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D.I. Kim Stone #9
Fatal Promise
Eeeny meeny, miney, moe. Who lives, who dies only I know.
When the body of a doctor is discovered brutally murdered in local woodland, Detective Kim Stone is shocked to discover the victim is Gordon Cordell – a man linked to a previous case she worked on involving the death of a young school girl. Gordon has a chequered past, but who would want him dead?
As the investigation gets underway, Gordon’s son is involved in a horrific car crash which leaves him fighting for his life. Kim's sure this was no accident.
Then the body of a woman is found dead in suspicious circumstances and Kim makes a disturbing link between the victims and Russells Hall Hospital. The same hospital where Gordon worked.
With Kim and her team still grieving the loss of one of their own, they’re at their weakest and facing one of the most dangerous serial killers they’ve ever encountered. Everything is on the line. Can Kim keep her squad together and find the killer before he claims his next victim?
The killer is picking off his victims at a terrifying pace, and he’s not finished yet.
When the body of a doctor is discovered brutally murdered in local woodland, Detective Kim Stone is shocked to discover the victim is Gordon Cordell – a man linked to a previous case she worked on involving the death of a young school girl. Gordon has a chequered past, but who would want him dead?
As the investigation gets underway, Gordon’s son is involved in a horrific car crash which leaves him fighting for his life. Kim's sure this was no accident.
Then the body of a woman is found dead in suspicious circumstances and Kim makes a disturbing link between the victims and Russells Hall Hospital. The same hospital where Gordon worked.
With Kim and her team still grieving the loss of one of their own, they’re at their weakest and facing one of the most dangerous serial killers they’ve ever encountered. Everything is on the line. Can Kim keep her squad together and find the killer before he claims his next victim?
The killer is picking off his victims at a terrifying pace, and he’s not finished yet.
370 pages, Paperback
First published October 19, 2018
3491 people are currently reading
3040 people want to read
About the author
Angela Marsons
39 books4,895 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 826 reviews
October 22, 2018
After the tragic conclusion of book 8 in the series (from which I am still traumatised!), D.I Kim Stone’s tightly knit team were dispersed to various stations in the area, and we join them as they regroup some weeks later back at their base in Halesowen.
Understandably the mood is particularly sombre, with Kim refusing to face that traumatic event head on, retreating into her shell as she always does, to a place she feels safe, the others too are really struggling to come to terms with how their last case ended, and I love that the author has explored how each team member processes the grief in their own private way - their inability to talk to each other about it, preferring instead to carry the hurt of it around in their own minds, causing both mental and physical anguish - and this journey of grief is handled both with subtlety and insight, and produces some truly heart rending moments.
Fatal Promise has two threads running throughout - one involves a serial killer intent on revenge , and the other deals with a missing teen who is likely to die without her medication. Needless to say the tension never lets up for one single moment.
As ever, Angela Marsons manages to create so many nail biting moments with lots of twists and turns, and it goes without saying that her use of smoke and mirrors is exceptional.
Can Angela Marsons do anything wrong? Fatal Promise is as fresh and gripping as all the others in this series, and if you haven’t read them yet, you don’t know what you’re missing! Can’t rate this anything other than 5 big fat shiny stars!!
* My thanks to Bookouture for my arc. I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
Understandably the mood is particularly sombre, with Kim refusing to face that traumatic event head on, retreating into her shell as she always does, to a place she feels safe, the others too are really struggling to come to terms with how their last case ended, and I love that the author has explored how each team member processes the grief in their own private way - their inability to talk to each other about it, preferring instead to carry the hurt of it around in their own minds, causing both mental and physical anguish - and this journey of grief is handled both with subtlety and insight, and produces some truly heart rending moments.
Fatal Promise has two threads running throughout - one involves a serial killer intent on revenge , and the other deals with a missing teen who is likely to die without her medication. Needless to say the tension never lets up for one single moment.
As ever, Angela Marsons manages to create so many nail biting moments with lots of twists and turns, and it goes without saying that her use of smoke and mirrors is exceptional.
Can Angela Marsons do anything wrong? Fatal Promise is as fresh and gripping as all the others in this series, and if you haven’t read them yet, you don’t know what you’re missing! Can’t rate this anything other than 5 big fat shiny stars!!
* My thanks to Bookouture for my arc. I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
October 9, 2018
Sad yet hopeful
This is a character-driven installment of the series. The cases don’t matter as much, nor are they as compelling, as the characters that comprise this wonderful series.
Fatal Promise takes place a few months after the tragedy that occurred in the previous book. Kim and team members are dealing with their grief in different ways. Ultimately, the team is in shambles.
Kim is off her game. While she is as prickly and defensive as ever, she isn’t fully present. Her ability to see what others do not is failing her this time around putting her ability to solve a case in jeopardy. She isn’t trusting her gut instincts causing a great deal of tension with Bryant. There’s also a new team member, and Kim is less than pleased with his presence.
There are two main cases: A missing teenage girl and seemingly random murders of hospital personnel. While the two mysteries are interesting, they didn’t really hold my attention. This isn’t a bad thing; it’s just usually when I read books in this series, I find the cases to be as riveting as the characters.
Fatal Promise is a heart-wrenching, tension-filled read. The characters’ vulnerabilities are completely exposed, putting them at risk. At the same time, their relationships grow deeper and there’s a little bit of hope that everything is going to be all right.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review.
This is a character-driven installment of the series. The cases don’t matter as much, nor are they as compelling, as the characters that comprise this wonderful series.
Fatal Promise takes place a few months after the tragedy that occurred in the previous book. Kim and team members are dealing with their grief in different ways. Ultimately, the team is in shambles.
Kim is off her game. While she is as prickly and defensive as ever, she isn’t fully present. Her ability to see what others do not is failing her this time around putting her ability to solve a case in jeopardy. She isn’t trusting her gut instincts causing a great deal of tension with Bryant. There’s also a new team member, and Kim is less than pleased with his presence.
There are two main cases: A missing teenage girl and seemingly random murders of hospital personnel. While the two mysteries are interesting, they didn’t really hold my attention. This isn’t a bad thing; it’s just usually when I read books in this series, I find the cases to be as riveting as the characters.
Fatal Promise is a heart-wrenching, tension-filled read. The characters’ vulnerabilities are completely exposed, putting them at risk. At the same time, their relationships grow deeper and there’s a little bit of hope that everything is going to be all right.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2018
5 heartfelt stars
Book 9 in the DI Kim Stone series is yet another feather in the cap for Angela Marsons. This author amazes me with her ability to keep this series enthralling and fresh. This installment focuses on the team’s recovery from a disastrous last case featured in book 8, Dying Truth. It also features an exceptionally clever (even for Ms. Marsons) crime/thriller plot.
As usual the character work is phenomenal! I was pleased to see Stacey again take on a larger role in the story; in fact, she had her own arc. And as something new, we see friction between Kim and Bryant as they try to recover from prior events. Again we have a deeply psychological angle, this time featuring Kim and not Dr. Alexandra Stone, but Kim and her longtime supporter Ted. We are presented with some extraordinarily poignant moments here. I especially loved Ted’s scene in the final chapter.
The story kept me guessing. At one point I fingered the baddie (so what if he was one of five people I suspected), but had absolutely no idea of the baddie’s “why.” I really wonder if anyone reading this book can figure it all out before the end. The little clues, reveals, and twists had me totally captivated, which led to a deeply enjoyable reading experience. The ending was well done and left me mourning the loss of further contact with these characters until next time.
It’s a no brainer for me to urge all crime fiction/thriller fans that have not sampled this series to grab a copy of book one, Silent Scream. These books are best read in order. Warning, you may find yourself wanting to binge read all nine. Yes, they are that compelling.
Thank you, Ms. Marsons, for continuing to pour your heart and soul into Kim and her police family. Here’s to a decades-long writing career for you!
Book 9 in the DI Kim Stone series is yet another feather in the cap for Angela Marsons. This author amazes me with her ability to keep this series enthralling and fresh. This installment focuses on the team’s recovery from a disastrous last case featured in book 8, Dying Truth. It also features an exceptionally clever (even for Ms. Marsons) crime/thriller plot.
As usual the character work is phenomenal! I was pleased to see Stacey again take on a larger role in the story; in fact, she had her own arc. And as something new, we see friction between Kim and Bryant as they try to recover from prior events. Again we have a deeply psychological angle, this time featuring Kim and not Dr. Alexandra Stone, but Kim and her longtime supporter Ted. We are presented with some extraordinarily poignant moments here. I especially loved Ted’s scene in the final chapter.
The story kept me guessing. At one point I fingered the baddie (so what if he was one of five people I suspected), but had absolutely no idea of the baddie’s “why.” I really wonder if anyone reading this book can figure it all out before the end. The little clues, reveals, and twists had me totally captivated, which led to a deeply enjoyable reading experience. The ending was well done and left me mourning the loss of further contact with these characters until next time.
It’s a no brainer for me to urge all crime fiction/thriller fans that have not sampled this series to grab a copy of book one, Silent Scream. These books are best read in order. Warning, you may find yourself wanting to binge read all nine. Yes, they are that compelling.
Thank you, Ms. Marsons, for continuing to pour your heart and soul into Kim and her police family. Here’s to a decades-long writing career for you!
