Bone Horses – In the realm of New York, Charlotte Lambert, a pragmatic and predictable school teacher, navigates life with unwavering precision, resisting any deviation from her carefully crafted path. However, her world undergoes a seismic shift when she ventures into the enigmatic landscapes of New Mexico. Set against the backdrop of Agua Dulce, a village ensconced in the haunting presence of a phantom herd of wild horses and where the spirits of ancestors find embodiment in ravens, Charlotte’s once-stable existence takes a tumultuous turn.
Throughout one transformative summer, the narrative unfurls the layers of Charlotte’s life as she delves into the clandestine details of her mother’s forbidden love affair, a chilling murder, and a courageous last act of redemption. Pursued by a relentless madman with a sinister agenda, Charlotte’s journey intertwines with moments of refuge, unexpected romance, and a profound connection to her own misplaced soul, all within the vast desert camp presided over by a surprisingly sophisticated cowboy.
In the arid expanses of New Mexico, Charlotte learns that love, in its myriad forms, is the singular path to enduring salvation. The narrative explores the convergence of mystery, danger, and the redemptive power of love, weaving a tale that transcends the boundaries of the ordinary and reveals the transformative potential hidden within the unlikeliest of places.
2014 WILLA Award winner, Contemporary Fiction
Tony Hillerman Award for Best Fiction, New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards
Silver Medal, 2014 IPPY Book Awards
Southwest Books of the Year “Good Reads”
Reviews
“Poling-Kempes has created an engaging plot and managed to clothe it in our time and culture in a way that conveys comforting and disturbing universal truths…an insightful and realistic picture of rural Northern New Mexico life. Bone Horses is extremely well-crafted, and its failings are few.” – The Santa Fe New Mexican
“Taut with a marked unease bubbling beneath its small-village surface, Bone Horses delivers a rich, complex family mystery that is finally solved by the heartbroken loved ones of those who left too soon. It offers fiction lovers another densely layered and satisfying New Mexico adventure.” Candelora Versace, New Mexico Magazine
“The landscape, an important part of this story, is beautifully described, while the characters are fully realized, quirky, sad, romantic and even one quite terrifying in his mental illness. This is a literary story, so there’s a lot to absorb. Take your time and savor it.” C.K. Crigger, Western Writers of America Roundup Magazine
“Poling-Kempes beautifully captures the landscape and spirit of New Mexico’s high country, seamlessly blending mysticism and human longing to demonstrate that, indeed, home is where the heart is.” Bruce Dinges, Southwest Books of the Year
“Poling-Kempes is an excellent writer. Readers wanting a leisurely and enjoyable tale that brings the past and the present together will find BONE HORSES perfectly suited to their tastes.” W. David Laird, Southwest Books of the Year
“As with The Hummingbird’s Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea, Bone Horses creates a lush story comprised of a severe land, a story of secrets, love, and family. A bit of magic threads through this book, written with a deft touch that lifts the story into an evocative realm. Poling-Kempes’ writing is as stark and sensuous as the land she writes of and the redemptive power of the secrets she brings to light. A book to be savored!” Dawn Wink, Story Circle Reviews
