A Beautiful Breed of Evil

DI Stella Cole Thriller #5

by Andy Maslen

He’ll never speak of the evil they did…A former Swedish ambassador lies dead in his swanky Mayfair flat. With his tongue torn out and placed on a Bible. Competing theories swirl. A religious maniac? A psychopath? The truth is far darker than either. DCI Stella Cole’s search for the killer takes her to Sweden. There, she discovers a horrific chapter in the country’s history that throws the case into turmoil. And then more people start dying.Teaming up with Swedish cops Oskar Norgrim and Johanna Carlsson, Stella pieces together Ambassador Brömly’s shocking past. And discovers the killer’s motive.Meanwhile, Stella's personal life is about to take a significant turn as her boyfriend, Jamie, suggests a change in their relationship. But as Stella tries to process what it means, she makes a fateful decision.Why won't the dead stay buried?On the other side of the Atlantic, a kid practising BMX stunts over water finds a skeleton on a lake bed. When the victim is revealed to be a British cop, the FBI ask for assistance. Stella’s arch-enemy from her own department gets the case. She flies to Chicago and soon discovers the murderer’s identity.The scene is set for a showdown in Sweden as DI Roisin Griffin pursues her vendetta against Stella all the way to the north of Sweden during the annual festival of Midsommar.A fast-paced, twisty crime thriller …Even as Stella is fighting to bring the killer to justice, shadowy figures from her past are planning to silence her before she can expose their brutal methods.Readers’ opinions“As usual the plot is multifaceted, fast and absorbing and in my opinion the best in the Stella Cole series to date.If you are looking for a high octane thriller this is definitely the book for you!”Nigel Saunders“As an avid reader of detective books, I can honestly say this is the best series ever. From book 1 through to book 5, each and every one leaves you desperately waiting or wanting to read the next one. The characters are real, they're tough and they're exciting.”Annette“Brilliant read from start to finish. Twists, turmoil, and great detective work. Stella at her best. Higher Ups, looking to protect themselves. Andy Maslen does it again.”A McCullochThe fifth novel in an enthralling seriesA Beautiful Breed of Evil is the fifth book in this series of hard-hitting crime thrillers. Much of the action takes place in Sweden, home to fictional detectives Martin Beck, Kurt Wallander, Harry Hole and Saga Norén.BUY A BEAUTIFUL BREED OF EVIL NOW

Genres: Thriller, Crime

364 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 28, 2021

About the author

MULTI-MILLION COPY BESTSELLER

Andy Maslen writes thrillers across a number of genres: police procedurals, vigilante, psychological, suspense and horror. He spent 30 years in business before turning to writing full time.

Readers praise Andy's novels for their relatable characters, realistic dialogue, sense of place and kinetic action sequences, and for his meticulous research into police procedure around the world.

He is the creator of best-selling series featuring Kat Ballantyne, Gabriel Wolfe, Stella Cole and Inspector Ford, plus standalone novels and short stories.

Andy was born in Nottingham, England. After leaving university with a degree in psychology, he worked in business for thirty years as a copywriter. In his spare time, he plays the guitar. He lives in Wiltshire.

Reviews

[Kathi Defranc · Rating 5 out of 5]

DI Stella Cole is back, searching for someone who murdered a former Swedish Ambassador...Tearing out his tongue...Leaving it on a Bible...Just what type of person is she looking for, a religious fanatic, a psychopath...Or someone with dark, disturbing memories that can Not be contained...
The past will Just NOT stay there, as the case takes Stella to investigating in Sweden, discovering a horrific time in the country's history that effects everyone involved...And then people start dying!
Meanwhile her personal past arises...Many who know of her exploits are ready to silence her, and her nemesis from her own department noses into the case...Determined to have Her big moment by taking Stella DOWN...Stella keeps fighting to find the killer, while that nemesis, DI Roisin Griffin travels to Sweden to confront Stella and earn her wings...
A chilling, gritty story that shows cops are folks like you and I...With instances of anger, wanting revenge, and moments of feeling defeated...Can Stella keep on with her job, locating a killer...Or will past events be brought forward to derail her in her tracks...
I received an ARC from the author and offer You my honest thoughts and feelings in this review. Available 2/28/2021...Get ready for a roller-coaster ride, of extreme ups and nausea inducing drops!!

