Dead Souls Angela Marsons

Written from the heart.

It’s a note I’ve never written before when I’m reading a book to review; but it’s there in my note book, right in the centre of the page.

It’s been over written several times so it really stands out, and I can remember every page I was reading when I went over it, because that’s how it felt reading this book.

The book starts off with, what most people wouldn’t class as a crime, a young man’s suicide. The thoughts he goes through, the logic he uses, are so well written that although it’s a short chapter, it’s one which will live with me for a long time.

That suicide is investigated by Kev Dawson and Stacey Wood. Kev is the alfa-male Sergeant and Stacey is the slightly introvert Detective Constable, who does most of the on-line investigation work, from the office.

The scene is bad enough but the suicide note brings out emotions in Stacey that she keeps hidden from her colleagues. The death is suicide, but why did this young lad take his own life. Stacey can’t leave it, and starts to look into the victim and his life.

Meanwhile some bodies have been found in a University Archaeological dig in a field of a farm that straddles the borders of the West Midlands, and West Mercia Police Forces boundary.

Until the bones can be identified, and a date of burial put on them, they must be investigated as a murder scene. DI Kim Stone and her old adversary from the neighbouring force DI Tom Travis argue at the scene over who will take ownership of the investigation.

The next day the argument is solved. The bosses have decided on a joint investigation with Stone leaving her team to work with Travis and his team on the bones found in the dig.

The tumultuous relationship between Kim Stone and Tom Travis is one of the main threads through the book and adds a cracking dynamic to the story.

As Kim is away her trusty Sergeant, and sidekick-partner, Bryant is forced to work with Kev Dawson. Two men doing the same job with totally different approaches, and attitudes. Another tumultuous partnership.

Bryant and Dawson start to investigate several crimes that appear to be race driven and in doing so come across the horrible side of society. The violent racist, bigoted minority which causes so much pain to innocent people.

Becoming deeply involved with the investigation they don’t notice that Stacey is beginning to become secretive and withdrawn as she looks into the young suicide victim’s life.

The deeper she looks into why the lad might have committed suicide, the more bells are rung about her own life.

When Bryant and Dawson deliberately try to stop her becoming involved with the race crimes, “to protect her”, she becomes more and more withdrawn and struggles with memories from her past.

The parts of this book which are written from Stacey’s point of view are stunningly written. Again, that note was over written “written from heart”

Meanwhile in West Mercia, Kim and Travis are looking into the Landowner, and his tenant, of the field where the bones have been found. As they are doing so the bones are being examined by Dr A. One of Angela Marsons peripheral characters that deserve their own book. The interchanges between her and Kim Stone provide that bit of humour every dark story needs; and this is a dark story.

Three sets of bones were found during the dig, and they’re recently enough buried to launch an active murder investigation.

There are three story lines in this book. The relationship between the 2 DI’s Stone and Travis, as they investigate the murder of the people found buried in the field. The relationship between Bryant and Dawson as they investigate the violent race crimes. Finally; Stacey Woods journey into the life of a young suicide victim, and the effects it has on her.

Will the relationships work. Will everybody come out of this in one piece, either emotionally or physically.

This book had me hooked from the very first page and had me enthralled all the way through.

The last dozen or so chapters had me holding my breath so often I was exhausted at the end; and what an ending.

The end of this book is full of twists and turns, and I defy anybody to see the results coming.

I read all the time. It’s my escape from reality. There are several authors I look forward to reading when I know they have a new book coming out.

Angela Marsons is at the very top of that list.

This is the best book I’ve read, by the best author on the shelves at the moment.

I really can’t wait for the next one.

Another superb book featuring Kim Stone, this time dealing with the very unpleasant subject of hate crime, and brilliantly handled by the author. The book has several threads running through it and you wonder how they are all connected but as you near the end it all fits together perfectly. Can't wait for the next one.

So. Let's be honest. If there is a new Angela Marsons book out, then you know I'm going to be somewhere reading it. I have pretty well devoured every book she has written since I finally picked up Silent Scream a little over a year ago. February 6th 2016 to be exact. I hoofed through the whole thing in one night and pretty much the only thing that has changed since then is the length of my hair and the content of the books I am reading. Because when I picked up Dead Souls there was no way I was going to stop reading until I had finished. And believe me when I say that it's not just a me thing - it really is that good.

