Bet Your Bones

by Jeanne Matthews

Series: Dinah Pelerin Mysteries (2)

Members	Reviews	Popularity	Average rating	Mentions
21	4	1,064,007	(3.36)	2
Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. HTML: Bet your bones, but never bet your heart. A wedding on the edge of a Hawaiian volcano sounds risky to Dinah Pelerin, the bride's best friend and maid of honor. The bride, Claude Ann Kemper, has bet her heart that she's found the right man at last. The groom has gone all in on a real estate deal that he believes will set him and his new wife up for life. But Hawaii is a tinderbox of ancient myths and modern conflicts over who should control the land so cherished by its native people. A group of native Hawaiians claims that the sacred bones of an ancestral king are buried on the land that the groom plans to sell, and one of them has vowed do whatever it takes to stop him. On top of this, a blackmailer is conspiring to cash in on the groom's suspicious past, Claude Ann's ex-husband is stalking her and rigging booby traps, and Pele, the local fire goddess, is rocking the island with a series of earthquakes. It seems as if the stakes can't get any higher. Then, when somebody shoves a member of the wedding party into a flow of molten lava, all bets are off. True friendship is never easy, and Dinah and Claude Ann have had their misunderstandings. But when danger threatens, Dinah is determined to protect her friend and repay the loyalty Claude Ann has shown to her, even if she has to walk through fire to do it. If Dinah and Claude Ann are to get out alive, they'll have to face down an angry goddess and a ruthless killer. .… (more)

all members

▾Members

Recently added by

knitjam, FriendlyAcres, trevor68, rkchr, Rubys.books, BLBera, annemany, anntie

▾Tags

▾LibraryThing Recommendations

▾Lists

None

▾Will you like it?

▾Conversations (About links)

No current Talk conversations about this book.

» See also 2 mentions

▾Member reviews

date ▼ | votes

Showing 4 of 4

In Matthews’ mystery novel, budding anthropologist Dinah Pekerin goes to Hawaii for her best friend’s wedding. The wedding is too held on the rim of a volcano, the same volcano that the fiancé is involved in a controversial land development deal over. The myths and legends fascinate Dinah but the locals are upset and protesting the desecration of sacred burial grounds. When a murder takes place, Dinah follows a trail of blackmail, secrets, and risky business all the while walking a thin line between getting burned and getting killed.

A great addition to the A Dinah Pelirin Mystery series. (

)

debbieaheaton | Jun 26, 2014 |

I have found another gem and love the Hawaiian language and myths mixture in this book. Dinah Pelerin is a sleuth in the making and ultimately she is albe to bring about the truth and return ho'oponopono to a family that it had long overdue! (

)

redheadish | Sep 15, 2011 |

From Barbara Peters - Who knew that Dinah Pelerin, aspiring archaeologist and student of myths, would get to know Hawaii's fiery Madame Pele so well? After all, Dinah left her research in the Philippines-OK, there was a beheading or two and a few other problems shutting it down-to stand as bridesmaid once again for her BFF from Georgia. Where was the danger-other than a second disastrous union for Claude Ann? Dinah has never ditched the guilt of her role in Claude Ann's first romance and hasty, improbable marriage. This time she's determined to be on guard for both of them. Bet your bones! The groom in this exotic romance is the handsome, mysterious Alexander, a widower whose first bride, Leilani, committed suicide. His two adult children bear scars-vulcanologist Jon, literally: his face is disfigured by a serious scar inflicted by Madame Pele's hot flow. Xander has bet not his bones but his all on a BigIsland development project that could be stalled or cancelled if the bones of an ancient Hawaiian king turn up there. When various events threaten to sabotage both, Dinah, to whom dysfunctional family and impending chaos is the norm, refuses to play spectator and opts for sleuth... (

)

pharrm | Jun 17, 2011 |

3.5 stars
Dinah Pelerin, wanna be anthropologist, takes a break from an internship in the Philippines to once again stand as maid of honor for her best friend Claude Ann. Dinah has reservations about Claudy’s upcoming nuptials to Xander just as she did about Claudy’s previous wedding. When a theft and murder occurs we play detective right along with Dinah as she tries to suss out a killer.

We learn a bit more about Dinah’s past in the follow up to BONES OF CONTENTION but in the context of her friendship with Claude Ann and less about her family dynamics/secrets. It isn’t necessary to read BOC first but it does give you a more complete picture of who and what Dinah is. Via Dinah Pelerin we’re once again treated to a slice of real life Hawaii versus the glamorized superficial version we’re typically shown. Extensive research went into BET YOUR BONES and it shows. Volcanoes, lava, formation of the islands, Hawaiian lore/mythology, and a glimpse into the true feelings of some of the indigenous people are some of the ground Dinah covers as she tries to solve a murder to save herself and Claude Ann. Colorful characters, lots of local flavor, intelligence, wit, great dialog and a good mystery are part and parcel of the appeal of this series to me. I’m looking forward to the next Dinah.

I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. (

)

ivydtruitt | May 30, 2011 |

date ▼ | votes

Showing 4 of 4

▾Published reviews

no reviews | add a review

▾Other authors

» Add other authors

▾Series and work relationships

Belongs to Series

Dinah Pelerin Mysteries (2)

▾Awards and Honors

view history

▾Common Knowledge

You must log in to edit Common Knowledge data.

For more help see the Common Knowledge help page.

Canonical title

Bet Your Bones

Original title

Alternative titles

Original publication date

People/Characters

Important places

Hawai'i, USA

Important events

Related movies

Epigraph

Dedication

First words

Quotations

Last words

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

Blurbers

Original language

Canonical DDC/MDS

Canonical LCC

▾References

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English

None

▾Book descriptions

Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. HTML:

Bet your bones, but never bet your heart.

A wedding on the edge of a Hawaiian volcano sounds risky to Dinah Pelerin, the bride's best friend and maid of honor. The bride, Claude Ann Kemper, has bet her heart that she's found the right man at last. The groom has gone all in on a real estate deal that he believes will set him and his new wife up for life. But Hawaii is a tinderbox of ancient myths and modern conflicts over who should control the land so cherished by its native people. A group of native Hawaiians claims that the sacred bones of an ancestral king are buried on the land that the groom plans to sell, and one of them has vowed do whatever it takes to stop him.

On top of this, a blackmailer is conspiring to cash in on the groom's suspicious past, Claude Ann's ex-husband is stalking her and rigging booby traps, and Pele, the local fire goddess, is rocking the island with a series of earthquakes. It seems as if the stakes can't get any higher. Then, when somebody shoves a member of the wedding party into a flow of molten lava, all bets are off.

True friendship is never easy, and Dinah and Claude Ann have had their misunderstandings. But when danger threatens, Dinah is determined to protect her friend and repay the loyalty Claude Ann has shown to her, even if she has to walk through fire to do it. If Dinah and Claude Ann are to get out alive, they'll have to face down an angry goddess and a ruthless killer.

▾Library descriptions

No library descriptions found.

▾LibraryThing members' description

Book description

Haiku summary