A deftly penned and riveting read from first page to last, Forgotten Bones showcases author Vivian Barz’s natural flair for originality and a reader-engaging narrative storytelling style. Offering more delicious plot twists than a bag of pretzels, Forgotten Bones is unreservedly recommended…” —Midwest Book Review
“From those first harrowing lines, Forgotten Bones is impossible to put down until the final pages are turned. While the pacing makes for a compulsive read, Barz has simultaneously [created] a multi-layered story [that is] populated by real people—a determined female police officer, new in her job and trying to find her footing, and a brilliant young professor, whose schizophrenia causes him to doubt everything he sees. Then, there’s the ghost of a young boy in clothes that make it clear he’s not from this time. Despite the ghost and the murders, Forgotten Bones is much more than a ghost story or a mystery. It’s about the struggles of mental illness, finding our own path, and the brutal disease that is addiction. With moments that will have readers laughing out loud and others that will transport the characters’ despair to their very core, Forgotten Bones is nuanced and thrilling, fun and unforgettable. The start to a fabulous new series!” —Danielle Girard, #1 Amazon Charts and USA Today bestselling author of Far Gone
“Forgotten Bones is a genre-bending tale, intertwining suspense, mystery, and supernatural horror. From the very first chapter it is clear that this isn’t a run-of-the-mill thriller novel. Barz takes the reader on a murder tale teaming with moments that make us feel as if the temperature in the room is dropping, the light above flickering, and someone behind us creeping ever so closer. A fantastic read for those who love paranormal thrillers.” —Michael Omer, New York Times bestselling author of A Killer’s Mind
“This story grabbed me from the first page and the pace never let up. The supernatural aspect of the story was unique and added to the creepy factor. The characterization was excellent, particularly of an adult man with schizophrenia. I find it fascinating to delve into the mind of others that experience life differently than me, especially when it is achieved with realism and compassion and humor. That’s another thing, the author has a wicked sense of humor that is highly entertaining.” —Debbie Herbert, USA Today bestselling author of Cold Waters
“Supernatural meets Clarice in this thrilling story filled with unforgettable characters with unbelievable abilities. Keep the lights on and doors locked before starting this book. Vivian Barz really keeps those pages turning!” —Matthew Farrell, bestselling author of Tell Me the Truth
“Forgotten Bones is a killer of a novel. Harrowing, tense, and cleverly twisted.” —Kendra Elliot, Wall Street Journal bestselling author
“Meet one of the most surprising crime-solving duos ever: A dogged cop and a hallucinatory college professor. If that premise alone doesn’t hook you, Vivian Barz’s crackling, witty prose will. The Dead Remaining series is original, fresh, and highly recommended.” —Brad Parks, international bestselling author of Unthinkable
“Vivian Barz’s unputdownable Dead Remaining series nails the thriller readers’ trifecta: addictive, breathtaking, and smart.” —Gregg Olsen, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Barz’s writing has substance, grit, and surprise on every page. Her characters are fresh, smart and utterly unique.” —Kendra Elliot, Wall Street Journal bestselling author
2020-06-03
A simple favor morphs into a horror story for a cop and her boyfriend.
Eric Evans is a college professor with schizophrenia who was almost killed while helping his now-girlfriend, police officer Susan Marlan, solve a grisly murder. Uncertain whether the visions that helped him on that case were part of his disease or a psychic ability, Eric is profoundly unsettled. The pair, who are both on leave from their jobs, accompany their friend Jake Bergman, a violinist, and his band mates to a gig in Clancy, Washington, famous as the setting of a popular thriller series. The band members, Jake, Madison, Chuck, and John, have a successful show, but Eric has a bad feeling about the mostly deserted town whose denizens are about as friendly as enraged grizzly bears. After Eric has a vision of a man murdered and buried under a tree stump and Susan finds some evidence, they make up a story about Eric’s overhearing a conversation to tell the local authorities: a park ranger and a totally uninterested sheriff. The stump is moved, disclosing nothing but a dead squirrel. Undaunted, Eric and Susan continue to investigate, making a series of appallingly bad decisions that land the whole group in deep trouble. When Madison and Chuck vanish, Eric’s flickering vision indicates they may be dead. Susan uses her connections with the FBI from her former case to ask for help that may be too late coming.
A creepy, violent tale that leaves you wondering how two apparently intelligent people could go so wrong.