I appreciate crime fiction where I can clearly picture the places described and the eerie threatening presence of the old Victorian asylum at the heart of this novel felt very real and very well described. In my student days, I had a friend in a dodgy part of London that was very close to a (now closed and even then rather dilapidated) Victorian hospital and this was the one I had in my mind when I was reading.

The choice of two protagonists - a handsome policeman called Lew with a taste in old cars and good coffee and a so-called 'Urbex' or urban explorer called Connie who works in an architectural library or museum - leaves a lot of scope for this story to develop into a longer series.

Investigating two deaths that seem to be linked but it's unclear how, gives Lew and Connie the chance to meet some colourful characters with plenty of dark secrets. An altercation in an unpleasant pub called the 'Welcome Inn' put Connie in contact with the father of one of the two dead whilst Lew is leered over by a onesie-clad dipsomaniac and maneater whose mother is the other.

The book is full of interesting characters - I particularly liked the ex-patient squatting in the grounds of the asylum and getting in the way of potential developers - and fascinating locations. It reads as very 'real' - if you know what I mean. There are plenty of sub-plots that leave space to take the series further but you don't have to worry that you won't get the story done and dusted in the one volume (That's a particular hate of mine - so-called 'series' books that don't finish the story within the first book so you have to buy another).

I'm reminded of a bit of a combination of early Minette Waters and a dose of Nicci French's Frida Klein books with a strong London authenticity and an interesting plotline.

This book was incredible. I unread soon as I read the synopsis I had to read it and I am so glad I did!

The setting for this book is perfevt, they haunting and haunted atmosphere of the abandoned asylum is portrayed perfectly by the author without being over the top.

The interlinking takes of the characters are clear and well constructed, giving a complexity to the mystery that leaves you guessing, hence enhancing the quality of the story even fuether.

Additionally, the personal story of Lew and his mother, and how this is interwoven throughout the tale, is done excellently, and the shocking revelation is utterly unguessable.

Ultimately this book is an excellent read, the various interwoven takes culminating in a wonderfully dramatic climax and a satisfying resolution. I would have liked more explanation about the character in the final scene, and his motives, however the ending was so well done that this is a very minor detail of little significance.

A really good fast paced read. This is a very well thought out story with plenty of action and a brilliant twisty plot. Great start to a series.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

The Bone Jar is hopefully the beginning to a great new detective series. The body of an 85 year old woman has been found in an abandoned asylum. What a great setting for a police procedural/psychological thriller! The author demonstrates a wonderful ability with description and pacing. Hope to read many more books by S.W. Kane. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

They had me at abandoned asylum! I don't think I've ever read a book about one of these that wasn't awesome. The creepiest of settings with a dark haunted atmosphere, and Blackwater Asylum is no different. A murder victim is found deep within its walls and it's up to Detective Lew Kirby and team to figure out why. A feat not made any easier when one of their early suspects is also found murdered nearby. What went on in this place? Because surely it involves someone who lived or worked in Blackwater, making a statement by committing the crimes on or near the property.

Connie Darke is also investigating the case, but on her own. She's not a detective though, she lost her sister to a tragic accident on the asylum grounds. She knows there are dark secrets just waiting to be exposed and she wants to be the one to uncover them. She makes contact with a former patient who lives on the grounds but his damaged past makes it hard to trust and believe him. Does he really know truths, or did certain events take place only in his mind? Surely, the staff would not have experimented in such ways...but this is an asylum, after all.

Anyone with an interest in asylums or abandoned places would love this mystery, just for the atmosphere alone. But there are also plenty of twists and secrets exposed that draw you deeper into the story. You won't rest until you know everything Blackwater has hidden and you won't be disappointed!

