Hate crimes – is there anything worse?

Detective Kim Stone was shocked when she was told she had to team with Detective Travis to investigate the bones discovered in an archaeological dig. That the bones were human was in no doubt – but Kim and Travis had a history and even though they had worked well together five years prior, there was no liking or respect between them now. But the crime scene needed to be worked and Kim told herself to get a grip and do the job.

Kim’s usual team of Bryant, Dawson and Stacey were left to their own devices and their investigations into a spate of brutal attacks and murders led them to the horrifying conclusion that they had hate crimes on their hands. Their digging into various activities was slowly uncovering vile and preposterous acts – but the clock was ticking…

Would Kim and Travis be able to put aside their differences and find some answers? And would there be a conclusion to the horrific hate crime spree before more innocent people were placed in danger?

Wow! Breathtaking! Author Angela Marsons has done it again! Dead Souls is #6 in the D.I. Kim Stone series and it’s an absolute doozy! Fast paced, heart stopping, dark, harrowing, intense – brilliant! Kim was tested completely in this episode – working with a person she didn’t get on with; leaving her team behind to do it; as well as solve a case – she had her work cut out for her, but she rose to the occasion in her usual inimitable style. She’s a gutsy and sassy lady! Another incredibly involved psychological thriller which I couldn’t put down. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital copy to read and review.

What I love about Angela Marsons' books is the thorough research she puts into every aspect of her novels. As a nurse married to a retired West Mercia police officer it is so refreshing to have well rounded characters. Many times the police are portrayed as womanizers and drunks. Obviously as in any profession you get the odd one but the vast majority of police are dedicated hard working and do manage to maintain healthy relationships.
This was a dark and frankly horrific novel about hate crimes. Most normal people cannot comprehend hatred for a fellow human being because of race, religion, sexual orientation or disability. I thought the way the story was told by the different POV's was very thought provoking. Stacey relating growing up as a black child and then Dawson"s disbelief that he is perceived as racist. I loved that Kim Stone was working with a different team and different personalities. I cannot wait for the next instalment in this series.

Dead Souls is the sixth installment of the Detective Inspector Kim Stone series by Angela Marsons. Like the others in the series, this was a brilliant read. It was very dark and disturbing. The subject matter is a serious and emotional one which makes the story so believable. You never can tell what a person's beliefs are by just looking at them. This book is fast-paced with a lot going on. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Angela Marsons for the opportunity to read and review "Dead Souls".

Fiction – Crime

Score: 9/10


Angela Marsons is a fantastic author, and her character, DI Kim Stone, is awesome. I had been waiting for a while for Dead Souls to come out, so I was very excited when I was offered the opportunity to read it early by, and review it for, Net Galley. I was not disappointed. This novel was about the hate crimes currently being carried out in England and DI Kim Stone and her team’s attempts to put an end to the ones being carried out on their patch. Upon reading this book I was not surprised by the fact that England voted the way they did in the Brexit last year. There seems to be an awful lot of animosity and hate towards minority groups there, many of whom are actually born and bred in England. Although this novel is fiction, I have no doubt that this is a true reflection of the attitudes over there at the moment. Sadly, I doubt it’s going to change any time soon, despite Marsons obvious attempt to shine some light on the subject.

DEAD SOULS (Detective Kim Stone #6) BY ANGELA MARSONS

When I saw that another installment of DI Kim Stone was available I dropped everything and rushed to request it. I had read the fifth installment of DI Kim Stone last year as an introduction to me to this author and it has quickly become one of my favorite series of police procedurals. After finishing DI Kim Stone's #5, I rushed to Amazon and bought the previous four in the series preceding it. The talented Angela Marsons has done it again with her latest book.


DI Kim Stone teams up with DI Tom Travis over jurisdictional boundaries that conflict with whose territory does the crime scene belong to. The higher ups in the department decide that since they can't come to an agreement on which inspector its jurisdiction truly belongs to, that both DI Kim Stone and DI Tom Travis join forces and work together. Kim is ordered to share jurisdiction in the
investigation with Tom who is openly hostile to Kim. I thought I was missing something from a previous installment to understand where Tom's hostility is coming from. It gets explained towards the end of the book about three quarters into the story. Kim has to work with Tom's team who are all helpful in trying to solve this crime. She is without her team for the first time.

Dawson and Stacey are working under the capable and unflappable acting DI Bryant. Just as Kim is working without her team they are working without her. Bryant does an excellent job as leader in Kim's absence. He always keeps a level head and has a nice personality. Bryant can handle himself under any situation and is so damn likeable. They are working a series of hate crimes in their departmental counties that they cover. Stacey is more developed than I have ever seen her in previous installments of this series.

