BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Stolen Ones' by Angela Marsons.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Angela Marsons, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 11th November 2021.

This is the ninth book I have read by this author and it is the fifteenth book in the 'DI Kim Stone' series but can be read as a standalone. I have previously read the first 7 books in the 'DI Kim Stone' plus the fourteenth book which I loved and would recommend. Sadly I haven't had time to read from the 8th book until the fourteenth but will definitely be making time to as I LOVE KIM STONE!!!

I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. I am also a MASSIVE fan of Angela Marsons and the Kim Stone series and if this is half as good as the rest it is sure to be a great read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue and 88 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in West Midlands, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited the West Midlands on several occasions so am looking forward to see if I recognise anywhere.

This book is written in third person perspective with the main protagonists being Detective Kim Stone and Alexandra Thorne. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.

'Stolen Ones' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Angela discusses/includes abduction, abuse and death of children.

OMG!!! SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO US ANGELA!!!! JUST WOW!!!! Seriously love, love LOVED this book!!!! Although, shouldn't be so shocked, it is Angela Marsons and Kim Stone after all!!!! Anyway, on with the review shall I....

Angela's style of writing is absolutely fantastic. She has a way in which she completely absorbs the reader into the book with vivid and graphic descriptions that have you completely lost in the plot. It is the type of book that when you finish you look around and wonder where you are and how is nobody else reacting to the bombshell that has just been dropped!!! The cover IS Kim Stone for me and the name and synopsis suited the plot perfectly.

The storyline is an absolute rollercoaster ride through a multi layered adventure park set in the world of horror and crime!!! There's never just one case with Angela but so much going on, not too much to get you confused but just the perfect amount to keep the pace continuous. The majority of chapters end on cliffhanger so keeps reader addicted and turning pages. Although this book is the 15th book in the epic Kim Stone series it can easily be read as a standalone. I haven't had time to read a fabulous Kim Stone book in so long I've missed since book 7 up until 14 which I read all the way back in August 2019. Although I cannot wait to get back to her previous books I never had any point felt I'd missed out something to do with the book. Anything that had been mentioned from previous cases were explained with just the right amount of information, not too much to bore those who have read every book and just enough so new readers know what's happened. The murders and crimes are unique and morbidly intriguing. I was on the edge of my seat, biting my nails whilst feeling my heart pounding into the silly hours of the morning as this is one book that cannot be put down so clear your diaries before picking it up. It fills you with all emotions from fear to laughter, tension to shock. I was not expecting that ending at all on both cases. I was absolutely speechless and actually shouted OMG to which my partner looked at me stupid!!! I just could not believe what I was reading. The fact that Steven presented himself at the police station is definitely a unique situation which I haven't seen done before. That's the thing with Angela, she is always presenting Kim with new situations and we all love seeing how she reacts to them. Well done Angela, I'm getting harder and harder to shock but you had me hook, line and sinker!!!!

Although this is the fifteenth book in the series I had would have had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.

I haven't had time to read a fabulous Kim Stone book in quite a while. However, before I'd even finished the first chapter the memories came flooding straight back and oh how I missed Kim and her fierce attitude, DCI Woodward, the hatred for Alex and so much more. Had me giggling straight away which is brilliant considering it's a crime novel. I love it when authors put some comedy in these novels as it lightens it up at times and Kim's attitude really does make me smile. Angela creates fantastic team dynamics with memorable characters who work together brilliantly and perfectly. Each character is unique and has strong personalities and they just are completely unforgettable. Randomly, its always important for me to like the pathologist in any police procedurals and to click with them as much as the main police team. Their relationship with the main protagonist is also important to me as reader. In this case the pathologist is Keats and Doctor A how I love the sarcasm and humour between them and the team and his attitude. Stacey and Penn are very strong team members and I love how they work so well together and yet wind each other up constantly. Alex is her usual despicable self and stoops to new levels of low in this book. I am ABSOLUTELY intrigued to see what she is going to get up to next now she has got her own way again. Alex is very much Marmite and you either love her or hate her. Alex and Kim's relationship reminds me a bit like the relationship between Batman and the Joker and how they thrive on their hate of each other and would be lost without the rivalry. It is one of the most intriguing relationships I have come across in any book before. I thought it was brilliant that Angela used Noelle as one of her characters who actually suited her which is quite scary!! I must say Noelle you make a good inmate lol. It will be interesting to see what Gum decides to do with Kim's offer. I hope he manages to get his life on track now that he has finally had the answers he has waited so long for. I loved meeting Alison Lowe again and the interactions between herself and Kim are brilliant!! I really enjoyed learning all about behaviour analysis from her and it is yet another way that shows Angela definitely does her research amazingly well!!! I cannot wait to meet all the usual gang and more in the next installment of this addictive series 'Six Graves' which I will be reading very soon!!

A MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS ANGELA MARSONS!!! As always you have done the research and you have created what I can guarantee will be one of the best read books this year!!! When are you going to bring Kim to the big screen??? I hope your busy writing cause I cannot wait to get my hands on your next success!!! Seriously what are you waiting for guys??? Stop reading this and get your copy now!!!!

This is why you are in my top 3 favourite authors and this is my top 3 series!!!

Overall an absolutely amazing psychological thriller of epic proportions that will keep your heart pounding all night. This is one of the best books I have ever read!!!! An absolute MUST READ!!!


Some of my favourite quotes in this book include the following:

😂 Way too many for me to include!!! I'd end up adding the whole book and giving too much away


Genres covered in this book include Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Police Procedural and Psychological Fiction amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of page turning, heart pounding, non stop, unputdownable crime books that will shock you!!!!


374 pages.

This book is just £2.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I LOVE LOVE LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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I've said it before - Wow! Just wow! And this latest is no different.

A creepy guy comes into the police station specifically looking to speak with DI Kim Stone. Alex Thorne is still orchestrating her twisted mind games from within prison.

Nothing is quite what it seems. And at the end of the day, what a plot twist!

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another cracking read from this amazing crime author. Was so good to be back into the life of Kim stone and her colleagues as always a gripping crime investigation. This time featuring the philanthropist Steven Harte and how when a young girl goes missing he suddenly appears at the police station with news of how he might be able to help and that is just the beginning of a whole chain of events and twists and turns that make this authors books feel like you are on the edge of a seat rollercoaster.

Loved how we got more of detective Kim stones back story coming out intertwined with the case and her nemesis dr Alex Thorpe was hot on her tail again.

These books would make a perfect tv crime drama series. Really can’t wait for book 16 now.

I love this series and even though we’re on book 15 now it’s still as gripping as it was at the start. The whole team is made up of great characters and I really enjoy getting to know them more and seeing them grow with each book. I think Penn and his brother are my favourites. Normally I’m not a fan of books where you know who the bad guy is but this one gave an interesting perspective and still had enough twists and turns to keep me hooked. I’m not sure how I feel about Alex being back though. She is a terrifying villain because she’s so damn clever but there are only so many times Kim can be mentally taken to the brink. I recommend reading these in order just so you have the backstory of certain characters.

I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

A very well written mystery that kept my interest to the end. With high suspense and a believable cast, this is a great read. I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys breath taking suspense.

My first book, that I have read by this author, absolutely brilliant! Highly recommended, and I will definitely read others written by this author!

Psychological thriller featuring Detective Kim Stone and her team. Fast paced yet full of strange coincidences the team are dogged in their determination to solve the case. Great characters,great story.

Steven Harte walks into Detective Kim Stone’s police station claiming that he has information on where to find Melody Jones, a young girl who disappeared 25 years ago. In a matter of a few hours though , 8 year old Grace goes missing from her daycare center in a similar situation . The team has to work around the clock to find Grace while trying to validate Steven Harte’s information . At the same time, Dr Alex Thorne Kim’s old nemesis is back to exact her revenge .

Stolen Ones is the 15th book in the DI Kim Stone series by author Angela Marsons. This is a really outstanding series and this one continues along the same lines, an exciting well written, tightly plotted, intense thriller with well -developed , gritty characters that kept me hooked to the end. Cannot wait for the next one !

I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

Stolen Ones by Angela Marsons is a totally gripping contemporary crime novel. It is the fifteenth book in the D.I. Kim Stone series but can be read as a stand-alone.
Once more I became totally immersed in the world of Kim Stone. She is a likable, realistic and tenacious police officer who will leave no stone unturned in her pursuit of the truth.
As with previous novels, the action is set in the Black Country and surrounding areas. I have my family roots firmly planted there and it was wonderful to be able to picture exactly where the scenes took place – I have been many times to the Nimmings Road car park at Clent.
We witness how our upbringings shape the adults we become. We must also own our choices. Characters born in the same deprived area made very different life choices and ended up in very different circumstances as adults.
Cold case crimes bump up against present day ones as Kim Stone is determined to not only prove the link but solve the crimes too. Lives on hold for twenty five years need to find some closure.
Stolen Ones was a cracking novel that engrossed me from the start – I only put it down to sleep! It was another fabulous offering from Angela Marsons.
I received a free copy via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Quite remarkable to see ‘The Stolen Ones‘ is already the fifteenth instalment in the DI Kim Stone series and it doesn’t look as if Angela Marsons is finished as the next one is due soon. Stone fans around the world rejoice.

