In this, the 8th in the DI Kim Stone series, the reader is introduced to life for the super elite school child. These privileged kids go to Heathcrest Academy. Education for uber snobs--most of them.

Being the first time I've read this author and her series, I was a little surprised at the hue and cry that erupted with this book. Not having previously experienced the books that developed Kim and her team into a sensational crack police team, I've obviously missed their fleshing. It's clear that the team works well together and are a beloved group of well-developed characters from partner DS Bryant to Stacy and Kevin Dawson. Each has enjoyed to some degree a spotlight in a previous series entry, although this novel could function very well as a standalone.

In this entry to the series, Kim and Bryant are called to an exclusive private boarding school where a 13-year-old female is threatening suicide. Unfortunately, they don't make it in time, but Kim detects something suspicious at the beginning. Kev Dawson pursues investigation of the school's students and discovers she was an extremely troubled child, but more than that, he uncovers extreme behaviors resident at the school from bullying, hazing, excessive initiation practices, to self-mutilation. The school and staff hide some very dark secrets, not the least of which is a secret society with a strangle-hold that grips the students.

There is a large cast of characters in the book, most because they provide a strong integral part to the investigation, as with the case of Dr. Alex Thorne, a true sociopath who (because of previous history) may help Kim understand just where and how evil begins in a child. I loved the obvious comfortable camaraderie between team members and the sharp, intelligent exchange between Kim and Principal Thorpe. You can see why Kim gets what she wants! Dialogue is easy and natural. Definitely appreciated the short and sweet chapters--so easy to spy ahead and see if you can read, bleary-eyed, just one more chapter. The narrative covers just under a week--and it's a swift one!

The well-layered plot strikes a straight path and seizes the reader from the beginning, progressing at a strong, steady pace, never easing that grip, leading inexorably until it slams into a conclusion I had to read two or three times to understand what I had just read. Because...it couldn't be.

I greatly enjoyed the book, but had a problem with the school administration and the staff--having maintained a code of silence--for years and during this narrative, there are additional murders, including one of their own teachers!

I downloaded this ebook from Bookouture and NetGalley and greatly appreciated the opportunity to read and review. Heartily recommended to any who know and appreciate this author and her DI Kim Stone series. To those for whom this is their first foray into the "completely gripping crime thriller," you won't be disappointed. It's a super police procedural, complete with a twist, but a story that has you debating various points for some time to come.

With thanks to Netgalley and Bookoutre for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

The book is set at the Heathcrest Academy an elite boarding school for girls and boys. Kim and sidekick Bryant were called to Heathcrest, after the death of thirteen year old Sadie Winters who had thrown herself off the roof of her school.

Kim found that Sadie was depressed and self harmed regularly. She felt her parents loved her older daughter Saffron more who was popular with her classmates and an accomplished pianist. Sadie's death was thought to be suicide until a postmorten showed Sadie had been murdered then pushed off the roof. Disturbingly Heathcrest Academy had the backing of powerful ex pupils and parents who wanted the Sadie's death written as suicide to encourage pupils to join the school.

DS Kevin Dawson questioned the kids at Heathcrest and found Sadie was a loner who kept herself to herself. Sadie had stuck up for a boy in her class called Geoffrey Piggott who was bullied for being over weight.

Then a couple of days later a pupil called Shaun Coffee-Todd died from anaphylactic shock after eating peanuts. The school said Shaun was always careful about his allergy and carried an epic-pen in school, The postmorten showed that Shaun had in fact been murdered after being force fed a whole peanut.

D.C. Stacey Wood checked Heathcrest Academy and found over the years 3 pupils joined the school and mysteriously left mid term with no trace. Dawson found out that the children left after being severely injured in performing initiation stunts to join the school's elite clubs.

I have read every single Kim Stone book and the I think Dying Truth is my favourite so far. I enjoyed reading about Dawson's early life. It had been mentioned before that Kevin had been overweight, but his interactions with Geoffrey were touching and I saw a whole other side of him. I was a Little sad that Kim's personal history was barely mentioned in this book and I missed her dog Barney. In the next book I would like to read about Bryant's thoughts and home life.