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant Stella Cole thriller. Hope Andy Maslen will do another book for this series 🤞🤞

[ReadandRated · Rating 4 out of 5]

Within 'A Beautiful Breed of Evil' there are several very strong female characters - DI Stella Cole and DI Roisin Griffin being the two most dominant throughout the book and they are certainly not ladies to be underestimated.

Well well well... Being well versed in the ways of the crime thriller I have to say I made a sweeping assumption that this book would follow the standard (and much loved) crime thriller format. Boy was I wrong!

I haven't read any books by Andy Maslen before, maybe those who know his work wouldn't have made such a rookie error!

Running alongside the 'crime' to be solved, the bigger story for me was around Stella herself, her lifestyle, her choices, her moral code and whatever happened prior to this story to make her the way she is.

All in all a good and engaging thriller which packs one heck of a punch! I was shocked several times while reading this - a cosy murder mystery it is not.

I loved the closing scenes, the detail surrounding the meal and descriptions of clothing were all so utterly atmospheric I could almost smell the smoked salmon!

[Karin Menzies · Rating 5 out of 5]

DCI Cole

Fab book. Good storyline and kept me guessing right to the last page. I am sure there will be more books to come.

[Bonnye Reed]

Kindle Unlimited
We spend some time in this one with DI Linda Cole in Sweden

[Kim Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this, love a Stella Cole book

[Julie Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this is the fifth book in the series by Andy Maslen featuring DCI Stella Cole, it is the first one that I have read and it is obvious from reading this book that Stella has had quite an eventful career already and there have been some explosive goings on in her past that I really need to go back and read about. However, the fact that I haven’t read the previous books did not detract from my enjoyment of this book at all, it just made me want to go back and catch up! The author fills you in on everything you need to know to keep up with the plot here but, events from previous books feed quite heavily into parts of the story here so, if you are going to dive into the series, it would probably make sense to start from the beginning with Hit and Run, which I have just downloaded to my Kindle.

The book opens with a very dramatic murder scene, so you know from the beginning that this is not a series for the shy and retiring. A Swedish ex-diplomat has been murdered in a very brutal way, and it is clear from the beginning that this is a complicated case which involves investigation across international borders. I loved this aspect of the case, as we follow Stella on her trip to Sweden to track down the killer in the victim’s homeland. It leant a different slant to the standard crime novel to see how international police forces work together across borders to solve a case, and to see how policing differs across countries.

The motives behind the case gradually become clear and are very shocking, and they touch on a topic which is very relevant to modern discourse in some circles but horrifying to most of us. The case is based on real events that happened in Sweden, but which I had no idea about until I did some investigation after reading this book. I absolutely love it when books teach me something I didn’t know before, just in the course of reading a piece of fiction, and the author gets this story across extremely effectively in this novel, really making you think about the issue and how it is relevant today. Reading around the subject taught me lots of things about a practice I had no idea was so terrifyingly widespread and ideas that we need to make very sure never gain traction again.

At the same time as she is in Sweden investigating the murder, Stella’s colourful past threatens to catch up with her as an arch rival doggedly pursues a line of enquiry which she hopes will bring Stella down. This also involves travelling to another jurisdiction and co-operating with a police force in another country, so the book is filled with action and interest. There was a huge amount of tension and urgency and threat in this book which made it one of those novels that is absolutely impossible to put down. There is no real let up in the impetus, so the reader is compelled to keep turning the pages from beginning to end, until you are at the final page before you know it. The sign of a really great, gripping thriller.

Stella Cole is not your ordinary DCI in the Met police. She is, to paraphrase Liam Neeson, in possession of certain skills that make her a formidable opponent. She has a healthy regard for the law, but also for stretching it to its limits when called for, in the mould of all great maverick cops in literary history, and a joyous disregard for her own safety that means the reader never quite knows what she is going to do next. It keeps her superiors, her adversaries and the reader on their toes throughout, and makes her a delight as a protagonist. I definitely want to read more about her and what drives her, and am very glad that I have four previous novels in the series to go back and enjoy.

