Synopsis:
Paul Gallo saw the report on the news: a mass murderer leading police to his victims’ graves, in remote Dread’s Hand, Alaska.
It’s not even a town; more like the bad memory of a town. The same bit of wilderness where his twin brother went missing a year ago. As the bodies are exhumed, Paul travels to Alaska to get closure and put his grief to rest.
But the mystery is only beginning. What Paul finds are superstitious locals who talk of the devil stealing souls, and a line of wooden crosses surrounding the woods. Not to honour the dead, but to keep what’s lurks there from escaping…
Review:
“Bone White,” by Ronald Malfi is a bleak, black and bitter book that has yet again proved to me that Ronald Malfi is not one to disappoint. Far from a seasonal read (for once, the sun is shining in the UK) “Bone White,” is a chilling plunge into the depths of an Alaskan winter, and is about as friendly as an arctic blizzard. The tension builds like frost creeping across a window pane- and had me just shivering with anticipation. This hypothermic horror-thriller goes beyond spine-tingling, leaving the reader frozen in fear.
Dread’s Hand is a town buried deep within the Alaskan wilderness. Whilst (as its ominous name suggests) “The Hand,” has a gory history, the locals seem to live in uneasy peace. That is, until Joe Mallory strolls into Tabby’s luncheonette, orders a hot chocolate, and casually announces to the patrons that he is a serial killer. Amongst the swathes of cops and journalists, enters our protagonist Paul Gallo. When his twin (Danny) wound up missing a year ago, his rental car stranded, his communication completely cut off, Paul fought hard for closure. With 8 decapitated bodies unearthed, desperate to know what happened to his brother, he travels from Maryland to Dread’s Hand, determined to find answers. His reception is far from a welcoming one, and when he does finally unravel the truth, it’s far from what he could have ever expected.
The setting of Dread’s Hand is just perfect, and perhaps rivalled only by Malfi’s own “Kingsport,” (Small Town Horror). His writing is as immaculate as always, and as aforementioned, the tension is near impossible to withstand, a cold vice that tightens with every turn of the page. For full disclosure, this is a slow-burn. Whilst never dull, the suspense builds steadily, like snow accumulating, until the weight of it comes crashing down in a bloody avalanche. Critics would argue the story drags, but I find that the building sense of unease is where Malfi excels- the slow and methodical build-up, making the eventual eruption far more unsettling and far more rewarding.
“Bone White” may be cloaked in the trappings of a creepy town and a violent serial killer, but at its icy core, it’s a novel largely about the complexities of human relationships, particularly with the bond between Danny and Paul. Malfi’s character work is as tight as usual, and the entirety of their relationship feels fully realised and very three-dimensional, but it seems to me the most compelling thread to be followed, is the seemingly telepathic bond between the brothers, transcending familial ties, and venturing into the supernatural. Loosely inspired by Henry James’ “The Jolly Corner,” a novella that is explicitly referenced, Malfi explores the ideas of subliminal selves, the haunted self, and doppelgangers. Perhaps the bond between the twins demonstrates how we are inextricably bound to, and thus haunted by those who shape us, even in their absence.
This works particularly well with his use of liminality- those eerie, in-between zones where the boundaries of reality become blurred. The forest surrounding Dread’s Hand, and arguably the town itself function as transitional spaces, in which rationality and reason give way to something far more primal and unsettling. The forest serves as a threshold, where Paul’s connection with Danny grows more intense and disorienting. This sets the stage for the novel’s epic final showdown, a confrontation that feels inevitable and otherworldly. These liminal spaces, neither one thing or another, amplify the sense of unease, as well as encapsulating the novel’s exploration of identity, consciousness, and the thin veil that separates us from our darker selves.
Malfi is a talent that excites me, and I plan to continue wading my way through his back catalogue. I would love to know your favourite? If you’re looking for something shrouded in mystery, dripping with grim, local folklore, and guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat until its final chilling revelation, “Bone White,” is now readily available in both the UK and the US, and demands your attention. Bundle up.
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