As D. I. Kim Stone begins her newest investigation, the victim is near death, and Kim races along with the paramedics with hopes that he will survive. Sadly, he does not make it. Before he was moved, Kim could not help but to notice the positioning of his body. When a second murder victim is soon discovered, his bones were broken in such a way as to pose his body. In fact, this second victim’s body was such as the first, which to Kim, is indicative of a pattern.

It does not take Kim long at all to find out the manner behind the murders as well as to the most likely motive. Some killers hide in the shadows. Not so in this case. In fact, the killer begins using social media to highlight his crimes and to also throw in as much confusion as possible. Quite naturally, Kim is determined to flush the killer out before yet another murder can take place.

Then there is the story with Stacey and the trauma she is experiencing. The continuation of her story from book 18, Deadly Fate, has far-reaching effects. This, quite naturally, hits close to home for Kim. Nonetheless, Kim’s primary focus is on her current case and she never misses a beat.

Bad Blood is the impressive and captivating 19th book in the addictive and successful D. I. Kim Stone series. I love how Angela Marsons writes these books. As one who thoroughly enjoys continuity I am glad to see that Marsons does not disappoint. Think about it for a moment, if you will. Not only is every book above par, but the cases as well as the side stories never cease be intriguing, just showing how impressive this series is. Kim Stone has become real to me and I often find myself thinking about her various cases and Kim herself, especially when aspects of her life reflect her work. These books are ingenious and Marsons’ inventive nature shines through time and again.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Angela Marsons delivers time and time again! Seriously, I do not think she is capable of writing a less than thrilling book! Bad Blood is a gripping, shocking, tension filled, page turner!!! This one kept me turning the pages, desperate for answers, while at the same time not wanting this captivating book to end.

Detective Kim Stone is one tough cookie, but she also has a soft side, shh don't tell anyone. I love her tough as nails, hardworking, determination that she brings to both her personal and professional life. In Bad Blood she and the rest of her team are faced with a deadly killer who shows no sign of slowing down. This is a book with layers and picks up where the last book left off.

When Detective Kim Stone arrives at the scene, she is shocked to see that Eric Gould, the victim, is still alive and placed in a strange position. The victim dies enroute to the hospital and Kim later learns more about this troubled life and fears he may have been abusing his current girlfriend. Another man is also found clinging to life in another position. Kim soon learns that the victims once knew each other as boys, (a group of six) who were put away for their horrific crimes.

The tension and sense of danger ebbs and flows throughout this book. While on the hunt for a killer, Kim learns that Stacy, one of her team, was being stalked and kept it a secret. This leads to some tough conversations, tension, and support.

There is never a dull moment in this book. The pacing is spot on and had me flying through the pages! I loved the tension and suspense in this book. I did my own super sleuthing while reading, and had a few suspects lined up, but Marsons was always a step ahead of me! I loved the twists, turns and the shocking reveal in this book. Well done, Marsons, well done!

This is the 19th book in a series that is still going strong! I am always excited when I see there is another book out in this addictive, shocking, well written, and well thought out series!

Another fab book in the DI Kim Stone series by
Angela Marsons. This time the team are tasked with a difficult case to solve and an unusual one but they also have issues within the team running alongside this case. Stacey is still being terrorised and stalked by Terence Birch and she hasn’t told her wife or any of her colleagues. Her health and her work are suffering and she’s reaching breaking point but doesn’t know what to do. The team are being goaded by a killer who injects his victims, renders them unable to move and leaves them alive - at first!

This book was such a good read and it kept me guessing throughout. I didn’t work out what was going to happen and it was a real page turner. We also got to see another side to
DI Stone as she tried to deal with the fact that Stacey had not told her what she was going through.

I would definitely recommend this book. I can’t wait for the next book in this series.

‘The victim is lying under the trees, arms lifted above his head, unnaturally still. His muscles are slack. His eyes are empty. There are no signs of life. But he is not quite dead…’ teaser.

My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Bad Blood’ by Angela Marsons.

This is Book 19 in Marsons’ popular D.I. Kim Stone series of police procedurals set in the West Midlands. To date I have read and enjoyed seven of the previous books in the series and plan to eventually read them all. While there are some ongoing aspects linked to its characters’ lives, each book focuses on the cases at hand and so can easily be read as a standalone.