For me, this series is a great discovery and I am grateful that blogging has allowed me to come across this author and this series. I would highly recommend this book to lovers of detective thrillers who like a feisty protagonist and an author who isn’t afraid to push the envelope and deal with some hard issues. But I’d say start at the beginning, which is where I am will be going back to as soon as I can.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a little confession to make- yes yet another one. Although I have a couple of Andy’s books on my ever increasing ‘to be read’ mountain, I haven’t actually read one………….until now that is. When I was invited to take part in the blog tour for ‘A Beautiful Breed Of Evil’, I thought that it was an ideal opportunity to acquaint myself with Andy’s work. Having enjoyed ‘A Beautiful Breed Of Evil’ as much as I did, I am now rather ticked off at myself that I have left it this long to discover how flipping fantastic his books are. I absolutely loved reading ‘A Beautiful Breed Of Evil’, which is the 5th book in the Stella Cole series, but more about that in a bit.
What can I say about Detective Inspector Stella Cole? I love her character and I warmed to her from the start. She is a feisty, determined and stubborn individual. She also has a slightly different side to her as well as she appears to have been used to make problems disappear- with the approval of some of her superiors. I hate to be so vague but by explaining, I would give spoilers away which I hate doing. Stella has made enemies along the way and it soon becomes clear that somebody is out to get her.
I was drawn into this story from the very first word on the very first page. The book did develop a hold over me and it was a hold that I was not willing to break. To say that reading ‘A Beautiful Breed Of Evil’ became addictive is a huge understatement. I would pick the book up only intending to read a couple of chapters but I would become so wrapped up in the story that I would read for a lot longer than I had intended and I would clear way more than any couple of chapters. This book was one of those books that you are desperate to finish because you develop a need to know how the story is going to end but you end up enjoying the book so much that you don’t want to finish the book to end. I soon got to the end of ‘A Beautiful Breed Of Evil’ and I had to bid farewell to Stella Cole. I soon cheered up when I realised that I had the first four books in the series to catch up with.
‘A Beautiful Breed Of Evil’ is brilliantly written. In Stella Cole, Andy has created one hell of a memorable character. He certainly knows how to grab your attention from the start and draw you into what proves to be a compelling story. Reading ‘A Beautiful Breed Of Evil’ was much like being on one hell of a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with more twists and turns than you would find on a ‘Snakes & Ladders’ board. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a fast pace throughout. This was a story packed full of action, deceit, shocks and surprises, twists and turns. I found ‘A Beautiful Breed Of Evil’ to be a gripping read from start to finish, which kept me guessing and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
In short I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘A Beautiful Breed Of Evil’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Andy’s work in the future- starting with the first four books in the Stella Cole series. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[travelsalongmybookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Beautiful Breed Of Evil - Andy Maslen

𝑯𝒆’𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒅𝒊𝒅…𝑨 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝑺𝒘𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒂𝒎𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒚 𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒓 𝒇𝒍𝒂𝒕. 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒂 𝑩𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆. 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒔𝒘𝒊𝒓𝒍. 𝑨 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒂𝒄? 𝑨 𝒑𝒔𝒚𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉? 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒓 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓. 𝑫𝑪𝑰 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒂 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒆’𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝑺𝒘𝒆𝒅𝒆𝒏. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂 𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒄 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒚’𝒔 𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒎𝒐𝒊𝒍. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒅𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈.

Stella Cole seems a pretty tough cookie, investigating the death of a Swedish diplomat who has lost his tongue.

‘𝑰𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒂 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕, 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒅𝒐 𝒊𝒕. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒚 𝒅𝒐 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒅?’

Switch to Minnesota, a BMX-er finds a skeleton at the bottom of the lake whilst practicing tricks. It is identified as one of a British couple and so Roisin, Stella’s rival is sent to investigate. She clearly wants to climb the greasy pole anyway she can and hates Stella and will do anything to bring her down.

