I should have heeded the reviews!

I will be returning this one. However, its my own fault. I should have believed the earlier reviews. The book has some of the most graphic violence I have ever read. I am not easily shocked or a prude but just found it horrible and gave up after a couple of hours. Its a shame as I found the book really engaging otherwise. I also dont agree with some reviewers about the narrator. I thought she was great and would listen to her again.

If you like really, really graphic and detailed horror - this may be for you.

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38 people found this helpful

Good story but some graphic torture scenes

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The story and main characters are good but interspersed with chapters of torture that are graphic and gruesome. I'm about a quarter through and wondering whether I can finish it.

Would you be willing to try another book from Graham Masterton? Why or why not?

Yes

What about Caroline Lennon’s performance did you like?

Good

Could you see White Bones being made into a movie or a TV series? Who would the stars be?

I sincerely hope not.

Any additional comments?

I'm appalled by the method and description of torture which is in contrast to an otherwise good story. I think the different aspects of the book would appeal to different audiences. Unfortunately one audience would be serial killers .......

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35 people found this helpful

An Uncomfortable Story Brilliantly Read

What did you like best about White Bones? What did you like least?

The pacing of the story was good but the excessive, Repetitive gore made for an uncomfortable read. Once the picture was painted of the fate of the girls the author could profitably have left things to our memory. Gore for gores sake does not make for a good book. Unless you like large amounts of detailed violence, give this a miss.

What was most disappointing about Graham Masterton’s story?

The most disappointing was his over-reliance on detailed description of torture. Suspense and atmosphere can be built up quite effectively without going into intimate detail, especially when an element of repetition of scenes creeps in. As it is it created a one-dimensional story of horror and depravity when the author has more tools in his armoury, which he could deploy.

Which character – as performed by Caroline Lennon – was your favourite?

Katie was a sound character around whom other books can be centred. However, she would lose credibility if every book presented her with sick repetitive violence. One hopes that the author has it within him. Otherwise - see the last section.

Did White Bones inspire you to do anything?

Be very careful about reading, or listening to, anything by this author.

Any additional comments?

The only reason why I stayed with this book was the reading by Caroline Lennon. If it had been read badly, I would have given up upon it. Ms Lennon's skill lay in her ability to create her own tension by avoiding histrionics. Diction was good, pacing was excellent and she created tension by, at times, an almost matter of fact reading, detached might be better, which allowed the story to unfold naturally. I don't mean to suggest that it was flat and uninvolved, anything but. The real skill lies in creating tension, holding the listeners attention, in a seemingly effortless, understated, way. That takes real talent.

A brilliant reading.

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21 people found this helpful

Not for the faint hearted!

An excellent read but not for the faint hearted as it is nauseatingly gory at times. Really had me hooked and this is not my usual choice of book.
However, i think the end was a touch inconclusive.
Potentially leaving leeway for a second Kate Maguire novel?

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14 people found this helpful

Sinister thriller not for the faint-hearted

White Bones introduces Detective Katie Maguire. When the bones of 11 women are found on an isolated farm in County Cork in Ireland, Katie is initially told to drop the case as the deaths date back to 1915. But then a young American tourist goes missing and her body turns up on the same farm.
I've been hesitant for a while now to start this series because of the mixed reviews and mentions of 'supernatural', but it turned out to be a really solid Irish crime procedural and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The plot centers around old Irish folklore/myths rather than the paranormal elements I was expecting and that added a really interesting aspect to the story. Mr. Masterton has previously written horror novels and while this certainly shines through, I didn't find any of the details overly gory, but I think more sensitive readers may.
The author also provides plenty of background on the main character of Katie Maguire. By the end of the book, you really feel you have a good picture of her as a person. She has to work hard as a female in a very conservative, male dominated environment and her personal life is under scrutiny which isn't helping her marriage.
The audiobook narration was done really well, and I appreciate that the narrator must have had a very difficult time switching from characters with Irish dialect to American accents. I loved the Irish lilt, the American accent felt a bit off (sorry).
If you enjoy rather sinister thrillers in an Irish setting and would like to explore some Irish history and Celtic mythology, I would definitely recommend White Bones.

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11 people found this helpful

Gruesome

This was just about the most gruesome book I have listened to. I hadn't read any Graham Masterton before and don't know if they are all like this. I could have done with a warning but having said that I did listen on to the end as it was compelling !

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9 people found this helpful

Gruesome murders in rainy Ireland

If you could sum up White Bones in three words, what would they be?

Gruesome - rainy - Ireland

Would you be willing to try another book from Graham Masterton? Why or why not?

I'm not sure. I really struggled with the detail of the murders.

Did Caroline Lennon do a good job differentiating each of the characters? How?

Yes but I got a bit lost with the secondary characters of husband Paul and his dodgy dealings. I liked the relationship between the lead character and her dad, that was touching.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Couldn't. You couldn't eat your tea and listen to bits of this. You couldn't just turn off and go to sleep. I had to pace myself with this one!

Any additional comments?

I didn't fully get some of the plot & wondered if it was a bit flawed - I don't want to give it away to anyone who hasn't read the book but there did appear to be a few holes in the ending.

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8 people found this helpful

Scary but captured my interest

Bordering on the supernatural, this story kept me enthralled on a few dog walks! It was believable even though I don't hold with such nonsense! Quite horrific but tantalised me to try anticipate the ending. Super narration

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7 people found this helpful

Chilling

It's hard to categorise this as it falls into quite a few genres. Although there are supernatural elements to it, they actually feel real, if you know what I mean? If you believe in mythical tales, then you will find yourself justified, is what I'm probably getting at.

A son returns to his Irish home-farm to become the tenant when his dad dies. He's only just started work when he unearths eleven skeletons. The police are torn between possible troubles deaths or local folklore.

Quite gruesome in bits and for me an out loud, "Oh no!" moment two-thirds of the way through! Enjoy.

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7 people found this helpful

Quite gory and only alright as a read

Many here have criticised the narrator's rendition of this. I have to say that it's not the greatest, nor is it the worst. I find her voice very hard and agressive during the narration - and I can't work out why it should be. Her accents leave a good bit to be desired if one wanted authentic "Cork" accents but then again, how realistic is that?
So, what annoyed me more in this book (presuming you've no problems with gore) is the actual story. I find pretty unlikely that a lad who grew up in rural Ireland wouldn't know what Hurling is. After all he's come back to take over the family farm which his mother still lives on - so we're presuming he didn't go to the States as a two year-old. As for labradors whacking radiators with their tails like a Bodhran drum - pleeeaaaaase Angela Landsbury come back, all is forgiven - yep, it gives me that same cheesy pseudo Irish feeling! Those are just two examples that struck me early on. I then stopped trying to note them lest I give up on the book.
On the whole there's just something missing here. There's gore which isn't really necessary, the book doesn't even give me chills in the way some which don't have any obvious gore do, but mainly, the story is shallow and the characters hard to warm to because they're just not deep enough... everyone is somehow brushed over and lacking in authenticity. I also find quite strange the author feels necessary to mention the Detective Garda's gun so many times (unless it's going to play a role later?) as, although some Detective Garda do carry weapons, Ireland is not exactly New York.
It's not a bad book, but it's not that great either. (This was written when half way through and yes, I'm interested enough to keep going but probably wouldn't seek out this author again).

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6 people found this helpful