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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I received a copy of this via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
Yet again Angela Marsons has created an exciting, tense story. There are some intriguing new characters, and the return of old ones. You may even change your view on one or two.
Kim Stone is one of my favourite detectives. She reminds we have the likes of Saga from The Bridge and Lund from The Killing. A tough exterior, but passionate about the job and will stop at nothing to find the truth.
I have given every book in the series so far five stars, and still they keep getting better and better!
Yet again Angela Marsons has created an exciting, tense story. There are some intriguing new characters, and the return of old ones. You may even change your view on one or two.
Kim Stone is one of my favourite detectives. She reminds we have the likes of Saga from The Bridge and Lund from The Killing. A tough exterior, but passionate about the job and will stop at nothing to find the truth.
I have given every book in the series so far five stars, and still they keep getting better and better!
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Wow! Take a bow Angela Marsons - I think you out did yourself with this one.
Merged review:
Wow! Take a bow Angela Marsons - I think you out did yourself with this one.
Merged review:
Wow! Take a bow Angela Marsons - I think you out did yourself with this one.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Angela Marsons has done it again. On yet another book of the D.I Kim Stone series (this one being the fourth), she has managed to reinvent herself and her characters, with gritty scenes and a great building to the climax. As per usual, flawed Kim Stone is passionate and obstinate about her newest case - or cases, that will later intertwine .
We get to know a tiny bit more about Kim's past, her feelings and her emotional unavailability. I hope she slowly heals, but if I could choose, I'd wish for her to not enter a relationship. It always kinda brings the mood down when a man or romance is involved between the main characters of an investigation book. Unnecessary drama, unnecessary bickering, unnecessary focus on the new developments if a relationship, yada yada yada, I much prefer the focus that Angela puts on the victims, killer(s) and Kim herself and, as far as I'm concerned, there's no space for a man there (we already have enough men in Bryant and Dawson).
As for the story, there's always something happening, a new discovery, something to keep you on your toes. Kim works fast and efficiently, even if her methods aren't exactly... play by the books all the time. Marsons knows exactly the timing of her characters and the situations she creates. They're new, fresh, gore-y, gritty, evil and so on. It never feels old or a recycled plot, despite being a common topic for books in the genre. She has her own twists, her own visions, that she brings to life through Kim, her team & the other characters.
Quick read because you just don't want to put it down - you want, need, to find out more. You relate to Kim Stone - she wants names, places, answers and so do you.
I do have to say that Kim desperately needs to take self defense classes or learn any type of fighting, because I believe she's gotten caught up in a fight and had trouble getting out of it in every book now - or at least three of them (which, if we're being honest, is the only repetitive thing on the books, though none of the scenarios were unbelievable or not compatible with what could happen in real life). For someone so tough, she sure is terrible at fighting back.
We get to know a tiny bit more about Kim's past, her feelings and her emotional unavailability. I hope she slowly heals, but if I could choose, I'd wish for her to not enter a relationship. It always kinda brings the mood down when a man or romance is involved between the main characters of an investigation book. Unnecessary drama, unnecessary bickering, unnecessary focus on the new developments if a relationship, yada yada yada, I much prefer the focus that Angela puts on the victims, killer(s) and Kim herself and, as far as I'm concerned, there's no space for a man there (we already have enough men in Bryant and Dawson).
As for the story, there's always something happening, a new discovery, something to keep you on your toes. Kim works fast and efficiently, even if her methods aren't exactly... play by the books all the time. Marsons knows exactly the timing of her characters and the situations she creates. They're new, fresh, gore-y, gritty, evil and so on. It never feels old or a recycled plot, despite being a common topic for books in the genre. She has her own twists, her own visions, that she brings to life through Kim, her team & the other characters.
Quick read because you just don't want to put it down - you want, need, to find out more. You relate to Kim Stone - she wants names, places, answers and so do you.
I do have to say that Kim desperately needs to take self defense classes or learn any type of fighting, because I believe she's gotten caught up in a fight and had trouble getting out of it in every book now - or at least three of them (which, if we're being honest, is the only repetitive thing on the books, though none of the scenarios were unbelievable or not compatible with what could happen in real life). For someone so tough, she sure is terrible at fighting back.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria
Minor: Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death of parent
Drugging (victims), manipulation, gaslighting, forced gender confusion.
Keep books about DI Kim Stone coming!!! I love this series. The main character oozes so much personality and determination, that she practically leaps off the pages. I can't wait to read the next one in the series.
I'm glad I found a good series with so many books already released. I can binge the books. Just like binge TV watching, I can binge book reading.
Slowly through each book more of Kim's history is revealed, and she grows as she deals with each little bit of her history.
