Random Things Tour - The Bone Jar

TITLE: The Bone Jar (Detective Lew Kirby #1)
AUTHOR: S.W. Kane
PUBLISHER: Thomas & Mercer
PUBLISHING DATE: July 1, 2020

FROM GOODREADS: 

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 THOUGHTS: I love it when I discover new series to love and The Bone Jar is a promising start to the Lew Kirby series.  I mean, what's not to love?  We have murder, an old abandoned asylum and a very snowy setting.  All of these combined to engulf me in a mystery that had me guessing until the end.

The Blackwater Asylum has sat vacant for many years.  It is about ready to be redeveloped when an old lady is found murdered in one of the old wards.  Detective Kirby arrives on the scene and not only is the identity of the victim unknown, but it also seems like she mysteriously appeared in the facility with no trace to who killed her or how she got to there.

Kirby starts unraveling the mystery which initially starts out with very few clues to go on.  He ends up meeting Connie Darke, an urban explorer, whose friend is also missing.  Together, they end up putting the pieces together but will someone else die before everything falls into place?

I really liked Kirby.  He is smart and headstrong and doesn't give up.  We also get a glimpse into his personal life as we meet his current girlfriend, as well as his mother and father.  On top of the main mystery in The Bone Jar, there is also a mystery surrounding Kirby's mother.  Apparently she has some secrets of her own which Kirby never could have imagined. 

As I mentioned, this is a wonderful mystery with a really eerie setting.  It is extremely atmospheric, yet the story never dulls.  I am definitely looking forward to future installments because although the main plot was resolved, there are still some lose ends, and I for one can't wait to see where they land.

RATING: 5 PAWS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: SW Kane studied History of Design and worked at the RIBA before taking on a series of totally unrelated jobs in radio and the music industry, where she still works as a freelance music PR. She has an MA in Creative (Crime) Writing from City University. 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. She lives London.