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clair_82's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, I honestly don’t know how Marsons keeps doing it but I’m extremely glad she does! Blood Lines is the 5th book in the DI Kim Stone series which just keeps getting better and better. This time, a previous character is also back, Dr Alex Thorne from Evil Games. Alex is one evil, twisted individual so makes a fantastic villain and I was thrilled that she was back and we could see more of her twisted ways.
Blood Lines opens with the wrapping up of a serial rapist case but Kim and the team can’t rest for long as a few hours later a body is discovered and they are thrown into a new investigation. The victim is a well-dressed woman which is clearly not a robbery gone wrong as all her valuables are still present – just who wanted to kill this woman and why did she not appear to fight back?!
In Evil Games Alex manipulated her patients into committing murders as a social experiment – Alex is a sociopath with no remorse or guilt and thrives from the manipulation of others, very chilling for a psychologist! Alex is now stirring things up in Drake Hall Prison, Kim put Alex behind bars after nearly succumbing to her ways herself, now Alex is appealing her conviction and wants the attention of ‘Kimmy’ once again, to finish what she sees as unfinished business.
Alex is an absolutely brilliant villain, I was both intrigued and horrified by her actions and the level of manipulation she can deliver – frightening! Alex is somewhat obsessed with Kim, almost like the one that got away as she did not completely fall for Alex’s manipulation – so Alex is giving it another go, this time using her mother to hit Kim’s weak spot, her beloved and missed brother, Mikey. What I particularly love about this book is seeing the vulnerable side of Kim and the insight we are given into Kim’s mother. Kim is a ballsy woman, a strong leader of her team but also has a softer side that not everyone is allowed to see.
Interspersed between the investigation and Alex’s life behind bars, we are privy to chilling diary entries from an unknown author from 2007.
This is a fast-paced book with lots going on which builds both the tension and confusion as to what is happening! My favourite book of the series yet….well no doubt until book 6 comes out
Blood Lines opens with the wrapping up of a serial rapist case but Kim and the team can’t rest for long as a few hours later a body is discovered and they are thrown into a new investigation. The victim is a well-dressed woman which is clearly not a robbery gone wrong as all her valuables are still present – just who wanted to kill this woman and why did she not appear to fight back?!
In Evil Games Alex manipulated her patients into committing murders as a social experiment – Alex is a sociopath with no remorse or guilt and thrives from the manipulation of others, very chilling for a psychologist! Alex is now stirring things up in Drake Hall Prison, Kim put Alex behind bars after nearly succumbing to her ways herself, now Alex is appealing her conviction and wants the attention of ‘Kimmy’ once again, to finish what she sees as unfinished business.
Alex is an absolutely brilliant villain, I was both intrigued and horrified by her actions and the level of manipulation she can deliver – frightening! Alex is somewhat obsessed with Kim, almost like the one that got away as she did not completely fall for Alex’s manipulation – so Alex is giving it another go, this time using her mother to hit Kim’s weak spot, her beloved and missed brother, Mikey. What I particularly love about this book is seeing the vulnerable side of Kim and the insight we are given into Kim’s mother. Kim is a ballsy woman, a strong leader of her team but also has a softer side that not everyone is allowed to see.
Interspersed between the investigation and Alex’s life behind bars, we are privy to chilling diary entries from an unknown author from 2007.
This is a fast-paced book with lots going on which builds both the tension and confusion as to what is happening! My favourite book of the series yet….well no doubt until book 6 comes out
labraden's review against another edition
4.0
Kim's life has once again been disrupted by psychiatrist, Dr. Alexander Thorne. Now in jail after Kim's last case, Alex has a plan to destroy Kim. Even though she is distracted by Alex's attempts to insinuate herself into Kim's life using her fellow inmates and Kim's own mother, she must solve a confusing case in which each murder victim has been killed in the exact same way, but seemingly have nothing in common. However, when a third victim is added to the list, things start to become clearer.
Blood Lines is another excellent entry in the D.I. Kim Stone series. Once again, Kim's vulnerability where her mother is concerned shows a side of Kim that she tries to keep hidden. We also get a glimpse of the different ways she is supported by her team, even Dawson, in a roundabout way. Overall, this is another well executed mystery with lots of suspense along with deep seeded emotions.
Blood Lines is another excellent entry in the D.I. Kim Stone series. Once again, Kim's vulnerability where her mother is concerned shows a side of Kim that she tries to keep hidden. We also get a glimpse of the different ways she is supported by her team, even Dawson, in a roundabout way. Overall, this is another well executed mystery with lots of suspense along with deep seeded emotions.
_melissareads's review against another edition
5.0
I love this series so I was excited to receive a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was an amazing thriller. Again, I thought I had it figured out, and again, I was wrong. This book was a page turner. Dr. Thorne was back, manipulating as many people as she could, and she has a crazy case to solve. It was great seeing more of Kim's background, because it gives a better idea of why she is the way she is and and what drives her.
Definitely one of my favorite series.
This was an amazing thriller. Again, I thought I had it figured out, and again, I was wrong. This book was a page turner. Dr. Thorne was back, manipulating as many people as she could, and she has a crazy case to solve. It was great seeing more of Kim's background, because it gives a better idea of why she is the way she is and and what drives her.
Definitely one of my favorite series.
angrygreycatreads's review against another edition
4.0
I received a free copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. This is the 5th book in the D.I. Kim Stone series. I have read the first Kim Stone book and enjoyed it but fell behind on the series so I am reading this out-of-order.
Kim Stone is reconnected with an old nemesis, sociopath Dr. Alex Thorne, whilst she is in the midst of another case. D.I. Stone is pushed and pulled between the current murder case and the trouble that Dr. Thorne is stirring up.
