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What the Bones Know
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Expected 24 Feb 26A child's bones, a lost girl, a mind adrift - sometimes what is lost comes back to haunt you...from an award-winning author comes a contemporary gothic tale of guilt, grief and redemption.
In the village of Kiln Creek in the Victorian Highlands, a ghost gum falls in a storm. Tangled in its roots are the bones of a small child and the tattered remains of her clothing, including a pair of bright red sneakers.
Single mum Jude Mees is in her early forties and struggling to get her business off the ground while raising her ten-year-old daughter Katie, and managing a fractious relationship with her controlling ex-husband. But when Jude learns that her mother, Nance, who still lives alone on the family property in Kiln Creek, is showing troubling signs of dementia she has no option other than to return and check on her. And indeed, all is not well at the farm. Nance is slowly drifting off into her own world, and there are other disturbing occurrences. Strange smells, inexplicably wet footprints, a voice in the night. As her daughter starts to sleepwalk and Jude's nightmares begin to take over her days, she begins to wonder whether her imagination is out of control or if something more sinister is happening...
A taut, claustrophobic exploration of what it means to be haunted - by our past, by fractured relationships, by a place we thought we knew and by our own unreliable memories.
In the village of Kiln Creek in the Victorian Highlands, a ghost gum falls in a storm. Tangled in its roots are the bones of a small child and the tattered remains of her clothing, including a pair of bright red sneakers.
Single mum Jude Mees is in her early forties and struggling to get her business off the ground while raising her ten-year-old daughter Katie, and managing a fractious relationship with her controlling ex-husband. But when Jude learns that her mother, Nance, who still lives alone on the family property in Kiln Creek, is showing troubling signs of dementia she has no option other than to return and check on her. And indeed, all is not well at the farm. Nance is slowly drifting off into her own world, and there are other disturbing occurrences. Strange smells, inexplicably wet footprints, a voice in the night. As her daughter starts to sleepwalk and Jude's nightmares begin to take over her days, she begins to wonder whether her imagination is out of control or if something more sinister is happening...
A taut, claustrophobic exploration of what it means to be haunted - by our past, by fractured relationships, by a place we thought we knew and by our own unreliable memories.
- GenresGothic
Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 24, 2026
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About the author
Kirstyn McDermott
50 books93 followersKirstyn McDermott is an Australian author of two award-winning novels, Madigan Mine and Perfections, as well as a collection of short fiction, Caution: Contains Small Parts. Until recently, she produced and co-hosted a literary discussion podcast, The Writer and the Critic, and is currently undertaking a creative PhD at Federation University with a research focus on retold fairy tales.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
(3.5 stars)
"The older Jude gets, the more often she catches sight of her mother in her own reflection. It's not a resemblance she cares for, but there it is regardless". What the Bones Know is set outside of Melbourne in a small town called Kiln Creek during the first lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic. The lead protagonist, Jude Mees, is a cleaner, wondering how she'll support herself and her daughter, Katie, when she gets a call from the post office saying her mother, Nancy, isn't quite right. Through their fractured relationship, and the onset of Nancy's dementia, the novel takes you toward what caused the rift. The 'twist' is telegraphed pretty hard with "the blonde girl" chapters interspersed with Jude's present day.
In the style of Aussie noir, the ominous rural landscape is well developed in this novel: "the quiet, the nature-swollen hush of the place, sinks into her bones like a tonic." What I liked about this book was the way it depicts family secrets as poisonous to all parties, and shows the ripples it made in the present-day Jude and Nancy: "But it never truly goes away, the dread that she's forgotten something crucial, forgotten, misplaced or disregarded." I wasn't quite as convinced by the inclusion of supernatural elements. However this novel moves along, the writing is decent, the characters believable, and the decision not to date a police officer quite sensible, all things considered: "But there's too much she won't ever be able to share with someone who wears a police uniform, and it wouldn't be fair on Thea for Jude to keep that part of her locked away, the key tucked under her tongue, rendering her forever mute."
One mistake that jumped out at me was a character claiming pear cider is "not so sugary as apple" when pears contain more sorbitol (a sweet-tasting sugar alcohol that fermentation won't break down), whereas apple ciders depending on type vary between sweet and dry.
With thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia (HQ) for sending me a copy to read.
"The older Jude gets, the more often she catches sight of her mother in her own reflection. It's not a resemblance she cares for, but there it is regardless". What the Bones Know is set outside of Melbourne in a small town called Kiln Creek during the first lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic. The lead protagonist, Jude Mees, is a cleaner, wondering how she'll support herself and her daughter, Katie, when she gets a call from the post office saying her mother, Nancy, isn't quite right. Through their fractured relationship, and the onset of Nancy's dementia, the novel takes you toward what caused the rift. The 'twist' is telegraphed pretty hard with "the blonde girl" chapters interspersed with Jude's present day.
