Stone Angels

by Paula R.C. Readman

Is fame the perfect cover for murder? Artist, James Ravencroft, thinks so. As his reputation as a painter grows, so does his need to find the next perfect model. They don’t just pose for him, they become his still life – his Stone Angels. Haunted by his dead mother’s notoriety, James goes in search of an agent to give him what he international prominence. But then, James discovers that his agent, Basil Hallward, has his own agenda. Now James must turn the tables and destroy the one person who can give him the publicity he seeks for his Stone Angels paintings. Finally after ten years, he achieves his ambition to have a solo art exhibition for nine of his paintings, but the police are closing in on him. James has one last chance to complete the tenth painting, but has he left it too late?

341 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 11, 2020

About the author

Paula R C Readman writes dark twisted tales for Bridge House Publishing, Demain Publishing and Darkstroke Publishing and has six books published and over a hundred short stories.

Reviews

[Karla Forbes · Rating 5 out of 5]

On just about every level, I shouldn’t have loved Stone Angels as much as I did. Let me explain. I gave up reading books about serial killers a while ago as I’m tired of authors using violence against women to titillate their readers and sell more books and I’m not keen on books that are lacking a protagonist that I can cheer on when they face difficulties. So why did I love reading a book about a serial killer where the main character is a monster with no redeeming qualities? Mainly because Ms Readman is a skilful and talented author and James is a serial killer with a difference. It is his obsession with art, not sex, that drives him to keep killing and although I hated his arrogance and indifference to the evil he was committing, Ms Readman takes the reader on a journey of flashbacks that not only give an insight into how his childhood shaped what he has become but also invites the reader to almost feel sorry for him. Stone Angels is a unique book which will stay with me for a long time. I will be looking for other books written by this author.

[Penny Hampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Ravencroft is determined to be a successful artist, even more successful than his world-renowned late mother. How he goes about this, kidnapping and killing his models before immortalising them forever on his canvases is the subject of this riveting story.

Paula Readman has indeed created a true monster with James Ravencroft. I’ve finished reading this book but I know his character will haunt me for some time to come. Cold and calculating, the motivation for his awful actions spring from his single-minded passion for his art and to prove to himself the superiority of his artwork.

Readman handles the flitting between timelines brilliantly, planting details of well-known events to create the atmosphere of the different eras. The plotting is meticulous and intricate, making everything appallingly believable, and the first person narrative lends itself well to the understanding of James’ character. There were points in the story when I almost wanted James to be successful, such was Readman’s masterful creation of a character capable of invoking feelings of both revulsion and sympathy. That the author has researched the workings of the artworld is obvious, from the nitty gritty of what it takes to put paint to canvas, to how artworks are marketed and sold, adding another enjoyable and educational dimension to the story.

If you are looking for a well-written, chilling story with a compelling protagonist, I highly recommend this.

[Michelle Willms · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely something different

While you know who the killer is,there is definitely more than one bad guy in this serial killer tale. Great book about an artist's search for his muse, over and over again.

[Jennifer Worrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good creepy murder tale, and this one kept me guessing whether the criminal would ever be found out or they'd go on forever, or better yet, another character would go down instead. Just at the end, Readman throws in a surprise you won't see coming. There's also a lovely twist on an unseen entity (no spoilers!) that I found immensely satisfying.

[Mike Sherer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stone Angels, by Paula R. C. Readman

A fascinating concept. Stylized paintings of murder victims. Not portraits, but staged posings of dying women meant to appear as angels carved in stone suspended in the air above a gothic world they are agonizing over. A cruel diabolical story, as these women suffer slow agonizing deaths. Each victim is richly drawn, distinct from all the others. And each kidnapping is richly planned and carried out, each cruel treatment of each model is richly detailed, at least in the beginning. But as one innocent woman bleeds into the next, as one successful kidnapping after another is carried out, as one angel after another slowly, tortuously, dies, the details grow more and more indistinct, and the inner turmoil of the artist is more finely drawn. At some point the focus shifts from the canvas the angels are painted on to the canvas not only the artist himself is depicted upon but also his mother. This turns out by the author’s clever slight of hand to be the crucial relationship of the book – the artist and his mother. While the artist grows sloppier in his kidnappings and the police circle in closer and closer, it is a foregone conclusion that he will be caught. That hardly matters. What matters is how the relationship with his famous mother plays out. She becomes the ultimate stone angel. This novel is a dark brooding tale of a famous artist and her artist son desperately trying to live up to her icy standards. I was enthralled by it.

