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kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
Fractured Truth by Susan Furlong is a compelling mystery which is set in a small community in the Appalachian Mountains in Tennessee. This second installment in the Bone Gap Travellers series can be read as a standalone but I also highly recommend book one, Splintered Silence.
Former Marine Brynn Callahan now works for the sheriff's department but she still does not fit in with the townspeople or the Irish Travellers. She and her cadaver dog, Wilco, are a formidable team but Brynn's substance abuse issues and post traumatic stress are becoming a problem on the job. The latest case she is investigating with her boss, Sheriff Frank Pusser, is the particularly gruesome murder of seventeen year old Maura Keene, who is from Brynn's community. Brynn immediately runs up against her close-knit community who feel she has betrayed her clan by becoming a police officer. She does not fare any better in the "settled" world whose prejudices against the Travellers run deep. Brynn nonetheless presses on and with the help FBI profiler, Joe Grabowski, they follow the puzzling clues. Having infuriated the Mayor, whose son Hatch is a suspect in Maura's murder, Brynn's personal demons could lead to the loss of her job. Can Brynn kick the addictions that she relies on to make it through each day? Will she, Joe and Frank unravel the truth about Maura's killer?
Brynn's troubled history continues to plague her as she settles into her new career. Scarred both inside and out from her military service, she ignores the warning signs she is not as in control of her life as she believes. Her return to Bone Gap remains uneasy as she walks a fine line between life as a Traveller and her police career. Brynn is quite intelligent with superb instincts but her drinking and pill popping are definitely becoming a liability. When her beloved Gran is caught in the crossfire, Brynn's overwhelming guilt puts her in an increasingly downward spiral that could cost her everything she holds dear.
The investigation into Maura's death reveals some very troubling details about the teenager's life. When another young woman is reported missing, Brynn and Sheriff Pusser are fairly certain the two cases are connected. However, since the other teenager is from another town, they are at a loss as to find definitive evidence to link them. As Brynn digs deeper into Maura's life, she becomes increasingly unsettled by the prejudices expressed by both the townspeople and the Travellers. She is also reminded of her own unhappy school years as the investigation takes her into to orbit of her former friends from high school.
Fractured Truth is a fast-paced mystery with an interesting cast of characters, a unique storyline and an intriguing murder to solve. Brynn is a deeply flawed but incredibly likable lead protagonist. The mystery surrounding Maura's murder is quite perplexing and the investigation is filled with unexpected twists. An outstanding addition to Susan Furlong's Bone Gap Travellers series that I highly recommend to readers of the genre.
Former Marine Brynn Callahan now works for the sheriff's department but she still does not fit in with the townspeople or the Irish Travellers. She and her cadaver dog, Wilco, are a formidable team but Brynn's substance abuse issues and post traumatic stress are becoming a problem on the job. The latest case she is investigating with her boss, Sheriff Frank Pusser, is the particularly gruesome murder of seventeen year old Maura Keene, who is from Brynn's community. Brynn immediately runs up against her close-knit community who feel she has betrayed her clan by becoming a police officer. She does not fare any better in the "settled" world whose prejudices against the Travellers run deep. Brynn nonetheless presses on and with the help FBI profiler, Joe Grabowski, they follow the puzzling clues. Having infuriated the Mayor, whose son Hatch is a suspect in Maura's murder, Brynn's personal demons could lead to the loss of her job. Can Brynn kick the addictions that she relies on to make it through each day? Will she, Joe and Frank unravel the truth about Maura's killer?
Brynn's troubled history continues to plague her as she settles into her new career. Scarred both inside and out from her military service, she ignores the warning signs she is not as in control of her life as she believes. Her return to Bone Gap remains uneasy as she walks a fine line between life as a Traveller and her police career. Brynn is quite intelligent with superb instincts but her drinking and pill popping are definitely becoming a liability. When her beloved Gran is caught in the crossfire, Brynn's overwhelming guilt puts her in an increasingly downward spiral that could cost her everything she holds dear.
The investigation into Maura's death reveals some very troubling details about the teenager's life. When another young woman is reported missing, Brynn and Sheriff Pusser are fairly certain the two cases are connected. However, since the other teenager is from another town, they are at a loss as to find definitive evidence to link them. As Brynn digs deeper into Maura's life, she becomes increasingly unsettled by the prejudices expressed by both the townspeople and the Travellers. She is also reminded of her own unhappy school years as the investigation takes her into to orbit of her former friends from high school.
Fractured Truth is a fast-paced mystery with an interesting cast of characters, a unique storyline and an intriguing murder to solve. Brynn is a deeply flawed but incredibly likable lead protagonist. The mystery surrounding Maura's murder is quite perplexing and the investigation is filled with unexpected twists. An outstanding addition to Susan Furlong's Bone Gap Travellers series that I highly recommend to readers of the genre.
nursenell's review against another edition
4.0
I preferred the 1st book in the trilogy but this one kept me reading straight through too.
usbsticky's review against another edition
2.0
This is another one of those books which I loved the first book but didn't like the second one. This is what I said about book #1:
"So overall I liked the book because it was very easy to read, had an interesting backdrop, likeable characters, straightforward plot... and the dog! I will definitely follow the next in the series when it comes out!"