The secrets of Blackwater Asylum are beginning to reveal themselves... the body of an elderly woman is found in the derelict asylum on the banks of the river thames and it is left to Detective Lew Kirby to discover them especially after another body is found further down in the river

Not read anything by this author and was taken by the blurb for this story, this is the first in what hopefully becomes another gripping must read series

The Bone Jar by S.W Kane is an atmospheric and chilling debut novel that had me from the first few pages. A snowstorm,an abandoned asylum and the discovery of a body...what else do you need to set the scene? I was spooked out immediately. With the exception of one man who lives within the grounds there is nothing and noone near. The police come to the conclusion this case is not going to be cut and dried anytime soon.
We are introduced to D.I Lew Kirby who is the detective working on the case along with his partner D.I Pete Anderson. They identify the body as an ex- nurse who spent her retirement visiting local hospices, the detectives can't find anyone who can say a bad word about her but this doesn't marry with her being left in the old asylum in anyway, surely someone out there has a grudge. A mobile phone is found at the scene which leads the detectives to search for the owner, an Edward Blake and discover someone is searching for him also.Connie Darke an urban explorer or Urbex, was meant to meet Edward at the asylum and he did not turn up so she has been looking for him since. Connie is interviewed by D.I Kirby and D.I Anderson in light of their enquiry but as the case goes on another body is discoveres and Connie gets drawn into the investigation herself.
All the secrets and dark pasts start to come to the fore and reveal a disturbing set of truths as the case unfolds. I was so creeped out at times but could not put the kindle down! It was all worth the spookiness as I arrived at the final portion of the book. The pace rackes up and I was dying to knie whay was going to happen! The twists were great and the finale was intense.
The characters were well drawn out and I easily earmes to them. I loved how Lew could not stand his police issue Corsa and Pete had his lucky rabbits foot, made me giggle a bit. Their chemistry was fantastic and in turn their team are spurred on by them. A great plot that, as I said, held me from beginning to end and I would absolutely love to go on another spooky adventure with Lew and Pete, any day! Thanks go to Random Things Tours and Netgalley for allowing me to on this blog tour and for the copy of The Bone Jar, a chilling debut!

4.5 STARS

I read this book for a blog tour, so thank you to the blog tour organiser and the author for letting me take part in this tour, and thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I was really looking forward to reading this book because the blurb and the cover really drew me in, I really like mysteries, but I'm quite picky and only like a few that are really centred on the actual investigation with forensic elements and police as well, and this one was exactly that, so I was sure to really enjoy it.

This book gripped me from the start and even though I was quite distracted at the time I was reading it for various reasons, it kept drawing me in and really held my attention when I was able to read. I thought that the setting with the asylum and the murder possibly being linked to something that happened while the asylum was still running was really interesting and I enjoyed this plot a lot.

In this book, we follow detective Lew Kirby as he is trying to piece together the murders and also try to find the culprit, as well as he is dealing with his own family issues. We also have Connie Darke who is having to deal with the same things and trying to find her friend Ed who has disappeared. As well as these two, we have Raymond who is an ex-patient of the institute, is still living on the grounds, and the title of the book is linked to his character, but I won't say more about it. I really appreciated that we got these three characters as well as the investigation because it made the book more complex and really gave us some intriguing subplots that kept me reading right through! I'm really hoping there are going to be more books, hopefully, a detective series, because I want to know more about these characters.

I wasn't expecting that ending and I definitely think there is potential for more books as even though I thought the crimes in themselves had been well wrapped up and the threads tied up and explained, something happens at the end that makes you think there is going to be more, so I'm really intrigued to find out.

I thought this was a great book, I really liked the backdrop of the asylum, and I thought that some of the subplots that were explored in this book, that were linked to the asylum and these three characters were really important topics and I found them to be really interesting. I do usually really like mysteries, and this was definitely the type of mysteries that I really enjoy.

I gave this book 4.5 stars, I really enjoyed it, it was a great mystery with a great plot, the characters were really relatable and well developed, the story was well written and kept me entertained right through. It was just missing that 5-star feel, but I did really enjoy it and would highly recommend.

Omg what a chilling book. It did freak me out and was spinechilling. Really good page turner and loved it

Just the name - The Bone Jar - gets those hairs on the back of your arm tingling, it conjures up creepy places, unpleasant people with horrible agendas. Now with a name like that this book needs to live up to its spooky name, thankfully it does!

Detective Lew Kirby is tasked with finding a murderer of a seemingly innocent elderly lady, her body was discovered deep within the bowels of the majestic yet derelict Blackwater Asylum. The asylum is steeped in local lore, the vast complex is full of secrets and is a mecca for urban explorers such as Connie Darke.

Connie is mourning the loss of her sister, An urban explorer, Connie’s sister was found dead at the asylum years previously, her boyfriend has tried to find out more about her death and along with Connie they have explored the asylum grounds extensively. However her sisters boyfriend goes missing and when another body is pulled from the Thames, she finds herself working with Kirby to get to the bottom of Blackwater’s secrets.

