Scan barcode
abercrombie1986's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
How is this book 20 already? And how am I still this invested in Kim and the team? This is an outstanding police series. With great lovable characters that also show their flaws. All of the team members grow from book to book and it’s the balance of the characters to the case that make this a must read series.
Mothers and their children. A complicated relationship that sometimes goes awry. And interestingly how what looks like a similar relationship or situation can be so different. I love the research the author did to bring the good, the bad and the ugly of child beauty pageants to life. What made me think of Jon Benet Ramsey was flipped to have the mothers being killed. It looks like a daughter fought back and killed her Mom, but it turned out to be much more complicated when there is a string of deaths.
I liked that the side case was a grown man and his mother. So similar but different than the main case and for long time readers knowing about Kim and her mother’s relationship ties these cases into the team. This case fascinated me and I always love reading about Penn.
And to break up the tension, the team needs to add an act to the police variety show. They have no volunteers. It gave a little break to the intenseness of the current cases.
I was not one step ahead of the team and fell for the red herrings and twists. It kept me on my toes and gripped to the book.
This is one of those series that doesn’t get a lot of accolades in the main stream book community, but definitely should. If you aren’t reading this series, you should definitely give it a try. It is one I am always recommending.
gemin1reader's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
4.0
Angela Marsons is an automatic buy author for me, I really love this series.
Another really gripping mystery - although I didn’t love the writing as much as I usually do and I can’t quite put my finger on why!
Another really gripping mystery - although I didn’t love the writing as much as I usually do and I can’t quite put my finger on why!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Grief, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Blood, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Mental illness
Minor: Suicide and Vomit
a_kingslake's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
noveldeelights's review against another edition
5.0
Best remedy to pull yourself out a reading slump? That's right! A brand-new Kim Stone instalment. That's number 20, folks. Blows your mind, doesn't it?
This book came at the right time for me. I hadn't read in weeks, and the book I had picked up before this one didn't work for me at all. Then along came 'Guilty Mothers'. No unnecessary preamble in this one. Just dive right into the action from the get-go and never let go. I found myself hooked from the very beginning to the last word on the final page, and flew through it as if my life depended on it.
If I have to describe 'Guilty Mothers' in one word, I'd go with brutal. And that doesn't just relate to the pageant world Kim and her team will be learning more about. Incidentally, if you have mommy issues, you might want to pass this one by. There are some truly harsh moments in this story. Most of all, it made me think of my relationship with my own mother, and suddenly this story provoked thoughts I wasn't at all prepared for.
As tough as some of the things were to read about, they showed some incredibly fascinating psychological insights. But the chapters that really got to me were the ones where Pen and Tiff are investigating another case. This one involved the discovery of the body of a man who disappeared two years ago. It all seems rather straightforward, but Tiff's spidey-senses say otherwise. It will lead her to a cruel situation that may just determine if she still sees her future with CID.
And that's all I'm saying about all of that. It's up to you to pick up 'Guilty Mothers' and uncover all the wickedness that goes on. One culprit isn't a big mystery, the other one I have to admit I didn't see coming at all. It is a tense ride that left me reeling. Not always comfortable to read, but done extremely well. The pace is spot on, as always, and just like with Marson's other books, I find it nearly impossible to put them down once I've started. There's even a spot of humour to lighten the mood. Quite necessary, too.
I'm going to come right out and say it. I'm pretty sure this is Angela Marson's best one yet. That also blows your mind. How does she keep going from strength to strength? Pact with the devil? Other long running series fizzled out eons ago. Some dead in the water, some desperately trying to hang on to their heydays. But Marsons and her Kim Stone series show no signs of that at all. So all that's left for me to say, once again, is bring on the next one!
This book came at the right time for me. I hadn't read in weeks, and the book I had picked up before this one didn't work for me at all. Then along came 'Guilty Mothers'. No unnecessary preamble in this one. Just dive right into the action from the get-go and never let go. I found myself hooked from the very beginning to the last word on the final page, and flew through it as if my life depended on it.
If I have to describe 'Guilty Mothers' in one word, I'd go with brutal. And that doesn't just relate to the pageant world Kim and her team will be learning more about. Incidentally, if you have mommy issues, you might want to pass this one by. There are some truly harsh moments in this story. Most of all, it made me think of my relationship with my own mother, and suddenly this story provoked thoughts I wasn't at all prepared for.
As tough as some of the things were to read about, they showed some incredibly fascinating psychological insights. But the chapters that really got to me were the ones where Pen and Tiff are investigating another case. This one involved the discovery of the body of a man who disappeared two years ago. It all seems rather straightforward, but Tiff's spidey-senses say otherwise. It will lead her to a cruel situation that may just determine if she still sees her future with CID.
