Where the Bones Lie

“WHERE THE BONES LIE is a road trip into California’s gleaming, seething underbelly. Movie stars, mobsters, wildfires—buckle up and hold on for a heady ride.”
– Meg Gardiner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“WHERE THE BONES LIE isn’t just Nick Kolakowski’s strongest novel yet, it’s a helluva page-turner, loaded with sinister humor, a twisty plot, and the kind of complicated characters readers deserve. Don’t miss this one.”
– Alex Segura, author of Secret Identity and Alter Ego

“Nick Kolakowski is a noir voice for the 21st century.”
– Steven Powell, Edgar-winning author of Love Me Fierce in Danger: The Life of James Ellroy

“Nick Kolakowski’s WHERE THE BONES LIE starts off in fifth gear and never slows down. This is the best detective novel I’ve read in years.”
– Steve Weddle, author of The County Line


For Dash Fuller, Hollywood’s underbelly is home. He’s spent years making the film industry’s worst secrets disappear, and it’s left him a cynical burnout with a taste for bourbon and self-loathing.

But when a young woman comes to him with a peculiar quest, Dash sees a chance at redemption. Madeline Ironwood is the daughter of Ken Ironwood, a notorious smuggler and murderer who disappeared 20 years ago. Ken’s skeleton has just been discovered in a barrel at the bottom of a dried-up lake, and Madeline wants to know who killed him.

Dash agrees to help, and as this desperate daughter and jaded cynic claw their way through a world of sun-bleached secrets, crooked cops, and Hollywood thugs, they soon uncover a conspiracy involving some of LA’s most powerful people.

Get ready for a fast-paced, darkly funny thriller with a twist you won’t see coming.