Rattling the Bones

Fran Varady #7

by Ann Granger

Who could be after a harmless old lady?

Amateur sleuth Fran Varady takes it upon herself to investigate an old love affair and a family quarrel in Rattling the Bones, the seventh and final mystery in the popular Fran Varady series by Ann Granger. The perfect read for fans of Kate Ellis and Ann Cleeves.

Edna, the dotty bag lady who Fran Varady used to see living in a churchyard with only feral cats for company, has crossed her path again. Now Edna is staying in a hostel, spending her days roaming as before. But Fran begins to see a method to her madness and, even though no one will believe her, she is certain Edna is being followed. Who could be interested in a harmless old lady?

Determined to protect her from this hidden danger, Fran finds herself digging into Edna's previous life and an old love affair and family quarrel come to light. But by rattling the bones of the past, Fran has uncovered more than she bargained for...

What readers are saying about Rattling the Bones:

'Another great adventure for Fran, solving puzzles with her usual tenacity and guts'

'A well-written and engaging read'

'Excellent plots, great characterisation, excellent and intelligent dialogue'

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Audiobook, British Literature

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published November 1, 2007

About the author

Ann Granger (born 1939) has worked in British embassies in various parts of the world. She met her husband, who was also working for the British Embassy, in Prague and together they received postings to places as far apart as Munich and Lusaka. They are now permanently based in Oxfordshire.

Her first novels were historical romances published under the nom de plume Ann Hulme.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Abandoned. I could not get into it.

[Martine Peacock · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new Ann Granger gets me excited! She's one of those writers I wish would write faster! I love amateur detective Fran Varady and her little-bit-stuffy pal Ganesh. Fran was once homeless and the first novel in the series suffered too much from Ms Granger's putting across views and commentary about homelessness that didn't strike as genuine given that the story is told from Fran's point of view. It was too obvious that Ms Granger had done her research but hadn't been in that situation herself. But this novel was - for me - flawless. The thoughts and opinions expressed by Fran were credibly hers. A romping good read.

[Susan Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not the usual kind of book I read; there's no romance and it's in the first person. Nevertheless I couldn't put it down. There isn't a lot of action but there is a lot of suspense because of twists and turns in the story. I also enjoyed the dialogue. All in all it was a fun read.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to miss Fran. Since the last book in this series was written in 2007, I doubt there will be more Fran Varady mystery books. I really enjoy this character and these stories. I plan to read other Ann Granger series as I like her writing.

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable suspense

[Jane Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this author's books that are centred around Mitchell and Markby, both fascinating characters. This series is about Fran Varrady and I just can't connect with her, so likely won't read any more. I guess I have to love the characters to love the books.

[Kaylol · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought it took too much time for the story to get interesting. The only good chapters are those where the case was s0lved. For me it lacked true action.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

good story fran's detection skills good