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.
Abandoned asylums always make for a great setting, whether for a ghost story or for a murder mystery like this one. :)
ReplyDeleteThey do! Something so creepy about abandoned buildings in general and asylums in particular!
DeleteAsylums inn fiction appeal to me; thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThey appeal to me, too. Obviously. :)
DeleteSounds like a fun read, Jen.
ReplyDeleteIt got me to thinking about how depressing it must be for a brand new author to be making a debut under these conditions. I surely do miss browsing bookstore shelves. In fact, I think that's what I miss most about having to stay home all the time.
An additional stress for new authors, but bless them for continuing to write and publish. Bookstores and customers are having a stressful time. And libraries, too.
DeleteYou had me at abandoned asylum. This sounds like a promising start to a new series.
ReplyDeleteI think it is a promising debut for the author, and I wish her luck!
DeleteAsylums are intriguing in many ways, whether if it's their settings, the history or the stories within. I always cannot resist a book with asylums as its setting so I'll definitely add this onto my wishlist. :)
ReplyDeleteRight! The combination of the abandoned buildings and the stories within are a intriguing pull for books.
DeleteIt is funny how when you learn something new it keeps popping up! I only discovered this idea of urban exploration on Lark's blog last month and here it pops up again. And what a great premise for a mystery.
ReplyDeleteUrban explorers have certainly made their way into fiction. I've read several books in the last few years featuring mysteries with an urban explorer element. :) You can look Google it and fine fascinating pictures of some of the places urbexes explore!
DeleteThere's something about abandoned asylums that gives me the heebie jeebies big time. I once started to watch a British TV series set in an old asylum that had been turned into luxury flats. I didn't watch the entire series, but I do remember thinking, "What did you expect?" when all sorts of horrible things started happening in the building!
ReplyDeleteHad to laugh at "What did you expect?" Exactly!
DeleteThe asylum creeps me out big time, but the former patient and 'urban explorer' Connie definitely makes for an interesting combination overall.
ReplyDeleteReally, it was a shared billing with the DI, Raymond Sweet, and Connie Darke in the main roles. A combination that worked for me. :)
DeleteYes, just like gothic manors, boarding schools, there is something about insane asylums as settings that make you know something sinister could be hiding. Looking forward to this one!
ReplyDelete