The Bone Jar

This book has so many threads that weave through the story line, but the reader won’t be confused because the characters are strong and the story is well plotted. At the end it is drawn together perfectly. The fact that it is based on true events is amazing, fascinating and horrifying. I really enjoyed it.

This book rocked! I loved it. As I write this review, I’m already plotting how to put in my request to ensure Connie and Raymond both make it back to the next book in the series. The Bone Jar mystery begins when the security guard of an old, dilapidated asylum discovers an elderly lady dead in one of the rooms. Soon DI Lew Kirby and his partner Pete Anderson are called to the scene to investigate. What they discover is the building is due for construction with limited access so the question isn’t just who is the lady and why was she killed, but how did they get in. The story is primarily told from two POVs: DI Kirby and Connie Darke. DI Kirby is a bit unusual for detective novels these days in that he has a fairly normal life. He has a new girlfriend and he gets along with his family. He’s also a competent detective who gets along decently well with his coworkers and during the investigative process finds himself having some rather interesting interviews. Connie is someone we don’t meet until several chapters in. She has ties to the investigation and assists it effortlessly. Every time she entered the scene I knew to read carefully because something was going to happen. But as a reader I sincerely appreciated how she wasn’t a character who did stupid things, such as getting herself into danger without calling the local DI on the case. Nothing more frustrating than a character walking into a bad situation with their eyes wide open and doing nothing about it. The plotting and pacing of the unraveling of the mystery seemed spot-on, which is what keeps me hooked in suspense novels. Always moving forward steadily until we get to the ‘thrill’ part where they catch the villain. And unlike other books I’ve read where the story feels over once the villain is caught, this one spent time giving the reader closure on several fronts to give a satisfying conclusion along with the hints of what may pop up in future books. As much as I enjoyed the book, I do have two issues I wanted to bring up: 1) There is a splattering of curse words in the story. They are not everywhere and you can go long sections without seeing them, but some of them felt unnecessary. 2) There’s an unanswered question in my mind about an alibi that was being looked into that I don’t remember seeing the final result of. However, it’s also very possible that it was answered and I just missed it while reading. Overall, a terrific start to a new series. Rating: 4.5 stars

London-based author S.W. Kane makes her literary debut with the crime thriller "The Bone Jar," a Thomas & Mercer release due for publication on July 1st, 2020 that is listed as one of Amazon's June "First Read" titles offering Prime members a first glimpse at up-and-coming titles. The story centers around Blackwater Asylum, a former mental health asylum still sitting on prized property on the banks of the Thames River. High-powered developer Patrick Calder wants the Battersea stain to go and has largely acquired the property with plans for a luxury development. The only thing, or only one, in his way is the mysterious Raymond, a former patient whose release from the facility upon its closure sent him out into a world he wasn't equipped to deal with and back into the safety of one of the facility's now abandoned shelters where he squatted long enough to be named the small shelter's owner. With Patrick Calder closing in and Raymond hunkering down, things begin to come to a head when the body of an elderly woman is found in Keats Ward, an isolated unit of the former asylum that had been a bit of a mystery even to those familiar with the place. When another body is soon discovered in the river nearby, the secrets of Blackwater Asylum begin to reveal themselves compounded by the relentless searching of urban explorer Connie Darke, whose sister had died in a mysterious accident in the asylum, and Detective Lew Kirby, whose job it is to figure out this entirely too complicated mess of a mystery. There's a phrase used in construction called "good bones." "The Bone Jar" has good bones, an intriguing concept of a story set in a compelling setting and with characters who seem worthy of further exploration. Unfortunately, "The Bone Jar" never really fleshes out its story, visualizes the potential of its setting, or gives us characters with whom we become invested. As "The Bone Jar" appears to be the first in an intended series of books centered around Detective Lew Kirby, the series itself has potential to develop into an intriguing mix of crime thrillers and police procedurals complete with Kirby, a bit of a flawed character with his own bit of baggage to deal with in life and a predictably stale love life. Again, "good bones." While "The Bone Jar" is set in the London area, the story itself feels universal despite references to familiar landmarks that clearly set its locale. "The Bone Jar" is most effective as a police procedural, the jigsaw puzzle of a mystery engagingly put together by Detective Kirby and a partner who is criminally under-utilized. While the mystery itself is rather light, as in I had the story pegged less than a quarter of the way through the novel, the journey to get there is involving and nicely constructed. "The Bone Jar" is less effective as an actual crime thriller. While asylum-set mysteries and horrors are a dime a dozen these days, "The Bone Jar" never really immerses the reader inside the world of Blackwater Asylum and in the tensions lying underneath the seemingly above-water deals and beneath the surface secrets and deceptions. Multiple characters have their own secrets, a fact we know because the characters usually say it as an aside. It's a weird approach that lessens the mystery and seems to not trust the reader to actually get it. Feeling like the introduction to a world that it actually is, "The Bone Jar" is a decent enough read even if it falls short of being the incredibly engaging, dark, and mysterious crime thriller that you want it to be. Yet, there's something promising here and given the marketing push the book is receiving it's likely that enough readers will become introduced to the world that many will go along for the ride and eagerly anticipate Kane's next Detective Kirby adventure. Here's hoping that the next adventure further immerses us in its world and into the lives of characters who feel paper-thin here and lacking in the valued relationships that would give them more substantial meaning.

