Dark Purpose

Charli Cross #1

by Mary Stone

Everyone has a purpose. Some are just darker than others.

Always calm, cool, and collected, Savannah PD Detective Charli Cross compensates for her petite five-foot frame with an impenetrable exterior and pragmatic competence. It’s an approach that catapulted her to the rank of detective at twenty-three and contributes to her and her partner’s unequaled murder clearance rate. But when a bird-watching couple discover the remains of a teenage girl stuffed in a storage container, Charli’s composure starts to crack.

Not only is the murder horrifying, it dredges up memories of Charli’s best friend. Madeline was only sixteen when her body was found a mere half-mile from the grisly discovery. Add the sadistic sexual component to this recent crime, as well as the location of the body, and Charli fears they are facing the hallmarks of the worst kind of serial killer—one who’s organized and thorough. One intent on fulfilling his dark purpose.

Charlie wants to stay unemotional. But when more victims are discovered, she is determined to stop the killer before he strikes again.

This time, it’s not just her job. It’s personal.

Spine-tingling and chilling, Dark Purpose is the adrenaline-charged first book in the Charli Cross series from bestselling author Mary Stone—guaranteed to ensure you never walk home alone again.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Suspense, Mystery Thriller

344 pages, Paperback

First published October 3, 2021

About the author

To download my FREE BOOK, click here: https://authormarystone.com/free-book...

Nestled in the tranquil Blue Ridge Mountains of East Tennessee, Mary Stone has transformed her peaceful home, once bustling with her sons, into a creative haven. As her family grew, so did her writing career, evolving from childhood fears to a deep understanding of real-life villains. Her stories, centered around strong, unconventional heroines, weave themes of courage and intrigue.

Mary's journey from a solitary writer to establishing her own publishing house marks a significant evolution, showcasing her commitment to the literary world. Through her writing and publishing endeavors, she continues to captivate and inspire, honoring her lifelong fascination with the mysterious and the courageous.

Reviews

[Joey R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars— I decided to try Kindle Unlimited for my next book, and I noticed that “Dark Purpose” by Mary Stone received a large amount of positive reviews from most readers so I decided to give it a chance. The book is evidently the first in a series featuring Detective Charli Cross who along with her detective partner, Matthew Church, are tasked with the responsibility of finding the identity and capturing a serial killer known as ‘The Marsh Killer’. Although the plot was fast moving and interesting at times, I have to say I didn’t really enjoy the book. The best way to describe my dislike of this book is to use the example of how some movies and television series appeal to a certain group of people while another group hates those same movies and shows. (I was going to use a politician as an example but got cold feet.) The whole tone of “Dark Purpose” just didn’t ring true to me. The banter between Charli and Matthew seemed stilted and fake, the way the male officers bantered between each other… not even close, the angry police sergeant boss who had one mood: hateful … ridiculous. All of the male characters were chauvinistic losers that treated women with disrespect or hated women in general. These problems (well for me they were a problem )were pervasive and persistent throughout the book and kept me from really getting into the characters or the story. I know that many readers wouldn’t notice or care about a lot of the problems that bogged me down and from them the book would probably rate 4 or 5 stars. As they say ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.’ As for me I will move on to an author that is a better fit for me. Goodbye Ms. Stone.
PS — I felt like I should have loved this book more but I just didn’t — thanks for being my ‘therapy couch’ for my feelings about this book.

[Rich · Rating 1 out of 5]

I will this is the first book I have read by this author. i think she might have some talent but t was not in this book lol. I give this book about 1.8 stars. This genere or niche is not her area of strenght. i really did not care for the main characters and I had a hard time believing that they were cops. The story seemed to drag a lot . One more book that a cop has a friend , sister or relative killed by a serial killer tha is worn out. The book was too soft and fuzzy at times and seemd to follow a formula by the dot. i really did not need to know what both detectives were thinking about each other or her obsession with her friend aho had been killed by a serial killer. I really dont want to know what the bad guy is doing or thinking makes them look cartonish. I thought the ending was pretty weak. The writer might have talent in a differt typ eof book but not thos kind-the ending was also weak and formula driven. I say do not give it a spin.

[The Humble Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A page turning, suspense that is gripping all the way through"

Couldn't have said it better myself.