Like All Angela Marson's books I was drawn into the story from the start, I was so enthralled I got comfortable and I had read for two hours without realising it. The investigation was fast paced and left me on the edge of my seat.

The ending of this book left me shocked and I know I will be thinking about it in the days to come. Dying Truth is the eighth book in the DI Kim Stone series but it can easily read a standalone book. I recommend this series whole heartedly.

When 13 year old Sadie appears to have jumped from the roof of her elite school, everyone thinks it’s suicide but when Inspector Kim Stone investigates further she discovers that Sadie wasn’t on the roof and suspects foul play. When another child is found dead and a teacher is also killed it appears they have a murderer on their hands.

We follow Kim and her team as they try to unravel what is going on, from secret clubs at the school and constant bullying it seems everyone has taken a vow of silence. Can they find the killer without anyone else being hurt.

An excellent story which is fast paced and gripping with an unpredictable ending. This series just gets better and better.

Yet another gripping, tense thriller from Angela Marsons.
This book is brilliant and will have you on the edge of your seat at the end, desparate to know what happens.
Kim and the team are investigating the deaths of teenagers at a private school. Following the first death it seems this is a bit of an inconvenience for the school and they want it to be classed as a suicide, and then move on.
Keats’ examination shows it definitely wasn’t a suicide so Kim is determined to find out what’s going on at this school.
Soon another pupil is killed and the team delve deeper into the reasons behind the deaths.
Dawson forms a friendship with a boy who is being bullied and tries to help him with his confidence and Stacey and Bryant are needed at the end in a life or death situation.
This is a fantastic book and it will have you gripped throughout.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

In this eighth addition to the 'Kim Stone' series, Detective Inspector Kim Stone and her team, who work in the West Midlands region of England, investigate suspicious deaths at a prestigious boarding school. The book can be read as a standalone, but familiarity with the characters is advantageous.

*****

When DI Kim Stone and DS Bryant get a call in their car saying a girl is about to jump from the roof of the elite Heathcrest Academy, the detectives rush to the school. They're too late, though, and the dead, broken body of 13-year-old Sadie Winter is on the ground. People are calling it suicide, but DI Stone's sharp eye - and an autopsy - reveal that Sadie was murdered.

Kim and her team interview Sadie's family, roommate, fellow students, and teachers. They learn that Sadie was a quiet girl who kept to herself and had no friends.....and no enemies. When DS Kevin Dawson asks several students if Sadie was bullied, he's repeatedly told that NO ONE would bully Sadie. Digging into this further, Dawson squeezes out the fact that Sadie's older sister, Saffron, is the 'Queen of Hearts' in a clandestine Heathcrest club, so no one would dare hassle Sadie.

Dawson, who has vivid memories of being the bullied 'fat kid' at school, is intrigued by these 'secret clubs' and investigates them further. It turns out that the clubs are very selective, have initiation rites that amount to hazing, and expect total loyalty reminiscent of the Mafia's Omertà - "a code of silence about criminal activity and a refusal to give evidence to authorities."

Sadie's death is the beginning of a crime spree at Heathcrest, and students as well as faculty are targets. Kim wants the school closed and the pupils sent home. However, the head of the institution, Principal Thorpe - who's main concern is the school's reputation - refuses to close the doors. Moreover, Thorpe is uncooperative with the police. He assigns the detectives a dim, dusty storeroom for their interviews.....and Kim's 'remedy' for this is priceless. 😊

Given the nature of the crimes, Kim has to consider both children and adults as potential suspects. To probe the possibility of a child killer - which she finds very troubling - Kim asks the opinions of her colleagues; the coroner; her police mentor; and even Dr. Alex Thorne - the imprisoned sociopath who tried to ruin Kim's life.

As Kim and her squad pursue their inquiries, they learn that Heathcrest has a dark history, and past events hold clues to the school's present difficulties.

In a side plot, Kim has to write up the yearly appraisals for the cops on her team. To accomplish this, Kim has a brief meeting with each of her detectives - DS Bryant, DC Stacey Wood, and DS Kevin Dawson - and it's interesting to observe Kim's thumbnail sketches of their professional strengths and weaknesses.