So far, so police procedural - then Woah!! It gets interesting.. now I haven’t read the others in this series and *spoiler alert* I wasn’t aware of Stella’s murderous past that has been covered in these books. But this was a fantastic surprise, my interest was piqued and I then couldn’t put this one down.

This is a great story moving between Sweden, London and the US. One cop on the tail of another and the other trying to catch a brutal killer. The action is swift and keeps the pressure on as you read.

‘𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚’𝒅 𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒍.’

As Stella begins to unravel her case and narrows down the field, the two cases collide with deadly consequences and for me was totally unexpected. I loved Stella’s dark side, she is a fabulous creation, conflicted, almost a anti-heroine - perfect!

Although I hadn’t read the previous books, I didn’t need to, in some ways it added to my reading experience by giving me a little shock and jolt that kept me hooked to the end. I can see this series set to run and run, I cannot wait to see what Stella deals with next!

✩✩✩✩

[AD-GIFTED]

Thanks @damppebbles #andymaslen #tytonpress

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started to read this book, I thought it was going to be a “traditional” crime thriller set with an international setting. A DI looking for a killer and her archenemy looking to bring her down.
I was wrong because Stella is something more and it’s an unexpected kind of characters.
Stella is a woman with a “mission”, strong willed and resilient, able to overcome sufferance and to find a new life. I loved her and I think she’s a fleshed out and well thought characters.
This is the second book I read by this author, the first in this series, and I already knew he is a talented storyteller and delivers interesting plot and characters.
The plot is tightly knitted, fast paced and once you start you cannot stop as you are turning pages as fast as you can.
The story involves past and present, an international setting, love, hate, revenge, plenty of action and a reason for the first murder that it is unexpected, but it also reflects something that happened in European history and that I never heard before (I checked on Wikipedia and discovered something new).
I found this story gripping, highly entertaining and emotionally charged. There’s a mystery to be solved but there’s also plenty of emotions, of people that are being affected by what is happening and strong feelings.
Roisin, Stella’s archenemy, is not a likable character but she is also a driven and ambition woman, and we learn about her feelings even if most of them are negative. Jamie, Stella’s partner, is the positive counterpart, I loved him because he’s still human and he’s able to feel.
Something in this book reminded me of grimdark fantasy: most of the characters are morally grey. They are on the right side but somehow, they live according to a moral code that is not shared by the rest of the world.
A page turner I strongly recommend. I want to read the rest of the series because I was fascinated by Stella and want to learn what happened before.
Many thanks to Damppebbles blog tours, Emma Watson and Andy Maslen for the digital copy of this book, all opinions are mine

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Beautiful Breed of Evil is the 5th in the DI Stella Cole series but my first. It takes off pretty quickly with the discovery of three bodies in the first two chapters. The action takes place in the UK, Sweden and the United States so readers are jet-setting around the world in this transcontinental chase.*

DI Stella Cole is looking into the murder of a man who everyone claims is a saint. But what gets her is the mutilation of the body. Why rip out his tongue? And why place it on a Bible? What is the killer trying to tell her? What sins or secrets does the good Ambassador have in his closet? Is it a warning for others to be quiet? Or a sensual thing? Could the killer be a jilted lover or a victim of past sexual assault?

The first thing that struck me as odd was that in the UK the police do not have guns. As the manner of death was by gunshot wound it makes Stella's job easier. As less people carry guns it will be easier to track down the murder weapon. Another factor that made this book all the more interesting is that Stella herself is not innocent. Her hands have blood on them and her past is bearing down on her. As a newcomer to the series I do not know how much of this was revealed in earlier books but I found that I enjoyed trying to unlock the mystery of Stella. Maslen does not spoon feed the reader either. Bit by bit over a few chapters he peels back the layers revealing one truth at a time. I think this made the book more intriguing as it gave me the opportunity to put the puzzle pieces together.