-I have read Amazon's reviews and read some of the negative reviews.
*One person said it was laughable. - I don't agree. I don't find anything laughable about the crime or the characters.
*One person said it was too graphic - well no shit SHERLOCK, its a THRILLER. It's supposed to be graphic 🙈. I guess the reviewer didn't think that through. Your not going to find a thriller that it's graphic in way or another. It's a CRIME Thriller for a reason......

There were a few other negative reviews but majority of readers understood the book.

Here's What I really liked:
-I really liked was that it was a page turner and that it was a true and true suspense. No sex scene, no cliche romance, no boy gets girl and lives happily ever after. No hallmark moves here. This was really a gripping stor.
- I really really LOVED Charli's character. Strong, independent, doesn't care what others think about her, confident and a true good detective. Some may call her a ice queen but she's a QUEEN. I also really liked the humor, a break between something a sinister crime. The banter was nice too. So you have a crime drama/thriller to keep you on your toes while also taking a small break with some funny moments. I liked it.

Cons: there were a couple of discrepancies but they were minor.

I will definitely read again and I highly recommend.

P.s. IF you don't like Mary Burton, Melinda Leigh, LT Ryan, James Patterson you won't like this book. If you don't like sinister, dark, gross, horror- THEN don't read a crime thriller 🙈🤣

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charli Cross best friend being murdered when they were teenagers changed her trajectory in life and now she is the youngest homicide detective in her department who stands all of 5 feet tall. She has a strong since of fighting for her victims and making sure the killers don't get away like her friends killer did.

The current case Charli and her partner, Matthew Church, catch of a murdered teenage girl has Charli flashing back to her past and divorced Matthew feeling extreme guilt over never being there for his daughter when she was growing up. The killer whose POV we also get, is sick and twisted (which if you read any of this authors other numerous series knows she excels at).

[Cyndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good mystery. I enjoyed learning about Charli and will continue with the series.

[Judy Churchill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t usually read these dark serial killer books but this author has a way with plot and prose that entices the reader. I may read #2 in the series.

[Margaret Yelton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark Purpose is the first book in the Charli Cross series, I believe we met Charli a little earlier in the Ellie Kline series, overall I enjoyed this new series by this author. She never disappoints, she has a way of pulling me in and I love her books. I would recommend this book to others.

[Sally Trabulsi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will probably not continue this series. Not bad, but not destined to be a favorite in my want to read pile. Charli and her fellow detective search for kidnapped and/or murdered girls. I'm just tired of the subject.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark Purpose: Charli Cross Mystery Series Book 1 is written by Mary Stone and Donna Berdel. This book takes place in Savannah, Georgia where Charli Cross is a detective in the police department. Charli gets a lot of animosity from many of the male officers simply because she is a woman and made her way into a detective’s position. However, Charli worked hard to get where she was and intended not to let anyone make her feel bad about being there.
When Charli was a teen, her best friend, Madelaine (16), was kidnapped in front of her and she couldn’t do anything to help her. In her fear for Madelaine, she hadn’t even thought to get the license plate number on the vehicle. Later, she hadn’t had the nerve to face Madelaine’s mother or even to call her. She believed she blamed her as well since she had never called either. Ten years later, when she finally called, she found that Madelaine’s mother had not called her for the same reasons. Charli finally called her because a serial killer was on the loose and was killing teens like someone did Madelaine. In fact, the first body they found was that of Madelaine (Maddie) Hanley who was also sixteen. Of course, this got Charli to thinking of her friend. Was this a second chance for Charli to protect some unknown girl? Was it a chance to finally get justice for her Madelaine and the other girls who were killed? Could Charli keep on the right track and do her job as she was trained?

[Maureen Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charli Cross solved a tough case

Detective Charli Cross and her partner Matthew are called out to the marshes when bird watchers came across a female body in a large plastic container. The girl was a teenager who had been missing for several months. They had no leads to follow and were grasping at straws. Next thing you know another dead girl is found in a large plastic container in the p. The FBI is called in and the detectives don't want them stepping in on their case. Charli can't help thinking about her best friend who was captured as a teenager and found dead. She couldn't save her. She had to get Madeline out of her head. They start to question the teens friends but got nowhere. They even questioned their teachers. A few stood out but nothing concrete. Suddenly another teen goes missing and Charli must try to save her. She narrows down the killer but can she stop him after being tranquilizer. Good start to a long series.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was disappointing. The narration with internal reflection (despite most of the book being 3rd person) was repetitive, trite, and annoying. I think Charli with her quirks and odd personality was supposed to be charming and endearing, but I found her poorly developed and disjointed. The book spent SO MUCH TIME on her inner monologue, but there was still no clear impression of her. She was petite and pixie like, but strong, but hasn't dealt with the trauma of losing her friend as a teen, but needs protection from the men in her life, but is fiercely independent, but the best at solving cases, but makes mistakes because she cares too much, etc. etc. It was exhausting and I definitely won't be reading any more books with her as the main character.
The plot of the serial killer who wanted to 'repurify' his girls because their wanton ways were too tempting for him as a man was unoriginal and not something I was interested in reading about right now either.

