Inherit the Bones - (Detective Gemma Monroe Novels) by Emily Littlejohn (Paperback)

About the Book

"Secrets and lies can't stay buried forever in Cedar Valley. In the summer, hikers and campers pack the small Colorado town's meadows and fields. And in the winter, skiers and snowboarders take over the mountains. Season by season, year after year, time passes and the lies, like the aspens and evergreens that surround the town, take root and spread deep. Now, someone has uncovered the lies, and it is his murder that continues a chain of events that began almost forty years ago. Detective Gemma Monroe's investigation takes her from the seedy grounds of a traveling circus to the powerful homes of those who would control Cedar Valley's future"--

Book Synopsis

"I couldn't put down Inherit the Bones. Small town Colorado police detective Gemma Monroe is a human and fallible heroine I can't wait to meet again, and Littlejohn's prose is lyrical and gripping--the book is a sure bet for one of the finest debut novels of the year."
--Deborah Crombie

Secrets and lies can't stay buried forever in Cedar Valley.

In the summer, hikers and campers pack the small Colorado town's meadows and fields. And in the winter, skiers and snowboarders take over the mountains. Season by season, year after year, time passes and the lies, like the aspens and evergreens that surround the town, take root and spread deep.

Now, someone has uncovered the lies, and it is his murder that continues a chain of events that began almost forty years ago. Detective Gemma Monroe's investigation takes her from the seedy grounds of a traveling circus to the powerful homes of those who would control Cedar Valley's future.

Six-months pregnant, with a partner she can't trust and colleagues who know more than they're saying, Gemma tracks a killer who will stop at nothing to keep those secrets buried.

Beautifully written with a riveting plot and a richly drawn cast of characters, Inherit the Bones is a mesmerizing debut from Emily Littlejohn.

Review Quotes

"In her well-crafted debut, Emily Littlejohn skillfully captures life in a small town--and the insidious secret keeping that can come with it. Inherit the Bones is the perfect fall page-turner."--Real Simple Magazine

"Littlejohn writes with assurance and skill. The story's plotting is sure-footed, and the characters are well developed and believable...Highly recommended."--Library Journal (starred review, Debut of the Month)

"If you read only one debut mystery this year, make it this one. Inherit the Bones is that good. Compelling writing, a stunning setting in a Colorado ski town, a plot that twists with surprises, and a police deputy who happens to be six-months pregnant--I loved all of it."--Margaret Coel

"Engrossing...The charming setting, engaging characters, and adroit pacing will keep [readers] turning the pages."--Publishers Weekly

"Presenting investigations into two different worlds gives Littlejohn, in her mystery debut, an opportunity to show her skills in drawing real characters and presenting them from the viewpoint of her appealing protagonist."--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

EMILY LITTLEJOHN was born and raised in southern California and now lives in Colorado. If she's not writing, reading, or working at the local public library, she's enjoying the mountains with her husband and sweet old dog. She has a deep love of horror stories, butter pecan ice cream, and road trips. Inherit the Bones is her first novel.