Detective Inspector Kim Stone is called out to a crime scene, yet when she arrives there is no body as while the victim had appeared dead, faint signs of life were detected by the paramedics. However, he dies before reaching the hospital. When the team dig into the dead man’s past it turns out that he had been locked up when a teenager in Welton Hall, a young offenders institution. An online vigilante, identified as the Sentinel, boasts that he was ‘1/6’.

Then another man is found on the edge of death. Again, there’s a tweet from the Sentinel claiming ‘2/6’. The team discovers that this man too had been at Welton Hall, and both were part of a group that dubbed themselves the ‘Psycho Six’. Is someone out for revenge against them, even though they had served their time and appeared not to have reoffended?

Alongside this troubling case, Kim deals with some personal issues with members of her team and contemplates the nature of vigilantism.

‘Bad Blood’ proved another satisfying case for Kim and her team. I am always excited when a new police procedural by Angela Marsons is published as she’s become a ‘must read’ author for me. Once I start reading I can pretty much guarantee that I will be glued to my e-reader for the duration.

Just how the blooming heck have we got to book 19. Book 19 in a series I have absolutely loved following. Back with the team, Kim, Bryant, Penn and Stacey.
Things are a struggle for the team at the moment. One of the gang is having problems and hasn't found the courage to tell the others as yet. This makes for an uncomfortable time for the team.
We kick off with a bit of strange case as the murder victim is actually still alive, he is however in a rather strange pose when found. Absolutely no evidence at the scene where he was found as it's been destroyed while paramedics were attending to him.
What can have happened to this ordinary man, is there more going on than meets the eye. What happens when another man is found in a similar way. The team kick in to action. The story ramps up another notch and we are in full Kim Stone mode. Nothing matters but solving the case. That is until Kim realises she is needed more than ever. Needed for something a littles closer to home. Murders she can solve, but can she solve what seems to be a barrier in her team. Has she got what it takes to be the boss that is needed but also a friend.
This book I feel really has brought out another side to the team, What lengths would you go to, to protect one of your own.
Just like every other book this author has written, this is gripping, adrenaline filled excitement. As always a stonking good read.
With each and everyone of these books I always tell myself to take my time, read a little each evening and savour the book. I start reading..
Chapter one... OMG before I know it I'm almost at the end, then I tell myself off for racing through. Yet I do it each and every time, you'd think I'd learn by now. These are not books to be read over a period of time. These are books that need devouring, in one sitting if possible, because our queen of the Crime Thrillers has done it again, time and time again. Boy I'm glad Angie has a twisted, warped mind that allows her to write such gripping, exciting and thrilling stories.

Get yourself a cuppa and a snack because once you start this book you'll find it very difficult to put down.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Bad Blood' by Angela Marsons.

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

Publication date 15th November 2023.

This is the thirteenth book I have read by this author and it is the nineteenth book in the 'Detective Kim Stone' series but can be read as a standalone. I have previously read the first 7 books in the 'Detective Kim Stone' plus the fourteenth to eighteenth 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!!!

This novel consists of 91 chapters. The chapters are short in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

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.

Most heart racing, nail biting, actually stopped breathing book I've EVER read!!!! I mean how on earth do you do it Angela??? Every single book is more heart racing than the next and this has absolutely smashed it!!! This epic series is the best I have ever read. I mean nobody can beat Kim and the team!!

Angela kicks it out of the ballpark each and every single time!!! How can someone write so many epic, addictive and gritty books yet come up with unique storylines that shock the reader constantly!!! Angela is the absolute queen of crime and if you have never read any of her books then what on earth are you waiting for!!! You are seriously missing out!! The storyline is an absolute rollercoaster ride through a multi layered adventure park set in the world of horror, supernatural, medium 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 19th book in the epic Kim Stone series it can easily be read as a standalone. I haven't had time to read from books 7 until 14 and 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!!! You would think there would be only so many ways to kill someone but Angela brings new ways to kill her characters of each and every time. If Angela ever decides to go rogue then lock your doors and hide as she has absolutely everything covered!!! The evocative descriptions and Angela's amazing writing skills with have you trying to work out the truth with Kim and Bryant while your heart is pounding throughout. My heart was in my throat the whole way through from the epilogue to the very last sentence. I just could not believe what I was reading. As always the last chapter had me absolutely gobsmacked and I absolutely LOVED IT!!! Well done Angela, I'm getting harder and harder to shock but you had me hook, line and sinker!!!! I seriously NEED to see these amazing books on the big screen!! I was absolutely LANDED to discover that these amazing books are actually going to be made into a series and I really cannot wait to see them and to read the next addition in my favourite series with my favourite characters ever!!! The fact that Angela always researches her topics and police procedurals absolutely shines through these books and I want to say a HUGE WELL DONE for that. I have read several books where it is sadly blatantly obvious where the author hasn't looked into their topics enough and it can absolutely destroy a book for me even when it has a good storyline. Anyway I'll end this here before it turns into an essay but read on to find out my opinion on the characters....

