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D.I. Kim Stone #23
Wicked Women
The woman is lying on her back, eyes closed, face still. The blood from the single stab wound in her chest has pooled on the ground, interrupted only where her killer stood to watch her die…
Detective Kim Stone knows from the moment she looks down on Ashley Reynolds that this is no ordinary crime. No one has a bad word to say about this loving wife and mother. So why did someone murder her, and wait to make sure she was dead?
Ashley was a social worker, and some claimed she tore families apart. But her husband is also acting strangely, planning to take their daughter and leave town. Did the threat to her come from home or work?
Then another woman is killed in the same cold, calm way. Nadine was a honey trapper, and the men she tricked blamed her for destroying their marriages. Someone clearly believes Ashley and Nadine were wicked… and that wicked women deserve to die.
But when a third woman is murdered, Kim and the team can’t find anything that even the sickest mind would find fault with. Certain that time is running out, they search desperately for something that links their victims.
And then Kim realises something that chills her to the bone. Because if she’s right, the worst danger is yet to come…
A brilliantly gripping crime thriller about secrets and revenge that will have you gasping at the final reveal. Fans of Karin Slaughter, Val McDermid and Robert Dugoni will love Wicked Women.
Can be read as a standalone.
Detective Kim Stone knows from the moment she looks down on Ashley Reynolds that this is no ordinary crime. No one has a bad word to say about this loving wife and mother. So why did someone murder her, and wait to make sure she was dead?
Ashley was a social worker, and some claimed she tore families apart. But her husband is also acting strangely, planning to take their daughter and leave town. Did the threat to her come from home or work?
Then another woman is killed in the same cold, calm way. Nadine was a honey trapper, and the men she tricked blamed her for destroying their marriages. Someone clearly believes Ashley and Nadine were wicked… and that wicked women deserve to die.
But when a third woman is murdered, Kim and the team can’t find anything that even the sickest mind would find fault with. Certain that time is running out, they search desperately for something that links their victims.
And then Kim realises something that chills her to the bone. Because if she’s right, the worst danger is yet to come…
A brilliantly gripping crime thriller about secrets and revenge that will have you gasping at the final reveal. Fans of Karin Slaughter, Val McDermid and Robert Dugoni will love Wicked Women.
Can be read as a standalone.
370 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 14, 2026
About the author
Angela Marsons
77 books5,058 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 259 reviews
March 5, 2026
I don’t even read the synopsis for an Angela Marsons book. It’s an automatic read for me. Kim is one of my favorite characters. She’s tough, takes no shit from people, & will do everything possible to do right by the victims. Love her team as well. Each new investigation still feels fresh after 23 of them. I could read a new story every month and still not be tired of following Kim and her team.
April 30, 2026
the setup…
DI Kim Stone is called to the scene of the latest murder victim, Ashley Reynolds, a married social worker with a seven year old daughter. After close inspection, she was killed with a knife and left on her back while the murderer stood until she died. By all accounts, she was well liked by most everyone. Her husband wasn’t a suspect until he suddenly tries to leave town. But then a second woman is found murdered almost identically to Ashley and there is no apparent connection. The team has their work cut out for them when a third woman turns up dead.
the heart of the story…
These cases were interesting enough but then there were subplots that were just as or even more intriguing. Ashley’s daughter is also caught up in the failures of the Child Protective Services system which was terribly heartbreaking as it’s a mirror of real life. The procedurals were outstanding (as usual) and I gave myself whiplash trying to settle on a theory and a suspect.
the narration…
Jan Cramer is the voice of this series…period. By now, I readily identify her voice distinctions with the primary characters and adore her storytelling.
the bottom line…
I love this series and it’s still fresh after more than 20 books. This was a massive puzzler that I never could get quite right. Didn’t matter because I was trailing the team and let them do the work. Marsons masterfully weaved together a host of subplots that ended in a coherent solution I never would have figured out. I also enjoyed how the team is evolving, even the formidable Kim Stone.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
DI Kim Stone is called to the scene of the latest murder victim, Ashley Reynolds, a married social worker with a seven year old daughter. After close inspection, she was killed with a knife and left on her back while the murderer stood until she died. By all accounts, she was well liked by most everyone. Her husband wasn’t a suspect until he suddenly tries to leave town. But then a second woman is found murdered almost identically to Ashley and there is no apparent connection. The team has their work cut out for them when a third woman turns up dead.
the heart of the story…
These cases were interesting enough but then there were subplots that were just as or even more intriguing. Ashley’s daughter is also caught up in the failures of the Child Protective Services system which was terribly heartbreaking as it’s a mirror of real life. The procedurals were outstanding (as usual) and I gave myself whiplash trying to settle on a theory and a suspect.
the narration…
Jan Cramer is the voice of this series…period. By now, I readily identify her voice distinctions with the primary characters and adore her storytelling.
the bottom line…
I love this series and it’s still fresh after more than 20 books. This was a massive puzzler that I never could get quite right. Didn’t matter because I was trailing the team and let them do the work. Marsons masterfully weaved together a host of subplots that ended in a coherent solution I never would have figured out. I also enjoyed how the team is evolving, even the formidable Kim Stone.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
May 5, 2026
My Rating: 2.5/5 (Rounding up to 3 stars)
As a dedicated fan who has read all 23 books in this series, it’s tough to admit that this was likely my least favorite.
I struggled to connect with the story right from the first chapter. While I usually enjoy Kim’s grit, her stubbornness felt a bit over the top this time, and the witchcraft and curse elements just didn’t resonate with me personally. I still have a lot of respect for the series and am looking forward to seeing where the team goes next.
As a dedicated fan who has read all 23 books in this series, it’s tough to admit that this was likely my least favorite.
I struggled to connect with the story right from the first chapter. While I usually enjoy Kim’s grit, her stubbornness felt a bit over the top this time, and the witchcraft and curse elements just didn’t resonate with me personally. I still have a lot of respect for the series and am looking forward to seeing where the team goes next.
May 3, 2026
Wicked Women, Book number 23 in the DI Kim Stone Series.
Time seems to flashed past. An important factor of this series, is the different characters, but also love Bryant, his character brings the straight cop, but also add the great wry humor to the book.
Another gripping, tense strong story, the last third of the book was so fast paced, so tense and nail biting, great stuff.
The woman is lying on her back, eyes closed, face still. The blood from the single stab wound in her chest has pooled on the ground, interrupted only where her killer stood to watch her die…
Detective Kim Stone knows from the moment she looks down on Ashley Reynolds that this is no ordinary crime. No one has a bad word to say about this loving wife and mother. So why did someone murder her, and wait to make sure she was dead?
Ashley was a social worker, and some claimed she tore families apart. But her husband is also acting strangely, planning to take their daughter and leave town. Did the threat to her come from home or work?
Then another woman is killed in the same cold, calm way. Nadine was a honey trapper, and the men she tricked blamed her for destroying their marriages. Someone clearly believes Ashley and Nadine were wicked… and that wicked women deserve to die.
But when a third woman is murdered, Kim and the team can’t find anything that even the sickest mind would find fault with. Certain that time is running out, they search desperately for something that links their victims.
And then Kim realises something that chills her to the bone. Because if she’s right, the worst danger is yet to come…
A brilliantly gripping crime thriller about secrets and revenge that will have you gasping at the final reveal. Fans of Karin Slaughter, Val McDermid and Robert Dugoni will love Wicked Women.
4 stars Enjoy.
Time seems to flashed past. An important factor of this series, is the different characters, but also love Bryant, his character brings the straight cop, but also add the great wry humor to the book.
Another gripping, tense strong story, the last third of the book was so fast paced, so tense and nail biting, great stuff.
The woman is lying on her back, eyes closed, face still. The blood from the single stab wound in her chest has pooled on the ground, interrupted only where her killer stood to watch her die…
Detective Kim Stone knows from the moment she looks down on Ashley Reynolds that this is no ordinary crime. No one has a bad word to say about this loving wife and mother. So why did someone murder her, and wait to make sure she was dead?
Ashley was a social worker, and some claimed she tore families apart. But her husband is also acting strangely, planning to take their daughter and leave town. Did the threat to her come from home or work?
Then another woman is killed in the same cold, calm way. Nadine was a honey trapper, and the men she tricked blamed her for destroying their marriages. Someone clearly believes Ashley and Nadine were wicked… and that wicked women deserve to die.
But when a third woman is murdered, Kim and the team can’t find anything that even the sickest mind would find fault with. Certain that time is running out, they search desperately for something that links their victims.
And then Kim realises something that chills her to the bone. Because if she’s right, the worst danger is yet to come…
A brilliantly gripping crime thriller about secrets and revenge that will have you gasping at the final reveal. Fans of Karin Slaughter, Val McDermid and Robert Dugoni will love Wicked Women.
4 stars Enjoy.
April 23, 2026
5 stars
Very very good. This time the topic was witch-hunts. Both literally and figuratively. There was a hint about halfway through that allowed for solving it if you read very very carefully, but otherwise the pacing of the story allowed for a very satisfying climax of the whole thing.
Can wholly recommend
Very very good. This time the topic was witch-hunts. Both literally and figuratively. There was a hint about halfway through that allowed for solving it if you read very very carefully, but otherwise the pacing of the story allowed for a very satisfying climax of the whole thing.
Can wholly recommend
May 3, 2026
“Wicked Women” is one of those rare long-running-series instalments that makes you feel, within a handful of pages, that you have come home. As the twenty-third novel in the Detective Kim Stone series, it has every right to coast on familiar beats, but it does the opposite.