I was caught up in the story's suspense, and intently followed all the detective work in an attempt to guess who the murderer was. I didn't figure it out....so well done Angela Marsons.

That said, I didn't completely love the book. To me, Heathcrest Academy was such a venal, unconscionable institution that I couldn't suspend disbelief. If a school really allowed the behavior that was prevalent there for decades - with no consequences for wrongdoers - social media would explode. There would be an investigation, parents would boycott the school, and Heathcrest would go bankrupt (IMO). Some of the students were SO entitled, they were openly rude and snide when the police questioned them. To me, this behavior just isn't believable.

Since the 'school atmosphere' underlies the book's plot, it reduced my enjoyment of the story.

Still, this is a well-wrought mystery and a laudable addition to the series. Recommended to mystery fans.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Angela Marsons), and the publisher (Bookouture) for a copy of the book.

Although this is the eighth of the Kim Stone series, it is the first that I have read and I'll definitely be going back to read the others. Wow! What a great read! The writing is pacey and uncomplicated meaning that the words just flow into your mind and you're not even aware that you're reading, no you are there, in the story. And achieving that takes real talent.

The story is based around a private school and the apparent suicide of a thirteen year old girl. But it turns out to be murder and one things leads to another as more people are caught up in the unfolding drama. That's all I can tell you without spoiling things. But mark my words, this a tense and twisty read with an emotional boom of an ending.

The characters are fabulous and I liked the way the detectives worked as a close knit team, without the nastiness and conflict that is so often found in crime thriller. Kim herself is such a well-drawn character and I loved her attitude, but there was a caring side to her as well. She was a proper human being and definitely needed a hug by the end of the story.

I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be catching up on the rest of the series

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy. Six stars, an extra one for all my blubbering at the end.

Well that has put me through the emotional wringer. I need to read something light hearted after the latest offering from Angie Marsons.

Kim and her usual team are back investigating the apparent suicide of a thirteen year old girl at a prestigious private school. When the team begin to question the teachers and parents it soon becomes apparent there are secrets and lies aplenty. As the bodies pile up the team make a connection to the past.

I love the different relationship Kim Stone has with each of her colleagues and especially with Dr Keats. The caustic sarcastic comments between the two of them are fabulous and does not detract from the respect they have for each other.

It always concerns me when we get this deep into a series and the writing starts to be formulaic and contrived. No worries with this latest offering. Another fantastic outing for Kim and her team. Can't wait for no 9.

Dear Angela Marsons. I have greedily read every single one of your DI Kim Stone books and you are by far one of my very favourite authors. However, I have just finished reading the Dying Truth and I have one word for you "Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

Kim Stone has done it again - kept me captivated, engrossed and on an emotional roller-coaster. I seem to have such problems with many novels these days remembering multiple characters, constant switches in time and location, but this author keeps her narrative in a simple frame-work, with memorable unforgettable characters. The dream team is back together (tiny bit unhappy in Book 7 that the team was split and we therefore did not get the same level of interaction between them) and layer upon layer of characterisation portray the four team members so we feel we know and love them all so well. Hard to discuss the gut-wrenching storyline so I suggest you just go and read it for yourself. 5 glorious stars.

All I can say is - when’s the next one? Once again, a brilliant read by Angela Marsons. Love, love, love this series and all that lies within each book. Sometimes, I wish I’m a little more patient and wait for two to be published before I start devouring them. I just can’t!

This instalment was no different. An interesting start with the prologue, which gave us a taster for what was to come. Then as per, it hit the ground running. Kim is her usual tenacious self and some shocking events take place, that had me crying out...no!!! Angela gives with one hand and takes away with another; all in the name of good thriller writing.

Don’t waste time, tuck in!

I must have experienced just about every emotion possible while reading this, the eighth book in the fantastic Kim Stone series. There were times when I was literally perched on the edge of my seat.
When I thought I had worked out who was behind the deaths of the school children, I should have known Angela Marsons would have been a few steps ahead of me, as per usual!
The tension and suspense throughout this, coupled with the difficulties of the case faced by Kim and her team were evident, you really get the feeling that you are right in the middle of it all.
A massive 10 stars for this one, I won't even deduct a star for making me cry like a baby at the end (no spoilers sorry) and a whopping well done to Angela for creating this wonderful series which I hope will continue forever!