In this book, bodies are showing up at a body farm. Yeah, not a joke. These are uninvited bodies/unexpected bodies.
Then one victim is found alive. Though she has no memory of what happened to her.
This one has a few POV changes the gives insight into a few different characters. One we know is the killer. It flashed back to when they were a kid in school.
Another is the history of Tracy Frost.
There are a few more characters as in any investigation. Some I hope will come back again later.
Slowly through each book more of Kim's history is revealed, and she grows as she deals with each little bit of her history.
In this book, bodies are showing up at a body farm. Yeah, not a joke. These are uninvited bodies/unexpected bodies.
Then one victim is found alive. Though she has no memory of what happened to her.
This one has a few POV changes the gives insight into a few different characters. One we know is the killer. It flashed back to when they were a kid in school.
Another is the history of Tracy Frost.
There are a few more characters as in any investigation. Some I hope will come back again later.
Play dead by Angela Marsons in the 4th thrilling installment in DI Kim Stone’s series
DI Kim Stone is back on another exciting case. There are fresh bodies turning up in a body farm with dirt in their mouths. It’s a perfect place to commit a crime as the bodies can remain undiscovered for a very long time. Kim and her team race against time to find the killer before he claims more victims.
Play Dead is a fantastic addition to the series which gives more insight to Kim’s character without taking away from the mystery. Fast paced suspense , creative writing , interesting characters with a great ending makes it a must read from me
Many thanks to a Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
DI Kim Stone is back on another exciting case. There are fresh bodies turning up in a body farm with dirt in their mouths. It’s a perfect place to commit a crime as the bodies can remain undiscovered for a very long time. Kim and her team race against time to find the killer before he claims more victims.
Play Dead is a fantastic addition to the series which gives more insight to Kim’s character without taking away from the mystery. Fast paced suspense , creative writing , interesting characters with a great ending makes it a must read from me
Many thanks to a Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
3.5 stars
The gang is back in book #4 of the DI Kim Stone series. After solving a tough case, their reward is a class trip to the local "body farm". Westerley is based on similar facilities in the US & studies forensic effects of the elements on decomposing bodies. They currently have 7 residents....uh, make that 8.
So much for a day off. When a freshly dumped body is found on the farm, Kim & her team quickly set up house & the investigation begins. They barely have time to get back to the station & identify the victim when a second woman is found near the site, still breathing. Her injuries are identical & distinctive, the handiwork of a twisted mind. We get a glimpse of just how twisted in alternate chapters narrated by the anonymous killer.
I've read this series from the start & for me, this one earns kind of a good news/bad news type of review. First, the good.
We've got a really creepy killer here who talks about their childhood in chapters that resemble letters to their mother. They start out strange & progress to disturbing as we come to realize the scale & type of abuse they suffered. The style of narration is effective & gives the reader insight into a fragmented psyche.
The returning cast feels like a real team of individuals who have been through enough to be comfortable & accepting of each other, warts & all. Bryant continues to do the heavy lifting when it comes to smoothing all the ruffled feathers Kim leaves in her wake. Rest assured she has not attended charm school since last met.
Ms. Marsons excels at creating endings that will jump start your pulse. This is no exception with a tense & fast paced conclusion where more than a few jaws will drop.
So....the bad. As stated, I'm a fan & part of that was initially due to Kim's character (I know a fellow snark when I see one). We've learned about her troubled childhood over the last 3 books & understand why she is so prickly & asocial. There was tremendous potential for growth but I'm beginning to get frustrated by the lack of character development. By the end of [b:Evil Games|25067570|Evil Games (D.I. Kim Stone, #2)|Angela Marsons|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1434280150s/25067570.jpg|44752433] (#2), there were glimpses of a woman ready to let her guard down & attempt to establish "normal" relationships.
Alas, it was just a blip. In [b:Lost Girls|26123233|Lost Girls (D.I. Kim Stone, #3)|Angela Marsons|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1441079814s/26123233.jpg|46071624] (#3) that growth stalled & in this one I'd say she's lost ground. She is more abrupt than ever & has difficulty with the most basic social skills. I enjoy her banter with Bryant but with others, it's wearing a little thin.
This seems to conflict with her attitude toward several criminals in the story. She makes no allowances for their own horrible upbringings, believing that's no excuse for their present day crimes. Her view is she made lemonade from her past & they should have done the same. Yet her every behaviour is proof she is still held hostage by her history & is not even trying to break free.
There are also frequent walks down memory lane into her horrific childhood. This was confusing to me as it's ground covered extensively in previous books. The effect is to pull the reader out of present day events without adding anything new to the story. I understand the author wants to provide background for new readers but my view on that is hey.....that's what you get for starting with book #4 in a series.