I found book 2 not have the same characteristics. OK, it was still easy to read. The backdrop was still interesting but the author kept reminding us of it; too much I thought. I get it, the Travelers are discriminated against. The characters were still likeable but lacked the intensity of the first book, I felt they were flat and uninteresting. The plot was where it got me, it was long and unfocused. In the end, I just didn't feel it, I didn't feel the characters this time and the plot took forever to get going. I dnf'ed at 64%. I would have thought that I should might as well finish it since I got so far but I just don't care enough about the characters to do so.
"So overall I liked the book because it was very easy to read, had an interesting backdrop, likeable characters, straightforward plot... and the dog! I will definitely follow the next in the series when it comes out!"
I found book 2 not have the same characteristics. OK, it was still easy to read. The backdrop was still interesting but the author kept reminding us of it; too much I thought. I get it, the Travelers are discriminated against. The characters were still likeable but lacked the intensity of the first book, I felt they were flat and uninteresting. The plot was where it got me, it was long and unfocused. In the end, I just didn't feel it, I didn't feel the characters this time and the plot took forever to get going. I dnf'ed at 64%. I would have thought that I should might as well finish it since I got so far but I just don't care enough about the characters to do so.
javamamanc's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
audiobookmel's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars
My review and an extended sample of the audiobook are posted at Hotlistens.com.
This is the second book in the Bone Gap Travellers series. Brynn is a former Marine, who was discharged after being hit by an IED. She was released from active duty with her human remains detection dog, Wilco, who was also injured (he lost his hearing and a leg). So, Brynn is back with her family, who are Travellers or Pavees.
Brynn struggles not only with her PTSD, but also with coming back to living in Bone Gap with all the other Pavees. She is looked on as an outsider because she is half “settled” (which is what they call people who aren’t part of their culture) and her mother left her. She was raised by her grandmother and grandfather. When her marriage was arranged, which is typical for their culture, she ran off and joined the military. But now she’s back and she has joined the settled police department. Again, pushing her on the outside of her group.
In this story, Brynn and the police are investing the death of a young Pavee girl. Her death looks like it was sacrificed in a Satanic ritual. As per most police protocol, they start to look at the people who knew the victim, which in this case are Pavees. Pavess aren’t known for their love of law enforcement. They feel like Brynn is betraying her own by looking into them.
This is a fun, interesting police mystery that adds a bit of a different cultural aspect to it. You can also add in the stress of PTSD and substance control issues to the story as well. I really love the time I spend in Bone Gap.
Narration
I love Amy Landon’s narration. It was her narration that caught my eye when I grabbed the first book. She does a great job with the narration of this book. I really enjoy her Pavee accent (though I have no idea how correct it is, but sounds really good to me). She also has to narrate a large male cast, which she does with ease. The females have great voices too. She also did a really great job with Brynn as she was really struggling in this book. Great work. If you haven’t tried Amy Landon, you really should give her a try.
**I like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
My review and an extended sample of the audiobook are posted at Hotlistens.com.
This is the second book in the Bone Gap Travellers series. Brynn is a former Marine, who was discharged after being hit by an IED. She was released from active duty with her human remains detection dog, Wilco, who was also injured (he lost his hearing and a leg). So, Brynn is back with her family, who are Travellers or Pavees.
Brynn struggles not only with her PTSD, but also with coming back to living in Bone Gap with all the other Pavees. She is looked on as an outsider because she is half “settled” (which is what they call people who aren’t part of their culture) and her mother left her. She was raised by her grandmother and grandfather. When her marriage was arranged, which is typical for their culture, she ran off and joined the military. But now she’s back and she has joined the settled police department. Again, pushing her on the outside of her group.
In this story, Brynn and the police are investing the death of a young Pavee girl. Her death looks like it was sacrificed in a Satanic ritual. As per most police protocol, they start to look at the people who knew the victim, which in this case are Pavees. Pavess aren’t known for their love of law enforcement. They feel like Brynn is betraying her own by looking into them.
This is a fun, interesting police mystery that adds a bit of a different cultural aspect to it. You can also add in the stress of PTSD and substance control issues to the story as well. I really love the time I spend in Bone Gap.
Narration
I love Amy Landon’s narration. It was her narration that caught my eye when I grabbed the first book. She does a great job with the narration of this book. I really enjoy her Pavee accent (though I have no idea how correct it is, but sounds really good to me). She also has to narrate a large male cast, which she does with ease. The females have great voices too. She also did a really great job with Brynn as she was really struggling in this book. Great work. If you haven’t tried Amy Landon, you really should give her a try.
