The Bone Jar (DI Lew Kirby #1) by S.W. Kane
Genre: Crime fiction, Crime thriller, Police procedural
Read: 17th April 2021
Published: 1st July 2020
★★★★ 4.5 stars
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.
As his world crumbles around him, Lew must put the pieces of the puzzle together to keep the killer from striking again. Only an eccentric former patient really knows the truth—but will he reveal it to Lew before it’s too late?
MY REVIEW:
I love police procedurals with a difference. Ones that aren't entirely procedural but tend towards crime thriller with other voices adding scope to the story as we try to unravel the mystery in between. Add to that an atmospheric yet almost sinister setting with a creepiness that sends chills through even the most seasoned detective...and you have THE BONE JAR. A debut thriller by London-based author introducing readers to DI Lew Kirby.
The prologue begins with a witness to something not quite understood. The words "At last she now sleeps" offer nothing but maybe a killer's idea of a mercy killing or something maybe far more sinister. But what does it mean? And what did the witness see exactly? And what does it mean for them?
A security guard hears the ringing of a mobile phone in the abandoned asylum he is paid to keep secure. Following the tingling sound, he locates it in an old ward next to the now frozen lake...but what he didn't anticipate discovering was the body of an elderly woman in one of the remaining beds. DI Lew Kirby and his jovial partner DI Pete Anderson arrive on scene with SOCO to secure and investigate the area. Despite their inquiries, questions remained unanswered.
Detectives discover that if anyone knows anything that goes on in the old asylum it's Raymond Sweet, a former patient who now lives in the Old Lodge on the grounds and after twenty four years of residence has won squatter's rights to call the it home. But is anything Raymond says to be believed? After all, he was a patient at the asylum for nearly thirty years until it's closure in 1993.
Urban explorer Connie Darke was supposed to meet fellow "urbex" Ed Blake at Blackwater on the night of the anniversary of what would have been her sister's death. But she had been sent to Oxford and had been unable to meet Ed so he went to the asylum alone. Only thing is, he hasn't been seen or heard from since...and police soon learn that mobile phone found ringing in the derelict building was Ed's. So where was he? Had he seen something he shouldn't have? Or was he mixed up in something from which he couldn't escape? Either way, Connie is worried for her friend and sets about trying to uncover the mystery behind his disappearance.
As the investigation continues, Kirby uncovers the elderly woman's identity and apparently she was not all that she seemed to be. When he learns that she was once a nurse at the former asylum, Kirby knows that the answer lies within the past and the walls of Blackwater. But will the asylum give up its secrets of the past to solve the crimes of the present?
Connie teams up with Kirby to help uncover the secrets of the past and discover the truth about what happened all those years ago to help them solve the murder of the elderly woman. But are they prepared for the secrets that they will uncover? At the same time Kirby makes a disturbing discovery about his mother and her disconcerting behaviour which has him both worried and fearful.
The story centres around the now abandoned and decrepit Blackwater Asylum sitting on the banks of the Thames, the site now prime real estate and the site of a future redevelopment into luxury apartments. High powered developer Patrick Calder, CEO of Patricey Developments, has plans for the site and will stop at nothing to achieve his goal. But does that include murder? And what about former patient Raymond Sweet? Or the dis-quietening developments taking place next door at Marsh House? What does all this mean for Blackwater and how does it link the past and the present?
I thoroughly enjoyed THE BONE JAR. The setting of Blackwater asylum provided an atmospheric yet creepy undertone I just knew I would relish the journey it took me on...and I did. It is well written and very easy to read with no confusing undercurrent. Each of the subplots were woven together with expertise whilst giving the reader the thrill of all the twists throughout. By the end, whilst the main mystery was wrapped up, there were a few loose ends that were left dangling that I hope to see surface in a follow-up.
Overall, THE BONE JAR is a thrilling start to a promising new series I look forward to catching up with again soon. Recommended for fans of crime thrillers with a dark and twisted edge.
I would like to thank #SWKane, #NetGalley and #AmazonPub for an ARC of #TheBoneJar in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
She began reading crime fiction from an early age and developed an obsession with crime set in cold places. A chance encounter with a derelict fort in rural Pembrokeshire led to a fascination with urban exploration, which in turn became the inspiration for her crime novels. THE BONE JAR is her first novel.
She lives London with her French bulldog.
Social Media links:
Twitter | Goodreads
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