BASH: Love, Madness, and Murder: Inside and Outside a Hospital for the Criminally Insane

by Michael Bartos

Ashley Roper, Afghanistan War combat veteran, is now a writer and tabloid publisher in Charleston, SC. The nearby Blakemore Anderson State Hospital (BASH) for the criminally insane, is offering up a rich variety of potentially juicy stories including an escaped murderer, a patient released by a jury, the violent murder of a staff member, and illicit drugs finding their way through the barbed wire perimeter of BASH.
Ash decides to investigate from the inside, but through a series of unforeseen circumstances, ends up trapped in the hospital as a patient. Ash's headstrong wife Sally J and her lawyer buddy and former lover Roswell take on the system to try and spring Ash. The romantic and legal sparks fly inside and outside of BASH on a hot July Fourth weekend. A roadside cafe owner, a charming weather forecaster, a meth cooking biker, a crooked cop, a homicide detective, battling lawyers, and a variety of incompetent bureaucrats cross paths in this engaging and dramatic adventure.

Genres: Mystery Thriller

381 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 2, 2021

Reviews

[Ellie Spencer (catching up from hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up from 3.5 Stars ⭐️
Well this is one of the wildest rides I’ve ever been on, I’m still not sure I fully understand everything that happened.

BASH: Love, Madness and Murder follows multiple character POV’s as journalist Ash goes undercover as a patient at BASH (a hospital for the criminally insane). However, things do not go to plan, was an inside scoop worth it?

So much seemed to happen in this book. It was fast paced and exciting, although a little overwhelming and hard to follow at times. I loved some of the characters, particularly Dr Kerrigan, whose kindness and understanding shone through. I did have an issue with some things characters said that came across as derogatory, but I guess that is kind of the point! The characters are meant to be slightly unlikeable.

My one big issue with the story was the flipping between points of view without making it clear which character is being focused on. I’ve seen this in a lot of books recently but it makes them hard to follow. I find myself having to reread paragraphs once I’ve figured it out so I can then follow a story. I personally find it much easier when a chapter has a title of the characters name. That being said, I really enjoyed the way Mike wrapped up the story. It was done so skillfully, tying together every loose end and character story. I always find a well written ending makes me smile, even if it is a little bitter sweet.

I would recommend this to fans of thrillers with a bit of an adventure! I would like to thank Mike Bartos for allowing me to read this book and give my personal thoughts.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ash Roper is a reporter for a Charleston tabloid paper. In the vein of many other reporters, Ashley decides to go undercover & see what he can learn after the death of a staff doctor. On a hot Fourth of July weekend with a tropical storm brewing in the Atlantic, what could go wrong? As Ash quickly learns, everything!

Great book, with lots of twists & turns. Mike Bartos has a way of bringing characters to life that is truly engaging.

[Christine Choptovy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of the novel from Voracious Readers Only. This is literally a psychological thriller and an excellent one at that! BASH is an acronym for Blakeman Anderson State Hospital. It’s also called BS Hospital by the staff. Ashley Roper is an award winning journalist who runs his own paper in Charleston. However, it hasn’t been doing well financially and he needs a big story to capture people’s interest. When a patient from the hospital murders a guard at the courthouse, Ash has to get the scoop on how that happened and how things are run at BASH. He gets stone-walled because no one feels it’s necessary to divulge any information. A disgruntled supervisor at the hospital decides that the public needs to know what goes on at the facility. Using the identity of a deceased person who was going to be transferred to the hospital, Ash has been given a day (during the guard’s shift) to be an undercover patient. Things don’t go as planned and the whole situation goes awry. The positive outcome from the experience is that Ash becomes friends with one of the doctors and some of the patients. If this is what a psychiatric hospital is really like, then massive reforms are necessary!

[Felina Pittman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is a beguiling chronicle of Ash Roper, a war veteran turned journalist/ writer for a Charleston tabloid, who went undercover inside a government institution for the criminally insane to probe deeper intro the illicit drug operation in BASH (Blakemore Anderson State Hospital) and several controversial occurrences like a murder of a staff member and an escaping resident. The story switched to adventure mode when Roper inadvertently got trapped in the hospital due to unexpected circumstances prompting his wife Sally J and her former beau Atty. Roswell to devise a way to release him from his temporary imprisonment.

Set in balmy South Carolina, the writer creatively comes up with interesting characters, i. e. a corrupt cop, drug-dealing biker, a good Samaritan roadside café owner to complete the drama. Add to the aggravating scenario a weather aberration in the form of a hurricane during the fourth of July weekend and the tension level gets escalated.

The narrative is alluring and enticing with its numerous plot twists and will certainly cause the reader to keep on turning the pages.

[Connie Cassell · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Ash’s idea to enter the mental institution under an assumed name to get a story for his newspaper, but things went terribly wrong when the Dr who agreed to do this died and Ash was stuck in the institution for several days not just a few hours. When a sheriff came to pick him up to take him to the courthouse, a hurricane was happening and they got stuck on a bridge and the sheriff was lost in the flooding. Ash had to walk to a restaurant after the flood water receded, and was driven to Charlotte to see his wife and lawyer. This book was so very good, and you couldn’t wait to get to the end to see how the story ended!!!

[Ant · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read, mostly following a journalist who gets caught up in the various shenanigans of the patients and staff of a hospital for mentally unstable criminals.

Twists, turns and action aplenty; you can never be quite sure what the next character introduction might bring.

The copy I received could have done with a little more editing around spelling (their / they're stuck out the most) and paragraph structure, but that doesn't detract from what is a fantastic ride.

Thanks to the author and VRO for the complimentary copy, on which this review is based.

[Myra McCulloch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A free book from Voracious Readers thank you

Ex military turned journalist, Ash Roper, goes undercover to get his story. A state run mental institution is his target.
A terrific read, while a fictional story, there is great insight into the corruption, manipulations and greed of members of a bureaucracy slated to care for those with mental health issues.

[Robert C. smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining, Realistic and Scary!

Who'd ever thought a psychiatrist could author such a realistic story with real beauracratic self-serving characters mixed with sincere, hard-working honest folks! Interesting and enjoyable tale!

[Steven Thorne · Rating 4 out of 5]

a strange book,i was excited at the beginning,i couldn’t put
the book down,lots happening in a mad house,
reminded me of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest,
it was building up to a crescendo but wimped home,
would still recommend it

[Lyndsay Fiorentino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Action packed story following a small town newspaper journalist who finds himself deeper than he expected in a story about a criminal psychiatric hospital. Lots of twists and turns.
I was given a complimentary copy of the book from the author via voracious readers only.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (10/9/2021)! 🎁

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to put down…

This has so many twists and turns it keeps it very interesting. I will be looking for more books from Michael Bartos.

[Tonie Andrews · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slow burner. Context and idea is good but not quick speed enough for me. Gave up a third of the way through as I realise I have so many more books to cherish!

[Cindy Ann Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has so many twists and turns it keeps it very interesting and keeps you wanting more all the way to the end . I will be looking for more books from Michael Bartos.