Hollow BonesHollow Bones
What it's about
On September 11, 2001, when Molly Fitzgerald was two months old, her mother went to an appointment at the World Trade Center and never came home. Now an adult, Molly runs Rhode Island's emergency preparedness department, planning for storms, epidemics and crashes, and she and her husband, Jesse, a police polygraph expert, have found safety in each other. Then the unexpected happens.
Why it's worth reading
It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list in 2026. Jodi Picoult is one of the most widely read novelists in America, known for moral dilemmas that keep book clubs talking.
You'll love it if you liked
My Sister's Keeper
The Women
Little Fires EverywhereGood to know
It's best read without knowing much about the plot. It deals with grief and trauma.
By the numbers
- Readers73 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Jodi Picoult
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Small Great Things
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Explore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is Hollow Bones worth reading?
Yes. It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list in 2026. It ranks #1,386 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Hollow Bones about?
On September 11, 2001, when Molly Fitzgerald was two months old, her mother went to an appointment at the World Trade Center and never came home. Now an adult, Molly runs Rhode Island's emergency preparedness department, planning for storms, epidemics and crashes, and she and her husband, Jesse, a police polygraph expert, have found safety in each other. Then the unexpected happens.
How long does it take to read Hollow Bones?
About 12 hours (464 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Hollow Bones?
If you liked it, try My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult, The Women by Kristin Hannah or Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng.