“The story is everything.”
In 1986, the quiet town of Bluesummer, Texas, was shattered by the crimes of an elusive serial killer known as The Songbird Strangler. That same year, four lifelong friends—Hayes Sheridan, Troy Terrell, Greer Collins, and Chantilly “Tilly” Price—set out to spend one last unforgettable summer together before college.
Only three of them made it out of that summer alive.
Tilly became the killer’s fifth victim. And all the evidence pointed to one of their own.
Now, thirty-five years later, Troy sits on death row. His final appeal falls to Joaquin Ramos, a sharp, ambitious attorney with the Death Penalty Abolition Project. What begins as a hunt for procedural violations quickly unravels into something more disturbing when Joaquin and his assistant uncover evidence that Troy may be innocent—and that the real killer might still be hiding in plain sight.
Greer and Hayes, tied together by the tragedy, want nothing to do with Troy—or the lawyer trying to save him. But as Greer, now a journalist, begins investigating on her own, she starts to question everything she thought she knew—including her own role in Troy’s conviction.
Because in Bluesummer, justice was swift—but the truth was left behind.
For fans of I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai and All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda, this gripping literary thriller unravels the dark knots of memory, friendship, and the high cost of silence.
Out Now!
Praise for The Bone Nest:
“The pacing is electric, driven by a steady cadence of DNA results, corrupted evidence, missed connections, and alibis that crumble at exactly the right moment. Again and again, you think you have it figured out, but until Gluhm finally reveals everything, you’ll keep guessing. The Bone Nest will easily become your next mystery obsession.”-Indies Today
“More than a legal thriller, this novel bears witness to a man ensnared by the death penalty, inviting readers to consider mercy, justice, and the human dignity at stake when a flawed system wields power over life and death.” – Sister Helen Prejean
“Powerful and dark, The Bone Nest is a compulsive read and written in exquisite prose. As the clock ticks down, a convicted murderer awaits execution. But did he really do it? A cast of memorable characters are fighting to find out. Shanessa Gluhm is a suspense master!” –Gayle Lynds, New York Times bestselling author of The Assassins
“Shanessa Gluhm delivers a masterful, fast-paced mystery/suspense that keeps the reader hanging on every word, every revelation, and every deception that pushes its way to the surface. The plot is captivating; however, the dynamic characterization drives the reader’s engagement.”-Lone Star Literary Life
“With beautiful prose, memorable characters, and more than enough twists to keep you coming back, THE BONE NEST is powerfully good fiction that reads like it could be true. Shanessa Gluhm’s talent shines on every page.” – Brad Parks, international bestselling author of THE FLACK
Librarians and readers seeking a tale of justice, truth, redemption, and friendship will find The Bone Nest a formidable, gripping saga that cements action and reaction in characters whose lives are not only realistic, but engrossingly unpredictable. The story promises to ripple out from the murder mystery crowd into circles that base their reading pleasure on the strength of personalities and investigations that embrace growth, revelation, and connection. -Diane Donovan for Midwest Book Review
“Set against the sweltering heat and simmering politics of small-town Texas, the story weaves together memory, guilt, friendship, and justice in a way that feels both intimate and unsettling, quietly pulling the reader deeper with each chapter.”-Kimberly Coghlan, founder of Coghlan Professional Writing Services
Shanessa Gluhm’s ‘The Bone Nest’ is one part police procedural, one part murder mystery, and entirely satisfying. Juggling dual timelines, Gluhm effortlessly manages to dole out tidbits of information, leaving the reader hungry for more until the final, jaw-dropping twist that I can honestly say I never saw coming! The characters were empathic and believable, and I found myself rooting for them even as the diabolical details of the serial killer known as the ‘Songbird Strangler’ came to light. Highly recommend this book for fans of a good, old-fashioned Whodunit in the vein of Agatha Christie and ‘Knives Out.’ –Laura Kemp, author of the Lantern Creek series
“The Bone Nest explores the tension between truth and memory. The gradual buildup works because the story relies on emotional truth as much as the mechanics of a mystery. It is less about chasing a killer and more about understanding how a community molds it’s own version of justice.” –Reedsy Discovery
Suspense spinner Shanessa Gluhm once again hits the hearts and souls of readers as she captivates us with a beautiful, edge-of-your-seat story about tremendous love and traumatic loss. What I find to be captivating about her unpredicitable mysteries is that a family is always at the core of the crime. This novel’s fictional characters will trick you into believing they are real, people who might never be whole again. And you will be investigating with them as they try to save the life of an innocent man on death row for thirty years or more. A man who has been there since his teens. Author Shanessa Gluhn understands the tragedy of injustice, and this book has my highest recommendation. As a former volunteer for Chuck Colson’s Prison Fellowship Ministry, I find this story to be spot on. May we help those who have been falsely accused and as well as the guilty who hope for a morsel of mercy.”-Kathy Maresca, author of Porch Music
“There are no ‘muddy middles’ in Shanessa Gluhm’s novels. Even her secondary characters leap off the page, creating a poignancy amid a suspenseful plot. You won’t be able to put Shanessa Gluhm’s THE BONE NEST down. And you won’t want to.”~ Kathryn Brown Ramsperger, Award-winning author of The Shores of Our Souls and A Thousand Flying Things
“In 1986, the quiet town of Bluesummer, Texas, is shattered by the horrors of a serial killer, and a young man is swiftly convicted and sentenced to death. Decades later, as his execution date looms, a determined childhood friend joins forces with an unlikely legal team to expose cracks in the prosecution’s case, racing against time to uncover the truth before justice is served—perhaps for the wrong man. Shanessa Gluhm’s investigative thriller, The Bone Nest, is a gripping, cinematic masterpiece that skillfully blends procedural intensity with ethical dilemmas, revealing how prejudice, greed, and hubris can devastate lives. Prepare to be held captive until its unforgettable, jaw-dropping finale.”-Alexander Blevins, Award-winning author of Arkansas Black and Bycatch
“Shanessa Gluhm’s latest novel, The Bone Nest, is a spectacular dual-timeline legal thriller that sucks the reader in and doesn’t let go until the mesmeric climax. It’s a riveting mystery spanning five decades, filled with characters you’ll swear you know. But it’s the themes and integrity of The Bone Nest that propels Gluhm above her contemporaries as she challenges our engrained beliefs and values about friendship, family, loyalty, and justice itself.” Rob Samborn, award-winning author of The Prisoner of Paradise