Thank you PRH Audio for the ALC and Berkley #partner, for the finished copy of The Blood Thief in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Berkley / Penguin Audio
Published: October 28, 2025
Summary:
When a Native teenager vanishes from her small town—a place with dark ties to an elite historical society—archaeologist Syd Walker is called to investigate…from bestselling author Vanessa Lillie.
In the hours before dawn at a local summer camp, Bureau of Indian Affairs archaeologist Syd Walker receives an alarming call: newly discovered skeletal remains have been stolen. Not only have bones gone missing, but a Native teen girl has disappeared near the camp, and law enforcement dismisses her family’s fears.
As Syd investigates both crimes, she’s drawn into a world of privileged campers and their wealthy parents—most of them members of the Founders Society, an exclusive club whose members trace their lineage to the first colonists and claim ancestral rights to the land, despite fierce objections from the local tribal community. And it’s not the first time something—or someone—has gone missing from the camp.
The deeper Syd digs, the more she realizes these aren’t isolated incidents. A pattern of disappearances stretches back generations, all leading to the Founders Society’s doorstep. But exposing the truth means confronting not just the town’s most powerful families, but also a legacy of violence that refuses to stay buried.
From the national bestselling author of Blood Sisters (a Washington Post Best Mystery of the Year and Target Book Club pick) comes a new Syd Walker novel that proves the sins of the past are destined to repeat until the truth is finally unearthed.
My thoughts:
After loving the 1st book in this series, Blood Sisters, two years ago, this book became one of my most anticipated reads and it did not disappoint!
I was so glad to be back in Syd’s world, and while this can absolutely be read as a stand-alone, I highly recommend reading Blood Sisters to really get a better feel for Syd’s character.
I love the way Lillie marries real life issues with her fictional characters. The historical elements will have you wanting to do your own research and the issues the characters are facing are not unlike issues we face in our own day-to-day life.
With themes of missing and murdered Indigenous women, land rights and more, this is so much more than just a thriller. It’s a story which is as unsettling as it is powerful. It begs discussion and leaves you wanting more!
Audio thoughts:
Carolina Hoyos was back to narrate this and was amazing! She brings such emotional depth and nuance to the narration. And Vanessa Lillie narrates the author’s note which is not to be missed!
Books in this series:
- Blood Sisters
- The Bone Thief
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