Imagine stumbling upon a book that seems tailor-made for you. For Prudence Bussey-Chamberlain, this book is Bone Horn her debut novel that combines queer specificityabsurdity and a touch of innuendo. The story follows a grieving lesbian private investigator as she embarks on a quest to find the elusive horn of Alice B. Toklas, the de-facto wife of literary legend Gertrude Stein.
The protagonist, a nameless ex-academic with questionable detective skills, takes on the case driven by spiraling childcare costs. Her journey takes her through London, Paris, San Francisco, and New Haven, where she encounters a cast of suspicious queers and delves into the personal lives of one of history’s most iconic lesbian couples.
From Poetry to Prose: Prudence Bussey-Chamberlain’s Literary Journey
Prudence Bussey-Chamberlain’s path to novel writing is as unique as her debut. An academic by day, she teaches creative writing and holds a PhD in experimental poetry. Her love for poetry, particularly the works of Eileen Myles and Frank O’Hara, has greatly influenced her writing style. She is drawn to the light-heartedness and flippancy that poetry can convey, a quality she has successfully translated into her novel.
The idea for Bone Horn came from a confluence of three things: a long-running joke about Alice’s horn, a mundane moment with her wife, and the inspiration she drew from Cipher Press. The title itself, suggested by a friend, is a playful nod to the book’s themes and innuendo.
The Detective Genre Reimagined
Bone Horn plays with the conventions of the detective genre, subverting expectations at every turn. The protagonist, unlike the typical grizzled detective, is a grieving lesbian mother who juggles childcare with her investigative work. Her methods are unconventional, to say the least, involving light Googling, light bondage, and heavy introspection about her dead wife.
The novel also subverts the genre’s tropes of dominance and virility. Instead, it presents a detective who is a bottom, adding a layer of humor and unpredictability to the story. The sex scenes, which occur whenever the protagonist meets a vaguely toppy queer, are a playful nod to the genre’s conventions.
The Role of Grief and Motherhood
Grief and motherhood are central themes in Bone Horn. The protagonist’s grief is not the traditional, wailing kind, but a more mundane, overwhelming kind that she navigates while caring for her child. This intersection of grief and motherhood adds a unique perspective to the detective genre, making the protagonist’s journey more relatable and human.
The novel also explores the idea of lesbian grieving, a theme that has a rich precedent in literature. From The Well of Loneliness to Written on the Body, the trope of the grieving lesbian has been a powerful space for writers to explore. Bone Horn adds a fresh take on this theme, presenting a protagonist who is not defined by her grief but who navigates it in her own way.
The Future of Bone Horn
The end of Bone Horn leaves the door open for more cases in the future. Prudence Bussey-Chamberlain has hinted at a sequel involving Emily Dickinson’s archives and the ownership of her hair. The protagonist’s journey is far from over, and her adventures promise to be as unique and engaging as her first case.
Bone Horn is a testament to Prudence Bussey-Chamberlain’s unique voice and her ability to blend comedy, grief, and detective work into a compelling narrative. It’s a book that every queer lover of archives and sad lesbians will want to add to their collection.