Angela Marsons drops you straight back into Kim Stone’s world with that familiar, brisk authority - sharp observation, sharper dialogue, and a case that refuses to sit still.
The premise flirts with witchcraft, but the book’s real trick is how elegantly it keeps the supernatural at arm’s length: present as culture, performance, fear, and suggestion, yet never allowed to bulldoze the procedural logic. Like Kim, I do not believe in witches, and I loved how the novel leans into that scepticism while staying delightfully ambiguous.
»‘But no one really believes in them,’ Kim stated.«
That line sets the tone: we are here for evidence, motives, and human choices, not for easy explanations. Even when “witches” turn up in conversation, they function as a lens - on community, on misogyny, on the stories people tell themselves, and on the harm that can hide behind the theatrics.
What I appreciated most is how the book refuses to answer the wrong question. It is not “are witches real?”, but “what do people do when they want power, belonging, or someone to blame?” That is why the ambiguity feels earned: the plot stays anchored in human behaviour.
What makes this entry feel so strong is the emotional density Marsons layers beneath the suspense. Kim is, as ever, fiercely competent, but “Wicked Women” also gives her room to be quietly, stubbornly humane. There is a particular strand involving a child where Kim’s judgement is both steely and compassionate - decisions that feel earned, and that underline why she is such an extraordinary series lead.
Kim’s confidence - her refusal to be nudged off the track by anyone’s discomfort - remains one of the series’ great pleasures.
»‘And get ready for a miracle to occur because for once in your life, I’m about to prove you right.’«
Marsons also threads in a note on immigration that landed with me in a way crime fiction often fails to manage: it is not a token “issue”, but a human reality, treated with empathy and gravity. Immigrants are still, wrongly, frowned upon by many in my native Germany, whereas I value what they bring to “my” country - alongside a reasonable expectation of integration, such as learning the language. The novel’s brief, mournful question is devastating precisely because it is so plain.
»‘How bad must life be to risk that?’«
It is that ability - dropping a line that opens a whole moral landscape - that gives “Wicked Women” its weight. Even smaller, quieter beats carry a lingering pull: the way certain families, certain homes, certain griefs refuse to let Kim simply walk away.
»There was something about these families that would not let her go.«
And Marsons can sketch tenderness without sentimentality, too:
»Everything seemed more colourful, more animated, more alive.«
In terms of series craft, this is police procedural at its most propulsive: the pacing is tight, the stakes keep escalating, and the investigation feels like it is constantly shedding skins - new angles, new contradictions, new urgency. Marsons also remembers that pace is not the same as noise; she gives the story just enough air for dread and tenderness to register.
Compared with a lot of contemporary procedurals (which can drown in either forensics fetishism or overwrought melodrama), Marsons stays clean and readable, letting character and momentum do the heavy lifting.
Compared with earlier Kim Stone novels I have read, this one feels especially confident in how it balances the team dynamic, the darker edges of the case, and the quieter ethical questions. Kim’s leadership is not softened, but it is rendered with a little more texture - still abrasive when she needs to be, still allergic to nonsense, and still able to surprise you with how deeply she cares.
Most importantly, it is tremendously suspenseful. I kept turning pages, not because the book waved cheap cliff-hangers at me, but because it earned my trust: the storytelling is controlled, the ambiguity is purposeful, and the emotional pay-offs are honest.
Five stars out of five.
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Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam
Angela Marsons drops you straight back into Kim Stone’s world with that familiar, brisk authority - sharp observation, sharper dialogue, and a case that refuses to sit still.
The premise flirts with witchcraft, but the book’s real trick is how elegantly it keeps the supernatural at arm’s length: present as culture, performance, fear, and suggestion, yet never allowed to bulldoze the procedural logic. Like Kim, I do not believe in witches, and I loved how the novel leans into that scepticism while staying delightfully ambiguous.
»‘But no one really believes in them,’ Kim stated.«
That line sets the tone: we are here for evidence, motives, and human choices, not for easy explanations. Even when “witches” turn up in conversation, they function as a lens - on community, on misogyny, on the stories people tell themselves, and on the harm that can hide behind the theatrics.
What I appreciated most is how the book refuses to answer the wrong question. It is not “are witches real?”, but “what do people do when they want power, belonging, or someone to blame?” That is why the ambiguity feels earned: the plot stays anchored in human behaviour.
What makes this entry feel so strong is the emotional density Marsons layers beneath the suspense. Kim is, as ever, fiercely competent, but “Wicked Women” also gives her room to be quietly, stubbornly humane. There is a particular strand involving a child where Kim’s judgement is both steely and compassionate - decisions that feel earned, and that underline why she is such an extraordinary series lead.
Kim’s confidence - her refusal to be nudged off the track by anyone’s discomfort - remains one of the series’ great pleasures.
»‘And get ready for a miracle to occur because for once in your life, I’m about to prove you right.’«
Marsons also threads in a note on immigration that landed with me in a way crime fiction often fails to manage: it is not a token “issue”, but a human reality, treated with empathy and gravity. Immigrants are still, wrongly, frowned upon by many in my native Germany, whereas I value what they bring to “my” country - alongside a reasonable expectation of integration, such as learning the language. The novel’s brief, mournful question is devastating precisely because it is so plain.
»‘How bad must life be to risk that?’«
It is that ability - dropping a line that opens a whole moral landscape - that gives “Wicked Women” its weight. Even smaller, quieter beats carry a lingering pull: the way certain families, certain homes, certain griefs refuse to let Kim simply walk away.
»There was something about these families that would not let her go.«
And Marsons can sketch tenderness without sentimentality, too:
»Everything seemed more colourful, more animated, more alive.«
In terms of series craft, this is police procedural at its most propulsive: the pacing is tight, the stakes keep escalating, and the investigation feels like it is constantly shedding skins - new angles, new contradictions, new urgency. Marsons also remembers that pace is not the same as noise; she gives the story just enough air for dread and tenderness to register.
Compared with a lot of contemporary procedurals (which can drown in either forensics fetishism or overwrought melodrama), Marsons stays clean and readable, letting character and momentum do the heavy lifting.
Compared with earlier Kim Stone novels I have read, this one feels especially confident in how it balances the team dynamic, the darker edges of the case, and the quieter ethical questions. Kim’s leadership is not softened, but it is rendered with a little more texture - still abrasive when she needs to be, still allergic to nonsense, and still able to surprise you with how deeply she cares.
Most importantly, it is tremendously suspenseful. I kept turning pages, not because the book waved cheap cliff-hangers at me, but because it earned my trust: the storytelling is controlled, the ambiguity is purposeful, and the emotional pay-offs are honest.
Five stars out of five.
Blog | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Mastodon | Instagram | Threads | StoryGraph | LibraryThing | Medium | Matrix | Tumblr
Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam
April 16, 2026
I have to marvel how Angela Marsons at book 23 is still writing absolutely fantastic stories. The formidable Kim Stone is in the midst of a murder investigation and the distraction of a feud between two neighbouring families. Kim is one of my all time favourite characters with her feisty pull no punches attitude and she is as strong as ever in this book, backed up by her usual colleagues who in their own right are all tremendous characters. This may not be as dark as some of the previous books but it is full of twists, turns and a clever use of misdirection. The tension and pacing are nigh on perfect and makes for a compelling hard to put down book. If it has Angela Marsons on the cover then I'm always going to read it - another fantastic 5⭐️ read.
April 15, 2026
One murder, many suspects. So far, just another run of the mill day for Kim Stone and her team – in as much as murder can ever, really, be called run of the mill. It’s an unusual start to this book, strange circumstances to find Kim in for sure, who is a little like a fish out of water for reasons that will make long terms fans smile, but are quite fitting given the events of the previous book. Angry as she may be for the victim, that fateful call from Keats could not have come soon enough. And, for us fans, its a call that plunges us all into a case often as emotional as it is baffling, as much for the family of the victim and the events that spiral totally out of control.
I like what Angela Marsons has done with this book. It is perhaps not as dark as the theme in its predecessor, but it still packs a real punch. The victim, the first victim at least, in this book, is a young mother, a woman whose murder opens up opportunities for less ethical people to take advantage, especially as suspicion falls towards the husband as if often the case in these kinds of cases. Its a set of circumstances designed to make the blood boil, ones that show how easy it is for a wrong decision to be made over a child’s welfare, driven by what is legal rather than what feels to be morally right. In this case it demonstrates not only Kim’s deep understanding of the impact of a caring family on a young child’s development, but also allows the author to explore aspects of Stacy’s relationship with her partner, Devon, that might otherwise have been hard to address given the strong focus towards the complexities of the case.
Now there is a secondary thread in this book that I don’t want to go into in too much detail, but it acts as a distraction for Kim who is being pushed to treat it as an open and shut case given that the suspect has made a full confession, but who can’t ignore some small niggle that makes her doubt what she has heard. Needless to say that this causes conflict with powers that be, especially as the first murder case escalates with a second, and then third victim being added to the files in fairly quick succession. I love to see Kim staying true to her principles, finding ways to continue to investigate the ‘closed’ case, whilst still moving forward on the initial murder enquiry. There is a real sense of mystery around this secondary case, and as the reasons for the incident become clear, it almost beggars belief that the root cause could be something so, well, petty. Which is where I agreed with Kim, and why you just know that this case will be something far bigger than we expect.
As ever the humour between the team is what makes this series so special. There are some quite intense moments with the team all affected by the way in which the case progresses, but the banter between them all helps to diffuse some of the harsher moments that can hit quite hard. And you get a real view of the camaraderie and the dedication of the team, not just to the cases, but to each other, in the way in which a few of the situations unfurl. That unity, the willingness to step up for each other, is why this is such a brilliant team to read about.
