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D.I. Kim Stone #14
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Další jedinečný, napínavý příběh od královny současné krimi. Inspektorka Kim Stoneová už viděla ledacos, ale pohled na oběť, která se našla v místní průmyslové zóně, vyrazí dech i jí. Když poté Kim oznámí zdrcující zprávu manželce zavražděného, Dianě Phippsové, nemůže se ubránit pocitu, že na ženině reakci něco nebylo v pořádku. A pak Diane a její rodina zmizí, v přírodní rezervaci je objevena další mrtvola a Kim se svým týmem narazí na stopu, která spojuje oba případy. Má to však háček – tajemství téhle stopy je přísně střeženo. Dokonce i některými z Kiminých kolegů…
344 pages, Hardcover
First published May 10, 2021
2005 people are currently reading
2101 people want to read
About the author
Angela Marsons
52 books4,991 followersAngela is the author of the Kim Stone Crime series. She discovered a love of writing at Primary School when a short piece on the rocks and the sea gained her the only merit point she ever got.
Angela wrote the stories that burned inside and then stored them safely in a desk drawer.
After much urging from her partner she began to enter short story competitions in Writer's News resulting in a win and three short listed entries.
She used the Amazon KDP program to publish two of her earlier works before concentrating on her true passion - Crime.
Angela is now signed to write a total of 16 Kim Stone books for http://bookouture.com and has secured a print deal with Bonnier Zaffre Publishing.
Angela wrote the stories that burned inside and then stored them safely in a desk drawer.
After much urging from her partner she began to enter short story competitions in Writer's News resulting in a win and three short listed entries.
She used the Amazon KDP program to publish two of her earlier works before concentrating on her true passion - Crime.
Angela is now signed to write a total of 16 Kim Stone books for http://bookouture.com and has secured a print deal with Bonnier Zaffre Publishing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 645 reviews
June 16, 2021
One Twisted Read!
Twisted Lies is a dark and disturbing police procedural featuring some of my favorite characters. This is another solid addition to the series. It can be read as a standalone.
There are two central mysteries: One involving an abusive husband playing the victim, and the other centered around a murderer who uses ancient torture methods to kill his victims.
Both mysteries involve DI Kim Stone and her team in different ways. The team is tasked with investigating the mysterious torture murders. At the same time, Kim has been told to play nice with her arch-nemesis, journalist Tracey Frost, and invite her along for a crime-related interview. Of course, things don’t go as planned, and Frost finds herself immersed in the investigation, once again pushing Kim’s boundaries.
The characters are usually what keeps me flipping the pages in this series, but this time around, I was equally intrigued by the mysteries. It took me quite some time to figure out the mystery behind the killings, and it took me an even longer time to identify the murderer (who was right in front of my face). At one point, I thought I had it all figured out, but I should have known that Angela Marsons would never create such a basic plot. There was a great twist that I didn’t see coming! The second mystery involving the abusive husband also threw me for a loop. Warning: There is a lot of blood and gore, more than usual in this series. This installment is not for the faint of heart.
The characters in this series are some of my favorites. I feel like they grow in each installment. One of the elements of development in Twisted Lies involves Kim and Frost. I enjoyed their banter, especially during their scenes with Barney . The rest of the team is flourishing: Stacey is finally happy, but she is waffling about her future career path. There was very little of Bryant and Penn, which made me sad. I feel like I know these characters personally, and I have high expectations for them. In the next book, I would like to see more Barney, Penn, and Bryant, please!
The ending sets us up for the plot of book #15, and I can’t wait!
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review.
Twisted Lies is a dark and disturbing police procedural featuring some of my favorite characters. This is another solid addition to the series. It can be read as a standalone.
There are two central mysteries: One involving an abusive husband playing the victim, and the other centered around a murderer who uses ancient torture methods to kill his victims.
Both mysteries involve DI Kim Stone and her team in different ways. The team is tasked with investigating the mysterious torture murders. At the same time, Kim has been told to play nice with her arch-nemesis, journalist Tracey Frost, and invite her along for a crime-related interview. Of course, things don’t go as planned, and Frost finds herself immersed in the investigation, once again pushing Kim’s boundaries.
The characters are usually what keeps me flipping the pages in this series, but this time around, I was equally intrigued by the mysteries. It took me quite some time to figure out the mystery behind the killings, and it took me an even longer time to identify the murderer (who was right in front of my face). At one point, I thought I had it all figured out, but I should have known that Angela Marsons would never create such a basic plot. There was a great twist that I didn’t see coming! The second mystery involving the abusive husband also threw me for a loop. Warning: There is a lot of blood and gore, more than usual in this series. This installment is not for the faint of heart.
The characters in this series are some of my favorites. I feel like they grow in each installment. One of the elements of development in Twisted Lies involves Kim and Frost. I enjoyed their banter, especially during their scenes with Barney . The rest of the team is flourishing: Stacey is finally happy, but she is waffling about her future career path. There was very little of Bryant and Penn, which made me sad. I feel like I know these characters personally, and I have high expectations for them. In the next book, I would like to see more Barney, Penn, and Bryant, please!
The ending sets us up for the plot of book #15, and I can’t wait!
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review.
April 8, 2021
Book #14 in the DI Kim Stone series, and it’s fair to say that ‘Twisted Lies’ is as fresh and innovative as the first.
When the horribly tortured body of a man is discovered at a crime scene in an abandoned warehouse, it heralds the start of one of the most gruesome and disturbing cases for Kim and her team, and when subsequently, the man’s wife and kids then disappear, it raises the question, what is really going on here, what has happened to them all, and why?
Unfortunately, this murder isn’t the last, and whoever the killer is, they have gone out of their way to ensure that their victims suffer in the most excruciating, not to mention inventive manner.
Kim’s arch enemy, local newspaper reporter Tracy Frost, really comes into her own this time around too, after being allowed to tag along with Kim for the day. They visit a murder victim’s family, after which Frost becomes completely immersed in the case, as the accused, (the victim’s abusive husband) is due to appear at a re-trial, (the first ended in a hung jury). The PR team hired by the accused, make him look like a wonderful character, one who couldn’t possibly have carried out the terrible abuse of which he has been accused, and it looks like he’ll walk free, but Frost starts her own investigation, with surprising results.
I loved the turn that Kim’s relationship with Frost took this time around, there now appears to be a sign of respect on Kim’s part (albeit grudgingly), very unexpected, but it added much to the proceedings. However, the sarky retorts between them continued, and was not only humorous, (lifting the distressing storyline somewhat) but utter genius.
The characters, as always, are brilliant, totally believable, the storyline intelligent, inventive and completely gripping, and after lots of good old fashioned police work, digging away, never giving up, their persistence finally pays off, and gets Kim and her team the results that they were after, and which they truly deserved. Trust me, Angela Marsons never fails to please. Miss ‘Twisted Lies’ at your peril - one of the best, in which is already a remarkable series!
* My thanks to Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
When the horribly tortured body of a man is discovered at a crime scene in an abandoned warehouse, it heralds the start of one of the most gruesome and disturbing cases for Kim and her team, and when subsequently, the man’s wife and kids then disappear, it raises the question, what is really going on here, what has happened to them all, and why?
Unfortunately, this murder isn’t the last, and whoever the killer is, they have gone out of their way to ensure that their victims suffer in the most excruciating, not to mention inventive manner.
Kim’s arch enemy, local newspaper reporter Tracy Frost, really comes into her own this time around too, after being allowed to tag along with Kim for the day. They visit a murder victim’s family, after which Frost becomes completely immersed in the case, as the accused, (the victim’s abusive husband) is due to appear at a re-trial, (the first ended in a hung jury). The PR team hired by the accused, make him look like a wonderful character, one who couldn’t possibly have carried out the terrible abuse of which he has been accused, and it looks like he’ll walk free, but Frost starts her own investigation, with surprising results.
I loved the turn that Kim’s relationship with Frost took this time around, there now appears to be a sign of respect on Kim’s part (albeit grudgingly), very unexpected, but it added much to the proceedings. However, the sarky retorts between them continued, and was not only humorous, (lifting the distressing storyline somewhat) but utter genius.
The characters, as always, are brilliant, totally believable, the storyline intelligent, inventive and completely gripping, and after lots of good old fashioned police work, digging away, never giving up, their persistence finally pays off, and gets Kim and her team the results that they were after, and which they truly deserved. Trust me, Angela Marsons never fails to please. Miss ‘Twisted Lies’ at your peril - one of the best, in which is already a remarkable series!
* My thanks to Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
April 5, 2021
You know that a crime fiction author is special when their 14th book in a series has you excited and eager to read it as soon as possible, and Angela Marsons and her character driven DI Kim Stone series is a favourite of mine. The secrets of the success of the series lies in the unforgettable Kim, socially inept, blunt and plain speaking, her mind focusing on whatever needs to be done. Her stellar police team is now operating like a well oiled machine, from Kim's partner, DS Bryant, and the recently married DC Stacey Wood, so good that Kim is advising her to go for DS, and the treasure that is DS Penn, little stands still as their characters are expertly developed. The darkness and pressure of their cases is alleviated by their banter, and with every book, Marsons focuses and researches themes that resonate with our contemporary realities.
It all starts with DCI Woodward shocking Kim by telling her she must let old foe, local journalist Tracy Frost, accompany her on the job, although she soon picks up that he has not lost his mind, and has an agenda. An agenda Kim comes to appreciate on a visit to reassure Penny Colgan, sister of 27 year old Trish Morley, abused and murdered by her human rights lawyer husband, Nick. However, with the upcoming retrial, it looks as if he is going to get away with it, having hired a PR firm that has the public believing the man is a saint. There is nothing the police can do, but a ferociously determined Tracy is prepared to do whatever it takes to balance the scales, to ensure he faces justice, despite the danger she finds herself in. There is a sickening serial killer on the loose, as Kim finds a nightmarish horror scene of a tortured dead man that she knows she will never be able to wipe from her mind. His family disappear, and the team are pushed to the limit as other murders of tortured victims are discovered.
One of the highlights of this addition is the grudging respect that Kim develops for Frost and the heavily researched articles on Trish that are slowly beginning to turn the tide of public opinion, a relationship that is cemented by Frost's love for Kim's dog, Barney. This is a dark, intense, and fast paced read with its short, snappy chapters, where the tension and suspense keeps the reader gripped right up to the last page. The twists and turns in this addition veer into unexpectedly shocking territory, and they simply illustrate just how good Marsons is as a crime writer, it is no accident she has an evergrowing army of fans. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
It all starts with DCI Woodward shocking Kim by telling her she must let old foe, local journalist Tracy Frost, accompany her on the job, although she soon picks up that he has not lost his mind, and has an agenda. An agenda Kim comes to appreciate on a visit to reassure Penny Colgan, sister of 27 year old Trish Morley, abused and murdered by her human rights lawyer husband, Nick. However, with the upcoming retrial, it looks as if he is going to get away with it, having hired a PR firm that has the public believing the man is a saint. There is nothing the police can do, but a ferociously determined Tracy is prepared to do whatever it takes to balance the scales, to ensure he faces justice, despite the danger she finds herself in. There is a sickening serial killer on the loose, as Kim finds a nightmarish horror scene of a tortured dead man that she knows she will never be able to wipe from her mind. His family disappear, and the team are pushed to the limit as other murders of tortured victims are discovered.
One of the highlights of this addition is the grudging respect that Kim develops for Frost and the heavily researched articles on Trish that are slowly beginning to turn the tide of public opinion, a relationship that is cemented by Frost's love for Kim's dog, Barney. This is a dark, intense, and fast paced read with its short, snappy chapters, where the tension and suspense keeps the reader gripped right up to the last page. The twists and turns in this addition veer into unexpectedly shocking territory, and they simply illustrate just how good Marsons is as a crime writer, it is no accident she has an evergrowing army of fans. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
April 22, 2021
Kudos to Angela Marsons. It’s not every author that can keep a series fresh when it lands in the double digits. But she’s done exactly that, as we reach book 14 in the Kim Stone series. Kim is no one’s idea of a shrinking violet and she has definite likes and dislikes. And one of her biggest dislikes is Tracy Frost, a reporter. So, the day doesn’t start well when she learns Tracy has been scheduled for a ride along with Kim and Bryant. But it doesn’t last long when they get a call about a horrific murder, basically a man roasted alive. And what’s weirder is that within 12 hours, his family has done a bunk.
The number of victims starts adding up and yes, I might have been one step ahead of Kim in figuring out the commonality. But it’s how Marsons spins the story that works so well. She takes you in a wild ride with twists I never saw coming. She’s done her research and she really had me thinking about all the implications. The ending has a perfect symmetry to it. And I loved seeing how Stone and Frost came together.
I highly recommend this series for those that love well done police procedural with great characters.
My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of this book.
The number of victims starts adding up and yes, I might have been one step ahead of Kim in figuring out the commonality. But it’s how Marsons spins the story that works so well. She takes you in a wild ride with twists I never saw coming. She’s done her research and she really had me thinking about all the implications. The ending has a perfect symmetry to it. And I loved seeing how Stone and Frost came together.
I highly recommend this series for those that love well done police procedural with great characters.
My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of this book.
May 7, 2021
This has officially become my favorite one in the series!
Twisted Lies is full of twisted people, twisted crimes, and a twisted killer!
Angela Marsons has outdone herself with book #14 in the DI Kim Stone series!! Bodies are being found, each more horrific than the worst. Detective Kim Stone and her team are called to the scene. and dive into their investigation. When Kim and Bryant go to tell the first victim's wife, they are left unsettled. She did not behave as most usually do when they hear about the death of a loved one. Twenty-four hours later, the first victim's family is gone! Leaving the team scratching their heads and trying to determine why, and where could they have gone? But as I mentioned, more bodies are being found and soon, Kim will learn a heavily guarded secret which ties the victims but also means that there may be more victims as well.
Whew! Not for the faint of heart! This book deals with gritty horrific murders (none are told in graphic detail but if you have a good imagination, well, it is not pretty). Kim and her team continue to be a cohesive unit. I love their banter, non-verbal communication and back and forth while solving the case. Kim might be the star, but her team is a brilliant ensemble and I loved reading about them again. Plus, reporter, Tracy Frost, plays a major part in this book as well. Fans of the series will know her as a thorn in Kim's side. Their scenes in this book had me smiling and shaking my head. They had the BEST lines and interactions!
Again, this has become my favorite in the series. I was intrigued by the murders and wondered who the killer could be. Marson's kept us in the dark, for most of the book. I believe that some will have figured this out - I was not one of them! This book is gritty, riveting, and hard to put down! From the detective work to the witty and snarky interactions, I loved this book. It is ripe with tension, dread, and suspense. Just how I like them!
Another plus, although this is #14 in the series, his would work nicely as a stand-alone. Some things may be lost on the reader, such as one character repeatedly saying she is a married woman, but there is enough here so that someone can jump right in if they choose to.
Angela Marsons could teach a writing class titled "This is how you do it!"
Fans of the series, police procedurals, and Marsons will LOVE this one!
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Twisted Lies is full of twisted people, twisted crimes, and a twisted killer!
Angela Marsons has outdone herself with book #14 in the DI Kim Stone series!! Bodies are being found, each more horrific than the worst. Detective Kim Stone and her team are called to the scene. and dive into their investigation. When Kim and Bryant go to tell the first victim's wife, they are left unsettled. She did not behave as most usually do when they hear about the death of a loved one. Twenty-four hours later, the first victim's family is gone! Leaving the team scratching their heads and trying to determine why, and where could they have gone? But as I mentioned, more bodies are being found and soon, Kim will learn a heavily guarded secret which ties the victims but also means that there may be more victims as well.
Whew! Not for the faint of heart! This book deals with gritty horrific murders (none are told in graphic detail but if you have a good imagination, well, it is not pretty). Kim and her team continue to be a cohesive unit. I love their banter, non-verbal communication and back and forth while solving the case. Kim might be the star, but her team is a brilliant ensemble and I loved reading about them again. Plus, reporter, Tracy Frost, plays a major part in this book as well. Fans of the series will know her as a thorn in Kim's side. Their scenes in this book had me smiling and shaking my head. They had the BEST lines and interactions!
Again, this has become my favorite in the series. I was intrigued by the murders and wondered who the killer could be. Marson's kept us in the dark, for most of the book. I believe that some will have figured this out - I was not one of them! This book is gritty, riveting, and hard to put down! From the detective work to the witty and snarky interactions, I loved this book. It is ripe with tension, dread, and suspense. Just how I like them!
Another plus, although this is #14 in the series, his would work nicely as a stand-alone. Some things may be lost on the reader, such as one character repeatedly saying she is a married woman, but there is enough here so that someone can jump right in if they choose to.
Angela Marsons could teach a writing class titled "This is how you do it!"
Fans of the series, police procedurals, and Marsons will LOVE this one!
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
April 11, 2021
It's always such a special treat to have a new Kim Stone novel to read and this series is still going very strong at episode fourteen. They're such a great mix of gritty crime, good police investigation and interesting characters. Kim is the star of course, with her toughness, prickly personality and snarky comments but you know her team, Bryant, Stacey and Penn will always be fiercely loyal to her and she would give everything to protect them.
In this episode Kim and Bryant are faced with a particularly gruesome murder. A man slowly tortured to death in a slow and agonising way. Kim's team face an unusual barrier to finding out who he is, which will make it difficult for them to work out why someone killed him in this way.
In a parallel story, investigative reporter Tracy Frost, is investigating the earth of an abused wife. Since the woman never told anyone that her multiple injuries were caused by her husband, but with his PR team polishing his image it looks as if he'll get away with it. However, Tracy is determined to use her journalistic skills to remind the public of the wife's side of the story and help to get justice for her. It was refreshing to see Tracy pursuing her own investigation and not meddling in one of Kim's current cases.
One of the enjoyable aspects of this series is the development of the characters and especially to see Kim encouraging newly married Stacey to sit for the Sergeant's exam so she could move on with her career. Kim also showed that she had a caring side when Tracy needed it, stunning them both.
With Angela Marsons publishing two books per year in this excellent series, it feels greedy to say I can't wait for the next one, but I will be waiting with eager anticipation for book number fifteen. And I just have to mention that I love the new covers. Much more Kim than the old ones!
With many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for a copy to read
In this episode Kim and Bryant are faced with a particularly gruesome murder. A man slowly tortured to death in a slow and agonising way. Kim's team face an unusual barrier to finding out who he is, which will make it difficult for them to work out why someone killed him in this way.
In a parallel story, investigative reporter Tracy Frost, is investigating the earth of an abused wife. Since the woman never told anyone that her multiple injuries were caused by her husband, but with his PR team polishing his image it looks as if he'll get away with it. However, Tracy is determined to use her journalistic skills to remind the public of the wife's side of the story and help to get justice for her. It was refreshing to see Tracy pursuing her own investigation and not meddling in one of Kim's current cases.
One of the enjoyable aspects of this series is the development of the characters and especially to see Kim encouraging newly married Stacey to sit for the Sergeant's exam so she could move on with her career. Kim also showed that she had a caring side when Tracy needed it, stunning them both.
With Angela Marsons publishing two books per year in this excellent series, it feels greedy to say I can't wait for the next one, but I will be waiting with eager anticipation for book number fifteen. And I just have to mention that I love the new covers. Much more Kim than the old ones!
With many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for a copy to read
November 19, 2021
DI Kim Stone and DS Bryant are assigned to visit the family of a woman murdered a year ago to assure them that they are just as committed to help convict Trisha Morley��s husband Nick of the crime as they were with the first trial. Unfortunately, that one resulted in a hung jury and the man has launched an effective PR campaign that seems to be working. Kim & Bryant are further hampered by having to take reporter Tracy Frost along with them. After the family meeting, Tracy decides to create articles giving Trisha voice. In the meantime, the team is called to the first of several gruesome murder scenes where it’s evident that the victims were tortured using extreme methods. And, those victims are as big a mystery as the identity and motive of the killer.
Be forewarned that I’m not exaggerating when describing the murders as horrific. Just hearing what those victims went through was hard to absorb, let alone what their bodies looked like in death. These were hard cases to solve and I gave up trying to guess who was killing them, turning my focus on understanding the victims. Always in the background was Tracy Frost’s research of Trisha Morley as she discovered interesting aspects related to the case that weren't known during the first trial. I was just as invested in that situation as the cases investigated by Kim and her team.
I am always worried that the next book in this series won’t live up to the last and now 14 books in I’m letting that worry go. This one pulled me in immediately and was relentless in keeping me hooked. There’s a twist at the end that made my jaw drop and the setup for the next book gave me pause. Of course, the narration just puts a sweet icing on this dessert as Cramer continues to deliver exceptional performances. I can’t believe I’ve only one more book before I’m caught up as these characters have become regular fare in my reading life for the past year. Obviously, I have mixed feelings about getting current because this is one of the best I’ve read and will leave a void going into the new year.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
Be forewarned that I’m not exaggerating when describing the murders as horrific. Just hearing what those victims went through was hard to absorb, let alone what their bodies looked like in death. These were hard cases to solve and I gave up trying to guess who was killing them, turning my focus on understanding the victims. Always in the background was Tracy Frost’s research of Trisha Morley as she discovered interesting aspects related to the case that weren't known during the first trial. I was just as invested in that situation as the cases investigated by Kim and her team.
I am always worried that the next book in this series won’t live up to the last and now 14 books in I’m letting that worry go. This one pulled me in immediately and was relentless in keeping me hooked. There’s a twist at the end that made my jaw drop and the setup for the next book gave me pause. Of course, the narration just puts a sweet icing on this dessert as Cramer continues to deliver exceptional performances. I can’t believe I’ve only one more book before I’m caught up as these characters have become regular fare in my reading life for the past year. Obviously, I have mixed feelings about getting current because this is one of the best I’ve read and will leave a void going into the new year.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
May 15, 2021
EXCERPT: I am disappointed that she didn't stay as long today. A light drizzle forced her from the bench earlier than normal.
She has no idea that she is my rock, that I get comfort from watching her absently throw crusts to the ducks. She comes, she sits, she stares, and for some reason that simple constant in my life gives me the strength to go on.
I take the few short steps into the bathroom and pause. I look in the mirror and am again confronted with everything I have lost: my friends; family; stability;familiarity; and, in some ways, even myself.
The person who stares back at me is not vision of myself I have in my mind. When I close my eyes my face is plumper; it has more colour. I am younger and without the dark circles under my eyes. My hair is longer, a different colour. Many days I have trouble imprinting the new me on top of the old one. It sounds ridiculous to say that I miss myself, but I do.
ABOUT 'TWISTED LIES': When the lifeless body of a man is found on an industrial estate, Detective Kim Stone arrives on the scene and discovers he’s been tortured in the worst way imaginable.
But as she breaks the devastating news to the victim’s wife, Diane Phipps, Kim can’t help feeling that something isn’t quite right about the woman's reaction.
Twenty-four hours later, the victim’s family disappears into thin air.
Then a second body is found staked to the ground in a local nature reserve.
Desperate to crack the case open quickly, Kim and her team unravel a vital clue – a fiercely guarded secret that links both victims and could cost even more lives.
A secret that some police officers are also protecting.
Faced with deceit from those she should be able to trust, family members who won’t talk, and local reporter, Tracy Frost, opening a can of worms on the case of a woman murdered by her husband a year ago – Kim is in deep water like never before.
Kim must find the motive if she is to find the killer who is systematically targeting and torturing his victims. But can she unlock the shocking truth and stop him before he strikes again?
MY THOUGHTS: #14 of the DI Kim Stone series, in which several people are tortured to death and Kim almost makes a friend.
#14, and my heart still skips a beat, and my breath catches as I open the cover.
#14, and I still can't get enough. I stay up most of the night reading. Yes, even at 410 pages, it's a one sitting read.
#14, and the characters are as fresh and intriguing as they were in Silent Scream, only now they are more like old friends.
#14, and the plot is still fresh, tight, twisty and suspenseful.
#14, and Marsons still has the ability to shock me on multiple fronts - the innovative killings; the twist at the end; the amount of information she is able to impart on her subject and the subtlety with which she does it.
#15? Bring it on!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#TwistedLies #NetGalley
I: @angelamarsonsauthor @bookouture
T: @WriteAngie @Bookouture
#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #fivestarread #murdermystery #mystery #suspense #thriller
THE AUTHOR: Angela is the author of the Kim Stone Crime series. She discovered a love of writing at Primary School when a short piece on the rocks and the sea gained her the only merit point she ever got.
Angela wrote the stories that burned inside and then stored them safely in a desk drawer.
After much urging from her partner she began to enter short story competitions in Writer's News resulting in a win and three short listed entries.
She used the Amazon KDP program to publish two of her earlier works before concentrating on her true passion - Crime.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Twisted Lies by Angela Marsons for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
She has no idea that she is my rock, that I get comfort from watching her absently throw crusts to the ducks. She comes, she sits, she stares, and for some reason that simple constant in my life gives me the strength to go on.
I take the few short steps into the bathroom and pause. I look in the mirror and am again confronted with everything I have lost: my friends; family; stability;familiarity; and, in some ways, even myself.
The person who stares back at me is not vision of myself I have in my mind. When I close my eyes my face is plumper; it has more colour. I am younger and without the dark circles under my eyes. My hair is longer, a different colour. Many days I have trouble imprinting the new me on top of the old one. It sounds ridiculous to say that I miss myself, but I do.
ABOUT 'TWISTED LIES': When the lifeless body of a man is found on an industrial estate, Detective Kim Stone arrives on the scene and discovers he’s been tortured in the worst way imaginable.
But as she breaks the devastating news to the victim’s wife, Diane Phipps, Kim can’t help feeling that something isn’t quite right about the woman's reaction.
Twenty-four hours later, the victim’s family disappears into thin air.
Then a second body is found staked to the ground in a local nature reserve.
Desperate to crack the case open quickly, Kim and her team unravel a vital clue – a fiercely guarded secret that links both victims and could cost even more lives.
A secret that some police officers are also protecting.
Faced with deceit from those she should be able to trust, family members who won’t talk, and local reporter, Tracy Frost, opening a can of worms on the case of a woman murdered by her husband a year ago – Kim is in deep water like never before.
Kim must find the motive if she is to find the killer who is systematically targeting and torturing his victims. But can she unlock the shocking truth and stop him before he strikes again?
MY THOUGHTS: #14 of the DI Kim Stone series, in which several people are tortured to death and Kim almost makes a friend.
#14, and my heart still skips a beat, and my breath catches as I open the cover.
#14, and I still can't get enough. I stay up most of the night reading. Yes, even at 410 pages, it's a one sitting read.
#14, and the characters are as fresh and intriguing as they were in Silent Scream, only now they are more like old friends.
#14, and the plot is still fresh, tight, twisty and suspenseful.
#14, and Marsons still has the ability to shock me on multiple fronts - the innovative killings; the twist at the end; the amount of information she is able to impart on her subject and the subtlety with which she does it.
#15? Bring it on!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#TwistedLies #NetGalley
I: @angelamarsonsauthor @bookouture
T: @WriteAngie @Bookouture
#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #fivestarread #murdermystery #mystery #suspense #thriller
THE AUTHOR: Angela is the author of the Kim Stone Crime series. She discovered a love of writing at Primary School when a short piece on the rocks and the sea gained her the only merit point she ever got.
Angela wrote the stories that burned inside and then stored them safely in a desk drawer.
After much urging from her partner she began to enter short story competitions in Writer's News resulting in a win and three short listed entries.
She used the Amazon KDP program to publish two of her earlier works before concentrating on her true passion - Crime.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Twisted Lies by Angela Marsons for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
April 11, 2021
Pain becomes unbearable when we live constantly in the shadow of its creator.
DI Kim Stone is back. Angela Marsons has sculpted Twisted Lies into a heart-pounding, creep gathering, heavy-on-the-dark-side-of-the-street frenzy of gnarled characters and the blurred footprints that they make. This one is chock full of action and unexpected outcomes.
Kim knows that when she is beckoned into the office of DCI Woodward, arguments certainly ensue and voices will be raised. But Kim never saw this one coming. Woodward informs Kim that her irritating nemesis, Tracy Frost, will be riding along with her and DS Bryant on their next call. Frost is a news reporter for the Dudley Star. But Woodward wants to acknowledge Frost's vital assistance in their last case that saved the life of a young boy. Kim reads her the riot act.....which falls on deaf ears.
Twisted Lies will splay out into a two-prong approach. Kim, Bryant, and Frost will visit the family home of Trisha Morley who was murdered. By all indications, it appears that her husband killed her, but proving him guilty is a monumental task. Nick Morley is a barrister himself with quite the reputation. He's been called "Midas" for his golden touch. But Frost raises an eyebrow that goes unnoticed. What does Frost know? And what is she not sharing with Kim?
The door to the Morley home has hardly closed when Kim receives an urgent call from Keats, the medical examiner. A body has been found in an industrial park. But this body will present itself in a condition that Kim and her team have never found before. The victim was horrendously tortured and cuffed to a roller cage. We're pulling up a chair next to even more bodies that resemble one another with their brutal condition. Believe me, Twisted Lies is darker than any Kim Stone novel of the past.
And here's where a nod of the head and a shake of the hand goes to Angela Marsons. No other author standing on a stack of books in a series can keep the engine revving like Marsons. She ratchets up the tension and brings it to the finish line every time. Each storyline is highly creative and so well-planned. The team has brilliantly adjusted itself to whatever crimes and personal life challenges that are thrown at them. And the superb dialogue is witty and piercing as always. Just keep 'em comin', Marsons. We all wait with outstretched arms.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Bookouture and to the talented Angela Marsons for the opportunity.
DI Kim Stone is back. Angela Marsons has sculpted Twisted Lies into a heart-pounding, creep gathering, heavy-on-the-dark-side-of-the-street frenzy of gnarled characters and the blurred footprints that they make. This one is chock full of action and unexpected outcomes.
Kim knows that when she is beckoned into the office of DCI Woodward, arguments certainly ensue and voices will be raised. But Kim never saw this one coming. Woodward informs Kim that her irritating nemesis, Tracy Frost, will be riding along with her and DS Bryant on their next call. Frost is a news reporter for the Dudley Star. But Woodward wants to acknowledge Frost's vital assistance in their last case that saved the life of a young boy. Kim reads her the riot act.....which falls on deaf ears.
Twisted Lies will splay out into a two-prong approach. Kim, Bryant, and Frost will visit the family home of Trisha Morley who was murdered. By all indications, it appears that her husband killed her, but proving him guilty is a monumental task. Nick Morley is a barrister himself with quite the reputation. He's been called "Midas" for his golden touch. But Frost raises an eyebrow that goes unnoticed. What does Frost know? And what is she not sharing with Kim?
The door to the Morley home has hardly closed when Kim receives an urgent call from Keats, the medical examiner. A body has been found in an industrial park. But this body will present itself in a condition that Kim and her team have never found before. The victim was horrendously tortured and cuffed to a roller cage. We're pulling up a chair next to even more bodies that resemble one another with their brutal condition. Believe me, Twisted Lies is darker than any Kim Stone novel of the past.
And here's where a nod of the head and a shake of the hand goes to Angela Marsons. No other author standing on a stack of books in a series can keep the engine revving like Marsons. She ratchets up the tension and brings it to the finish line every time. Each storyline is highly creative and so well-planned. The team has brilliantly adjusted itself to whatever crimes and personal life challenges that are thrown at them. And the superb dialogue is witty and piercing as always. Just keep 'em comin', Marsons. We all wait with outstretched arms.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Bookouture and to the talented Angela Marsons for the opportunity.
April 7, 2021
I want to express my sincere thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of Twisted Lies in return for an honest review. This is the 14th book in the Detective Kim Stone series, and I have followed her career since the first book. This works well as an excellent standalone police procedural, and it has been a pleasure to see that the books have maintained their high quality. It has been a pleasure witnessing the professional and personal growth of the individual officers from the beginning. The team has learned to work well together. The author always manages to create new and unusual criminal cases.
There are several different series where the lead detective has suffered early traumatic events. Like Kim, they have experienced difficulty with interpersonal relationships but have developed superior detective skills and leadership. Angela Marsons has maintained her role as the leading writer in this category with her Detective Kim Stone series. When there is a new book in the series, I drop everything else to read it.
Kim and her team are investigating a series of horrendous torture scenes resulting in the victim's death. The unique, diabolical torture methods are disturbing to read and even worse to visualize. The crimes revolve around and are connected with Witness Protection, a subject the general public knows little about.
Another storyline involves Tracy Frost, a local journalist and an old foe of Kim. The reporter has appeared in previous books, and she and Kim have a long-time animosity. The conversations between the two are amusing and witty. Tracy is working on a series of articles about the upcoming retrial of a prominent and wealthy man. He is accused of murdering his wife after a history of horrible abuse that resulted in her hospitalization a number of times. She never laid charges out of fear of him and made excuses to doctors about the cause of her injuries. The defence team is planning to explain her long list of injuries due to clumsiness, and the man has hired a top-notch PR team to praise him and elevate his reputation. It looks like he will be found not guilty. Tracy is determined that his long-suffering and murdered wife will not be forgotten and that he will be brought to justice for his crimes, found guilty and punished. Tracy has every reason to be in fear of her life after some threatening incidents.
The biggest twist in the story comes in connection with Tracy's investigation as a journalist, and it was an unforeseen shocker that I never saw coming. Only the readers are aware of this twist. Amazing!
This was an excellent, suspenseful police procedural and is sure to entertain previous Detective Kim Stone fans and gain new fans who read this book. Recommended.
There are several different series where the lead detective has suffered early traumatic events. Like Kim, they have experienced difficulty with interpersonal relationships but have developed superior detective skills and leadership. Angela Marsons has maintained her role as the leading writer in this category with her Detective Kim Stone series. When there is a new book in the series, I drop everything else to read it.
Kim and her team are investigating a series of horrendous torture scenes resulting in the victim's death. The unique, diabolical torture methods are disturbing to read and even worse to visualize. The crimes revolve around and are connected with Witness Protection, a subject the general public knows little about.
Another storyline involves Tracy Frost, a local journalist and an old foe of Kim. The reporter has appeared in previous books, and she and Kim have a long-time animosity. The conversations between the two are amusing and witty. Tracy is working on a series of articles about the upcoming retrial of a prominent and wealthy man. He is accused of murdering his wife after a history of horrible abuse that resulted in her hospitalization a number of times. She never laid charges out of fear of him and made excuses to doctors about the cause of her injuries. The defence team is planning to explain her long list of injuries due to clumsiness, and the man has hired a top-notch PR team to praise him and elevate his reputation. It looks like he will be found not guilty. Tracy is determined that his long-suffering and murdered wife will not be forgotten and that he will be brought to justice for his crimes, found guilty and punished. Tracy has every reason to be in fear of her life after some threatening incidents.
The biggest twist in the story comes in connection with Tracy's investigation as a journalist, and it was an unforeseen shocker that I never saw coming. Only the readers are aware of this twist. Amazing!
This was an excellent, suspenseful police procedural and is sure to entertain previous Detective Kim Stone fans and gain new fans who read this book. Recommended.
May 15, 2021
This was an amazing read. Marson’s books continue to evolve and get better with each installment. I’ve never had a series that I have loved this much.
The story begins innocently. A journalist is invited to a ride-along with Kim. A journalist who Kim can’t stand, but it’s thrust upon her anyways. However, the innocent ride along doesn’t last long and soon we are faced with a dead body, the victim horribly tortured.
Oddly, when the family is notified, something seems amiss. There doesn’t seem to be a normal reaction for a murdered spouse from the wife and sister-in-law. And why, no more than 24 hours later, they are gone, vanished into thin air?
As the story continues we will witness more torture using a variety of methods. Are these cases random? And if not random how are they connected for there appears to be no connection at whatsoever?
The story is a wild ride, with hidden turns, narrow corners and just when you think, “ahh, things are making sense” they suddenly don’t but our ride continues.
This is the 14th installment in the DI Kim Stone series and I have loved every book. I have enjoyed seeing the characters “season” throughout the series. I love the characters and I’m always rooting for them.
But wait, there’s one more thing ...
And this is why, no matter the wait time, I always pre-order Marson’s books and I gladly wait for your next one, Angela. ❤️
The story begins innocently. A journalist is invited to a ride-along with Kim. A journalist who Kim can’t stand, but it’s thrust upon her anyways. However, the innocent ride along doesn’t last long and soon we are faced with a dead body, the victim horribly tortured.
Oddly, when the family is notified, something seems amiss. There doesn’t seem to be a normal reaction for a murdered spouse from the wife and sister-in-law. And why, no more than 24 hours later, they are gone, vanished into thin air?
As the story continues we will witness more torture using a variety of methods. Are these cases random? And if not random how are they connected for there appears to be no connection at whatsoever?
The story is a wild ride, with hidden turns, narrow corners and just when you think, “ahh, things are making sense” they suddenly don’t but our ride continues.
This is the 14th installment in the DI Kim Stone series and I have loved every book. I have enjoyed seeing the characters “season” throughout the series. I love the characters and I’m always rooting for them.
But wait, there’s one more thing ...
And this is why, no matter the wait time, I always pre-order Marson’s books and I gladly wait for your next one, Angela. ❤️
December 26, 2025
Book 14 in this series featuring D.I.Kim Stone, a woman who says what she means and has no time at all for social niceties. Her partner, D.S. Bryant, helps her to smooth her sharp edges when it is really necessary. She runs a very tight and well balanced team, who are all proud of what they do.
In this story Kim is required to let Tracy Frost, a journalist, accompany her for a day, which is cut short when a callout is for such a macabre murder scene that Frost collapses. Nevertheless one visit she attended earlier sticks in her mind and she decides to set herself a target of righting a major wrong. Eventually even Kin is impressed.
As usual Angela Marsons delivers a really excellent police procedural which is well written, exciting, and presenting realistic, interesting characters. And I still have eight more books in the series to read! Fantastic!
In this story Kim is required to let Tracy Frost, a journalist, accompany her for a day, which is cut short when a callout is for such a macabre murder scene that Frost collapses. Nevertheless one visit she attended earlier sticks in her mind and she decides to set herself a target of righting a major wrong. Eventually even Kin is impressed.
As usual Angela Marsons delivers a really excellent police procedural which is well written, exciting, and presenting realistic, interesting characters. And I still have eight more books in the series to read! Fantastic!
May 30, 2021
Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review.
Twisted is the operative word here. Lies are to be expected with this type of tale. A psychopath is hard at work, employing all manner of hideous ways to torture and kill. What is this person after? What unspeakable itch begs to be scratched? DI Kim Stone is thrown together with Tracy Frost, the reporter who has been a thorn in her side more than once. The zingers and barbs fly between them, as one might expect. The humor garnered with this is most welcome, as the case under investigation is intense.
Once again, Marsons proves herself more than adept at keeping things fresh, even this deep into the series. Other reviewers have mentioned it and I wholly agree - when a new installment is available, I jump on it and have yet to be disappointed.
Twisted is the operative word here. Lies are to be expected with this type of tale. A psychopath is hard at work, employing all manner of hideous ways to torture and kill. What is this person after? What unspeakable itch begs to be scratched? DI Kim Stone is thrown together with Tracy Frost, the reporter who has been a thorn in her side more than once. The zingers and barbs fly between them, as one might expect. The humor garnered with this is most welcome, as the case under investigation is intense.
Once again, Marsons proves herself more than adept at keeping things fresh, even this deep into the series. Other reviewers have mentioned it and I wholly agree - when a new installment is available, I jump on it and have yet to be disappointed.
December 14, 2024
Thank you to Angela Marsons, Bookouture and NetGalley, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I had several other ARC’s in the queue ahead of this one, but when a new book by Ms Marsons comes out, I have to drop everything else, read and savour. Book one was a masterpiece and an easy 5 stars. Every book since has somehow improved on the previous book. On that basis, this should be at least 10 stars, maybe 15! Very few authors can not only maintain the high quality of storytelling and character development but continue to surpass the previous book every time. I am in awe of her immense talent, please keep writing.
As always, the plot is hard hitting action packed with lots of gory details. The main plot is based on ….. (That would be telling). As always extremely well researched and woven into the story effortlessly, without detracting from the story. There have been many very sick and twisted people in her books and I always wonder how she can possibly follow that, but every single book leaves me wanting more.
Twisted Lies starts at 100mph and never lets up. DI Kim Stone has a standoffish generally rude attitude, with few social skills. Yet she has a genuine affection for her team, which is why they work so well together, the banter between Kim and Bryant is legendary. Stacey’s character is rapidly growing, and I can’t wait to see what is in store for her next. Penn, well when I think back to Penn arriving on the team, it is difficult to imagine it is the same character.
A sub plot involves Tracy Frost the local reporter, her and Kim are old foes and the conversations between the two of them are witty and amusing, despite the animosity between them.
You could easily read this as a stand-alone and enjoy it but if you are considering it, I’d recommend checking out the whole series. There isn’t a weak one in it. No fillers at all. The books have been knocked out at an amazing pace over the last few years but still all feel like they’ve been given the care and attention they require, and they never disappoint. But be warned, the story telling is so realistically told that genuine emotion is felt by me as I read. These stories stay with me for a long time afterwards, That’s how fantastic and memorable they are, but also speaks volumes to the effect they had on me as I read. I really don’t want to say too much about the plot, as it’s best discovered by readers for themselves.
I highly recommend this book, and the entire series. I may have read my favourite book of the year, at least until book 15 comes out. No pressure.
I had several other ARC’s in the queue ahead of this one, but when a new book by Ms Marsons comes out, I have to drop everything else, read and savour. Book one was a masterpiece and an easy 5 stars. Every book since has somehow improved on the previous book. On that basis, this should be at least 10 stars, maybe 15! Very few authors can not only maintain the high quality of storytelling and character development but continue to surpass the previous book every time. I am in awe of her immense talent, please keep writing.
As always, the plot is hard hitting action packed with lots of gory details. The main plot is based on ….. (That would be telling). As always extremely well researched and woven into the story effortlessly, without detracting from the story. There have been many very sick and twisted people in her books and I always wonder how she can possibly follow that, but every single book leaves me wanting more.
Twisted Lies starts at 100mph and never lets up. DI Kim Stone has a standoffish generally rude attitude, with few social skills. Yet she has a genuine affection for her team, which is why they work so well together, the banter between Kim and Bryant is legendary. Stacey’s character is rapidly growing, and I can’t wait to see what is in store for her next. Penn, well when I think back to Penn arriving on the team, it is difficult to imagine it is the same character.
A sub plot involves Tracy Frost the local reporter, her and Kim are old foes and the conversations between the two of them are witty and amusing, despite the animosity between them.
You could easily read this as a stand-alone and enjoy it but if you are considering it, I’d recommend checking out the whole series. There isn’t a weak one in it. No fillers at all. The books have been knocked out at an amazing pace over the last few years but still all feel like they’ve been given the care and attention they require, and they never disappoint. But be warned, the story telling is so realistically told that genuine emotion is felt by me as I read. These stories stay with me for a long time afterwards, That’s how fantastic and memorable they are, but also speaks volumes to the effect they had on me as I read. I really don’t want to say too much about the plot, as it’s best discovered by readers for themselves.
I highly recommend this book, and the entire series. I may have read my favourite book of the year, at least until book 15 comes out. No pressure.
May 5, 2021
Oh my, this series goes from strength to strength! Angela Marsons has delivered another blockbuster.