Although this is the nineteenth book in the series I 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.

Why are you still reading this? Don't bother!!! The book is much better than any of my words can describe so cancel your plans, put the kettle on and get stuck in to this absolutely page turning must read now!!!

These characters have become like very close friends to me and each time I meet them it feels like I haven't been far from them for long. Kim and her fierce attitude, Bryant who is the angel (at times) on Kim's shoulders who (sometimes) manages to calm her down and make her see sense, the hatred for Tracy Frost and so much more. . It isn't all crime and sadness in Angela's books though and it had me giggling on several occasions 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 and laugh out loud. My heart went out to Stacey in this particular book because of everything she was going through but to find out what that is you'll have to grab a copy yourself!! 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 how I love the sarcasm between him and the team and his attitude. Stacey and Penn are also strong team members and I love how they work so well together and yet wind each other up constantly. Angela has brought these characters to life over this series and I have yet to meet a team and group of people I like so much. I genuinely miss them between books.

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 ever!! 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 exactly why you and this series are my favourite author and series!!! You are absolutely amazing and I hope you are busy on your next success because I'm missing the gang already!!!

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!!!

415 pages.

This book is just £2.99 to purchase on kindle and £9.99 in paperback via Amazon at time of review, 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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EXCERPT: There was a buzz in the air that she'd never witnessed before at a crime scene. The puzzlement on the face of her colleague told her he was thinking the same thing.
They got out of the car as a booming voice told everyone to move out of the way.
They headed towards the voice, which came from a police constable sprinting up the path to the car park. Behind him two paramedics were maneuvering a wheeled gurney along the graveled path. Keats followed closely behind, his face ashen.
She watched as the paramedics opened the ambulance door and expertly transferred the gurney into the back.
'Keats, what the hell is going on?' Kim cried.
'He's not dead,' Keats said breathlessly as the engine of the ambulance started up and the siren kicked in.
She turned to face the pathologist. 'Jesus, Keats, how the hell did you fuck that one up?'

ABOUT 'BAD BLOOD': The victim is lying under the trees, arms lifted above his head, unnaturally still. His muscles are slack. His eyes are empty. There are no signs of life. But he is not quite dead…

When Detective Kim Stone races to the crime scene, there is no body waiting for the paramedics are desperately trying to save the victim’s life. But there is something very strange about the way the man was found, his arms raised above his head, his legs spread apart. When he dies on the way to the hospital, Kim is certain she’s on the hunt for a killer… but all evidence at the scene has been destroyed.

The dead man, Eric Gould , seems ordinary, until the team dig into his past. As a teenager, he was locked away for attacking his girlfriend, and Kim suspects he was hurting his fiancé now. Was someone trying to stop history repeating?

Then another man is found on the verge of death, his bones broken to force him into an unnatural shape. The team realise the killer is sending a message – the victims’ bodies are spelling out their sins. As boys, they were both part of a group of six who bragged about their terrible crimes. But they were children then, and when she sees the grief on the faces of their loved ones now, Kim swears to find answers.

Is someone finally getting revenge… or do they think these men are still dangerous? The killer is threatening to strike again, and the only way Kim can crack the case is by tracking down the rest of the six first.

But then a revelation about what one of her team is suffering makes Kim understand why people take the law into their own hands. Do these victims deserve what’s coming to them? Or is there even more to fear from their brutal killer?

MY THOUGHTS: Bad Blood is a brilliant crime thriller that has an excellent sideline in the meaning of friendship. I don't know how Angela Marsons keeps coming up with her ideas, but long may it continue.

In Bad Blood, Stacy is keeping a secret from not only her wife Devon, but her boss and her workmates. This seriously affects the dynamics of the team and damages the trust between Stacy and Devon, and Stacy and Kim, which then overflows to cause problems between Kim and Devon. Is this the end of the trust and friendship that has been built up over a long period of time?

