“A higher level than the standard thriller. Readers will enjoy this book for the suspense…[and] love it for the skill and mastery Moretti has for her craft.” –New York Journal of Books “Morbid…Moretti pulls some tricky tricks.” –The New York Times New York Times bestselling author Kate Moretti’s next “exceptional…emotionally astute, [and] deliciously sinister” (Kirkus Reviews, starred … “exceptional…emotionally astute, [and] deliciously sinister” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) thriller follows the daughter of a convicted serial killer who finds herself at the center of a murder investigation.
Fifteen years ago, Lilith Wade was arrested for the brutal murder of six women. After a death row conviction, media frenzy, and the release of an unauthorized biography, her thirty-year-old daughter Edie Beckett is just trying to survive out of the spotlight. She’s a recovering alcoholic with a dead-end city job and an unhealthy codependent relationship with her brother.
Edie also has a disturbing secret: a growing obsession with the families of Lilith’s victims. She’s desperate to see how they’ve managed–or failed–to move on. While her escalating fixation is a problem, she’s careful to keep her distance. That is, until she crosses a line and a man is found murdered.
Edie quickly becomes the prime suspect–and while she can’t remember everything that happened the night of the murder, she’d surely remember killing someone. With the detective who arrested her mother hot on her trail, Edie goes into hiding. She’s must get to the truth of what happened that night before the police–or the real killer–find her.
Unless, of course, she has more in common with her mother than she’s willing to admit…
Perfect for fans of Ruth Ware, In Her Bones features Moretti’s “riveting and insightful” (Megan Miranda, New York Times bestselling author) prose and “chillingly satisfying” (Publishers Weekly) twists, and will leave you questioning the nature of guilt, obsession, and the toxicity of familial ties.
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Here’s one simple reason why I loved this book so much. The book focused on a daughter of a serial killer, and I didn’t see the ending coming! There are some books that I like to read for simple pleasure. I shut off that part of my brain that wants to figure things out, to guess all the twists and turns and simply read for the pleasure of it.
In Her Bones is a twisted tale that will lead you down a rabbit hole and snare you with temptations of a subtly seductive nature. Get ready and enjoy!
I’ve never read a main character like Edie. I loved her struggle to redeem herself and to figure out who she really was, in relationship to her mother. Fantastic.
A clever twist on the serial killer story mixed with a murder and Moretti’s trademark masterful prose = a haunting, can’t-put-it-down story. Kate Moretti never disappoints!
Read my review on the New York Journal of Books: https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/her-bones-novel
This was a very hard book for me to get into at first, but I am glad that I stuck with it because it was actually a good story. Edie has a problem because her mother is in prison for murder and now a man with whom Edie had contact is discovered murdered and Edie becomes the prime suspect. Is murdering someone hereditary? Can the murder gene really exist? Edie is a flawed character with a lot of problems but she also has a lot of intelligence and she is determined to solve the mystery before she gets thrown in prison or worse. I recommend this book to those who like psychological thrillers. With a slow start and a lot of background information that needs to be explained, it is not an easy book to like, but it was a good book to read.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I checked out my copy of this book from my local library via the Overdrive App. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Are you genetically disposed to be a killer? Nature Vs Nurture?
This book explores this question as it tells the story of Edie Beckett, the daughter of a convicted serial killer. Edie uses her resources at work and social media to stalk and keep tabs on the family of her mothers’ victims. She wants to see how they are dealing with their grief. She finds herself becoming intimate with the husband of one of the murdered woman. Unfortunately, he is found dead the next day and Edie becomes the main suspect in his murder. She decides to solve the case to prove her innocence as after all she is not like her mother.
Compelling is an understatement. This book grabbed me well before I read the first line – that’s how strong the premise is. Kate Moretti’s writing is so fluid, so vivid, I was unable to put IN HER BONES down until I found out the truth. Mesmerizing.
Kate Moretti’s IN HER BONES is sensational; a stunning psychological thriller that kept me riveted from the first page to the last. A dark and compelling exploration of what it’s like to grow up with someone who just may be the worst mother in the world, Moretti’s chilling and insightful novel answers the question: If your mother is a serial killer and you’re obsessed with her victims, what does that make you?
