The Bone Jar is set in modern-day London where a body has been discovered in the fictional Blackwater Asylum; a long abandoned asylum for mentally disturbed individuals. Heading the case is Detective Inspector Lew Kirby and his partner. The Bone Jar is an easy-to-pick-up crime novel, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader interested. It’s a classic ‘whodunit’ story that keeps the reader guessing right until the end reveals. There are a few other threads thrown into the story to keep it from being one dimensional, which helps to keep a higher pace throughout the novel.

Whilst reading The Bone Jar, I didn’t realise it was a debut, self-published novel. The standard was well above what is expected when thinking about those two aspects to an author and I am eager to see what S W Kane has in store for DI Lew Kirby in future novels, but that is jumping the gun!

As a lead character DI Lew Kirby is a captivating character to read about. He has his own personality and quirks that make him engaging. His hatred for his company car and how that contrast to his preferred method of transport, the blossoming romance he has with new his partner, his home and family situation. All these aspects feed in to make him a joy to read about. A shining light amongst the dark work in which he inhabits. It was wonderfully refreshing to have a lead character that displayed a healthy dose of normal! Normal is an underrated trait to give lead characters, or so it seems, so it was nice to engage with a character that seems to revel in every-day life. I found each of the characters in the story were handled with care and given their own, unique personalities. From the ex-Blackwater Asylum inmate Raymond to urban-explorer Connie and all the flavours of character in between, but these two are the ones that stood out to me the most as well as Lews mother and the tragic tale she weaves into the story.

The setting of The Bone Jar is both sinister and magical, the description of the places in which DI Lew Kirby visits are wonderfully vivid; especially considering the time of year – winter. The choice of winter added a layer of desolation to the read. An otherworldly threat layered on top of what is actively happening in the crux of the story.

Although I have called the plot of The Bone Jar straightforward, it’s deep enough to get a bit lost in. There is an element of ‘family tree’ and ‘connection’ that could easily render the reader lost. At times I had to put the book down and take mental stock of what I had just had revealed to me so that I could keep following the plot. It’s complicated, but easy to read and digest, S W Kane has a writing style which has a nice flow to it and this lends itself well to the genre and because of that I found that the complications in the plot were easy to keep up with – and I enjoyed the challenging aspect of trying to figure out who had killed ‘poor’ Ena Massey before the novel gave all the secrets away; it’s that half the point of a crime/whodunit novel? Trying to guess the culprit before we’re told? I am happy to say that all the threads of the mystery are wrapped up nicely to a good, satisfying conclusion – always a good thing from a crime novel. But there was enough left over in DI Kirbys personal life to pick up in another book featuring the same character.

Blackwater Asylum left me with some very strong imagery and I found the scenes involving the building and the people involved with it the most poignant. The fact that these places existed and the abuse that happened within them is highlighted within The Bone Jar and while the setting is entirely fictional it’s easy to understand where S W Kane got her inspiration from.

Summary
All in all The Bone Jar was a very enjoyable read that, while complicated in plot content, was easy on the reader in terms of writing style. The characters are rich in personality and quirks whist surrounded by a rich London-based setting. I highly recommend this book if you’re a fan of crime novels and are looking for a main character that isn’t; drunk, dishonest, thrown off the case for no good reason, abrasive or out to prove themselves!

Absolutely loved this book, really fast paced and interesting read that had me hooked from the description and more than fulfilled all the promise I hoped it offered, Highly recommmend.

Thank You NetGalley & Publisher for this gifted e-ARC!

Two murders. An abandoned asylum. Will a mysterious former patient help untangle the dark truth?
The body of an elderly woman has been found in the bowels of a derelict asylum on the banks of the Thames. As Detective Lew Kirby and his partner begin their investigation, another body is discovered in the river nearby. How are the two murders connected?


This was a crime fiction novel.
Told from 2 POVs....DI Kirby and Connie Darke.
The story of this book was very well written out.
And who doesn't enjoy a good creepy asylum?
I did tend to get a little confused during the middle.....
but as I kept digging in it really started to pick up the pace.

I am looking forward to the next book from this author.

Review- 4/5

This book is about an unusual death in an even more unusual setting, an old abandoned asylum. The deceased has a connection with this old place. This story is full of twists and turns as we find out who killed Ena and why.
The book had a fairly good plot and I loved the setting and the inclusion of urban explorers.
I did find there were way to many characters which made keeping up with who everyone was a chore. I also found the story slightly drawn out. Overall it was a decent read.

