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ianmcnamara's review
5.0
Fantastic to find out how it all started for kim and her team. Answered a lot of questions and was great to learn about the team members and careers before becoming a team.
lxurx64's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
charlotte_helen's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I really enjoyed ready this book after starting the D.I Kim Stone series earlier on in the year. I found it really interesting reading about how Kim’s team was developed and how each character was given more background during this book. I also like how the cases and stories are nicely rounded up at the end of each book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Gore
laurahastoomanywips's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Haven't read any of this author's books before but she is a popular author in UK Crime Book Club (Facebook group) and thought I should give her a try. I am very glad I did. This was an easy read, with it's gripping story and fantastic characters. I could really imagine Kim Stone and each of her team members (agree with the author's casting of Bradley Walsh as Bryant). I read this over two days, struggled to put it down (good job I was on holiday). Will definitely be reading more of the series, looking forward to seeing how the team works on future cases, especially as this was a prequel.
Highly recommended reading, I now see why she is a group favourite.
Highly recommended reading, I now see why she is a group favourite.
easternspyw3's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
mags_louise's review
4.0
4.5⭐
First Blood was a fantastic read and a brilliant introduction to characters I'm not all that familiar with having only read book 14. But it was great to meet the original team and see how they all came together and worked their first case.
And what a first case it was, with twists and turns and a killer I did not see coming. This really was a story that I found hard to put down and I'm genuinely excited to read more.
Would recommend.
First Blood was a fantastic read and a brilliant introduction to characters I'm not all that familiar with having only read book 14. But it was great to meet the original team and see how they all came together and worked their first case.
And what a first case it was, with twists and turns and a killer I did not see coming. This really was a story that I found hard to put down and I'm genuinely excited to read more.
Would recommend.
mignonette_29's review against another edition
2.0
Hmm, I'm a fan of Midsomer Murders Mystery so I will continue the series. The execution of the story is a bit dry for my liking.
mandylovestoread's review
5.0
Love love love!! So good to go back to where it all began with Kim and the team. There is so much to take in with this book and just made me love them all so much more. Thank you Angela Marsons!!
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
4.0
Finished reading: May 1st 2021
“Once you laid eyes on the victim, assessed the body position, wound, circumstances, there was a bond, a connection, not only to the victim but to the killer. It was that instinct; that need to know every detail, to find the person responsible.”
After my first introduction with DI Kim Stone and her team, I decided to read the prequel first to learn more about how her team was first formed... This prequel was actually published four years after the first book, but I'm glad I read it before continuing with the series as it gave me more insight in how Kim started in Halesowen police station as well as the team's dynamics. First Blood is without doubt another great detective thriller that is both well written and suspenseful. I liked the development of the plot and the investigation, and she definitely has a shocking case on her hands to investigate with her new team... The constant references to how arrogant and frustating Dawson to work with is could get annoying, but I did have a great time with the plot, its development and its twists. There were most definitely a couple plot twists I didn't see coming! I'm becoming a big fan of Angela Marsons' writing and I can definitely see myself flying through this series very soon. I won't be surprised to have caught up by the end of 2021!