Loved the book, kept me gripped from the start, the plot is interesting and well developed. can’t wait to read the next book.

Even though I had figured out who the killer was and the twist roughly half way through the book it didn't detract anything away from it. It is fairly gruesome in places which was great :-)
And being set in Indonesia it makes for a nice change to the backdrop of the book as opposed to the more common countries this genre are typically set in.
Maybe not a massive standout novel in this category but never the less it still makes for compulsory reading if you are a fan of this genre.
I look forward to reading more of his work.

The Bone Ritual is the first novel to feature First Inspektur Ruud Pujasumarta of the Jakarta police.

Ruud is looking forward to meeting up with his childhood friend, Imke Sneijder, who is returning to Indonesia for the first time in 15 years, accompanying her aunt Erika who is going to paint the president but first he has to investigate a murder. A woman has been found strangled on a mah-Jong tile stuffed down her throat and her left hand has been amputated. When more women are found the hunt is on to find the link between them and identify the killer.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Bone Ritual which is a good puzzle with several twists, some more obvious than others. Mr Lees does a good job of creating a suspenseful atmosphere with several potential suspects, all of whom could be the killer. I had a vague inkling but nothing positive enough for it to mar my enjoyment or make me think I knew it all. The novel is well paced with a good mixture of action, tension and the inevitable politics of policing.

The narrative switches between Ruud, Imke and the unnamed killer who places all the blame on his brother. I thought this latter's narrative a bit obvious and rather serial killer 101 but I don't have much interest in reading about that side of things (there's not much new any author can bring to it), preferring the hunt aspect.

I like the descriptions of Indonesia, the geography, culture and customs. They seem to slip naturally into the narrative rather than being deliberate insertions. It makes for fascinating reading and arouses an interest to know more.

I also like the characters of Ruud and Imke. Their dialogue is often amusing and leavens what could be a dark read. Ruud has his troubles and Imke learns about a troubling family secret in the course of the novel but they are both relentlessly upbeat. They both, however, pale into insignificance in the face of Aunt Erika, a wonderful, larger than life creation with a love of chocolate and life experiences.

The Bone Ritual is a solid introduction to a projected series which I have no hesitation in recommending as a good read.

This is the first in the Inspector Ruud Pujasumarta series set in the thriving, bustling city of Jakarta in Indonesia. Imke Sneijder is returning to Jakarta, with her beloved dog, Kiki and with her up and coming artist Aunt Erica after her family left hurriedly to settle in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Aunt Eck has been commissioned to paint a portrait of President Susilo Bambang Yudhayono, amidst the coming presidential elections he is expected to lose. Imke has never stopped missed her childhood home and friend, Ruud, and both are desperately looking forward to seeing each other again after so very long. Ruud's wife left him for another man, a fact that he is constantly mocked for by his colleagues, and he is constantly reminded of it with visits from his irritating ex-mother-in-law, who attempts to atone for her daughter's unforgivable act by bring delicious food to the police station for him. He lives with his brother, Anjer, suffering from Asperger's, constantly doing strange things and requiring Ruud's protection. Imke has never received closure and seeks it with the family's departure from her beloved country.

Ruud finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation that scares him with its brutality and gruesomeness. A middle aged woman has strangulation choke marks around her neck, a mah jong tile stuffed down her throat and her left hand removed with a machete is the victim. Before long, Ruud is unsurprised to find another woman dumped amongst the garbage with exactly the same MO. They have a serial killer on their hands as the killing does not stop there. Imke finds a strange note left in the villa she and her chocolate addicted Aunt Eck are residing in. Ruud and Imke meet often and both are strongly attracted to each other. Ruud finds himself utilising Imke's professional skills and her Kiki, a specialist police human remains finder dog, in a case where leads are scarce. A photograph from a victim's home gives the first clues as to the motive with a group of women playing mah jong together from years ago. Ruud finds his unease growing further as he wonders if Imke's father is connected to the murder spree as his case takes him into dark, disturbing and dangerous territory.

Julian Lees writes a police procedural in the fascinating location of Jakarta, with all its colour, culture and history. It is worth reading this novel from this perspective alone! There is wit, eccentric characters and the desperately dark and unsettling personal history of the psychologically disturbed killer, for whom you cannot help but feel sorry for to some extent, given what he has undergone in his life. Imke, a bright woman with plenty of charm, finds herself confronted by family secrets that put her life in danger, and make her re-examine her unquestioning and loving devotion to Mathias, her father. At the end, she finds she is not yet ready to leave Jakarta or Ruud. This is a promising series, and I already have the next in the series lined up to read soon. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.