“Sometimes there’s a reason why buildings stay empty after their primary function has ended.”
~ S W Kane, The Bone Jar
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This is the first book in what is to be a three-book series featuring Detective Lew Kirby and the debut novel of the author. In this novel, the body of an elderly woman is found in the derelict Blackwater Asylum on the banks of the river Thames and after the investigation gets on its way, another body is pulled from the river. Are the two related? Investigations lead to an unravelling of a dark past and to discoveries of secrets the asylum has kept all these years. But there may be help for DI Kirby in putting the pieces together from an eccentric former patient and an urban explorer who tragically lost her sister years before in an accident at the same asylum. DI Kirby must solve the case while dealing with a shocking family secret.
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This was a good read especially since it is a debut novel. The setting and the description of where the story takes place was great and adds to the creepy suspense – it was very atmospheric and effective. There were characters that I loved especially Raymond and others who brought some humour like Karen. However, for much of the book there is really no action until the very last chapters. Then at the very end when it seems as though something else would occur the book ends in a very anticlimactic way. I could not believe that was the end. Despite this however, the major plot line was solved so it is not a case where the next in series must be read to see what happens. There was a good mystery to be solved and I loved the major plot and its unfolding. The twists in the book were not major and could be guessed for the most part but they were nice additions to the telling of the story. There were other sub plots that were developed to various stages with no real closure, but this might be the case because as the other books in the series are released these plot lines will be revisited and continued. I would read the next book in the series now that the foundation has been laid to see how the series progresses.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Where to start with The Bone Jar? If you like complex, psychological thrillers/suspense with brilliant atmosphereic description then this is a book for you. The centerpiece setting is an abandoned London asylum situated on the banks of theThames. During a massive and unusual snow storm, the body of an elderly woman, a former nurse at the asylum is discovered. The case lands with Detective Lew Kirby who soon realizes this isn't going to be your ordinary murder to solve, nor is the one that follows. The with this story the key is that EVERYTHING is connected and has a purpose, although Kane keeps you continually guessing at the hows and whys.

As new and very interesting characters emerge adding more and more threads to a very complex web of relationships and motivations, Kane expertly inserts them into a world that more times than not, is positively spine-chilling. Her descriptions of atmosphere and settings which change frequently, take you right into the space where she wants you. Not always an easy thing to accomplish.

Although we get a peek into Kirby's private life that isn't without its challenges, the involvement of SW Kane's characters, their histories going back decades resulting in these two murders will keep you turning the pages. Kane uses a lot of characters in this story which at times I felt made it a bit of a challenge to keep straight but I could not stop reading. In the end, she skillfully ties all the threads up with fascinating clarity which reminded me in many ways of Christie's 'Murder on the Orient Express'

I loved this book and look forward to the next one!

3.5 stars

S.W. Kane's debut novel The Bone Jar is a police procedural that centers on the murder of an elderly woman at a dilapidated asylum on the banks of the Thames. By far the strongest aspect of the book is the setting, which is gorgeously eerie, especially because the murder occurs during a bitterly cold winter. Blackwater's interiors are full of shadows, broken glass, rusted beds, peeling paint and decayed mattresses. Outside, the grounds glitter in the sunlight and heavy snow clings to the trees. The asylum's best-kept architectural secret – which is revealed at the end - is just as beautiful, just as disturbing.

I also liked the characters, especially DCI Lew Kirby, former patient Raymond Sweet, and “urban explorer” Connie Darke. Kirby's and Connie's efforts to uncover Blackwater's sordid history grabbed my interest from the beginning and held my attention for the rest of the book. Both of them soon realize the asylum's past must be connected with the old woman's death—they just need to figure out how before somebody else turns up dead.

Kane's writing style is crisp and the story's pacing is brisk but not breakneck, which is perfect for a procedural. The biggest drawback, for me, was the plot. As others have mentioned, it's complicated and there are many peripheral characters whose roles are minimal. That doesn't usually bother me – I love complicated – and I don't mind lots of extras. The problem was that Kane doesn't tie up the loose ends by the close of the book. It's impossible to say more without spoiling the story, but there were at least three key plot points that either were not resolved or were rushed to the point that they didn't really make sense. If it hadn't been for the ending, this would have been a four-star rating for me.