The story behind Stacy's secret is every bit as compelling as the bizarre murders the team is trying to solve. And with Stacy preoccupied with her own problems she finds it difficult to concentrate at work and isn't performing to her usual standard. When I found out what the problem was, I couldn't believe she had been so stupid . . . but I also had problems with the way Kim reacted to Stacy when the truth came to light. I didn't know which one I wanted to yell at first!

Angela Marsons has written another blinder of a thriller featuring one of my favorite detective teams. Bad Blood really stirred my emotions. I was angry with Stacy, and angry with Kim. I wanted to do what my mother threatened to do when I was a child and arguing with my brother/s - bang their heads together until they saw sense. I had serious doubts about Devon - that was a superb touch, Ms Marsons - and had no idea as to the identity of the killer until the big reveal.

Please don't stop writing this series Ms Marsons. I am addicted and would definitely need therapy.

P.S. I love the new covers. 😉

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#BadBlood #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Angela 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.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Bad Blood by Angela Marsons for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Kim Stone is back for another great addition to this series! As murders begin to add up it’s up to her team to figure out the connections, meanwhile a key member of the team is off her game, and the revelation of why puts a barrier in place between them. The police work and team work are so well written about, the human emotions are realistically detailed, this all adds up to a nail biting read as the race is on to stop the killer.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advance copy, I highly recommend this series to everyone who enjoys good police procedural.

would like to thank netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this gripping novel by this amazing author

we are back with kim stone and her brilliant team. the last book left us with a nightmare scenario where one of her team is being stalked, what an amazing cliff hanger to end that book on and i have been waiting for this book to come out to see how that situation was going... and i have to say i wasnt disappointed....

kim and her team have another case and its a puzzling one, as the dead man is actually alive and as the paramedics try to save him they trample over the crime scene.... alas he arrives dead at the hospital

on investigation of this man his past becomes of interest and doubly more so when another victim turns up also with the same background

but its one of her team that is causing her concern, when stacey finally reveals what pressure she has been under kim hits the roof.... and so begins a nightmare time for kim and her team...

oh my goodness me what a ride, this series just gets better and better

I can’t believe this is the 19th book in this series, Angela Marsons to me is the absolute Queen of crime thrillers. I’ve read every one of her books and they just keep on getting better and better. Bad Blood begins with a call telling Kim Stone she needs to attend a crime scene where the body of a man has been found. However when she arrives at the scene the man is in fact still alive but he has been found lying in a very strange position. Is this significant to why he was attacked ? A few days later another body is discovered and again his body is on an unusual position. Are these two crimes related ? Kim and her team must work together to discover the perpetrator and why they are doing this. Whilst all this is going on Stacy has problems of her own and it’s causing her to make mistakes at work as,her mind isn’t on the job. I think the Stacy part of this book was actually my favourite but it’s fair to say it’s an absolute page turner. From start to finish I was utterly absorbed in this book and didn’t want to put it down. When I did put it down I just couldn’t wait to get back to it. It’s gripping, tense and absolutely brilliant. I would recommend reading this series in order but even if you haven’t read the others it could be read as a standalone. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In Angela Marsons' latest masterpiece, "Bad Blood," Detective Kim Stone catapults readers into a relentless pursuit of justice. From the gripping opening scene at an eerily unconventional crime scene to the ending that left me breathless, the author crafts a narrative that is as unrelenting as it is brilliant. The stakes are higher than ever as Stone confronts a killer with a chilling message, and the suspense is palpable throughout.
As a devoted fan of DI Kim Stone, I enjoyed the breakneck pace and the visceral thrill of each twist and turn.
Marsons skillfully weaves together a complex web of past sins, revenge, and the dark shadows that linger in the aftermath of childhood transgressions. The characters, including the main one Kim Stone, are as compelling as ever, and Marsons' exploration of the personal struggles within the team adds an extra layer of depth.
"Bad Blood" is a testament to the author’s mastery of the genre, delivering a riveting experience
This is crime fiction at its finest – a relentless rollercoaster of suspense, emotion, and unputdownable storytelling.

Very grateful to the publisher @ for my review copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own.

