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rowingrabbit's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
If you’re a fan of this series, think back to “Evil Games”. Remember Dr. Alexandra Thorne? Well….in the words of Elton John, the bitch is back.
As usual, we’ve got several plot lines on the go. Kim & her crew are called to investigate the body of an affluent middle aged woman found dead in her car outside a housing estate. Not only is her car still there, so are her her wallet & jewelry. Hmmm…
Meanwhile, behind bars, Alex Thorne is putting her latest scheme for freedom in motion. She’s got an appeal coming up & the only things standing in her way are 2 pesky witnesses. Ruth, the young woman she encouraged to kill her rapist & a certain detective with a delicate psyche. That’s ok, she’s got plans for them both. Besides, the chance to mess with Kim’s head is like a trip to Disneyland for the good doctor.
There are alternate chapters featuring 2 anonymous characters. One shares the contents of a diary, the other makes us aware Kim has an “admirer” (AKA stalker guy lurking in the shadows). Kim’s long incarcerated mother also has a much larger role in this outing.
The murder investigation has some serious twists with no shortage of suspects or red herrings. As the pieces start to fall into place, the whole team must look to the past if they’re going to have any chance of saving one of their own in the present.
It’s a well paced read full of action & suspense due to multiple story lines playing out simultaneously. The gang is all back & it’s like catching up with old acquaintances. Bryant is still Kim’s DB (designated buffer) & Dawson still has a lot to learn. This is a more emotional Kim that we’ve seen in previous outings as several old ghosts reappear & threaten to dismantle her carefully crafted life. Luckily she has good old Barney waiting at home to provide some furry therapy.
Two little quibbles prevented my giving this book a higher rating. First, there are frequent flashbacks & long passages detailing Kim’s childhood & the death of her brother. It does have relevance here due to one of the story lines but it’s ground covered extensively in every book & a brief mention would suffice to inform present events. Second, some of Alex’s shenanigans really put my ability to suspend disbelief through its paces. But hey….this is fiction. Her character may be OTT but that’s what makes her so much fun to loathe. An author is supposed to take dramatic license to keep you turning the pages so I suspect it can be blamed on that elusive factor called personal preference.
Ms. Marsons excels at weaving everything together in time to provide a seat-of-your-pants ending & this one is no different. It’s a fast paced & entertaining read that delivers just what fans expect when they crack the cover to spend time with these engaging characters. Bring on book #6!
Merged review:
3.5 stars
If you’re a fan of this series, think back to “Evil Games”. Remember Dr. Alexandra Thorne? Well….in the words of Elton John, the bitch is back.
As usual, we’ve got several plot lines on the go. Kim & her crew are called to investigate the body of an affluent middle aged woman found dead in her car outside a housing estate. Not only is her car still there, so are her her wallet & jewelry. Hmmm…
Meanwhile, behind bars, Alex Thorne is putting her latest scheme for freedom in motion. She’s got an appeal coming up & the only things standing in her way are 2 pesky witnesses. Ruth, the young woman she encouraged to kill her rapist & a certain detective with a delicate psyche. That’s ok, she’s got plans for them both. Besides, the chance to mess with Kim’s head is like a trip to Disneyland for the good doctor.
There are alternate chapters featuring 2 anonymous characters. One shares the contents of a diary, the other makes us aware Kim has an “admirer” (AKA stalker guy lurking in the shadows). Kim’s long incarcerated mother also has a much larger role in this outing.
The murder investigation has some serious twists with no shortage of suspects or red herrings. As the pieces start to fall into place, the whole team must look to the past if they’re going to have any chance of saving one of their own in the present.
It’s a well paced read full of action & suspense due to multiple story lines playing out simultaneously. The gang is all back & it’s like catching up with old acquaintances. Bryant is still Kim’s DB (designated buffer) & Dawson still has a lot to learn. This is a more emotional Kim that we’ve seen in previous outings as several old ghosts reappear & threaten to dismantle her carefully crafted life. Luckily she has good old Barney waiting at home to provide some furry therapy.
Two little quibbles prevented my giving this book a higher rating. First, there are frequent flashbacks & long passages detailing Kim’s childhood & the death of her brother. It does have relevance here due to one of the story lines but it’s ground covered extensively in every book & a brief mention would suffice to inform present events. Second, some of Alex’s shenanigans really put my ability to suspend disbelief through its paces. But hey….this is fiction. Her character may be OTT but that’s what makes her so much fun to loathe. An author is supposed to take dramatic license to keep you turning the pages so I suspect it can be blamed on that elusive factor called personal preference.