But back to this one for now. With any series, especially one that has been going on as long as this one, the author needs to somehow come up with ways to keep things fresh. This time around Angela Marsons achieves that by creating a cat-and-mouse game where Kim Stone doesn’t have the upper hand at all. Much to her chagrin.

Who is able to accomplish this, you wonder? His name is Steven Harte. Steven arrives at the police station implying he has information about a girl who went missing twenty-five years ago. But he has no intention of offering up this information just like that. Oh no. Kim and her team definitely have their work cut out with this guy. Even more so as another little girl goes missing. What information does Steven have? How is he involved? Will Grace live to see her mother again?

Meanwhile in a prison not so far away, everyone’s favourite baddie makes another appearance. Alex Thorne, the character we all love to hate, is back and she hasn’t changed one iota. Alex would quite like to get out of prison now, thank you very much, and she will use all her skills to make that happen.

First things first, the case of the missing girl. Missing children will always remain a harrowing tale and it’s no different here but I truly enjoyed seeing Kim on the back foot for a change. The mysterious Steven Harte definitely knows how to push her buttons. But Kim has a fierce weapon in her corner as Doctor Alison Lowe, a behaviourist consultant, returns and puts Harte under the microscope in order to find out what makes him tick. Because whether we like it or not, we always give away a little something more than we think we do. Through Alison and Kim, the reader too can try to figure out what Harte’s game is and whether he truly is the person they’re looking for. I must say, whatever the clues were, I missed them all. Because of that, I felt the ultimate reveal came a little out of left field.

But my biggest niggle, to my complete surprise, was the reappearance of Alex Thorne. I’m going to assume her inclusion in ‘The Stolen Ones‘ is to set up a whole slew of shenanigans from her in the next book(s) but I felt her chapters were a total distraction from the investigation. For the first time, she was more of an annoying pain-in-the-proverbial than a baddie to me and her storyline interrupted the flow of the book. She’s definitely been a favourite villain of mine for a long while but now, I’m afraid I must conclude I’ve had it with her and I think it is time that arc is wrapped up for good. Not that I’m in any way telling Marsons how to write her books 😳.

All in all, though not my favourite, ‘The Stolen Ones‘ is another great addition to the series and I look forward to more from Kim and her team.

DI Kim Stone No 15 - have read and enjoyed several of this series.
Steven Harte comes into the police station and tells Kim he has information about the disappearance of a little girl Melody who disappeared 25 years ago then eight year old Grace disappears from the garden of her nursery.
During the past 25 years other girls have gone missing with some being returned
As if Kim doesn’t have enough to do to find Melody, what happened to the other girls she also has to deal with Alex Thorne.
A fast paced, complicated psychological thriller - not for the faint hearted.
4 Star read. Highly recommended with some great twists.
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for a fair review.

Another amazing book in the Kim Stone series. Will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

This is the fifteenth book in the series featuring Detective Kim Stone. This book is about Kim and her team on the case of the missing girls. Melody Jones went missing twenty five years ago and a wealthy businessman walks into the police station and asks to speak to Kim stating he has information but also tells her of another missing girl. But how does he know this as the girl was only reported missing an hour previously. Is he guilty of these abductions or is he a time waster? Kim and her team have only twenty four hours to interrogate him but Kim discovers that there were other young girls abducted, two were released a year later so what has happened to the others? When human bones are discovered Kim fears the worst. As if Kim hasn’t enough to worry about, her old enemy Alex is back in her life and causing her more problems even though she is in prison. This is a brilliant series and this book is a compelling read, with a great storyline and full of twists and turns. I can’t wait for the next book int the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review.

We (I say we as I feel part of Team Kim having read them all!) are on Book 15 of the Police Procedural Series following the story of DI Kim Stone by Angela Marsons’.

I eagerly await each book and they are, without fail, engaging and suspenseful reads every time. Kim Stone is definitely one of my favourite characters, she has an excellent depth of character and I love her humour and personality as much as I love to learn about her vulnerabilities.

Kim’s relationship with Bryant is fantastic, they create an dynamic that I look forward to reading about. They have developed an brilliant relationship, as well as being intuitive detectives together, and I very much enjoy their storylines. The team they have built around them shows Angela’s talent for creating clever and heart warming relationships.

The Stolen Ones focuses on the 25th anniversary of the disappearance of Melody Jones, taken from a local playground, following the appearance of a man at Halesowen police station claiming to having information that will lead to her killer.

