BOOK BITES | Erin Kelly, Michael Connelly, Samantha Shannon

The Skeleton Key 

Erin Kelly, Hodder & Stoughton

**** (4 stars)

When Sir Frank Churcher released The Golden Bones 50 years ago, he could not have known what it would unleash. Equal parts treasure map, picture book and riddles, it inspired an unadulterated obsession in those who would become devotees. For some, it would mean their demise. For others, like Churcher’s daughter Eleanor, it would mean living in fear as unstable fans cast her as a key in solving the puzzle. When a planned reveal meant to unveil the final missing piece goes awry, it sets in motion an intriguing plot with twists that don’t stop coming and ultimately uncover secrets which, when unearthed, threaten to ruin the two families at the centre of this whodunit. — Sanet Oberholzer

Desert Star

Michael Connelly, Orion

**** (4 stars)

I've enjoyed growing older with Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch, the iconic Los Angeles detective named after the quirky early Dutch painter. Bosch is still going, despite 70 or so years and albeit a little creaky on stairs. Desert Star is classic Connelly and classic Bosch, and sees the return of his talented former police partner Renee Ballard, who loves dogs and surfing. Ballard persuades Bosch to return as a volunteer to the Open Unsolved Unit of the LAPD, which she is resurrecting. He works the politically connected, long-unsolved murder of a young woman. But what interests him is a case that has haunted him for decades, of a politically not-connected family of four, murdered and buried in the desert. Bosch and the unit’s motto is “Everybody counts or nobody counts”. As always, he bangs up against bureaucracy and relentlessly does his own thing. Ballard hits the nail on the head when she remarks about his 1992 hunter-green Cherokee: “I like you in that car, Harry. Like a square peg in a round-hole world.” The combination of intricate cases, rapid narrative and strong characters make for a gripping must-read. — William Saunderson-Meyer

A Day of Fallen Light

Samantha Shannon, Bloomsbury Circus

**** (4 stars)

Dreadmount has erupted, releasing wyms to terrify the earth. But the gods are still sleeping. The fate of humanity now rests on three women: a queen of the North, a warrior of the South and a humble godsinger in the East. This epic fantasy novel brings to life a world where men raise babies, women pick up the spear and fruit can ignite flames. What is truly remarkable is that despite the plot's largeness, the many characters are given full lives with lovers, children, friends and dreams. It is a tale as much about being human as saving humanity. A vivid, thrilling, yet tender read. — Tiah Beautement