This was a great read. Thrilling and interesting, with a wealth of engaging characters, it kept me turning the pages long after I should have gone to sleep. I was fascinated by the workings of Dr. Thorne’s mind and what she was able to achieve through her machinations while “safely” behind bars. The resolution of D.I. Stone’s mother’s storyline played out well and gave reader’s a real understanding of D.I. Stone and what drives her as a person and an officer.
The main murder case storyline highlighted the importance of the team as a unit and gave time to each of the members. There were red herrings and multiple leads that the team waded through before being able to tie it all together in a “down to the wire” finish.
I would highly recommend this and fully intend to go back and read the other books in the series.
Kim Stone is reconnected with an old nemesis, sociopath Dr. Alex Thorne, whilst she is in the midst of another case. D.I. Stone is pushed and pulled between the current murder case and the trouble that Dr. Thorne is stirring up.
This was a great read. Thrilling and interesting, with a wealth of engaging characters, it kept me turning the pages long after I should have gone to sleep. I was fascinated by the workings of Dr. Thorne’s mind and what she was able to achieve through her machinations while “safely” behind bars. The resolution of D.I. Stone’s mother’s storyline played out well and gave reader’s a real understanding of D.I. Stone and what drives her as a person and an officer.
The main murder case storyline highlighted the importance of the team as a unit and gave time to each of the members. There were red herrings and multiple leads that the team waded through before being able to tie it all together in a “down to the wire” finish.
I would highly recommend this and fully intend to go back and read the other books in the series.
rainnbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Another gem from Angel Marsons in the Kim Stone series.I will forever be grateful to David Staniforth for having recommended this series to me. Kim Stone has issues with her past but her heart is in the right place. To bring back Dr. Alexandra Thorne into this book was a masterstroke really, coz for all her cunning intelligence, one book is not enough and all the scenes between Kim and Alex are brilliant and pure adrenaline. The team of Bryant, Kev and Stace are all there and each and every character gets flushed out bit by bit and that itself is an achievement. Evil can take so many faces but like in all her previous books the writing is subtle and handled amazingly so much that we can imagine the gore and vile but not in your face picture. Outstanding!
ring01's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
leona_omahony's review against another edition
5.0
From the first page I just knew this book was going to be good. However as I progressed through the chapters it wasn't good it was pure brilliant. Having read and loved Ms Marsons previous books I was so excited to begin this one and wow talk about a thriller of a book. I love DI Kim Stone and the rapport she has with her team. Ms Marsons has really developed the character in this series and I think this is so important in a book series. I also loved the fact I was completely wrong about the perpetrator and my guess was way off the mark. Fantastic book, can't wait for the next one.
avidreadergirl1's review against another edition
5.0
Just great but not for the faint of heart. Once again Kim faces evil in the form of Dr. Alexandra Thorne and her schemes as well as a delusional killer with a warped sense of justice.
petra_reads's review against another edition
5.0
When I heard that the manipulating psychiatrist Dr. Alexandra Thorne, who featured in [b:Evil Games|25067570|Evil Games (D.I. Kim Stone, #2)|Angela Marsons|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1434280150s/25067570.jpg|44752433], the second book in the DI Kim Stone series, was returning for some more evil games in [a:Angela Marsons|7942666|Angela Marsons|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1419947389p2/7942666.jpg]'s fifth book, I fully expected this to be a thrilling and addictive reading experience and I wasn't disappointed. I am fascinated by the character of Dr. Thorne, such an outstanding female villain, and her manipulating ways from behind bars were once again portrayed with great psychological insight by the author.
Having to face again the nemesis who nearly destroyed her once before, is only one of the problems Kim Stone is facing this time. Kim and her usual team of Bryant, Dawson, and Stacey are also trying to find the person responsible for some coldblooded stabbings. The method of killing is the same but there doesn't seem to be any link between the victims.
With its short chapters, the wonderfully entertaining bond between Bryant and Kim, a closer insight into Dawson's character and the intriguing, twisted plot this had me hooked from start to finish. In my review of the previous book, [b:Play Dead|29543952|Play Dead (D.I. Kim Stone, #4)|Angela Marsons|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1458260899s/29543952.jpg|49845414], I claimed it was the best one yet. Well, these just keep getting better with each installment. It's great to see that regular characters such as Dawson and Kim herself still continue to develop with each new book. This time Kim has to deal with her mother's potential release from the mental health facility where she has been held. Though suitable as standalone novels, I would suggest reading them in order to fully appreciate the character development that is taking place. I love this series and I'm glad there will be more in the future.
I received an ARC via NetGalley.
Having to face again the nemesis who nearly destroyed her once before, is only one of the problems Kim Stone is facing this time. Kim and her usual team of Bryant, Dawson, and Stacey are also trying to find the person responsible for some coldblooded stabbings. The method of killing is the same but there doesn't seem to be any link between the victims.
With its short chapters, the wonderfully entertaining bond between Bryant and Kim, a closer insight into Dawson's character and the intriguing, twisted plot this had me hooked from start to finish. In my review of the previous book, [b:Play Dead|29543952|Play Dead (D.I. Kim Stone, #4)|Angela Marsons|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1458260899s/29543952.jpg|49845414], I claimed it was the best one yet. Well, these just keep getting better with each installment. It's great to see that regular characters such as Dawson and Kim herself still continue to develop with each new book. This time Kim has to deal with her mother's potential release from the mental health facility where she has been held. Though suitable as standalone novels, I would suggest reading them in order to fully appreciate the character development that is taking place. I love this series and I'm glad there will be more in the future.
I received an ARC via NetGalley.