Bad Blood by Angela Marsons has DI Kim Stone and her team trying to solve a perplexing case. Unfortunately, Stacey is off her game. Stacey has a problem that has caused her to lose weight, avoid her friends, and it is now affecting her work. The characters are developed and diverse. The main mystery is well plotted. There are twists and turns along the way. There are certain details that can help you figure out the identity of the guilty party before the reveal (if you pay close attention). The suspense increases throughout the book building to the showdown with the killer. I enjoyed all the action that kept things lively. The secondary mystery involving Stacey took an unexpected turn. Kim is protective of her squad. She is trying to investigate without arousing suspicion. Devon, Stacey’s wife, does not appreciate Kim’s questioning. I liked the solution to the crime. There is an excessive amount of foul language (fair warning) and the violence is detailed. While Bad Blood is the nineteenth A DI Kim Stone novel, it can be read as a standalone. You will be missing the background information on the characters and the beginning of Stacey’s problem. I love Kim’s dog, Barney. I hope no one ever takes advantage of Kim’s weakness (aka Barney). I had to laugh at Bryant’s problem. Kim handled it in her typical manner. Bad Blood had a satisfying ending.

Anybody who knows me knows I’m a huge fan of Angela Marsons and the DI Kim Stone series. And now I’m reviewing book 19! This has genuinely been my favourite of the series so far, and is now the main contender for my favourite book of 2023! Some good book series struggle to keep things original and interesting, but that is not a problem with Kim Stone. In my top 5 series of all time, alongside Jack Reacher, Kay Scarpetta, and Temperance Brennan, the Kim Stone series is one of the few I seriously look forward to even before the next book is announced.

With the investigation delving into justice, karma, and vigilantism, even Kim’s team have differing opinions on those who mete out their own forms of justice. This was a great story which involved the whole team. While Kim is the clear leader, Bryant is the backbone and the father of this particular family and is my favourite. Stacey has problems which rolled over from book 18, Deadly Fate, which come to the surface when she can no longer keep it from the team.

I refuse to spoil your enjoyment of this book by spilling any spoilers so suffice to say it’s brilliant. I recommend it to all readers of police procedurals and crime/psychological thrillers, with my standard caveat that reading the whole series will give you valuable insight into each character, their backstories, and better context. I gave Bad Blood by Angela Marsons, five stars, and look forward to book 20!

Bad Blood is another addictive read in the brilliant Kim Stone series by Angela Marsons. Whenever there’s a new Kim Stone novel out, it always shoots straight to the top of my TBR pile, and I read Angela’s latest book in just a couple of greedy sittings. This book does touch on some previous storylines that occurred in previous books in the series, but it can still easily be read as a standalone.

Kim’s colleague, Stacey is given more of a prominent role in this story, and I really liked that, as she is a fantastic character. Kim has noticed that Stacey has been a lot more distant lately, and there is clearly something bothering her. We get to see this clearly through the chapters told from Stacey’s point of view, and Angela Marsons takes a deep dive into her world. We can see the emotions Stacey is going through really well in this book, and there were times when I really was hoping she would talk to someone.

With the discovery of a body, and the victim having links to Stacey, Kim and the team immediately have a suspect who they need to rule out. This is what makes the book so tense and it is especially tense for Stacey. Kim begins to realise she’s been keeping important information from her, which may have an impact on the case. But it is clear that the person who has been found dead didn’t have a wide fan base, and his girlfriend’s family, especially, did not like him, and they make their feelings quite clear and plain for Kim to see. This made me wonder, who else could possibly hold grudges against this man and for what reasons.

The tension really begins to pick up when the killer strikes again, and it becomes a race against time for Kim and her team to track them down, to stop them targeting someone else. But is it possible that Kim can find the killer’s next intended victim, before the killer does? The plot gets even more intriguing here as Kim delves into what is motivating the killer, and what the potential link there is between their victims. It does feel as though this killer will stop at nothing to achieve what they want, and this is what makes them really dangerous.

There is an intense finale as Angela Marsons wraps the novel up. Bad Blood is another addictive novel in the Kim Stone series, and once again I’ve now been left eagerly waiting for the next book in the series.

Marsons' has done it again!

Bad Blood is the 19th book in the Detective Kim Stone series, and as someone who has sped their way through every book so far in a day - or less! - 'Bad Blood' did not disappoint! This series has always been and continues to be an auto-buy series for me. Can't wait for book 20!

Bad Blood follows the team - Kim, Bryant, Penn and Stacey - as they take on a series of murders that all lead back to a group of young offenders. Each victim is found alive but in no position to reveal their attacker, leaving Kim and her team to painstakingly put together the pieces. Throughout the book we see the multiple plots Marsons' is known for weaving together - the main investigation, the problems Stacey has secretly been facing, the romantic (and familial) relationships of the team - without it overwhelming the reader.