Extremely well-written. I don't remember any editing errors. Wonderful characters of every sort, lots of twists and turns, and with such fabulous descriptions of the locations I felt as if I were watching a movie. And as it's set in coldest winter in a long time in England, and I'm in a hot summer in TX, I still often felt like putting on a sweater. That's how good the writing is. My husband loved it as much as I did, hence the ten star rating. I wish it had gone on for another chapter or two, and there was something at the end I would have loved to have had taken care of, but it's really a perfect read, and we're hoping there will be at least one more Lew Kirby book coming soon. Highly recommended.

Very well written and very interesting. Very good story line. Keep my interest from chapter one to the end. Would recommend to anyone with interest in a good mystery read.

Intelligently told story without the turgid stereotypes. All of the characters are fully formed and interesting in their own right.

This was flipping fantastic. I’d be surprised if someone told me they did not enjoy this. What a great detective / crime / mystery / whodunnit. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Fast paced with short(ish) chapters. I could not put this down. The character development, the storyline, the setting - absolutely spot on! I’m happy it’s the first in a series - bring on the next please!

My actual rating is 3.5☆ I've just finished reading this book via Kindle Unlimited. My second book of the day. Got to make the most of my KU membership. 🙂 I'm glad I didn't read the low rated reviews until after I'd read the book, as I quite enjoyed it. Even though this is the first book in what I assume is going to be a series, the pace is brisk. Even so, you still get a decent sense of the characters without their introduction being too laboured. I particularly liked the elderly victim's daughter. I'm pretty sure I've met her! 😲 The plot had plenty going on, with lots of little twists and turns, and I was kept entertained to the last page. A couple of turns seemed to be cul-de-sacs but perhaps they will be addressed in book 2. The asylum where the murder takes place is described well and I could really picture it. It is not surprising to learn that the author worked at the Royal Institute of British Architects. She is also interested in urban exploration. You hear more and more about this nowadays, especially on YouTube, and this too plays a part in the story. Even though this book would probably be classed as a police procedural, the story wasn't that focused on the detail you would normally find in this genre, so if that's what you really love about police procedurals then this book might disappoint. Perhaps read the sample first. I would definitely read book 2 if there is one and I have already chosen to follow this author. I liked her writing style and I think the characters could develop quite nicely as more detail is added to their lives. Definitely worth a read.

It is well written and I really liked all the characters and I kept thinking about it in between reading times! I like this author and am looking forward to reading more.

murder and an abandoned asylum sounded like a good set up for a story to me and I wasn’t disappointed. The investigation has to delve into the dark past of the asylum to solve the current murders. There’s certainly a tangle for the detectives to unravel, I enjoyed the plot slowly revealing the horrors, the past, the secrets and the feel of the abandoned asylum was suitably creepy. Well worth a read, it left me wanting to know Connie’s story so book 2 here I come.