The Bone Shrine

The Bone Shrine is not your typical crime thriller, mystery, or love story. The novel is all of these and more. Who will raise Grace, born to Mary on that star-crossed night by the Bone Shrine? Why did Joe have to find out that the baby wasn’t his? The story sings with the spirit of Mary. Her teen sweetheart, Joe, longs for her, the girl he’s accused of drowning. Joe’s fingerprints link him to the foul play.


”A heart-pounding, page-turning story…MacFarlane vividly brings his characters to life while conveying the underlying themes of love, teenage drama, fear, trauma, grief, family, and the real transformation of the human heart with utter conviction and thoughtfulness. A clever, smart, and utterly engrossing novel that fans of sophisticated crime fiction won’t want to miss.

––The Prairies Book Review (August, 2021) 


“Troubled and lost, eighteen-year-old Joe finds himself into the middle of a murder investigation after his teen sweetheart Mary dies of drowning. […] With its engrossing storyline, morally ambiguous theme, and convincing, real-life characters, fans of dark crime fiction will have plenty to enjoy. This is an inspired effort from a very talented author. 

––BookView Review (Gold Medallion award)