September 23, 2018
Angela Marsons paints detailed psychological portraits of the heartbreaking effects of grief and how each person experiences it after the harrowing events from the last novel with the death of Kevin Dawson whilst saving the life of a young boy. This is the 9th in the brilliant DI Kim Stone series, and it is the grief writ large on the close knit police team that takes centre stage. They are practically family after all, the loss of the irreplaceable Kevin blows them off their feet as if a bomb has gone off, leaving in its wake the bewildering and painful emotional wreckage. The silence that pervades and hangs over the shell shocked team is palpable in its intensity and ferocity. Any new member of the team is going to be hit by the strong off kilter emotions that arise, and so it barely surprising that the incoming Penn is met with resentment and hostility.
However, life insists on continuing and they have the brutal murder of a familiar man in local woodland, Dr Gordon Cordell, to respond to and they have to find the inner strength to work as a team if they are going to get anywhere near to solving the murder. The son of Dr Cordell, Saul, is involved in a horrific car crash, but is it just an accident? Kim refuses to believe that this is coincidental. The suspicious death of a woman follows, and it is transparently clear that a dangerous serial killer roams large and planning to continue killing. Stacey finds herself looking at the disappearance of a fifteen year old girl. Kim is hurting as never before, barely resembling her old self, and this shows in her behaviour and her decisionmaking. Can the evidence unearthed in the investigation be trusted? In a story of twists and the unexpected, Kim and her vulnerable team are to be tested to their limits as they uncover connections to Russells Hall Hospital where Dr Cordell used to work.
Marsons does a superb job in showing the effects of grief on a group of people that I have invested in and come to know so well. So far, Kim's determined and focused team has worked so incredibly well, here it is fraying at the edges as conflict rears its head, and each of them must find their own path in coming to terms with the loss of Kevin. In the meantime, Kim struggles, robbed of her penetrating and insightful abilities, but this just adds to the humanity of her complicated persona, overburdened with the traumas she forced to bear. The team could not lose an integral member of their team without the fall out that is inevitably going to follow. This is a wonderful, if emotionally draining, addition to a great series and has me desperate to read the next. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
However, life insists on continuing and they have the brutal murder of a familiar man in local woodland, Dr Gordon Cordell, to respond to and they have to find the inner strength to work as a team if they are going to get anywhere near to solving the murder. The son of Dr Cordell, Saul, is involved in a horrific car crash, but is it just an accident? Kim refuses to believe that this is coincidental. The suspicious death of a woman follows, and it is transparently clear that a dangerous serial killer roams large and planning to continue killing. Stacey finds herself looking at the disappearance of a fifteen year old girl. Kim is hurting as never before, barely resembling her old self, and this shows in her behaviour and her decisionmaking. Can the evidence unearthed in the investigation be trusted? In a story of twists and the unexpected, Kim and her vulnerable team are to be tested to their limits as they uncover connections to Russells Hall Hospital where Dr Cordell used to work.
Marsons does a superb job in showing the effects of grief on a group of people that I have invested in and come to know so well. So far, Kim's determined and focused team has worked so incredibly well, here it is fraying at the edges as conflict rears its head, and each of them must find their own path in coming to terms with the loss of Kevin. In the meantime, Kim struggles, robbed of her penetrating and insightful abilities, but this just adds to the humanity of her complicated persona, overburdened with the traumas she forced to bear. The team could not lose an integral member of their team without the fall out that is inevitably going to follow. This is a wonderful, if emotionally draining, addition to a great series and has me desperate to read the next. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
April 4, 2019
Fatal Promises
takes place a few months after the tragic ending of
Dying Truth
. The team is in shambles, having been separated and dispatched to other units while Kim heals. Kim was cleared to return to work but she has not completely bounced back. She is in pain, weak and a bit off her game. Can the team pull it together amidst their shared grief and the unwelcome addition of a new team member to unravel their latest case?
Emotions run high in this installment to the series as the team deals with their emotions and grief. I particularly enjoyed Kim's interactions with Ted - a therapist with insight into her childhood. I love how Marsons peels back more of Kim's layers with each new book.
This book has two parallel storylines. While Kim and her team are investigating a surgeon's murder and subsequent linked crimes, Stacey is drawn to a missing girl investigation which is not all it seems. The mysteries were dark and disturbing but what I really enjoyed was how Marsons tackled this book with heart. The team displayed anger, denial and grief over the loss of one of their own. I found myself feeling much like they did over the loss - it was like a family stricken by the loss of a loved one. They know they have to move on but the journey is difficult and emotionally wrought.
Keep doing what you're doing Angela Marsons! This series continues to get better with each installment! Can't wait to see what you have in store for Kim, Bryant, Stacey and Penn next. Whatever it might be, one thing is for sure - I'll be along for the ride!
Thank you Angela Marsons, Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an arc of this book.
Emotions run high in this installment to the series as the team deals with their emotions and grief. I particularly enjoyed Kim's interactions with Ted - a therapist with insight into her childhood. I love how Marsons peels back more of Kim's layers with each new book.
This book has two parallel storylines. While Kim and her team are investigating a surgeon's murder and subsequent linked crimes, Stacey is drawn to a missing girl investigation which is not all it seems. The mysteries were dark and disturbing but what I really enjoyed was how Marsons tackled this book with heart. The team displayed anger, denial and grief over the loss of one of their own. I found myself feeling much like they did over the loss - it was like a family stricken by the loss of a loved one. They know they have to move on but the journey is difficult and emotionally wrought.
Keep doing what you're doing Angela Marsons! This series continues to get better with each installment! Can't wait to see what you have in store for Kim, Bryant, Stacey and Penn next. Whatever it might be, one thing is for sure - I'll be along for the ride!
Thank you Angela Marsons, Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an arc of this book.
September 13, 2018
There is no grief like the grief that does not speak.
It slides on silent feet just beyond the turn of the head. And it waits, cast away to the top shelf in the dark. It sits alone, but beckons with the promise of gaining your undivided attention when you least expect it.
Angela Marsons brings us full circle back to the heinous crimes in Dying Truth. D.I. Kim Stone and her squad of officers of the West Midlands Police must regroup while less intact. The empty desk in the corner is a painful reminder that DS Kevin Dawson, a solid member of this team, will no longer have his presence felt in this room or any other room. Dawson fell to his death from a high tower while saving the life of a young boy.
As dedicated readers, we feel that hush. Kim, Bryant, and Stacey move about with sealed lips. Somehow if you give a voice to it, it makes it real. And that kind of real is just too much to bear right now. Real is the harsh tones from a phone call reporting the body of murder victim, Dr. Gordon Cordell, in a nearby park. Soon the body of his son, Saul, will be found crushed beyond recognition in a highway accident. Fate or coincidence, either way, Kim and her team must gear up to the challenge.
Beyond anything, we've come to know that Angela Marsons crafts a story like no other. Every book in this series peels away a layer of Kim Stone, slowly and painstakingly. She is a complicated, multi-faceted individual who carries the bulk of her personal story under lock and key. In Fatal Promise, Kim has just had her cast removed from her broken leg. It will not sideline her. There's no time allowed to reflect or to pause. Automaticity takes charge and it's driven intensely from within.
Fatal Promise has us looking through windowpanes, up close and personal, at the changes that will evolve under trying circumstances within our familiar group here. Marsons touches her readers with a rush of humanity that reflects the real world out there. Dealing with the rawness of situations best left untouched. Angela Marsons, you've given it a name and made it so.
I received a copy of Fatal Promise through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to the highly talented Angela Marsons and to Bookouture for the opportunity.
It slides on silent feet just beyond the turn of the head. And it waits, cast away to the top shelf in the dark. It sits alone, but beckons with the promise of gaining your undivided attention when you least expect it.
Angela Marsons brings us full circle back to the heinous crimes in Dying Truth. D.I. Kim Stone and her squad of officers of the West Midlands Police must regroup while less intact. The empty desk in the corner is a painful reminder that DS Kevin Dawson, a solid member of this team, will no longer have his presence felt in this room or any other room. Dawson fell to his death from a high tower while saving the life of a young boy.
As dedicated readers, we feel that hush. Kim, Bryant, and Stacey move about with sealed lips. Somehow if you give a voice to it, it makes it real. And that kind of real is just too much to bear right now. Real is the harsh tones from a phone call reporting the body of murder victim, Dr. Gordon Cordell, in a nearby park. Soon the body of his son, Saul, will be found crushed beyond recognition in a highway accident. Fate or coincidence, either way, Kim and her team must gear up to the challenge.
Beyond anything, we've come to know that Angela Marsons crafts a story like no other. Every book in this series peels away a layer of Kim Stone, slowly and painstakingly. She is a complicated, multi-faceted individual who carries the bulk of her personal story under lock and key. In Fatal Promise, Kim has just had her cast removed from her broken leg. It will not sideline her. There's no time allowed to reflect or to pause. Automaticity takes charge and it's driven intensely from within.
Fatal Promise has us looking through windowpanes, up close and personal, at the changes that will evolve under trying circumstances within our familiar group here. Marsons touches her readers with a rush of humanity that reflects the real world out there. Dealing with the rawness of situations best left untouched. Angela Marsons, you've given it a name and made it so.
I received a copy of Fatal Promise through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to the highly talented Angela Marsons and to Bookouture for the opportunity.
