"Jeanne Matthews’ Bones of Contention has it all: clever plotting, corkscrew twists, and lively, entertaining characters. And then there’s the bonus of the Australian locale - and lingo - both of which are laid out for us with verve and wit. What Matthews has done, and done cleverly, is to take that most traditional and charming of murder-mystery settings, the country-house party, fill it with Americans instead of Brits, plop it down in the wilds of Australia’s Northern Territory, and invest the whole thing with an unmistakably modern sensibility. It's a first-rate debut...."
- Aaron Elkins, Edgar-winning author of Old Bones