As in The Vanished Bride, we again open with a brief introduction that takes place several years after the events of the story we are about to read, when only Charlotte remains of the Bronte family. In her loneliness, she looks back at a time she holds dear because she still had her father, her brother, and her dear sisters nearby. But in spite of the warmth and kindness she feels from thinking of her family, this is a case that still strikes fear deep into her heart.

The Brontë’s beloved housekeeper Tabby plays a larger role in The Diabolical Bones as she is the one who brings the sisters’ attention to the fact that a set of bones has been discovered at the home of the Bradshaws, where they were hidden in a room closed off for several years. Worst of all, these bones clearly belonged to a child.

Clifton Bradshaw is not looked on favourably by many, with some in the village saying he had sold his soul to the devil long ago. But such a simple explanation will certainly not satisfy Charlotte, Emily, and Anne and they begin to thoroughly investigate the matter, in hopes of ultimately putting the child to rest, as well as discovering the murderer.

There are many truly heartfelt (and even occasionally heart breaking) moments in the conversations between the Bronte siblings. They talk, plan, laugh together, and challenge each other in ways that anyone with a sibling will undoubtedly recognise. They clearly genuinely love each other and they each seem to feel it when they have hurt one another. It is extremely endearing and makes the years separating today from 1846 seem to fall away.

The mystery itself is exciting and full of twists and turns throughout. The Diabolical Bones is perfect for fall and winter (for us seasonal-mood readers) as the wintery isolated setting and consistently spooky vibes are front and center throughout the story.

The Diabolical Bones is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up The Diabolical Bones? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Haworth Parsonage, February 1846: The Brontë sisters— Anne, Emily, and Charlotte—are busy with their literary pursuits. As they query publishers for their poetry, each sister hopes to write a full-length novel that will thrill the reading public. They’re also hoping for a new case for their fledgling detecting enterprise, Bell Brothers and Company solicitors. On a bitterly cold February evening, their housekeeper Tabby tells them of a grim discovery at Scar Top House, an old farmhouse belonging to the Bradshaw family. A set of bones has been found bricked up in a chimney breast inside the ancient home.

Tabby says it’s bad doings, and dark omens for all of them. The rattled housekeeper gives them a warning, telling the sisters of a chilling rumour attached to the family. The villagers believe that, on the verge of bankruptcy, Clifton Bradshaw sold his soul to the devil in return for great riches. Does this have anything to do with the bones found in the Bradshaw house? The sisters are intrigued by the story and feel compelled to investigate. But Anne, Emily, and Charlotte soon learn that true evil has set a murderous trap and they’ve been lured right into it…

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Imagining Charlotte, Anne, and Emily Brontë as “detectors” in conjunction with their writings, The Vanished Bride sees the sisters work together (along with their brother Branwell) to try and solve a strange disappearance of a young bride who lives nearby. The sisters are friends with the governess in the home of the missing woman and they use this as their entrance into the case. Soon discovering that the wealth of the man of the house is keeping the constables and any other type of law enforcement away, the Brontë’s sink their teeth into the mystery, and are off on an amazing adventure that is a joy to follow.

Ellis herself describes a life-long love affair with the Brontë sisters, and that is demonstrably clear throughout this novel. She does an excellent job of presenting each sister as her own unique person. For a “Brontë-novice” like myself, it takes very few pages before their separate, distinct characters become clear.

Anne is sweet and kind, clearly demonstrating how her emotions lead her, and she is dearly loved by most everyone she meets. Charlotte is the one in charge. She is an excellent peace-maker when the siblings are all working together, and does a great job of maintaining balance. Emily is impulsive and follows her mind (in a way that was unheard of for women in the 1840’s).

Emily is easily my favourite, and while Charlotte seems “in charge” of the siblings, Emily is the one leading the way, and pushing them out of their comfort zones. Her confidence, pluck, and sass are clearly visible throughout the novel, but my favourite passage sums her up perfectly.

“Although Emily had never before broken into the manor house of a suspected murderer in the dead of night, it didn’t occur to her once that this wasn’t something she wouldn’t be perfectly good at.”

The character of each sister shines in her own way, and that help push the feminist ideas presented throughout the story in a perfectly palatable manner. The reader may or may not realise he or she is getting a heaping portion of feminism, delivered in exactly the right way. These women are strong, and while they (mostly) follow the societal rules for woman in that time, their frank discussions of such things make the reader realise how much things have changed while simultaneously realising how much still needs to change.

I enjoyed the way Ellis paired different siblings up throughout the story as they went about trying to accomplish different parts of their mission. Sometimes Emily rode to town with Branwell, another times she might find clues by herself, and still other times she went to talk to a potential witness with Charlotte and Anne. On occasion, Charlotte may be paired with Branwell, or she might be working with Anne. The changing and rearranging of the characters, so that we could see these different interactions, both helped the reader learn even more about each sibling, and it also helped keep the story moving forward. It often reminded me of how good television shows will mix up which characters spend time together, and it always helps keep things fresh and interesting.

While the mystery is engaging and well told, it is the social commentary liberally sprinkled throughout that has stayed with me. The author’s note at the end of the book (no spoilers, I promise) reflects on her reasoning behind the creation of this story, and as someone who had honestly never read much of anything by the Brontë sisters, it really spoke to me. Anyone reading this book has lived his or her entire life in a world where both men and women have become writers, often to great acclaim. It is incredibly difficult to imagine the world in the time of the Brontë’s. The very fact that they desired a life as rich and fulfilling as their male counterparts was almost unheard of. It was ground-breaking in their day just to want, and speak to, the desire for something so fundamental now. Focusing on the “historical” part of this tale of historical fiction, these were remarkable women and their bravery needs to be understood, remembered, and celebrated.

I enjoyed this book immensely and I truly hope Bella Ellis continues to write more Brontë Sisters mysteries.

The Vanished Bride is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.

Will you be picking up The Vanished Bride? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Before they became legendary writers, Charlotte Brontë, Emily Brontë, and Anne Brontë were detectors in this charming historical mystery…

Yorkshire, 1845. A young wife and mother has gone missing from her home, leaving behind two small children and a large pool of blood. Just a few miles away, a humble parson’s daughters–the Brontë sisters–learn of the crime. Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë are horrified and intrigued by the mysterious disappearance.

These three creative, energetic, and resourceful women quickly realize that they have all the skills required to make for excellent “lady detectors.” Not yet published novelists, they have well-honed imaginations and are expert readers. And, as Charlotte remarks, “detecting is reading between the lines–it’s seeing what is not there.”

As they investigate, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne are confronted with a society that believes a woman’s place is in the home, not scouring the countryside looking for clues. But nothing will stop the sisters from discovering what happened to the vanished bride, even as they find their own lives are in great peril…

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