Police procedural the second featuring Detective inspector Lee Kirby. An intriguing murder mystery with good characters.

"Murder on an abandoned housing development—and a web of dark secrets stretching back decades…
Looking for clues about her sister’s death amid the crumbling decay of a derelict and near-deserted London neighbourhood, urban explorer Connie Darke makes a terrifying discovery: William Stark, the estate’s architect and long-time resident, is hanging from the church’s vaulted ceiling.
For DI Lew Kirby, there’s no doubt that Stark was lured to his death—but who wanted him dead, and why? As Connie begins a covert investigation, desperate to find a connection to her sister, Kirby soon discovers that the remaining residents have something to hide.
Could there be a connection between Stark’s death and the unsolved case of Kevin Shires, a boy who went missing from the estate decades ago? And with Kirby and Connie both digging into the long-buried history of the estate’s darkest corners, what other secrets will be unearthed from the ruins of Grasmere?"
Do they find the answers they are looking for? Will have to read the story to find out. .
Suspenseful, great characters, great storyline, kept my attention throughout the whole book. I give this book 4 stars.
Thanks to netgalley, Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to leave an honest review.
Published Oct 18th 2023

With an ominous and forbidding setting, this mystery drew me in at the beginning. Reading this was a darn good ride.
Many thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Detective Lew Kirby is back in this story about the murder of the architect and resident of a run-down building in a derelict London neighborhood. I enjoyed reading the first story in this series, The Bone Jar, and this one, the 2nd, was just as good. The Bone Jar really creeped me out, which I love, and The Drowning Place was almost as creepy as the first.

I already downloaded the first book in this series, and I will eventually read them as they interest me. I don't want to hold onto a book it could take me years to go to, though, and I should have noted it was a series.

The second DI Lew Kirby book finds him investigating the mysterious death of a property developer. I’d recommend reading the first one in this series before this one otherwise you might not quite understand the character!

I chose to read a free eARC of The Drowning Place but that has in no way influenced my review.

The Drowning Place is the second book in the Detective Lew Kirby series written by S.W. Kane. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the first book, The Bone Jar, towards the end of 2021 so when I saw the second book was on the brink of being published, I couldn't help myself and requested an early read. And what a fantastic sequel it is! One of the things I most admired about The Bone Jar was the way the author created a real sense of place with the setting coming to life on the page and really moving the story along. Kane has done the same with Grasmere, an almost derelict housing estate in South London where a handful of occupants still remain amongst the crumbling brickwork and walkways. When the estate's architect, William Stark, is discovered hanging in the estate's abandoned church, Detective Lew Kirby and his team are called in to solve the murder.

But this book gives the reader so much more than your average police procedural does. The characters are wonderfully written. For example, DI Kirby has real depth to his character. Unlike many of his senior police officer counterparts in other books, he's not driven by addiction, nor does his life revolve around his flaws. But Lew Kirby does have a secret, one that he only discovered himself at the end of the first book in the series. And it's a whopper! I won't go into detail here but I immediately took to Google to discover more. Will he? Won't he? Would you? I'm really not sure what I would do in the same situation! Then we have Connie Darke, an urban explorer who turned up in the first book and assisted the investigation. Connie's sister, Sarah, was also an urban explorer who tragically fell to her death from a water tower. Connie is obsessed with tracking down one of the people present at the time and asking difficult questions. This particular storyline started in the first book and continues into the second. You can't help but like Connie. She's tenacious and strong willed. Her relationship with Kirby develops in this latest instalment - more to landlord and tenant, rather than anything more....interesting but I can't help but feel there's something there which I hope the author builds upon!

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Drowning Place is a highly intriguing mystery which kept me turning the pages, keen to discover what had happened to William Stark. The plot moves at a nice pace, keeping the reader fully engaged in the story. There are quite a few characters to remember (there are eight remaining Grasmere residents, DI Kirby plus his regular partner, Detective Pete Anderson, add to that three Detective Sergeants plus a DCI, and of course, Connie - not forgetting a few other smaller characters) but despite this, I was able to keep track of who everyone was most of the time. The only characters I became a little muddled with were two of the male residents - Falke and Hoffmann, which doesn't really make a lot of sense when you read the book! The setting was beautifully drawn by the author who has a real talent for bringing their locations to life through their words. I think I mentioned in my review of The Bone Jar that the setting is such an integral part of the story that it feels like a character in its own right. Well, Kane has done it again. There's a superb sense of place throughout the novel which transports the reader to the heart of this South London housing estate. All in all, I very much enjoyed The Drowning Place. I do believe you could read it as a standalone but why do that when you could pick up the first instalment of this terrific series and really get to know the characters from the beginning. A very well-written mystery where character, plot and setting all shine through. I for one cannot wait for book three in this marvellous series. Bring it on! Recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Drowning Place. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

A man has been found hanging from an abandoned church on a soon to be demolished estate.
Does it connect with two missing boys from many years before? Why did the dead man live on the estate for as long as he did?
These are questions that the investigating detectives need to answer to get to the bottom of the man's death. Unfortunately it's possible other people are going to get hurt as the facts are sought.
I really enjoyed this read.

The Drowning Place is book 2 in the Detective Lew Kirby by S W Kane.
I really enjoyed reading book one The Bone Jar back in 2020 so I was excited to finally get my hands on her newest title in the series.
I found this book to be a real page-turner.
A terrifically exciting murder mystery/police procedural focusing on a murder in an abandoned housing development—and a web of dark secrets stretching back decades.
The Drowning Place is both riveting and wildly entertaining.
The characters were well developed and seemed very real to me.
The protagonist, London MIT Detective Lew Kirby really kept me so intrigued and entertained.
The plot keeps the reader well engrossed, even to the extent of reading heart-in-mouth.
This novel hooked my attention and kept me very interested until the end. I look forward to reading more from this author

I would like to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

This an interesting thriller as there's the whodunit part and there's the description of an abandoned building and it's architecture.
I enjoyed it even if it was a bit easy to guess the plot.
3.5 upped to 4
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The setting for SW Kane's novel is the Grasmere housing estate, now all-but abandoned save a few obstinate residents who linger on... but what is keeping them there?
The crumbling walkways, disused lifts and dank, unlit corners of the Grasmere sink estate provide a fitting backdrop for SW Kane's array of characters, who are similarly broken or in danger of falling apart. The architectural setting might be on the brink of collapse, but the plot is cleverly constructed and kept me guessing from the moment that urban explorer Connie Darke discovers a grisly murder.
It's the second in a series, but information from the first book is woven into the plot so that readers like me, who have yet to enjoy The Bone Jar, can hit the ground running.
I'm interested in architecture and the way that buildings reflect and affect our lives, so I loved discovering more about urban explorers, and the atmosphere of disused, abandoned urban buildings – and the people who drift through them or feel compelled to linger in them – is conveyed superbly.

This is the second book to feature Detective Lew Kirby and I loved the first book and was expecting more of the same. Unfortunately for me it did not deliver. I found it predictable and I could not relate to any of the main characters. The premise was book but this book could have been so much more
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the Arc in return for an honest review.

A very complex crime thriller, the second to feature Detective Inspector Lew Kirby. Looking at the biography of author S W Kane, her interests in architecture, MA in Creative (Crime) Writing and urban explorers are sources of inspiration for this story.

Kane paints a picture of a virtually derelict and structurally dangerous sink estate. Just a few obstinate residents remain, among them the architect, William Stark. DI Kirby is called in to investigate the death of Stark, a tireless campaigner for improvements on the estate and a widower whose wife had thrown herself off one of the buildings.

Kirby is troubled in his personal life. He has discovered he carries a gene for a hereditary condition,

Urban explorer Connie, a friend of Kirby's, assists him in a covert investigation. It becomes apparent the remaining residents have something to hide. Is it linked to the decades-old disappearance of a boy from the estate, Kevin Shires?

Having not read the first book, I'd recommend new readers explore that first. There wasn't enough context or background on Connie in the second book and I was initially scratching my head as to who she was.

I loved the multitude of different angles and characters. The architect angle gave an unusual spin and I enjoyed learning about tin churches and urban explorers.. An interesting and multi-layered read.

Full of twists and turns, it will keep you furiously turning the pages. Giving this one four starts ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Read it!

Having read the first book when it was released I was pleased to see a 2nd book was coming out and quickly requested it on NetGalley and am pleased I did as this is an excellent follow up.

I quickly picked back up the story thread of book 1 - but this is absolutely fine to read as a stand-alone - and soon felt myself enjoying the characters of DI Lew Kirby, Connie Darke and the affable Anderson.

What I like is that this story offers something a little different in Urban Explorer Connie, and S W Kane draws a picture of the derelict and crumbling London estate really well.

It’s gritty and dark in parts. But there is an bit of humour from Anderson along the way.

The plotting is great, the use of the environment and the buildings almost being characters themselves is really excellent and as the pages turn quickly, the story unfolds and it all comes together in a way I happy with.

It’s a great thriller and I’m glad it’s as a good as the first book I was a big fan of.

Although this is second in the series it can be read on its own. I read the first, it’s been awhile and I had to refresh my memory on DI Lew Kirby’s character. The setting is in London at Grasmere, also referred to as the estate, and it’s as pertinent to the story as are the characters. Grasmere is what I believe Americans would call tenements or the projects. The crumbling complex is being demolished to make way for progress. Kirby is called to Grasmere where a grisly scene awaits him. His friend, Connie, had gone to Grasmere looking for answers. What she found wasn’t the answers about her sister’s death but a hanging body. Connie’s an urban explorer, (something I hadn’t known about before the first book) her curiosity gets her into interesting, sometimes dangerous, scenarios. She works at a financially troubled architectural archive.
DI Lew Kirby has some personal trauma to process, medical questions after the loss of his mother. He and longtime girlfriend also have life changing news and choices to make. First he needs to focus on Grasmere, look for clues, interview the few remaining residents at the crumbling estate. One of those still living there is Reid. He’s suffering from PTSD as a result of surviving the Waco tragedy. The author works the historic events of the Koresh standoff into Reid’s life. It was a different perspective from another country about the long-term effects of that horrific tragedy in my home state. There was obvious disdain for the American FBI.
There are substantial characters throughout with a plot including murder, affairs, secrets long buried and suspects at every turn. I especially enjoyed the atmosphere the author captures. It kept me guessing until the end and I hope there will be more in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley for the digital advance reader copy of “The Drowning Place” Detective Lew Kirby series #2, by S W Kane, Published by Thomas & Mercer. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation

