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bookph1le's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this read. I liked the characters and the mystery--creepy former asylums tend to be pretty evocative. There are twists to this as with most mysteries, but I was happy to find they didn't feel forced or convoluted.
I'm starting to come to the conclusion that I like UK and Irish mysteries better than US mysteries.
I'll keep my eye out for the next in this series.
I'm starting to come to the conclusion that I like UK and Irish mysteries better than US mysteries.
I'll keep my eye out for the next in this series.
celtic67's review against another edition
4.0
What a great book this was. So full of twists and turns. keeps you second guessing yourself. The premise is basically, the body of 85 year old woman turns up in the abandoned Blackwater Asylum. What is her connection, if any, to the asylum? Though it could be called a police procedural, I think it's more a psychological thriller, as it focuses on secrets and connections to the asylum. Thanks to the author , publishers and NetGalley for the ARC. which I've reviewed honestly.
itputsthebookupontheshelf's review
3.0
I really wanted to love this story. The synopsis alone was enough to draw me in, give me an abandoned asylum any day, and I want to read about it. Throw in some murder, and I'm sold!
Unfortunately, there were just too many characters that really didn't need to be there. There are times when the little bits and pieces that you get from different characters add to the story. In this case, it was all way too much to keep track of. I found myself getting confused with all of this extra information.
The story itself was good if you were able to cut out all the extras. It is well written and atmospheric, and I enjoyed the twists and turns that the story took. For a debut, I think it was quite good and look forward to reading any upcoming books from this author.
**Audiobook Review**
I didn't love the narrator, not to say that he didn't do a good job. I always listen at 2x speed and was tempted to bump it up to hold my interest more, but because of the accent, instead bumped it down to 1.8x. Davies does a great job. This is just a personal preference.
Besides the pacing, Davies voice fits the MC perfectly. His vocal influctuations were on point and made you feel like there were real conversations going on. There weren't huge differences in character vocals, but they were there. I think a lot of confusion came from the story itself and not from the narration.
Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and Netgalley for the gifted copy
Unfortunately, there were just too many characters that really didn't need to be there. There are times when the little bits and pieces that you get from different characters add to the story. In this case, it was all way too much to keep track of. I found myself getting confused with all of this extra information.
The story itself was good if you were able to cut out all the extras. It is well written and atmospheric, and I enjoyed the twists and turns that the story took. For a debut, I think it was quite good and look forward to reading any upcoming books from this author.
**Audiobook Review**
I didn't love the narrator, not to say that he didn't do a good job. I always listen at 2x speed and was tempted to bump it up to hold my interest more, but because of the accent, instead bumped it down to 1.8x. Davies does a great job. This is just a personal preference.
Besides the pacing, Davies voice fits the MC perfectly. His vocal influctuations were on point and made you feel like there were real conversations going on. There weren't huge differences in character vocals, but they were there. I think a lot of confusion came from the story itself and not from the narration.
Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and Netgalley for the gifted copy
mrsbrownlovestoread's review
4.0
The Bone Jar - Review (No Spoiler version)
An abandoned asylum, mysterious former patients and murder.
As I carefully chose my Amazon first reads this month this book had me desperate to start reading it (I even abandoned my current read for it!) not being able to resist the description on the back of the book. “Unspeakable psychological experimentation, and a dark force that haunts the ruins, trying to pull back in all those who attempt to escape,” had me thinking this would be a freaky, hide under the blanket book. However, I was mildly disappointed as it turned out to be a run of the mill “who done it” crime story. This is where my disappointment ends, I was completely hooked from the first page, no messing around straight in with a body being discovered.
Then follows the gathering of information by the Police Officer in this case Detective Lew Kirby, I was slightly frustrated at his lack of questioning, I thought he could have and should have asked more questions, or general police work, I'm fairly sure in this day and age a simple google search of the deceased would have been completed.
By about 50% through the book the facts start to come together and Kirby starts to slowly connect the dots. By 80% the book starts to climb to the finale and at this point (even though it was 11pm) I could not put it down. I was going to finish this book no matter what the time!
I think this had the potential to be a really creepy story, as I read the synopsis I was thinking ghosts, hauntings and some seriously questionable experimentation.
Overall this is a good mix of drama and suspense. A great page turner for sure, however, It would have gotten 5 stars had the ending not left me feeling a bit flat. It felt like the author had suddenly remembered that there was an element of the story left unfinished so she quickly added a few pages at the end.
An abandoned asylum, mysterious former patients and murder.
As I carefully chose my Amazon first reads this month this book had me desperate to start reading it (I even abandoned my current read for it!) not being able to resist the description on the back of the book. “Unspeakable psychological experimentation, and a dark force that haunts the ruins, trying to pull back in all those who attempt to escape,” had me thinking this would be a freaky, hide under the blanket book. However, I was mildly disappointed as it turned out to be a run of the mill “who done it” crime story. This is where my disappointment ends, I was completely hooked from the first page, no messing around straight in with a body being discovered.
Then follows the gathering of information by the Police Officer in this case Detective Lew Kirby, I was slightly frustrated at his lack of questioning, I thought he could have and should have asked more questions, or general police work, I'm fairly sure in this day and age a simple google search of the deceased would have been completed.
By about 50% through the book the facts start to come together and Kirby starts to slowly connect the dots. By 80% the book starts to climb to the finale and at this point (even though it was 11pm) I could not put it down. I was going to finish this book no matter what the time!
I think this had the potential to be a really creepy story, as I read the synopsis I was thinking ghosts, hauntings and some seriously questionable experimentation.
Overall this is a good mix of drama and suspense. A great page turner for sure, however, It would have gotten 5 stars had the ending not left me feeling a bit flat. It felt like the author had suddenly remembered that there was an element of the story left unfinished so she quickly added a few pages at the end.
imogroos's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ndbeyer's review against another edition
5.0
Really enjoyed this book- stories characters were weaved together skillfully for me and I felt an affinity for most of them- Raymond, Connie, Lew... Will definitely read the next in the series
thebibliomaniac's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kdaverson's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
lesliewatwar's review against another edition
3.0
This most interesting part of this book for me was that is was based on a factual location. I immediately Googled it and was entranced by history.
The Bone Jar was a good thriller I would recommend to those that don't want to read anything too dark.
I had to pay close attention at times and others places lagged.
Thanks NetGalley for the read!
The Bone Jar was a good thriller I would recommend to those that don't want to read anything too dark.
I had to pay close attention at times and others places lagged.
Thanks NetGalley for the read!