What do readers think of The Bone Thief by Vanessa Lillie? Write your own review.

This book features Native archaeologist, Syd Walker, who works for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Syd is called in as some skeletal bones have been stolen from a summer camp. There's also a missing Native girl, and the authorities have stopped looking. Syd has had luck finding missing girls before. She is racing against time to solve both crimes.

I was drawn into the story quickly. This one was a fascinating read, and I enjoyed the cultural learning. I really like Syd's character. There is good continuation of the story from the earlier book. I will watch for future books by Indigenous author Vanessa Lillie.

This book was interesting and full of strong female characters. It tells a story of how the indigenous population in Rhode Island had their land stolen from them and how they are still being exploited by the white characters in the story. Overall, I enjoyed the book and think it worth reading by everyone just to learn some of the history that isn't often told.

In Vanessa Lillie's The Bone Thief, there are all the elements of a good mystery: A young girl's disappearance, skeletal remains found unexpectedly, a strange town filled with eccentric socialites, a probing archeologist, and a history of violence against the Native Americans in the area. This book was difficult to put down as the story unfolded and the characters materialized. I found myself wishing I had read the first book in the series, Blood Sisters, first, but it wasn't necessary to follow the storyline.

Syd Walker is a BIA archeologist taking over for her retired mentor, Bud Russell. She is unexpectedly drawn into the wealthy world of the Founder's Society, the descendants of the first colonists to the Narragansett, Rhode Island area, by the discovery of a female skeleton with Native ties. While she works to discover the origin of the remains and the manner of death, she is confronted by strange disappearances, which spur the memory of her vanished sister, Naomi, and the dark hostility surrounding the murky town. The truth is finally revealed as centuries of historical violence and modern archeology clash in the complexity of parallel narratives.

I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of good mystery, American archeology, or just good story-telling.

This was my first book by author Vanessa Lillie, and this book is actually a sequel to her first book called Blood Sister. Although I had not read Blood Sisters, I can say that this book can be read as a stand alone. That being said, I think reading Blood Sisters first would enhance the readers experience of this story. When I first started reading The Bone Thief, there was some background information that was not clear and I found I was slightly confused but soon enough the author gives enough info that I understood the premise of the first book without the author having to go into too much info for those readers who had read the first book, smart writing and the author gets point in my book for that!

This is a story of a BIA indigenous anthropologist who has some background trauma she is dealing with while trying to solve a mystery and possible murder navigating tribal and non tribal lands. Topics include tribal jurisdiction limitations, and the misappropriation of indigenous remains and funerary objects which is a significant and relevant issue still today highlighting how important it is for universities and museums to return what the author beautiful describes as the tribals personal "belongings." The connection to missing and murdered indigenous women and girls is also relevant to today's indigenous population and adds another layer of complexity to this story.

These indigenous topics and the twist and turns in this thriller/mystery story would make a great bookclub pick to discuss. If you enjoyed Angeline Boulley's Fire Keepers Daughter or Warrior Girl Unearthed, Nick Medina's Sisters of the Lost Nation or The Hatak Witches by Devon A. Mihesuha then I think you will enjoy this book

Thank you to BookBrowse, NetGalley, and Berkeley for this advanced copy for my honest review.

I would also like to thank the Author Vanessa Lillie for another incredible story giving her present tribal members and their ancestors a voice.

First, thanks to Bookbrowse for a prepub copy. The story itself has two dominant subjects: the past and the present of an event in 1675 resulting in massacre of Narragansetts in Rhode Island. While "history is written by the winners," Vanessa Lillie has provided a fascinating story that includes theft, murder, kidnapping, sales of artifacts as well as a compelling view of present community life.

Very readable, a great book discussion book along with her earlier novel Blood Sisters. The novel has several plot lines, and I found myself a little confused by some characters' actions. A little more detail of the minor characters would be helpful.

I'm so glad to have read The Bone Thief because it spurred a deep interest in the history of which so little is common knowledge yet so much is tragic. I look forward to her and other writers' books on the subject. Ms. Lillie has helpfully provided sources of other information.

The Bone Thief by Vanessa Lillie is part mystery and part modern Native American Heritage. Part of the book set in Oklahoma and the rest in Rhode Island on the land of the Narragansett Native Americans in 2008. You will meet the main character Syd who is an archaeologist and she is tasked with finding out who is stealing bones from the dig sites. Not only is she dealing with this problem but she has demons of her own to solve. There are secrets and betrayal in this book.

This book is easy to read as well as drawing the reader into the mystery. There is tension between Syd, her campers, the tribe, and several adults. Who is the bone thief and why?

Vanessa Lillie tells a powerful story that mixes mystery, history, and identity. The main character, Syd, is a brave and smart woman who cares a lot about her Native American heritage. She's strong but also going through tough emotions. She wants to help her community, but she's also figuring out who she is.

This book is more than just a mystery. It talks about important ideas like family, justice, and belonging. If you like stories that keep you guessing but also make you think, The Bone Thief is a great choice. It helps readers understand Native American culture in a respectful way while keeping you on the edge of your seat.

I would recommend you to read this book.

The Bone Thief by Vanessa Lillie

This is the second book of the Syd Walker series. Unfortunately, I did not realize that when I read it, so my rating may be lower because of that. While it is a stand alone, there is a lot about the character and her past, that comes into play in this book that I feel would make the book a 5 rather than the 4 I'm giving it. However the novel is an extremely unique thriller that deals with Native Americans and issues that they face.

While giving a bit of history, a bit of politics, there is still a fun mystery intertwined, as well as, a bit of a love story. Not all authors can juggle this many plot lines, but Lillie does it and does it well. The writing is strong, characters well drawn, and there is a delightful sense of spookiness and magic that is weaved in. My only issue besides not having read book 1 is that some of the plot lines seemed a bit over the top, but then I read her notes at the back and most of the rituals, and other things I thought were too much actually happened! Many thanks to Bookbrowse.com, NetGalley.com and Penguin Random House for the ARC for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up
This book was one of my highly anticipated novels for 2025, and I was so happy to receive an advanced reader copy via BookBrowse and Berkley/NetGalley.

Blood Sisters was an excellent reading experience for me, and The Bone Thief was very good, but I still loved Blood Sisters even more. We join our MC Syd Walker, archaeologist with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) as she delves into another mystery involving a missing girl, and stolen bones on the Narragansett tribal land in Rhode Island. The mystery is detailed, twisty and involves a lot of characters.

I did love how the story unfolded, but I admit at times I got confused about what was going on as some events were happening quickly and not completely fleshed out.
There is no doubt I will continue to read anything Lillie writes and hope to continue following Syd and all her friends and family in their adventures.