Nothing but the Bones is the fourth novel set in Bull Mountain by Brian Panowich. Released 16th April 2024 by Macmillan on their St. Martin's imprint, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out from the same publisher in March 2025. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.
This is an exceptionally well written, albeit gritty/graphic crime novel. The characters are so well rendered and believable (quite often horrifyingly so). The story is peopled with flawed, broken, criminal, bloody characters and the descriptions are unflinching.The story arc staggers from one catastrophic occurrence to the next and it's almost impossible to just look away. It's a compelling story, well told, but not at all pleasant.
There's a jagged honesty in Mr. Panowich's narrative. The denouement and resolution are satisfying but it's a bumpy ride to get there. Despite being the 4th book, it works well as a standalone (and seems to be a prequel and side story to the first books).
Four stars. Recommended for fans of Joe R. Lansdale, Michael Connolly, Denis Lehane, and Robert B. Parker.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
