5 out of 5 stars

Bone Pendant Girls by Terry Friedman is a compelling paranormal thriller that draws in the reader from the beginning and doesn’t let go. The detail of the character building and the fact that the story is told from multiple points of view (including the murder victims themselves) give the novel an aura of empathy that a reader might not otherwise have for the characters’ plights.

Andi has struggled throughout her lifetime to deal with the Otherworld and the beings that inhabit it. Since life has not always treated Andi kindly, she has hardened her heart to the living, except for her best friend Fiona. Fiona is the perfect foil for Andi and understands her quirks and ability to talk to the deceased. When Andi discovers two bone pendants at a market that portray the faces of two young murder victims, she begins to her their voices and stories. Fiona and a cast of intriguing characters help Fiona discover what happened to the Bone Pendant Girls, Bennie and Mariah.

Throughout her description of Andi, Friedman takes time to show, and not tell, the reader the potential ups and downs of being able to communicate with the dead. There are moments of pure joy of receiving a message to be able to help solve a mystery; however, there are also moments of pure grief. Friedman never takes for granted the reader or their possible knowledge, or lack thereof, of the paranormal and how it functions in the richly defined world she has created for her characters.

I received an ARC for review. This review is honest and voluntary.