October 4, 2018
4.5 "I'm not crying, YOU'RE CRYING" stars
Geez Angie, just rip my heart and stomp on it some more why dontcha?! ;) Seriously gang, I'm not sure of a current thriller writer who crafts such a well balanced novel. Sure, the plot is always engaging, tense, and filled with graphic violence that causes the reader to proceed with caution and bated breath, but the characters are just so fabulous. If you dare try to tell me this cast doesn't consist of real, live human beings, I'll fight you outside. *Hold my earrings* The fact that each installment of this series contains the full package would be an understatement, but if you've read even one of Marsons' DI Kim Stone novels, then you know precisely what I mean.
*Deep Breath* Guys, I thought I had healed from the last book, but I was wrong. The loss that the team suffered is felt throughout, and I thought the author did a fine job of conveying the journey of grief and how each person experiences it a little bit differently. My heart crumpled again and again as the old gang tried to avoid the elephant in the room, the whole "if we don't talk about it we can pretend like it never happened", and we feel it all because Angie has brought us in and made us a part of these stories and the character's lives.
I also appreciated how the case that the team is investigating in this book was a continuation of sorts from the previous installment; while it is very much it's own case, we see some repeat characters and have a wicked hard time trying to figure out who is offing these people and what the big picture behind it is. I don't want to say more than that, as it's much too fun trying to solve this case for me to ruin it for you, but long time fans of the series will rejoice in another stellar novel from the queen herself. If you're new to the series, I urge you to start back at the beginning with Silent Scream, as these books to build upon each other with the main cast's character development.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley.
Geez Angie, just rip my heart and stomp on it some more why dontcha?! ;) Seriously gang, I'm not sure of a current thriller writer who crafts such a well balanced novel. Sure, the plot is always engaging, tense, and filled with graphic violence that causes the reader to proceed with caution and bated breath, but the characters are just so fabulous. If you dare try to tell me this cast doesn't consist of real, live human beings, I'll fight you outside. *Hold my earrings* The fact that each installment of this series contains the full package would be an understatement, but if you've read even one of Marsons' DI Kim Stone novels, then you know precisely what I mean.
*Deep Breath* Guys, I thought I had healed from the last book, but I was wrong. The loss that the team suffered is felt throughout, and I thought the author did a fine job of conveying the journey of grief and how each person experiences it a little bit differently. My heart crumpled again and again as the old gang tried to avoid the elephant in the room, the whole "if we don't talk about it we can pretend like it never happened", and we feel it all because Angie has brought us in and made us a part of these stories and the character's lives.
I also appreciated how the case that the team is investigating in this book was a continuation of sorts from the previous installment; while it is very much it's own case, we see some repeat characters and have a wicked hard time trying to figure out who is offing these people and what the big picture behind it is. I don't want to say more than that, as it's much too fun trying to solve this case for me to ruin it for you, but long time fans of the series will rejoice in another stellar novel from the queen herself. If you're new to the series, I urge you to start back at the beginning with Silent Scream, as these books to build upon each other with the main cast's character development.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley.
October 20, 2018
I'm happy to report Angela Marsons' D.I. Kim Stone series just keeps getting better. Her very real characters keep growing and adapting to their changing circumstances even while dealing with new crimes which keeps the series interesting.
In this episode Kim and her team are dealing with the grief of losing one of their team, Kevin Dawson who tragically fell to his death while saving a child's life. For Kim her team is her family and losing Kevin hits her hard and makes her withdrawn and irascible. On top of that her broken leg is still recovering and she is pushing herself too hard physically. None of the team can believe that Kev is no longer there and are not yet ready to accept a new member, Austin Penn to the team. They'd worked with Penn before when he was seconded to their team and knew him as a good officer, but he wasn't Kevin so he knew he would have his work cut out if he wanted to win them over.
The case they are working on is a challenging one. A doctor found murdered in a park with little sign of a struggle, his son later critically injured in a serious car accident and the mother of a nurse found dead in her nursing home. Coincidences or somehow related? It takes a while for Kim and her team to unravel the clues and uncover the connections and reasons for their deaths. In the meantime, it was great to see Kim give Stacey permission to follow up on the unsolved case of a missing girl and see her tenacity pay off when she finds the real reason that the girl disappeared. By the end of the novel, Kim and her team are all in a better place and coming to terms with Kevin's absence. Can't wait for the next episode in this brilliant series!
With thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC to read
In this episode Kim and her team are dealing with the grief of losing one of their team, Kevin Dawson who tragically fell to his death while saving a child's life. For Kim her team is her family and losing Kevin hits her hard and makes her withdrawn and irascible. On top of that her broken leg is still recovering and she is pushing herself too hard physically. None of the team can believe that Kev is no longer there and are not yet ready to accept a new member, Austin Penn to the team. They'd worked with Penn before when he was seconded to their team and knew him as a good officer, but he wasn't Kevin so he knew he would have his work cut out if he wanted to win them over.
The case they are working on is a challenging one. A doctor found murdered in a park with little sign of a struggle, his son later critically injured in a serious car accident and the mother of a nurse found dead in her nursing home. Coincidences or somehow related? It takes a while for Kim and her team to unravel the clues and uncover the connections and reasons for their deaths. In the meantime, it was great to see Kim give Stacey permission to follow up on the unsolved case of a missing girl and see her tenacity pay off when she finds the real reason that the girl disappeared. By the end of the novel, Kim and her team are all in a better place and coming to terms with Kevin's absence. Can't wait for the next episode in this brilliant series!
With thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC to read
September 30, 2018
Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review.
The loss of a key player has hit DI Kim Stone's unit hard, and they are all dealing with their grief in his or her own way. Their investigative team had been closer than family, and the devastation is complete as they return to work down one member. This story is all about choices, then living with your decision knowing that the outcome will affect others. Do not make promises that cannot be kept.
There is no "going through the motions" with this author. Every book shines.
The loss of a key player has hit DI Kim Stone's unit hard, and they are all dealing with their grief in his or her own way. Their investigative team had been closer than family, and the devastation is complete as they return to work down one member. This story is all about choices, then living with your decision knowing that the outcome will affect others. Do not make promises that cannot be kept.
There is no "going through the motions" with this author. Every book shines.
November 19, 2018
EXCERPT: ...it is done.
The coffin is in the ground.
Hands land all over my back, reassuring, comforting. Some brief, some linger.
everyone wants to offer something, some indication, a token of their grief. They want me to know. They want me to share. They offer it as a gift of their own humanity.
And I don't give a fuck.
My comfort doesn't come from them.
Neither does it come from the knowledge of eternal peace.
It doesn't come from the platitudes and clichés, the well-wishers, cards, flowers or the phone calls. It doesn't come from the short time we had together.
It comes from the rage. It comes from the white, hot anger that burns in every pore of my body, every atom of my being.
My comfort comes from the plan.
My comfort comes from the knowledge. The knowledge that everyone responsible will die.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Eeeny meeny, miney, moe. Who lives, who dies only I know.
When the body of a doctor is discovered brutally murdered in local woodland, Detective Kim Stone is shocked to discover the victim is Gordon Cordell – a man linked to a previous case she worked on involving the death of a young school girl. Gordon has a chequered past, but who would want him dead?
As the investigation gets underway, Gordon’s son is involved in a horrific car crash which leaves him fighting for his life. Kim's sure this was no accident.
Then the body of a woman is found dead in suspicious circumstances and Kim makes a disturbing link between the victims and Russells Hall Hospital. The same hospital where Gordon worked.
With Kim and her team still grieving the loss of one of their own, they’re at their weakest and facing one of the most dangerous serial killers they’ve ever encountered. Everything is on the line. Can Kim keep her squad together and find the killer before he claims his next victim?
The killer is picking off his victims at a terrifying pace, and he’s not finished yet.
MY THOUGHTS: Angela Marsons, you have done it again. You had me in the opening paragraph and by the end of the prologue I would have cut off my arm rather than put this book down. Every time I start one of Marsons' books, I think that it can't possibly be as good as the preceding one, and every time I am proved wrong. Fatal Promise is no exception.
This is a book about choice, and has two parallel story lines. For while Kim's team is investigating a surgeon's murder, Stacey is continuing to investigate the case of a missing teenage girl, a case she was assigned to in the team she was working with while waiting for Kim to come back from her medical leave. At the same time the team is trying to regroup, coming together for the first time since Dawson's death, and the undercurrents of emotion from dealing (or not dealing) with the situation flow strong. I felt so sorry for Penn, the newcomer to the group, who bore the brunt of their anger for, although he had worked with them on a case previously, he has been proposed as Dawson's replacement, something none of them are yet comfortable with.
I love the way Marsons reveals little tidbits about her characters that make them all the more human, more believable. At the same time she weaves a dark and disturbing story of revenge and the inability of people to take responsibility for their own actions.
Although this is a series, the books could probably stand on their own, but why would anyone want to miss out on such a great series? Read. Them. All.
Not to be missed! 💕💖💕💖💕
THE AUTHOR: Angela is the author of the Kim Stone Crime series. She discovered a love of writing at Primary School when a short piece on the rocks and the sea gained her the only merit point she ever got.
Angela wrote the stories that burned inside and then stored them safely in a desk drawer.
After much urging from her partner she began to enter short story competitions in Writer's News resulting in a win and three short listed entries.
She used the Amazon KDP program to publish two of her earlier works before concentrating on her true passion - Crime.
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.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via NetGalley for providing a digital copy of Fatal Promise by Angela Marsons for review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
The coffin is in the ground.
Hands land all over my back, reassuring, comforting. Some brief, some linger.
everyone wants to offer something, some indication, a token of their grief. They want me to know. They want me to share. They offer it as a gift of their own humanity.
