My Sister's Bones - by Nuala Ellwood (Paperback)

About the Book

"A psychological thriller about a war reporter who returns to her childhood home after her mother's death but becomes convinced that all is not well in the house next door--but is what she's seeing real or a symptom of the trauma she suffered in Syria?"--Amazon.com.

Book Synopsis

"Rivals The Girl on the Train as a compulsive read (and beats it for style). -- Observer (UK)

In the vein of Fiona Barton's The Widow and Renée Knight's Disclaimer, a psychological thriller about a war reporter who returns to her childhood home after her mother's death but becomes convinced that all is not well in the house next door--but is what she's seeing real or a symptom of the trauma she suffered in Syria?

The One Person You Should Trust Is Lying to You...

Kate has spent fifteen years bringing global injustice home: as a decorated war reporter, she's always in a place of conflict, writing about ordinary people in unimaginable situations. When her mother dies, Kate returns home from Syria for the funeral. But an incident with a young Syrian boy haunts her dreams, and when Kate sees a boy in the garden of the house next door--a house inhabited by an Iraqi refugee who claims her husband is away and she has no children--Kate becomes convinced that something is very wrong.

As she struggles to separate her memories of Syria from the quiet town in which she grew up--and also to reconcile her memories of a traumatic childhood with her sister's insistence that all was not as Kate remembers--she begins to wonder what is actually true...and what is just in her mind.

In this gripping, timely debut, Nuala Ellwood brings us an unforgettable damaged character, a haunting, humanizing look at the Syrian conflict, and a deeply harrowing psychological thriller that readers won't be able to put down.

From the Back Cover

Kate has spent fifteen years bringing global injustice home: as a decorated war reporter, she's always in a place of conflict, writing about ordinary people in unimaginable situations. When her mother dies, Kate returns home from Syria for the funeral. But an incident with a young Syrian boy haunts her dreams, and when Kate sees a boy in the garden of the house next door--a house inhabited by an Iraqi refugee who claims her husband is away and she has no children--Kate becomes convinced that something is very wrong.

As she struggles to separate her memories of Syria from the quiet town in which she grew up--and also to reconcile her memories of a traumatic childhood with her sister's insistence that all was not as Kate remembers--she begins to wonder what is actually true . . . and what is just in her mind.

In this gripping, timely debut, Nuala Ellwood brings us an unforgettable damaged character; a haunting, humanizing look at the Syrian conflict; and a deeply harrowing psychological thriller that readers won't be able to put down.

Review Quotes

"Memorable, jaw-dropping ... harrowing fiction that skilfully draws parallels between the effects of civil war and domestic violence." - Sunday Times (London)
"An elegant, punchy thriller with a dark heart." - The Observer (London), Thriller of the Month
"With a complex plot full of really clever twists, this stylish thriller really grabs you." - Sunday Mirror
"Ellwood's stylish and complex thriller is full of clever twists and grabs you by the throat." - People (UK)
"A winner for those drawn to murky psychological suspense, like that of Ruth Rendell, Karin Fossum, and Flynn Berry in Under the Harrow." - Booklist
"In her thrilling debut...the ensuing twist is a juicy one. I'll look forward to what this talented author has up her sleeve next." - Criminal Element
"A formidable debut thriller, MY SISTER'S BONES rivals The Girl on the Train as a compulsive read (and beats it for style)." - The Observer (London)
"An exciting, shocking, fast-paced read ... a clever, compelling tale full of surprises." - Daily Express (London)
"Brimful of tension, twists and darkness, [MY SISTER'S BONES] grabbed me on the first page and didn't let go." - Woman & Home (UK)
"An affecting debut. Ellwood portrays the horror of witnessing war in a compelling psychological thriller." - Publishers Weekly
"Compelling ... Brimful of tension, twists and darkness, this one grabbed me on the first page and didn't let go." - Woman & Home (UK)

About the Author

Nuala Ellwood moved to London in her twenties to pursue a career as a singer-songwriter, but ended up writing novels instead. She comes from a family of journalists, and they inspired her to get Arts Council funding to research and write a novel dealing with psychological trauma in the industry. My Sister's Bones is her debut thriller.