Ms. Marsons excels at weaving everything together in time to provide a seat-of-your-pants ending & this one is no different. It’s a fast paced & entertaining read that delivers just what fans expect when they crack the cover to spend time with these engaging characters. Bring on book #6!
If you’re a fan of this series, think back to “Evil Games”. Remember Dr. Alexandra Thorne? Well….in the words of Elton John, the bitch is back.
As usual, we’ve got several plot lines on the go. Kim & her crew are called to investigate the body of an affluent middle aged woman found dead in her car outside a housing estate. Not only is her car still there, so are her her wallet & jewelry. Hmmm…
Meanwhile, behind bars, Alex Thorne is putting her latest scheme for freedom in motion. She’s got an appeal coming up & the only things standing in her way are 2 pesky witnesses. Ruth, the young woman she encouraged to kill her rapist & a certain detective with a delicate psyche. That’s ok, she’s got plans for them both. Besides, the chance to mess with Kim’s head is like a trip to Disneyland for the good doctor.
There are alternate chapters featuring 2 anonymous characters. One shares the contents of a diary, the other makes us aware Kim has an “admirer” (AKA stalker guy lurking in the shadows). Kim’s long incarcerated mother also has a much larger role in this outing.
The murder investigation has some serious twists with no shortage of suspects or red herrings. As the pieces start to fall into place, the whole team must look to the past if they’re going to have any chance of saving one of their own in the present.
It’s a well paced read full of action & suspense due to multiple story lines playing out simultaneously. The gang is all back & it’s like catching up with old acquaintances. Bryant is still Kim’s DB (designated buffer) & Dawson still has a lot to learn. This is a more emotional Kim that we’ve seen in previous outings as several old ghosts reappear & threaten to dismantle her carefully crafted life. Luckily she has good old Barney waiting at home to provide some furry therapy.
Two little quibbles prevented my giving this book a higher rating. First, there are frequent flashbacks & long passages detailing Kim’s childhood & the death of her brother. It does have relevance here due to one of the story lines but it’s ground covered extensively in every book & a brief mention would suffice to inform present events. Second, some of Alex’s shenanigans really put my ability to suspend disbelief through its paces. But hey….this is fiction. Her character may be OTT but that’s what makes her so much fun to loathe. An author is supposed to take dramatic license to keep you turning the pages so I suspect it can be blamed on that elusive factor called personal preference.
Ms. Marsons excels at weaving everything together in time to provide a seat-of-your-pants ending & this one is no different. It’s a fast paced & entertaining read that delivers just what fans expect when they crack the cover to spend time with these engaging characters. Bring on book #6!
Merged review:
3.5 stars
If you’re a fan of this series, think back to “Evil Games”. Remember Dr. Alexandra Thorne? Well….in the words of Elton John, the bitch is back.
As usual, we’ve got several plot lines on the go. Kim & her crew are called to investigate the body of an affluent middle aged woman found dead in her car outside a housing estate. Not only is her car still there, so are her her wallet & jewelry. Hmmm…
Meanwhile, behind bars, Alex Thorne is putting her latest scheme for freedom in motion. She’s got an appeal coming up & the only things standing in her way are 2 pesky witnesses. Ruth, the young woman she encouraged to kill her rapist & a certain detective with a delicate psyche. That’s ok, she’s got plans for them both. Besides, the chance to mess with Kim’s head is like a trip to Disneyland for the good doctor.
There are alternate chapters featuring 2 anonymous characters. One shares the contents of a diary, the other makes us aware Kim has an “admirer” (AKA stalker guy lurking in the shadows). Kim’s long incarcerated mother also has a much larger role in this outing.
The murder investigation has some serious twists with no shortage of suspects or red herrings. As the pieces start to fall into place, the whole team must look to the past if they’re going to have any chance of saving one of their own in the present.
It’s a well paced read full of action & suspense due to multiple story lines playing out simultaneously. The gang is all back & it’s like catching up with old acquaintances. Bryant is still Kim’s DB (designated buffer) & Dawson still has a lot to learn. This is a more emotional Kim that we’ve seen in previous outings as several old ghosts reappear & threaten to dismantle her carefully crafted life. Luckily she has good old Barney waiting at home to provide some furry therapy.