And I don't give a fuck.
My comfort doesn't come from them.
Neither does it come from the knowledge of eternal peace.
It doesn't come from the platitudes and clichés, the well-wishers, cards, flowers or the phone calls. It doesn't come from the short time we had together.
It comes from the rage. It comes from the white, hot anger that burns in every pore of my body, every atom of my being.
My comfort comes from the plan.
My comfort comes from the knowledge. The knowledge that everyone responsible will die.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Eeeny meeny, miney, moe. Who lives, who dies only I know.
When the body of a doctor is discovered brutally murdered in local woodland, Detective Kim Stone is shocked to discover the victim is Gordon Cordell – a man linked to a previous case she worked on involving the death of a young school girl. Gordon has a chequered past, but who would want him dead?
As the investigation gets underway, Gordon’s son is involved in a horrific car crash which leaves him fighting for his life. Kim's sure this was no accident.
Then the body of a woman is found dead in suspicious circumstances and Kim makes a disturbing link between the victims and Russells Hall Hospital. The same hospital where Gordon worked.
With Kim and her team still grieving the loss of one of their own, they’re at their weakest and facing one of the most dangerous serial killers they’ve ever encountered. Everything is on the line. Can Kim keep her squad together and find the killer before he claims his next victim?
The killer is picking off his victims at a terrifying pace, and he’s not finished yet.
MY THOUGHTS: Angela Marsons, you have done it again. You had me in the opening paragraph and by the end of the prologue I would have cut off my arm rather than put this book down. Every time I start one of Marsons' books, I think that it can't possibly be as good as the preceding one, and every time I am proved wrong. Fatal Promise is no exception.
This is a book about choice, and has two parallel story lines. For while Kim's team is investigating a surgeon's murder, Stacey is continuing to investigate the case of a missing teenage girl, a case she was assigned to in the team she was working with while waiting for Kim to come back from her medical leave. At the same time the team is trying to regroup, coming together for the first time since Dawson's death, and the undercurrents of emotion from dealing (or not dealing) with the situation flow strong. I felt so sorry for Penn, the newcomer to the group, who bore the brunt of their anger for, although he had worked with them on a case previously, he has been proposed as Dawson's replacement, something none of them are yet comfortable with.
I love the way Marsons reveals little tidbits about her characters that make them all the more human, more believable. At the same time she weaves a dark and disturbing story of revenge and the inability of people to take responsibility for their own actions.
Although this is a series, the books could probably stand on their own, but why would anyone want to miss out on such a great series? Read. Them. All.
Not to be missed! 💕💖💕💖💕
THE AUTHOR: Angela is the author of the Kim Stone Crime series. She discovered a love of writing at Primary School when a short piece on the rocks and the sea gained her the only merit point she ever got.
Angela wrote the stories that burned inside and then stored them safely in a desk drawer.
After much urging from her partner she began to enter short story competitions in Writer's News resulting in a win and three short listed entries.
She used the Amazon KDP program to publish two of her earlier works before concentrating on her true passion - Crime.
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.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via NetGalley for providing a digital copy of Fatal Promise by Angela Marsons for review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
October 14, 2018
D.I. Kim Stone #9. I highly recommend that you read book #8 in this series first if you haven't already ready it as it follows on form there.
Kim and her team are back. This story begins with a violent murder that has links to the previous case. They have a new team member but the team are still dealing with their grief from the previous case. They are also looking for a missing schoolgirl. The theme of this book is grief and how people react to their emotional pain in different ways. The murder case builds up slowly but is the team dealing with a serial killer? The victims keep coming, but just how are they connected?
There are two threads running though this story. The first one deals with a murder investigation and the second one deals with a missing teenager. This is a good crime thriller series that gets better with each new book. With its steady pace, gripping storyline, several twists and a great character list that keeps you turning the pages. We get a glimpse into Kim's life through her interactions with Ted, a therapist she's known since childhood. I like how we learn a Lottie more about Kim in each new book. This is a really enjoyable series.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Angela Marsons for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Kim and her team are back. This story begins with a violent murder that has links to the previous case. They have a new team member but the team are still dealing with their grief from the previous case. They are also looking for a missing schoolgirl. The theme of this book is grief and how people react to their emotional pain in different ways. The murder case builds up slowly but is the team dealing with a serial killer? The victims keep coming, but just how are they connected?
There are two threads running though this story. The first one deals with a murder investigation and the second one deals with a missing teenager. This is a good crime thriller series that gets better with each new book. With its steady pace, gripping storyline, several twists and a great character list that keeps you turning the pages. We get a glimpse into Kim's life through her interactions with Ted, a therapist she's known since childhood. I like how we learn a Lottie more about Kim in each new book. This is a really enjoyable series.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Angela Marsons for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 21, 2018
The ninth in the series takes up pretty much right after #8 finishes. Kim has just gotten the cast off her leg. The three remaining members of the team are back together but still adjusting to the loss of Dawson. Marsons does such a great job of expressing the team’s feelings of loss that we feel them equally. And the previous plot continues as the first victim they are handled was a doctor involved in the Heathcrest investigation.
Kim hasn’t learned anything. She continues to push herself too far, disobeying doctor’s orders. Look up the definition of bullheaded in the dictionary and there’s a picture of Kim beside it. As with all the prior books, the interaction between the team supersedes the mystery. Which is saying something, because it’s not like the murder mystery is light or easy to solve.
This is a book you’re not going to want to put down. It just keeps clicking along. I had no idea who was behind the murders, despite hearing from the murderer every few chapters. On the other hand, Stacy is given her own case and that one I had figured out early on.
If you’re a fan of Angela Marsons, you’ll be pleased with this one. If you’re new to her works, I encourage you to read them in order and envy you having them all ahead of you.
My thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of this book.
November 18, 2018
Kim Stone is perhaps one of the most flawed human beings ever to carry a warrant card in British fiction. I am not the first, nor will I be the last, to love her. In
Fatal Promise
, Angela Marsons shows us the flaws of others on Inspector Stone’s team. We understand their behavior. They’ve recently lost a valuable team member who was near and dear to them. Now they have a replacement assigned to the team. He’s a good cop, someone they already know, but he’s not the guy they lost.
Kim is just getting out of a cast and is hobbling about on a very sore leg, thanks to the injury she suffered in the same terrible tragedy that took the life of a trusted colleague. Now she must regroup and catch a killer. Never mind the rules and restrictions that she is supposed to follow – psychological treatment, physical therapy, and light duty. Kim won’t be restricted. It’s not in her nature.
There is a killer to be caught. With Bryant at her side, and Stacy and newly assigned Penn in the office, her team chases down leads, gathers forensic evidence and interviews suspects. The killings continue.
In the past, Stone’s team has functioned like a well-oiled machine. With the loss of their friend and their boss on medical leave, the others were reassigned to other units. Now, nothing is the same. Kim and Bryant are snapping at one another, Stacy is acting way out of character, and Penn, the new kid on the block, is taking it all like a trooper. Kim should be acting like a supervisor and be the mature mediator in this scenario, but her people skills are not that well developed. Fortunately, she does have some redeeming qualities. She is an excellent police investigator – most of the time. This time, however, even her instincts are a bit off. Can she recover in time to nab the killer before he kills even more victims?
What I really liked about this book was the way these guys all handled their grief. They displayed anger and denial. They took out their sense of loss on each other. Kim basically shuts down and refuses to talk, except possibly to Ted, her long-time go-to therapist. We are not privy to most of their talks, but we do know that she sees him on multiple occasions in lieu of going to the police psychologist. Stacy is quite rude to Penn, who had spent time with these guys on another case. He knew what he was getting into, and he just goes with the flow. I found him to be quite likable.
My other favorite part is the arc about Stacy’s missing girl case. Kim pushes her to use her skills and her instincts, and she does. More than that, she must figure out a way to adjust to Penn being in her world. In doing so, she must face her own feelings and own up to her bad behavior. Can she accept a new team member, or will she try to go it alone? This aspect of the story was extremely well done.
When a pair of suspects emerge, it’s not too difficult to figure out where the plot is going. But it’s the journey that makes reading it so worthwhile. These characters know each other so well; yet, it takes a tremendous challenge like the one they are living for them to realize that there is still much they don’t know. These guys are more than co-workers, more than colleagues. They are family. They have each other’s backs. They disagree and squabble. But they care, more than they will admit sometimes. Angela Marsons makes me care, too. Angela, please don’t kill off any more of these guys!
5 stars
Kim is just getting out of a cast and is hobbling about on a very sore leg, thanks to the injury she suffered in the same terrible tragedy that took the life of a trusted colleague. Now she must regroup and catch a killer. Never mind the rules and restrictions that she is supposed to follow – psychological treatment, physical therapy, and light duty. Kim won’t be restricted. It’s not in her nature.
There is a killer to be caught. With Bryant at her side, and Stacy and newly assigned Penn in the office, her team chases down leads, gathers forensic evidence and interviews suspects. The killings continue.
In the past, Stone’s team has functioned like a well-oiled machine. With the loss of their friend and their boss on medical leave, the others were reassigned to other units. Now, nothing is the same. Kim and Bryant are snapping at one another, Stacy is acting way out of character, and Penn, the new kid on the block, is taking it all like a trooper. Kim should be acting like a supervisor and be the mature mediator in this scenario, but her people skills are not that well developed. Fortunately, she does have some redeeming qualities. She is an excellent police investigator – most of the time. This time, however, even her instincts are a bit off. Can she recover in time to nab the killer before he kills even more victims?
