Forgotten Bones - Vivian Barz - A Short Summary and Review
Forgotten Bones - Vivian Barz - A Short Summary and Review
By: a.d. elliott | Take the Back Roads - Art and Other Odd Adventures
A Rite of Fancy Book Recommendation and Review
A short summary:
Forgotten Bones follows a criminal investigation shaped by an unconventional and unsettling perspective: a protagonist whose experience of schizophrenia becomes an unexpected tool in solving violent crimes. As bodies surface and patterns emerge, perception itself becomes suspect, what is real, what is imagined, and what others refuse to see.
The novel blends procedural mystery with psychological tension, forcing the reader to navigate uncertainty alongside the investigator. Barz uses altered perception not as a gimmick, but as a lens through which truth can surface in unexpected ways.
My favorite quote from the book:
Questions to ponder while reading:
My review:
Crime-fighting with a paranormal edge, and it works.
Forgotten Bones stands out because it’s willing to be strange. The mix of mental illness, intuition, and investigative logic creates a story that never quite settles into comfort. That instability is part of the appeal.
This is a different blend of elements than standard crime fiction, and it won’t be for everyone, but if you enjoy mysteries that lean into atmosphere and psychological tension, it’s deeply engaging. The unease never fully lifts, which gives the story its bite.
Some books are just plain scary fun, and this is one of them: unsettling, imaginative, and memorable once you close the cover.
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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.
You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.
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