In the style of Aussie noir, the ominous rural landscape is well developed in this novel: "the quiet, the nature-swollen hush of the place, sinks into her bones like a tonic." What I liked about this book was the way it depicts family secrets as poisonous to all parties, and shows the ripples it made in the present-day Jude and Nancy: "But it never truly goes away, the dread that she's forgotten something crucial, forgotten, misplaced or disregarded." I wasn't quite as convinced by the inclusion of supernatural elements. However this novel moves along, the writing is decent, the characters believable, and the decision not to date a police officer quite sensible, all things considered: "But there's too much she won't ever be able to share with someone who wears a police uniform, and it wouldn't be fair on Thea for Jude to keep that part of her locked away, the key tucked under her tongue, rendering her forever mute."
One mistake that jumped out at me was a character claiming pear cider is "not so sugary as apple" when pears contain more sorbitol (a sweet-tasting sugar alcohol that fermentation won't break down), whereas apple ciders depending on type vary between sweet and dry.
With thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia (HQ) for sending me a copy to read.
January 16, 2026
What the Bones Know is a quietly unsettling read — part contemporary gothic, part psychological mystery — set in the remote town of Kiln Creek during the first COVID lockdown. With bones unearthed beneath a ghost gum and memories slipping like fog through the minds of its characters, Kirstyn McDermott crafts a story about grief, generational silence, and the truths we try to bury.
Jude Mees, a single mother in her forties, returns to the family farm with her ten-year-old daughter when her estranged mother, Nance, begins showing signs of dementia. The reunion is strained: their shared trauma runs deep, and Nance is no longer the woman Jude remembers. The house is chaotic — full of strange smells, muddy footprints, and whispers in the night. Jude wants to help — but she also wants to flee.
McDermott threads the narrative across two timelines, with chapters from the past unspooling toward an event we sense coming, but dread nonetheless. The supernatural elements are subtle, sinister, and deeply atmospheric — enhancing the tension rather than overshadowing the human story at its core.
The novel’s strength lies in its exploration of memory and buried trauma. As Jude struggles to make sense of her mother’s behaviour — and her own repressed past — she’s forced to confront long-held questions she may not be ready to answer. The discovery of a child’s bones, tangled in the roots of a fallen tree, only deepens the feeling that something once silenced is clawing its way back.
Also: full marks for Thomas the cat, and for McDermott’s portrayal of one of the most exasperating — and quietly coercive — fictional ex-husbands I’ve encountered in a while. His needling presence adds a realistic thread of tension that’s all too recognisable.
This isn’t a pacey thriller — it’s a slow, claustrophobic descent into the past, layered with dread and sorrow. A strong four stars from me. Unnerving, atmospheric, and quietly heartbreaking.
Published 24 February 2026. With thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia (HQ) for the eARC in exchange for a review.
Jude Mees, a single mother in her forties, returns to the family farm with her ten-year-old daughter when her estranged mother, Nance, begins showing signs of dementia. The reunion is strained: their shared trauma runs deep, and Nance is no longer the woman Jude remembers. The house is chaotic — full of strange smells, muddy footprints, and whispers in the night. Jude wants to help — but she also wants to flee.
McDermott threads the narrative across two timelines, with chapters from the past unspooling toward an event we sense coming, but dread nonetheless. The supernatural elements are subtle, sinister, and deeply atmospheric — enhancing the tension rather than overshadowing the human story at its core.
The novel’s strength lies in its exploration of memory and buried trauma. As Jude struggles to make sense of her mother’s behaviour — and her own repressed past — she’s forced to confront long-held questions she may not be ready to answer. The discovery of a child’s bones, tangled in the roots of a fallen tree, only deepens the feeling that something once silenced is clawing its way back.
Also: full marks for Thomas the cat, and for McDermott’s portrayal of one of the most exasperating — and quietly coercive — fictional ex-husbands I’ve encountered in a while. His needling presence adds a realistic thread of tension that’s all too recognisable.
This isn’t a pacey thriller — it’s a slow, claustrophobic descent into the past, layered with dread and sorrow. A strong four stars from me. Unnerving, atmospheric, and quietly heartbreaking.
Published 24 February 2026. With thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia (HQ) for the eARC in exchange for a review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March, 2020. Single mum Jude Mees is struggling to get her cleaning business off the ground and while dealing with her difficult ex-husband Michael. Her mum Nance still lives on the family farm in the Victoria Highlands and at Kiln Creek, when Jude gets a phone call and they inform her she's acting strange.