Although Stella is flawed she does have her own moral code that she follows. So yeah there is right and wrong but can you justify her actions? I think you can and this is what becomes the hardest for people in her life to reconcile themselves with. Especially when they can see themselves doing the same thing if they were put in her shoes. Stella is strong and smart but she still shows vulnerability. She's still dealing with trauma and psychoses. Perhaps PTSD and dissociative disorder? Maslen does not make this the focus but his descriptions make her character more human and relatable.

Overall I really enjoyed reading the book. The twist in the middle really got me. I thought I had it all figured out. But Maslen saves the best for last, especially with that little teaser at the end. Looking forward to completing the rest of the series and getting to know Stella better. Highly recommend.

[Debjani Ghosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

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4.5 rounded up to 5 stars

A Swedish diplomat is found dead in his flat with his tongue torn out and placed in a Bible. Who could have done it? A religious maniac or a psychopath? As DCI Stella Cole digs deeper, the truth is far murkier than she realized. Convinced that the murderer is in Sweden, she flies there to bring the killer to justice.

Meanwhile, in the USA, from the depths of a lake, the police dig up an SUV with two skeletons. When the FBI discovers the body is of a British cop, they ask for assistance. The case lands in Stella’s arch-enemy DI Griffin’s lap.

As Stella races to prevent any more murders, Griffin is scheming to destroy her.

A Beautiful Breed of Evil by Andy Maslen, the fifth book in the DCI Stella Cole series, is a fast-paced, breathtaking thriller. I raced through the book to find out Stella’s fate and was at the edge of my seat throughout.

Maslen seamlessly weaves together the narratives of Stella’s search for the killer of the Swedish diplomat, the hunt for the British cop’s murderer in USA, and Griffin’s ploy to destroy Stella’s career.

Although, I have not read the previous books in the series, I now desperately want to read them as I felt reading them would give me better insight into Stella’s character. However, fret not, Maslen provides a gist of Stella’s past so, I did not face any difficulty in following the story.

The detailed descriptions of the police procedures laying out how they zeroed on the killer earns further brownie points from me.

This is a dark and gritty thriller which will have you reading into the wee hours of night. Highly recommended for lovers of thrillers. You have been warned though.

A complimentary digital copy was provided to me by the publisher for review. It does not affect my opinion of the book.

[Sharon Rimmelzwaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read some of the previous books in the Stella Cole series and Andy Maslen is my type of author. A Beautiful Breed of Evil has just consolidated my opinion. A very tightly written and cleverly plotted story that grabbed me immediately. A book that is possible to read without having to dive into the first four books easily.
A thriller that is set internationally with the investigations stretching all the way to the U.S, Sweden and the U.K. A former ambassador is murdered and mutilated. A bible left at the murder scene with some lines highlighted gives a possible connection. Stella notices some differences in the victims past which could possibly link to the murderer.This means she has to travel to Sweden to hopefully find out more. As Stella is investigating this case, in Minnesota, America there is a case ongoing. Bodies have been found in a lake and there is evidence that they connect back to the United Kingdom and they may get Stella in hot water. As the dead bodies begin to
pile up over in Sweden, Stella puts everything on the line to solve this case.
Everytime I return to a Stella Cole thriller I am always struck by the fact that Stella has her unorthodox way of getting her answers. For me this just makes me feel she could be a real person and brings me closer to the story. I love the breakneck pace of this book along with the red herrings that are placed perfectly along with the twists and turns of this story that even uncovers a horrific historical event in Sweden. I found this an interesting and intriguing new instalment for Stella.
Thanks to Damp Pebbles Blog Tours and Andy Maslen for my copy of the book.

[dennis barron · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Beautiful Breed of Evil. Andy Malsen

DI IStella Cole is a seasoned homicide detective. In England as well as America, politics plays it's game. Knowledge has it's risks. Disgruntled employees always exist. Stella Coles husband and daughter were killed in a traffic accident. It wasn't an accident but rather a warning to Stella. Her mental road to recovery was long. She knows who was responsible. Her boss. Stella will deal with him. Is it revenge or justice? In my opinion, justice. Years later her secret is learned by a disgruntled detective who thinks Stella doesn't deserve her position. She does. Her motive is revenge with no knowledge of what actually occurred. Stella is in Sweden investigating a homicide case that occurred in England . The victim a retired Swedish diplomat with a dark past. What ensues is a complex case involving his past, his victims as well as Stella's dark secrets. Stella a victim. The Swedish diplomat the head of a dark past in Sweden's cleansing of the imperfect people. Mass sterilization so they will cease their impure bloodlines. This is a fantastic read with a climactic end. Justice will be served. My highest recommendation!

