The Driftwood Bones
A compromised homicide detective must confront his professional and personal risks when a woman is murdered on Nantucket Island in a gripping novel by the author of Cold Island.
Detective Tommy Kelly has been exiled to Nantucket as the island’s lone state trooper—punishment for professional misconduct that left him isolated, bitter, and relegated to traffic violations. For a homicide detective, there isn’t much to do in a place others call paradise. Until a young woman is found floating in the harbor in Pocomo.
The case forces Tommy to partner again with NPD detective Jo Harris, reopening wounds from their shared past and reminding him of everything he destroyed. Keeping things professional and by the book, they quickly identify the victim—a house cleaner—and close in on their prime suspect. But the investigation takes an unexpected turn. So does Tommy’s judgment when he reignites an affair with a married college acquaintance.
As Tommy and Jo follow an unexpected twist in the case, they discover that beneath Nantucket’s pristine beaches and old-money elegance, something dark is festering. And it’s about to surface.
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Peter Colt
Peter Colt writes mysteries that feel lived-in because, in many ways, they are. Born in Boston in 1973 and raised on Nantucket, he grew up surrounded by New England landscapes that now provide the backdrop for his fiction. His novels are steeped in the atmosphere of Boston’s back alleys, island harbors, and small-town secrets, giving readers not just a puzzle to solve but a place they can step into.
Before turning to fiction, Colt spent twenty-four years in the Army Reserve, including deployments to Kosovo and Iraq. Later, he built a career in law enforcement in Rhode Island, where he also trained as an FBI-certified crisis negotiator. These experiences sharpened his understanding of conflict, trauma, and the gray areas of morality, elements that echo through his characters’ choices and the dangers they face.
Detective Tommy Kelly
The Detective Tommy Kelly series takes readers to the edges of New England where memory runs deep and silence can be deadly. When long-buried remains are uncovered on Nantucket, Kelly is pulled into a case that forces him to navigate not just the island’s windswept landscapes but also the secrets of a community that does not welcome outsiders.
Detective Tommy Kelly consists of two books and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of one more book. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