What I really liked about this book was the way these guys all handled their grief. They displayed anger and denial. They took out their sense of loss on each other. Kim basically shuts down and refuses to talk, except possibly to Ted, her long-time go-to therapist. We are not privy to most of their talks, but we do know that she sees him on multiple occasions in lieu of going to the police psychologist. Stacy is quite rude to Penn, who had spent time with these guys on another case. He knew what he was getting into, and he just goes with the flow. I found him to be quite likable.
My other favorite part is the arc about Stacy’s missing girl case. Kim pushes her to use her skills and her instincts, and she does. More than that, she must figure out a way to adjust to Penn being in her world. In doing so, she must face her own feelings and own up to her bad behavior. Can she accept a new team member, or will she try to go it alone? This aspect of the story was extremely well done.
When a pair of suspects emerge, it’s not too difficult to figure out where the plot is going. But it’s the journey that makes reading it so worthwhile. These characters know each other so well; yet, it takes a tremendous challenge like the one they are living for them to realize that there is still much they don’t know. These guys are more than co-workers, more than colleagues. They are family. They have each other’s backs. They disagree and squabble. But they care, more than they will admit sometimes. Angela Marsons makes me care, too. Angela, please don’t kill off any more of these guys!
5 stars
June 16, 2021
This story is directly tied to the one preceding it, Dying Truth, and I highly recommend for those who read out of order to read that one first.
After the devastation of the last case where Kim was seriously injured and her team fractured, she returns to work after a six-week absence, bringing them back together for the first time. The weight of what happened hangs heavily over all of them but Kim quickly gets them in action on their new case. When she and Bryant arrive at the crime scene, they discover the victim is Dr. Gordon Cordell, the gynecologist who was tied to their last investigation involving Heathcrest Academy and the secret society. Meanwhile, Stacey independently decides to continue her probe into the disappearance of a 15-year old girl, Jessie Ryan, who her last division had virtually decided to ignore.
The cases consumed the team but always in the background was the loss they failed to confront but couldn’t be ignored. That failure showed up in several different ways, most notably a serious friction between Kim and Bryant. They appeared to agree on so very little involving the case, which impaired their ability to gain clarity about the suspects. Austin Penn from West Mercia was also assigned to help out the team and Stacey’s resentment was palpable, turning her into someone we hadn’t seen before even while her side investigation gained traction.
Marsons again showed her incredible skill at digging deep into the psyches of her characters in an extraordinary manner while maintaining the mystery and suspense of the cases they’re investigating. Both were challenging with unexpected, twisty outcomes and I was completely engaged from beginning to end. The exciting climaxes also brought the team back together in a way that brought healing and a new path forward. This was an outstanding story that narrator Jan Cramer again elevated skillfully, delivering another great performance.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
After the devastation of the last case where Kim was seriously injured and her team fractured, she returns to work after a six-week absence, bringing them back together for the first time. The weight of what happened hangs heavily over all of them but Kim quickly gets them in action on their new case. When she and Bryant arrive at the crime scene, they discover the victim is Dr. Gordon Cordell, the gynecologist who was tied to their last investigation involving Heathcrest Academy and the secret society. Meanwhile, Stacey independently decides to continue her probe into the disappearance of a 15-year old girl, Jessie Ryan, who her last division had virtually decided to ignore.
The cases consumed the team but always in the background was the loss they failed to confront but couldn’t be ignored. That failure showed up in several different ways, most notably a serious friction between Kim and Bryant. They appeared to agree on so very little involving the case, which impaired their ability to gain clarity about the suspects. Austin Penn from West Mercia was also assigned to help out the team and Stacey’s resentment was palpable, turning her into someone we hadn’t seen before even while her side investigation gained traction.
Marsons again showed her incredible skill at digging deep into the psyches of her characters in an extraordinary manner while maintaining the mystery and suspense of the cases they’re investigating. Both were challenging with unexpected, twisty outcomes and I was completely engaged from beginning to end. The exciting climaxes also brought the team back together in a way that brought healing and a new path forward. This was an outstanding story that narrator Jan Cramer again elevated skillfully, delivering another great performance.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
August 1, 2025
Book nine in the D.I.Kim Stone series, and every book is a winner so far.
Fatal Promise is a complex and emotional story of many murders where the team needs to be in top form and working together. This at a time when they are all separately grieving with the death of one of their own.
It is a great story, full of action and skilled police work. I wished that Kim as the leader of the group could have behaved better especially to the newest recruit but still five stars for a really exciting mystery with a clever conclusion. Looking forward to #10.
Fatal Promise is a complex and emotional story of many murders where the team needs to be in top form and working together. This at a time when they are all separately grieving with the death of one of their own.
It is a great story, full of action and skilled police work. I wished that Kim as the leader of the group could have behaved better especially to the newest recruit but still five stars for a really exciting mystery with a clever conclusion. Looking forward to #10.
October 16, 2018
To Detective Kim Stone’s mind, the removal of the plaster cast from her leg meant she was fit for work again. It wasn’t that simple. But murder didn’t stop for anyone and Kim’s first day back at work – desk duties; not likely – found them heading to a nearby woodland where the body of a person linked to their previous case – the case where she was injured and one of their own was lost – had been brutally murdered.
Doctor Gordon Cordell's death was the beginning of a horror run of murders. The killer was obviously in a hurry to fulfil his fantasy; it was up to Kim and her team of Bryant, Stacey and the new detective to stop him in his tracks. But could they? The evidence was strong – so strong it seemed they were missing something.
Meanwhile Kim as well as her team, weren’t coping with the grief they had bottled inside. Was it hindering the investigation? Was Kim losing her team who were as close to her as to be family?
Fatal Promise is the 9th in the DI Kim Stone series and just as intense and fast paced as the previous eight have been! What a brilliant series! Twists; turns; red herrings littering the investigation – plus the deep emotion that rippled through the book – meant I flew through this one and can’t wait for #10! Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Doctor Gordon Cordell's death was the beginning of a horror run of murders. The killer was obviously in a hurry to fulfil his fantasy; it was up to Kim and her team of Bryant, Stacey and the new detective to stop him in his tracks. But could they? The evidence was strong – so strong it seemed they were missing something.
Meanwhile Kim as well as her team, weren’t coping with the grief they had bottled inside. Was it hindering the investigation? Was Kim losing her team who were as close to her as to be family?
Fatal Promise is the 9th in the DI Kim Stone series and just as intense and fast paced as the previous eight have been! What a brilliant series! Twists; turns; red herrings littering the investigation – plus the deep emotion that rippled through the book – meant I flew through this one and can’t wait for #10! Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
October 25, 2018
Has it ever happened to you to wish you had a third arm while washing the dishes, or vacuuming or cooking or feeding your baby or holding your child or whatever “unimportant and mundane” task you’re supposed to do? An extra arm, which would hold the book you just can’t put down, so you would be able to read on without interruptions?
Well, I have! And Angela Marsons’ books are of those “third arm” kind of books. Un-put-down-able.
In fact, I don’t even waste precious time reading the synopsis or other reviews. I just know it is going to be excellent.
A doctor is murdered brutally. His son dies in a car crash while returning home to console his mother. An old woman’s body is found, her death anything but natural.
Are these cases all linked together? Are they the work of a deranged serial killer? If so, what is the motive? And Who could be next?
Thanks to Angela Marsons, Bookouture and the NetGalley for providing me with a copy.
Well, I have! And Angela Marsons’ books are of those “third arm” kind of books. Un-put-down-able.
In fact, I don’t even waste precious time reading the synopsis or other reviews. I just know it is going to be excellent.
A doctor is murdered brutally. His son dies in a car crash while returning home to console his mother. An old woman’s body is found, her death anything but natural.
Are these cases all linked together? Are they the work of a deranged serial killer? If so, what is the motive? And Who could be next?
Thanks to Angela Marsons, Bookouture and the NetGalley for providing me with a copy.
October 25, 2018
9th in the series, and the 9th 5 star rating!
I think I'm running out of wonderful things to say about this author, and this series!!
DI Kim Stone and her team have become like family. The character development and backstory provided with each book has really made them come alive. Marsons has made me feel their pain, laugh at their jokes, and enjoy their working relationships that are the foundation to making this series so successful.
Keep 'em coming Angela, I'm already going through withdrawals!
ARC provided by NetGalley
I think I'm running out of wonderful things to say about this author, and this series!!
DI Kim Stone and her team have become like family. The character development and backstory provided with each book has really made them come alive. Marsons has made me feel their pain, laugh at their jokes, and enjoy their working relationships that are the foundation to making this series so successful.
Keep 'em coming Angela, I'm already going through withdrawals!
ARC provided by NetGalley
October 21, 2018
Another masterpiece
After the events of book 8, it was difficult to believe that even Angela Marsons could follow that but yet again she has exceeded expectations. Yet more character development especially Stacey. The banter between her and Bryant is so natural, love the comment early on about her not being able to drive, and Bryant saying something like oh you mean because of your injury. It's better in context. Her team really are more like a family.
I am getting a bit worried though, all the books are set close to where I live, but the first body was discovered less than 2 miles from me this time. At this rate they will be in my road!
Book 10, very soon please.
