BONEYARD - Michelle Gagnon
MIRA Books
ISBN: 13: 978-0-7783-2539-0
July 2008
Suspense

Appalachian Trail, Vermont and Massachusetts, Present Day

Kelly Jones is a profiler for the F.B.I. She is at the point in life where she is tired of working with the horrors of death; maybe it’s time for a career change? For now Kelly is finally going to take a well-earned vacation with Jake Riley, her longtime friend and lover. She is ready for nothing but sand, surf, a quiet beach with just herself and Jake. At the last minute, she is called into her boss’s office. Special Agent Gerald McLarty hands Kelly a new assignment. A boneyard has been discovered on the Appalachian Trail with bones scattered around Vermont and Massachusetts. Agent McLarty assures Kelly that even though there are five bodies with the possibility of more, it could be a cold case. Kelly will head up the task force, because the bones have been found in multiple jurisdictions. If she finds any Federal statute broken, then the FBI will take over. Hopefully Kelly will only have to be there a couple of weeks. As Kelly walks out the door, the only thing she can think is, "Bye- bye vacation."

Kelly and the forensic anthropologist, Dr. Marvin Stuart, are flown to Clarksburg State Park where the skeletal remains were found. As she looks down on the Appalachian Trail, Kelly is concerned because it is such a popular hiking path. She fears there could be more bodies, because the dense foliage provides abundant hiding places. When the helicopter lands, there is a long line of people making their way slowly through the foliage. Kelly is told the State Police don’t have the manpower to do the search. The local search and rescue teams are working the area with a Lieutenant Doyle overseeing the search. Things are going from bad to worse. Who are these people? Could the killer be one of them?

BONEYARD comes to life as Kelly meets with resistance from the local state police. Lt. Doyle, Massachusetts State Police, and Lt. Monica Lauer, Virginia State Crime Force, won’t stop bickering. To add to the discord, Lt. Doyle won’t release any data that has been recovered in Massachusetts. It is obvious that these two lieutenants despise each other. How can they solve this crime when both refuse to get along? However, Dr. Stuart provides Kelly with an I.D. to one of the skeletons. Randy Jacobs led a very colorful life. Kelly quickly locates one of Randy’s friends, Danny. Danny knew Randy well, and he informs Kelly that their gay prostitute friends have been disappearing for years but nobody cares. After the interview, Danny goes missing and is found dead. The killer is here, the hunt is on, but who will be the next victim?

Michelle Gagnon balances the story by giving each character sharp definition. Kelly’s personal life is kept to the minimum, but she is one tough cookie. The task force members add to the reality of the story with their silly jealousies and bickering. The book takes twists and turns, making BONEYARD a sinister thriller that will keep the reader glued to the pages; this is a good, scary story. But after you read this book, you might want to keep the night light on. Enjoy.

Deborah C Jackson