What a ride BoneMan’s Daughters was! I read House by Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti a while back and was totally blown away by it and BoneMan’s Daughters was no different. It took a hold of me from the very beginning and didn’t let go until the end. I read this one quickly, within a couple of days and I must say it is so well worth reading! Ted Dekker writes in such a way that he keeps building a story until I just can’t stand it. I always have such a strong urge to head to that last page and see what happens but of course, I never do. I just sit there with my heart pounding and keep flipping those pages at an amazing rate of speed.
BoneMan, the serial killer alluded to in the title is The BoneMan. He abducts girls that he would like to keep for his own daughters and when they don’t meet up to expectations; he breaks their bones and leaves them to die. He is a seriously disturbed individual who believes he is the perfect father. He is the father who would never leave his child or hurt his child. Reading about him gave me quivers up and down my spine that have still not left me as I’m writing this.
Ryan is a military man trained in intelligence. He has a wife Celine and a daughter Bethany but he barely knows them as he’s spent most of his time away. Celine is not the best mother in the world herself; she’s way too interested in herself. Bethany is sixteen years old and on the verge of making it in the modelling world yet she’s still not happy. The vestiges of childhood have made an impact on who she is now.
Ryan experiences a mission gone wrong in the dessert. He realizes as his own life is at stake that he loves his family and wants them back. He comes home but neither Celine or Bethany want to give him a chance. Celine has moved on and Bethany just doesn’t seem to care anymore. They finally get a restraining order on him and he has no choice but to try and move on. All this time he is struggling with demons of his own.
Enter the BoneMan. He’s already killed six victims and his seventh just happens to be Bethany. He takes her and so begins the harrowing journey that Ryan takes in order to get back his daughter. The big problem is that the FBI believes he is the BoneMan due to his experience in the dessert. All he wants to do is save his daughter.
As I expected Ted Dekker develops his characters perfectly and I find in a lot of thrillers you don’t get this. I felt I knew these people even including the sick and crazy BoneMan. He takes you right into the mind of this nutcase and you has you questioning the reasoning for the man becoming who he is~what goes into making up an individual like this even though in your wildest dreams you can’t imagine the depravity of this animal. I could also feel Ryan’s pain and fear, along with Bethany’s. He develops them by sharing their past with us and in doing that makes us more interested in what’s going to happen to them now.
This story was much more than a thriller. It shows us the extraordinary ways in which one father will go to in order to save his daughter as Ryan will stop at nothing to get her home safely with him and I mean nothing. It also has us questioning how much one life is worth~and what determines who’s life is worth saving more? More importantly, who gets to decide that?
BoneMan’s Daughters will be released tomorrow, April 14, 2009 by Hachette Book Group. Check out the Hachette website here for an author interview and video. Thanks to Miriam for sending me this novel. It’s an awesome thriller and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for some heart-thumping action. You can purchase the book here in the US and here in Canada.
Other reviews in Blogland: Un-Mainstream Mom Reads, Shhh, I’m Reading, Drey’s Library, Book Reviews by Bobbie.
Thanks Dar, for the awesome review!
Wow…this sounds like an intense and majorly creepy book! I don’t know if I could handle this one Dar, but that was a great review!
I’m waiting for mine to come in the mail. So glad to *read that you think it is a winner.
*quick browse – I’ll read it in full after I read it 🙂
I love a good page-turner every once in awhile. I got chills reading your review too. So glad you enjoyed it.
Oh man, does that sound good. I hope to start it in the next day or two.
I’m a Ted Dekker fanatic! I love his stuff!! I too was blown away by House! I’m so excited to go get this now!!!
I have never read Dekker but have been eagerly awaiting reviews as there is a lot of buzz out there about this book! Wow.. I am just excited that you liked it so much and that there will be more good reviews coming…
What a wonderful review! I’m glad to hear you liked it as much as I did 🙂
Wow Dar! that sounds like a great book! I have ventured away from mystery/thrillers as of late because I was finding myself not thrilled or I was left wanting more from the story. But after reading your review, I’m going to give this one a try. I’ve not read any of this authors books, but I think I would definitely like to. Thanks!
I’m so jealous! I’m still waiting for my copy. I’ll hold off on reading your entire review until I’ve read the book.
Wonderful review – I want to read this BAD.
Melissa from Shhh…I’m Reading just reviewed this as well. It sounds deliciously creepy! I prefer a good murder mystery where I get to peek into a twisted mind. It certainly makes it a more thrilling read if you get this insight! Great review Dar!
this sounds great dar, I like Dekker, I read ‘House’.
The BoneMan sounds very good.
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/
Awesome, thanks for the review!
I loved your review Dar!! I want to read this one so bad!! Can’t wait for the release date. I’m putting my name in for your giveaway for sure!! I’m game for a creepy page-turner!
Ooooo, Dar. I’d love to enter to win this one. Sounds sooooooo good!
I haven’t read a Ted Dekker book in a while. I’ve enjoyed the ones I’ve read, and this one sounds great. Thanks for the recommendation.
–Anna
Diary of an Eccentric
Oh geez this sounds intense!! Have you ever read anything by Tami Hoag? I just listened to one of her audiobooks, Prior Bad Acts, and I’m looking to pass it on. Wasn’t my cup of tea, but it is kind of suspense/thrillerish (I guess…).
Great review! The more I see these reviews, the more I want to get my hands on a copy!
I’ve heard great things about this author’s books and this one sounds like it would be really good. Thanks for another great review, Dar.
Super review, thanks so much! 🙂
I loved it too and reviewed it on my book blog as well.
It’s a fantastic novel…everyone should pick up a copy!
-Bobbie
Missy,Nely,Marie,Kelly,Anna,Melissa,Wendy, thanks 🙂
Jo-Jo, it is creepy but I love creepy sometimes.
Joy,Kathy,Jenn, I can’t wait to see what you’ll think of this one.
Ti, chills are good when reading a thriller. lol.
Kristina, I really enjoyed House too. It completely creeped me out!
Toni, not sure you could read this one; definitely not if you were alone anyway.
Mo, thanks. I enjoyed your review as well.
Lisa, I know what you mean by not being so thrilled sometimes with what is called a thriller. I don’t find that with Dekker’s books. It gave me chills throughout.
Sandy, I like that-deliciously creepy. I agree, I like to take a peek into twisted minds even if it completely freaks me out.
Naida, if you liked HOuse, you’d probably like this one too. Hope you’re feeling better.
Staci, thanks. Good luck in the draw. I’m always game for something that scares me. lol.
Melody, I like the cover too. I only had the arc cover though.
Trish, I’ve never read anything by Hoad but I always see a pile of her books at the library.
Bobbie, I enjoyed your review as well.
Whoa . . . you loved this one. I'm so sad to say that I was extremely disappointed. I thought is was superb to begin with and I think that sustained me through the first half of the book, then it took a dive. I ended up giving it a 2.5/5. 🙁