Vanessa Lillie sends archeologist Syd Walker into the world of privileged campers and their wealthy, connected parents in The Bone Thief, a gripping, twisty mystery that poses questions about legacy, violence, power, ancestry, and attempts to control or suppress Native culture throughout U.S. history. Syd is called to a Rhode Island summer camp to investigate newly discovered human remains on the premises. When the remains vanish and Syd catches wind of a missing Native teen from the nearby community, she enters a web of powerful families with white-knuckle holds on their lineage, which dates back to the earliest New England colonists.
The Bone Thief, sequel to Lillie's 2023 novel, Blood Sisters, is both a continuation of Syd's story arc as archeologist with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and a satisfying stand-alone work. Syd, a Cherokee from Oklahoma, lives on unceded Narragansett land in what is now Rhode Island and works for the federal agency that partners with and empowers tribal governments across the United States. This complexity is a crucial piece of the novel, which is both a riveting mystery and a poignant reflection on the far-reaching legacy of historical violence. Syd declares, "The American Dream... only came true by making it a nightmare for those who were already here." Her investigation into the dual puzzles of the missing remains and the missing teen is packed with action and subterfuge. It races toward a shocking conclusion without ever letting up on the bigger issues of truth, sovereignty, and tradition lost to centuries of American colonialism. --Kerry McHugh, freelance writer