There are two plot threads here - in one Nick Morley is having a re-trial of the case against him for murdering his wife, Tricia. The first trial was a close thing but since then his publicity machine has gone into overdrive and painted him as a saint. It is even less likely that he will be convicted this time. The second plot line is about a series of gruesome murders that involve a slow and painful death. I have to say this killer has been very creative, I don’t know where authors get their ideas from but these MOs are new to me - yucky but creative!
Tracy Frost, DI Kim Stone’s journalist nemesis, gets herself involved in the Morely case and, because she was once a victim of domestic violence, something clicks with her and she writes a series of articles focussing on Tricia as a victim while she tries to counteract the saintly publicity. Morely, who is a class A creep tries to intimidate her as he has done with previous witnesses but Frost won’t be intimidated.
Stone’s case is a tricky one and the deaths start to mount up. Soon they realise that the first few victims were all in the witness protection scheme. The secrecy surrounding this scheme is necessary but makes investigating so much more difficult. But when a protection officer is murdered the stakes get higher and the desperate motive starts to become clear.
This book really gets into the heart of witness protection, it is not as straightforward as I had thought. It also spells out very clearly the sacrifices that people who go into the scheme make. It is not as easy as you might think, especially if you have a family. Angela Marsons did some extensive research on this while writing the book.
As usual, the story was tightly plotted and you learn more about the characters of Kim’s team. It was great to see her relationship with Frost thawing somewhat. The two now seem to have a grudging respect for each other. Also, as usual, the ending was tense and dramatic with lives at stake. It wasn’t a twisty book per se but a couple of twists at the ending were both surprising and satisfying. This is an excellent series that I have followed from the start and I can’t wait to see what Marsons comes up with next. I received an advance review copy for free from Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
There are two plot threads here - in one Nick Morley is having a re-trial of the case against him for murdering his wife, Tricia. The first trial was a close thing but since then his publicity machine has gone into overdrive and painted him as a saint. It is even less likely that he will be convicted this time. The second plot line is about a series of gruesome murders that involve a slow and painful death. I have to say this killer has been very creative, I don’t know where authors get their ideas from but these MOs are new to me - yucky but creative!
Tracy Frost, DI Kim Stone’s journalist nemesis, gets herself involved in the Morely case and, because she was once a victim of domestic violence, something clicks with her and she writes a series of articles focussing on Tricia as a victim while she tries to counteract the saintly publicity. Morely, who is a class A creep tries to intimidate her as he has done with previous witnesses but Frost won’t be intimidated.
Stone’s case is a tricky one and the deaths start to mount up. Soon they realise that the first few victims were all in the witness protection scheme. The secrecy surrounding this scheme is necessary but makes investigating so much more difficult. But when a protection officer is murdered the stakes get higher and the desperate motive starts to become clear.
This book really gets into the heart of witness protection, it is not as straightforward as I had thought. It also spells out very clearly the sacrifices that people who go into the scheme make. It is not as easy as you might think, especially if you have a family. Angela Marsons did some extensive research on this while writing the book.
As usual, the story was tightly plotted and you learn more about the characters of Kim’s team. It was great to see her relationship with Frost thawing somewhat. The two now seem to have a grudging respect for each other. Also, as usual, the ending was tense and dramatic with lives at stake. It wasn’t a twisty book per se but a couple of twists at the ending were both surprising and satisfying. This is an excellent series that I have followed from the start and I can’t wait to see what Marsons comes up with next. I received an advance review copy for free from Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 3, 2021
This is the 14th book in the DI Kim Stone series by author Angela Marsons. Having followed this series from book 1 I know before I even pick the new book up what I am going to get. Fast paced story, great characters, lots of excitement and less sleep knowing you are going to stay up to finish it. This is an exciting novel and another sure winner.
A tortured body is discovered on an industrial estate and DI Kim Stone is called on to investigate the gruesome scene. Shortly after Kim is faced with breaking the bad news to the victim’s wife but is surprised by the lack of emotion shown by the woman. Before Kim can follow up with questions the family have fled without a trace.
The case intensifies when a second body is found staked to the ground in a local nature reserve and Kim and her team discover a link to both victims that threatens to put more lives in danger. It appears that there is a guarded secret that even some police officers are trying to protect.
This series goes from strength to strength and the characters get stronger and the plots even better. Long may this series continue.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
A tortured body is discovered on an industrial estate and DI Kim Stone is called on to investigate the gruesome scene. Shortly after Kim is faced with breaking the bad news to the victim’s wife but is surprised by the lack of emotion shown by the woman. Before Kim can follow up with questions the family have fled without a trace.
The case intensifies when a second body is found staked to the ground in a local nature reserve and Kim and her team discover a link to both victims that threatens to put more lives in danger. It appears that there is a guarded secret that even some police officers are trying to protect.
This series goes from strength to strength and the characters get stronger and the plots even better. Long may this series continue.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
May 12, 2021
When the family of a brutally murdered man disappeared within hours of being notified of his death, Detective Inspector Kim Stone had a gut feeling that something was off. As she and her partner, Bryant followed the clues, Penn and Stacey did the same on their computers. Another body, again brutally murdered, turned up and the connections saw Kim have a light-bulb moment. From then on things became much worse. Who could she trust when the police were also involved in the messy web of horror?
Meantime Tracey Frost, intrepid reporter and Kim’s nemesis, found herself involved in a case where it looked like a murderer would go free. She was determined to show the victim as a person who was loved by her mother and sister; a person who didn’t deserve what she’d received. But could Tracey change what was inevitable?
Wow! Another ripper of a thriller by Angela Marsons, Twisted Lies is the 14th in the DI Kim Stone series, and I had trouble putting it down! Twists and turns, horrors and depravity, the usual repartee between Kim and her team, who complement each other perfectly – Twisted Lies was exactly that! An excellent and chilling thriller, Ms Marsons' 14th is one I highly recommend.
With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Meantime Tracey Frost, intrepid reporter and Kim’s nemesis, found herself involved in a case where it looked like a murderer would go free. She was determined to show the victim as a person who was loved by her mother and sister; a person who didn’t deserve what she’d received. But could Tracey change what was inevitable?
Wow! Another ripper of a thriller by Angela Marsons, Twisted Lies is the 14th in the DI Kim Stone series, and I had trouble putting it down! Twists and turns, horrors and depravity, the usual repartee between Kim and her team, who complement each other perfectly – Twisted Lies was exactly that! An excellent and chilling thriller, Ms Marsons' 14th is one I highly recommend.
With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
May 15, 2021
Detective Kim Stone #14
When the lifeless body of a man is found on an industrial estate, Detective Kim Stone arrives on the scene and discovers he's been tortured in the worst way imaginable. but as she breaks the news to the victim's wife, Diane Phipps, Kim can't help feeling something isn't right about the woman's reaction. Twenty four hours later, the victims family disappear into thin air. Then a second body is found staked to the ground. Kim and her team are desperate to crack the case open.
This is another really good page turner. We are now on book fourteen in this super, gripping an page turning read. It's a dark and violent read that's full of twists. The plotline has been cleverly crafted, action packed and not for the faint hearted due to the gory details. The author has done her research and she keeps the reader on their toes whilst they try to work out what's going on. Kim and her team have their work cut out trying to solve this case. This series gets better with each new book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #Bookouture and the author #AngelaMarsons for my ARC of #TwistedLies in exchange for an honest review.
When the lifeless body of a man is found on an industrial estate, Detective Kim Stone arrives on the scene and discovers he's been tortured in the worst way imaginable. but as she breaks the news to the victim's wife, Diane Phipps, Kim can't help feeling something isn't right about the woman's reaction. Twenty four hours later, the victims family disappear into thin air. Then a second body is found staked to the ground. Kim and her team are desperate to crack the case open.
This is another really good page turner. We are now on book fourteen in this super, gripping an page turning read. It's a dark and violent read that's full of twists. The plotline has been cleverly crafted, action packed and not for the faint hearted due to the gory details. The author has done her research and she keeps the reader on their toes whilst they try to work out what's going on. Kim and her team have their work cut out trying to solve this case. This series gets better with each new book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #Bookouture and the author #AngelaMarsons for my ARC of #TwistedLies in exchange for an honest review.
March 27, 2023
This is book four in this series, A body of a man found in a industrial estate it was a shocking scene, Kim stone and the reporter frost was at the scene.The victim wife was informed with her sister by her side are they hiding something? they were being questioned again but they disappeared with the two children.another body was discovered.This is a fantastic series didnt enjoy the storyline as much as her other books.im rating this book 3.5 rounded to four due to the characters and banter between Kim and frost.looking forward to reading the next instalment in this series.
April 11, 2021
Drop everything, there is a new Kim Stone book and I cannot wait any longer! This police procedural series is just brilliant and they need to be on everybody's reading list. Over the years I have become quite fond of Kim and her team. I started this series on audio and I read the books now in the voice of Jan Kramer who narrates them, She is Kim to me. She is not the easiest of women to get along with but here sarcasm and wit just makes me laugh. She is straight up and tells is as she sees it. I love that in Twisted Lie's we see her relationship with reporter, Tracey Frost change.
This case has to be one of the darkest and violent ones that the team have been involved in. This is a sadistic killer, who tortures his victims. Angela Marsons gives just enough detail to describe the scenes, without going overboard. But why has the victims family disappeared after his body was discovered? What are they hiding? The team work together to try to stop this killer. As always it is a twisty and unpredictable story and I could not get enough. Another cliff hanger ending has me desperate for book 15 already!
Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.
This case has to be one of the darkest and violent ones that the team have been involved in. This is a sadistic killer, who tortures his victims. Angela Marsons gives just enough detail to describe the scenes, without going overboard. But why has the victims family disappeared after his body was discovered? What are they hiding? The team work together to try to stop this killer. As always it is a twisty and unpredictable story and I could not get enough. Another cliff hanger ending has me desperate for book 15 already!
Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.
October 30, 2023
Jaučiuosi, kaip sugrįžus namo😃 ir nors labai greitai man kilo įtarimas, kodėl šeima bėga, arba truputį užkliuvo tai, kaip greitai Frost sugebėjo "įbauginti" vieną asmenį, tačiau laiką skaitydama šį kartą praleidau tikrai besimėgaudama. Tik pradėjau nerimauti dėl gale buvusios užuominos, nes būtent tos dvi knygos man pasirodė silpniausios iš visos serijos, tad labai tikiuosi, kad su sekančia dalimi taip nebus!
November 20, 2021
Can a killer be both crazed and methodical at the same time? That seems to be the case in Angela Marson’s the 14th installment of her addicting Detective Kim Stone series, Twisted Lies. The day starts out with a ride-along with Kim’s not-so-favorite reporter, Tracy Frost, but that ends abruptly when they come upon the first victim. Kim and DS Bryant are appalled at what they see, and Frost is sent back to her office. The victim has been cruelly tortured over many hours. A word from the outset – some descriptions are gruesome, and there are several victims throughout the book, each killed by a different medieval form of painfully inflicted punishment. In the first case, the deceased’s wife and her sister have little to say to the inspectors and barely show any emotion. Later, when Kim returns, the home has been cleared out.