Wow! Almost speechless, this is the best one yet. I really can’t find the words for this book but it’s unmissable! If you read a book in 2018 make sure it’s this. I cried a lot!!

My discovery of the Detective Inspector Kim Stone series was completely accidental. The series popped up on my Amazon account as a recommendation. After reading the synopsis and a few reviews on Goodreads, I knew I had to give the series a try. Once I got about a quarter of the way through Silent Scream, the first book in the series, I knew I had just been introduced to one of my favorite protagonists of all time, Detective Inspector Kim Stone.

At the Heathcrest Academy, children are dying. Heathcrest is an elite boarding school which has produced some of the Midland’s finest residents. Doctors, politicians, star athletes, successful business men and women, the list goes on. Beneath all of the schools affluence and wealth lies a hidden darkness, which can be linked to the death of each child. Detective Inspector Kim Stone must cut through loads of political influence to uncover the truth, find a killer, and save the life of a child.

The Detective Inspector Kim Stone series is what I call a “feel good read”. The main characters are likable, endearing, and relatable. The stories are not lacking in dark content but for the most part there is always a happy ending. Dying Truth continues this tradition with plenty of laugh out loud moments and plenty of friendly/not friendly banter between Stone and her long suffering partner Detective Sergeant Bryant.

I have always been fascinated by boarding schools. The exclusivity and privilege I associate with boarding schools does not necessarily apply to Heathcrest. To me Heathcrest is worse than a public or day school. Bullying, gossiping, and belittling run rampant in any school. The difference being in a public school, the children get to go home, they can find some solace at home with their families and familiar surroundings. The bullying, gossiping, and belittling continue long after school is over at Heathcrest. This created a sense of isolation which made the story even more compelling.

In order to understand the murders taking place within the school, Stone reaches out to her arch enemy. A true sociopath and one of the most dangerous villains I have ever read, Alex Thorne. I am not sure what this says about me, but I really like her. She is completely aware of who she is and makes no apologies for it. Alex’s skills of manipulation are terrifying yet masterful. The relationship between the two is thrilling to read. They are both each others greatest enemy but they are also intrigued with each other. I am so glad Marsons chose to revive Alex. I am hoping this will not be the last we read of her.

If I did not have a day job, I would have read Dying Truth in one day. When I begrudgingly stopped reading, I was still thinking about the story. I was left trying to figure out how the story was going to end; impatiently waiting to dig back in. Dying Truth can be read as a standalone, but I am sure new readers to the series will go back to the beginning of the series. In Dying Truth Marsons gives new to the series readers background info so they are not lost, but also enough to leave them wanting more of Stone. Fans of M. J. Arlidge should add Dying Truth and the entire Detective Inspector Kim Stone series to their list of must reads.

** Thanks to Netgally and Bookouture for my free download of Dying Truth**

Murder and Moore Rating :
5 out of 5 Stars

I’ve read and reviewed three Kim Stone books and loved every one of them. But I think this one is my favorite. Read in one sitting, I won’t rehash the plot but I will mention what I liked about the book.

Firstly, Marson’s research into the mindset of these teenagers is very revealing. Glittering careers compromised by bullying and exclusion, the author has captured the harrowing pain teenager’s face. I sensed danger at the mention of a secret society, especially one dating back several years. You can’t help but detest the twisted superiority of the privileged.

Heathcrest Academy is no stranger to bullying and gets my vote for an exotic setting, where a crime such as a ‘suicide’ must remain confidential so as not to cause a scandal. Kim, however, is in disagreement. The reputation of a private boarding school is not worth protecting. The children, on the other hand, are. I’ve always enjoyed her stoic attitude and larger than life image. She’s a hero you can’t help rooting for and her interaction between Bryant, Dawson and Stacey always has me in stitches. I can ‘see’ them all so clearly.

I related well to Geoffrey Piggott; his fears and his way of dealing with life. But what I loved the most was his faith in the face of danger and the ‘true’ hero in his life. So have a hanky handy. The end was totally unexpected.

Thank you to the author for writing such a wonderful book. I would also like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for receiving a copy. This is an honest review.