Someone who knows a lot about Blackwater is Raymond Sweet, a former patient who has squatters rights within a house on the site, he has seen things and he remembers things, can they trust him or does he know more about deaths than he is letting on?

As they dig, they find out that the elderly victim was far from sweetness and light, they uncover a tangled web of lies and intrigue, I know that is a little cliched but it is a great web and SW Kane has done a great job of keeping you guessing until the very end.

This is a fantastic read, its perfectly set with the asylum described perfectly, the decay of the buildings inside and out comes through in the text and it gives you a definite sense of foreboding every time they set foot within the grounds.

I’m hoping there will be more stories with Lew, I have a feeling Connie will pop up again if there are more, sparks did fly between these two and as an urban explorer who knows what Connie might find the next time she is delving in to the unknown and unloved.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Heavy Crime with Extended History Behind

The story is set in England in extreme wintery climatic condition with snow billowing and bones chilled - a perfect set for a crime story.
Murder of an an elderly woman occurs in the Blackwater Asylum, the place is called as Blackwater which sounded relatedly queer to me. The asylum was later turned into a Psychiatric Hospital. It has a history of psychotic patients heavily treated with something called "Deep Sleep Therapy" where the patients after being tortured are targeted to dismantle their memory of past.
A murder of an elderly woman called Ena Massey leads to an investigation led by DI Lew Kirby and his team. The asylum building is linked to a place called Marsh Water that has a lake. Being an abandoned place and a derelict building with CCTV camera recording no suspects, options run out for the detectives when they cannot even figure out how the victim and the suspect had gotten inside the building in the first place. Then there was the urban explorer and sewage drainer, Edward Blake, who has been missing for the past two days and his friend Connie is looking for him.
Raymond who was once a patient at the Black Water was repeatedly threatened by the site developers who was planning for re-developing the site into urban flats, but since squatting for almost thirty years, he has won the squatter's rights and strangely he has a collection that he feels like he must protect because of the Creeper and he calls it the Bone Jar.

This was a good crime book if one is interested in a complex crime story which has extended history with many characters involved that finally leads to the crime.
Around the middle of the story, I was confused with the new characters coming in and the names which sounded similar to one another.

And upon the crime itself, there is this personal family problem for DI Kirby that has to do with the current state of his sick mother. She seems to have a secret to tell him but she doesn't until the end and it would have been rewarding if the secret had slightly anything to do with he ongoing investigation but it was a shock that I found hard to follow and accept.
And also Raymond is a detective and he should have been able to predict what was wrong with his mother when there were already hints.
For this book, I felt like it was more writing-focused and there were little parts of some characters in the story that disappointed me. But this was a very intricately-thought plot and writer has done a good job and was a fun read.

A terrifically exciting murder mystery/police procedural focusing on a long-abandoned London asylum, slated for expensive redevelopment, its history of horrifying secrets, and its connection to the late wealthy family in the neighboring mansion, THE BONE JAR is both riveting and wildly entertaining. Weaving the current case with Blackwater Asylum's ugly, unforgettable past, and the backstory of the protagonist, London MIT Detective Lew Kirby, the plot keeps the reader well engrossed, even to the extent of reading heart-in-mouth.

The Bone Jar takes place in London Town where an old abandoned asylum is about to be redeveloped into prime luxury real estate, the only kicker being a squatter who, after 20 years of residing on the premise has won squatter's rights to keep a small portion of the estate for himself.

Have you ever heard of Urban Explorers(a.k.a the classy word for trespassers)? The Author apparently is one, and brings the Urbex experience into a spooky murder mystery. We all love abandoned buildings with the haunted and sinister past of an asylum. Who can resist?

But this building has a long history of abuse, murder, suicide, and controversial experiments.

A sweet old lady has been found dead in the asylum and as it turns out, she is anything but sweet.

I was super excited to read this book and am grateful to have been given the opportunity. For me it wasn’t good or bad. Didn’t love it or hate it.

The Bone Jar by S W Kane is a debut novel, and one that caught and held my interest. Since this is listed as Book 1, I'm happy to know there will be more.

From description: 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?