**I like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
mommatea's review against another edition
4.0
Edit: Just finished Splintered Silence (in one day, mind you) and I had to come back here and update the stars for this book. Book one most definitely filled the gaps I thought were in Fractured Truth. There are no gaps, nothing is rushed, as long as you read SS first. Do that (like normal people do, right?!). So so good.
While I didn’t read the first book in the Bone Gap series, I didn’t feel like I was missing a lot to enjoy this book. For the most part it definitely kept my attention. There wasn’t a time that I felt the author droned on for too long, but there were times I felt like it was a bit rushed. I would absolutely recommend this book to others, however I think I would suggest they read the first book first. Not because they’d be confused without having read it, but because I’m hopeful that there’s some details in it that would have them avoid the rushed gaps I have right now. Needless to say, I’ll be reading book one next and actively awaiting book three.
While I didn’t read the first book in the Bone Gap series, I didn’t feel like I was missing a lot to enjoy this book. For the most part it definitely kept my attention. There wasn’t a time that I felt the author droned on for too long, but there were times I felt like it was a bit rushed. I would absolutely recommend this book to others, however I think I would suggest they read the first book first. Not because they’d be confused without having read it, but because I’m hopeful that there’s some details in it that would have them avoid the rushed gaps I have right now. Needless to say, I’ll be reading book one next and actively awaiting book three.
isalaur's review against another edition
3.0
Mixed feelings
I’ve got mixed feelings about book two. While I find the premise interesting Brynn really makes me nuts.
Perhaps I’m too judgmental but I got really tired of her woe is me inner monologue when she is the cause of most of her own problems. The drinking and pills back and forth just got to be too much for me. I guess I like my female protagonists to be kick ass and she is just too whiny and weak for me. And it’s not just that she’s an addict but that she rationalizes her behavior despite obviously being smart enough to see the damage she is doing to herself, her career and especially to Wilco who she claims to care so much about. She has a sense of entitlement that is frustrating and she doesn’t see that she is as judgmental about the “settled” as she accuses others of being about the Travellers.
I guess the overall issue is that she’s just not a likable character for me and I need to be able to root for my protagonists. Half the time I want to smack her.
I’ve got mixed feelings about book two. While I find the premise interesting Brynn really makes me nuts.
Perhaps I’m too judgmental but I got really tired of her woe is me inner monologue when she is the cause of most of her own problems. The drinking and pills back and forth just got to be too much for me. I guess I like my female protagonists to be kick ass and she is just too whiny and weak for me. And it’s not just that she’s an addict but that she rationalizes her behavior despite obviously being smart enough to see the damage she is doing to herself, her career and especially to Wilco who she claims to care so much about. She has a sense of entitlement that is frustrating and she doesn’t see that she is as judgmental about the “settled” as she accuses others of being about the Travellers.
I guess the overall issue is that she’s just not a likable character for me and I need to be able to root for my protagonists. Half the time I want to smack her.
beckmank's review against another edition
4.0
Meet Brynn. An ex-Marine whose partner is her human-remains-detection dog Wilco. They both are survivors of war and have the scars to prove it. Now they work for the McCreary County Sheriff’s Office. In their first official case, they find the remains of a young girl that Brynn knows – a fellow Traveller. As Brynn digs deeper, she hopes to find proof it was an outsider, but begins to worry the culprit is much closer to home.
The mystery in this book was good, but what kept me reading was Brynn. Brynn is a complex character. She is driven to find justice, but her dependency on pills and alcohol to manage her PTSD create roadblocks in her effectiveness on the job. Not only is Brynn having issues fitting in at work, she’s found herself as an outsider in her own community. Being a member of the Sheriff’s office has unwillingly pitted her against the Travellers that she wants to protect.
Brynn is far from a perfect character, making her all the more interesting and compelling. She makes mistakes, she doesn’t always play by the rules. But her motivations are always in the right place.
Fractured Truth is the second in the series, but I didn’t feel like I was missing out by not having read the first book. This mystery was so good I’ll be going back to catch up.
From my review at Hidden Staircase.
The mystery in this book was good, but what kept me reading was Brynn. Brynn is a complex character. She is driven to find justice, but her dependency on pills and alcohol to manage her PTSD create roadblocks in her effectiveness on the job. Not only is Brynn having issues fitting in at work, she’s found herself as an outsider in her own community. Being a member of the Sheriff’s office has unwillingly pitted her against the Travellers that she wants to protect.
Brynn is far from a perfect character, making her all the more interesting and compelling. She makes mistakes, she doesn’t always play by the rules. But her motivations are always in the right place.
Fractured Truth is the second in the series, but I didn’t feel like I was missing out by not having read the first book. This mystery was so good I’ll be going back to catch up.
From my review at Hidden Staircase.
cbking's review against another edition
2.0
Meh. Somehow the excitement of the first book fell flat with this one. It comes off more as a polemic against drinking and drug abuse than a fully fledged mystery about a woman and her community.
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