The Bug Jar is a thriller, ordered well done. The writing has the right amount of edge and a psychological undercurrent that adds to the suspense.

It starts with the death of a psychotic little boy. Samantha Holland didn't imagine having an affair with a State Representative would cause so much drama in her life. It did! Not only is she now being accused of murdering his son, but she's supposed to have also murdered her boyfriend.
Then she's sent to a mental hospital where there may be no escape. Taking the right medication for bipolar or schizophrenia was on her to do list. Now she has no choice. All she wants to do is escape the "Bell Jar" and prove her innocence. The best time is at the press conference. All she has to do is escape and try to find a way there.
Greatly entertaining! Absolutely a must read!

I have never read a book that so accurately portrays bipolar disorder like this does. And then take that sufferer and drop her in the middle of a political quagmire and you have The Bug Jar. I started this book and could not put it down. There is an interesting mystery here and some characters that are beyond despicable but so well drawn. Excellent plotting and lots of twists right up until the end. I will say that the part of the book from which the title is derived dragged on a bit longer than it maybe should have and almost felt disjointed in a way. I found myself skipping through that section. And it could not have ended on a more enjoyable note. This was a really great read and I found myself sorry to see the last of Samantha. I can not recommend this enough. Thank you so much NetGalley for the copy to review!

First, I want to thank Ava Black and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

I am a huge fan of psychological thrillers but never have I read a prologue to a book that shocked me so much as this Ava Black’s The Bug Jar. Warning to readers you may want to skip this section of the book. With that being said dang what a way to start off the book!! You not only shocked the heck out of me you got my total and undivided attention. He was a sick and troubled kid and well it made for a good story!!

This book touches on a very important topic mental illness. Ava brings up stalking, bipolor disorder, depression, animal cruelty by the hands of his owner.

Sam quick wit sarcastic humor made me laugh out loud. Especially about Sam’s take on makeup and her customers buying her makeup products.

I loved how Sam wanted a better life than the one she had. However, having an affair with the soon to be Mayor and hoping he will leave his wife wont work. Sam was delusional and had mental issues that she saw a shrink for.

I could totally see this being an independent movie at the small movie theaters. I think it would do well actually.

Ava’s description, attention and ability to tell a story that is totally outside the box that has never been done before is incredible.

I absolutely loved the cover of the book. It captured the essence of not only the title but the feel of the book as well. Kudos to the graphic artist and the one who came up with the idea.

If you like books about cheating spouses, death of a child, unstable individuals, political campaigns, police investigations, troubled youth, stalkers, then this book might be for you.

The Bug Jar is a suspense story with a mental health theme. The book is contemporary and set in Chicago.

Samantha Hollard (Sam) has mental health issues. Her medication allows her periods of release from the world. She thinks she killed a boy called Evan. However, she first heard of the story on the news; a car with her distinctive type and colouring was reported at the scene. The crime scene is a neighbourhood she regularly visits, and her car does has a child-size dent in the bumper; she just can’t remember the accident.

Sam has a complex life; she dropped out of college, struggles to hold down a job and is sleeping with two men. One of them is politician Richard Harrison, who is currently in the running for mayor; he’s also Evan’s stepdad.

The layers of plot are skilfully muddied by Sam; the reader must decide if her state of mental health makes her a reliable witness or not. And what about the police; do they want to solve Evan’s murder, but risk political wrath, or maintain their pay checks? In a stand against a society label which threatens to keep Sam quiet and locked away, she fights to be heard and to be given a fair second chance.

I enjoyed this book, and was first attracted by the stunning book cover. The descriptions of the rampaging political machine, which shows no remorse or care for fellow humans, were very believable. I thought the mental health themes were well written and they made me think about the messages in the book long after I’d finished reading. Recommended for those who enjoy a mild suspense.

An easy, fun thriller. A woman is accused of the murder of her lover’s stepson. She questions whether she did it due to her recently diagnosed bi-polar disorder and soon learns who did...and why. I read this on a plane ride and just flew through it.Dark but full of humor and unexpected twists, this thriller kept me engaged until the final chapter. The book addresses some of the challenges faced by people with mental illness.