Two little quibbles prevented my giving this book a higher rating. First, there are frequent flashbacks & long passages detailing Kim’s childhood & the death of her brother. It does have relevance here due to one of the story lines but it’s ground covered extensively in every book & a brief mention would suffice to inform present events. Second, some of Alex’s shenanigans really put my ability to suspend disbelief through its paces. But hey….this is fiction. Her character may be OTT but that’s what makes her so much fun to loathe. An author is supposed to take dramatic license to keep you turning the pages so I suspect it can be blamed on that elusive factor called personal preference.
Ms. Marsons excels at weaving everything together in time to provide a seat-of-your-pants ending & this one is no different. It’s a fast paced & entertaining read that delivers just what fans expect when they crack the cover to spend time with these engaging characters. Bring on book #6!
lxurx64's review against another edition
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? Yes
4.0
erin_lawless's review against another edition
4.0
Three murder victims and the only thing in common is the method. Everyone's favourite acerbic detective Kim Stone races to untangle the knotty case.
And perfectly complimenting Kim is one of the best nemesis in recent crime fiction - Dr Alex Thorne - a puppet master even from her prison cell. She really is a deeply disturbing, fantastically chilling, excellently written character.
The usual Kim Stone series plaudits apply - I'm getting repetitive. Clever, brutal and unputdownable. If you haven't gotten in to this series yet, you are seriously missing out.
And perfectly complimenting Kim is one of the best nemesis in recent crime fiction - Dr Alex Thorne - a puppet master even from her prison cell. She really is a deeply disturbing, fantastically chilling, excellently written character.
The usual Kim Stone series plaudits apply - I'm getting repetitive. Clever, brutal and unputdownable. If you haven't gotten in to this series yet, you are seriously missing out.
erikss's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
nancyanng's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it! Each Kim Stone book gets better and better. This one really delved a lot further into Kim and her feelings for her mother. Highly recommend this series.
gharris777's review against another edition
5.0
FULL REVIEW UP!
Fantastic! Have I told you how much I love this series?!!
Blood Lines is the 5th book in the D.I. Kim Stone series and it’s another great addition to the series!
Blood Lines starts off with D.I. Kim Stone and her crew investigating the homicide of a caring, social worker named Deanna Brightman. It looks to be a car prowl gone wrong but this scenario could be further from the truth. The investigation squad starts looking into Deanna’s life, family and cases as a social worker.
But when a drug victim, Maxine Wakeman is found with the exact same wounds, the investigation becomes more complex. The crew is trying to link the two victims which has become difficult because there's nothing in common between the two women.
As this plot direction is being developed, Blood Lines brings back Dr. Alex Thorne from the 2nd book in the series, Evil Games.
Hell yes, I love to hate Dr. Alex Thorne!!!! Angela Marsons could not have wrote a better character to HATE!
Dr. Alex Thorne is a sociopath and in prison. She’s pulling strings and planning events to finally destroy D.I. Kim Stone.
The cat and mouse game between Alex and Kim is fantastic. I love reading the interactions between the two and hoping Kim can keep strong and take out this evil bitch of a woman.
Another excellent addition to the D.I. Kim Stone series!
If you love crime detective books, look no further then this series. I’m very critical on this genre since I read crime, mystery and thrillers the most.
I have not been let down once while reading this series. The writing, plots and characterization is just excellent!!
Fantastic! Have I told you how much I love this series?!!
Blood Lines is the 5th book in the D.I. Kim Stone series and it’s another great addition to the series!
Blood Lines starts off with D.I. Kim Stone and her crew investigating the homicide of a caring, social worker named Deanna Brightman. It looks to be a car prowl gone wrong but this scenario could be further from the truth. The investigation squad starts looking into Deanna’s life, family and cases as a social worker.
But when a drug victim, Maxine Wakeman is found with the exact same wounds, the investigation becomes more complex. The crew is trying to link the two victims which has become difficult because there's nothing in common between the two women.
As this plot direction is being developed, Blood Lines brings back Dr. Alex Thorne from the 2nd book in the series, Evil Games.
Hell yes, I love to hate Dr. Alex Thorne!!!! Angela Marsons could not have wrote a better character to HATE!
Dr. Alex Thorne is a sociopath and in prison. She’s pulling strings and planning events to finally destroy D.I. Kim Stone.
The cat and mouse game between Alex and Kim is fantastic. I love reading the interactions between the two and hoping Kim can keep strong and take out this evil bitch of a woman.
Another excellent addition to the D.I. Kim Stone series!
If you love crime detective books, look no further then this series. I’m very critical on this genre since I read crime, mystery and thrillers the most.