[Francica Cornwall · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an adventure!!!

In this fifth installment of the DI Stella Cole Thrillers, author Andy Maslen did not disappoint. This exciting story begins with a crime so gruesome that it had me at the edge of my seat from page one. Former Swedish ambassador Tomas Bromly is found dead in his flat with a severed tongue. DCI Stella Cole is on the case and in her quest for the killer, she is led to Sweden where every revelation becomes more shocking than the next. As the case progresses Stella is also confronted with demons form her past, which continue to haunt her and even her relationships. Can she move on??

I read this book in one sitting (yes it was that good). Although my reading tastes are of a wide variety, one of my favourite genres are crime thriller novels like this one. What stood out for me most in the book (and you will realize this as you read) is that most if not all leading roles were held by women. As detective work goes, males are usually the heroes so having female heroines in my opinion gave the story a nice twist.

Another great aspect of the story was that it read like a standalone rather than a part of a series. I was especially appreciative of this because I haven't read the previous books (although I am going to source the complete series now). It was not difficult to grasp the story. The characters were all relatable, the best job was done with Roisin's character because as I read I could actually picture her personality. Her role made the story rich.

The murders and the events in the novel were very well sequenced and this made for easy reading. Trust me, you would not want to put this book down. In all, this was a well written novel for fans of Crime Fiction.

[Cbyarling · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an unusual beginning for a book.

Chapter 1 (London): Detective Inspector Stella Cole lands an unusual case: an elderly Swedish diplomat was found lying in his apartment with his tongue torn out.

Chapter 2 (Preston, Minnesota): two sets of bones are found in a lake outside the city. The medical examiner reports to Chief Anderson that a man and woman were shot shot with two different weapons. After locating the couple were from Chicago, the chief calls the local FBI office and speaks with the Special-Agent-Charge (SAC) who tells the chief he'll arrive later that day.

It's going to be an interesting story as Maslen ties together these seemingly two disparate cases in two different countries. With this in mind, you know it's going to be in on one engaging and thrilling ride because: evil is afoot!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Beautiful Breed of Evil by Andy Maslen is a tightly written, fast-paced novel that is very difficult to stop once you start. My first read from this author, and even though this is a series, this can be read alone. The writing is so good, I know I will be checking out previous books, now.

Stella is my favorite kind of main character. She is a strong female lead with a resilience to be admired. She’s written so well, she feels like a real person. I’m very impressed.

Love, hate, revenge…this fast-paced plot will keep you on the edge of your seat. With an addicting plot and characters that are so realistic, you feel like you’re part of the story, it was easy to give A Beautiful Breed of Evil five stars. Highly recommended.

*I received a free copy of this book from Damppebbles Blog Tours to review honestly on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*

[Christine Rennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Beautiful Breed Of Evil by Andy Maslen is book 5 in the DI Stella Cole crime thriller series. A former Swedish ambassador lies dead in his luxury London flat. This is the start of another police investigation by DI Stella Cole and takes her to Sweden to investigate the ambassador‘s death and then other deaths in Sweden that are all connected. Then her past catches up with Stella and it may not end well.
The storyline was excellent and the characters were dark and mysterious. There is also a part of Swedish history that little is known about outside of Sweden that is pivotal to the police investigation. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
Highly recommended.

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stella is Back!

Can she fight against not only the criminals but one of her own within the force? We all know who that will be don't we??
Stella ends up in a plane to check the remains of a person that she shot and his wife who he shot.Thinking they would remain submerged in a frozen lake...but like all good thrillers that doesn't work. Unfortunately for Stella someone who hates her has followed her and finds the evidence to put her behind bars......No more spoilers from me....But you really do need to get this book its even better than the last if that's possible!!!
Superbly written by Andy Maslen....