As the murder cases mount, so do the questions. Why will no one give any straight answers? What are the families hiding? And who is the mysterious “sister”? Above all, what does the killer want? Apparently, he is seeking information, which is why he is torturing his victims. What is so important that he is willing to kill? He’s obviously not too far off his rocker because his methods require organization and planning.
While I was in no way a fan of the gory details of the methods used in these murders, I was enthralled by the mystery. Once the secret was revealed, there was still the question of who.
One could read this as a standalone, but it’s quite helpful to know the characters. I’m amazed at how different Kim Stone is from the early books. She’s now quite a capable “boss,” as Bryant calls her. She’s encouraging Stacy in her professional development, and she’s actually showing – dare I say it – a wee bit of empathy toward her nemesis, Tracy Frost, who has also thawed significantly in this episode and is fairly likeable. Maybe the thaw is due to the hot water she finds herself in when she dares to go out on a limb to act ethically for a change while pursuing a story. This is at least a 180-degree turn from previous books, and it will be interesting to see how the Stone-Frost relationship progresses from here. The banter and collaboration between Stacy and Penn is fun to see, once again. They make a good team.
In usual Marsons’ style, Kim has some hairy moments toward the end and – well, it’s tempting to say more, but I won’t! There are some lovely twists here and there and a big teaser at the end, which has me itching to read number 15, Stolen Ones.
4.5 stars rounded up
As the murder cases mount, so do the questions. Why will no one give any straight answers? What are the families hiding? And who is the mysterious “sister”? Above all, what does the killer want? Apparently, he is seeking information, which is why he is torturing his victims. What is so important that he is willing to kill? He’s obviously not too far off his rocker because his methods require organization and planning.
While I was in no way a fan of the gory details of the methods used in these murders, I was enthralled by the mystery. Once the secret was revealed, there was still the question of who.
One could read this as a standalone, but it’s quite helpful to know the characters. I’m amazed at how different Kim Stone is from the early books. She’s now quite a capable “boss,” as Bryant calls her. She’s encouraging Stacy in her professional development, and she’s actually showing – dare I say it – a wee bit of empathy toward her nemesis, Tracy Frost, who has also thawed significantly in this episode and is fairly likeable. Maybe the thaw is due to the hot water she finds herself in when she dares to go out on a limb to act ethically for a change while pursuing a story. This is at least a 180-degree turn from previous books, and it will be interesting to see how the Stone-Frost relationship progresses from here. The banter and collaboration between Stacy and Penn is fun to see, once again. They make a good team.
In usual Marsons’ style, Kim has some hairy moments toward the end and – well, it’s tempting to say more, but I won’t! There are some lovely twists here and there and a big teaser at the end, which has me itching to read number 15, Stolen Ones.
4.5 stars rounded up
June 10, 2021
Angela Marsons never disappoints!
I can't believe we are on Book 14 and I still can't get enough of this fascinating lead character and her team. I really enjoy unpredictable books and this one is in a league of its own!
Kim is stuck with her nemesis-local reporter Tracy Frost- for a whole day. Tracy's been promised she can follow Kim and her team wherever they go. Very soon Kim sees DCI Woodward's secret agenda. Kim's first stop is the family of Trisha Morley who was abused and murdered by her husband. NickMorley had a stellar reputation and a PR team strong enough to put a lot of pressure on the jury. The first trial ended in a hung jury and it looks likely that Nick might walk free.The police have done everything possible. There's nothing they can do at this point to prevent the injustice. But Tracy can.
Then Kim's team gets called to a murder scene and what promised to be a slow day begins a frenetic hunt for a twisted serial killer who tortures his victims in horrendous ways. When Kim has to inform the family of the first victim of what happened and immediately senses that something is off in the way the wife and her sister react to the news. The next day they seem to have vanished into the thin air and it is up to Kim's team to trace their whereabouts using good old policework. Kim does discover the connection between the first victim and the second, but is sworn to secrecy and forced to work with somebody who makes her reflect what it means to be a good police officer and sacrifice everything in order to do your job well.
Both plotlines are fascinating and full of their own twists. There was no way I could have guessed the ending! As usual there are thought-provoking themes- one of which is whether it is possible to completely disappear in our heavily-digitalised society, why someone might want to do that and what emotional cost it might have.
It was interesting to see the change in the way Tracy and Kim interact with each other- a different level of understanding and begrudging respect that is slowly built between these two strong and determined women. Kim's team is superb - Bryant, newly married (she won't let anyone forget it even for a minute) Stacey, Penn, Keats.
The book has Angela Marsons' trademark short and snappy chapters that keep you on the edge of your seat. The pace is perfect- you understand the urgency of stopping the killer (no, I didn't guess who it was) and frustration of not being able to find or interpret the clues to lead you to their identity. Another excellent addition to my favourite series of police procedurals.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion
I can't believe we are on Book 14 and I still can't get enough of this fascinating lead character and her team. I really enjoy unpredictable books and this one is in a league of its own!
Kim is stuck with her nemesis-local reporter Tracy Frost- for a whole day. Tracy's been promised she can follow Kim and her team wherever they go. Very soon Kim sees DCI Woodward's secret agenda. Kim's first stop is the family of Trisha Morley who was abused and murdered by her husband. NickMorley had a stellar reputation and a PR team strong enough to put a lot of pressure on the jury. The first trial ended in a hung jury and it looks likely that Nick might walk free.The police have done everything possible. There's nothing they can do at this point to prevent the injustice. But Tracy can.
Then Kim's team gets called to a murder scene and what promised to be a slow day begins a frenetic hunt for a twisted serial killer who tortures his victims in horrendous ways. When Kim has to inform the family of the first victim of what happened and immediately senses that something is off in the way the wife and her sister react to the news. The next day they seem to have vanished into the thin air and it is up to Kim's team to trace their whereabouts using good old policework. Kim does discover the connection between the first victim and the second, but is sworn to secrecy and forced to work with somebody who makes her reflect what it means to be a good police officer and sacrifice everything in order to do your job well.
Both plotlines are fascinating and full of their own twists. There was no way I could have guessed the ending! As usual there are thought-provoking themes- one of which is whether it is possible to completely disappear in our heavily-digitalised society, why someone might want to do that and what emotional cost it might have.
It was interesting to see the change in the way Tracy and Kim interact with each other- a different level of understanding and begrudging respect that is slowly built between these two strong and determined women. Kim's team is superb - Bryant, newly married (she won't let anyone forget it even for a minute) Stacey, Penn, Keats.
The book has Angela Marsons' trademark short and snappy chapters that keep you on the edge of your seat. The pace is perfect- you understand the urgency of stopping the killer (no, I didn't guess who it was) and frustration of not being able to find or interpret the clues to lead you to their identity. Another excellent addition to my favourite series of police procedurals.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion
May 23, 2021
TWISTED LIES is the 14th book in the D.I. Kim Stone crime-thriller series by best-selling author Angela Marsons. Angela Marsons remains one of my favorite mystery authors, and her publisher, Bookouture, always publishes the very best novels. I have read all of her books…and she keeps getting better. I don’t want this series to end!
It was so refreshing to touch base with Kim’s team again: DS Byant, DS Penn, and Detective Stacey Wood who just recently got married. The characters keep getting stronger and stronger. And who could forget Kim’s faithful dog, Barney. Love that dog!
In this book we also see Kim’s rival, Tracy Frost, a local reporter become accepted over time. Tracy Frost is allowed one day access to the department to remain with Kim and Bryant at all times, to show gratitude for her assistance in their last case. Kim must demonstrate to Tracy that her team are driven, compassionate and professional.
When the lifeless body of a man is found on an industrial estate, Detective Kim Stone arrives on the horrific scene and discovers he’s been tortured and burned to death tied to a steel cage. The victim was Keith Phipps.
But when Kim and Bryant go to inform the victim’s wife, Diane Phipps of the devastating news, they are surprised that the wife shows no emotion. Kim can’t help feeling that something isn’t quite right about the woman's reaction.
Then twenty-four hours later, the victim’s family disappears into thin air.
With tension heightened, a second body is found staked to the ground in a local nature reserve, and Kim and her team discover a link to both victims. The victim is Dennis Burke and he had tortured on a stretching mechanism.
Angela Marsons provides enough detail to describe both scenes but not overly graphic.
Kim and her team must unravel a vital clue – a fiercely guarded secret that links both victims and could cost even more lives. A secret that some police officers are also protecting.
Kim must discover the motive if she is to find the killer. But time is running out… Can she stop this sadistic killer before he strikes again?
This was another brilliant fast-paced story that gripped you from beginning to end. Another winner! Can’t wait for book 15!
Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for my digital copy.
It was so refreshing to touch base with Kim’s team again: DS Byant, DS Penn, and Detective Stacey Wood who just recently got married. The characters keep getting stronger and stronger. And who could forget Kim’s faithful dog, Barney. Love that dog!
In this book we also see Kim’s rival, Tracy Frost, a local reporter become accepted over time. Tracy Frost is allowed one day access to the department to remain with Kim and Bryant at all times, to show gratitude for her assistance in their last case. Kim must demonstrate to Tracy that her team are driven, compassionate and professional.
When the lifeless body of a man is found on an industrial estate, Detective Kim Stone arrives on the horrific scene and discovers he’s been tortured and burned to death tied to a steel cage. The victim was Keith Phipps.
But when Kim and Bryant go to inform the victim’s wife, Diane Phipps of the devastating news, they are surprised that the wife shows no emotion. Kim can’t help feeling that something isn’t quite right about the woman's reaction.
Then twenty-four hours later, the victim’s family disappears into thin air.
With tension heightened, a second body is found staked to the ground in a local nature reserve, and Kim and her team discover a link to both victims. The victim is Dennis Burke and he had tortured on a stretching mechanism.
Angela Marsons provides enough detail to describe both scenes but not overly graphic.
Kim and her team must unravel a vital clue – a fiercely guarded secret that links both victims and could cost even more lives. A secret that some police officers are also protecting.
Kim must discover the motive if she is to find the killer. But time is running out… Can she stop this sadistic killer before he strikes again?
This was another brilliant fast-paced story that gripped you from beginning to end. Another winner! Can’t wait for book 15!
Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for my digital copy.
May 13, 2021
I have to begin this review with a complaint. Because of the author, I've been awake most of the night. Why? Because I could not put down this book. I must have broke a record as I don't think I've ever read anything so quickly. While my husband was in the land of nod, I was greedily absorbing the pages beneath the dim light of my kindle, enjoying every second while I caught up with Kim Stone and her team. Each book can be read as a stand alone but if you're an avid crime reader then do yourself a favour and buy them all.
Twisted Lies hits the ground running and you're immediately drawn into the story. With scenes of torture, this is not for the faint hearted, but comes with an expertly written balance of light and dark as we enjoy the banter between Kim and her colleagues. I was pleased to see journalist Tracy Frost make an appearance here too. Angie's characters are so rich, the storylines so absorbing, each book makes for a thoroughly entertaining read. Twisted Lies is one of her best.