There is plenty of tension, a lot of misdirection, and scenes that will make the blood boil as I have come to expect from this series. As ever, I tore through the book in next to no time, aided by the pitch perfect pacing and the twists that just kept the story feeling utterly unpredictable. The ending becomes quite intense, the implications of what could happen the kind to keep you right on the edge of your seat, and definitely reading far beyond a sensible bedtime. This may be a long running series, 24 books and counting, but somehow every case feels fresh and yet familiar. The familiarity comes from the characters who I have grown to love more and more with each book. The freshness comes courtesy of the devilish mind of Ms Marsons who seems to find some new dark and deadly situation to lead us into, every single time. Taking something so mundane and turning it into something so dark, this is definitely recommended.
I like what Angela Marsons has done with this book. It is perhaps not as dark as the theme in its predecessor, but it still packs a real punch. The victim, the first victim at least, in this book, is a young mother, a woman whose murder opens up opportunities for less ethical people to take advantage, especially as suspicion falls towards the husband as if often the case in these kinds of cases. Its a set of circumstances designed to make the blood boil, ones that show how easy it is for a wrong decision to be made over a child’s welfare, driven by what is legal rather than what feels to be morally right. In this case it demonstrates not only Kim’s deep understanding of the impact of a caring family on a young child’s development, but also allows the author to explore aspects of Stacy’s relationship with her partner, Devon, that might otherwise have been hard to address given the strong focus towards the complexities of the case.
Now there is a secondary thread in this book that I don’t want to go into in too much detail, but it acts as a distraction for Kim who is being pushed to treat it as an open and shut case given that the suspect has made a full confession, but who can’t ignore some small niggle that makes her doubt what she has heard. Needless to say that this causes conflict with powers that be, especially as the first murder case escalates with a second, and then third victim being added to the files in fairly quick succession. I love to see Kim staying true to her principles, finding ways to continue to investigate the ‘closed’ case, whilst still moving forward on the initial murder enquiry. There is a real sense of mystery around this secondary case, and as the reasons for the incident become clear, it almost beggars belief that the root cause could be something so, well, petty. Which is where I agreed with Kim, and why you just know that this case will be something far bigger than we expect.
As ever the humour between the team is what makes this series so special. There are some quite intense moments with the team all affected by the way in which the case progresses, but the banter between them all helps to diffuse some of the harsher moments that can hit quite hard. And you get a real view of the camaraderie and the dedication of the team, not just to the cases, but to each other, in the way in which a few of the situations unfurl. That unity, the willingness to step up for each other, is why this is such a brilliant team to read about.
There is plenty of tension, a lot of misdirection, and scenes that will make the blood boil as I have come to expect from this series. As ever, I tore through the book in next to no time, aided by the pitch perfect pacing and the twists that just kept the story feeling utterly unpredictable. The ending becomes quite intense, the implications of what could happen the kind to keep you right on the edge of your seat, and definitely reading far beyond a sensible bedtime. This may be a long running series, 24 books and counting, but somehow every case feels fresh and yet familiar. The familiarity comes from the characters who I have grown to love more and more with each book. The freshness comes courtesy of the devilish mind of Ms Marsons who seems to find some new dark and deadly situation to lead us into, every single time. Taking something so mundane and turning it into something so dark, this is definitely recommended.
April 15, 2026
Wicked Women by Angela Marsons is the 23rd in the Detective Kim Stone Police Procedural series.
Let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author (Angela Marsons), for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
First, I love this series. Each book brings old friends back into my life. I feel like I am part of Kim's team as we try to figure out the identity of the killer. Sometimes I am ahead of Kim, but usually a step behind. In this one, I was not even in the same race. That is always so much fun. A real mystery!
The book looked at families, both the good and the bad. It also looked at strong, determined women - both the good and the bad. It even looked at witchcraft and curses. It was really entertaining.
I love the characters. Bryant is probably my favorite after Kim. But I love that Stacey and Devon played a big part in this book. Their storyline was wonderful.
I know that at Book 23 in a series, if you haven't started reading these books, it looks like an unsurmountable task to start now, but I guarantee picking up Book 1, will be one of the best things you could do....and they really should be read in order.
I don't often give 5 star reviews to books within a series, but I have recently done so, and here I am, doing it again. This one was worth every star!
For a more thorough review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, my own synopsis of the book, and its author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
May 16, 2026
Kim Stone books never get old. A long time blood feud between two families, murder, and multiple mysteries make for another excellent story. The question of who will make the best parent for an orphaned girl adds good depth. I also appreciate how the author tied it all back to Devon’s and Stacey’s journey as a couple. Wonderful narration.
April 11, 2026
Wicked Women by Angela Marsons is the twenty third installment in the Detective Kim Stone series—and somehow, it still feels just as sharp, gripping, and emotionally resonant as ever. While you could technically jump in here, this is one of those series where the long term character development truly matters. The history, the trust, and the bond between Kim and her team have been built over years, and that connection elevates every case. As always, Marsons delivers an intricate, multi layered investigation, weaving together several threads that keep you guessing while never losing control of the story.
The case itself is classic Kim Stone: dark, complex, and impossible to look away from. When multiple women are murdered in cold, calculated ways, the team is faced with a chilling question, what makes someone “wicked,” and who gets to decide? Each victim’s backstory adds another layer of moral ambiguity, and the tension builds with every twist. The pacing is fast and relentless, with reveals that hit at just the right moments, making this one of those “just one more chapter” reads that’s nearly impossible to put down.
But what continues to make this series stand out (especially this deep in) is the character work. Kim Stone remains one of the most compelling leads in crime fiction: fierce, determined, and completely unwilling to tolerate nonsense. She presents herself as hardened and emotionally distant, but this installment peels back that armor just enough to remind us there’s real softness underneath, albeit reserved for very specific moments and people. Her team is equally well drawn, each bringing something vital to the dynamic. This series is, without question, one of the best in the police procedural genre, and Wicked Women is another outstanding addition.
April 20, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up
April 15, 2026
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this amazing book
oh my god this book made me cry.... real tears.... but man what a read....
stone is up for an award and man she hates every second she is there... she doesnt want to be there at all and at the last minute before she is called up to receive her phone goes off and off she runs to a murder scene....
ohh there is so much going on in this book but the feel of being back in stones world with her crew was amazing they just feel right and this storyline hits you in the heart... this is an officer that you want on your side if you ever feel the police at your back....
i cant wait to read the next book in this brilliant series...its addictive
oh my god this book made me cry.... real tears.... but man what a read....
stone is up for an award and man she hates every second she is there... she doesnt want to be there at all and at the last minute before she is called up to receive her phone goes off and off she runs to a murder scene....
ohh there is so much going on in this book but the feel of being back in stones world with her crew was amazing they just feel right and this storyline hits you in the heart... this is an officer that you want on your side if you ever feel the police at your back....
i cant wait to read the next book in this brilliant series...its addictive
March 22, 2026
First, thank you to Angela Marsons and NetGalley for the advance copy to read on my Kindle!
I ADORE this cast of characters, and normally read each and every Kim Stone book within 24 hours of its release in the U. S. The team are an eclectic group that bring their own storylines from outside of work into each case which seems to deepen the readers interest and keeps bring us back to see what private details we can lean in each book.
Kim, the team leader, who was horribly abused by her mother as a child has her no nonsense, blunt, super guarded manner tempered by her right hand man, Bryant, who is a married father that seems to be Kim’s humanity and often voice of reason. They bicker like an old married couple but complement each other like the left and right in a comfy, old pair of slippers.
Stacey, the computer whiz is youngest of the team and least experienced, a black lesbian married to Devon a more reasonable, emotionally balanced woman you just have to love.
Penn, is the logical element that balances everyone. Caretaker of his younger brother, who has Down’s Syndrome and loves to bake, has recently opened his heart to Lynn a patient and truly kind woman who accepts the brothers and keeps the little family going.
This case brings the team what begins as 2 cases- a young murdered mother of a very lovable disabled girl, and Martha, a frequent flyer known to the whole station as much as for her lack of hygiene as her hatred of her neighbors- against whom there has been a “Hatfield and McCoy-esque” feud for generations. Unfortunately for Kim, just as she catches Ashley’s ( the young mother)murder, Martha refuses to speak to anyone except “inspector Sow” about shooting her next door neighbor.
For some reason Kim keeps turning back to Martha and her feud while working the murder (and others with the same MO, which seem to be stacking up. She can’t explain why but she’s determined for there to be an end to the feud and the family “curse” causing all of the men in Martha’s family to die by the age of fifty.
The imagination and level of detail in these two cases, much less how there are intertwined blows me away. It’s much more involved than just finding the killer. Both have back stories and multiple characters that seem completely unrelated until final few chapters… in a way I didn’t see coming!
Bravo, Angela! Another win for Kim and the team!
https://www.netgalley.com/book/805392...
I ADORE this cast of characters, and normally read each and every Kim Stone book within 24 hours of its release in the U. S. The team are an eclectic group that bring their own storylines from outside of work into each case which seems to deepen the readers interest and keeps bring us back to see what private details we can lean in each book.
Kim, the team leader, who was horribly abused by her mother as a child has her no nonsense, blunt, super guarded manner tempered by her right hand man, Bryant, who is a married father that seems to be Kim’s humanity and often voice of reason. They bicker like an old married couple but complement each other like the left and right in a comfy, old pair of slippers.