The schools have closed early and due to the outbreak of a new virus and Michael’s working from home and too busy? Jude has no choice but to leave Melbourne and take Katie her daughter, she's shocked when she arrives at her mum’s house, Nance is in a world of her own, and she’s turned into a hoarder and showing signs of dementia. The place smells odd, and Jude notices wet footprints in the hall way, and hears voices in the night. Katie starts to sleepwalk and Jude's stuck and wants to get help for her mum and get rid of the piles of rubbish.
A haunting narrative that explores repressed memories, complicated relationships, motherhood, guilt, grief, the past and is Jude the main character experiencing flashbacks or having bad dreams because prior to her arriving in Kiln Creek; the bones of a small girl and what's left of her clothing, are found after a storm beneath the roots of a ghost gum.
I received a copy of What The Bones Know by Kirstyn McDermott from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an unbiased review. A contemporary gothic thriller which is set during the outbreak of Covid, a strange time and it adds to the eerie feeling of the story.
Four stars from me, something very different to what I normally read and it's full of twists, turns, odd things happening, it even has a feral cat called Thomas and I highly recommend.
The schools have closed early and due to the outbreak of a new virus and Michael’s working from home and too busy? Jude has no choice but to leave Melbourne and take Katie her daughter, she's shocked when she arrives at her mum’s house, Nance is in a world of her own, and she’s turned into a hoarder and showing signs of dementia. The place smells odd, and Jude notices wet footprints in the hall way, and hears voices in the night. Katie starts to sleepwalk and Jude's stuck and wants to get help for her mum and get rid of the piles of rubbish.
A haunting narrative that explores repressed memories, complicated relationships, motherhood, guilt, grief, the past and is Jude the main character experiencing flashbacks or having bad dreams because prior to her arriving in Kiln Creek; the bones of a small girl and what's left of her clothing, are found after a storm beneath the roots of a ghost gum.
I received a copy of What The Bones Know by Kirstyn McDermott from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an unbiased review. A contemporary gothic thriller which is set during the outbreak of Covid, a strange time and it adds to the eerie feeling of the story.
Four stars from me, something very different to what I normally read and it's full of twists, turns, odd things happening, it even has a feral cat called Thomas and I highly recommend.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book wasn’t quite what I was expecting. There are some taut psychological thriller moments, and some supernatural overtones.
This book is set in the era of Covid, in Victoria, where lockdowns were common and lasting. This allows the author to work with restrictions on the movement of the characters at times. The main character is dealing with the breakdown of her marriage, the deterioration of her mother’s health, and a lack of money coming in because her job isn’t considered essential under the Covid restrictions. She starts noticing strange occurrences at her mother’s home. Then she hears of the discovery nearby of the bones of a child who disappeared 30 years earlier, when she was just a child. This enables her to start putting pieces together.
I found this book a little uneven. I thoroughly enjoyed some parts, but found myself getting a little bored in others. It is still a good read on the whole, and worth a look.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for my review.
This book is set in the era of Covid, in Victoria, where lockdowns were common and lasting. This allows the author to work with restrictions on the movement of the characters at times. The main character is dealing with the breakdown of her marriage, the deterioration of her mother’s health, and a lack of money coming in because her job isn’t considered essential under the Covid restrictions. She starts noticing strange occurrences at her mother’s home. Then she hears of the discovery nearby of the bones of a child who disappeared 30 years earlier, when she was just a child. This enables her to start putting pieces together.
I found this book a little uneven. I thoroughly enjoyed some parts, but found myself getting a little bored in others. It is still a good read on the whole, and worth a look.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for my review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What the Bones Know is a psychological and atmospheric thriller that builds slowly as the story unfolds. Kirstyn McDermott threads two timelines together seamlessly, with a strong sense of place and a steadily building tension that draws you deeper into the narrative.
While the paranormal elements were a little more psychologically intense than I usually gravitate toward, they’re cleverly woven into the story and will be a real drawcard for readers who enjoy unsettling, gothic-leaning fiction.
Overall, this is a compelling, well-crafted novel that rewards patient reading and will appeal to readers of moody, atmospheric stories.
Published 24 February 2026. With thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia (HQ) for the eARC in exchange for a review.
While the paranormal elements were a little more psychologically intense than I usually gravitate toward, they’re cleverly woven into the story and will be a real drawcard for readers who enjoy unsettling, gothic-leaning fiction.
Overall, this is a compelling, well-crafted novel that rewards patient reading and will appeal to readers of moody, atmospheric stories.
Published 24 February 2026. With thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia (HQ) for the eARC in exchange for a review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Close to 4 stars from me for this ARC - a taut psychological thriller with supernatural gothic overtones, set in Australian noir. I'm reviewing in detail for a publication so won't say more here. Glad to have have this book!
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January 18, 2026My review of this terrific ghostly tale can be found in the 2026 edition of March.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews