One of those horror books that takes a page from a mystery book by starting out seeming complex, mysterious and widespread, but towards the end you realize it's a basic and simple premise. The beginning holds that allure of supernatural tension, but by the end I was a little let down by the explanation. I won't ruin the story by telling the plot outline since the blurb doesn't either - it's better to be left in the dark with this one before you read it.

Writing style works great, even if the plot is familiar. There are a few genuinely creepy pages throughout, especially toward the beginning in the woods. It's not drawn-out gory but there are some chilling images, but nothing that would bother those who read horror frequently.

Pacing is a little slow after the intriguing set-up takes place because there's just not as many places to go from there. The first half of the book is the strongest, David and his family being well written if not a little stereotypical.

It's multiple point of view, and Kenyon changes the viewpoint by starting new chapters. He mainly keeps to the same family, but sometimes a random character pops up for a short chapter. It comes together later why their viewpoint was shown, but it's a little distracting. Since the chapters are short it's not bad though, and he doesn't switch viewpoints too much to where it's annoying.

Overall it's a good book but nothing that will stand out as more than a standard, run-of-the-mill thriller that offers some minor creepiness. Kenyon's writing style is talented, though, so I will definitely be checking out more of his horror novels to see if his imagination catches up to his writing talent. ( )

Okay book. It didn't keep me on the edge of my seat but I didn't find myself wanting to rush through it either. Parts of it especially at the end were very nail biting. I just never got totally caught up in the story. In the end it was just a quick easy read that rated little more than 3 stars. ( )

Nate Kenyon's debut novel BLOODSTONE was so good, that his follow up, THE REACH failed to compare. And sorry to say, BONE FACTORY also fell short of his auspicious debut. Too many ideas in this supernatural mix to make this a satisfying read. He was trying to incorporate the basic premise of THE SHINING, isolation and a child psychic...and a serial killer on the loose...And it fails to provide the expected chills and by the end I had a "So what attitude"... He failed to engage me with any of these characters and that really is the major flaw here....I couldn't wait for it to end.Sorry Mr. Kenyon,but from here on in, my book dollars will be spent on other authors. ( )

The Bone Factory by Nate Kenyon is a quick, chilling horror story that will have you racing for your child’s room to make sure everything is okay. As the story begins, Dave, Helen and Jessica Pierce are excited to be moving to the Jackson area as Dave finds work on a hydroelectric project taking shape in Canada. What they don’t know is that a farmer has been found mutilated, a little girl has disappeared from her home, and deep in the woods a deputy found a gory storage shed all near this hydroelectric facility. Has Dave been hired as a Patsy? Can he protect his family so far away from civilization? But the house is paid for by the company and the family is sequestered at the finest resort in the area until they can move in. It seems like so much good fortune that it can’t be true.

Helen is a devoted teacher that just wants to do right by her daughter. She has been really stressed in the months Dave has been out of a job. Dave is a very educated engineer who just wants credit for his own ideas and is trying to make this job work for the good of his family. The most exciting character in this book is Jessica herself who has extraordinary visions and intelligence. Even the location is a character in this book as it plays its part in chilling, slowing and isolating the characters. The theme of this book is definitely horror of not providing for or protecting your family and learning to believe in the unseen and in psychic powers.

This book made my heart race. It was fast paced and a quick read. The characters were believable and I enjoyed the mention of places familiar to me. If you are sure you want to be scared make sure your family is around. I give The Bone Factory a big thumbs up and would recommend it, especially for camping out. ( )