Stacey, the computer whiz is youngest of the team and least experienced, a black lesbian married to Devon a more reasonable, emotionally balanced woman you just have to love.
Penn, is the logical element that balances everyone. Caretaker of his younger brother, who has Down’s Syndrome and loves to bake, has recently opened his heart to Lynn a patient and truly kind woman who accepts the brothers and keeps the little family going.
This case brings the team what begins as 2 cases- a young murdered mother of a very lovable disabled girl, and Martha, a frequent flyer known to the whole station as much as for her lack of hygiene as her hatred of her neighbors- against whom there has been a “Hatfield and McCoy-esque” feud for generations. Unfortunately for Kim, just as she catches Ashley’s ( the young mother)murder, Martha refuses to speak to anyone except “inspector Sow” about shooting her next door neighbor.
For some reason Kim keeps turning back to Martha and her feud while working the murder (and others with the same MO, which seem to be stacking up. She can’t explain why but she’s determined for there to be an end to the feud and the family “curse” causing all of the men in Martha’s family to die by the age of fifty.
The imagination and level of detail in these two cases, much less how there are intertwined blows me away. It’s much more involved than just finding the killer. Both have back stories and multiple characters that seem completely unrelated until final few chapters… in a way I didn’t see coming!
Bravo, Angela! Another win for Kim and the team!
https://www.netgalley.com/book/805392...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2026
Wicked Women by Angela Marsons is a gripping installment in the Detective Kim Stone series, blending psychological suspense with a tightly woven police procedural. The novel centers on a series of chilling murders in which the victims appear to have dark pasts connected to a group of troubled women. As Detective Kim Stone and her team investigate, they uncover a complex web of abuse, revenge, and long-buried secrets that challenge conventional ideas of justice and morality.
What makes Wicked Women particularly compelling is its exploration of the gray areas between victim and perpetrator. Marsons crafts her characters with depth, especially the women at the heart of the mystery, whose traumatic histories blur the line between sympathy and condemnation. Kim Stone herself remains a standout protagonist—sharp, driven, and emotionally guarded, yet deeply committed to uncovering the truth no matter how uncomfortable it becomes. The pacing is brisk, with short chapters and multiple perspectives that keep the tension high and the reader constantly reevaluating their assumptions.
Det. Stone’s team complements her strengths in ways that make their collective investigations far more effective than any one individual could achieve alone. Detective Sergeant Bryant serves as a stabilizing force, bringing experience, patience, and a more traditional investigative approach that balances Kim’s intensity. His ability to empathize with victims and witnesses often helps elicit information that might otherwise remain hidden. Stacey Wood, the team’s tech specialist, is another critical asset; her expertise in digital forensics and research allows the team to uncover connections, track suspects, and process data at a speed that keeps them ahead of the case. Meanwhile, Detective Constable Penn contributes through persistence and attention to detail, often picking up on smaller clues that prove pivotal as the investigation unfolds.
What truly defines the team’s strength is their dynamic: a blend of contrasting personalities and skills unified by trust and a shared commitment to justice. Kim’s leadership fosters an environment where each member’s abilities are valued, even if her style can be blunt or demanding. Together, they form a well-rounded investigative unit capable of tackling complex, emotionally charged cases like those in Wicked Women, where understanding both evidence and psychology is essential. The Det. Stone books are always entertaining and exhilarating, keeping your interest and curiosity at a high level, and delivering great storytelling.
What makes Wicked Women particularly compelling is its exploration of the gray areas between victim and perpetrator. Marsons crafts her characters with depth, especially the women at the heart of the mystery, whose traumatic histories blur the line between sympathy and condemnation. Kim Stone herself remains a standout protagonist—sharp, driven, and emotionally guarded, yet deeply committed to uncovering the truth no matter how uncomfortable it becomes. The pacing is brisk, with short chapters and multiple perspectives that keep the tension high and the reader constantly reevaluating their assumptions.
Det. Stone’s team complements her strengths in ways that make their collective investigations far more effective than any one individual could achieve alone. Detective Sergeant Bryant serves as a stabilizing force, bringing experience, patience, and a more traditional investigative approach that balances Kim’s intensity. His ability to empathize with victims and witnesses often helps elicit information that might otherwise remain hidden. Stacey Wood, the team’s tech specialist, is another critical asset; her expertise in digital forensics and research allows the team to uncover connections, track suspects, and process data at a speed that keeps them ahead of the case. Meanwhile, Detective Constable Penn contributes through persistence and attention to detail, often picking up on smaller clues that prove pivotal as the investigation unfolds.
What truly defines the team’s strength is their dynamic: a blend of contrasting personalities and skills unified by trust and a shared commitment to justice. Kim’s leadership fosters an environment where each member’s abilities are valued, even if her style can be blunt or demanding. Together, they form a well-rounded investigative unit capable of tackling complex, emotionally charged cases like those in Wicked Women, where understanding both evidence and psychology is essential. The Det. Stone books are always entertaining and exhilarating, keeping your interest and curiosity at a high level, and delivering great storytelling.
April 19, 2026
Kim is about to receive an award for bravery when she answers her phone and goes to work on a crime scene. A woman has been murdered and the more they investigate and follow leads the less they find as the motive for her death, until another woman is also killed in exactly the same way. If those crimes were not enough for Kim to handle, her boss asks her talk to Martha, well-known to the Police Force in town because of frequent fights with her neighbor. She'll declare herself guilty of killing said neighbor because he trespassed established land limits. Kim will then, through her relentless gut feeling and investigative skills, discover two families believing and having their lives bound by a curse that will make them do the unthinkable. Wicked Women is fast-paced, engaging, and is a story about family relationships, belief in the occult, hate, and faith in the future.
I thank the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.
I thank the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.
April 3, 2026
Angela Marsons has done it again
One of my favourite authors and one of my favourite crime series.
This is also in my opinion one of the best she’s written.
I don’t want to give any spoilers at all but just brilliant, gripping short chapters which make the book very fast paced.
Twists and turns
And Kim and her team are such great characters and work so well together.
And we see a little more of Stacey’s partner Devon is this book too.
One of my favourite authors and one of my favourite crime series.
This is also in my opinion one of the best she’s written.
I don’t want to give any spoilers at all but just brilliant, gripping short chapters which make the book very fast paced.
Twists and turns
And Kim and her team are such great characters and work so well together.
And we see a little more of Stacey’s partner Devon is this book too.
April 16, 2026
I’m starting to think my relationship with the Kim Stone series might be slightly unhealthy, borderline obsessive, even. And honestly? I’m completely fine with that.
Wicked Women is everything I’ve come to love about Angie Marsons’ writing: dark, gritty, and utterly addictive. From the very first page, the atmosphere pulls you in, and the tension never really lets go. The murders are chilling not just because of their brutality, but because of the unsettling logic behind them.
The case itself is brilliantly constructed. Each victim seems so different on the surface, yet the thread connecting them slowly tightens in a way that keeps you guessing. Just when you think you understand what’s going on, the story shifts again, and that final realization is genuinely chilling.
But what truly elevates this book, as always, is the characters. I’ve completely fallen in love with Kim and her team. They feel real, flawed, and deeply human, and coming back to them feels like returning to something familiar, even when the cases themselves are anything but comforting.
This is one of those books that reminds me why I love crime fiction so much. It’s gripping, emotional, and impossible to put down.
And now, like always, I’m left wanting more.
Wicked Women is everything I’ve come to love about Angie Marsons’ writing: dark, gritty, and utterly addictive. From the very first page, the atmosphere pulls you in, and the tension never really lets go. The murders are chilling not just because of their brutality, but because of the unsettling logic behind them.
The case itself is brilliantly constructed. Each victim seems so different on the surface, yet the thread connecting them slowly tightens in a way that keeps you guessing. Just when you think you understand what’s going on, the story shifts again, and that final realization is genuinely chilling.
But what truly elevates this book, as always, is the characters. I’ve completely fallen in love with Kim and her team. They feel real, flawed, and deeply human, and coming back to them feels like returning to something familiar, even when the cases themselves are anything but comforting.
This is one of those books that reminds me why I love crime fiction so much. It’s gripping, emotional, and impossible to put down.
And now, like always, I’m left wanting more.
April 24, 2026
Another excellent book in the Detective Kim Stone series with a totally unexpected ending.
.
.
March 14, 2026
This was incredible - I couldn’t put it down! I don’t know how she does it, but the books keep getting better and better. I’m disappointed to have finished it so fast and now have another long wait for the next one!
I particularly like that not only do I get to read an incredible story - I always learn something new - this time about witches and curses!
Can’t wait to find out what I will be learning next time!
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.
I particularly like that not only do I get to read an incredible story - I always learn something new - this time about witches and curses!
Can’t wait to find out what I will be learning next time!
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.
April 22, 2026
All I can say is I do hope that Angela Marsons carries on with this series….. book 23 and as good as the first….. I love Stone and her team…. What’s next for Stacey and Devon…? Great police procedural…. Also love the empathy and compassion.
April 18, 2026
Reader, I have a problem. It's a very first-world problem, admittedly, but a problem nonetheless. I've finished reading Wicked Women, the 24th instalment in the DI Kim Stone series by the current undisputed Queen of Crime, Angela Marsons, and I'm left wondering: what on earth is there to say?
I hasten to add that this has nothing to do with this particular book. It's every bit as fabulous as all her others. But 'fabulous', along with a whole host of other superlatives, are words that I've used to describe Angela Marsons' books more often than I can count. And I'm loathe to use the same old words in another review, partly because: where's the fun in that? But mostly because it really seems like a disservice to do so, given how she manages - even after 10 years and 23 books - to keep her stories feeling original and fresh.