After the events of book 8, it was difficult to believe that even Angela Marsons could follow that but yet again she has exceeded expectations. Yet more character development especially Stacey. The banter between her and Bryant is so natural, love the comment early on about her not being able to drive, and Bryant saying something like oh you mean because of your injury. It's better in context. Her team really are more like a family.
I am getting a bit worried though, all the books are set close to where I live, but the first body was discovered less than 2 miles from me this time. At this rate they will be in my road!
Book 10, very soon please.
April 8, 2020
4 STARS!
It was good to get back to the D.I. Kim Stone series! It’s been awhile since I’ve read the last book in the series and Fatal Promise was a great addition to the series.
Fatal Promise starts off with D.I. Kim Stone’s detective squad dealing with tough issues, both professionally and emotionally. I won’t get into the details because the topic is a serious spoiler for the previous book, Dying Truth.
Stone and crew get the case of a murder investigation of a famous surgeon. Gordon Cordell is discovered dead in a park with multiple stab wounds in his abdomen. The case not only heads in a direction with the surgeon’s family but also looks into details that are happening at the hospital.
Angela Marsons does a great job with keeping us in suspense with the case along with characterization. You have no idea who the killer is until the end!
The characters in this series also feel like family. Their struggles are your struggles and you really want them to succeed in getting justice for the murdered victims. You also just want them to be happy in life! Kudos Marsons on writing excellent and flawed characters to love!
Definitely recommend this series if you love the crime detective genre.
I have been impressed with every book that I’ve read in this series. There hasn’t been a bad book yet!
It was good to get back to the D.I. Kim Stone series! It’s been awhile since I’ve read the last book in the series and Fatal Promise was a great addition to the series.
Fatal Promise starts off with D.I. Kim Stone’s detective squad dealing with tough issues, both professionally and emotionally. I won’t get into the details because the topic is a serious spoiler for the previous book, Dying Truth.
Stone and crew get the case of a murder investigation of a famous surgeon. Gordon Cordell is discovered dead in a park with multiple stab wounds in his abdomen. The case not only heads in a direction with the surgeon’s family but also looks into details that are happening at the hospital.
Angela Marsons does a great job with keeping us in suspense with the case along with characterization. You have no idea who the killer is until the end!
The characters in this series also feel like family. Their struggles are your struggles and you really want them to succeed in getting justice for the murdered victims. You also just want them to be happy in life! Kudos Marsons on writing excellent and flawed characters to love!
Definitely recommend this series if you love the crime detective genre.
I have been impressed with every book that I’ve read in this series. There hasn’t been a bad book yet!
September 14, 2018
This book is all about the fallout from the previous instalment, so if you haven't read that SHOCKER, go do that first...
Most of all, this is about grief and how people process it in ways of which they may or may not be truly conscious. Kim, especially, is not herself. And yet this not-Kim is where Angela Marsons has done her best work, because every action, every snap, every bad choice is so clearly different from the Kim we know, the character the author has revealed piece by piece over the last 8 books, that it's possible to actually feel her pain and confusion and rejection, to know the reasons for it better than she does. Of course, we're not the only ones. Bryant and Ted see her just as clearly- they're the walls she batters herself against here, and they're not about to let her fall. Loss is just as effectively wrought in Stacey, whose sibling-esque relationship with Dawson was portrayed most strongly when he sat protectively outside her house following her near death* brush with racist killers in a previous book (Dead Souls), threatening his own family ties to do so. The strength she finds in her work and the support of those around her is, once again, essential to moving forwards and shows how much each person in this group needs each other. Every tentative step along the stages of grief are so individual, so right for each character that you can do nothing but work through it with them and hope for the best. The team have always been the heart of this series and this is where we find out whether the braking of it in Dying Truth can ever be overcome. The gap made by Dawson won't be filled by anyone, of course, even when someone new arrives to take up that place...
Obviously, there's more going on than that, with an engaging dual plot about the death of a character from the last book as well as a missing girl. I guessed the answers to both of them this time, but that didn't stop me enjoying the hell out of it all anyway. As ever, I had a great time and am looking forward to seeing just what else the author can throw at me.
ARC via Netgalley
*As I was typing this, I realised just how much death and near-death has been going on with this lot. For God's sake Angela, give the poor team a break... ;))
Most of all, this is about grief and how people process it in ways of which they may or may not be truly conscious. Kim, especially, is not herself. And yet this not-Kim is where Angela Marsons has done her best work, because every action, every snap, every bad choice is so clearly different from the Kim we know, the character the author has revealed piece by piece over the last 8 books, that it's possible to actually feel her pain and confusion and rejection, to know the reasons for it better than she does. Of course, we're not the only ones. Bryant and Ted see her just as clearly- they're the walls she batters herself against here, and they're not about to let her fall. Loss is just as effectively wrought in Stacey, whose sibling-esque relationship with Dawson was portrayed most strongly when he sat protectively outside her house following her near death* brush with racist killers in a previous book (Dead Souls), threatening his own family ties to do so. The strength she finds in her work and the support of those around her is, once again, essential to moving forwards and shows how much each person in this group needs each other. Every tentative step along the stages of grief are so individual, so right for each character that you can do nothing but work through it with them and hope for the best. The team have always been the heart of this series and this is where we find out whether the braking of it in Dying Truth can ever be overcome. The gap made by Dawson won't be filled by anyone, of course, even when someone new arrives to take up that place...
Obviously, there's more going on than that, with an engaging dual plot about the death of a character from the last book as well as a missing girl. I guessed the answers to both of them this time, but that didn't stop me enjoying the hell out of it all anyway. As ever, I had a great time and am looking forward to seeing just what else the author can throw at me.
ARC via Netgalley
*As I was typing this, I realised just how much death and near-death has been going on with this lot. For God's sake Angela, give the poor team a break... ;))
September 26, 2018
'Fatal Promise' is the 9th book in the DI Kim Stone series by author Angela Marsons.
Prior to starting this series around 3 years ago I had never heard of author Angela Marsons but something inspired me to read the first book 'Silent Scream' and I was hooked. This is such a good series of books and is full of all the ingredients required, strong interesting characters, well thought out plots and excellent paced writing.
This book emphasises the strength of the characters as they try to cope with losing one of their own. DS Kevin Dawson lost his life when he fell to his death while trying to save a young boy and now all his colleagues must resume their duties without him. Kim Stone is back and still recovering from her broken leg but she is not the sort to take the easy option and against recommendations returns to work. The body of Doctor Gordon Cordell is discovered brutally murdered in local woodland, he was previously linked to a previous case Kim worked on involving the death of a young school girl. Gordon has a chequered past so there are a number of people who would like to see him dead. Gordon Cordell's son is then involved in a horrific car crash which leaves him fighting for his life and Kim doesn't believe in coincidences and suspects it was no accident. Following the accident a woman is found dead in suspicious circumstances and Kim makes a link between the victims and Russell's Hall Hospital. The same hospital where Gordon worked.
This is such a good series I would highly recommend you start from book 1 and get to know all the characters and the sub plots.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Prior to starting this series around 3 years ago I had never heard of author Angela Marsons but something inspired me to read the first book 'Silent Scream' and I was hooked. This is such a good series of books and is full of all the ingredients required, strong interesting characters, well thought out plots and excellent paced writing.
This book emphasises the strength of the characters as they try to cope with losing one of their own. DS Kevin Dawson lost his life when he fell to his death while trying to save a young boy and now all his colleagues must resume their duties without him. Kim Stone is back and still recovering from her broken leg but she is not the sort to take the easy option and against recommendations returns to work. The body of Doctor Gordon Cordell is discovered brutally murdered in local woodland, he was previously linked to a previous case Kim worked on involving the death of a young school girl. Gordon has a chequered past so there are a number of people who would like to see him dead. Gordon Cordell's son is then involved in a horrific car crash which leaves him fighting for his life and Kim doesn't believe in coincidences and suspects it was no accident. Following the accident a woman is found dead in suspicious circumstances and Kim makes a link between the victims and Russell's Hall Hospital. The same hospital where Gordon worked.
This is such a good series I would highly recommend you start from book 1 and get to know all the characters and the sub plots.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
October 25, 2018
FATAL PROMISE is the 9th book in the D.I. Kim Stone Series by Angela Marsons. I have been hooked on this series right from the beginning, and never want them to end. This series is like watching a novella, and getting reacquainted with the characters we love so dearly. This novel, races along at an amazing speed, full of twists and turns, totally gripping the reader for the suspense ride from beginning to end. I kept flipping the pages as I had to know what had happened. I loved it!
This novel picks up from the previous novel, Dying Truth, where DI Kim Stone and her team of officers of the West Midlands Police Department, must deal with the loss of one of their own.
The loss is intense, and holds a special place in the heart of each one of the remaining team colleagues. Kim, Bryant and Stacey must move on. And what makes matters worse, is that the temporary replacement-Penn, comes in above Stacey as a sergeant while Stacey is a constable. Stacey and Penn are both excellent at data mining, while Kim works well with her trusted friend, Bryant. In Fatal Promise, Kim has just had her cast removed from her broken leg, but her team and the cases to follow will not slow her down.
When the body of a doctor is discovered brutally murdered in local woodland, Detective Kim Stone is shocked to discover the victim is Gordon Cordell – a man linked to a previous case she worked on involving the death of a young school girl. Gordon has a checkered past, but who would want him dead?