The Bone Jar appears to be the first in a new procedural series and I look forward to reading the second installment. Kane's a promising author and it will be interesting to see how detective Kirby's character develops in book two. I'm also excited to see if Kane can create a setting as haunting as Blackwater.

Much thanks to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Bone Jar is an incredible novel. This novel is a chiling police drama set in London in during a terrible snowstorm. The body of an older woman is discovered and the hunt for her killer begins.

The characters are complex and well fleshed out. They story line has some twists I did not see coming.

This looks to be the beginning of a great series. Look forward to spending more time with these engaging characters.

This was an unexpected read. I stumbled upon this book on NetGalley and was intrigued right away by the cover and title. I admit I judged this booked by its cover (but isn’t is gorgeous). To be safe I quickly scanned the description and saw the words “murder” and “asylum” stopped reading and downloaded the book immediately. I was totally hooked from page one.

This is your classic crime novel. From page one we are thrown into the murder of an elder women at Blackwater Asylum. The book has fantastic pacing with 3 different POVs, mainly that of our lead Detective Lew Kirby, but also some from Connie Drake and Raymond Sweet who are all connected to Blackwater Asylum and help solve the case. In my opinion there are no wasted scenes and I love the way the story/mystery unfolded itself. The ending has lots of suspense and thrill and once they catch the killer it wasn’t just over like some other books I’ve read. We actually get some closure along with some hints of things to look forward to in further books.

It was refreshing to have a main character that wasn’t messed up. Lew Kirby is an pretty average, normal, pretty decent Detective. He wasn’t a drunk or drug addict with secrets in his past, he wasn’t going around sleeping with multiple women, nor did he have an estranged relationships with his parents. Connie was also a fantastic character. She was smart and very brave and I wanted more chapters and scenes with her. And then there was Raymond, he is a poor, misunderstood soul and deserved better. Both Connie and Raymond helped the case tremendously and where such wonderful secondary characters. You can tell that S.W. Kane has a degree in History of Design because the way Blackwater Asylum is written and described is so vivid and exquisite that it becomes its own character.

I am beyond thrilled that this is going to be a series following Detective Lew Kirby. I can’t wait to see what other cases Kirby comes across. I’m also really hoping (more like begging) that we get to see more Connie and Raymond!!! I highly recommend this book to fans of murder mystery and crime novels. If it wasn’t on your radar before it should be now.

Blackwater Asylum has been empty for over 20 years and is about to be redeveloped. Detective Inspector Lew Kirby is called there after a security guard discovered a body in one of the old wards. The woman, Ena Massey, used to be a nurse at the asylum. Ed Blake is an urban explorer; his phone has been found near Ena's body and he is missing. His friend Connie Darke is very concerned about him as she was due to meet him at Blackwater but was delayed. The pair were going there on the anniversary of the death of Connie's sister Sarah, who was engaged to Ed. Sarah died while exploring the asylum site. Raymond Sweet is a former patient of the asylum who has won the right to remain living on the grounds much to the dismay of Patrick Calder the developer. Charles Palmer lives at Marsh House, next door to Blackwater. He has recently arrived from Australia having inherited the house following the death of a relative. Kirby and his team struggle to find out who killed Ena, why she was killed and how she was transported to the deposition site. While carrying out his investigations Kirby is also dealing with his worries about his mother's health. When she finally tells him the truth it knocks him for six.

A really good book with a well woven story linking past and present and connecting all the characters well. Thanks to Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer and S W Kane for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Unfortunately i DNFed this book at 27%, i dont know if it was a me problem or a problem with the book but there was SO many characters and i found it so hard to keep up with who was who and what their role was in the story, i kept have to flipping back to reread bits to freshen my memory which isnt the easiest thing to do on an e-arc. I do think ill give this book another go at some point as i did like the writing and the detective was interesting to read about.

Im very grateful to the publisher for a copy of this book. Im not going to review on Goodreads until i finish the book as i dont think it would be fair to rate at this stage but will try again next month when im in a better mind set

3.5 stars rounded up

This was a good read, but I must confess that it was hard to get into and I kept dropping it many times to read something else. When I got into it, however, it was really good and I couldn't wait to Solve the mystery.