This was such a creepy psychological thriller! Edie’s mom is a serial killer. Since Lilith was arrested when Edie was a teenager, her life has been anything but normal. Edie has become obsessed with the remainders, the people who are left from the murders. Edie becomes involved in a murder and is the prime suspect and she must solve what is going on. This book has so many twists and turns and is absolutely unputdownable!!!
Read my review on the New York Journal of Books: https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/her-bones-novel
This book knocked my socks off! I had the pleasure of meeting the author at a literary festival in Westport in October and I couldn’t wait to open my signed copy. Riveting, disturbing and complex, this book is everything a thriller should be and so much more. The story centers on Edie Beckett whose mother, Lilith Wade, is an infamous serial killer sentenced to life in prison when Edie was a young child. Now an adult, Edie is a recovering alcoholic and is having trouble figuring out how to navigate the world. She works in an uninspiring job, is obsessed with stalking the surviving family of her mother’s victims, and doesn’t know how be in a healthy relationship. Despite her challenges, she’s surviving okay until a man she has slept with is found dead the next morning in his bed—and he happens to be the husband of one of her mother’s victims. The roller coaster ride begins at this point and doesn’t slow down for s second. The story is so believable, and the excerpts from the unauthorized biography of Lilith Wade are so well written that I found myself wondering if it was a true story, googling Lilith Wade several times and coming up empty. Beyond the crime story, the novel is also a fascinating psychological profile about how crime affects and damages not only the perpetrators and victims, but everyone in their spheres. If there were more than five stars, I would award them to this book without hesitation.
I felt that this book was a bit jumbled, a bit disjointed. In fact, in one place, at least one paragraph was missing! (That could be because I read this on a Kindle, and perhaps the digital edition was missing the paragraph???)
The story is a psychological thriller about the daughter of a serial killer. The daughter, Edie Beckett, is worried that she will turn out like her mother. She is obsessed with following the lives of the people who were left behind after Lilith killed their family member.
The book didn’t really grab and hold my attention like some other psychological thrillers. I had to suspend disbelief on some of the story, especially how Edie was able to break into people’s homes, and fly under the radar for so long, especially when a cop was watching for her. I had a suspect for a while on the most recent murder, but there was not enough to convince me of my hunch.
There were several characters in the story that seemed tangential, but actually paid a large part in the story. I don’t know if the novel had enough meat behind those characters to make their story line believable as part of the larger narrative.
#InHerBones #KateMoretti
Fantastic “who done it” read! I thought I knew (I was right) but it kept me guessing and trying to put together the pieces. I love it when a book has me hurrying to get back to it when I have to quit reading to get things done! This was was “all that”!
I practically inhaled this fantastic psychological thriller while I was supposed to be writing a book of my own. I couldn’t put it down. The lead character is believably complex, both lovable and twisted, and the supporting characters were equally wonderful. Lots of great twists and tension and suspense and beautifully written. Highly recommended!
In Her Bones is tale that is twisted as much as it is intriguing.
What happens to the family and victims of a serial killer ?
Edie’s mother was one such killer fifteen years ago.
Now Edie struggles everyday with who she is and who she was. She obsesses about her mother’s victims and circumstances have Edie on the run .
So many twists, turns, truths that the pages will fly by. You are hooked and are cheering on Edie on.
This book will stay with you long after the last page has turned.
In Her Bones is the very first Kate Moretti book I have ever read, but man does it make me want to read more from her.
“Murder is a mostly stupid act committed by mostly stupid people in their most desperate moment”
– Gil Brandt
What it’s about: Edie Beckett is the daughter of a serial killer, but not just any serial killer. She is the daughter of Lilith Wade who was sentenced to death row for the horrific murder of 6 women when Edie was just a young girl. Edie is now 30 years old; a recovering alcoholic who has a weird relationship with her brother, and a job that’s definitely not her dream job. She also has an odd secret pastime, tracking and watching the families of Lilith’s victims. When a man is found murdered and she becomes the prime suspect, Edie goes into hiding and races to find out what really happened the night of his murder… before the police or anyone else catch up to her.
