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The Asylum Confession Files

The Asylum Confessions: Serial Killers

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They arrive alive. They always leave dead.
But first, they give me their confessions. My name is Jack Steen, and for those who arrive on my 'death' ward at the Asylum, I'm the last face many will see before they die. I am the night nurse at an Asylum for the Criminally Insane, and most of my patients know me as their Angel of Death. I know them as mass murderers, rapists, and serial killers - among other things. Here's what they come on my floor, they give me their deathbed confession, and I help to make their death less painful. There's a catch, I want the real story, the one they haven't told anyone else. The majority of these killers are expert manipulators. They could be playing their final game with me by messing with my head.
Now, maybe they're messing with yours too.


Inside this book are 4 DeathBed Confessions focused on serial Patient Karen – she’s not quite the church-going woman you’d want baking cupcakes
Patient Clinton – is officially color-blind except, in rare cases, he sees one bloody color
Patient Cori – he’s a psychotic carny and proud of it
Patient Sister Rose - she’s the ultimate killer Sister WARNING : There is swearing in this book. And some stories might be a trigger for something you have a hard time handling. But, these are the confessions of serial killers, mass murderers, and such, so what do you expect? Are you a fan of Stephen King and Joe Hill? Do you like to read books like The Bird Box, The Haunting? Maybe you’re the type who binge-watch series on serial killers?
If that’s you – then you are going to enjoy reading the deathbed confessions from The Asylum.

252 pages, Paperback

Published July 19, 2023

447 people are currently reading
1931 people want to read

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Jack Steen

30 books513 followers

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5 stars
773 (49%)
4 stars
513 (32%)
3 stars
230 (14%)
2 stars
36 (2%)
1 star
4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
Profile Image for Cecily Black.
2,464 reviews21 followers
November 4, 2025
4.5 Stars
Definitely a series I can't imagine I would get tired of. This installment was great, not the best of the series like I thought it might be, but sti thoroughly enjoyable.
Great read.
Profile Image for Nicki Thoirs.
257 reviews1 follower
December 5, 2025
I love this series! My favourite confession so far is Sister Rose!
Profile Image for Kalena.
90 reviews10 followers
September 2, 2023
The writing quality has definitely improved with each book, but idk I just wasn't as into the stories in this one. Also, I don't know how to feel about some choices made in telling Cori's story, I agree with another reviewer that said a sensitivity reader might have been good for that one. I don't feel like the author meant any harm though.
Profile Image for Steevi Stewart.
93 reviews
October 8, 2024
I get the feeling you're meant to think Jack Steen is a real person and these are true stories but I find it hard to believe when every patient speaks very similar. Like all the rhetorical questions or phrases they say to Jack, they're just too similar too often for me to think these are real. Also the mistakes in this book seems worse than any others.  Couldn't help but notice how often he'd refer to Cori with male pronouns when he had directly said he would refer to them as they/them. He even messed it up in one sentence 'I let Cori have their last word and then I gave him that extra dosage of pain meds.' 


The last patients' story took me forever to read. Not my favourite of this series but still excited to read the next one 
Profile Image for Amelia.
79 reviews
July 28, 2023
In my honest opinion, I was a little disappointed with this one. I came in ready for scary stories but this was just meh. I expected more, Jack.
Profile Image for Mercy Nurse.
384 reviews8 followers
August 1, 2023
One of the stories in this book could have hugely benefitted from a sensitivity reader, so that’s why I docked a star off, but despite that I enjoyed the rest.
1 review
August 26, 2023
A leader in the 7 book series

I love all these books and I’ll reread them, the endings always leave you wanting more ESPECIALLY this book! The best is yet to come!
Profile Image for Lily.
3,386 reviews118 followers
July 23, 2023
4 out of 5 - I took away a star for Cori - introducing them with the pronouns they/them, and then proceeding to use gendered pronouns and phrases after also saying their (chosen) genderless status would be respected. Not a good look. This just makes it feel like making Cori part of the LGBTQIA+ community was an afterthought for brownie points. Would've been a 5 out of 5 otherwise.

