What Lurks in the Snow: A Review of Ronald Malfi’s Bone White

Paul Gallo’s twin brother, Danny, has always been a bit unreliable. So when Paul hears that his brother has moved up to the remote Alaskan wilderness, to a small, eerie town called Dread’s Hand, he’s skeptical to say the least. A year goes by without any contact from his brother and naturally, Paul gets nervous that something bad has happened to Danny. Paul goes looking for his twin after hearing about a serial killer who has recently been arrested. When Paul arrives, he finds the people of Dread’s Hand reluctant to talk to or help him in any way. But this town harbors dark secrets and a mysterious evil that lurks in the woods.

Bone White by Ronald Malfi was a compelling and chilling horror story. Malfi does a fantastic job making Dread’s Hand feel creepy and alive. Everything about this town was unsettling from the untrusting locals, to the brutal weather, to the myriad of crosses that are lined up on the side of the road…the description of this town was incredible. While I found the book to be a bit slow for me, the atmosphere that Malfi was able to build chilled me to the bone. I actually wish we followed Deputy Ryerson more as I found her to be a more compelling lead character.

Overall, Bone White is a sincerely great, suspenseful, and creepy book. While I wasn’t as invested in the main character and the plotting was a little slow at times, it managed to keep me invested enough to really get me creeped out by the haunting setting and the mysteries of Dread’s Hand. Horror fans will want to check this out, especially if you love horror books set in the cold/winter.