The book is told mostly from Edie’s perspective with snippets from a book that was published about her mother’s murders, and the occasional chapter from the detective that caught Lilith – Gil Brandt. I loved this style, and I thought it kept the book flowing very quickly making it a fast read. The only gripe I really have with this book is that I don’t think it should be classified as a thriller; suspense and mystery sure, but not thriller. I didn’t find it to be particularly chilling or overly suspenseful like the cover touts in the author quotes either. There is definitely some suspense, but this comes in spurts and isn’t the overall vibe of the book.
I know there were a few people that either didn’t like Edie at first, or didn’t like her at all, but I never really had that problem. I don’t know why, but not once did I really question anything she was doing. Sure, she doesn’t make the best choices, but from the way Moretti wrote this book I didn’t want to murder Edie for every stupid mistake she made. Now maybe that has something to do with not connecting with her, but either way I was fine reading from her perspective and trying to figure out what the h-e-double hockey sticks she was going to do next.
Another complaint I have seen is that some people figured out the ending, but as usual I did not. I really didn’t have anything in the book figured out. And although I wasn’t necessarily super surprised at anything, I still enjoyed the journey of reading this book and learning everything as it was revealed.
Final Thought: I think this is going to be another one of those books that some people are going to really enjoy, but will annoy others. I guess it could also be seen as a bit predictable if you are really concentrating on figuring out what is going on. The idea was similar to Good Me, Bad Me, at least as far as reading a book about the daughter of a female serial killer, but overall I enjoyed this book a lot more than that one. Just make sure you are not expecting a fast-paced thriller because that is not what this book is. At all. Personally I really enjoyed it though and recommend!
In Her Bones is a tale of the aftermath of murder. There are no grisly scenes, just the weight the survivors carry in their hearts and how their lives are forever impacted by their loss. Ms. Moretti’s main character, Edie Beckett–the daughter of a serial killer, has spent her life feeling a bit guilty and remorseful for her mother’s misdeeds. Edie finds herself on a treacherous journey for survival that ultimately shows her that she is also a victim of Lilith Wade.
In Her Bones is told primarily from Edie’s perspective; interspersed in the story are a few chapters of narration from Gil Brandt, the investigator who brought in Lilith Wade, as well as excerpts of an anonymously authored “tell-all” book about the Lilith Wade killing spree. Brandt and Edie are interesting characters. Through Edie’s narration, readers see her obsession with the victims’ families and the impact her unstable childhood has had via her poor decisions and inability to move on. The dynamic between Edie, her brother and her sister-in-law is odd in a perverse way. Brandt’s perspective made me question his intent toward Edie. At times he seems fatherly as he helps her find a sober path to adulthood after her mother is incarcerated. However, there are times when he seems a bit lecherous, which made me question his motives. As the story tension mounts while Edie is uncovering discrepancies in the original case, I found myself questioning Brandt’s work ethic and motives even more.
When Edie’s (somewhat) chance meeting of one of the survivors leads to her being the prime suspect in his murder, she is on the run and on the clock to find the real killer. Was she the intended victim? Is she being framed? Is there anyone she can trust? After a bit of a slow but necessary story and character set up, this story twist ramps up the intrigue and action. I really enjoyed Edie’s intelligent sleuthing and her dogged determination. I loved that I was torn between believing that Brandt wanted to help her or just use her as an easy way to close a murder case.
Ms. Moretti respectfully addresses abuse and mental illness as Lilith Wade’s life is revealed through the book excerpts and Edie’s investigations. All the while, readers are treated to a thrilling mystery featuring an intelligent and street-smart woman. The time pressure Edie feels became a loudly ticking clock in my head as I read the shocking twists along the way to a surprising culmination. I loved where Edie’s journey took her—a new beginning filled with hope and plans for a future as if a cancerous tumor had been cut out of her leaving her free from her past.
My Review of “In Her Bones ” by Kate Moretti Atria Books, September 4, 2018
WOW! I loved the unique premise in “In Her Bones” by Author Kate Moretti. Can you imagine having a serial killer as a mother? Someone capable of nursing you when you are sick, but can stab women to death in cold-hearted murder? Add in a dysfunctional brother, who is constantly in your life. What about being obsessed with the families of the deceased and keeping detailed journals?? I read this novel in one sitting. “In Her Bones” is a captivating, intense, dark, twisted, riveting, page turning novel. The Genres for this novel are Fiction, Thriller, Mystery and Suspense. The story takes place in the present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events in the story. The author describes her dysfunctional cast of characters as complex and complicated. Given the circumstances, that seems to be an understatement. I imagine that Freud would have a field day with this information.
