Product Description

The people living on the outskirts of Bismarck, North Dakota, rarely see a crime worse than petty theft. So when a couple of residents disappear, no one guesses that they were murdered. Five key characters piece together the story. Emilia is on her way north when she becomes stranded and stumbles upon a dilapidated house exhibiting a gruesome sight. Luke is an art dealer whose real passion is snowboarding. He and his friends meet Emilia, and Luke finds himself becoming intrigued by the stranger. Gavin is a basketball player-turned-coach with a guilty secret, and Caleb, a theology student, is tormented by unwarranted visions. The final character, known just as “The Emperor of Ice Cream,” is the one responsible for the disappearances. What is most horrifying is the pattern he has created to determine his victims. The five characters’ lives become intertwined in a series of events that lead to the shocking truth of who the Emperor really is.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3021159 in Books
• Published on: 2005-12-19
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Customer Reviews

Creepy Atmosphere, Great Read
Cassandra Zaruba's Liquid Bones is a great read. The novel takes place in the Badlands of North Dakota, giving the book's mood a terrifying and desperate feel. The story starts off introducing you to the mysterious Emperor of Ice Cream and from there it had my attention; I couldn't put the book down. Additionally, the strongest part of Ms. Zaruba's writing is her characters. Each character, good or bad, is unforgettable. The Emperor's quirkily frightening character is enough to intrigue even the casual reader. I would most definitely recommend this book for any reader looking for a great thriller that satisfies its audience with every twist and turn.

A fun and scary read
The Emperor of Ice Cream is a former psychiatrist and hypnotherapist. He reflects on his own desire to kill, apparently for reasons as flimsy (to sane people) as to fulfill his own warped interpretation of his literary idols.

People are disappearing from the rural outskirts of Bismarck, North Dakota. The killer's instruction book is "The Best Poems and Poets According to Kroeger." As the Emperor flips through one of many copies of his treasured book, he seeks another victim from the poems' descriptions. Then someone else disappears.

In addition to the Emperor, four other key characters piece together this story: Emilia, the recent college graduate, is broke and on her way to North Dakota to care for her dying great-aunt. Luke is an art dealer whose real passion is snowboarding. Gavin is a former basketball player, now a coach with a guilty conscience and Caleb is a theology student tortured by unexplainable visions which all too often turn out to be accurate.

In a clear nod to one of America's greatest writers, William Faulkner, the author presents the story from alternating points of view - from the minds of each of these characters. It is an effective method to allow an intimate look at this well crafted story. It is not enough to utilize such methods to tell a story. You must do it well. Cassandra Zaruba does it very well.

Disturbingly and understandably, the reader may find himself hoping to not see another chapter from the extra-creepy Emperor of Ice Cream. Without that emotionally charged and illogical view, the story simply would not be complete. What is the Emperor doing with all the bones of his victims? It is Emilia, the self-doubting and resourceful young woman who, using her own generated moxie, is the key to solving this mystery. There is a subtle spirituality to all these characters. The reader will be pleased to root shamelessly for some and root against others in the same manner. For the reader, the book is simply a celebration of getting to read a good story. Cassandra Zaruba displays her gift for storytelling with this wonderfully crafted suspense. There is some creepy stuff going on in her mind. We are fortunate she has the willingness and significant talent to write some of it down.

Full of likeable and despicable characters and an appealing interwoven plot, Liquid Bones is the best combination of terrific writing and fun reading.

Magnificently chills you to the bones
I recently finished reading a book called Liquid Bones by Cassandra Zaruba. I will admit that the title is what originally drew me to this book. In the end I am very glad that it did. Ms. Zaruba has written a wonderfully chilling story that kept me on the edge of my seat, page turning until all the pages were turned. Ms. Zaruba has woven an intense story around five main characters. Her characters bring this incredible story to life. Well, truthfully, one of the character brings a whole lot of death. This book is very well written and is highly recommended by this reviewer. It will chill you to the bones. Reviewed by Joshua Berry, author of Andrea's Dream.