I was really intrigued by the synopsis of this book; A mystery book written in the 70s is still causing repercussions for the family and friends of the author. Based on an old English folk song, Frank Churcher wrote and illustrated The Golden Bones with riddles and clues to the whereabouts of miniature golden bones, which when reunited with recreate the skeleton of Elinore - the tragic heroine of the song. Wanting to be taken seriously as a ‘real’ artist, Churcher and his son have devised a way of ending the search for Elinore’s final missing piece, but this is where things start to unravel.

The story is told from the point of view of Eleanor, the daughter of the author and a victim of an obsessive fan who thought that Eleanor was the final piece of the jigsaw. It’s interesting to read about how the children of people such as Churcher can be affected by something they didn’t even know they were part of. Eleanor is an interesting narrator, and whilst I did understand why she would be struggling with a renewed interest in The Golden Bones, I occasionally struggled to feel empathy for her. Maybe this stems from me not having the benefit of wealthy parents to lean on, but some elements of the story did feel like she was enforcing a difficult life on herself for no real good reason.

Tensions between Churcher and his long-time best friend Lal come to the fore and it’s at this point that we start uncovering how we’ve ended up where we are now. Secrets, lies, passions and addictions are all laid bare as we come to understand the mystery of the final piece of Elinore’s puzzle,

I hadn’t at all guessed where the story was going, and there’s definitely a satisfying ending, but it did start to stray away from the mystery in The Golden Bones to become more of a book about family dramas and adultery. An enjoyable book and a good one to immerse yourself in.

The Skeleton Key centres around a book called The Golden Bones, written by Nell’s father 50 years ago. Within the book were clues that fans could follow to take part in a treasure hunt, which inadvertently created an obsession that put Nell’s life in danger.

Firstly, this book should come with a warning that you won’t be able to put it down until you are finished. It was full of mystery, secrets and plenty of twists. I loved that there was a story within a story.

I found it refreshing that there are references to the pandemic (the story is set in 2021) and touches on how the characters were affected by lockdown, which made it very relatable.

This isn’t your typical thriller, it is original and the complicated family relationships are written perfectly. Such a fantastic read.

The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly.

This is a wow , can't believe an author has thought this up kind of book . To say it was fantastic is an understatement.
It is quite complex to describe as it's a book about a book , explaining a book ( told you ! )
The very first book was wrote by Eleanors father and it had a cult following , so much so that Eleanor hides herself away from public to get some peace in her life.
It was an amazing read .

The premise of this book is good, but the execution is over-long and contrived. In my opinion there are too many characters and it is often difficult to work out which of the dual timelines the action is happening in. Saying that, there were some intriguing moments and the ending is worth the read!

Part family saga, part mystery, The Skeleton Key is an intriguing novel that doesn't quite conform to expectations.

It might be epic in length, but it's not so much so in scope: Kelly enjoys taking a scene and approaching it from every angle, playing with perspective. This means that you get some interesting insights into the characters, but also that the book is overlong by half.

The characters are all flawed and unlikeable in their own rights, but with just enough depth to make them strangely compelling. In their own way, everyone has been shaped by their place in the orbit of Sir Frank Churcher, and his twisted cult of personality. His influence builds and builds until the denouement is somehow both satisfying and not all at the same time.

There's a lot to commend in The Skeleton Key, but some of it gets a bit lost in its sprawling pages. It sometimes feels like you're looking at a page from Kit Williams' The Golden Bones: it's so rich with detail and meaning and misdirection that you can never quite take it all in.

This is probably Erin Kelly's best book to date, and that's saying something because sh'e's a wonderful writer and I love all her work. It's ambitious, complex, compelling, and atmospheric - ranging into Donna Tartt or Tana French territory. I inhaled it.

Having spent my childhood with puzzle books, finding clues in beautiful illustrations, this book immediately appealed to me. I was unaware of the history, but would definitely have been swept up in the chaotic concept of a treasure hunt.

Told in a dual timeline, the NetGalley format does make it hard to work out where we are in time; it’s also tricky to understand how old characters are at any given time. Considering the role many of them play in the events, this is crucial to ensure credibility of their activities.

Characters are varied, if not relatable. All of them are pretty despicable and easy to dislike. Even Nell is trying to hard to show she’s ‘different’ from her family. Her relationship with Billie is lovely and there are few books showing this kind of ‘family’; the current trend for living on a boat is also one that is only recently being explored and adds a new dynamic to the well-trod backdrop of London.