Engaging, Compelling..
The second in the Detective Lew Kirby finds the detective with a murderous case which may have links to the past. Engaging and compelling in equal measure with an immersive plot and a cast of credible characters. Lew himself is particularly interesting and, coupled with a pacy narrative, demands the readers attention throughout. A solid follow on from the first in the series.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advance copy of The Drowning Place, the second novel to feature DI Lew Kirby of the Met and architectural archivist and urban explorer Connie Darke.

Chasing up a lead on her sister’s mysterious death Connie stumbles across a body hanging from the rafters of a disused church in a derelict and almost abandoned housing estate. Kirby quickly identifies the body as William Stark, architect and resident of the estate and draws the conclusion that Stark was lured to his death. He wonders if there is a link to teenager Kevin Shires who disappeared from the estate over thirty years ago. What is not in doubt is that the remaining residents are keeping secrets.

I quite enjoyed The Drowning Place, which has a clever plot with some unexpected twists. I have not read the previous novel in the series so I came to this one as a new reader with no expectations and I found it a bit of a mixed bag.

The novel is told from three points of view, Kirby, Connie and Vernon Reid, who is an oddball resident and was a close friend of Kevin Shires, the missing teenager. All are investigating different aspects of the estate and its crimes. This is not a collaborative effort, so the reader gets a panoramic view of events and the angles while each character plods along in their own lane. I can see why the author would want to present the story in this way, but I felt that it slows the novel down and prevents an immersive read. Having said that, I liked the plot and think that it is well conceived with a lot of thought put in. It is a relatively slow read for much of the book, but it’s worth hanging around because the final few chapters are tense and explosive as things come to a head. I would never have guessed that events would take such a turn and it was a welcome boost of last minute energy.

I didn’t feel any affinity with the characters as they don’t set the read on fire. Kirby is the least colourful, Connie sits in the middle, while Vern Reid is an oddball par excellence as a survivor of Waco with an end of days faith. Even so, he doesn’t come alive.

The Drowning Place is a solid read.

Connie Dark is looking for clues about her sister's death. This leads her to a crumbling and mostly derelict housing estate in London. Once lauded as the crowning work of architect William Stark, Grasmere Estate was to be the future of housing for all. The jewel in the crown of London. Stark was so convinced in his vision he moved into the estate himself and never left. It didn’t take long for cracks to appear, and for the dream to fall appart. With only a few residents left, the estate is primed to be demolished. Connie fails to find the evidence she is looking for, but when leaving, runs into the estate church to shelter from the rain and makes a startling discovery - William Stark, is hanging, apparently having taken his own life.

DI Lew Kirby is called in, and it soon becomes apparent that Stark was lured to his death, and hung up to try to cover the killer's tracks. Kirby needs to find out who wanted Stark dead, and why. The few remaining residents all seem to have secrets they want kept. Stark loved Grasmere with a passion, refusing to leave, even after his wife jumped from the top of one of the block of flats. His daughter is one of the remaining residents, and stands to inherit all her father has left. Is this a case of a crime of passion, a crime for money, or something more sinister? DI Kirby wonders if there is any connection to the unsolved case of Kevin Shires, a boy from the estate who went missing decades ago.

The estate is an appropriately grim setting for murder, and for building a sense of desperation and despair. It is well described, and the characters in the story well written. Their oddness and eccentricities led you to believe any of them could be involved with the murder, or any of the other dramas being uncovered. The dual storylines involving Connie Darke and DI Kirby keeps the interest between the investigation and the history being uncovered. While the evidence all starts to gather and the story progresses, I found myself getting a little bored at times. The pace was too slow, while the setting was well done, creating the atmosphere and ensuring we, the readers, knew all the details, a little less to keep the pages turning may have been better. DI Kirby’s medical and relationship drama in the midst of the investigation felt almost shoe-horned into the story. While horrified to learn that FFI is real (I had to stop reading to Google that one for a moment!) I felt that the brief interludes of his relationship added nothing to him, his character or the story.

Overall an interesting read, and while Grasmere Estate may not be real, the ideology behind it was not too far removed from what has been tried in many areas, so it was interesting to read a book like this, set in an area like this. The majority of the story was a little too drawn out for my enjoyment, with the key action really only happening in the final few pages, but it is a good read if you enjoy a more psychological drama.

*I received this book for review from NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.

This is the second book in the Dective Lew Kirby Series.
This book is just as good as the first book in the series.
The protagonist is Alice, A lady who after receiving a troubling message from her estranged sister, decides to visit her childhood home. Alice uncovers a labyrinth of family secrets and unrecognised traumas as she investigates the riddles surrounding her sister's abduction, which threatens to engulf her. The tension increases via turns and turns, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

This book had me gripped. I read this in one sitting as I needed more of the book.