[David Hough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crime novels written from the perspective of the criminal often disappoint, as they don’t give real insight into the real motivations of the criminal, other than superficially. Stone Angels isn’t one of those. The motivation for James Ravencroft’s crimes are deep within the story, and are unveiled piece by piece as we follow his journey, in the present and the past. The main elements take place over a nine year period from 1963 to 1972, but at important times we are taken to his childhood, and particularly his relationship with his mother, which is central to the book. The second important relationship for James is with his agent, Basil. An interesting one, as they dance around each other, with each trying to get what he needs from the other. All the characters are well drawn, and each is distinctive, with even the police officers being very different but also clever and observant, not easily fooled as in too many novels. This is a very well written book, which unfolds over time from James’s point of view. All the clues as to why he’s committing his crimes are there for you to discover. There aren’t any surprising revelations, it’s all there, and they can be followed by reading carefully. It’s set in the art world, but a knowledge of that world is not needed, it makes for a fascinating backdrop to a really intriguing novel, which I have no hesitation in recommending.

[Dawn DeBraal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stone Angels, is breathless to the end. The author looks through the eyes of a serial killer who happens to be an artist. For the sake of art, James Ravencroft is willing to kidnap his models and do the unthinkable only to capture their beauty in the strokes of his brush. Mental illness makes him think he is doing nothing wrong and is able to get away with these crimes for quite some time. Greed is what gets him in the end; he can’t stop himself. The wish to become as great as his emotionally absent deceased mother, who was an artist, drives him forward. I loved the angle the author took but did not find myself feeling sorry for the main character. I wanted him to get caught and punished. This one won’t disappoint. The descriptions of the paintings, the process of creating are all authentic and vivid. This story is not a “whodunnit” tale; to me, it was why he did it. His arrogance is astounding with the risks he takes and the luck he has—a case of nurture versus nature. Good read!
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[Bookmarked · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stone Angels is a chilling dissection of a distorted, sick mind of a psychopath. James Ravencroft isn't likeable but he is a fascinating character. He is an ambitious and successful artist with an impressive pedigree - his mother was an acclaimed artist, too. But she was also cold and distant - detached from James's childhood. She was a flawed perfection to which James aspires. He proves himself over and over again by immortalising on canvas the beauty of women he ensnares and starves to death. The women are immaterial - it's their ethereal perfection that interests him. He is reckless and audacious in stalking and capturing them.
Narrating the story in the first person, Paula Readman truly gets inside the madman's head and gives the reader a chilling glimpse into what drives him.
I was totally engrossed by this character-driven suspense horror. It is dark, deep and thoughtful. No cheap thrills here, but pure artistry. Recommended.

[Charlie Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very dark and thrilling novel – it’s both gruesome and deeply compelling. Considering it revolves around the art world, the prose is very visual, making it easy to imagine Jane’s creepy studio and the butterflies in bell jars. Not only that, but there is pace to the writing and the scenes with the police arriving at Halghetree had me holding my breath in anticipation. This is an insightful look at the devastation fame can bring to an entire family. It doesn’t stray away from issues of childhood abuse and paranoia yet there are very moving moments too; the birthday party scene had me in tears. Saxon crypts, secret rooms, green eyes and stone angels. This is a brilliant and disturbing read which will keep you guessing right up to the very last page.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Transported to the 60s and 70s, I thoroughly enjoyed the setting and characters in this novel. The juxtaposition of art, muses and murder was intriguing. Paula Readman skillfully gets into the mind of a killer who outwardly appears totally unthreatening. I was completely absorbed by the story. An accomplished debut novel.

