Nalini Singh’s ‘Quiet In Her Bones’
Affluence, Murder, and the Unceasing Pursuit of Vengeance.
Quiet In Her Bones takes readers on a red herring-filled journey, demanding an answer to the question: “How far would I go to find my mother’s killer?” Filled with twists and the constant second-guessing of characters’ intentions, I finished each chapter in a high state of paranoia.
I have daydreamed about how I would exact revenge if someone dared to hurt a loved one of mine. I’d grit my teeth as I threatened the bad guy over the phone, quoting Liam Neeson’s character from Taken, “I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.” But I know that I don’t have Neeson’s “very particular” set of skills, I am not in shape, and lack the budget for an international mystery manhunt. That being said, there’s nothing I love more than a good “whodunit” thriller, and that’s exactly what Quiet In Her Bones delivers.
A Woman Goes Missing in New Zealand, And No One Seems to Care
When Indian socialite, Nina Rai, goes missing one rainy night in the lush brush of a wealthy New Zealand cul-de-sac, many are left to think she ran off for a life of freedom and luxury after stealing a quarter of a million dollars from her controlling husband. But when her remains turn up ten years later in the deep, leafy forest behind her neighborhood, the entire community is baffled. Nina’s son, Aarav — a worldwide best-selling thriller author — becomes obsessed with solving her case. Not even blackmail and a few near-death experiences seem to stop Aarav as he relentlessly pursues the mystery behind his mother’s death, but his sleuthing does not go unnoticed by the authorities, who begin to suspect foul play as they learn more about Aarav and Nina’s complicated past.
Aarav is arrogant, sadistic, and clearly suffers from the trauma of his parents’ emotionally and physically abusive relationship. After a nearly fatal car crash leaves him heavily medicated, readers realize that most, if not all, of his flaws stem from trauma experienced as a 16-year-old kid when he lost his mother that rainy night.
Although their home was broken, there was love between mother and son, Aarav and the rest of his family. And we see that as Aarav mentally deteriorates, that the only person that can help him is his deceased mother. The line that Singh weaves between the reader and Aarav has you rooting for Aarav, even if he may be the culprit — you want him to finally find peace. Is Aarav a loyal son or his mother’s killer? This question propels your forward, and keeps you guessing until the very end.
A Setting That Is As Much A Leading Character As Much As It Is A Device
The natural beauty of New Zealand provides the perfect backdrop to develop the plot. I knew New Zealand was beautiful, but after reading this novel I was drawn in by the level of detail Singh provided. She transports you to the forest-enveloped roads and wide, open landscape. The landscape is almost elevated to being its own character.
The cul-de-sac where most of the novel takes place, and the fateful night when Aarav last saw his mother drive away, is filled with your typical affluent neighborly characters. At times, I felt some of the neighbors were a distraction from the main storyline and were not needed to drive the plot forward. The juxtaposition of these two worlds, nature and ever-spreading suburbia emphasizes Singh’s deliberate paradox.
Not Your Average Murder Mystery, But That’s What Makes This Novel Worth Reading
Many thrillers take readers for a tailspin just as this one did, but the unique characterization I loved and valued in this thriller was the culture that permeates each page. As a thriller junkie I’ve read Behind Her Eyes, Woman in the Window, Gone Girl, and more. While those thrillers are phenomenal, and readers develop a relationship with characters — this felt different. Singh did a wonderful job authentically describing the Indian culture of the Rai family. I felt close to Aaarav’s culture and it was a breath of fresh air to have multicultural characters weaved into this genre.
Much like how You Should have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz relishes in Jewish tradition — an element conveniently whitewashed in The Undoing, HBO’s loose adaptation — Nalini Singh’s inclusion of the Rai family’s Indian culture enriches the reader experience. The sprinklings of Hindi throughout the book made me feel closer to the characters.
This whodunnit, based in New Zealand’s natural splendor, is sure to keep you on your toes until the very end.