There's also the point that I know it really doesn't matter a damn what I write. I could say that this book is absolutely terrible and give it one star, and I'd like to bet that it wouldn't lose a single sale as a result. For sure, Angie would be most upset, not least because she'd know as well as I do that this isn't true. But I'd also rob myself of any last trace of credibility, because you'd all buy the book no matter what and conclude, quite rightly, that I'd taken leave of my senses.
So I'm left trying to find a starting point that's both honest and unique, and I can come up only with this. I said that her last book, Little Children was - by a tiny margin, given how epic some of her earlier books were - her best yet. So can Wicked Women live up to, not just Angie's typically phenomenally high standard, but her Little Children standard?
Well, I have to say - honestly - that I wasn't convinced at the beginning. Actually, I thought that Angie might have rolled the dice in terms of the plot. Without wishing to give away any spoilers, Kim's behaviour in the first chapter might have shocked me were it to have happened in, say, one of the first five books in the series. Now, it just felt predictable. There's something else she could have done instead, which would actually have shocked me more.
Then comes the first crime scene. A woman who has been found on a parcel of waste land in Lye - and I'm sure nobody except me could care less that the piece of waste land in question has houses built on it now. I know, because I worked on the construction site - with a single stab wound to the chest. Kim's task is to find out just who would want to kill this nice, normal young lady, wife and mother, and why?
Let me be clear: there's nothing wrong at all with this storyline. In some ways, it makes a pleasant change for Kim and her team not to be on a frantic race against time from the very start, with bodies seeming to pile high wherever they look. It's just that it seemed to me to be lacking some of the usual 'Angie-ness'. Dare I say that it began to feel like 'just another police procedural'. Even Keats' banter with Penn seemed less enthusiastic than normal.
From there, it seemed like it was going to get worse. A sub-plot is introduced, which involves a bitter feud between neighbours that had been ongoing for generations. That much I could absolutely accept. But, the reason for it having started in the first place? Really? I have to admit to reading that chapter and thinking 'oh, come on'.
Thankfully, given how well-established this series has become, Wicked Women is able to rely on one saving grace. Its characters. All of them behave in just the way we've come to expect, love and admire. There's a scene featuring Stacey and Devon, and another featuring Bryant, which are heartwarming to the point of being tear-jerking - even for me. Then there's Kim, who comes closer to laying her job on the line than she ever has before, but she does so for all the right - as opposed to the legally correct - reasons. We understand exactly why she makes these decisions, and we wouldn't have her any other way.
And yet ... it's not just the individuals who we've come to know and love. It's the team dynamic, too. Each of them, even if they have reason to question someone else's decision, remains loyal. There's none of the infighting, back-stabbing or self-interest that so many other police novels - and, most likely, real-life police forces - are so full of. It's wonderful to read. And if you think that it sounds less interesting, or exciting, well, all I can say is: read this series from the start, and be prepared for it to change your mind.
I carried on reading with redoubled enthusiasm, and - in a sudden, explosive revelation - realisation dawned. The plot, far from being lacklustre, is actually masterful. Everything - and I mean, every single thing - comes together perfectly. And the outcome is one that leaves Kim and her team facing impossible odds. If there seemed to be a lack of tension at the beginning, well, by the end there are layers and layers of it. The consequences of them failing are absolutely unthinkable. Actually, it's not so much tense as horrifically, nail-bitingly, perfectly terrifying.
So, to summarise. It's simple. Congratulations, Queen Angie, and apologies. Not for the first time, and definitely not the last, you were right and I was wrong.
There's just one little snippet to pick up on. The blurb says that this book "can be read as a standalone". And I suppose it can, in the way that you can visit a theme park and ignore all of the rides apart from the latest attraction. But you'll get far more enjoyment if you take the time to walk round it from start to finish, and enjoy everything it has to offer.
So, if this series is new to you - and I'm sure I've said this a million times before too, but never mind - lucky you. Do yourself a favour. Start at the beginning, and I won't say savour the books because that's impossible. But binge-read your way through them, and read this latest one with your eyes wide open.
Oh, and there's also outstanding question. What the hell am I going to say that's original, when I come to reviewing the next Kim Stone book?
My thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the digital ARC of Wicked Women, which was published on 14th April 2026. My review is also available on my blog at www.mycosybooknook.wordpress.com, will be published on Amazon and shared on my social media pages.
I hasten to add that this has nothing to do with this particular book. It's every bit as fabulous as all her others. But 'fabulous', along with a whole host of other superlatives, are words that I've used to describe Angela Marsons' books more often than I can count. And I'm loathe to use the same old words in another review, partly because: where's the fun in that? But mostly because it really seems like a disservice to do so, given how she manages - even after 10 years and 23 books - to keep her stories feeling original and fresh.
There's also the point that I know it really doesn't matter a damn what I write. I could say that this book is absolutely terrible and give it one star, and I'd like to bet that it wouldn't lose a single sale as a result. For sure, Angie would be most upset, not least because she'd know as well as I do that this isn't true. But I'd also rob myself of any last trace of credibility, because you'd all buy the book no matter what and conclude, quite rightly, that I'd taken leave of my senses.
So I'm left trying to find a starting point that's both honest and unique, and I can come up only with this. I said that her last book, Little Children was - by a tiny margin, given how epic some of her earlier books were - her best yet. So can Wicked Women live up to, not just Angie's typically phenomenally high standard, but her Little Children standard?
Well, I have to say - honestly - that I wasn't convinced at the beginning. Actually, I thought that Angie might have rolled the dice in terms of the plot. Without wishing to give away any spoilers, Kim's behaviour in the first chapter might have shocked me were it to have happened in, say, one of the first five books in the series. Now, it just felt predictable. There's something else she could have done instead, which would actually have shocked me more.
Then comes the first crime scene. A woman who has been found on a parcel of waste land in Lye - and I'm sure nobody except me could care less that the piece of waste land in question has houses built on it now. I know, because I worked on the construction site - with a single stab wound to the chest. Kim's task is to find out just who would want to kill this nice, normal young lady, wife and mother, and why?
Let me be clear: there's nothing wrong at all with this storyline. In some ways, it makes a pleasant change for Kim and her team not to be on a frantic race against time from the very start, with bodies seeming to pile high wherever they look. It's just that it seemed to me to be lacking some of the usual 'Angie-ness'. Dare I say that it began to feel like 'just another police procedural'. Even Keats' banter with Penn seemed less enthusiastic than normal.
From there, it seemed like it was going to get worse. A sub-plot is introduced, which involves a bitter feud between neighbours that had been ongoing for generations. That much I could absolutely accept. But, the reason for it having started in the first place? Really? I have to admit to reading that chapter and thinking 'oh, come on'.
Thankfully, given how well-established this series has become, Wicked Women is able to rely on one saving grace. Its characters. All of them behave in just the way we've come to expect, love and admire. There's a scene featuring Stacey and Devon, and another featuring Bryant, which are heartwarming to the point of being tear-jerking - even for me. Then there's Kim, who comes closer to laying her job on the line than she ever has before, but she does so for all the right - as opposed to the legally correct - reasons. We understand exactly why she makes these decisions, and we wouldn't have her any other way.
And yet ... it's not just the individuals who we've come to know and love. It's the team dynamic, too. Each of them, even if they have reason to question someone else's decision, remains loyal. There's none of the infighting, back-stabbing or self-interest that so many other police novels - and, most likely, real-life police forces - are so full of. It's wonderful to read. And if you think that it sounds less interesting, or exciting, well, all I can say is: read this series from the start, and be prepared for it to change your mind.
I carried on reading with redoubled enthusiasm, and - in a sudden, explosive revelation - realisation dawned. The plot, far from being lacklustre, is actually masterful. Everything - and I mean, every single thing - comes together perfectly. And the outcome is one that leaves Kim and her team facing impossible odds. If there seemed to be a lack of tension at the beginning, well, by the end there are layers and layers of it. The consequences of them failing are absolutely unthinkable. Actually, it's not so much tense as horrifically, nail-bitingly, perfectly terrifying.
So, to summarise. It's simple. Congratulations, Queen Angie, and apologies. Not for the first time, and definitely not the last, you were right and I was wrong.
There's just one little snippet to pick up on. The blurb says that this book "can be read as a standalone". And I suppose it can, in the way that you can visit a theme park and ignore all of the rides apart from the latest attraction. But you'll get far more enjoyment if you take the time to walk round it from start to finish, and enjoy everything it has to offer.
So, if this series is new to you - and I'm sure I've said this a million times before too, but never mind - lucky you. Do yourself a favour. Start at the beginning, and I won't say savour the books because that's impossible. But binge-read your way through them, and read this latest one with your eyes wide open.
Oh, and there's also outstanding question. What the hell am I going to say that's original, when I come to reviewing the next Kim Stone book?
My thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the digital ARC of Wicked Women, which was published on 14th April 2026. My review is also available on my blog at www.mycosybooknook.wordpress.com, will be published on Amazon and shared on my social media pages.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Finished reading: March 6th 2026
"True bravery was when you measured what you could potentially lose - friends, family, partners - and then accepted the danger. She'd given no thought to anyone before getting into that van. She wasn't a hero; she was just bloody-minded."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
REVIEW
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It is always such a treat to get your hands on a new DI Kim Stone story. While this may be the 23rd book in the series, it still feels as fresh as ever. If you're new to this long-running crime fiction series, let me tell you that you could probably get away with just reading this one for the crimes that are being committed. But you would be missing out on a whole lot of background surrounding Stone and her team. They've gone through a lot, professionally and privately. Some were lost, others were gained, and through it all stands the rock that is DI Kim Stone and her trusty sidekick, Bryant. My suggestion is to start from the very beginning and get to know these characters like long-standing readers and fans have done.