[Anne Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It's a page-turner in every sense and I was gripped from the first few pages. The plot is excellent and certainly keeps you guessing. A dark and compelling tale! Well worth a read.

[Guy Mankowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Ravencroft is a character who will haunt me for a long time to come. Readman creates pulsating, exhilarating plots with characters whose layers keep being revealed until the very end. A disturbing and thrilling book.

[Olive Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was hard to put down and the story (weeks later) continues to haunt me. The narrative is perfect and will have you literally at the edge of your seat.

[Emma Minazza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Love thriller books and this one didn’t disappoint! James, the main character is intriguing and very clever, enjoyed this book very much and look forward to reading more from Paula!

[Jim Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Ravencroft is an artist of the highest caliber. He is talented, good looking and charming. He has an agent and his paintings are much sought after in the art world. But, he is also a sociopath who drugs his victims, keeping them barely alive as he hangs them in a sling in his studio and paints them while they slowly starve to death. Stone Angels is written in the first person and is a stunning look into the mind of a person who first and foremost is a monster. James’s issues with his talented mother, an artist in her own right who committed suicide when James was only seven, provide the underlying motivation for his attempt create his own place in the art world. Which he does. So what if he becomes serial killer along the way? The poor young women who die serving as his artistic muse are only a means to an end; they mean nothing to him. This a brilliant novel. I have read much of Paula Readman’s work and am a huge fan. However, I was unprepared for the skill in which she told the story of this madman, delving into his mind and motivations and making them seem so real, you almost sympathized with him. Almost, but not quite. This is tour-de-force writing describing the dark forces driving this tortured soul; a psychological drama that was so skillfully written it was hard to put down. I highly recommend it.

[Joan Livingston · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Stone Angels, author Paula RC Readman expertly gets into the mind of an artist whose idea of inspiration is horrifying. You know what this psychopath is up to and you’re just hoping somebody catches him in this page-turner of a novel.

[Jennifer Shepard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this book because of the amazing reviews on Amazon and oh boy, they were all right. This book is fantastic, the story is so beautiful and full of emotions, I couldn't put this down until I ended. The characters are so real and so well written that you can easily find yourself or a friend reflected on them, you start to love and care for them. Amazing book!!! can´t wait to read more from Paula R.C. She skillfully describes the world of art, paintings, and the painting process. I was absolutely convinced Readman was an artist in real life, but no, her bio only describes a background with a more mainstream career.

She's is truly comfortable with his writing style. It is clean, lean, just what is needed to help the reader look forward to his future stories. Stone Angels, is breathless to the end. The author looks through the eyes of a serial killer who happens to be an artist. I highly recommend Paula R.C books. If you are looking for a well-written, good story with a great protagonist, I highly recommend this.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Allison Symes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dark and disturbing page turner of a book. If you like crime mixed with horror, then you'll enjoy Stone Angels. If you want to see inside someone's head to understand why they might be the way they are, then Stone Angels is a great book for that too. But I can guarantee you won't forget the lead character, James Ravencroft... (If you like films like Silence of the Lambs, then Stone Angels would be a great read as it is in that kind of territory).

And the book has one of the best strap lines I've ever come across too.

[P.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started reading this book, I thought by the title I was getting a paranormal thriller. What I got was a psychological thriller--and man, was it thrilling. Sometimes I wonder how an author, known to be a nice person, can come up with tales that will curl your hair. Definitely and excellent read.

[Sue Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Horror is my favorite genre, especially psychological horror, and this book gets an A+ for satisfying my persnickety taste. The author’s writing is precise. The story — well-developed, and it flows well. I love how Readman channels James Ravenscroft’s thoughts and actions believably. Yes. I said ‘believably’ because horror truly exists in our world, as do psychotic minds and the evil deeds they do/have done.

If you love psychological horror, I think you will enjoy this.

[Paula R C R. C. Readman]

Artist seeks ten perfect models for his creations. No experience necessary. Must be able to remain still at all times.