Edie Beckett tries to stay out of the spotlight, and even tries to stay sober. Someone has written a book about her mother’s brutal murdering sprees, and Edie can’t help be obsessed to see what is going on to those families who are the survivors. As fate steps in, Edie crosses the line, and gets drunk after socializing with one of the victims. Edie finds out he is dead, and she is confident that she didn’t kill him. Or did she? Is she her mother’s daughter? Edie runs to survive, and try to make sense of what happened and find out who the killer is.
I would recommend this book to readers that love a suspenseful , intense and roller coaster of a ride. I received a copy from NetGalley for my honest review.
Moretti writes a forward to In Her Bones that really resonated with me. I, too, am so curious about the family of killers. The daughter of The Happy Face Killer had a show on investigation Discovery (my favorite channel) where she had the family of a killer meet with the family of the victims. It was fascinating! I knew going into this book I would be intrigued. The story is told in 1st person from the daughter (Edie) of a female serial killer (Lilith), with some chapters in 3rd person focusing on the detective, or snippets of books/news articles about Lilith.
I was really uncomfortable (not in a bad way) with being in Edie’s head at times. Inside her head are her thoughts, unfiltered. She knows that following the family of her mom’s victim is creepy and so she doesn’t let the outside world know that is what she is doing. However, since we are reading her POV, we know she is doing it! She hacks into their lives, stalks them, and even though she does nice things for them when possible, it doesn’t negate the fact its creepy! She knows its creepy which makes it even worse I think. Edie has so many issues stemming from the fallout of her mother’s crimes. She dropped out of school, she is an alcoholic, she has commitment issues, and a slew of other things I’m sure a therapist would have a field day with! Her brother also has a slew of issues.
Obviously, there are murders that occur throughout the story. And confusion about the murders (who, what, why). And stalking (because that is exactly what Edie is doing!). None of them are gruesomely described or exploited in writing for shock value or anything, but the tenor of the book is unsettling and might not be everyone’s cup of tea! There are multiple things you are trying to figure out throughout the story from whether or not Colleen was actually a victim of Lilith’s, who killed Peter, who is WINPA99 and why are they so involved, and who the heck wrote that damn book. Add in the strange relationship Edie has with Tim and you have more questions than there are pages! I didn’t see the story ending quite the way it did, but in hindsight, it made perfect sense. Honestly, I didn’t correctly guess the answer to most of those questions but the answers made so much sense I was surprised I didn’t see it. Even through all this intrigue, the book FELT long. I think there were sections that could have been cut in order to make the book flow. Perhaps they were left there to help confuse and confound the reader further (totally worked) but I found myself skimming a lot through the middle.
4.5 Stars
Lilith Wade is sitting on death row. She brutally murdered six women … all of them wives of the men she had affairs with.
Edie Beckett is her daughter. She flies low hoping no one will determine who she really is. An anonymously written book detailing their lives has made her and her brother infamous.
Gil Brandt is the detective who caught and arrested Lilith Wade. He’s also made Edie a ’cause’. For some reason, he has taken an interest in her life and wants nothing more than for her to live out a normal life.
But Edie has an obsession … she charts all the husbands, friends, and families of the surviving husbands. But when she meets one in person and then spend the night with him .. her life suddenly becomes a real nightmare.
The man is murdered, much like the killings of years ago. Is Edie truly her mother’s daughter? Is she capable of such a crime? Or is she being framed by someone else? Who can she trust?
This is a unique story told in 3 parts … one is Edie’s voice, another is the detective’s take and the third is taken from the book. Although Edie hasn’t seen her mother since she was a teenager, she has lots of memories. And sometimes she tortures herself with the thought that no one saw her mother for what she was and the things she had done.
The characters are well-drawn and credible. I couldn’t help but feel for Edie … and the way she was brought up. She has/had issues that she’s trying to come to terms with. I liked the Detective because he could see what Edie could become … but does he also have a personal agenda?
This is the first I’ve read of this author … but it definitely won’t be the last.
Many thanks to the author and TBC Reviewer Request Group (Facebook) for the digital copy of this compelling novel. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.