A Baby's Bones

March 26, 2018
Set on the Isle of Wight, this suspenseful mystery from British author Alexander (The Secrets of Blood and Bone) fuses the secrets of Renaissance-era alchemy and the knowledge wielded by modern archeology. When Sage Westfield, an archeologist hired to conduct a survey of a property adjoining a historic house, discovers the skeletons of a woman and an infant in a 16th-century well, she suspects that they were murdered. Alternating chapters, set in 1580 and narrated by Vincent Garland, the illegitimate steward of Lord Banstock, describe the events leading up to the deaths, which involve Banstock’s beloved niece, Viola; Viola’s fiancé, an aristocrat with a taste for necromancy; and a beautiful French-born seamstress. Meanwhile, a brutal murder shocks the modern-day community, and the dangers of insanity and sexual obsession become frighteningly real in both timelines. Alexander fully develops Westfield and Garland’s characters and keeps the stakes high throughout. Readers will hope this is the start of a series.

May 15, 2018
Sage Westfield, county archaeologist for the Isle of Wight, is investigating a sixteenth-century well for a property owner who wants to build an addition to a house. Expecting to find the usual pottery and other debris, she is surprised when bones appear. The skeleton of a woman and that of a newborn baby reveal a possible crime scene that is centuries old. Her research leads her to records and lore revealing a romance in 1580 involving the man who rented the cottage, Solomon Seabourne, who was a philosopher who dabbled in alchemy and sorcery. The current owners of the cottage are sure that it is haunted, having been plagued by misfortune since they moved in. Sage, who is pregnant, takes the case very personally. When a tragic death occurs at the site, she is sure that there is a contemporary killer involved. Readers who favor historical mysteries as well as those who enjoy modern forensic science will enjoy this one. Fans of Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series will definitely want to meet Sage, as will those who have followed Erin Hart's Haunted Ground (2003), also featuring a forensic archaeologist.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

Starred review from May 1, 2018

Archaeologist Sage Westfield only has a short time to excavate a 16th-century well on the Isle of Wight, as the property's owner is dying. Sage is in the late stages of her pregnancy. She's been warned the well is unsafe. When she uncovers bones belonging to a baby and an adult, probably a woman, Sage and her team attempt to piece together the history of those remains. A parallel account, written by the steward to Lord Banstock during the Tudor years, reveals the horrifying story of a pregnant woman hounded and accused of witchcraft. Sage continues her search for answers despite the feeling she's being watched. When a new body is found in the well, past and present crimes begin to converge. In a departure from her supernatural crime novels (The Secrets of Time and Fate), Alexander carefully constructs an intricately plotted mystery that links story lines of madness and murder. Bittersweet and haunting, this suspenseful story is driven by complex, flawed characters. VERDICT Fans of Kate Ellis's "Wesley" mysteries and Elly Griffith's atmospheric "Ruth Galloway" novels will enjoy the combination of archaeology and history.--Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN

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