The Map of Bones, by Kate Mosse - Ann Mary
This book follows the adventures of two surviving members of the Joubert family, who wish to find out exactly what happened to their ancestor Louise - who had been a Ship Captain and Commander - and Louise’s companion Gilles, and half brother Phillipe, who disappeared in South Africa with no trace. Where are their resting bones? What happened to them?
Suzanne, Louise’s first cousin twice removed, flees persecution from La Rochelle and Amsterdam hoping for a better life in the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. She immediately makes friends in this frontier country and experiences early settler/ pioneer trials and tribulations with colonists, natives, and animals, whilst she follows several different dangerous clues. Her descendant, Isabelle, a travel correspondent in England, continues her quest of creating a family archive and reading room dedicated to the history of the courageous women in her family.
This is the fourth and final book in the Joubert family series expounding secrets, love, and treachery. Over all seven generations, I have found the Joubert family completely fascinating, particularly Minou and Piet in the first book. This final instalment feels different from the first three being set in South Africa rather than France and Amsterdam, but Kate Mosse still has a way of getting you so empathetically involved with all her characters and dramas that you feel you are there. She is one of my favourite authors.
If you like Kate Moss, who writes epic historical novels, then it is a must-read, but much better to have read the others first to understand all the inter-family connections.
Ann Mary
(Published 10/10/24)
