This debut novel by Stephanie Bretherton is another Unbound publication, the publisher which continues to take a risk on the more unusual suspects, when selecting their authors and projects.

Bone Lines deals both with a scientist investigating some prehistoric remains in the present day and the story of the person who left those remains behind. Stephanie creates two believable and well-rounded heroines in separate and entirely convincing worlds. They are both strong and complex women of their time and this reader was thoroughly engaged by them. No regrets at all about picking up Ms Bretherton’s novel with its intriguing premise.

Some may feel the device of Eloise’s letters to Darwin a little contrived, but in fact it works well in explaining and exploring some of the difficult ethical, scientific and philosophical concepts touched on by this book.

Without banging the reader over the head with polemic, this novel explains beautifully some of the compromises, dilemmas and injustices encountered by women in the scientific (and let’s face it, almost any other) field.

Perhaps I’ve made Bone Fields sound a little dry: I assure you it’s anything but. Give it a try, it really is a book less ordinary and I for one am looking forward to the sequel.