So while I enjoyed the suspense/investigation side of the story, ultimately I'm a little disappointed. Hopefully in the next one we'll get less of Kim's past & more of her future.
I know, I know....baby steps.
Merged review:
3.5 stars
The gang is back in book #4 of the DI Kim Stone series. After solving a tough case, their reward is a class trip to the local "body farm". Westerley is based on similar facilities in the US & studies forensic effects of the elements on decomposing bodies. They currently have 7 residents....uh, make that 8.
So much for a day off. When a freshly dumped body is found on the farm, Kim & her team quickly set up house & the investigation begins. They barely have time to get back to the station & identify the victim when a second woman is found near the site, still breathing. Her injuries are identical & distinctive, the handiwork of a twisted mind. We get a glimpse of just how twisted in alternate chapters narrated by the anonymous killer.
I've read this series from the start & for me, this one earns kind of a good news/bad news type of review. First, the good.
We've got a really creepy killer here who talks about their childhood in chapters that resemble letters to their mother. They start out strange & progress to disturbing as we come to realize the scale & type of abuse they suffered. The style of narration is effective & gives the reader insight into a fragmented psyche.
The returning cast feels like a real team of individuals who have been through enough to be comfortable & accepting of each other, warts & all. Bryant continues to do the heavy lifting when it comes to smoothing all the ruffled feathers Kim leaves in her wake. Rest assured she has not attended charm school since last met.
Ms. Marsons excels at creating endings that will jump start your pulse. This is no exception with a tense & fast paced conclusion where more than a few jaws will drop.
So....the bad. As stated, I'm a fan & part of that was initially due to Kim's character (I know a fellow snark when I see one). We've learned about her troubled childhood over the last 3 books & understand why she is so prickly & asocial. There was tremendous potential for growth but I'm beginning to get frustrated by the lack of character development. By the end of [b:Evil Games|25067570|Evil Games (D.I. Kim Stone, #2)|Angela Marsons|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1434280150s/25067570.jpg|44752433] (#2), there were glimpses of a woman ready to let her guard down & attempt to establish "normal" relationships.
Alas, it was just a blip. In [b:Lost Girls|26123233|Lost Girls (D.I. Kim Stone, #3)|Angela Marsons|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1441079814s/26123233.jpg|46071624] (#3) that growth stalled & in this one I'd say she's lost ground. She is more abrupt than ever & has difficulty with the most basic social skills. I enjoy her banter with Bryant but with others, it's wearing a little thin.
This seems to conflict with her attitude toward several criminals in the story. She makes no allowances for their own horrible upbringings, believing that's no excuse for their present day crimes. Her view is she made lemonade from her past & they should have done the same. Yet her every behaviour is proof she is still held hostage by her history & is not even trying to break free.
There are also frequent walks down memory lane into her horrific childhood. This was confusing to me as it's ground covered extensively in previous books. The effect is to pull the reader out of present day events without adding anything new to the story. I understand the author wants to provide background for new readers but my view on that is hey.....that's what you get for starting with book #4 in a series.
So while I enjoyed the suspense/investigation side of the story, ultimately I'm a little disappointed. Hopefully in the next one we'll get less of Kim's past & more of her future.
I know, I know....baby steps.
The gang is back in book #4 of the DI Kim Stone series. After solving a tough case, their reward is a class trip to the local "body farm". Westerley is based on similar facilities in the US & studies forensic effects of the elements on decomposing bodies. They currently have 7 residents....uh, make that 8.
So much for a day off. When a freshly dumped body is found on the farm, Kim & her team quickly set up house & the investigation begins. They barely have time to get back to the station & identify the victim when a second woman is found near the site, still breathing. Her injuries are identical & distinctive, the handiwork of a twisted mind. We get a glimpse of just how twisted in alternate chapters narrated by the anonymous killer.
I've read this series from the start & for me, this one earns kind of a good news/bad news type of review. First, the good.
We've got a really creepy killer here who talks about their childhood in chapters that resemble letters to their mother. They start out strange & progress to disturbing as we come to realize the scale & type of abuse they suffered. The style of narration is effective & gives the reader insight into a fragmented psyche.
The returning cast feels like a real team of individuals who have been through enough to be comfortable & accepting of each other, warts & all. Bryant continues to do the heavy lifting when it comes to smoothing all the ruffled feathers Kim leaves in her wake. Rest assured she has not attended charm school since last met.
Ms. Marsons excels at creating endings that will jump start your pulse. This is no exception with a tense & fast paced conclusion where more than a few jaws will drop.