[Michael Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

So glad that DCI Stella Cole is back. This is the 5th in the series by writer Andy Maslen and, once again, it is a cracking read. This time the death of a Swedish ambassador in a London flat means that Stella has to travel to Sweden to investigate. True to form Stella’s past is intertwined in the story and it comes back to haunt her in the form of Adam Collier. I really would advise that you start at the beginning of the series with Hit and Run to fully understand what Stella’s world involves. There are twists and turns that leave you wanting more. Another brilliant novel, well crafted by Andy.

[Steve Worsdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 6am finisher and a typical Andy Maslen roller coaster.

Once again Andy Maslen directs poor Stella through a knotted forest of tangles to a superb sprint finish. She discovers new beginnings in Sweden, solves a confusing murder case and meets new friends (and a future enemy) on the journey. All the little twists and turns are as clever and delightful as the previous four books. And superbly researched. Only problem is now it's seven in the morning and I have a hankering to find some kannellbullar.......

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maslen didn’t just bring his A game, he brought his A++++ gsme. Stella is back chasing new baddies and is someone on her trail? This awesome complex, yet at the same time not, story will keep you up reading book the final page. Stella is on point with her detective senses tingling and guiding her down a path that hides a terrible secret. And is she endangered, with someone on the trail of herterrible secret. Another stunning edition to the Stella Cole series. Def Read this Today!!

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stella Cole is given the task to find the murderer of a retired Swedish diplomat who has been living in London he was found with his tongue cut out and placed on a bible.
Her investigation takes her to Sweden where is finds out about terrible secrets from his past.
While she is in Sweden something from her past returns which puts her life in danger.
Thus is a great book from start to finish.
Denise

[Zax · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not as dark as first three books, still excellent.

I didn’t put a review up on the 4th book as couldn’t quite make up my mind about it.
I think there has to be a degree of ‘darkness’ considering the events of the first three books (and which the fourth lacked). This one I think has the right sort of balance.
Not explicit, but that sense that something is about to happen and it does and it’s a great read.
Recommended (but you really need to read the first three books!!!).

[Alison Cairns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another rollercoaster great read in the Stella Cole series. Stella is trying to keep on the straight and narrow but when jealous colleague DI Roisin Griffiths is sent to the USA to investigate the death of Adam Collier whose body has turned up in a Minnesota lake, Stella finds herself in danger. Working on a case that leads her to Sweden, Stella as always shows her remarkable policing skills. But will Roisin bring her down? PPM will not stay buried.

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast-paced thriller that might be the last in the Stella Cole saga as a lot of loose ends are neatly tied. It would be a real pity if Andy Maslen has no more in store for his feisty and engaging hero.

Stella’s arch enemies encircle her and her Swedish case could prove dangerous. A must-read series that I highly recommend.

[Gary Franklin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stella Cole is a troubled bad ass and one of the best thriller characters. Thoroughly engaging story this one with a number of subplots overlaying the tropes and subplots from the previous 4 books. The ending in their one had a nice twist to it albeit a little predictable in part. I can’t wait for the next Stella Cole episode

[KEVIN R DALE · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had some reservations after reading the first three DI Stella Cole books as to how the character will develop given all the baggage she had. I needn't have worried. Both this and "Let the Bones be Charred" involve Stella in very different plots. Equally her previous life comes back with a vengeance in book 5.
Would definitely recommend reading these in order if you can.

[Alan Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Stella Cole series they never fail with Heart pumping action from beginning to end and this one is no different, Is Stella about to be betrayed by those that used her to clean up PPM. Roishin is hot on her tale with revenge in mind whilst Stella tracks down a murderer in Sweden.
I can't wait for the next installment.

[colin willmott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly involving and thought provoking!

This is another excellent crime novel from this accomplished author, taking us out of London to Sweden, with excellent attention to detail and an involving and tense narrative. The lead character is both vulnerable and intimidating, superbly drawn and believable. Another great addition to a brilliant series of books!