When 8-year old Grace Lennard is reported missing, a disturbing piece of evidence is found that links her disappearance to the Melody Jones case. This then leads to a while raft of cases that need re-investigating, quickly, as the clock is ticking. The suspense builds brilliantly, and despite it being the 15th book, you don’t know what’s going to happen, or what tactics they will use. The stories always have new and exciting paths and never become “guessable.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture, Angela Marsons for a copy in exchange for an honest review. As usual I have also purchased the audio book as I like to listen and read. One day I will go back and read the whole series again. Anyone who hasn’t read the series has a lovely treat in store for them, go read the series!

This novel is really gripped me, it pulled me into the story like I was there experiencing it all first hand. I love this kind of book, you get fully emersed into the characters and what is going on. Wanting to know the outcome as soon as possible.

The forensic parts really peaked my interest and made me want to find out more about Forensic science. It fascinates me what can be discovered by DNA and how a person can be identified by things such as teeth.

The relationships between the colleagues is quite amusing too, I have a few giggles along the way.

I really didnt know who had committed the crimes but I had an inclining. I was totally off with my inclining but I think this is because a book is so well written.

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me an ARC of this book even though I didn't managed to read it before publication date.

This is another cracking novel about Kim Stone. Many thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC!

Angela Marsons knows how to write a fast paced and gripping mystery. This book does not disappoint. In a county teeming with serial murderers, Kim Stone again faces the task of recovering a kidnapped girl before a fatal outcome occurs. Tension ensues.

I love these novels, but a recent gripe of mine is that in the latter books, it's felt too fast paced. The chapters were getting shorter and shorter, with the focus of the action rapidly shifting from one high tension situation to another. It was a little unsettling. However with Stolen Ones, the whiplash does not occur and the writing feels tighter.

For fans of the series, this is for you.

Angela Marsons what can I say?! …Just don’t ever stop writing!

I’ve read every book in this series and each time I wonder how this author could possibly do any better…and every-single-time she delivers.

This latest, Stolen Ones, #15 in the series, is now my absolute favorite!
From the very first page we are drawn right into the thick of it and held captive until the very last page.
Not for a moment does it get boring or old, nor does it loosen the ties that keep you riveted; I had to force myself to put the book down because I wanted to make it last longer.

Kim Stone’s day starts out on the 25th anniversary of the disappearance of seven year old Melody Jones who has never been found, and whose memory lives on in the minds of many on this day, including police and certain older police who worked the case back then and still can’t get over the sad facts of this unsolved mystery.

When a well presented, good looking man named Steven Harte turns up at the station first thing that same morning wanting to make a confession to Kim Stone about this particular 25 year old cold case, she is understandably skeptical, thinking him to be another attention seeking nutter…the kind to always surface on these anniversaries.
Then Kim receives news that a little girl of the same age has incredibly just gone missing without a trace from a day care centre.

It’s all systems go now as Kim Stone and her talented team of investigative detectives jump into action. Steven Harte is obviously their first suspect as he seems to know a lot of details about both missing girls, though it seems he has primed himself to play games with Kim Stone and starts by laying down his own rules for how the search will proceed…if she wants his help.
She is on a tight timeline now and whilst other pressing stories play out in the background vying for Kims immediate attention, she has to wonder at the synchronicity of certain events and whether or not they might have some connection to the current situation, testing her to the limits.

What a cracker of a page turner this is! The pace doesn’t let up and even at just over 400 kindle pages long, this book seemed to be almost too short, it was that good.

I sincerely hope Angela Marsons’ stories are picked up for a television series as they would be perfect with their backdrop of the Black Country in the West Midlands of England…where so many good police procedural television series have already been set. …”Scott & Bailey” springs to mind.

Loved it!
5⭐️s

Cannot tell you how much I love this series.
This is another great story with character development which is at the heart of these books.
And there is a major twist with someone we know and don't like back with a vengeance.

Another blinder of a novel from Marsons. I have read all 15 of this series about Kim Stone and could not recommend it enough. If you like gritty crime thrillers then this series is for you.
Hands down all the books are well written with some great main characters. The ongoing storyline’s of Kim and her team are compelling and detailed and layer upon layer are revealed with each book along with an individual story too that is always an impressive outstanding, gritty crime drama.
This novel tells the story of two young girls taken 25 years apart and uncovers a complex story with an explosive ending that you won’t see coming, at least not till near the end! I genuinely realised the twist at the same time as Kim Stone did!
Very cleverly written as always. Look forward to the next in the series.

Another brilliant book by Angela Marsons! The character developments through the series mean you love Kim and each member of her team and the colleagues outside of the team that help them solve the complicated cases. As with all the other books there are plenty of twists and turns, as well as the ever looming threat of Alex Thorne. Highly recommended!