Now that that's out of the way - another great collection overall of stories. The characters are interesting, their stories are captivating. Honestly, I've fallen in love with this series the further in I get. Three serial killers, three unique stories…but maybe a thread connecting all three. I'm very curious to know if I'm right, but I don't want to give any spoilers, so you'll have to decide on your own. I don't know if I had a favorite story, despite all being serial killers, they're all pretty unique in their own ways. Out of all three, I think Karen (aptly named), was somehow the one I'd most expect to hear about in the news. Looking forward to the next book in the series!
Profile Image for alishasbooknook.
197 reviews2 followers
June 6, 2025
This definitely wasn’t my favourite of the series, it was okay but the majority were boring and slow. I only really liked the second story.

Karen:
This wasn’t the best and that’s only because of all the god talk again. Surely not all psycho criminals are religious?? Anyway, it was a bit slow and boring for me.

Clinton:
An interesting one, a colour blind man who can only see red when it’s fresh blood. So, what else is there to do other than maiming and murder? For real though, this was better than the first one 100%, a lot more gripping.

Cori:
This one was okay, a little boring but still an okay read. Obviously I don’t condone murder, but the fact that he only killed bullies? I get where he’s coming from. His actions aren’t justifiable, but I get why he basically snapped.

Sister rose:
I didn’t like this one, it was really slow and boring. I don’t get on with stories that have heavy religious themes and although going into it, I knew it would be somewhat religious because of her title, I didn’t think it would be that heavy. I ended up skimming most of the god talk.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Akeila Wilson.
409 reviews4 followers
May 7, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Not that this collection wasn’t good. It just wasn’t memorable. The first guy Clinton was born colorblind and the first time that he saw blood was the first time that he saw a beautiful red color. He then drove to see that color all the time. His uncle would hurt these women before Clinton was allowed to kill him. That is how he got his fixation and fix on seeing the color red. Seeing the color red became like an addiction.

The second person Corey grew up in a carnival like home. I can’t really remember his story I don’t care for it.

The third gal was a nun who went by the name, sister Rose. She basically thought God was telling her she needed to kill all these people so she went served God by killing all these people. Obviously it was wrong, and she turned herself in because who she worked under needed someone to take the fall for all their crimes and so she took the fall.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
79 reviews
July 22, 2023
Love this series!

I'm so glad I found this author! I really like his writing style and try to read each book as they are published. I don't really know what genre I would classify this series because to me these books fall under different categories. Crazy? Yes. Gross? Yes. Funny? Definitely. Murder? Of course. No spoilers here friends so I suggest you pick up the first book in this series and enjoy the ride!
Profile Image for evergrowingtbr.
120 reviews6 followers
June 17, 2024
Some people are docking a star for Cori’s story because of the pronouns. I don’t have an issue with the fact that Jack calls Cori male pronouns bc during Cori’s confession he talks about “making a man” out of himself. I also think the righteous indignation is hilarious since it’s a fictional character.

I’m running out of ways to say I love these books lol. This book was great I enjoyed all of the confessions, entertaining as always! Can’t wait to start the next!
Profile Image for Megan Wintrip.
570 reviews12 followers
November 6, 2024
Jack is back, back, back again at the Asylum.

This time we have confessions from:
🩸 Patient Karen
🩸 Patient Clinton
🩸 Patient Cori
🩸 Patient Sister Rose

As usual I absolutely loved this. I only have one left to read! 😭

I love that we find out a little bit more about Jack yet again. What the hell did jack stumble upon with those tattoos on Patient Clinton!! It's getting very interesting 🤔.

Love love love!
Profile Image for Tamara.
13 reviews
March 29, 2025
Another great book by Jack Steen!
Once again, we are treated to 4 deathbed confessions.
Church-going Karen, colour-blind Clinton, Carny Cori and Sister Rose.
From revenge killings to cannibalism, this has it all.
Although I once again, greatly enjoyed this read, I feel like it wasn’t as good as some of his previous books. The ending note from Jack makes me intrigued to know more about the bartender and I hope he is featured in the next book.




Profile Image for Tabatha Fetters.
49 reviews1 follower
August 3, 2023
Steen never disappoints!

