Book Review: 'Nothing But the Bones' is a compelling noir novel at a breakneck pace

“Nothing But the Bones,” a prequel to Brian Panowich’s critically acclaimed Bull Mountain series of Southern noir novels, finds Nails McKenna on the run after killing a man in a barroom brawl. Nails’ employer, the local crime boss, hands him cash and a phone number to call when he reaches Jacksonville, Florida. What Nails doesn’t know is that his boss has arranged for him to be killed. Associated Press reviewer Bruce DeSilva says the compelling tale, alternately brutal and tender, unfolds at a breakneck pace. The character development is superb, the settings are vivid, and the prose is as tight as a noose.