And that's all I'm saying about all of that. It's up to you to pick up 'Guilty Mothers' and uncover all the wickedness that goes on. One culprit isn't a big mystery, the other one I have to admit I didn't see coming at all. It is a tense ride that left me reeling. Not always comfortable to read, but done extremely well. The pace is spot on, as always, and just like with Marson's other books, I find it nearly impossible to put them down once I've started. There's even a spot of humour to lighten the mood. Quite necessary, too.
I'm going to come right out and say it. I'm pretty sure this is Angela Marson's best one yet. That also blows your mind. How does she keep going from strength to strength? Pact with the devil? Other long running series fizzled out eons ago. Some dead in the water, some desperately trying to hang on to their heydays. But Marsons and her Kim Stone series show no signs of that at all. So all that's left for me to say, once again, is bring on the next one!
bethelizabethuk's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This is the 20th book in the Kim Stone series and I swear they just keep getting better. I do recommend reading them all in order because there are a lot of characters to keep track of. Seeing the team grow and adapt to everything they've been through is beautiful but you may be confused if you haven't read the previous installments. It's not a hardship though because there isn't a single bad book. I really enjoyed getting to see more of Tink in this book. I hope we get more of her. She's so lovable. The team is my favourite thing about this series.
I love that we always get a controversial topic woven into the crimes and this time it was beauty pageants. It was such an interesting element to the murders. We also get to see more of Kim's vulnerable side when she faces her feelings towards her own mother. As for the investigation, there are plenty of twists and turns to suck you in. I had no idea who the killer was and the reveal was both shocking and a little heartbreaking. As always I look forward to more Kim Stone adventures
I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley
I love that we always get a controversial topic woven into the crimes and this time it was beauty pageants. It was such an interesting element to the murders. We also get to see more of Kim's vulnerable side when she faces her feelings towards her own mother. As for the investigation, there are plenty of twists and turns to suck you in. I had no idea who the killer was and the reveal was both shocking and a little heartbreaking. As always I look forward to more Kim Stone adventures
I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley
novelgossip's review against another edition
5.0
I cannot even believe it but this is the twentieth installment in the series, how impressive is that? What’s even more impressive is that this still felt as fresh and exciting as book one did, there is nothing formulaic or repetitive here and is the reason I have stuck with the series so long. I’ll continue to do so as long as the author keeps writing, Kim and team may as well be part of my family at this point and I never tire of reading what they’re up to. I always get asked if you can jump into the series late and technically yes, you can and would be fine because each book follows a new case. But in this instance the twenty book commitment is well worth it so I say start at the beginning, enjoy the ride and thank me later!
The team is tasked with not one, but two cases simultaneously here, someone is hunting down the mothers of former beauty pageant contestants and brutally murdering them and there’s a side case involving a long dead body found in a fishing lake. So no shortage of excitement here, I have always thought child beauty pageants are both fascinating and slightly creepy so that angle interested me greatly. It focused heavily on the relationship between mothers and daughters and if you’re caught up on the series then you already know about Kim’s complex relationship with her own mother so the parallels and introspection Kim had while working this case was highly engaging. I love how the author always lays the groundwork where you could, plausibly solve the case as you read but I never quite get there before Kim and the team crack it wide open themselves. It’s so fun to look back after I finish and think, oh I see what you did there, the breadcrumbs were all strewn about I just didn’t figure it out. Per usual this was fast paced, gripping and exciting with plenty of dark and disturbing reveals that were balanced by snarky comments and banter between Kim and her team. There are always moments of levity in these books and it is executed so well. Another winner, the author never misses for me and continues to write some of my very favorite crime fiction out there.
trinny's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Book 20 in the wonderful Kim Stone series and of course it is another belter. The stories are as fresh as the very first. Hard to put down, this novel takes us into the world of child pageantry and ambitious narcissistic mothers. And a second story brings "Tink" back into the team. I love her character and I think Kim sees a lot of herself in Tiff. She has a sixth sense when somethings not quite right and is quite tenacious in getting her point across. A quick read as I raced through the book to discover who the killer was. Another sure fire bestseller.
clair_82's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
michedea_books_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I always get excited when and new Angela Marson’s book comes out as this is my favourite Police procedural. Guilty Mothers is book 20th in the Kim stone series, and the author never disappoints.
When Kim, Bryant and the rest of the team visit a murder scene that seems an open and shut case. A woman dead on her kitchen floor and her daughter crouching over her covered in blood clutching the murder weapon in her hand. But when the daughter is arrested another body turns up. Which they are both linked to mothers who put their daughters through beauty pageants. Some enjoy the experience, but some children are abused to satisfy their mothers obsessions.
This is another amazing read from the author. I feel like I have come home again to the regulars in this story. The quality of the authors writing never falters. The storyline is always original and gripping and couldn’t put this down I read it in 24 hours. I loved it. I will wait in anticipation for book 21…..