The Bone Thief

The Bone Thief by author Vanessa Lillie is the follow-up novel to Blood Sisters, in which readers were introduced to Syd Walker, a Cherokee archaeologist for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. While this series is fictional, many of the events explored within both books are deeply rooted in American history and remain real-life issues for Indigenous people living on reservations today.

Lillie does an admirable job of seamlessly incorporating history with fiction to deliver a thought-provoking, heartbreaking mystery that’s impossible to put down.

BIA Agent Syd Walker has returned to the Narragansett Reservation in Rhode Island when she learns skeletal remains that may be those of a 300-year-old Indian sachem have been discovered on contested land now in the hands of the Founders’ Society, an elite group of privileged people claiming to trace their heritage back to the first colonists. Syd assists in the archaeological recovery; however, she is forced to secure and leave the remains in the grave overnight. When she returns in the morning with tribal members, the grave is empty. At the same time, Syd learns a Native woman she knows is missing, and authorities are dismissing her as a runaway. Syd suspects otherwise and quietly begins her own investigation. When she uncovers a long history of missing girls and artifacts with possible ties to powerful, privileged families within the Founders’ Society, she realizes exposing them and the dark secrets they’ve kept buried is the only way to unveil the truth, even though doing so puts her on a killer’s radar. Syd’s vow to reap justice for the missing women never wavers, even at the cost of her own safety.

Syd Walker is a determined, tenacious protagonist whose own Native heritage makes her the perfect advocate for the rights of the Narragansett tribe; however, she finds herself torn between returning artifacts and skeletal remains to their rightful people and the opportunity to educate all people on Native history by displaying them in museums. The author’s impressive three-dimensional characterizations are realistic, evoking empathy from readers. A tension-laden, multilayered plotline and taut writing drive a fast pace throughout this engaging story, with vivid descriptive passages drawing readers into the heart of the conflict. As I was reading, an overbearing sense of dread, of impending doom, left chill bumps on my arms.

Author Vanessa Lillie draws on her own heritage, life experiences, and professionally researched American history to deliver a powerful, captivating story in The Bone Thief. The high rate of poverty, addiction, and economic struggles are well documented, as are the suspicious disappearances of Indigenous women and the appalling theft of Native artifacts and skeletal remains. Lillie’s mission to draw attention to the legacy of violence and corruption that continues to surround Native Americans today is remarkable and noteworthy.

The Bone Thief is a riveting, thought-provoking, must-read mystery—a perfect blend of truth and fiction that resonated with this reader for days after reading the last action-packed page. The author’s portrayal of American history and the way it binds people to a place over time is amazing. Highly recommended to fans of well-written mysteries that spotlight the injustices perpetrated against Native Americans throughout history, as well as history buffs.