The Bone Mother by Suzy Aspley: A Creeping Scottish Mystery for Martha Strangeways

Suzy Aspley gives her Martha Strangeways mysteries room to change shape in The Bone Mother. After Crow Moon, the first book, much of Martha’s past trauma has begun to settle. The sequel keeps her recovering, but shifts the main source of its eerie threat towards Orla, her friend. That choice gives the story a fresh emotional center while keeping Martha’s own journey in motion.

The mystery begins with the Cailleach Way, a little-known route across Scotland that runs from Oban to a sacred site dedicated to the Bone Mother, or Cailleach, an ancient Celtic goddess. Women are being encouraged to make the walk as a way to find themselves. Emma is among them. After staying with Orla, she disappears. Her body is later found with one ear missing, and that ear turns up miles away on a railway line, accompanied by a distinctive Celtic earring.

Those details give Martha plenty to investigate. She is trying to return to ordinary life after the events of Crow Moon, but Emma’s disappearance draws her in from two directions: there is work for her newspaper, and she suspects something sinister lies behind the case. When that darkness comes close to Orla, who is heavily pregnant, the investigation becomes personal. Martha must pursue the truth while trying to protect her friend.

A new focus for the series

Returning to a lead character after a strong debut can be tricky, especially when the first book has already resolved a substantial part of her trauma. Here, Aspley avoids making Martha repeat the same emotional ground. Martha remains affected by what came before, but Orla becomes the story’s primary focus for the unsettling events. The shift lets the sequel develop its own tension instead of relying on the first book’s troubles to do all the work.

That change also makes the friendship between the women more than background. Orla’s connection to Emma’s last known stay brings her close to the mystery, and Martha’s concern for her gives the investigation immediate stakes. The suspense comes from watching Martha piece together what may be happening while the danger edges nearer to someone she cares about.

The Cailleach Way provides a strong frame for the story. A route associated with self-discovery and an ancient sacred site brings together the walk itself, the goddess at its destination and the unsettling events surrounding Emma. The source of the danger remains a question for the reader, and the review’s pleasure comes partly from trying to work out how these elements fit together.

Suspense with a satisfying reveal

This is a mystery built to keep its reader asking what is really going on. The reviewer found the number of possible suspects limited, and says that one clue made the villain’s identity seem fairly obvious once it appeared. Even so, the reveal worked for them: a reader can notice the likely answer and still enjoy seeing the case come together. That balance may appeal to readers who like to test their own theories as the investigation unfolds.

The pacing also earns praise. The plot keeps moving, while the strange, unexplained moments add unease without taking over the book. For this reviewer, that mix is part of the appeal: the mystery remains active, but the atmosphere has space to linger. The result sounds suited to readers who want a creepy mystery with supernatural shadows and a clear investigative thread.

Read the first book before this one

The reviewer recommends starting with Crow Moon. The Bone Mother contains enough information to spoil parts of its predecessor, and Martha’s recovery is easier to follow with the earlier story in mind. Readers who have already met her will also have more context for the continuing threads in her life.

The reviewer’s enthusiasm has roots in that first encounter. Crow Moon won the Puzzly in August, and they came across it while heading to Scotland for a holiday. Recognizing some of the locations helped, but they especially valued its carefully made, creepy mystery. Finding that a sequel was already published was a welcome surprise; the signed review copy from Aspley added to the occasion.

The Bone Mother left the reviewer satisfied with its central mystery and curious about the next stage of Martha’s story. Aspley carries the series forward by giving Orla’s safety and Emma’s disappearance room to command attention, while leaving new threads for Martha to follow. The reviewer also thanks Aspley for the review copy and for taking part in Five Books, and plans to try one of the author’s recommendations.