[Steve Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detectives Charli Cross and Matthew Church investigate a string of serial killings in Savanah, Georgia. Teen girls are abducted, slain and buried an containers in a marsh. As the body count rises, one FBI agent and one state agent from the GBI are assigned to the case. The fact that additional agents were not assigned seems unrealistic. The fact that both agents work under the direction of a local police sergeant also seems unrealistic. Dialogue is weak, particularly the exchanges between main characters Charli and Matthew, who sound more like eighth-graders than seasoned cops. Bonus points for a creepy and kooky villain. The passages where the reader is allowed inside his head are among the best. The author does a good job of portraying the fear of the victims and the despair of their parents. The plot is entertaining and is not for the squeamish. The author keeps the reader guessing about who the bad guy is.

[Daniel E Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard bosses

bandittansy123@gmail.com Story was good. My peeve is why the main character in this story and other great reads always have to describe so much animosity between the police chief and detective? Fighting with the chief through the whole process is a detraction for me. I am already angry at perp and police procedure for slowing down process of solving case. More often that not this leads to another death and/or more personal mental and physical damage. Wish you great authors would spare the reader this mental anguish. Unless that is your desire. If so it just may have made me not read another one of your good mysteries. I did like the story and hope you accept my critique as an act of encouragement and support.

[Ski Croghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding start to the series!!!

It's great to get insight to how and why Charli thinks and why she is so driven. Losing her teenage best friend to a kidnapping and murdered was horrifying. She saw her friend grabbed and unable to stop it was a definitive influence on her life. Ten years later is still blaming herself for not being able to to stop the kidnapping and is sure that everyone else does to. Can she find and stop the current serial killer of teenag girls in her town? Will she risk her life to catch him? Don't miss this outstanding book book! Highly recommended.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charli Cross is a detective with the Savannah Police Department. She and her partner, Matthew, have the best solve rate in their division. The case involves finding young women who have been raped and murdered and are put in metal drums. This case is very difficult for Charli. She lost her best friend as a teenager. She was abducted in front of Charli. She was murdered. Charli has never recovered from this horrible event and believes she should have done more at the time of the abduction. This pushes Charli to work to the exclusion of all else. The book is good from a procedural perspective. Charli and Matthew are interesting characters. Satisfying ending.

[Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't care for this book

## Boring for the most part. By the time it picked up, I looked down and the book was at 90%. Only the last 10% was interesting. No wonder it took me days to finish this. I kept putting it down to do more interesting things like laundry. Bleh. The main character Charli was once again unlikable and just weird. Why authors always write female detectives so awful is beyond me. Women can be successful in their field AND kind AND still be interesting. If you're looking for a heroine like that, try Melinda Leigh's Bree Taggert series instead. I won't be reading more of this one.

[Kristi Lamont · Rating 2 out of 5]

BOOK REPORT
Wound up passing out with a headache stone-cold sober at the conclusion of Dark Purpose by Mary Stone. And while I still haven’t shaken the headache, I’m awake enough now to realize that I used to have _exactly_ this same sort of experience when I would read a Harlequin Romance back when I was in high school.

There’s just something about formulaic writing that hurts my little brain, I guess.

And while Ms Stone’s formula seems to work for her and her fans, I don’t like reading very much from the perspective of the murderer, for the most part. So no more of her work for me (this was the third piece in just a few days).

[Geri L Marsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start to a new series!

Mary Stone never disappoints. Her new heroine Charli is caring, smart and feisty as hell. Making detective at 23 years old has given her an outside shell that is hard to get through, but the few she lets in have her friendship and loyalty.
Some one is kidnapping teen age girls off the street and killing them. Charli can’t stop comparing the crimes to the one she witnessed at 16, when her best friend was taken and killed. It couldn’t be the same person, or could it?