Stacey decides that she wants to delve in deeper to a suicide the team has closed. Stacey goes to Justin's mother unbeknownst to any body else on the team including Kim. She borrows Justin's computer and what she finds totally turns her off and puts her life at risk. Will the team or Kim be able to rescue Stacey in time?

Angela Marsons has created a highly addictive read yet again. The relationships between her characters and the way she weaves together her plots so that they interconnect is where her genius lie. I think this series is underrated and I hope it gets the exposure it deserves. I really love this series and I hope you continue to write more installments of this series Angela Marsons. Highly recommended for lovers of mysteries with interesting characters.

Thank you to Net Galley, Angela Marsons and Bookouture for providing me with my digital copy for a fair and honest review.

I have read all of Angela Marsons books and loved each and every one of them so I was delighted to be able to get my hands on a copy of her latest book, Dead Souls - could it live up to my high expectations and be just as good as the other books she has released... well to answer it honestly - yes!  I loved this book!

I really enjoyed how the other characters in the book got an opportunity to lead in this one as well as Kim, it was a joy to read right from the first page. I loved the rollercoaster plot and the pace was spot on as usual - definitely recommend that you get your hands on this one!  It is released on the 28th April :) I simply loved this book, another smasher from Angie Marsons - 5 stars!!!

Another great book from Angela. This one was very hard hitting and made tough reading at points although maintained the author's usual high standards.

Simply brilliant.

The sixth in the D.I. Kim Stone series, continuing in the same way…brilliant and gripping.
I was captivated from the start, there is just no let-up in the content. Yet again it was one of those books that I wanted to read at every opportunity, fast-paced and blood pressure raising!
I love Kim’s working relationship with Bryant, he knows her so well, but this time she is forced into working with D.I. Travis from a neighbouring force. The two forces team up on a boundary crossing case. Stone and Travis share a troubled working relationship going back a few years. Of her usual team, Dawson was paired up with Bryant on a different case, an interesting partnership and not always plain sailing. And Stace was featured so much more than her usual role of being attached to a desktop pc. Still love the spelling out in the local dialect :)
I think the story was excellent, and I never guessed how it would go. I didn't realise there are so many forms of hate crime, lots of forms prejudice that I just didn't know about. There were some truly horrible scenes, and the author doesn’t shy away from telling it how it is.
With each book of Angie Marsons I find out so many new things….about the diversity of everyone. I feel like I learn something new with every book. It even makes me think about the things that I say, not even realising that I could be coming across in the wrong way.
I recommend this book 100%, and all the others in the series.
Angie Marsons is definitely one of my favourite authors, I just think the books are fantastic.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for my review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this! Kim Stone is a great character. This book was so real! Liked getting to know Stacy a bit more too! Always look forward to Angela Marsons books!

Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review.

The Event. Doesn't sound particularly threatening, but do not be deceived. The "ticket" for admittance to the event is nightmarish.

Hate crimes. Intolerance. Old bones that tell a story.

In this one, the dynamics of DI Kim Stone's investigative team are drastically altered when left on their own. Meanwhile, Kim has been pressed into service to work on a big case with a former partner. There is bad blood there, the rancor between the two of them almost takes on a life of its own. Prodigious props to the author for keeping this series fresh. Marsons can't write them fast enough to suit me. I'd start another one right now if it existed.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this review copy.

This is the 6th book in the Kim Stone Series. It can be read as a standalone, but to follow the story it is better to read the series in order.

During an archaeological dig, a collection of human bones are discovered. DI Kim Stone wants to head up the investigation with her team, but finds herself working as a part of a dual force investigation and gets paired with her nemesis and old friend DI Tom Travis. While she is working on this case, her team are working on a series of what appears to be hate crimes. Kim leaves her team under the watchful eyes of Bryant and Dawson. Can they keep her team running smoothly?

This book started off well, although as it had been a while since I had read the previous book it was hard to remember the characters and the plots of the previous story. Because of this, I found myself losing interest midway, but then thankfully the storyline comes back with a punch and to be honest I didn’t really care who the characters were and whether I could remember them or not as I just wanted to get on with the story!

The topic of hate crimes may not be everyone’s cup of tea but it is handled well and researched brilliantly by the author. I won’t go into too many details as I don’t want to give the plot away, but after a slightly shaky start the story got me and I didn’t want to let up until I had finished it! Great twists and turns, and as always with the Kim Stone books, it was great for it to be based in the area where I live! Even my little area of Sedgley was mentioned – fame at last!!

Five Stars!

