Really Ravishing Review (The Altar of Bones)

Review of The Altar of Bones, by Philip Carter. 

Quickie: A fast-paced new thriller. Loved the conspiracy, it was devilish!

Full: Zoe Dmitroff is on the run. She's got a postcard of riddles, a letter from her recently murdered grandmother, and no idea what she's looking for or running from. She's left her entire life behind- her precious kitties and her career defending abused and neglected wives- to puzzle out her grandmother's cryptic clues and discover her own ancestry.

Ry O'Malley is waiting. He's out for blood, but he must unravel the threads surrounding his priestly brother's murder and follow his father's sordid history back until he uncovers the truth and sets things right.

But what is The Altar of Bones? Nobody really seems to know- but everyone wants it. In fact, they want it so badly they're willing to kill for it. And they do. Could it be just a hidden altar made of bones and that's all? Or is it something more? Is it even an altar? Or is it what some folks believe- a fountain of youth. Ry and Zoe have to find out the secret of the altar before they're both killed and the secret's either lost forever or lands in the wrong hands.

What an interesting book. There is a lot of action- I mean a lot. I really loved most of the suspense and edge-of-your-seat action, but there were a few times when I had to put the book down because I was simply exhausted from it all. One car chase in particular would have been a sight to see on the big-screen, but felt too long in a book. I lost my steam in that one. I actually sighed and thought, "Okay, I get it. You're being chased, can we move on?" Other than that though, I did enjoy the suspense and mystery surrounding the conspiracy. And what a conspiracy! I can't say much without spoiling, but I can say that I never saw that one coming. It was a fascinating choice.

Ry and Zoe are adorable. I loved them both from the start. Their romance was intense and believable, but didn't get in the way of the mystery. It developed naturally and slowly, as it should.

A little predictable at times, but that wasn't necessarily bad. It would be a great movie for sure.

All in all, I enjoyed reading The Altar of Bones.

4 out of 5 stars.