Stone Maidens

Content Warning: This novel contains depictions of violence, gore, and child abuse. It also contains sensationalized and inaccurate depictions of Indigenous people in Papua New Guinea.

“The bees buzzing from tassel to tassel made a loud, persistent hum. His skin began to crawl as if covered in a swarm of ants. The droning of the bees penetrated directly into his skull. Breathing shallowly, he dropped to one knee, and everything went dark.”

The Lasting Effects of Traumatic Events is an important theme throughout the novel. In this passage, the harsh, claustrophobic sound of the bees causes an unknown man (later revealed to be Earl Avery) to have a physical reaction, suggesting that his trauma exists deep in his body.

“The Blackie woods, a great stomach of damp forest, had surely already digested her case, eating with it whatever evidence the killer might have left behind.”

Throughout the novel, the deep woods of Indiana pose a serious technical obstacle for Prusik’s investigation into the murders. In this passage, the forest is presented as an active presence, intentionally consuming evidence. The image implies that the forests are fed by violence, which is essential to their existence.

“What had gotten her this far was not her ability to manage a case but her aptitude for science and her combination of uncannily accurate hunches and careful deciphering of wounds. Her PhD was in physical anthropology, the evolution and science of man, with a subspeciality in the darker, dirtier deeds: murders involving aberrant mutilations of the body.”

Richards characterizes Prusik through her dedication to her job, which takes precedence over all other aspects of her life. This passage suggests that her skill at the job is a combination of instinct and training. Her specific PhD expertise in ritualistic murders eventually becomes crucial to the case.