This deluxe trade paperback edition of Alice Sebold's modern classic features French flaps and rough-cut pages. Once in a generation a novel comes along that taps a vein of universal human experience, resonating with readers of all ages. The Lovely Bones is such a book - a phenomenal #1 bestseller celebrated at once for its narrative artistry, its luminous clarity of emotion, and its astoniishing power to lay claim to the hearts of millions of readers around the world. "My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973." So begins the story of Susie Salmon, who is adjusting to her new home in heaven, a place that is not at all what she expected, even as she is watching life on eath continue without her - her friends trading rumors about her disappearance, her killer trying to cover his tracks, her grief-stricken family unraveling. Out of unspeakable traged and loss, The Lovely Bones succeeds, miraculously, in building a tale filled with hope, humor, suspense, even joy "A stunning achievement." - The New Yorker "Deeply affecting. . . . A keenly observed portrait of familial love and how it endures and changes over time." - New York Times "A triumphant novel. . . . It's a knockout." - Time "Destined to become a classic in the vein of To Kill a Mockingbird. . . . I loved it." -Anna Quindlen "A novel that is painfully fine and accomplished." - Los Angeles Times "The Lovely Bones seems to be saying there are more important things in life on earth than retribution. Like forgiveness, like love." - Chicago Tribune

我叫苏茜。十四岁那年被谋杀。我的死引发了家中亲人的种种改变，有些改变平淡无奇，有些则付出了相当高昂的代价，但我死后发生的所有事情，几乎件件都具有特殊意义。我希望爸爸能够为我彻夜守候，直到永远；也希望他能放手，让我就此成为过去。我希望凶手得到正义的审判，可是却眼睁睁地看着他逍遥法外。困在完美天堂里的我，对眼前的一切都无能为力……

一个十四岁的女孩遭一名连环杀人的歹徒奸杀并碎尸，这样一桩案件如果见诸美国媒体，或许已然引不起耸人听闻的效果。若是以之为素材敷衍成一部小说，可能会是一个以情节取胜的警探侦破故事。但女作家艾丽斯・西伯德却独辟蹊径，倾注了诚挚的深情，抒发出一曲催人泪下的亲情之歌。 作为父母爱情首次结晶的苏茜，天资虽不如妹妹琳茜聪慧，却是一个乖女孩。她帮爸爸业余做玻璃瓶中的帆船工艺品，从中体会到父亲对祖父的怀念；在为妈妈拍摄瞬间快照时，理解了妈妈受过高等教育却不得不充当家庭主妇的郁闷心情；她与小她一岁的妹妹有着难分难舍的手足之情；在小弟巴克利病危之时，挺身而出送他到医院急救；她甚至能和嗜酒贪杯、性情有些浮华的外婆做知心的交流。 但就是这样一个可爱的小女孩却横遭歹徒蹂躏，死后还被肢解，只有一截臂肘被人们发现。 沙蒙一家遭此惨祸，立即就崩溃了。父亲杰克精神恍惚，屡为警方提供可疑线索遭拒之后，在一次夜间去捉嫌犯时被误伤致残；母亲艾比盖尔无法忍受失女之痛，竟和探长苟且，然后离家出走；妹妹在哀伤之中一夜成人，不顾性命之忧去凶犯家窃取证据；年仅四岁的小弟在得知长姐已死之后，成长中心灵受到创伤；外婆义无反顾地来女婿家操持家务，以她的乐观豁达为这个家庭注入活力。而街坊四邻和学校师生更是自发地组织了一个追思仪式，大家悼念亡者，更为了安慰亲人。 在将近十年的时间里，苏茜原先的同学先后从大学毕业，走上各自的生活道路。连她的家人似乎也淡忘了家中失去的这名成员，尽管由于她的遭难给家庭带来的不幸和悲哀始终笼罩着全家，挥之不去。……父亲一次突发心脏病，母亲闻讯匆匆赶回，与家人相见难免一番尴尬；父亲从医院回到家中，全家人再次团聚。在一旁偷看的苏茜的魂灵，这时意识到：一个家庭，犹如人的周身骨骼，即使有一块破损了，缺失了，但骨架终会长全，作为缺损部分的她，固然依恋这个家庭，大家也都在忆念中感到遗憾，但全家经历了这场灾难与悲痛之后，终于融溶和合。《可爱的骨头》的书名，点出的正是这一主题。 或许是有感于当前美国的家庭危机，近年来颇有些美国作家致力于家庭题材的小说创作，不过多以青年和中年的婚恋为骨干故事，因此更像是言情小说。