But then Gordon’s son, Saul is involved in a horrific car crash which leaves him fighting for his life. Another accident?
Then the body of a woman is found dead and Kim makes a link between the victims and Russells Hall Hospital. The same hospital where Gordon worked.
The strength of this novel lies in the characters, and how they each deal with the loss of one of their own, and how would they cope with this loss and regroup. It is a family mourning the loss of one of their own. But Kim must keep her squad together and find the killer before he claims his next victim?
I am not going to say anymore as I don’t want to give the plot away, but this is a very riveting and powerful story. I loved it. This is such a good series I would highly recommend you start from book 1 and get acquainted with all the characters and enjoy the ride.… I don’t think you will be disappointed.
The killer is picking off his victims…Eeeny meeny, miney, moe. Who lives, who dies!
Many thanks to Bookouture via Net Galley for my digital copy.
This novel picks up from the previous novel, Dying Truth, where DI Kim Stone and her team of officers of the West Midlands Police Department, must deal with the loss of one of their own.
The loss is intense, and holds a special place in the heart of each one of the remaining team colleagues. Kim, Bryant and Stacey must move on. And what makes matters worse, is that the temporary replacement-Penn, comes in above Stacey as a sergeant while Stacey is a constable. Stacey and Penn are both excellent at data mining, while Kim works well with her trusted friend, Bryant. In Fatal Promise, Kim has just had her cast removed from her broken leg, but her team and the cases to follow will not slow her down.
When the body of a doctor is discovered brutally murdered in local woodland, Detective Kim Stone is shocked to discover the victim is Gordon Cordell – a man linked to a previous case she worked on involving the death of a young school girl. Gordon has a checkered past, but who would want him dead?
But then Gordon’s son, Saul is involved in a horrific car crash which leaves him fighting for his life. Another accident?
Then the body of a woman is found dead and Kim makes a link between the victims and Russells Hall Hospital. The same hospital where Gordon worked.
The strength of this novel lies in the characters, and how they each deal with the loss of one of their own, and how would they cope with this loss and regroup. It is a family mourning the loss of one of their own. But Kim must keep her squad together and find the killer before he claims his next victim?
I am not going to say anymore as I don’t want to give the plot away, but this is a very riveting and powerful story. I loved it. This is such a good series I would highly recommend you start from book 1 and get acquainted with all the characters and enjoy the ride.… I don’t think you will be disappointed.
The killer is picking off his victims…Eeeny meeny, miney, moe. Who lives, who dies!
Many thanks to Bookouture via Net Galley for my digital copy.
November 18, 2018
Nice addition/continuum to the Kim Stone series. I had a couple of mini-issues that had no effect on my rating, and they’re not worth revealing really. I’m looking forward to the next installment!
October 3, 2018
After a couple of average reads I neededed something that I knew would not let me down and be brilliant. Angela Marson's Kim Stone series always fits that bill. After the shock that was the ending of book 8 Dying Truth I was desperate to read book 9 but at the same time I wasn't sure if I was ready to move on. I am so glad I picked this up and devoured it over 2 nights.
With the team still grieving the loss of one of their own life still must go on. And the murders keep coming. This time when Kim arrives at the scene she realises that the body is that of Gordon Cordell who had links with the teams previous case. In the following days Gordon's son is involved in a serious car crash and a women also with ties to him is found murdered. What is going on and why are these victims all linked. The team has to pull together with their new team member who they are struggling with not being Kev. They are all dealing with their loss in their own way and Kim is also still physically recovering.
I love this series! Kim is a complex character that you just have to admire. She is tough and honest but deep down she is struggling more that she will ever admit to. Penn has to try his best to become part of a team who just want Kev back.
Big thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read and enjoy. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
With the team still grieving the loss of one of their own life still must go on. And the murders keep coming. This time when Kim arrives at the scene she realises that the body is that of Gordon Cordell who had links with the teams previous case. In the following days Gordon's son is involved in a serious car crash and a women also with ties to him is found murdered. What is going on and why are these victims all linked. The team has to pull together with their new team member who they are struggling with not being Kev. They are all dealing with their loss in their own way and Kim is also still physically recovering.
I love this series! Kim is a complex character that you just have to admire. She is tough and honest but deep down she is struggling more that she will ever admit to. Penn has to try his best to become part of a team who just want Kev back.
Big thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read and enjoy. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
September 27, 2018
I can't believe we are onto the ninth book in the Detective Kim Stone series already! What a book it is to! I would highly recommend you at least read book eight before reading this one as the team are still dealing with the loss of one of their own and think readers would benefit from fully knowing what happens in the previous book.
There are actually two threads running throughout the story, one to do with a missing teenager and the other a murder investigation. Every so often the author throws a chapter in from the point of view of the killer of who we have no idea who it is. It really adds to the suspense and mystery as well as chilled me seeing how determined they are on killing people.
I like how the author doesn't just brush under the carpet the loss of one of the team members. I wouldn't say it was good to see how the rest of the team are still coming to terms with it, but it does make it more believable and at times it makes for some emotional reading. In too many other books, it's almost as if that character had never been there and I much preferred them still being spoke about so that the reader can grieve alongside the characters, as come on, we know how we all can get attached to them also.
Penn is the replacement and boy does he have big boots to fill. I felt really sorry for him as the team are struggling with having someone new on the team and don't give him the warmest of welcomes. I loved his background story as we get to know more about him and he soon earned a place in my heart.
Fatal Promise is just a brilliant book, plain and simple. The author packs so much more than I could ever hope for in her books making it an exhilarating reading experience. I keep thinking that she won't be able to top her previous book yet time and time again she has proven me wrong by not only delivering but smashing my expectations. Loved it.
My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
There are actually two threads running throughout the story, one to do with a missing teenager and the other a murder investigation. Every so often the author throws a chapter in from the point of view of the killer of who we have no idea who it is. It really adds to the suspense and mystery as well as chilled me seeing how determined they are on killing people.
I like how the author doesn't just brush under the carpet the loss of one of the team members. I wouldn't say it was good to see how the rest of the team are still coming to terms with it, but it does make it more believable and at times it makes for some emotional reading. In too many other books, it's almost as if that character had never been there and I much preferred them still being spoke about so that the reader can grieve alongside the characters, as come on, we know how we all can get attached to them also.
Penn is the replacement and boy does he have big boots to fill. I felt really sorry for him as the team are struggling with having someone new on the team and don't give him the warmest of welcomes. I loved his background story as we get to know more about him and he soon earned a place in my heart.
Fatal Promise is just a brilliant book, plain and simple. The author packs so much more than I could ever hope for in her books making it an exhilarating reading experience. I keep thinking that she won't be able to top her previous book yet time and time again she has proven me wrong by not only delivering but smashing my expectations. Loved it.
My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
August 29, 2024
Laatste belofte is intussen het negende deel al van de Kim Stone reeks en gaat verder waar het achtste deel Verborgen waarheid gestopt was. Het is dus zeker aan te raden om de voorgaande delen ook te lezen vooraleer aan dit verhaal te beginnen. Zo heb je meteen ook de boeiende karakterontwikkelingen mee en het is echt geen straf om boeken van Marsons te lezen. Ook in dit deel bewijst ze haar klasse.
Het verhaal draait voor een stuk om rouw en verlies en de emoties die elk teamlid ervaart na het verschrikkelijke dat er voorgevallen is in het vorige deel. Je ziet hoe iedereen anders reageert op hetgeen plaatsgevonden heeft, wat dit boek zeer menselijk laat aanvoelen. Naast het persoonlijke aspect is er natuurlijk nog altijd een moordzaak die onderzocht moet worden en ook hier is daar een ferme portie van aanwezig. Een deel van het team krijgt te maken met een personage uit het verleden en ook diens zoon speelt een rol van betekenis in dit verhaal. Stacey focust zich dan weer op de vermissing van een 15-jarige tiener. De spanning zit als vanouds goed en mede door de korte hoofdstukken raas je weer zo door het boek heen.
Marsons heeft duidelijk iets in haar pen zitten dat de lezer bij elk nieuw verhaal meesleept en waar de formule van blijft boeien. Het is dus zeker wenselijk dat ze snel een 10e deel uitbrengt in België zodat we weer verder kunnen genieten van Kim en haar team. Voor Laatste belofte geef ik graag 4 sterren.
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2024...
Het verhaal draait voor een stuk om rouw en verlies en de emoties die elk teamlid ervaart na het verschrikkelijke dat er voorgevallen is in het vorige deel. Je ziet hoe iedereen anders reageert op hetgeen plaatsgevonden heeft, wat dit boek zeer menselijk laat aanvoelen. Naast het persoonlijke aspect is er natuurlijk nog altijd een moordzaak die onderzocht moet worden en ook hier is daar een ferme portie van aanwezig. Een deel van het team krijgt te maken met een personage uit het verleden en ook diens zoon speelt een rol van betekenis in dit verhaal. Stacey focust zich dan weer op de vermissing van een 15-jarige tiener. De spanning zit als vanouds goed en mede door de korte hoofdstukken raas je weer zo door het boek heen.
Marsons heeft duidelijk iets in haar pen zitten dat de lezer bij elk nieuw verhaal meesleept en waar de formule van blijft boeien. Het is dus zeker wenselijk dat ze snel een 10e deel uitbrengt in België zodat we weer verder kunnen genieten van Kim en haar team. Voor Laatste belofte geef ik graag 4 sterren.
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2024...
