Review of, The Bones Of Amoret, by Arthur Herbert

I hope you’re all doing well on this Sunday morning at the tail end of summer. Yesterday, we did our annual apple picking road trip with a side of pumpkin harvesting. I can already smell ghosts of future apple crisp and pumpkin pie baking in the oven.

But from the post’s title, you can see that I’m not here to talk about pie. So, let’s get started, shall we?

What’s it About?

Amoret, Texas, 1982. Life along the border is harsh, but in a world where cultures work together to carve a living from the desert landscape, Blaine Beckett lives a life of isolation. A transplanted Boston intellectual, for twenty years locals have viewed him as a snob, a misanthrope, an outsider. He seems content to stand apart until one night when he vanishes into thin air amid signs of foul play.

Noah Grady, the town doctor, is a charming and popular good ol’ boy. He’s also a keeper of secrets, both the town’s and his own. He watches from afar as the mystery of Blaine’s disappearance unravels and rumors fly. Were the incipient cartels responsible? Was it a local with a grudge? Or did Blaine himself orchestrate his own disappearance? Then the unthinkable happens, and Noah begins to realize he’s considered a suspect.

Paced like a lit fuse and full of dizzying plot twists, The Bones of Amoret is a riveting whodunit that will keep you guessing all the way to its shocking conclusion.

My take:

The entire book is written in first person, Noah’s, with a folksy, “come sit on the porch for a spell,” narration. I found it quite appealing, almost endearing, in fact.

In his late eighties at the telling, Noah is a man conflicted and remorseful about the past . . . the moral fiber of his character is subjective, which for me, made him all the more realistic.  Personally, I think he’s a man with good intentions, but things just often got out of hand.

As the blurb suggests, there are some great plot twists, none of which I found to be “edge of your seat”, but well orchestrated with a bit of, “Gotcha!”

The writing style was river rock smooth, with plenty of creative slang that brought a smile.

I’d recommend this book to those who enjoy a good mystery under the backdrop of ‘Big sky’ country.

Meet Arthur:

Arthur Herbert was born and raised in small town Texas. He worked on offshore oil rigs, as a bartender, a landscaper at a trailer park, and as a social worker before going to medical school. He chose to do a residency in general surgery, followed by a fellowship in critical care and trauma surgery. For the last eighteen years, he’s worked as a trauma and burn surgeon, operating on all ages of injured patients. He continues to run a thriving practice.

His second novel, The Bones of Amoret, is set to be released on April 1, 2022 through Stitched Smile Publishers.

Arthur currently lives in New Orleans, with his wife Amy and their dogs. Arthur loves hearing from readers, so don’t hesitate to email him at arthur@arthurherbertwriter.com.

Grab a copy:

Amazon.com

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