Author: Anna North

If you were ever hooked on the American TV series “Bones” or have a fascination with forensic science, Anna North’s 2025 novel “Bog Queen” ought to catch your attention.

When a centuries-old bog body is discovered in northwest England, an American forensic anthropologist, Agnes, is called to investigate the finding, while peat-cutters and activists advance with their own agendas.

The novel alternates between Agnes and a Celtic druid woman, separated by nearly 2,000 years and navigating vastly different worlds.

While the concept is compelling, “Bog Queen” struggles to fully immerse the reader in its characters. Their inner lives often feel muted, as if the novel is more invested in what they represent rather than who they are.

Ultimately, the significance of the two women lies less in their individuality and more in their vulnerability and resilience under historical, social, and ecological systems that seek to define and confine them.

The historical sections set in the Iron Age, albeit fascinating, lean heavily toward speculation. It sometimes reads as if filtered through a modern lens and seems to blur the line between imagination and anachronism. The women’s shifting perspectives also occasionally disrupt the narrative momentum, making it feel fragmented.

One of the book’s most compelling choices, however, is the personification of the moss itself. Its observant, omniscient presence reinforces the work’s environmental concerns. Nature is not simply a passive backdrop for the purpose of storytelling; it is an active participant, shaping and witnessing human lives.

Following the success of her New York Times bestseller “Outlawed,” North has delivered a novel that is ambitious in scope, even if it does not always land emotionally.

So, while “Bog Queen” may not fully capture the depth its premise promises for a seasoned bookworm, it is still a thought-provoking, eco-conscious story that fans of history-themed mysteries might find worth exploring.