In A Rattle of Bones by Douglas Skelton, the story unfolds in a small Scottish town steeped in mysteries from both past and present. The protagonist, journalist Rebecca Connolly, delves into a chilling case involving a historic murder, an unquenchable pursuit of truth, and the hidden secrets that could tear the community apart. With evocative landscapes and a gripping narrative, this crime thriller promises suspense and intrigue at every turn.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you love gritty crime tales set against haunting landscapes, woven with intricate plot twists. It's perfect for readers who savour atmospheric thrillers filled with suspense and richly developed characters navigating moral complexities and dark mysteries.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Book three in the Rebecca Connolly Thrillers - set against the stunning backdrop of the Scottish Highlands,A Rattle of Bonesis a tale of injustice and mystery, and the echo of the past in the present.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Longlisted for McIlvanney Scottish Crime Book of the Year

In 1752, Seamus a'Ghlynne, James of the Glen, was executed for the murder of government man Colin Campbell. He was almost certainly innocent.

When banners are placed at his gravesite claiming that his namesake, James Stewart, is innocent of murder, reporter Rebecca Connolly smells a story. The young Stewart has been in prison for ten years for the brutal murder of his lover, lawyer and politician Murdo Maxwell, in his Appin home. Rebecca soon discovers that Maxwell believed he was being followed prior to his murder and his phones were tapped.

Why is a Glasgow crime boss so interested in the case? As Rebecca keeps digging, she finds herself in the sights of Inverness crime matriarch Mo Burke, who wants payback for the damage caused to her family in a previous case.

Set against the stunning backdrop of the Scottish Highlands, A Rattle of Bones is a tale of injustice and mystery, and the echo of the past in the present.

'An intriguing Highland mystery peopled with quirky characters and peppered with wit' - Times Crime Club, Pick of the Week

'[a] compelling thriller, laced with dark humour' - Sunday Post

Series: The Rebecca Connolly Thrillers

View all
  • The Other Side of Fear
    There are two sides to everything, and fear isn't any different—sometimes you have to push through to the other side... Someone has big plans for Stoirm, and they'll stop at nothing to get what they want. Investigative journalist Rebecca Connolly returns to the Scottish island to find out who is terrorising the locals who favour a community buyout of the...
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • The Hollow Mountain
    The Tunnel Tigers were an elite group of construction workers who specialised in a lucrative but hazardous profession: blasting tunnels through mountains and under rivers, in dangerous conditions few men could endure. Alice Larkin, the headstrong daughter of a millionaire and former news reporter, claims her lover, a Tunnel Tiger, died in mysterious circumstances many years ago, and she wants...
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Thunder Bay
    Longlisted for the Mcilvanney Prize 2019 When reporter Rebecca Connolly is told of Roddie Drummond's return to the island of Stoirm, she senses a story. Fifteen years before, he was charged with the murder of his lover, Mhairi. When he was found Not Proven, Roddie left the island and no one, apart from his sister, knew where he was or...
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Where Demons Hide
    Something scared Nuala Flaherty to death. When her body is found in the centre of a pentagram on a lonely moor, Rebecca is determined to find out what. Was she killed by supernatural means, or is there a more down-to-earth explanation? Rebecca's investigation leads her to a mysterious cult and local drug dealings. But what she doesn't know is that...
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • A Rattle of Bones
    Longlisted for McIlvanney Scottish Crime Book of the Year In 1752, Seamus a'Ghlynne, James of the Glen, was executed for the murder of government man Colin Campbell. He was almost certainly innocent. When banners are placed at his gravesite claiming that his namesake, James Stewart, is innocent of murder, reporter Rebecca Connolly smells a story. The young Stewart has been...
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Children of the Mist
    We come from the mist, and to the mist we will return . . . Fergus MacGregor told people he was going to Pitlochry for the day but was never seen again. Years later, Rebecca witnesses his deeply religious mother holding an annual ritual in the ancient Black Wood of Rannoch, a place Fergus loved because of its connections to...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

A Rattle of Bones by Douglas Skelton is praised for its thrilling narrative and dark humour, captivating readers with its blend of mystery, history, and quirky characters. The novel is set against the atmospheric backdrop of the Scottish Highlands, enhancing its tension and allure. Reviewers commend Skelton's skill in creating believable characters and a gripping plot, making it a standout in the crime and thriller genre.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781846975639

Publisher: Birlinn General

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 August 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Polygon An Imprint of Birlinn Limited

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 1.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 240g

Pages: 288

About the Author

Douglas Skelton was born in Glasgow. He has been a bank clerk, tax officer, taxi driver (for two days), wine waiter (for two hours), journalist and investigator. He has written eleven true crime and Scottish criminal history books but now concentrates on fiction. His novel Thunder Bay (2019) was longlisted for the McIlvanney Award. Douglas has investigated real-life crime for Glasgow solicitors and was involved in a long-running campaign to right the famous Ice-Cream Wars miscarriage of justice.

Also by Douglas Skelton

View all
  • The Other Side of Fear
    There are two sides to everything, and fear isn't any different—sometimes you have to push through to the other side... Someone has big plans for Stoirm, and they'll stop at nothing to get what they want. Investigative journalist Rebecca Connolly returns to the Scottish island to find out who is terrorising the locals who favour a community buyout of the...
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • The Hollow Mountain
    The Tunnel Tigers were an elite group of construction workers who specialised in a lucrative but hazardous profession: blasting tunnels through mountains and under rivers, in dangerous conditions few men could endure. Alice Larkin, the headstrong daughter of a millionaire and former news reporter, claims her lover, a Tunnel Tiger, died in mysterious circumstances many years ago, and she wants...
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Thunder Bay
    Longlisted for the Mcilvanney Prize 2019 When reporter Rebecca Connolly is told of Roddie Drummond's return to the island of Stoirm, she senses a story. Fifteen years before, he was charged with the murder of his lover, Mhairi. When he was found Not Proven, Roddie left the island and no one, apart from his sister, knew where he was or...
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Where Demons Hide
    Something scared Nuala Flaherty to death. When her body is found in the centre of a pentagram on a lonely moor, Rebecca is determined to find out what. Was she killed by supernatural means, or is there a more down-to-earth explanation? Rebecca's investigation leads her to a mysterious cult and local drug dealings. But what she doesn't know is that...
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Children of the Mist
    We come from the mist, and to the mist we will return . . . Fergus MacGregor told people he was going to Pitlochry for the day but was never seen again. Years later, Rebecca witnesses his deeply religious mother holding an annual ritual in the ancient Black Wood of Rannoch, a place Fergus loved because of its connections to...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

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