Twisted Lies hits the ground running and you're immediately drawn into the story. With scenes of torture, this is not for the faint hearted, but comes with an expertly written balance of light and dark as we enjoy the banter between Kim and her colleagues. I was pleased to see journalist Tracy Frost make an appearance here too. Angie's characters are so rich, the storylines so absorbing, each book makes for a thoroughly entertaining read. Twisted Lies is one of her best.
April 3, 2021
Twisted Lies is Book fourteen in the consistently excellent DI Kim Series, and I can think of very few authors who have been able to maintain this kind of standard writing about the same protagonist, especially not twice a year! I’ve been avoiding grim British police procedurals lately, as they have all started to feel the same, but I’ll always make an exception for this series because the characters are so well drawn and the mystery catches me out every time. I’ve got multiple ARCs in the queue ahead of this one, but they had no chance once this hit my Kindle!
Kim is dismayed to discover that she is going to have to spend a day being shadowed by one of her most despised acquaintances, journalist Tracy Frost, with whom she has been butting heads for years. Their first job is to visit the family of a woman murdered by her husband after years of abuse, because he is about to be retried after a mistrial. He has engaged a high-powered PR firm to improve his image, and they are worried that this time he will be acquitted. The case inspires Tracy to try and do something to help - putting her in the sights of a dangerous adversary. Meanwhile Kim and her loyal team are investigating one of the most horrific murders she has ever encountered, and then the rest of the victim’s family disappear, her seniors are withholding information, and soon another body is also found who has also been tortured to death. What secrets were this quiet family keeping that someone will go to such lengths to discover?
One of the great things about this series is the way Marsons picks an interesting topic, obviously researches the hell out of it, then weaves it seamlessly into her plot. I can’t say what that topic is without spoiling a major part of the storyline but it was something I knew must exist in the UK but had never given much thought to. The other storyline, about domestic violence, has been done to death in crime fiction lately but this was an unexpectedly clever way to approach it, especially with Frost taking the lead on it. The “enemies to grudging mutual respect” trope is one I’m a big fan of, especially when it spans several books as this one has.
“A slow smile spread over Kim’s face as she put away her phone. ‘Fair play, Frost,’ she said, walking out of the door. ‘Bloody fair play.’”
As with the previous books, there is gruesome and graphic violence, and references to domestic and other horrific abuse, most of it happens off-camera and is referred to after the event. I do question (as I do with many police series) how one detective team can be involved with quite so many bizarre and disturbed serial/repeat killer cases in a small city, and would like to see Kim and the team tackle different kinds of serious crimes for a change. I guess those might not be so gripping to read about so maybe it’s good that plausibility has been sacrificed in favour of glued-to-the-kindle readability. In this case, the who was less interesting than the why, and while the motive also stretched credulity, it certainly packed a punch. 4.5 rounded up for the wonderful flashes of humour amidst the darkness, the heart-warming team friendships, and of course Barney the Wonder-Dog.
A special mention for the new covers, which started a few books ago but Marsons has now redesigned them for the whole series, and they look great - I’m so glad she moved away from the omnipresent women in red coats - which Kim would never wear - in favour of a strong image of what Kim looks like.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. Twisted Lies is published on May 13th.
Kim is dismayed to discover that she is going to have to spend a day being shadowed by one of her most despised acquaintances, journalist Tracy Frost, with whom she has been butting heads for years. Their first job is to visit the family of a woman murdered by her husband after years of abuse, because he is about to be retried after a mistrial. He has engaged a high-powered PR firm to improve his image, and they are worried that this time he will be acquitted. The case inspires Tracy to try and do something to help - putting her in the sights of a dangerous adversary. Meanwhile Kim and her loyal team are investigating one of the most horrific murders she has ever encountered, and then the rest of the victim’s family disappear, her seniors are withholding information, and soon another body is also found who has also been tortured to death. What secrets were this quiet family keeping that someone will go to such lengths to discover?
One of the great things about this series is the way Marsons picks an interesting topic, obviously researches the hell out of it, then weaves it seamlessly into her plot. I can’t say what that topic is without spoiling a major part of the storyline but it was something I knew must exist in the UK but had never given much thought to. The other storyline, about domestic violence, has been done to death in crime fiction lately but this was an unexpectedly clever way to approach it, especially with Frost taking the lead on it. The “enemies to grudging mutual respect” trope is one I’m a big fan of, especially when it spans several books as this one has.
“A slow smile spread over Kim’s face as she put away her phone. ‘Fair play, Frost,’ she said, walking out of the door. ‘Bloody fair play.’”
As with the previous books, there is gruesome and graphic violence, and references to domestic and other horrific abuse, most of it happens off-camera and is referred to after the event. I do question (as I do with many police series) how one detective team can be involved with quite so many bizarre and disturbed serial/repeat killer cases in a small city, and would like to see Kim and the team tackle different kinds of serious crimes for a change. I guess those might not be so gripping to read about so maybe it’s good that plausibility has been sacrificed in favour of glued-to-the-kindle readability. In this case, the who was less interesting than the why, and while the motive also stretched credulity, it certainly packed a punch. 4.5 rounded up for the wonderful flashes of humour amidst the darkness, the heart-warming team friendships, and of course Barney the Wonder-Dog.
A special mention for the new covers, which started a few books ago but Marsons has now redesigned them for the whole series, and they look great - I’m so glad she moved away from the omnipresent women in red coats - which Kim would never wear - in favour of a strong image of what Kim looks like.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. Twisted Lies is published on May 13th.
October 10, 2023
Kaip buvau pasiilgusi šios serijos. Atgaiva sielai. 😉
March 30, 2021
It’s hard to believe that it has been six years since we were first introduced to Detective Kim Stone and her team. It isn’t a secret to those that have followed my blog or my reviews here on Goodreads that I absolutely love this series; it is without doubt one of the best crime fiction series in existence. After writing so many love letters to this series over the years, I finish each book fearful that I have ran out of ways to describe my love for it, however I will certainly give it another go.
First we must start with the true star of the show, Angela Marsons. Kim and co would not exist without this amazing woman. We as readers have something that most people don’t have from their chosen form of entertainment or the people they follow in the entertainment world and that is the ability to connect with the person who brings us so much joy and comfort from their creations. I mean, I am obsessed with David Beckham but I don’t think he’s going to be sliding into my DMs anytime soon whereas Angie is just one DM away. Yes these books may be some of the most dark and twisted stories that I have ever read, but still that joy is brought from reconnecting with characters that I have grown to love over the course of all of these books and each new story from Angela is always one of the highlights of my reading year. Authors are so very generous with their time and in connecting with their readership and none more so than Angela who may only be a virtual friend, but is a friend nonetheless. And so I just want to thank her for creating such a gripping series that I never want to stop reading.
I am always in awe of authors who write series that go to into double figures and yet somehow still manage to keep the series fresh. Look at Michael Connelly; twenty plus books featuring the same character and still he is finding new ways to reinvent and keep Harry Bosch fresh and relevant. Few authors can do that but Angela is without doubt one of them. I was blown away at just how different Twisted Lies was from the rest in the series. It had an almost Tim Weaver missing persons type of vibe to it for the first half of the book and my mind was going every which way as I attempted to keep up and make sense of the multitude of different roads our team found themselves heading down. Angela’s books always provoke a profound emotional reaction from me and this one was no different as this story progressed.
One thing Angela always does well is those opening scenes which often feature plenty of humorous moments offset against some particularly dark stuff and that’s prevalent throughout the whole book and indeed this whole series. Comedy is something that is needed in a crime novel to not only prevent the book from being maudlin and brutally intense the whole way through, but to then make those moments even more hard-hitting when they do occur and leave a greater impression on the reader. An example here would be how one minute Kim is hilariously tearing the inimitable and fantastic reporter Tracy Frost to shreds, the next she is walking into one of the most shocking scenes of her entire career.
Characterisation is something that Angela also does incredibly well. Not least in how she has created Kim Stone. I loved Twisted Lies especially because we see further insight into Kim’s character and how she continues to grow whether it be in her interactions with her colleagues, how she presents herself to the world or how she sees herself through the eyes of other people. Angela brings in a character in this story not totally dissimilar to Kim herself and that was such a fascinating dynamic to witness. Another absolute standout part of this entire book was the interactions between Kim and Tracy Frost. I am saying nothing more other than to say that regular readers will love this part of the book. Tracy also has her own journey to go on in the story as she has the secondary storyline here in Twisted Lies. Both of these storylines were gripping in their own right and one of them had my actual jaw hitting the floor. It was also great to be back with Bryant, Stacey and Penn.
In terms of the main storyline in Twisted Lies I don’t even want to allude to it too much as a lot of what I want to say about it pertains to the plot itself and so I will try and be as vague as possible but heed my warning that I may find it too difficult to do that. Firstly can I just say that Angie has written one of the most uncomfortable scenes I have ever read in one part of this book and that it actually had me squirming, and as I write this at 2am in the morning, I hope that scene does not visit me in a nightmare tonight. The storyline here in Twisted Lies will remain with me for a long time because of how hard-hitting it was and also because of how eerily similar it was to a real life case. After the 50% mark there was no chance of me putting my Kindle down and I couldn’t read this book fast enough. As well as being incredibly hard-hitting, I would say that this is one of Angie’s most thought-provoking plots yet and one that would provoke an intensely fiery debate at even the most sedate of book clubs. Even now after finishing it I feel quite haunted and affected by what I have read, perhaps because of the real-life similarities but also because of just how well-drawn the characters are and how real everything on the page feels. Angela brings these characters and their stories to a vivid Technicolor in the minds of the reader and I will be falling asleep tonight with the events of this book still playing on my mind. That emotional reaction that Angela draws from me as a reader is one of the reasons I enjoy her work so much. Yes this is fiction but the stories in this series are driven by cold hard facts, real life and some exemplary research and when all this is added together it creates as I’ve said earlier one of the best series out there.
It is safe to say that this series shows no signs of running out of steam. In fact as I said on Twitter to Angela a few weeks ago; the day that I finish an Angela Marsons book and don’t rate it 5 stars is the day that I quit reading for good. I finish each book and immediately want to scream and shout about it and this must be about the eleventh or twelfth essay I have written about this fantastic series but I will never tire of doing so. It is astounding how Angie can consistently deliver books of this standard but I am so glad that she can and I want to be reading them for many more years to come. I will sign off by saying that as I read the closing paragraphs of this book, actual goosebumps covered my entire body as a single line stared up at me and the words I read chilled me to the bone. Angela Marsons I simply adore you and this series and thank you for once again leaving me an emotional wreck now agonisingly waiting for the next book. This series just is absolutely in a league of its own and as every crime reader in existence has clearly discovered it by now, all I can say is that Twisted Lies does not disappoint and is one of the best books in the entire series.
