Carol Goodman has long been a favorite author of mine. She loves literary fiction, historical events and ancient legends --- often blending all three together in the same book.

Goodman’s latest effort, THE BONES OF THE STORY, reminds me of her debut, THE LAKE OF DEAD LANGUAGES. Both are set in New York and carry a supernatural undercurrent along with her popular themes. The new novel even pays homage to Dame Agatha Christie at one point. Goodman also clearly utilizes her experience teaching writing and literature at SUNY New Paltz and The New School as the book is set at a college campus in the Hudson Valley region of New York.

"[T]hose who consider themselves fans or students of classic literary mysteries will eat this one up. Carol Goodman once again delivers a well-rounded tale that is not to be missed."

Nell Portman is the Dean of Liberal Arts at Briarwood College and is dealing with a student on the last day of the fall semester. Nina Lawson is threatening to drop a tough course that is taught by the Head of College, Prentiss Hotchkiss. Nell believes that there may be something else at play here, but she lets it go. She is about to join a large group of people who are sticking around before the holiday break to attend the annual Luminaria. Resembling an ancient pagan ritual in the cold forest with people dressed as druids and carrying candles, the Luminaria is held near the infamous ice caves where a female student went missing 25 years earlier and allegedly still haunts the campus.

But this commemorative event is unexpectedly halted when Nina takes a fall and lands by a pile of what appear to be human bones. A police officer blocks off the area and has a nice chat with Nell; they attended Briarwood together, along with members of the creative writing club known as the Raven Society (a reference to both their school mascot and Edgar Allan Poe).

Some famous alumni have been invited to the Luminaria, including bestselling author Laine Bishop. President Hotchkiss plans to make Laine head of the Literature department, but she fails to show up. Many others have made it, so she has no choice but to extend Laine’s offer to another popular writer, Miranda Gardner. Nell and her assistant, Ruth, try to keep everything organized as a massive snowstorm has kicked up and knocked out most of the power.

With the old gang back together, and now stuck inside the college in their pre-determined rooms, there is nothing to do but rehash the past, discuss the old legends, and wonder aloud why Laine is not there. The extremely clever Carol Goodman has provided the perfect setting for a locked-room mystery. One by one, these former classmates and some faculty members are tragically struck down. This forces those remaining to examine their time at Briarwood as it seems someone is out to get them. Could this have anything to do with Laine’s absence and the fact that her huge bestseller may have been stolen from a story that Nell had written?

To ramp up the creep factor, each alumna is being murdered in a manner representing an assignment they had been given as students. One of their more bizarre Creative Lit teachers had them write a story about what scared them the most. It is now clear that the killer is one of them. But who is it, and why is this happening? Additionally, the culprit has left the group a demented nursery rhyme about ravens that is a direct tip of the hat to AND THEN THERE WERE NONE. For instance, the first death was written out as: Eight little ravens thought they were heaven, one fell down the stairs and then there were seven.

There are plenty of other surprises in store for readers, and those who consider themselves fans or students of classic literary mysteries will eat this one up. Carol Goodman once again delivers a well-rounded tale that is not to be missed.