Printables – Messy But Make It Cute https://messybutmakeitcute.com Crime, Thriller & Horror Book Reviews Mon, 30 Jun 2025 06:16:43 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://i0.wp.com/messybutmakeitcute.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/cropped-favicon.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Printables – Messy But Make It Cute https://messybutmakeitcute.com 32 32 243684322 Book Club Questions for The Liars Bones by Morag Pringle https://messybutmakeitcute.com/book-club-questions-for-the-liars-bones-by-morag-pringle/ Sun, 08 Jun 2025 18:15:57 +0000 https://messybutmakeitcute.com/?p=4342 The Liars Bones Book Club Questions Printable

This is the book club questions guide for The Liars Bones by Morag Pringle.
Just so you know, there are some spoilers coming up! If you haven’t read The Liars Bones yet and want a bit more context first, feel free to check out my spoiler-free review before jumping in.
The Liars Bones by Morag Pringle – Review

The Liars Bones – Book Synopsis

The Liars Bones by Morag Pringle

Published May 23, 2024

When the body of Ellen Hargreaves washes up on the rocky shore of a remote Scottish island, most locals are quick to call it a tragic accident. But investigator Rachel McKenzie, already carrying the weight of her own dark past, isn’t so sure. Drawn back to the island where her estranged family lives, Rachel begins to dig into Ellen’s final days and learns that the quiet newcomer was more than just a nature lover, she had discovered a human bone and was keeping notes that have now mysteriously disappeared.

As Rachel questions the locals, many of whom are secretive and far from welcoming, she becomes convinced that Ellen found something dangerous.

Rachel is determined to find the truth. But then a teenage girl goes missing shortly after talking to her, and Rachel realises that she has exposed an innocent girl to a twisted killer. Heart pounding and wracked with guilt, Rachel works around the clock to find the vanished girl. But will she get there in time?

Goodreads Rating

Rating: 4 out of 5.
buy on amazon

Title

The Liar’s Bones – Rachel McKenzie #1

Author

Morag Pringle

Genre

Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction

Format

336 pages, Paperback

Published

February 29, 2024 by Storm Publishing

ISBN

9781805083146 (ISBN10: 1805083147)

ASIN

1805083147

Language

English
Morag Pringle Author

Author’s Bio – Morag Pringle

Morag Pringle is an experienced author who has written nineteen medical romances and four historical novels, but The Liars Bones marks her debut in crime fiction, something she’s always wanted to write. Drawing inspiration from her own life, Morag weaves real places, jobs, and passing encounters into her stories, though the heart of her work is pure imagination. She lives in Glasgow with her husband.

Fun fact: Morag has a fascinating background. She went to school in South Africa and speaks Afrikaans, spent time in the frozen north of Canada, and grew up with parents who were native Gaelic speakers—her father a nuclear scientist and her mother a midwife known locally as a “Green Lady.” Her family even lived alone on a remote Scottish island for four years, and her first job involved designing information boards for archaeological sites in the Outer Hebrides.

Check Morag’s Official Instagram: morag_pringle_author

Consider adding The Liar’s Bones to your TBR list on Goodreads.

Printable The Liars Bones Book Club Guide

Planning to read The Liars Bones with your book club?

I’ve got just the thing to make your meeting extra fun and thoughtful. Download my free book club kit, it includes 20 discussion questions, a themed word search game with answers, icebreaker ideas to get everyone talking, and a playlist I personally curated to match the eerie, moody vibe of the book.

Just grab it, print it, and you’re ready to go!

The Liars Bones Book Club Questions Printable
The Liars Bones Book Club Questions Printable
download the pdf here

Book Club Questions for The Liars Bones by Morag Pringle

Just want the questions? No problem! If you’re not into printables or extras, you can simply copy and paste the 20 book club questions for The Liars Bones by Morag Pringle right from this post.

Scroll down and they’re all yours!

01

What were your first impressions of Rachel McKenzie? Did your opinion of her change as the story progressed?

02

How did Rachel’s personal history with her father’s crime shape her approach to investigating Ellen’s death?

03

What role did the remote island setting play in building the tension of the story?

04

Did you find the island community believable in their reactions to Ellen’s death and to Rachel’s presence?

05

How did the tense relationship between Olivia and Katherine affect your reading of the story? In what ways did their dynamic mirror or contrast with Rachel’s own family struggles?

06

How did the themes of isolation and secrecy show up in both the setting and the characters?

07

Were you surprised by the way the local sergeant handled the investigation? Why or why not?

08

Discuss Rachel’s relationship with her family on the island. How did those dynamics affect her emotionally and professionally?

09

What did you make of Ellen as a character, even though we only get to know her through others’ memories and her actions?

10

The discovery of a human bone sets the plot in motion. How did this archaeological element add to the mystery?

11

How did Rachel’s past trauma impact her sense of justice and her choices during the investigation?

12

In what ways did the story explore the idea of trust, between family, friends, and strangers?

13

Were there moments where you doubted Rachel’s instincts? Why or why not?

14

How did the island’s weather and natural surroundings contribute to the mood of the story?

15

What did you think of the pacing? Was the slow-burn approach effective for this type of mystery?

16

What do you think the book says about outsiders in small, close-knit communities?

17

How did the subplot involving the missing teenage girl raise the stakes of the main investigation?

18

Did the ending satisfy you? Were all the threads tied up, or did anything feel unresolved?

19

If this is the first book in the Rachel McKenzie series, what would you want to see next for her character?

20

Did The Liars Bones remind you of any other books, shows, or authors? Why?

And if you download and use my book club kit, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, I’ll be delighted to see how you’re using it!

Let’s Chat!

Have you read The Liars Bones? I’d love to know what you thought! Did the slow burn work for you? Did you trust anyone on that island? Drop your thoughts in the comments, or let me know if you’re reading it with your book club.

Tell me everything!

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