Rating: 
Summary: Deliciously dark humor
Review: This page-turner isn't just a normal thriller; it's also beautifully written, graceful and even eloquent. Yet at the same time it's filled with the hilarious black humor of its complicated and deeply disturbed protagonist. An unusally fine and textured novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as HUSH
Review: When I saw this book in the store, it was a great and pleasant suprise... I have been waiting for years for Nykanen to write another book. However, this one sadly just does not live up to my expectations. If you are looking for a great thriller, one that you cannot put down , and that actually has characters in it that you care about, put down The Bone Parade AND head for HUSH!! It is Nykanen at his best; I hope he writes more books that are as good as his first. Unfortunately, Bone Parade just is not even close.
Rating: 
Summary: Somewhat Lackluster
Review: When I spotted this little gem of a book on one of the tables at my favorite bookseller, I admit I was intrigued and who wouldn't be? The author, Mark Nykanen, is an award-winning former investigative journalist and I had a lot of hopes pinned on the this second book. While the novel does have some rather brilliant imagery and gruesomeness to it, the plot of the artist as murderer is rather ordinary and derivative. Indeed, one reviewer likened this work to something perhaps done by Thomas Harris (the author of Silence of the Lambs) and even the advance reading copy of The Bone Parade references Harris' work a couple of times on the cover.The book is a little creepy and dark and one can appreciate Nykanen's dedication of the book to his mother, "who told us many dark and funny stories". This novel does not, however, have any memorable light moments and the subplot of the teacher/mentor as rescuer is as weak as powdered lemonade. More hardcore fans of dark thrillers may scarf this one up, but Thomas Harris or Mary Higgins Clark the author is not...not yet, anyway. Too bad Amazon's review system does not allow for 'half points' because this one deserves better than a three, but not quite a four.
Rating:
Summary: More than just a thriller
Review: Yes, the book is suspensful. And it's scary and creepy. But what makes this book special is the sly humor and insights into human nature. Nykanen is a marvelous writer and this book is even better than his first.
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