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Moonlight Bones
Dark secrets. Devastating lies. Truths that must never be told.
The chilling discovery of a body at a romantic beauty spot shakes the village of Gilsland. Everybody knows everybody in the tiny hamlet on the Scottish boarder. And everybody has a secret that outsiders must never know.
When Detective Inspector Fenella Sallow and her team are called in, tight lipped locals become agitated. Threats escalate. And it becomes clear Fenella must wade through a chaotic thicket of jealousy, betrayal, myths, and lore in pursuit of the brutal truth.
Soon Fenella is plunged into a lethal game of cat and mouse with a mysterious killer who locals claim is a ghost roused from an ancient grave. A phantom that smites the unrighteous and disappears without a trace. A phantom of many faces. A phantom that can never be caught.
And the deeper Fenella digs, the more frightening are the signs unearthed. Signs of a powerful presence. Signs of a potent menace intent on keeping its secrets buried deep in the soft soil of the scenic borderland village.
Moonlight Bones is another thrilling British police procedural mystery novel from NC Lewis's bestselling Detective Inspector Fenella Sallow Crime Thriller series. If you like traditional detective mysteries with a touch of psychological thriller, complex characters and shocking twists, you'll love Moonlight Bones .
Set against the backdrop of beautiful coastal Cumbria, an ancient land of legend, folklore and myth, these detective books are page-turning crime thrillers that will keep you hooked until the very end.
The chilling discovery of a body at a romantic beauty spot shakes the village of Gilsland. Everybody knows everybody in the tiny hamlet on the Scottish boarder. And everybody has a secret that outsiders must never know.
When Detective Inspector Fenella Sallow and her team are called in, tight lipped locals become agitated. Threats escalate. And it becomes clear Fenella must wade through a chaotic thicket of jealousy, betrayal, myths, and lore in pursuit of the brutal truth.
Soon Fenella is plunged into a lethal game of cat and mouse with a mysterious killer who locals claim is a ghost roused from an ancient grave. A phantom that smites the unrighteous and disappears without a trace. A phantom of many faces. A phantom that can never be caught.
And the deeper Fenella digs, the more frightening are the signs unearthed. Signs of a powerful presence. Signs of a potent menace intent on keeping its secrets buried deep in the soft soil of the scenic borderland village.
Moonlight Bones is another thrilling British police procedural mystery novel from NC Lewis's bestselling Detective Inspector Fenella Sallow Crime Thriller series. If you like traditional detective mysteries with a touch of psychological thriller, complex characters and shocking twists, you'll love Moonlight Bones .
Set against the backdrop of beautiful coastal Cumbria, an ancient land of legend, folklore and myth, these detective books are page-turning crime thrillers that will keep you hooked until the very end.
474 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 13, 2026
458 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 24, 2026
A gruesome murder in a romantic beauty spot in the town of Gilsland starts off a series of further deaths. The characters in this book are not in my opinion fully formed. The main characters ie the leading detective Fenella Sallow and her sidekick don’t seem as fully formed as in earlier books. The plot kept going off in too many directions and was difficult to follow in some places. As in previous books the author? Is obsessed with the colour lime green. I’ve lost count of how many times this colour has been mentioned. Lime tee shirt, headscarf, jacket, couch, wall paper, etc. Other colours are available! A lot of the dialogue is repetitive eg No,no,no and yes, yes, yes. Also not all northerners say nowt, instead of nothing this word even appears not in direct speech. An American writing English dialect and failing in places. I don’t care for the way Fenella’s mother, who lives with them, is constantly calling Fenella’s husband a fat slob and other fat shaming remarks, especially as she is the one in charge of the household cooking.
At one point during the book the character Fred becomes Ted. The author should employ a good proofreader.
A strange outcome at the end and we don’t know how Fenella comes to her conclusion. No explanation at all. I would have liked to have given more than 2 stars but honestly I was so annoyed with the story, the so called plot and characters that it wasn’t warranted. I won’t be bothering with any further books in this series. Too many inconstancies. A real let down.
At one point during the book the character Fred becomes Ted. The author should employ a good proofreader.
A strange outcome at the end and we don’t know how Fenella comes to her conclusion. No explanation at all. I would have liked to have given more than 2 stars but honestly I was so annoyed with the story, the so called plot and characters that it wasn’t warranted. I won’t be bothering with any further books in this series. Too many inconstancies. A real let down.
February 25, 2026
I couldn't wait to finish this book. (I hate to leave a book half way through) It could have been so much better...I was sick to death of Gus, Louise, Fred...I felt as if I was reading the same page over and over. Everything seems so grubby, low end and disgusting in this fictional town and Fenella is the least plausible detective I've ever come across in fiction. I've had enough of this series. I can't be bothered to follow her any more.
February 23, 2026
not up to the past
This needed a good editor. This should have been half the size it was. There was too much repeating of stuff. There was too much character filling . Apparently we needed constantly to be told about Guy’s past, Gut’s failures In script writing or Louise’s haughty and elite tastes.
This needed a good editor. This should have been half the size it was. There was too much repeating of stuff. There was too much character filling . Apparently we needed constantly to be told about Guy’s past, Gut’s failures In script writing or Louise’s haughty and elite tastes.
February 22, 2026
Good story but bad lay out
The story was good, kept you guessing until the end. I did not care for the way the chapters were laid out. It kept breaking up the story so it did not flow smoothly.
The story was good, kept you guessing until the end. I did not care for the way the chapters were laid out. It kept breaking up the story so it did not flow smoothly.
March 3, 2026
Moonlight Bones is a moody, atmospheric addition to the Fenella Sallow series, with the Scottish border setting and village secrets creating a great sense of tension. The mystery is engaging and absolutely worth reading if you’ve followed the series this far. I did feel the core characters’ personal threads weren’t developed as fully as in earlier books, and the ending wrapped up more quickly than the buildup deserved. Still, it’s a strong, satisfying 4‑star entry.
February 18, 2026
Rather convoluted
These are usually great stories, but this one, with all its twists and turns, became tiring. The twists were interesting and surprising. It just took too long to get there. Plus, the only likable people were Fenella and her team.
These are usually great stories, but this one, with all its twists and turns, became tiring. The twists were interesting and surprising. It just took too long to get there. Plus, the only likable people were Fenella and her team.
March 31, 2026
Beware of conniving women
I really enjoyed this one. There are several scenarios involving women in their middle years and how their lives had been shaped to make them as they currently are.
I really enjoyed this one. There are several scenarios involving women in their middle years and how their lives had been shaped to make them as they currently are.
February 15, 2026
Fine police thriller. Very interesting and fun. The author gets better each book.
February 23, 2026
A great read
Some lovely twists and turns. I’m so glad everyone got what they deserved.
i do love that tragedy goes hand in hand with eating throughout this series!
Some lovely twists and turns. I’m so glad everyone got what they deserved.
i do love that tragedy goes hand in hand with eating throughout this series!
February 26, 2026
jumps a bit
I like the characters but the story jumps back and forth a little to much. But I’m a sucker for British crime
I like the characters but the story jumps back and forth a little to much. But I’m a sucker for British crime
March 13, 2026
Continuing
Good reading, couldn't wait to read what crime my favorite detectives were going to solve! Continued great character development and story line.
Good reading, couldn't wait to read what crime my favorite detectives were going to solve! Continued great character development and story line.
April 2, 2026
A really good thriller. The plot had a lot of twists and turns and the ending a total surprise. I can't wait for the next book in this series to be released.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews