I've not read any books by Erin Kelly before but the beautiful cover and intriguing blurb caught my eye. In her foreword, the author explains that the inspiration for this story was one of her favourite childhood books: Masquerade by Kit Williams, which contained clues for a treasure hunt - the prize being a jewelled hare. In this book the prize is the tiny gold skeleton of a woman, broken into pieces and buried at locations around the UK.
Fifty years ago, Frank Churcher had the idea to write and illustrate a folk tale about a poor farmer who has to find and reunite the bones of his lost love, Elinore. To accompany the story, Frank created a tiny gold skeleton, which he broke up, burying the various bones around the country, with the clues to their location hidden in the text of the book. This book, The Golden Bones, became a huge bestseller and made both his fortune and his name as an artist, but it ruined the life of his daughter Nell. For years she's been stalked by the fans of the book (who call themselves 'Bonehunters') who believe the story is real and that her father hid the last missing piece of the skeleton inside her body. She refuses to accept any of her father's money and now lives incognito on a narrow boat with her unofficially adopted daughter, Billie.
To celebrate the book's 50th anniversary, Frank is relaunching The Golden Bones with an app and a documentary, and is planning on finally revealing where that last piece is hidden. All his family will be there at his house, including Nell and Billie, along with a film crew. Meanwhile, outside the house (and in online forums) the Bonehunters are circling...
The Skeleton Key is a beautifully written psychological suspense/domestic thriller with larger-than-life characters, gothic overtones and a jaw-dropping finish. As well as Frank and his wife Cora, there is Frank's friend, the alcoholic but talented Lal (with whom he always seems to be in competition), plus Lal's wife Bridget, and their children and grandchildren. The story moves back and forth between 1971 and the present day, until we're all caught up with every family secret and every betrayal. You soon appreciate that Nell did exactly the right thing by distancing herself from these horrible people!
The past and present timelines are knitted seamlessly together, the treasure hunt was great fun, and the parts with the skeleton were inspired! And I shall never look at detergent in quite the same way again! Including the legend of Elinore at the end of the book was a nice touch.
The Skeleton Key is a fabulous story, recommended for fans of Lisa Jewell and Alice Feeney.
Thank you to Erin Kelly and Hodder and Stoughton for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.
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