If you happen to live within the borders of the M25 and happened to open your window to let in a breeze over the past few months, you may have heard a whisper of the words “bone horn” and “lesbian detective” catching on the air. I’m glad to let you know that was me and my evangelical ravings hitting the air waves. Since finishing the wacky, hilarious and wonderfully unique Bone Horn, I’ve been extolling its virtues to everyone I meet. In a world feeling darker every day, this lesbian detective novel is exactly the funny, thoughtful and heart-filled story we all need.

The book opens with a mystery phone call at midnight – a modulated voice calls our protagonist looking for DI Investigations, following up with an unusual request… “I’m looking for Alice Toklas’ horn”. No, not a cyst, not a myth, not a Halloween costume piece, they’re genuinely looking for a horn. What ensues is an investigation diving into Parisian streets, dusty archives, infamous bookshops and lovers’ beds. Meanwhile, our PhD student-turned-amateur-PI struggles through the grief of losing her partner, and balancing raising her son whilst investigating a mystery. But she’s also not the only one on a search for the horn, and they seem willing to go to dangerous lengths to stop her finding it first.

Hopefully the description alone lets you know why I’ve been so fanatical about this book, it’s not everyday you get Modernist lesbian gossip, detectives AND comedy in one novel. Bussey-Chamberlain has managed to write this at the perfect time, coinciding with Francesca Wade’s new biography, Gertrude Stein: An Afterlife. But what Bussey-Chamberlain adds to the buzz about Stein, is a very considered look at the legacy of someone whose life is remembered in the shadow of another. Stein is seen as a lone pillar, but Toklas is always remembered as part of a whole, her story not complete without the other. The hunt for the horn is not just about the physical object, but also a search for Toklas’ individuality and the gaps in her legacy that regretfully remain.

This ties well into the books other central themes: grief and new beginnings. Whilst much of the fun of the novel is grounded in the detective story, Bussey-Chamberlain shows her strength as a writer when she considers darker themes and delves into the messy, devastating experience of loss. In the same way that she’s searching for Toklas’ individuality, the protagonist is also struggling with forging her own in the wake of losing a partner and finding the balance between creating the new life that she wants and not being able to let go yet.  

As well as thoughtful, Bone Horn is also really really sexy. Bussey-Chamberlain is great at queering the detective genre. We’re used to the lone wolf PI, a whisky drinking, gruff stoic who either punches or seduces his way through a case. Being an ex-academic and a modernist literature nerd, our protagonist isn’t exactly the punching type. But she does find herself essentially sleeping her way through the investigation… unethical? Perhaps, but also highly effective! And extremely hot!

In my eyes, Bone Horn is a top contender for THE queer book of the summer. A sexy lesbian investigator, a famous Modernist couple, three countries, numerous archives, and a mysterious missing horn…. those are all of the juicy, tantalising details awaiting you! It’s got it all, so what are you waiting for?

It’s hard not to be in awe of Bussey-Chamberlain’s sheer ability to spin a narrative from such a gloriously absurd premise. — The Big Issue

A smart, sexy novel that defies genre conventions — Elizabeth Lovatt

A future classic of outsider literature  — Isabel Waidner