[Janet A Lanham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done but I see teasers for the next book

Police work takes a toll on those who serve and their families too. An abduction starts the plot along with flashbacks that begins to show the killer's motivation. The leads detectives have no life outside the job that's cost them a lot but have skills in solving crimes. As bodies are discovered, teachers and staff are interviewed. FBI and a state Bureau join the hunt. Killer is watching this while plotting one last kill. The murder board and maps show more than most can see.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok

A serial killer story is not my favorite theme in a book. I liked the fact that the main character is a woman detective, however, the characters were so stereotypical: the female detective is smart, feisty, her male partner is her good buddy. The boss is a tough broad character, the bad guy is the one you would least expect, hence you know who he is as soon as he is introduced into the story. The other characters are incidental. I hope the remaining books in the series break out of the typical pattern.

[Laura Poppenwimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is written in the same style as the Ellie Kline series. Both the main characters are smart, focused and independent women. The plot line in the book captures your interest and the pages keep turning until you realize you have reached the end of the book. There is a teaser at the end to encourage you to go on to the next in this series. These books seem to be best read in order. I am looking forward to the next book. I have recently started reading books by Mary Stone and have to say I am impressed. She sure knows how to build a mystery novel.

[Neera Kapahi · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the murdered bodies of several missing girls are found, there is an urgency to find the serial killer. Detective Charli Cross and her partner Detective Matthew are on a mission to accomplish this before there is another victim.

The book is a real page turner. This is the first book in the Charli Cross series. She is reserved but likable and is very methodical and thorough. Unlike several other characters in Mary Stone’s book series who are named after seasons, she does not possess any special psychic gifts.

[Brandi Goodman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The character of Charli isn't my favorite out of all of Mary Stone's series. Despite that fact.. this is one of the best books! I absolutely loved the story overall. It kept me interested and wanting to read more. Definitely some gruesome discoveries and some descriptions that will make your stomach twist.

"These remains were long past the early stages of decomposition. She was no medical examiner, but based on the smell, lack of distinguishable facial features, and exposed bone, she’d be shocked if some of the organs hadn’t liquefied already."

[DEBORAH FREED · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good start for a new series!

We met Charli in the Kline series. I wanted to read her series then but was busy reading others. Mary Stone has a lot of series to read!
Charli- She’s a firecracker! Tiny firecracker. Got her own oddities but is a serious and detail oriented detective.
This was good but in reality an impaired detective most definitely would not have been interviewing a suspect. Ok, so these books are close to reality but not really.
Looking forward to the next one.

[Judith E. Pitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Great New Series.

Like Ellie Kline and other Mary Stone detectives Charli Cross has a sad history and a burning desire to do well. This first book in a new series reinforces Stone’s expertise in chronicling the female detective. A good stand-alone with a promise of things to come. Someone is snatching teen girls and “purifying” them. Charli lost a good friend in a similar manner. She has to save the most recent snatch. Looking forward to more!

[Ava M Bartley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent beginning

Of a new series. I already feel as if I've known Detective Cross for years. I love books with strong female leads. I've read all the series this author has penned. This one is right up there with all the others. I have given all her books five stars! There is always excitement, drama, and lots of twists and turns. Can't wait to see where the future books lead us. Great book!

[Faith Humbston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

Charli cross is a young detective in savanna Georgia. She is one of the youngest detectives and has a lot to prove to everybody which she does. The case she takes on is very similar to a case that she witnessed when she was younger. Her partner is an older man who has been separated from his own Daughter thru divorce. It took me a few days to finish this book due to knee surgery. But once I picked it back up I had to finish it.

[Ray and Kathy Marsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great storyline

I really enjoyed the first book in this series. The main character Charli Cross is interesting. Her partner, Matthew Church is handsome and is a good detective. I think this will be another great series from Mary Stone. This book was great from beginning to the end. It will keep you guessing right to the end when they finally figure out who is the serial killer.

[Sam keys · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book very interesting and entertaining. It did have its boring spots and the graphic description of the teenage girls was a bit much. I realize it may have been necessary to get a vivid imagine from the bad guys perspective. Overall I liked it because it was different from others she writes and the two main characters are good together. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

[Linda Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

five stars aren’t enough. Charli and partner Mathew are assigned head detectives on a serial murderer

Head detective Ruth assign detectives Charli and Mathew as lead in a serial murder involving teenage girls. This brings in a task force of GBI And FBI to help solve this murder. This is a fantastic story. Gripping and heartbreaking all at one time. I would love to give it a ten star but know I can’t but I can praise it.