Now for fans of the Kim Stone series, you will know that she and her team have found themselves in some pretty tense and dangerous situations over the past couple of years. They are no strangers to grizzly deaths or hair raising investigations and, as you would expect with a title like Dead Souls, you can rest assured that this book is no different.

Actually. That's a lie. This is different. This book has a much darker tone to it overall, not so much so that it would put the ardent Kim Stone follower off, turn them away with graphic violence or unnecessary gore, but it is a very emotive and disturbing subject matter and there are elements which need to be handled in a sensitive and yet honest way. Angela Marsons tackles this with her usual flair, not trivialising the violence or the motives behind the violence and not playing it for shock value alone either. But shock it will.

From the get go there is an underlying menace, a sense that there is more than the eye can see. The very first act within the book is one which could be a trigger for some and one which many can probably identify with; an overwhelming sense of despair where there seems only one way out. Now this scene may be upsetting, it certainly sets the tone for the whole novel, but it is necessary for reasons that will become apparent as you read on. I won't say any more than that as this is a journey which the reader needs to go on for themselves.

Now aside from all the darkness, there are the usual moments of humour that we have come to associate with this series. Dr A for example is a real hoot, particularly as she delights in taunting Travis much to Kim's amusement. And even more that that, Bryant finds himself paired up with Dawson. You couldn't put two more different people together, well unless you count Kim and Bryant but there is a strange synergy there that just works. Bryant and Dawson - well there are moments between them that did make me chuckle. But beneath it all they are investigating a very disturbing crime and the compassion, frustration and determination which is inherent in the pair of them seeps from every page. They may have a very different approach to each other, but ultimately they both want the same thing - justice.

Marsons also manages to throw the team off kilter in this book, adding another, less obvious, layer of conflict to the novel. Kim finds herself paired up with DI Travis, the man who seems to be her nemesis. This in itself is not the conflict I'm referring to. Yes they rub each other up the wrong way, but this adds as much humour as it does tension at times. It is more the impact that Kim being separated from her team has on all of them. They have a spark when they are together, but that one little chink, that one small gap, and it puts everything on the line for one of them.

What I really enjoyed about the book was that not only did we come to learn the reasons behind Kim's problems with Travis, which were surprising to say the least, but that we got to see more of Stacey. She really comes into her own in Dead Souls. Previously she has been the one left behind, sat in the comfort of the station hiding behind her computer screen. Now she really steps up, making some serious mistakes in the process but ones which endear her to me even more than her wonderful Black Country accent. Her story is an emotive one and the case has very personal undertones for her. You cannot help but like this strong, determined, perhaps a little unsure Detective.

Angela Marsons has once again proven how skilled she is in creating tension. I could not look away from the book once I had started reading. I kind of had a sense of where it was heading, the harsh and brutal reality building with every page turn, as did the sense of dread. And from about 80% in I could feel my pulse rate rising, could feel my body tense as I willed the team to find the truth and to prevent what seemed almost inevitable. I swear that my heart was in my throat or as good as. That is the power of this wonderful lady's writing. One of the only people to make me cry she also takes me right to the edge of my very last nerve. Both from excitement and tension. Every. Flipping. Time.

This is not a story for the faint-hearted or for the easily offended. It is a very timely and perhaps sociologically relevant story, given all that has been happening across the globe. There is a grotesque realism to the way in which some of the story unfolds, but I mean that in a genuinely positive way. There is such passion in the way the subject is written that you can truly feel every bit of emotional energy that it clearly took to put these words on the page. In her letter at the end of the book Angela Marsons speaks of how difficult this book was to write, how parts of the research disgusted her, and I can fully believe it. To take such a vile subject and characters, such vitriol and make it breath. To completely avoid glorification of events and yet create such authenticity in the actions of the many hateful perpetrators in the book. To fully immerse yourself in the writing while keeping a safe and sane emotional distance from the hatred. That takes real skill and nerve. Ms Marsons has that by the bucket load.

This book is going to be a hit - no doubt about it. Everything you could expect from a Kim Stone book and just that little something more. Best. One. Ever... (so far ;) )

Dark, troubled and tension filled 5 stars. Big fat ones. Like massive. (Can I change my scoring system?) Ah well... I refuse to make them smaller ;)