It was a book that was gory and creepy. I love psychological thrillers and this one was a very nice one. The characters were good and well written, and I think the pacing could have been faster.

We've got a murder mystery, a police procedural, and a psychological thriller all mixed together to create this gripping story. The author did a good job.

I hope to read other books by this author because this one is excellent.
It's atmospheric, a bit creepy and gripping. I loved the mix of police procedural and psychological thrilling that kept me on the edge till the end.
The setting is vivid and well described, the characters are interesting and the mystery kept me guessing.
An excellent read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

The title drew my attention and made me want to look more at the book.
I think this is a strong debut novel, by a UK author set in an abandoned mental institution in London. A throughly enjoyable read. I liked the different setting, and combined historic events with current crime.
The pace is a little slower than I would normally like. Although the pace and tension built up towards the end.
There are quite a few characters and you have to concentrate to keep track of who is who.
The character that I engaged with is Raymond, an ex patient a quirky likeable character with a difficult background. I would really have liked to have read about more of his time as a patient to have got a better feel of him. I wanted this to be Raymond’s story.
It’s a Detective Lew Kirby book, but he isn’t the focal character, it is shared between Lew,Donna and Raymond.
All the ends were neatly tied up, I felt this part could have been condensed slightly. You do get some interesting insight into Kirby’s family life. I look forward to the next instalment.
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book.
#netgalley #thebonejar

Well, this was a creepy and gripping crime thriller. Full of twists and turns, plenty of characters and a family tree that was so cryptic that it left the reader bewildered. I simply loved this. It was the perfect blend of thriller mixed with a wonderful amount of downright creepy that lead me to devour this so quickly.

With two murders, a body found in an old asylum left on a particular bed and a body in the water. Detective Kirby is tasked with figuring this one out, with the asylum already having a horrific history and a hotspot for urban exploration its a challenging task trying to figure this one out. Through his investigations he begins to slowly unravel a connection to the asylum and with that, he starts trying to piece it together but a former patient might actually hold the key.

This book was intricately woven, i felt like i needed to map out a family tree by the end so i could work it out. As a reader it made it so enjoyable that you really had to work for the pay off. I liked Detective Kirby - he was a bit rough around the edges and i could imagine he would be quite brusk when needing to be, irritable but also hard working and dedicated. Connie was determined to get answers for not only herself but for her sister and Ed her urban exploration friend and would get them one way or another. Lastly, Raymond - i simply warmed to him to so much. He was awkward, eccentric and i think lonely, my heart went out to him as he fended for himself.

The writing style was in depth and dramatic, creepy and gripping. It was a real page turner and i really looked forward to every time i got to sit down and delve some more into this, i felt like an investigator myself because i was so invested in the story.

If you are looking for a new series to get into please make note of this one. It has all the elements to keep you interested.....a spooky, deserted insane asylum, two bodies, suspicious characters and of course a ghost! What more could you ask for?

Atmospheric, engaging, and deeply moving I found myself drawn into the story line and quite surprised at the thrilling ending. I look forward for more with these characters and a nicely developing narrative.

It took me a couple of chapters to get into this book, but once I had I was hooked. The characters are engaging and generally sympathetic, even the baddies have a spark of humanity in them. The central mystery is solved in a way that is less than obvious, but doesn’t feel like a cheat. There are a few strands that aren’t quite resolved satisfactorily but they feel more like a “to be continued” than an oversight. I do hope that this is the case because I would like to spend more time in this world.

Police thriller with an interesting story and some good characters. What secrets does the asylum hide/hold?

There was nothing predictable about this plot line. I had trouble keeping track of the characters but mainly because I read this so quickly, desperate to find out how it would end. I hope this is one of many featuring the lead character!

A great mystery but there's a lot going on. It was almost hard to keep all the story lines and mysteries straight. Dealing with the asylum's mysteries from the past, the unusual death of Connie's sister Sarah and then the present day mysteries and deaths were...a lot to take in. There were also a lot of players to keep track of and, with different timeframes, not always easy to remember who was who and how they tied to each other. It was funny that at times this town felt much smaller than it maybe really was. All in all, though, the mystery was great and I really loved Sweet, Connie and Kirby. It definitely seems set up for there to be a book 2 and I'm absolutely in for reading it!