So....the bad. As stated, I'm a fan & part of that was initially due to Kim's character (I know a fellow snark when I see one). We've learned about her troubled childhood over the last 3 books & understand why she is so prickly & asocial. There was tremendous potential for growth but I'm beginning to get frustrated by the lack of character development. By the end of [b:Evil Games|25067570|Evil Games (D.I. Kim Stone, #2)|Angela Marsons|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1434280150s/25067570.jpg|44752433] (#2), there were glimpses of a woman ready to let her guard down & attempt to establish "normal" relationships.
Alas, it was just a blip. In [b:Lost Girls|26123233|Lost Girls (D.I. Kim Stone, #3)|Angela Marsons|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1441079814s/26123233.jpg|46071624] (#3) that growth stalled & in this one I'd say she's lost ground. She is more abrupt than ever & has difficulty with the most basic social skills. I enjoy her banter with Bryant but with others, it's wearing a little thin.
This seems to conflict with her attitude toward several criminals in the story. She makes no allowances for their own horrible upbringings, believing that's no excuse for their present day crimes. Her view is she made lemonade from her past & they should have done the same. Yet her every behaviour is proof she is still held hostage by her history & is not even trying to break free.
There are also frequent walks down memory lane into her horrific childhood. This was confusing to me as it's ground covered extensively in previous books. The effect is to pull the reader out of present day events without adding anything new to the story. I understand the author wants to provide background for new readers but my view on that is hey.....that's what you get for starting with book #4 in a series.
So while I enjoyed the suspense/investigation side of the story, ultimately I'm a little disappointed. Hopefully in the next one we'll get less of Kim's past & more of her future.
I know, I know....baby steps.
Merged review:
3.5 stars
The gang is back in book #4 of the DI Kim Stone series. After solving a tough case, their reward is a class trip to the local "body farm". Westerley is based on similar facilities in the US & studies forensic effects of the elements on decomposing bodies. They currently have 7 residents....uh, make that 8.
So much for a day off. When a freshly dumped body is found on the farm, Kim & her team quickly set up house & the investigation begins. They barely have time to get back to the station & identify the victim when a second woman is found near the site, still breathing. Her injuries are identical & distinctive, the handiwork of a twisted mind. We get a glimpse of just how twisted in alternate chapters narrated by the anonymous killer.
I've read this series from the start & for me, this one earns kind of a good news/bad news type of review. First, the good.
We've got a really creepy killer here who talks about their childhood in chapters that resemble letters to their mother. They start out strange & progress to disturbing as we come to realize the scale & type of abuse they suffered. The style of narration is effective & gives the reader insight into a fragmented psyche.
The returning cast feels like a real team of individuals who have been through enough to be comfortable & accepting of each other, warts & all. Bryant continues to do the heavy lifting when it comes to smoothing all the ruffled feathers Kim leaves in her wake. Rest assured she has not attended charm school since last met.
Ms. Marsons excels at creating endings that will jump start your pulse. This is no exception with a tense & fast paced conclusion where more than a few jaws will drop.
So....the bad. As stated, I'm a fan & part of that was initially due to Kim's character (I know a fellow snark when I see one). We've learned about her troubled childhood over the last 3 books & understand why she is so prickly & asocial. There was tremendous potential for growth but I'm beginning to get frustrated by the lack of character development. By the end of [b:Evil Games|25067570|Evil Games (D.I. Kim Stone, #2)|Angela Marsons|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1434280150s/25067570.jpg|44752433] (#2), there were glimpses of a woman ready to let her guard down & attempt to establish "normal" relationships.
Alas, it was just a blip. In [b:Lost Girls|26123233|Lost Girls (D.I. Kim Stone, #3)|Angela Marsons|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1441079814s/26123233.jpg|46071624] (#3) that growth stalled & in this one I'd say she's lost ground. She is more abrupt than ever & has difficulty with the most basic social skills. I enjoy her banter with Bryant but with others, it's wearing a little thin.
This seems to conflict with her attitude toward several criminals in the story. She makes no allowances for their own horrible upbringings, believing that's no excuse for their present day crimes. Her view is she made lemonade from her past & they should have done the same. Yet her every behaviour is proof she is still held hostage by her history & is not even trying to break free.
There are also frequent walks down memory lane into her horrific childhood. This was confusing to me as it's ground covered extensively in previous books. The effect is to pull the reader out of present day events without adding anything new to the story. I understand the author wants to provide background for new readers but my view on that is hey.....that's what you get for starting with book #4 in a series.
So while I enjoyed the suspense/investigation side of the story, ultimately I'm a little disappointed. Hopefully in the next one we'll get less of Kim's past & more of her future.
I know, I know....baby steps.