The Skeleton Key is the kind of book that needs to be reread to make sense of the plot, as clues given are not immediately clear in their narrative, so when reveals occur, the reader may question the language used. Again, the NetGalley format makes this harder as words are in the wrong place. It’s also billed as a thriller, but feels more like a dramatic, family saga as there’s no real sense of anticipation or foreboding.

Overall it’s a great story, with enough mystery and intrigue to keep readers engrossed. Is it believable? Yes and no. There are people in this world who get obsessive over certain activities and events, but the idea that a drunken person can create an entire illustrated book with clues in one night, less so. There are also a few references that seem to be dated wrongly, but no doubt these will be picked up by the editors.

Full of mystery, intrigue and puzzles, this will have readers reaching for their old puzzle books and perhaps inspire others to create new ones.

Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly
This is a fascinating story which takes as its stimulus a novel similar to Masquerade by Kit Williams which was a huge bestseller in the seventies. Frank Churcher, an artist, decided to write a book setting out clues to the location of a small golden skeleton which was scattered around England. He used old folk songs as the stimulus for his ideas and the clues taxed the most ardent of hunters. Over the course of the years some people became obsessed by the story and the desire to find the bones and one in particular, Ingrid, became convinced that the final bone was actually the pelvis of Frank Churcher’s daughter, Eleanor. This led to a terrible attack upon Eleanor and she is seems has borne the brunt of the damage which the book has caused to their lives.
It is now 50 years since the book launch and Eleanor is called back to the house to attend a new launch of the book incorporating a new challenge for the digital age, an app, which will hold clues to the remaining skeleton keys. Eleanor, or Nell as she is now known, is reluctant to become involved with the family and their neighbours Bridget and Lal who have always lived next door and whose lives are entwined with that of Frank and Cora. However, instead of the big reveal of the location of the missing piece of the skeleton there is a catastrophic event which threatens to tear the two families apart.
Gradually events from the past are revealed to us as we begin to unravel the many mysteries hidden in this family. The family are well drawn and you become fully involved with Nell and her desire to protect her ‘daughter’ Billie and her refusal to accept any money from her wealthy family.
We wonder who there is who Nell can trust and there is a roller coaster ride of reveals as truths are finally uncovered and we reach a very satisfactory conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and will be recommending it at my various book groups.
Many thanks to Erin Kelly the publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to read the book in return for an honest review.

There were elements of this book that I liked, and I thought it started well, but I soon found it cumbersome. The vast cast of characters, none of whom seem very likeable, and jumping about in time periods wore me down. I thought the premise of the book was clever but it just didn't hold my interest, especially as I found myself not really caring what ultimately happened to the characters. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC though.

Oh I LOVE this novel so much!! I read it in one great gulp and lost a fair amount of sleep into the bargain! I was enticed by the story of the bone hunters and Elinore and when I read about Masquerade I was gutted to realise I was born two years too late for it. But as much as I wanted to read it for that I stayed for Nell and Billie. Erin Kelly has woven together the wonderful complex and detailed history for her characters and for the bone hunters and what Nell has been through at their hands. What really made this book work for me is that every single cultural reference, joke or witty aside Nell mentioned is something I’ve said, laughed at or could nod along to. I believe at one point she says to her brother Dom “that’s you that is” something I don’t think anyone under 45 would get but had me roaring with laughter. At times it felt like I could be Nell it was so familiar.
There are twists and turns galore and one twist that I totally didn’t see coming but also lovely quiet moments like Nell and Billie being invited for lunch by the ladies on the narrow boat next door.
The ending was everything I hoped for and I have smiled all the time I’ve been writing this.
This is a must read!

I was completely gripped by this book. The story is a clever one, and is well-written. My only slight complaint is that the characters all seem to be cliches, but it is an enjoyable book nevertheless.

I loved this book and will be recommending it to loads of people. It drew me in right from the beginning with such an interesting premise. I was so intrigued by the idea of the book and the treasure hunt. Plus, it's completely believable the way the Bonehunters adapted over the years as forums took off. The characters were fascinating, all different, all believable. I felt invested in Nell and Billie on their boat but really enjoyed them all and their odd dynamic. Brilliant!

Having read my own copy of Masquerade so much that it almost wore away, I was really interested to see how this premise would work out. Whilst for me, the main characters were unlovely, this helped to get to grips with them, their characters, and their parts in this story. Nell has lived with the aftermath of The Golden Bones, and the fandom that follows it for years, and has shied away from any benefit she may have received from it. And being attacked by a demented fan of the book, doesn’t inspire her to change her mind. A really gritty, interesting story, that at times is so fast paced I found myself holding my breath. Highly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

You can always depend on Erin Kelly to write a great story. I REALLY liked this one. Compelling and very unique. I have never read a novel quite like this and it was fun from start to finish.

