Review | Hollow Bones by B. Narr

Danielle Wright and Luca Navarro are ornithologists hired to save the Caddo Lake swamps. Harper Benoit is a tour guide intent on saving her family business. But they have no idea that something is already in the bayou. Missing children, dead animals and drying marsh hint at something terrible. They have to work together to figure out how to save the swamps and everyone around it.

The bayou had fallen utterly silent with them. As he steadied his sights on the tree line, he saw something approaching. Something big. Mason’s stomach dropped. Despite the suffocating heat, a chill ran through him.

It’s always a gamble trying new authors but the horror community is thriving, and there are always gems to be found. Hollow Bones is an example of such find; a concise, enjoyable novella that I devoured in a day. The atmospheric setting of Caddo Lake is vividly rendered and transported me to the swamps. It was like I could see every leaf crunch, every mosquito bite, every animal remains. The book is separated into different, contained chapters so that each chapter feels like a short story. The writing is succinct and effective. I liked the different perspectives we get of the horrors in the bayou, from the eyes of two boys on a hunt to a couple of workers on the oil pipeline.

The horror genre isn’t always known for representation so I loved that the main characters are three women; two of whom are scientists and one a tour guide in charge of a family business. Not only that, two of them are romantically linked. It was great to see a portrayal of LGBTQ characters where their sexuality isn’t a plot point but a natural part of themselves. All three characters are interesting in different ways and I would have loved to get a full novel on their adventures.

While this book didn’t scare me, there are some outstanding scenes that gave me the creeps! The description of the creature that terrifies the characters is done well while still leaving something to the imagination. However, the ending felt too neat and easy. After the constant threat of danger, I would have loved for the conclusion to be messier and more harrowing.

All in all, Hollow Bones is an entertaining, creepy horror story which combines science and folklore to a successful end. I’m looking forward to reading more from the author!

I received a complimentary copy for review purposes.

About the author: B. Narr

Photo by Mathieu Cheze