I have not been let down once while reading this series. The writing, plots and characterization is just excellent!!
philantrop's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
"Blood Lines" by Angela Marsons initially grabbed my attention with its suspenseful and gripping story. It certainly is a page-turner, and for a while, I was convinced that this was a solid four-star read. The premise was intriguing, and the pacing kept me engaged, making it easy reading at first. Unfortunately, my enthusiasm waned as the story progressed.
»She was not as surprised as she should have been that Alex had come crashing back into her life.«
The return of Alex Thorne, an old foe, felt contrived, and Alex’ actions seemed almost universally outlandish. Why resurrect old villains when you can create new, compelling antagonists? And let’s be honest, she's unbelievably manipulative and cartoonish. It severely impacted my enjoyment to see such a lazy plot device used. It’s just more of the same, nothing new—and, of course, Kim fell for it almost every time…
If you—like me—didn’t enjoy “Evil Games” (Kim Stone #2) all that much, be prepared for more “blasts from the past”—including a dying scene so utterly clichéd to the extent that it induced secondhand embarrassment.
Then we have the storyline itself: the plot became increasingly contrived, and some connections Kim made were thread-bare. On a more positive note, the dynamics within Kim’s team are as engaging as ever. One of the team members, though, made several mistakes to the point where it became difficult to suspend disbelief; these errors had no real consequences – a "good bollocking" seemed to suffice, rather than any meaningful repercussions.
»Emotion. Because you have none you can’t even begin to understand how they affect people’s actions.«
This gross oversimplification of a sociopath's abilities, especially given that Alex had demonstrably understood emotions, and used them to great success throughout the novel, was grating to say the least. This also reflects badly on Kim’s understanding of her foe.
Overall, "Blood Lines" had the potential to be a brilliant crime thriller. It started promisingly but ultimately failed to deliver on its initial appeal.
Three stars out of five.
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teresainohio10's review against another edition
4.0
Us the reader, we know Kim has baggage all the way back to her childhood. This formed her into the snarly sarcastic loner we know today. It serves her well running her own police unit but rubs her superiors the wrong way most of the time. We circle around to a previous criminal who is cunning smart manipulative and gets under Kim's skin. You might even call her a professional sociopath.
Now on to the highlight of the book, the current case of bodies killed with same fatal injury but no connection. We have a well to do woman who circulates in high society, a drug addict and a small child. The fatal wound is the same with the same weapon according to forensics but they have no connection. Stacey who is the mastermind of data mining and finding answers and connections is even perplexed by the lack of connections. As she expands her search she turns to family members and the connection becomes crystal clear. This was the non stop reading of this book and the motive behind the crimes were shocking and the revealing of the suspect fit all the clues but was someone I didn't have on my radar.
2024 reread, the above still stands but I neglected to focus on the mastermind criminal that has Kim in her sights and is using psychological warfare to destroy her
Now on to the highlight of the book, the current case of bodies killed with same fatal injury but no connection. We have a well to do woman who circulates in high society, a drug addict and a small child. The fatal wound is the same with the same weapon according to forensics but they have no connection. Stacey who is the mastermind of data mining and finding answers and connections is even perplexed by the lack of connections. As she expands her search she turns to family members and the connection becomes crystal clear. This was the non stop reading of this book and the motive behind the crimes were shocking and the revealing of the suspect fit all the clues but was someone I didn't have on my radar.
2024 reread, the above still stands but I neglected to focus on the mastermind criminal that has Kim in her sights and is using psychological warfare to destroy her
damppebbles's review against another edition
5.0
All of my reviews can be found at https://damppebbles.com/
I chose to read and review a free eARC of Blood Lines but that has in no way influenced my review.
I’m ashamed to admit that the Detective Kim Stone series by the incredibly talented Angela Marsons is another crime fiction series I’ve fallen behind with. (I’ve also discovered, which has thrown a rather massive spanner in the works, that I’ve managed to miss a book out
I chose to read and review a free eARC of Blood Lines but that has in no way influenced my review.
I’m ashamed to admit that the Detective Kim Stone series by the incredibly talented Angela Marsons is another crime fiction series I’ve fallen behind with. (I’ve also discovered, which has thrown a rather massive spanner in the works, that I’ve managed to miss a book out
tove_reads's review against another edition
5.0
Yes, I am a huge fan! Loved it! The psycho Dr Alex Thorne is back trying to screw up Kim‘s life, even though she‘s in prison. Kim‘s mother is a part of the deal. Strange murders happen, brutal torture. Another great book by one of the absolutely best authors ever!