I wish I liked the book but I didn’t. It wasn’t my kind of story at all, the whole “the golden bones” stuff annoyed me and I just finished this book to write a a review since I recieved this one as an arc. Otherwise I probably would’ve dnf’ed it, which would be a first. Her writing is good, but the story just isn’t for me at all.

Whilst this is a gripping book, there are a lot of characters, sub plots and family sagas. It’s a bit hard to keep track at times! It is the story of a treasure hunt and is Ideal for readers who enjoy a thriller set across different timelines.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advance copy of this book.

The premise of The Skeleton Key is really exciting, mainly because the Golden Bones sounds like the kind of book the kids and I would love to get stuck into. It starts with a bang, but quickly loses momentum, with the introduction of a lot of characters, a lot of backstory and a lot of subplots. I found the middle third quite a drag, with just too much happening to keep me hooked. I was invested in the story and I really wanted to solve the mystery of Elinor's missing golden pelvis but honestly, a hundred fewer pages and a few less twists would have made it a lot more enjoyable for me personally. That said, I know for some people this rollercoaster ride is exactly what they want from a book like this. I found the protagonist Nell hard to like at times, she has so many redeeming qualities but is a little let down by her reaction to events even though her own moral compass isn't always facing due north. I loved Billie though, easily my favourite character who I wish had featured even more.

I can see The Skeleton Key being incredibly popular and will receive a lot of five star reviews. Enjoyable, but nothing earth shattering ⭐⭐⭐

This is a book that keeps you gripped from the beginning. Eleanor Churcher is under threat from the Bonehunters, a weird group of people, worldwide, who are bent on finding the last bit of a puzzle. That last bit seems to be part of Eleanor's body. She is knifed , dare not go out without protection and constantly at risk. It's an icredibly gripping story, slightly unbelievable at times, but so well written..
Thank youu to NetGalley for a review copy, which was very much enjoyed.

'The Skeleton Key' by Erin Kelly is utterly mesmerising tale, weaving dual timelines to create a complex web of obsession, secrets and even a fortune hunt.
'The Skeleton Key' focuses on the joint Churcher and Lally families in the days leading to the 50th anniversary of the publication of the book/treasure hunt 'The Golden Bones' The book is a work of fiction, based on old ballads, mixed with mythology, geography and science. There is a puzzle hidden in the pages of the book and this has lead to a half-century long treasure hunt.
The story opens when our protoganist Nell is walking home from school and provides a dramatic opening scene as we are brought straight into the heart of the Churcher/Lally families and the madness of the 'Bonehunters'. We then turn back to a drunken night in 1979, when the older generation of Lal, Frank and Cora meet and create the initial pages of the infamous Golden Bones book. It is only when we jump forwards to the present day of 2021, that the reader begins to understand exactly what is happening with the two connected families and their intertwined history. How the fifty years since the creation of a book and puzzle about Elinor and Tam have provided the family with financial success but also propelled them into a dangerous spotlight. And now that the 50th anniversary of the publication has arrived, there is renewed interest and a new treasure hunt.
There are multiple timelines and indeed, points of view provided in 'The Skeleton Key' and this serves to provide the reader with a detailed but complex background to The Golden Bone storyline and how the book has impacted on Nell and her family. We also discover how the book came into being and the 'oneup-manship' between Lal and Frank which will eventually have tragic consequences for the whole family.
From the dramatic opening sequence, the pace then slows slightly, giving the reader time to settle into the narrative and understand the various cast and their connections. Then, once the family are united and the recording begins, the pace is ramped up dramatically and the reader is taken on a rollercoaster journey until the final paragraph. There are plenty of 'I didn't see that coming' moments and I really did love this story. And now, I'm off to read it again and enjoy the fun, madness and wonder of The Skeleton Key' all over again.

Too long by half, but readable as hell! It’s refreshing to read something in this genre that’s written so well, and that’s not the only way that Erin Kelly is reliable: she also has an eye for an esoteric topic. I’d never heard of treasure hunt books but they’re perfect for a mystery novel, and perfect for 2022, when inevitably there would be an app for that. I also loved the various sub plots and the family saga elements. I found the ending a tiny bit unsatisfying, but perhaps that was mainly due to the book’s length - I felt like I’d earned something that involved more of the threads of the story.

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the ARC.