Another great book from Jack Steen. I have read all of his books, and they always keep me on the edge of my seat. Every time I read one of Steen's books, I become obsessed and can't put it down! This book just came out and I am impatiently awaiting the next book!
Profile Image for Rebecca Power.
5 reviews
August 6, 2023
great stories continued

I loved this one just as well as the rest!! I was disappointed in all the errors tho. Like it was wrote in a hurry or idk what. I hope the editor didn’t get paid that’s for sure. It was a lot. Even tho there is a warning for them this book was loaded with them. But the confessions were great non the less.
Profile Image for Leslie.
26 reviews2 followers
March 6, 2024
Loved It

I loved the way it ended, left me wanting more. I really hope he finishes what he started with the last confession in this book. It would make a great book all on it's own. Every time I read one of these books I keep wanting more. Please give this series a try, it's great.
Profile Image for Anna J..
Author 32 books31 followers
August 4, 2024
These confessions were good! Karen, Clinton, Cori and Sister Rose all had valid reason on why they moved the way they did. Everything was justifiable. Well… Clinton was a stone cold murderer, but that was his uncle’s fault. I felt bad for Cori, and sister Rose was doing the lords work.

It also seems like Jack needs to watch his back 😂

Great job!
Profile Image for Taylor.
430 reviews3 followers
September 17, 2024
For the most part I liked the stories but I wish he hadn’t given us a hint about the connection at the start. I picked up on it right away as it was fairly obvious but maybe without the hint it would have taken me a bit longer to see it. I thought this one had more spelling and grammatical errors than usual as well. Still good stories but not quite up to 5 stars. 🥜🧁🩸🎠🎟️🥀
259 reviews
April 6, 2025
Not my favorite Jack Steen novel, but still an intriguing one.

My favorite quotes:

"Here’s what I believe: the plan God has for me isn’t one set in stone. It’s always evolving, based on my choices. He may have a plan or a goal, but I’m the designer of my own fate, good or bad."

"The last thing I’m going to let happen is a man dictate the end of my life, do you hear me?"
Profile Image for Nešo Shonery.
Author 10 books32 followers
May 5, 2025
Ustanova za mentalno obolele, odeljenje za kriminalce (mahom serijske ubice), noćna smena i ponuda jednog od zaposlenih – ispričaj mi iskreno svoju priču (čak i ako je nisi ispričao/la na sudu ili drugde) i možda ti podarim lakšu smrt. U ovoj knjizi se nalaze četiri priče, uznemirujuće, ali zanimljive.
Profile Image for Emily Perryman.
161 reviews2 followers
August 3, 2025
My favorite book in the series by far. Although I feel the stories are getting too mid, you still hang on. I was expecting the patients to be a little more insane, instead I felt like I was watching any old documentary. In the earlier books the patients were just referred to their names, not patient. But these later books it’s now patient so and so and I think that takes away from their POV.
600 reviews9 followers
July 29, 2023
Amazing quick book, loved the whole series so far. He gets confessions from patients at the asylum and in exchange, “helps” them have painless death at the end. I am captivated by these books and always left wanting more stories.
11 reviews
August 1, 2023
Another solid confessional

This books are so awesome. Probably one of the most unique book series I've read and I've read a lot. Main character is engaging and the stories are fabulously written. Can't wait for the next one
Profile Image for Norma.
375 reviews4 followers
August 13, 2023
It was good, but not amazing. While is still enjoy the books I find the series is not as good as it was. I found the “secret” in this book was forced and extremely easy to figure out, though not sure if it’s going to go anywhere in the future books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
9 reviews
October 4, 2023
Jack Steen’s books are the best

I love all of his books! They keep you interested the whole time. I love reading about serial killers and mental wards so both combined is awesome. If you haven’t read any of his books I definitely recommend it!
Profile Image for Christine Cazeneuve.
1,469 reviews42 followers
November 14, 2023
Terrific

These books just never get old. The authors writing style is so unique. You will feel like you're sitting in the pub with him and he's sharing these addictive stories with you. I, for one, can't get enough!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews

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