There is quite a lot going on in 'Wicked Women'. It begins when a woman is found stabbed to death. One single knife wound is all it took to take Ashley Reynolds away from her husband and her young daughter. But why? Ashley seemed to be well liked. Yet Kim Stone knows that this was no random mugging or robbery but a targeted attack. Someone really wanted Ashley dead. She may be the first, but she sadly won't be the last.
Then, there's Martha Strout. By all accounts a rather nasty woman that Kim Stone would rather not have too many dealings with, thank you very much. Martha is arrested for the murder of her neighbour. These two families have been warring with each other for years. Something was bound to go wrong at some point. The police have Martha's confession, but Kim Stone doesn't believe a word Martha is saying, and so like a dog with a bone she sets out to prove she's right about her gut feelings. As if we expected anything else!
As interesting and compelling as the investigations into these cases may be, I found I was way more absorbed in the events surrounding seven year old Ava. Ava is Ashley's - the first victim - daughter and due to circumstances beyond her control, which you should learn about yourself, her future looks awfully bleak. Apart from pulling at the heartstrings, I "liked" (odd choice of word) that Marsons put the focus on this young child, lets the reader see the impact of losing everything she's ever known, and how she barely gets a chance to adjust to her world being turned upside down before it becomes even more chaotic and uncertain.
As always there is some fun banter, mostly between Stone and Bryant. There are some wonderfully heartwarming moments involving Stacey and Devon. And Penn once again shows how amazing he is, by always trying to find a solution to avoid a worst case scenario. After all this time, Stone and her team almost feel like friends. You root for them, you want good things for them, and when they hurt you hurt too.
I didn't figure out who murdered Ashley and why, but when the pieces of the puzzle started to come together, I was truly pleasantly surprised. If there were clues along the way, I totally missed them. It doesn't happen often that an author can blindside me like this but Marsons managed it. Feels like quite the feat after all these years.
'Wicked Women' is another addictive addition to this series. It is engaging, sometimes emotional, showing a lot of heart, and it had me hooked from start to finish. I've said it before and I'll say it again : as long as Angela Marsons keeps writing these books, I'll keep reading them. Bring on the next one!
There is quite a lot going on in 'Wicked Women'. It begins when a woman is found stabbed to death. One single knife wound is all it took to take Ashley Reynolds away from her husband and her young daughter. But why? Ashley seemed to be well liked. Yet Kim Stone knows that this was no random mugging or robbery but a targeted attack. Someone really wanted Ashley dead. She may be the first, but she sadly won't be the last.
Then, there's Martha Strout. By all accounts a rather nasty woman that Kim Stone would rather not have too many dealings with, thank you very much. Martha is arrested for the murder of her neighbour. These two families have been warring with each other for years. Something was bound to go wrong at some point. The police have Martha's confession, but Kim Stone doesn't believe a word Martha is saying, and so like a dog with a bone she sets out to prove she's right about her gut feelings. As if we expected anything else!
As interesting and compelling as the investigations into these cases may be, I found I was way more absorbed in the events surrounding seven year old Ava. Ava is Ashley's - the first victim - daughter and due to circumstances beyond her control, which you should learn about yourself, her future looks awfully bleak. Apart from pulling at the heartstrings, I "liked" (odd choice of word) that Marsons put the focus on this young child, lets the reader see the impact of losing everything she's ever known, and how she barely gets a chance to adjust to her world being turned upside down before it becomes even more chaotic and uncertain.
As always there is some fun banter, mostly between Stone and Bryant. There are some wonderfully heartwarming moments involving Stacey and Devon. And Penn once again shows how amazing he is, by always trying to find a solution to avoid a worst case scenario. After all this time, Stone and her team almost feel like friends. You root for them, you want good things for them, and when they hurt you hurt too.
I didn't figure out who murdered Ashley and why, but when the pieces of the puzzle started to come together, I was truly pleasantly surprised. If there were clues along the way, I totally missed them. It doesn't happen often that an author can blindside me like this but Marsons managed it. Feels like quite the feat after all these years.
'Wicked Women' is another addictive addition to this series. It is engaging, sometimes emotional, showing a lot of heart, and it had me hooked from start to finish. I've said it before and I'll say it again : as long as Angela Marsons keeps writing these books, I'll keep reading them. Bring on the next one!
Review of advance copy received from Author
It’s rare for a series to hit its twenty-third instalment and still feel this sharp, this gripping, and this emotionally charged—but Wicked Women proves exactly why the DI Kim Stone books remain my favourite detective series bar none.
From the chilling opening—Ashley Reynolds lying lifeless, a single, deliberate stab wound and a killer who stayed to watch—the tone is set for something far more calculated than a typical murder case. As always, Detective Kim Stone immediately senses that something doesn’t add up. Ashley is by all accounts a devoted mother and wife, yet whispers about her work as a social worker suggest she may have made enemies. When her husband’s behaviour raises eyebrows, suspicion begins to spiral in multiple directions.
What starts as a seemingly straightforward investigation quickly evolves into something far darker. The second victim, Nadine—a honey trapper who left a trail of damaged relationships—introduces a disturbing pattern. Someone is targeting women they deem “wicked,” delivering a chilling sense of moral judgement behind each killing. By the time a third victim emerges—one with no obvious flaws—the case takes on an even more sinister edge, forcing Kim and her team into a desperate race to uncover the truth before the killer strikes again.
One of the standout strengths of this book is how Angela Marsons balances complexity with pace. There’s not just one mystery here, but layers of them. Alongside the main investigation runs a secondary case that refuses to sit quietly in the background. Despite pressure to accept a confession and move on, Kim’s instincts won’t allow it—and watching her push against authority, staying stubbornly true to her principles, is as satisfying as ever. That tension between intuition and protocol adds an extra level of intrigue that keeps the pages turning.
Emotionally, this instalment hits hard in a different way. The exploration of family dynamics—especially around child welfare—adds a morally grey layer that makes you question what’s right versus what’s legal. It’s thought-provoking without ever slowing the momentum.
And then there’s the team. The camaraderie, the dry humour, the unwavering loyalty—it’s the glue that holds the series together. Even in the darkest moments, the banter offers just enough relief without undermining the gravity of the crimes. Watching these characters continue to grow and support each other is one of the biggest joys of returning to this series time and time again.
The pacing is pitch-perfect, with twists that genuinely surprise and an ending that ramps up the tension to near unbearable levels. It’s the kind of book that keeps you reading long past when you should have put it down.
If I’m being picky—and the only reason this isn’t a full five stars—it’s that some threads feel just a touch more predictable than the very best in the series. But even then, the execution is so strong that it barely dents the overall impact.
After 23 books, Wicked Women still feels fresh, compelling, and utterly addictive. Angela Marsons has an incredible ability to take everyday roles and twist them into something dark and dangerous—and I’ll never get tired of it.
From the chilling opening—Ashley Reynolds lying lifeless, a single, deliberate stab wound and a killer who stayed to watch—the tone is set for something far more calculated than a typical murder case. As always, Detective Kim Stone immediately senses that something doesn’t add up. Ashley is by all accounts a devoted mother and wife, yet whispers about her work as a social worker suggest she may have made enemies. When her husband’s behaviour raises eyebrows, suspicion begins to spiral in multiple directions.
What starts as a seemingly straightforward investigation quickly evolves into something far darker. The second victim, Nadine—a honey trapper who left a trail of damaged relationships—introduces a disturbing pattern. Someone is targeting women they deem “wicked,” delivering a chilling sense of moral judgement behind each killing. By the time a third victim emerges—one with no obvious flaws—the case takes on an even more sinister edge, forcing Kim and her team into a desperate race to uncover the truth before the killer strikes again.
One of the standout strengths of this book is how Angela Marsons balances complexity with pace. There’s not just one mystery here, but layers of them. Alongside the main investigation runs a secondary case that refuses to sit quietly in the background. Despite pressure to accept a confession and move on, Kim’s instincts won’t allow it—and watching her push against authority, staying stubbornly true to her principles, is as satisfying as ever. That tension between intuition and protocol adds an extra level of intrigue that keeps the pages turning.
Emotionally, this instalment hits hard in a different way. The exploration of family dynamics—especially around child welfare—adds a morally grey layer that makes you question what’s right versus what’s legal. It’s thought-provoking without ever slowing the momentum.
And then there’s the team. The camaraderie, the dry humour, the unwavering loyalty—it’s the glue that holds the series together. Even in the darkest moments, the banter offers just enough relief without undermining the gravity of the crimes. Watching these characters continue to grow and support each other is one of the biggest joys of returning to this series time and time again.
The pacing is pitch-perfect, with twists that genuinely surprise and an ending that ramps up the tension to near unbearable levels. It’s the kind of book that keeps you reading long past when you should have put it down.
If I’m being picky—and the only reason this isn’t a full five stars—it’s that some threads feel just a touch more predictable than the very best in the series. But even then, the execution is so strong that it barely dents the overall impact.