Angela Marsons never ceases to consistently deliver. Can you believe it's already book 6 in the series? - I could not put it down and was hooked in from page one to the very last word. This book is now in my Long List of Top 17 Books of 2017!

The plot is stunning . Very clever and very dark. I think so far this is the book from Angela that highlighted the ugliness in some human beings the most. I felt a lot of emotions reading this novel and didn't let up my focus on it for a moment.

Bones are discovered on a large farm property. With the help of a Forensic Anthropologist the identities of these skeletons are gradually put together. What stories do the bones speak? They do speak - of horrors and atrocities committed years ago. But who put these bones in the ground and why?

The plot tackles modern day hate crimes in a powerful and strong way. Angela has really done her research and shows us just what some British people and organisations think and do to show their hatred for so many people that are seen as different from them. It's really quite shocking stuff and a very timely novel.

I had not read book 4 or 5, was up to book 3 so a few plot moments of course shared a bit of what had occurred in these books. Rather than spoil it however it's just pushed me to bump those to the top of my reading list.

Detective Kim Stone is in top form. Her complex character is one of the best female Detectives in fiction. I love her. She's so damn human! Light and shade. Her passion and usual determination are in play in this great book. I love who she teams up with in this book and the challenges her team face. It's a great angle!

With a series of plot lines that keep you on your toes, characters you will both love and hate and an ending that defies all predictions this is a 5 star read! The ending is not only darkly disturbing but fast paced, page-turning and brilliantly pulled together. It was sickening in places. I'm glad Angela didn't whitewash over anything.

A fantastic crime novel from one of my all type favourite writers ever. Angela is in fact one of the authors that has inspired me to start my own writing career. She's an inspiration. I loved this book and you will too - whether it's your first read or the sixth in this series you'll not be disappointed.

My favourite in the series to date! I'll be catching up on books 4 and 5 now. Too many books, so little time!

I really like this series I always look forward to each book, and this one didn't disappoint.I like Kim Stone ,I like the way she thinks, and I also like most of her team,in this book as in others we are getting to know more about what makes them tick and it makes them more human and more real .I always enjoy the areas that they all go to as I used to live in Halesowen and later in Birmingham so I know quite a few of the places, so I can picture them,not that you have to have lived in the area to enjoy the books though,this one had a great story and as usual the pace was spot on.I like the short chapters too, they work for me and keep me tapping my kindle to read as fast as I can.I'm not giving anything away, but I didn't know how things would turn out , no idea at all and I like that when its not obvious.Thanks to Netgalley and The Publishers for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I can't believe this is already book six in the DI Kim Stone series in less than three years! Angela Marsons is rapidly becoming one of my favourite crime writers and Kim Stone is also fast becoming one of my favourite detectives - a real human being who knows she's not perfect but always looks out for her team.

In this episode, Kim is separated from her team as bones with evidence of torture are found on a training archaeological dig in a field spanning two police jurisdictions. Kim's boss decides to second her to the other police team, headed by DI Travis, who was once a friend of Kim's until something happened which caused him to resent her. Now Kim has to not only manage without her trusted team but also tread carefully with someone who doesn't want to work with her and tries to undermine her at every opportunity.

Back at her station, Kim's team are dealing with a spate of racial and homophobic hate crimes and DS Bryant and DS Travers must not only manage without Kim but also learn to work together. DC Stacey Wood feels they are both ignoring her and quietly goes underground to solve a puzzle on her own which unwittingly draws her into the spotlight of some very nasty people.

The various threads of the novel come together in a nail biting finish that is not only dark but very disturbing. Altogether a clever, complex plot highlighting a very modern problem of hate crimes and cyber villification of minority groups. The perpetrators were hard to guess, just as they can be in the real world where people can hide behind facades of political correctness.

Ms Marsons device of separating Kim from her team was successful in not only allowing further development of Kim's personality as she deals with new stresses and loss of control to another DI but also allowed Bryant, Travers and Stacey to emerge as more fully developed characters. Can't wait to see what Ms Marsons has in store for this team in her next installment!

Yet again, Ms Marson's story packs a punch. It was good to have Kim and Travers together again - even if they were at war most of the time. Two teams, several crimes and a complex plot that comes to a corker of resolution. I will read this book again because I feared for my favourite characters and speed read some portions. I wish you wrote as fast as I read.......

This book series just keeps getting better and better. This has to be the best one yet. It is a must read!!!

This book deals with seemingly separate incidents which end up being related. I marvel at how the author comes up with such interesting plots.

I simply adore Kim Stone. She is a brilliant detective and despite all her personal problems, she does her job so well. One thing I really liked about this book is that it gave one more insight into the thoughts of Kim's colleagues. It adds more depth to their relationships.

