Book Review: Bones of Contention by Jeanne Matthews

Move over Agatha Christie; there is a new mystery writer on the block, and her debut novel shows that she has the skills to become the new queen of the Manor House mystery. Bones of Contention by Jeanne Matthews is a fantastic read, well-paced with interesting characters and an abundance of plot twists. This novel could easily become one of the hits of the summer.

Matthews uses Bones of Contention to introduce readers to Dinah Pelerin, a former anthropologist with a thorny past who will be the star of a series of mystery novels. Readers are also introduced to Dinah's family, an eclectic mix of new-money Southerners, each with more skeletons in their closet than the last. Dinah, along with her family members, have traveled to the northern reaches of Australia to attend to a man she calls Uncle Cleon, a terminal cancer patient who has decided to forgo further treatment and commit doctor-assisted suicide.

Right from the start of the novel, readers are treated to rich descriptions of scenery, characters, and even dialect. Matthews has a keen sense of how to paint a picture of a scene, though the Australia tourism board may not appreciate her efforts at describing some of the less attractive portions of that country. However, it is with the central characters that Matthews's skills really shine. Reading each chapter of Bones of Contention is like peeling another layer off an onion as characters reveal flaws and bits of their personal histories.

The real mystery in the novel begins when Desmond Fisher, the doctor who is set to help Uncle Cleon die, falls victim to an apparent murder himself. The family squabbles over petty slights and potential inheritances that had preceded this death suddenly take a turn for the worse, especially when a surprise guest to the secluded resort suddenly appears. Dinah, who had tried valiantly to stay above these fights to this point, is thrust into the middle of this new mystery - finding out who killed Dr. Fisher and if he was even the actual target of the crime.

As Dinah investigates, the reader is taken along on the roller coaster of information, speculation, and intrigue. Matthews includes a number of twists and turns in pursuit of answers to this mystery, but each follows the last in a logical and well-plotted manner. There are no large, inexplicable gaps in the mystery or the story, and while the reader may not have been able to see them coming, each twist makes sense, right up to the very final act.

Bones of Contention is set to be released by Poison Pen Press on June 1, 2010. The timing is no accident, as this book will make an excellent beach-read. The 320-page hardcover will hit stores with a list price of $24.95.