After 23 books, Wicked Women still feels fresh, compelling, and utterly addictive. Angela Marsons has an incredible ability to take everyday roles and twist them into something dark and dangerous—and I’ll never get tired of it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The DI Kim Stone series by Angela Marsons is high on my favourite lists. This is the 23rd book in the series, and I was delighted to receive an advance copy through NetGalley, as I have read and enjoyed all the previous books. Kim endured an abusive, horrendous childhood. She has become the leader of a team of diligent detectives: Bryant, Stacey, and Penn. These characters have grown since the beginning, and their personalities and work methods make them well-developed characters. Wicked Women can be enjoyed as a stand-alone.
Kim is a blunt, aggressive leader, but her team admires her perceptive, efficient leadership. She is emotionally stunted and uncomfortable around people, but cares deeply for her team and the crime victims and is especially drawn to endangered children. Outside of work, she prefers to be alone. I admire the way that the author keeps the plots fresh, with varied and unique crimes. The short chapters are high on suspense, tension, and unexpected twists, making them compelling and propelling readers on a pulse-pounding race to their conclusion.
During interviews with suspects, Kim and Bryan work as a team, where the others research the victims and suspects. Bryan is comfortable engaging with people, a trait that Kim lacks, but she often is aware of clues that others may miss. The story begins when the team is assigned to a case where a young mother, Ashley, was killed by a stab wound to the heart. Evidence shows that she was targeted by an angry person who wanted her dead. Why? She was a social worker who may have been hated by a family in the course of her work. Or her murder makes her husband a suspect when he planned to leave town with their young daughter, Ava, shortly after her mother's death. He is the girl's stepfather, and the two share a tight bond.
A second woman, Nadine, has been found murdered in the same manner (stabbed through the heart). Nadine was hired by women, usually wives, to entrap men suspected of infidelity. This resulted in destroyed marriages and a motive for wanting her dead. A third similar murder, Karen, leaves the team unable to come up with a possible reason, as the woman was harmless and seemed to be without enemies.
There is a side murder that seems unconnected. A harsh, outrageous woman, Martha, claims to have shot a neighbourhood man, but the detectives find no evidence that she is telling the truth. This leads them into an ongoing feud between two families that has lasted for generations, and to an ancient curse that is still believed.
When the shocking connection between the three women who died by stabbing is revealed, it will come as a surprise to most readers. New details indicate that Ava, Ashley's young daughter, will be the next to die a violent death. Will Kim's team discover the killers and their motive in time to save the girl?
The DI Kim Stone books are highly recommended to anyone who enjoys police procedures and mysteries. Wicked Women is an exciting standalone, while earlier books show the background and growth of Kim and her team. Publication is scheduled for April 14/2026.
Kim is a blunt, aggressive leader, but her team admires her perceptive, efficient leadership. She is emotionally stunted and uncomfortable around people, but cares deeply for her team and the crime victims and is especially drawn to endangered children. Outside of work, she prefers to be alone. I admire the way that the author keeps the plots fresh, with varied and unique crimes. The short chapters are high on suspense, tension, and unexpected twists, making them compelling and propelling readers on a pulse-pounding race to their conclusion.
During interviews with suspects, Kim and Bryan work as a team, where the others research the victims and suspects. Bryan is comfortable engaging with people, a trait that Kim lacks, but she often is aware of clues that others may miss. The story begins when the team is assigned to a case where a young mother, Ashley, was killed by a stab wound to the heart. Evidence shows that she was targeted by an angry person who wanted her dead. Why? She was a social worker who may have been hated by a family in the course of her work. Or her murder makes her husband a suspect when he planned to leave town with their young daughter, Ava, shortly after her mother's death. He is the girl's stepfather, and the two share a tight bond.
A second woman, Nadine, has been found murdered in the same manner (stabbed through the heart). Nadine was hired by women, usually wives, to entrap men suspected of infidelity. This resulted in destroyed marriages and a motive for wanting her dead. A third similar murder, Karen, leaves the team unable to come up with a possible reason, as the woman was harmless and seemed to be without enemies.
There is a side murder that seems unconnected. A harsh, outrageous woman, Martha, claims to have shot a neighbourhood man, but the detectives find no evidence that she is telling the truth. This leads them into an ongoing feud between two families that has lasted for generations, and to an ancient curse that is still believed.
When the shocking connection between the three women who died by stabbing is revealed, it will come as a surprise to most readers. New details indicate that Ava, Ashley's young daughter, will be the next to die a violent death. Will Kim's team discover the killers and their motive in time to save the girl?
The DI Kim Stone books are highly recommended to anyone who enjoys police procedures and mysteries. Wicked Women is an exciting standalone, while earlier books show the background and growth of Kim and her team. Publication is scheduled for April 14/2026.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Wicked Women by Angela Marsons, because this is one of those series that has been such a reliable reading comfort for me over time.
As always, it was an easy read and very well written. Angela Marsons has such a readable style that makes the pages fly by, and that was definitely the case here. I never felt bored, and I was still happy to be back in this world with these characters. That sense of familiarity really carried me through and made it a solid read overall.
That said, I did come away a little disappointed, mainly because the storyline felt a bit tame compared with what I have come to expect from this series. Kim Stone books usually have a real punch to them, something that grabs hold of me and keeps tightening its grip, and I just did not quite get that here. It was good, but it did not have the same edge or impact that I usually associate with this series.
Reading the author’s note at the end actually made a lot of sense to me, because Angela Marsons mentioned starting with an idea, and I think that was exactly where some of my disconnect came from. For me, it felt like the idea came first and the rest of the story had been built around it afterwards, rather than everything unfolding naturally. It is hard to explain properly, because nothing about it was badly done; it just did not quite hit the mark for me in the way I wanted it to. The structure of it all felt a little more forced than usual, and I think that stopped it from landing with the strength it could have had.
I think what I missed most was that bigger feeling this series normally gives me. This one felt more like a filler story, and I do not mean that in a harsh way because I still enjoyed reading it. It just felt more like the team were living their lives, and I was getting an insight into the minutiae of that, rather than being pulled into one of the grander storylines that really stay with me. Usually, these books leave me with that sense of having been through something intense alongside the characters, but this time it felt much quieter and more in-between.
That probably sounds more negative than I mean it to, because I genuinely did still enjoy being back with Kim and the team. There is a lot to be said for a series that can still feel this readable and this familiar so far in. The characters are such a big part of why I keep coming back, and that connection is still very much there. Even when the plot itself is not one of my favourites, the strength of the series as a whole still makes it an enjoyable experience.
For me, Wicked Women was one of those books that I liked rather than loved. It had all the usual readability and that welcome return to familiar characters, but it was missing something that stopped it from really standing out. It did not have the punch it usually does, and I do think it felt a bit too slight compared with some of the stronger books in the series. Still a good read, just not one that will sit near the top of my Kim Stone favourites.
As always, it was an easy read and very well written. Angela Marsons has such a readable style that makes the pages fly by, and that was definitely the case here. I never felt bored, and I was still happy to be back in this world with these characters. That sense of familiarity really carried me through and made it a solid read overall.
That said, I did come away a little disappointed, mainly because the storyline felt a bit tame compared with what I have come to expect from this series. Kim Stone books usually have a real punch to them, something that grabs hold of me and keeps tightening its grip, and I just did not quite get that here. It was good, but it did not have the same edge or impact that I usually associate with this series.
Reading the author’s note at the end actually made a lot of sense to me, because Angela Marsons mentioned starting with an idea, and I think that was exactly where some of my disconnect came from. For me, it felt like the idea came first and the rest of the story had been built around it afterwards, rather than everything unfolding naturally. It is hard to explain properly, because nothing about it was badly done; it just did not quite hit the mark for me in the way I wanted it to. The structure of it all felt a little more forced than usual, and I think that stopped it from landing with the strength it could have had.
I think what I missed most was that bigger feeling this series normally gives me. This one felt more like a filler story, and I do not mean that in a harsh way because I still enjoyed reading it. It just felt more like the team were living their lives, and I was getting an insight into the minutiae of that, rather than being pulled into one of the grander storylines that really stay with me. Usually, these books leave me with that sense of having been through something intense alongside the characters, but this time it felt much quieter and more in-between.
That probably sounds more negative than I mean it to, because I genuinely did still enjoy being back with Kim and the team. There is a lot to be said for a series that can still feel this readable and this familiar so far in. The characters are such a big part of why I keep coming back, and that connection is still very much there. Even when the plot itself is not one of my favourites, the strength of the series as a whole still makes it an enjoyable experience.
For me, Wicked Women was one of those books that I liked rather than loved. It had all the usual readability and that welcome return to familiar characters, but it was missing something that stopped it from really standing out. It did not have the punch it usually does, and I do think it felt a bit too slight compared with some of the stronger books in the series. Still a good read, just not one that will sit near the top of my Kim Stone favourites.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
How on earth are we at book 23 in this most excellent series and it still feel as fresh as a daisy!? Obviously you have read all the previous books, haven't you!? If not, why?
We start, as we so often do, with a body. That of a woman, killed by a single stab to her chest. Ashley Reynolds, wife and mother, loved by all.
Well... you say loved by all. Once Kim and her team get going with their investigation, a different picture starts to form. She was a social worker so she must have ruffled a few feathers, goes with the job.
And then, one body becomes two as another woman is found dead. Nadine isn't as squeaky clean either, as she is found to have worked as a honey trapper. But is this enough to get her killed too?
And then two becomes three and it becomes a race against time to get to the bottom of things before the count gets any higher...
Meanwhile, Kim also has her hands full with the shenanigans of Martha Strout. But I will leave you to meet her, warts and all, as the author intended.
