I found this book via Rainienutreads on Instagram and have been wanting to read it since! But I held back for a long time because for some reason, this library book doesn’t synch with my kobo! But eventually, the curiosity was too much and I ended up reading the whole thing on my phone even though I normally try to avoid doing that. 

A Baby’s Bones consists of two stories woven together. In the present, archaeologist Sage is excavating a well when she finds two bodies – that of a woman and a baby. In the past, the steward Vincent Garland tells the story about Viola, the daughter of Lord Banstock, her fiancé Seaborne, and the rumours of witchcraft. 

Given that we know a baby and a woman dies in the past, the historical narrative was a bit more predictable (but no less enjoyable). I managed to figure out the ending was before the big reveal, but it was inevitable because of all the clues we had. Still, I really enjoyed that storyline! 

And happily, the present-day narrative was great well! Sometimes, books with a dual narrative structure has one story become the support for the other, but in this case, both storylines were very well-fleshed out. Sage and the local vicar, Nick, are beset with a series of threatening calls that quickly escalate. At the same time, Sage is pregnant with a married man’s child and is trying to finally break up with him. And I have to say that the reveal to this mystery (the one about the threats) is one that I didn’t see coming but which made perfect sense. 

Sage was a great main character – she’s aware of her flaws but tenacious in the pursuit of the truth. I also liked the supporting cast of characters, most notably Nick, the local vicar, and Professor Felix, who helps decipher the mysterious occult symbols that she finds in the well. 

Overall, this was a very exciting book! The combination of magic and science, and the dual mysteries, were very well-balanced and I basically tore through the book. I’d definitely recommend this to fans of mysteries. 

Featured Image: Photo from Canva