She reveals a certain vulnerability that we have not seen before and which takes a bit of getting used to. But she's soon relying on her police instincts as she realises that the initial verdict of suicide in her latest case is all wrong. As such a massive fan of this series, the minute the 17th installment of the Detective Kim Stone series fell into my inbox I had a little jig, punched the air and then pressed the big red stop button on the world. Linking the victims, Kim discovers they were involved in annual tournaments for gifted children and were on their way to the next event. With a touch of gaslighting, a huge amount of catfishing and an unhealthy dose of obsession, prejudice and murder, it’s a sure fire, action filled investigation, that leads to the high stakes, jeopardy laden conclusion of the case, just the way we like it.

Hours before, Steven Harte had walked into Halesowen police station and confessed to having information that would lead Kim to Melody. I also liked that both Tracy Frost and Ted Morgan made appearances at Kim's house to show their friendship, even though Kim has not really seen them as such. They are only taking cases where there could be publicity and headlines that could advance the career of Burns. Kim and team members discover that participants in the therapy were forced to undergo horrendous treatment in an attempt to eliminate homosexual thoughts and behaviour. This is such a clever tactic because there is never a dull moment and it always adds even more tension and suspense to the story.No longer ‘just’ the junior of the team, she’s really developing great instincts and it’s been wonderful seeing the author chart her journey and her growth as a character and as a police officer. The closing chapter has an emotional resonance you will find hard to ignore and in which we, for once, see part of Kim’s vulnerability laid bare to those she holds dearest. I would like to thank both Netgalley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Her mother, who recently died of cancer, was being held in a home for the criminally insane due to actions that almost killed Kim, and resulted in her brother's death. But this book was amazing, and although it's touted as "can be read as a stand-alone", I totally disagree.

He ignores cases that should be further investigated as he is waiting for a high-profile case that will lead to his advancement and glory. Then the body of a woman is found dead in suspicious circumstances and Kim makes a disturbing link between the victims and Russells Hall Hospital. But with nothing to link the two victims except the cold, calculated nature of their death, this could be her most difficult case yet. I’ve really got to find an opportunity to read an Angela Marsons book – if only Bookouture would put them on NetGalley sooner. Given how the lead case evolves, you would easily think that anything was possible, so be prepared for misdirection and sleight of hand.

As she listens to his engagement with her team, it’s pretty clear that Burns is managing cases far differently than she would or what her team has come to expect. Desperate to crack the case open quickly, Kim and her team unravel a vital clue – a fiercely guarded secret that links both victims and could cost even more lives. And when a handwritten letter from the killer lands on Kim’s desk addressed to her, and pleading for help, she knows time is running out to bring the little boy home alive.Late one summer evening, Detective Kim Stone arrives at Haden Hill Park to the scene of a horrific crime: a woman in her sixties tied to a swing with barbed wire and an X carved into the back of her neck.

Late one evening, as the final church bell rings out, Sandra Deakin’s cold and lifeless body is found in the overgrown graveyard with multiple stab wounds. Why can't I just be a sensible reader and savour every sentence, why do I have to halt the universe, sit in a quiet room, mute the kids and hubby and devour it in one sitting? The second is the case of a missing husband who, to all intents and purposes, looks as though he has left of his own accord. With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Actually, I say an emotive case, there are actually two cases on the go, one that takes the focus of the majority of the team, the main premise of the novel, and one that has really hit a nerve with Stacey. Look, I will only listen to this series, which means I give up the opportunity to read it for review. Thank you Boukouture for the fastest NetGalley approval so I could read this book in one sitting like the obsessed Marsons fan I am. For Detective Kim Stone every detail of the scene mirrors her own terrifying experience with her brother Mikey, when they lived in the same tower block thirty years ago. Kim resumes her duties and kicks Burns out, when she immediately realizes her team is ready to revolt.