December 15, 2018
Check out all of my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
FATAL PROMISE (D.I. Kim Stone #9) by Angela Marsons once again has an intriguing and thrilling series of crimes that need resolution, but this addition to the series also is heavily character driven as the team deals with the personal impact and upheaval from the previous book. NOTE: This book picks up almost immediately from the conclusion of Dying Truth (D.I. Kim Stone #8) and should definitely be read in order.
Kim has just had the cast removed from her broken leg and wants to get what remains of her team back together and get to work. She refuses to let her therapy and psychological evaluation slow her down when the brutally murdered body of Dr. Gordon Cordell, from her last case is found in a wooded park. She and Bryant have to uncover if this murder is tied to their last case or is this something new? When the bodies start adding up, they know they have a serial killer that needs to be stopped, but Kim is not her usual self and it is causing problems between herself and Bryant.
While Kim and Bryant are in the field, Stacy is also working a case of her own regarding a missing teen while dealing with a new team member in the desk across from her.
Kim, Bryant and Stacy are all working to solve their cases which are always full of twists and intrigue. This book though also has to deal with the tremendous grief from the last book for the characters as well as the readers. Kim returns to Ted, her therapist since childhood and we learn how she deals with her emotions. Bryant feels hurt over Kim’s silence while she is out on sick leave. He understands it, but it still causes friction between these two longtime friends. Stacy bottles up her grief and it affects her home life as well as being combative with the new member of the team. Ms. Marsons does an amazing job of dealing with each character’s individual grief and explaining Kim’s unique psychological make-up. The readers also get a look into the home life of the newest team member and why he is determined to stay and work to fit in with this team.
This book in the series is everything I was hoping for from this author and more!
Thanks very much to Bookouture and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC. This is an amazing series and cast of characters that I want to continue to read long into the future.
FATAL PROMISE (D.I. Kim Stone #9) by Angela Marsons once again has an intriguing and thrilling series of crimes that need resolution, but this addition to the series also is heavily character driven as the team deals with the personal impact and upheaval from the previous book. NOTE: This book picks up almost immediately from the conclusion of Dying Truth (D.I. Kim Stone #8) and should definitely be read in order.
Kim has just had the cast removed from her broken leg and wants to get what remains of her team back together and get to work. She refuses to let her therapy and psychological evaluation slow her down when the brutally murdered body of Dr. Gordon Cordell, from her last case is found in a wooded park. She and Bryant have to uncover if this murder is tied to their last case or is this something new? When the bodies start adding up, they know they have a serial killer that needs to be stopped, but Kim is not her usual self and it is causing problems between herself and Bryant.
While Kim and Bryant are in the field, Stacy is also working a case of her own regarding a missing teen while dealing with a new team member in the desk across from her.
Kim, Bryant and Stacy are all working to solve their cases which are always full of twists and intrigue. This book though also has to deal with the tremendous grief from the last book for the characters as well as the readers. Kim returns to Ted, her therapist since childhood and we learn how she deals with her emotions. Bryant feels hurt over Kim’s silence while she is out on sick leave. He understands it, but it still causes friction between these two longtime friends. Stacy bottles up her grief and it affects her home life as well as being combative with the new member of the team. Ms. Marsons does an amazing job of dealing with each character’s individual grief and explaining Kim’s unique psychological make-up. The readers also get a look into the home life of the newest team member and why he is determined to stay and work to fit in with this team.
This book in the series is everything I was hoping for from this author and more!
Thanks very much to Bookouture and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC. This is an amazing series and cast of characters that I want to continue to read long into the future.
October 17, 2018
I can not believe I’m sat here writing a review for the ninth book in the Kim Stone series, when I wrote my review for the first book Silent Scream I know I was really excited about what was then a new crime procedure series, and yet nine books on and it’s still a series that stimulates me. Angela Marsons writing goes from strength to strength and you can tell she is just as passionate about the series as her readers, each book has been very different, her characters are always ones I look forward to meeting up with again, they feel like life long friends as I’ve shared in their triumphs, despair and loss. One thing you can guarantee is Angela Marsons writing never disappoints and Fatal Promise is a brilliant addition to this unmissable series.
I’m not going to rehash the plot details as everything you need to know is in the book description, but I will say Kim and her team have their work cut out solving their latest case, and what an intriguing case it turns out to be. The dynamics within the team have changed due to events from Dying Truth (I still haven’t forgiven the author for that one!), which result in discord amongst the team, even Kim and team mate Bryant’s usual banter seems strained and fraught with tension, it doesn’t help matters when Penn joins the team, (a character we met in previous books in the series). Personally I feel he’s a worthy addition to the team and I’m hoping he’s going to become a regular fixture.
I thought I knew all there was to know about Kim Stone but I was wrong, the author explores Kim’s abusive past in further detail, and despite her pain and guilt which plays out in her behaviour towards others, the author still allows Kim’s sardonic humour to shine through. Kim Stone is definitely one of my favourite fictional Detectives, she’s complex, surly and yet she has hidden qualities that make her a very endearing and intriguing character.
Fatal Promise was everything I hoped it would be and more, with a cracking storyline that pretty much keeps the reader guessing to the final chapter. Every last page is packed with suspense, mystery and emotion, it’s a cliche but it’s a book I couldn’t bear to put down even for a few minutes. Each book in the series has been very different and I love the fact that Angela Marsons doesn’t always use the same formula so every book feels just as exciting as the first book in the series. Would I recommend this Fatal Promise? It’s a definite and resounding “yes” and if you haven’t read this series yet, why not? Seriously if you are a lover of crime fiction this is a series not to be missed.
All my reviews can be found at http://thebookreviewcafe.com
I’m not going to rehash the plot details as everything you need to know is in the book description, but I will say Kim and her team have their work cut out solving their latest case, and what an intriguing case it turns out to be. The dynamics within the team have changed due to events from Dying Truth (I still haven’t forgiven the author for that one!), which result in discord amongst the team, even Kim and team mate Bryant’s usual banter seems strained and fraught with tension, it doesn’t help matters when Penn joins the team, (a character we met in previous books in the series). Personally I feel he’s a worthy addition to the team and I’m hoping he’s going to become a regular fixture.
I thought I knew all there was to know about Kim Stone but I was wrong, the author explores Kim’s abusive past in further detail, and despite her pain and guilt which plays out in her behaviour towards others, the author still allows Kim’s sardonic humour to shine through. Kim Stone is definitely one of my favourite fictional Detectives, she’s complex, surly and yet she has hidden qualities that make her a very endearing and intriguing character.
Fatal Promise was everything I hoped it would be and more, with a cracking storyline that pretty much keeps the reader guessing to the final chapter. Every last page is packed with suspense, mystery and emotion, it’s a cliche but it’s a book I couldn’t bear to put down even for a few minutes. Each book in the series has been very different and I love the fact that Angela Marsons doesn’t always use the same formula so every book feels just as exciting as the first book in the series. Would I recommend this Fatal Promise? It’s a definite and resounding “yes” and if you haven’t read this series yet, why not? Seriously if you are a lover of crime fiction this is a series not to be missed.
All my reviews can be found at http://thebookreviewcafe.com
October 20, 2018
https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...
I have been a massive fan of this author's books since her first crime thriller, Silent Scream, was released and after the ending to the previous book, Dying Truth, I was excited to read this one but also a bit concerned as I knew that the dynamics of the team I have come to know and love would be changed, but I needn't have worried - Marsons had it all in the bag and has again produced a brilliant thriller!!
This book has two main story lines and I was really pleased to see that Stacey was given her own case to crack - she is a brilliant character and it was nice for her to pop in to the limelight!
The main plot for the story I thought was excellent. There were plenty of twists and I had the wrong "villain" for the majority of the story - the characters are so well developed, the pace was fast and thrilling and this is hands down this is my favourite crime series out there at the moment - it is a cracking story and I will be recommending this one over and over!!
This book would be best read after reading Dying Truth as it will contain spoilers, but if you don't want to read the full series it is fine to read as a stand alone as what has happened previously is covered, but my personally opinion and recommendation would be to read them all - they are all excellent stories!
Five stars from me for this one - it is a brilliant story, very well written and I read it the same evening it landed on my Kindle after bumping this one up above all other books I had to read on my list, I couldn't wait to get started! Can't wait for book 10!!
I have been a massive fan of this author's books since her first crime thriller, Silent Scream, was released and after the ending to the previous book, Dying Truth, I was excited to read this one but also a bit concerned as I knew that the dynamics of the team I have come to know and love would be changed, but I needn't have worried - Marsons had it all in the bag and has again produced a brilliant thriller!!
This book has two main story lines and I was really pleased to see that Stacey was given her own case to crack - she is a brilliant character and it was nice for her to pop in to the limelight!
The main plot for the story I thought was excellent. There were plenty of twists and I had the wrong "villain" for the majority of the story - the characters are so well developed, the pace was fast and thrilling and this is hands down this is my favourite crime series out there at the moment - it is a cracking story and I will be recommending this one over and over!!
This book would be best read after reading Dying Truth as it will contain spoilers, but if you don't want to read the full series it is fine to read as a stand alone as what has happened previously is covered, but my personally opinion and recommendation would be to read them all - they are all excellent stories!
Five stars from me for this one - it is a brilliant story, very well written and I read it the same evening it landed on my Kindle after bumping this one up above all other books I had to read on my list, I couldn't wait to get started! Can't wait for book 10!!
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