I love this series. I don't even read the synopsis before diving straight in. And I am always well rewarded for that loyalty with a cracking story that hits the ground running, sucks me in from the off, holds me captive throughout, and then spits me out at the end wholly satisfied! This book did not deviate from that pattern. In fact, the only downside of reading a Kim Stone book is when it ends and I have to wait for the next one!
It's deliciously interconnected and convoluted and full of things that don't really fit or make complete sense but then, when they do, both shock and surprise ensues. Don't worry, no spoilers here, but I can say that I was wholly satisfied when I reached the end.
Kim, as always, marches to the beat of her own drum, especially in this book where she, once again, defies orders. But she does it always from a good place. And she tries to keep her team out of the firing line. Talking of whom, we have a few special moments between Devon and Stacey in this book as well as the usual trademark banter between Kim and Bryant. And then there's Penn who really flies high with his investigations here.
And I have to admit that I was pretty clueless all the way through as to who was killing the women. And boy did I kick myself when I found out. I read a LOT of this genre book so it takes a clever author to keep me in the dark for so long so, yeah, well done Ms Marsons!
All that's left now is to wait to see what Kim and her team have to face next time, hopefully I won't have to wait too long. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
We start, as we so often do, with a body. That of a woman, killed by a single stab to her chest. Ashley Reynolds, wife and mother, loved by all.
Well... you say loved by all. Once Kim and her team get going with their investigation, a different picture starts to form. She was a social worker so she must have ruffled a few feathers, goes with the job.
And then, one body becomes two as another woman is found dead. Nadine isn't as squeaky clean either, as she is found to have worked as a honey trapper. But is this enough to get her killed too?
And then two becomes three and it becomes a race against time to get to the bottom of things before the count gets any higher...
Meanwhile, Kim also has her hands full with the shenanigans of Martha Strout. But I will leave you to meet her, warts and all, as the author intended.
I love this series. I don't even read the synopsis before diving straight in. And I am always well rewarded for that loyalty with a cracking story that hits the ground running, sucks me in from the off, holds me captive throughout, and then spits me out at the end wholly satisfied! This book did not deviate from that pattern. In fact, the only downside of reading a Kim Stone book is when it ends and I have to wait for the next one!
It's deliciously interconnected and convoluted and full of things that don't really fit or make complete sense but then, when they do, both shock and surprise ensues. Don't worry, no spoilers here, but I can say that I was wholly satisfied when I reached the end.
Kim, as always, marches to the beat of her own drum, especially in this book where she, once again, defies orders. But she does it always from a good place. And she tries to keep her team out of the firing line. Talking of whom, we have a few special moments between Devon and Stacey in this book as well as the usual trademark banter between Kim and Bryant. And then there's Penn who really flies high with his investigations here.
And I have to admit that I was pretty clueless all the way through as to who was killing the women. And boy did I kick myself when I found out. I read a LOT of this genre book so it takes a clever author to keep me in the dark for so long so, yeah, well done Ms Marsons!
All that's left now is to wait to see what Kim and her team have to face next time, hopefully I won't have to wait too long. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
WICKED WOMEN is the 23nd book in the D.I. Kim Stone crime-thriller series by best-selling author Angela Marsons. This novel can be read as a standalone. 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!
This gripping crime thriller explores the dark world about witchcraft and curses that will have you gasping at the final reveal.
It was so refreshing to touch base with Kim’s CID team again: DS Bryant, DS Penn, and DC Stacey Wood. Her team are driven and compassionate in their work. The characters keep getting stronger and stronger. We also touch base with Kim’s boss, DCI Woodward (Woody), Keats, the local pathologist, and who could forget Kim’s faithful dog, Barney. Love that dog!
Detective Kim Stone and her partner DS Bryant are interrupted at an awards ceremony for police officers, where Kim was to receive an award when they are called to a crime scene. The thirty- four- year- old female victim, Ashley Reynolds, was a mother, a social worker, who now is dead from a single stab wound. She was killed as she walked home from netball practice. There were no witnesses and no CCTV.
But why would anyone want to murder her?
As a social worker, some claimed Ashley tore families apart. But her husband, Daniel is also acting strangely, planning to take their seven-year-old daughter, Ava, and leave town. Did the threat to her come from home or work?
Then another woman is killed in the same manner. Nadine was a honey trapper, and the men she tricked blamed her for destroying their marriages. Were Ashley and Nadine “wicked” and deserved to die?
But when a third woman is murdered, Kim and the team are at a loss for motives and links between all three women. Time is running out, and they must search desperately for something that links their victims.
And then Kim realises that the worst danger is yet to come…
A completely gripping page-turning crime thriller from no.1 multi-million-copy bestseller Angela Marsons. This is a fast-paced novel with well-developed characters and an intriguing plot. I really enjoyed this one and feel that it is the best book to date in this series. Another Winner!
Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for my digital copy.
Expected publication April 14, 2026
This gripping crime thriller explores the dark world about witchcraft and curses that will have you gasping at the final reveal.
It was so refreshing to touch base with Kim’s CID team again: DS Bryant, DS Penn, and DC Stacey Wood. Her team are driven and compassionate in their work. The characters keep getting stronger and stronger. We also touch base with Kim’s boss, DCI Woodward (Woody), Keats, the local pathologist, and who could forget Kim’s faithful dog, Barney. Love that dog!
Detective Kim Stone and her partner DS Bryant are interrupted at an awards ceremony for police officers, where Kim was to receive an award when they are called to a crime scene. The thirty- four- year- old female victim, Ashley Reynolds, was a mother, a social worker, who now is dead from a single stab wound. She was killed as she walked home from netball practice. There were no witnesses and no CCTV.
But why would anyone want to murder her?
As a social worker, some claimed Ashley tore families apart. But her husband, Daniel is also acting strangely, planning to take their seven-year-old daughter, Ava, and leave town. Did the threat to her come from home or work?
Then another woman is killed in the same manner. Nadine was a honey trapper, and the men she tricked blamed her for destroying their marriages. Were Ashley and Nadine “wicked” and deserved to die?
But when a third woman is murdered, Kim and the team are at a loss for motives and links between all three women. Time is running out, and they must search desperately for something that links their victims.
And then Kim realises that the worst danger is yet to come…
A completely gripping page-turning crime thriller from no.1 multi-million-copy bestseller Angela Marsons. This is a fast-paced novel with well-developed characters and an intriguing plot. I really enjoyed this one and feel that it is the best book to date in this series. Another Winner!
Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for my digital copy.
Expected publication April 14, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
WOW, AND DOUBLE WOW with cherries on the top! After 23 books, you’d think a series might start to lose its spark, but not the Angela Marsons Kim Stone series. Wicked Women proves yet again why this series is addictive. I’ve read every single book, and somehow each one still feels as fresh and gripping as the first. No repetition. No predictable plots. Just another jaw dropping case that pulls you in from page one. By now Kim and her team feel less like fictional detectives and more like old friends. I’ve shared their heartbreak, celebrated their victories, and held my breath through their most dangerous investigations. And Wicked Women is yet another reminder of why I keep coming back for more.
This time the team are faced with a killer who believes some women deserve to die. When the body of a woman is discovered with a single, deliberate stab wound, it quickly becomes clear this is no ordinary murder. As the investigation unfolds and another victim is killed in the same chilling way, Kim and her team realise they are hunting someone who has decided certain women are “wicked”… and deserve to pay the ultimate price.
And just when you think you might have a handle on where the story is going… bang! Another twist. And another. Honestly, every time I thought I’d figured something out, the plot took a sharp turn and proved me wrong, Angela Marsons sure has an evil streak! In the best possible way,! One of the things that make this series standout is the team dynamics.Watching Kim work with Bryant, Stacey and Penn always feels like coming home. Their banter, loyalty, and the way they pull together when things get tough adds so much heart to the darker elements of the story.
And that ending… wow. I genuinely did not see it coming. The final reveal is one of those moments where everything suddenly clicks into place and you just sit there thinking, how did I miss that?
After 23 books, keeping a series this fresh, gripping, and emotionally engaging is an incredible achievement. Angela Marsons has once again delivered a crime thriller that had me completely hooked, racing through the pages and wishing I could read it for the first time all over again.If you’re already a fan of Kim Stone you’re going to love this one. And if you somehow haven’t started this series yet… what are you waiting for? You’ve got 23 brilliant books ahead of you. 📚🔥
This time the team are faced with a killer who believes some women deserve to die. When the body of a woman is discovered with a single, deliberate stab wound, it quickly becomes clear this is no ordinary murder. As the investigation unfolds and another victim is killed in the same chilling way, Kim and her team realise they are hunting someone who has decided certain women are “wicked”… and deserve to pay the ultimate price.
And just when you think you might have a handle on where the story is going… bang! Another twist. And another. Honestly, every time I thought I’d figured something out, the plot took a sharp turn and proved me wrong, Angela Marsons sure has an evil streak! In the best possible way,! One of the things that make this series standout is the team dynamics.Watching Kim work with Bryant, Stacey and Penn always feels like coming home. Their banter, loyalty, and the way they pull together when things get tough adds so much heart to the darker elements of the story.
And that ending… wow. I genuinely did not see it coming. The final reveal is one of those moments where everything suddenly clicks into place and you just sit there thinking, how did I miss that?
After 23 books, keeping a series this fresh, gripping, and emotionally engaging is an incredible achievement. Angela Marsons has once again delivered a crime thriller that had me completely hooked, racing through the pages and wishing I could read it for the first time all over again.If you’re already a fan of Kim Stone you’re going to love this one. And if you somehow haven’t started this series yet… what are you waiting for? You’ve got 23 brilliant books ahead of you. 📚🔥
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