Hollow Bones

The inequities of life are explored in this literary mystery, highlighting the ever-present truism that power corrupts. Erica Wright masterfully reimagines Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure in the setting of the small town of Vintera, West Virginia. The lives and actions of three women are pitted against unsettling obstacles, both mundane and catastrophic.

The central protagonist is twenty-year-old Essa Montgomery, the docile daughter of the deceased preacher of the New Hope Pentecostal Church, who was bitten while handling a serpent in the course of pursuing his religious dogma. Essa now lives in the rectory across from the church, a constant daily reminder of what was. She must observe the charismatic, yet smarmy, new pastor, Micah Granieri, as he enchants his burgeoning congregation with less-than-honest sermons, falsely wielding the serpents. He champions himself as a prophet and savior to the drug-addicted, promising relief for his “true” followers. Essa has worked at the Vintera Wildlife Investigation Lab for the past four years under the watchful eye of Dr. Wick Kester, who has fostered a welcoming life for her with the possibility of education and advancement.

Essa is approached by the local police. Earlier that morning, the church was destroyed by a massive fire that not only consumed the building but also took the lives of two teenagers (apparently caught unaware during a tryst). The police seek Essa’s help in coaxing a confession from her brother Clyde, the only suspect. It is common knowledge that Clyde angrily confronted and even cut Micah in the past. This event draws other women into the web of deceit. Juliet Usher, who scratches out a living as a medium, is the pregnant girlfriend of Clyde and will do anything to protect her evolving family. She is both assertive and ruthless—the polar opposite of Essa. Covering the fire and hoping to discredit Micah Granieri is the opportunistic and ambitious journalist Merritt Callahan. There is no barrier she wouldn’t hurdle to advance her career, and this may be the story to cement her future.

Micah has been infatuated with Essa from afar for years. She is made to feel it’s absolutely necessary to confront the pastor and beseech him to approach the authorities to clear Clyde of any involvement in the fire. He agrees but adds, “I only need one favor in return. Can you guess what it is?”

Erica Wright masterfully weaves together these twisted plotlines into an engaging mélange of escalating tension and intrigue, culminating in a meaningful denouement. The multiple points of view are presented in alternating chapters of the four main protagonists, gradually revealing their motivations, expectations, and fears. Wright propels the narrative and character development with almost magical, lyrical prose, exploring the universal presence of exploiting weakness and inequality to propagate power and fame.

Thanks to Erica Wright for providing an Advance Reading Copy in exchange for an honest review. Although this is my first foray into the oeuvre of Erica Wright, it certainly won’t be my last.