First we must start with the true star of the show, Angela Marsons. Kim and co would not exist without this amazing woman. We as readers have something that most people don’t have from their chosen form of entertainment or the people they follow in the entertainment world and that is the ability to connect with the person who brings us so much joy and comfort from their creations. I mean, I am obsessed with David Beckham but I don’t think he’s going to be sliding into my DMs anytime soon whereas Angie is just one DM away. Yes these books may be some of the most dark and twisted stories that I have ever read, but still that joy is brought from reconnecting with characters that I have grown to love over the course of all of these books and each new story from Angela is always one of the highlights of my reading year. Authors are so very generous with their time and in connecting with their readership and none more so than Angela who may only be a virtual friend, but is a friend nonetheless. And so I just want to thank her for creating such a gripping series that I never want to stop reading.
I am always in awe of authors who write series that go to into double figures and yet somehow still manage to keep the series fresh. Look at Michael Connelly; twenty plus books featuring the same character and still he is finding new ways to reinvent and keep Harry Bosch fresh and relevant. Few authors can do that but Angela is without doubt one of them. I was blown away at just how different Twisted Lies was from the rest in the series. It had an almost Tim Weaver missing persons type of vibe to it for the first half of the book and my mind was going every which way as I attempted to keep up and make sense of the multitude of different roads our team found themselves heading down. Angela’s books always provoke a profound emotional reaction from me and this one was no different as this story progressed.
One thing Angela always does well is those opening scenes which often feature plenty of humorous moments offset against some particularly dark stuff and that’s prevalent throughout the whole book and indeed this whole series. Comedy is something that is needed in a crime novel to not only prevent the book from being maudlin and brutally intense the whole way through, but to then make those moments even more hard-hitting when they do occur and leave a greater impression on the reader. An example here would be how one minute Kim is hilariously tearing the inimitable and fantastic reporter Tracy Frost to shreds, the next she is walking into one of the most shocking scenes of her entire career.
Characterisation is something that Angela also does incredibly well. Not least in how she has created Kim Stone. I loved Twisted Lies especially because we see further insight into Kim’s character and how she continues to grow whether it be in her interactions with her colleagues, how she presents herself to the world or how she sees herself through the eyes of other people. Angela brings in a character in this story not totally dissimilar to Kim herself and that was such a fascinating dynamic to witness. Another absolute standout part of this entire book was the interactions between Kim and Tracy Frost. I am saying nothing more other than to say that regular readers will love this part of the book. Tracy also has her own journey to go on in the story as she has the secondary storyline here in Twisted Lies. Both of these storylines were gripping in their own right and one of them had my actual jaw hitting the floor. It was also great to be back with Bryant, Stacey and Penn.
In terms of the main storyline in Twisted Lies I don’t even want to allude to it too much as a lot of what I want to say about it pertains to the plot itself and so I will try and be as vague as possible but heed my warning that I may find it too difficult to do that. Firstly can I just say that Angie has written one of the most uncomfortable scenes I have ever read in one part of this book and that it actually had me squirming, and as I write this at 2am in the morning, I hope that scene does not visit me in a nightmare tonight. The storyline here in Twisted Lies will remain with me for a long time because of how hard-hitting it was and also because of how eerily similar it was to a real life case. After the 50% mark there was no chance of me putting my Kindle down and I couldn’t read this book fast enough. As well as being incredibly hard-hitting, I would say that this is one of Angie’s most thought-provoking plots yet and one that would provoke an intensely fiery debate at even the most sedate of book clubs. Even now after finishing it I feel quite haunted and affected by what I have read, perhaps because of the real-life similarities but also because of just how well-drawn the characters are and how real everything on the page feels. Angela brings these characters and their stories to a vivid Technicolor in the minds of the reader and I will be falling asleep tonight with the events of this book still playing on my mind. That emotional reaction that Angela draws from me as a reader is one of the reasons I enjoy her work so much. Yes this is fiction but the stories in this series are driven by cold hard facts, real life and some exemplary research and when all this is added together it creates as I’ve said earlier one of the best series out there.
It is safe to say that this series shows no signs of running out of steam. In fact as I said on Twitter to Angela a few weeks ago; the day that I finish an Angela Marsons book and don’t rate it 5 stars is the day that I quit reading for good. I finish each book and immediately want to scream and shout about it and this must be about the eleventh or twelfth essay I have written about this fantastic series but I will never tire of doing so. It is astounding how Angie can consistently deliver books of this standard but I am so glad that she can and I want to be reading them for many more years to come. I will sign off by saying that as I read the closing paragraphs of this book, actual goosebumps covered my entire body as a single line stared up at me and the words I read chilled me to the bone. Angela Marsons I simply adore you and this series and thank you for once again leaving me an emotional wreck now agonisingly waiting for the next book. This series just is absolutely in a league of its own and as every crime reader in existence has clearly discovered it by now, all I can say is that Twisted Lies does not disappoint and is one of the best books in the entire series.
May 10, 2021
Brilliant! Angela Marsons’ books just keep going from strength to strength.
#14 in the DI Kim Stone series.
Kim Stone’s boss, Senior Detective Inspector Woodford (Woody) has told Kim that she is to be accompanied for the day by a journalist…not affectionately known to Kim as Tracy Frost…she starts to object when he reminds her that a debt is owed to Frost for services rendered in a previous case which assisted them in a positive direction in the execution of their police work and subsequently solving a big case.
So it is that Kim and Bryant, after a routine visit to the family of an ongoing case, find themselves on route to the scene of a crime with an unwanted journalist in the back seat of the car firing questions at them.
During the drive Kim Stone receives a call from Keats (the pathologist) urgently summoning her to the site of an industrial estate, she knows it can’t be good, and most likely signals the discovery of a body…
What she doesn’t yet know is that this discovery is the worst she has ever seen.
Keats tells her and Bryant to brace themselves before they look at the grotesquely tortured remains of a man who had clearly suffered immense and prolonged agony at the hands of someone determined to make him suffer sustained agony, until he no longer could…only his contorted face remained intact.
Is this a one off murder committed by a crazed person seeking revenge for some perceived injustice?
Was he trying to extract information from the victim?
Or worse…is this just the beginning of something more sinister and threatening?
When the victim’s family disappear less than twenty four hours after being informed of his death, Kim wonders if they have also been targeted…then she gets another call.
Another body, also grotesquely tortured, has been found in a nature reserve and Kim is propelled into action as she fears a serial killer of the worst possible kind is at large.
Obstacles start to appear and hinder their progress as Kim and her team start investigating what appears to be a family without a history, every search comes up blank and even police files seem to be absent.
Nobody is talking and Kim is at a loss as to a motive for these horrendous killings.
It’s all hands on deck now as some help starts to filter through slowly from unexpected sources obliging Kim and her team to work in a tightly restricted information bubble…any leaks whatsoever are out of the question.
Another cracker of a read from Angela Marsons! Her best just keeps getting better!
I am really enjoying this series and the now familiar regular characters of Detective Inspector Kim Stone and her team.
I hope one day they make a DI Kim Stone television series, I would binge watch them all!
As always, highly recommended for lovers of good crime writing.
5⭐️’s
Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture publishers for providing me with a digital copy to read and review.
#14 in the DI Kim Stone series.
Kim Stone’s boss, Senior Detective Inspector Woodford (Woody) has told Kim that she is to be accompanied for the day by a journalist…not affectionately known to Kim as Tracy Frost…she starts to object when he reminds her that a debt is owed to Frost for services rendered in a previous case which assisted them in a positive direction in the execution of their police work and subsequently solving a big case.
So it is that Kim and Bryant, after a routine visit to the family of an ongoing case, find themselves on route to the scene of a crime with an unwanted journalist in the back seat of the car firing questions at them.
During the drive Kim Stone receives a call from Keats (the pathologist) urgently summoning her to the site of an industrial estate, she knows it can’t be good, and most likely signals the discovery of a body…
What she doesn’t yet know is that this discovery is the worst she has ever seen.
Keats tells her and Bryant to brace themselves before they look at the grotesquely tortured remains of a man who had clearly suffered immense and prolonged agony at the hands of someone determined to make him suffer sustained agony, until he no longer could…only his contorted face remained intact.
Is this a one off murder committed by a crazed person seeking revenge for some perceived injustice?
Was he trying to extract information from the victim?
Or worse…is this just the beginning of something more sinister and threatening?
When the victim’s family disappear less than twenty four hours after being informed of his death, Kim wonders if they have also been targeted…then she gets another call.
Another body, also grotesquely tortured, has been found in a nature reserve and Kim is propelled into action as she fears a serial killer of the worst possible kind is at large.
Obstacles start to appear and hinder their progress as Kim and her team start investigating what appears to be a family without a history, every search comes up blank and even police files seem to be absent.
Nobody is talking and Kim is at a loss as to a motive for these horrendous killings.
It’s all hands on deck now as some help starts to filter through slowly from unexpected sources obliging Kim and her team to work in a tightly restricted information bubble…any leaks whatsoever are out of the question.
Another cracker of a read from Angela Marsons! Her best just keeps getting better!
I am really enjoying this series and the now familiar regular characters of Detective Inspector Kim Stone and her team.
I hope one day they make a DI Kim Stone television series, I would binge watch them all!
As always, highly recommended for lovers of good crime writing.
5⭐️’s
Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture publishers for providing me with a digital copy to read and review.
April 7, 2021
Wow, wow, wow, You, know when you pick up a book by Angela Marsons you are in for a ride and this does not disappoint. Twisted Lives is the 14th book in the series, and you would think by now that the quality of the story will falter but no. Her quality of her books are top notch and I get excited at every one I read.
When a body if found in an abandoned warehouse Di Kim Stone and her team discover that the man was murdered in a ritualistic way. When the inform the family of his death. DI Kim stone sixth sense tells her that there is something wrong and things that they are not telling them. When another body turns up and there is a link between them, Kim goes on the hunt for the killer but there are obstacles in her way. Even the top of the police force is being secretive about.
Kim, adversary Tracy Frost is involved of a case where a woman is abused by a well-known figure but, he is not trailed for his crimes. Tracy investigates him which lives her fearing for her own life and her home ransacked.
This is another excellent book from the author. Darker and twisted then her previous novels. But always keep you wanting more. I love the character development and the camaraderie between the team and shocked to see that both Kim and Tracy finally be warming to each other. We shall see. Can’t wait for the next book.
When a body if found in an abandoned warehouse Di Kim Stone and her team discover that the man was murdered in a ritualistic way. When the inform the family of his death. DI Kim stone sixth sense tells her that there is something wrong and things that they are not telling them. When another body turns up and there is a link between them, Kim goes on the hunt for the killer but there are obstacles in her way. Even the top of the police force is being secretive about.
Kim, adversary Tracy Frost is involved of a case where a woman is abused by a well-known figure but, he is not trailed for his crimes. Tracy investigates him which lives her fearing for her own life and her home ransacked.
This is another excellent book from the author. Darker and twisted then her previous novels. But always keep you wanting more. I love the character development and the camaraderie between the team and shocked to see that both Kim and Tracy finally be warming to each other. We shall see. Can’t wait for the next book.
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