Before long, the secrets of Blackwater Asylum begin to reveal themselves. There are rumours about underground bunkers and secret rooms, unspeakable psychological experimentation, and a dark force that haunts the ruins, trying to pull back in all those who attempt to escape. Urban explorer Connie Darke, whose sister died in a freak accident at the asylum, is determined to help Lew expose its grisly past. Meanwhile Lew discovers a devastating family secret that threatens to turn his life upside down.

DI Lew Kirby is the protagonist, but he does not take over the plot; a couple of secondary characters are as involved and important as the DI, giving the novel an almost ensemble feel. Raymond Sweet, a former patient, lives his eccentric life on the grounds of the old asylum, and Connie Darke wants to know who was with her sister the night she died and
what has happened to a friend and fellow urban explorer who is now missing.

In the investigation to discover who wanted an 84 year old woman dead, secrets from past and present come slowly to light.

Like many readers, I find plots involving mental asylums suggestive of a thrilling and suspenseful experience, and the long abandoned Blackwater Asylum blends atmosphere, history, and memories that satisfy that notion. A promising debut and a suspenseful mystery set in the midst of a frozen winter, The Bone Jar more than met my expectations.

(Although this was a NetGalley offering, it is also available on Kindle Unlimited.)

NetGalley/Thomas & Mercer
Police Procedural. July 1, 2020. Print length: 327 pages.

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?

Before long, the secrets of Blackwater Asylum begin to reveal themselves. Lew along with the help of an urban explorer, Connie Darke, whose sister died in a freak accident at the asylum, must put the pieces of the puzzle together to keep the killer from striking again.

I really enjoyed this book. I was immediately intrigued with this book when the premise mentioned a murder in an asylum. That itself creates an interesting atmosphere for creepy thriller.

While at times I did get confused while reading because there were so many characters and sub plots going on at the same time. But, at the end all of it with all its twists and turns come together for a thrilling finish.

Overall an excellent start to a new series. Looking forward to more books in this series!

Thank You to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this ARC

I nearly chose this as my amazon first reads choice but decided on another title, so I was so pleased to get this through Netgalley.
This was so my kind of book, I have a morbid fascination with thrillers about mental asylums but this took forever to get going. I was at 20% before I found out the identity of the murder victim!
Lots of characters with not enough clarity between them made this really challenging, and I found I wasn't engaged fully with wanting to know the ending.

I couldn’t get enough of The Bone Jar. I was afraid I wouldn’t finish it in time for this review but, once I started, I just flew through it.

What really drew me was the murder location of this book: a former asylum. I love any book set in some kind of abandoned building, especially one where bad things happened in the past. You just know that it will give the story a chilling, haunted vibe, and The Bone Jar didn’t disappoint. Of course, Blackwater Asylum and what happens there is completely fictional. However, it feels totally realistic based on the stories we have heard regarding what went on in places like this.

Although the plot presented enough twists and turns to keep me on my toes, it wasn’t what carried the book. The characters were also great. The best thing about them was that they didn’t fit the stereotype I often come across in these kinds of books. Connie was brave and smart and she didn’t make stupid mistakes. Kirby was pretty normal for a detective, and by that I mean he wasn’t an alcoholic, moody, adverse to other people (you know the usual characteristics), he was just the average person. However, while these characters stood strong in The Bone Jar, it was the unpredictability of Raymond Sweet, a former patient, that gave the book its edge.

Is there anything creepier than an abandoned mental asylum? I don’t think so. A woman’s body has been found deep inside the cellars of the old hospital, Blackwater Asylum and another body is discovered in the Thames nearby. Detective Lew Kirby is assigned the cases, are they related, and if so, how? Kirby is joined by urban explorer, Connie Darke, whose sister was killed in an accident in the asylum. Together they explore the past and present of the old building as they try to uncover its secrets before someone else is killed. Brooding and atmospheric, this story kept me riveted

* spoiler alert ** 3.5 stars

I do like a book set in a creepy asylum.
The more deserted and neglected the better... adds atmosphere.
This certainly had that when a dead body is found on one of the empty wards.
This ticked the right boxes for creepy setting,strange characters,hidden tunnels,secret rooms,family secrets and murders.
It had a lot of good stuff going on.
It also had a decent central character,in what is hopefully going to be a series.
Some excellent twists in the plot,and the ending left me just wanting more.