This has got to be her best in the DI Kim Stone series! I cannot say too much without giving it away, but what I will say is this... you will not be disappointed if you read this! I thought A Marsons books were fantastic enough, and I can’t wait to read the next in the series, but this one knocked me for six. She’s kept me up into the small hours as I couldn’t put this one down!!

Dying Truth by Angela Marsons is the 8th in the Detective Kim Stone Series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Series Background:
Detective Kim Stone is tough. She has had to be. Her mother is responsible for Kim’s horrendous childhood, and as a result, currently resides in a psychiatric facility. But Kim has survived, and although her social skills are lacking, her heart is in the right place. Her team consists of three detectives: Bryant, her right hand man, and the person who voices her concerns in a much more diplomatic way than Kim would every think of; Stacey, who can find required information in a seemingly bottomless computer system; and Dawson, who may be a little reckless, but when he finds a stray thread, he is like a dog with a bone.

My Synopsis:
When a 13-year old girl commits suicide at a prestigious school, Kim is suspicious. When another boy at the school is found dead, Kim is sure.  These kids are in trouble. She and her team start to investigate this “elite” school, and find some troubling concerns. Although the principal is against them, there are four clubs at the school, and those few who are picked to be in one of these clubs are in it for life. Being one of the elite members insures that your brothers or sisters will have your back until the day you die.

Kim will have to bite her tongue and go visit her adversary, the notorious Dr. Alex Thorne, hoping that she can shed light on child sociopaths.

Between hazing rituals, secrets, a death 25 years ago, and a ban on publicity, Kim has her job cut out for her. She will have to discover the secret before another child dies. But not everyone will survive this case.

My Opinions:
Angela Marsons is an amazing writer, and this series just gets better with every book. The characters get deeper, and Marsons is not afraid to put any one of them at risk. As we grow closer to her characters, we they become like family, and we cheer their accomplishments, and mourn their losses. This was an exceptional story, and it appears Marsons researched hazing quite extensively. So sad. The plot was wonderful, and every chapter surpassed the last. The ending was…. WOW!

I can’t say enough about this series, except read it!

Unlike most other readers I hated the Alex character so when I read that she appeared in this novel it put me off reading it. Then I read a review that said her appearance was brief so I took the plunge. Not my favourite Kim Stone book but a great read none the less. Wasn't moved to tears by the ending like the majority of readers, I think it was pretty obvious something was going to happen.

Detective Kim Stone Series:- Book 8

When teenager Sadie Winter jumps from the roof of her school, her death is ruled as a suicide. But when the broken body of a young boy is discovered at the same school, it's clear to Detective Kim Stone that the deaths are not tragic accidents. Could one of the teachers hold the key to the truth.? But then the teacher is found dead.

Kim Stone, writhing from pain from a broken leg, is shouting for her team to enter a building she knows could put them in danger. This book is set in a private school, and Kim senses all is not right. They unravel long kept secrets and hints of damage to students. This is a fast paced, action packed, chilling read with an ending that will make you gasp. Written with style and flare that we have become used to from the author. I can never, in advance, guess where the story is going but I'm never disappointed in the ending.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Angela Marsons for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love this author! I devoured this book in one day. It made me laugh and cry. Students at a fancy school are dying. As the team dig further they discover a secret group, taking bullying to a whole new level. I can only this had no basis in fact!

Book 8 in the DI Kim Stone series is an absolute gem. This book is s addictive, emotional ,intriguing and the previous book and still left me wanting more.

This time the team are called to the elite private boarding school Heathcrest Academy. The students here all come from wealthy, powerful families. 13 year old Sadie Winter is dead after seeming to have jumped from the roof of the school. It is deemed a suicide, that is until a second child is found dead on the school grounds. Kim and her team once again work tirelessly to discover the secret of the school, its students and its teachers.

Kim and her team are like family after 8 books, we know them so well, their relationships with each other are tight and it is comfortable. I laugh with them, I get frustrated with them and I cry with them. This book had it all and I truly loved it.

I am not going to spoil the story for anybody just to say 😭 Angela Marsons why??

A very big thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley once again for my advanced copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest opinions