This book deals with a very touchy subject - hate crimes. It was really scary to see to what lengths people will go to when they dislike someone because of their race, religion or sexual orientation. It was very disturbing but educational. It is definitely something that I as a teacher will speak to my students about.

I highly recommend this book but would advise one to read all the other books in the series as well. It will give you more of an understanding of Kim's character.

I'm a HUGE fan of Angela Marsons and I've read and loved all of her books to date so I kept checking NetGalley to see if Dead Souls was available for request so i was absolutely thrilled when it became available for request and my request got accepted and I'd like to start by saying thanks a million to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advance copy which it is my absolute pleasure to review!!!
I love Kim Stone and while you can read the books as standalone's they are more enjoyable if you read them in order. Dead Souls is a lot darker than any of the other books so far and tackles what is a very sickening but relevant storyline of racial hate crime which was quite hard to read at times but it was so well written that Angela must have gone to very harrowing lengths to research and fully cover the subject matter.. This book starts of with a routine archaeological dig on a Monday morning in the Black Country which was all very normal until a collection of human bones is discovered and not only that but there's an extra limb, how can this be?? When the bones are checked out it is discovered they have marks on them which show signs of extreme cruelty. A murder investigation ensues and Kim and Travis (her nemesis as they had a falling out a few years ago and haven't spoken since) are forced to partner up for this investigation. Kim's team are then left to investigate the sickening spate of hate crimes.
It was interesting to get to know her other colleagues better in this book esp Stacey and there was still the humourous banter (which I thoroughly enjoy) between Kim and the gang when they met up during the investigation. This book like all the others gets the 5 star treatment from me and I can't wait to see where Angela takes kIm next!!!

It's not often that the sixth in a series is just as strong as the first but the Kim Stone series just keeps getting better and better. This time she is up against some of the most vile criminals she has met. The flashbacks in this book are slightly confusing at first until it's gradually revealed what's happening and then reality hits like a sledgehammer, it's difficult reading this one . There's plenty of tension for Kim with her colleagues as well as she attempts to work alongside her old partner Tom Travis and keep tabs on her own team as well. Taking her eye off Stacey while she looks into the suicide of a young boy will prove to be a big mistake. The whole series is excellent and Dead Souls takes the reader deeper into the dark side of humanity than ever before. Excellent stuff.

When human bones are discovered in a field, Kim Stone has to tackle what could become the most challenging case of her career. Having to work alongside Detective Travis is bad enough but when the bones are found to belong to three different people, each telling a story of extreme torture, Stone knows that she will stop at nothing to uncover the truth. Her team, meanwhile, are dealing with a spate of particularly barbaric hate crimes, and one member in particular is getting a little too close for comfort. Will Kim be able to prevent the unimaginable actually happening?

Dead Souls is the sixth instalment in the Kim Stone series and these books just keep going from strength to strength. What, at first, appears to be a run of the mill murder investigation soon becomes a tale of human depravity at its worst with scenes that will long stay in the imagination. What makes this even more horrifying is that the subject matter - hate crime - is being experienced first-hand by too many people in 'real life.' In Dead Souls, Angela Marsons has certainly brought this issue to the fore in a very intense, thought-provoking way and makes you feel physically sick that certain individuals could behave in this inhuman manner.

It was a strange experience seeing Kim working with Travis but this definitely gave us a change to see how her team coped without her. Stacey, in particular, played a much bigger role in this book and, despite her poor judgement, showed the rest of the detectives how much she has to offer. I was also surprised at how my feelings towards Travis changed as the book progressed - this is testament to the author's brilliant writing when dealing with the real story behind his falling out with Kim.

It was inevitable that all of the separate plot lines would eventually converge and when they did, this led to a terrifying, nail-biting finale where, once again, Kim proves how far she will go to protect her team. Ms. Stone is fast becoming one of the greats of detective fiction and I am pleased that Angela Marsons has been signed up by Bookouture for further books in the series!

On a personal note, in my review for the previous book in the series, Blood Lines, I noted my disappointment on the lack of Tracy Frost. I am pleased to report that the reporter does make an appearance, albeit brief, in Dead Souls, and it was interesting to see how events of a previous book have altered her personality.

Dead Souls is a must-read book with a topical subject matter that really makes you wonder if you truly know the views of everyone you meet.

What a book !! This is a stonker of a book,, number 6 in the Kim Stone series and by far the best. With snippets of home life that only make it more real.
Short sharp chapters keep you interested and focused, grabbing information and desperate to know more.
It's quite simply brilliant