There are a couple of returning characters from previous books in this installment that I enjoyed getting to see again, as well as twists and turns I never expected throughout. I love the way that the Kim Stone series keeps me guessing until the very end - no matter how intricate and unexpected I feel that my guesses are, I have never been able to 100% predict an ending, which is not something I can say for many series'.

A massively deserved 5 stars!

Thank you to Bookouture, Angela Marsons and Net Galley for the ARC

Detective Kim Stone is called to the scene of a young man’s body, but wait, he wasn’t dead…yet. Although rushed to the hospital, he doesn’t make it. Kim and her partner Bryant begin their investigation and learn that a group had tweeted about the death and that the man was a bad man who deserved to die, 1/6. When a man is killed in a hit and run incident, Kim recognizes him as a witness from a previous case. Another man is soon found dead with the notation 2/6. Do they have a revenge killer, and if so, how do they find victim #3 before it is too late? When Kim learns that one of her detectives is being stalked by a man that she had interviewed from a previous case, it will lead her into questioning one of her own. Their research in finding out who the six men are and how they are connected relies on solid police work, but will that lead them to the killer? A complicated mystery as Kim and her team must reach back into the past to solve this one. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

Wow! Just absolutely incredibly gripping! This series just gets better and better! This author is awe-inspiring, making the reader invested in every character, each sub plot just as intriguing as the main story. I loved every word - so wise and thought provoking, laying bare issues plaguing society today while never losing pace. Just absolutely wow! Another masterpiece from this amazing, incredible author.

Bad Blood by Angela Marsons is the 19th in the Detective Kim Stone Police Procedural 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. All opinions are my own.


Series Background:    (Contains spoilers from previous books) DI Kim Stone learned to be tough.  Her mother, who recently died of cancer, was being held in a home for the criminally insane due to actions that almost killed Kim, and resulted in her brother's death.  Kim had little to do with her.  Although Kim's social skills are lacking, her heart is in the right place, and her detective skills outstanding.  Her team consists of: Bryant, her right hand man and friend, and the person who voices concerns in a much more diplomatic way than Kim ever would; Stacey, who can find required information in a seemingly bottomless computer system; and  Austen Penn, who for some reason, enjoys attending autopsies.  


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
A man is found lying with his arms above his head, his legs spread.  Initially thought to be dead, his pulse showed activity, but not for long.   It soon becomes evident that he had been murdered.  A social media posting shows that the murderer has an agenda, and it looks like this may be the first death of many. 

Investigation of the victim shows that many years go he was incarcerated at a juvenile facility, and had been part of a group of six other boys who everyone feared.  The brutal crimes  continued once they were in custody.  When a second from that group dies, the hunt is on for the rest.  It looks like there is a vigilante out there that plans on taking them out. 

Meanwhile, Stacey's stalker is about to cause even more problems, and she still hasn't told anyone about him.


My Opinions:
OMG....two books in a row with a normal cover !!!!  No more rating reductions, and I'm just going to assume that this is the new norm, and I don't have to discuss it in the future.

As always, these books should be read in order.  The team that Marsons created are so much better because of where they came from.  You have to read the books in order to understand the characters.  It is worth it!  

The main topic in this book is family.  Kim and her team are definitely a family, and when one of them is in trouble,  different members of that family react differently, but all out of love.  Sometimes the law is bent a little.  The family of a victim was also front and center, the impact that the crime had on all involved, and the lengths a mother will go to bring her family back together while there is still time.  The boys that were incarcerated together became a family too, and their eventual separation proved troubling.  

The other topic in this book is vigilantism.  It was interesting to see all the different viewpoints, from both the victims perspective, and from the law.  

I can't believe how these books continue to remain fresh and entertaining.  I think it's the characters...then there is the amazing writing....and of course the plots.  Okay, I don't care, I just can't wait for the next one!

I’m so thrilled to hear that this amazing series is going to be a tv series, I can’t wait to see it on the small screen.

I’ll be shouting from the rooftops so everyone I know watches it.

This story starts with bang but it’s a very mysterious bang, it’s a dead body or is it ?. (Sorry not spoilers) I will say that the themes in this case will resonate with so many readers on lots of different of levels

The case is a like a rollercoaster or a haunted house when surprises keep jumping out at you, how a book series can feel so fresh and exciting after 19 books is a testament to Angela and her writing skills.

My nerves are shattered after reading about Stacy’s horrific ordeal, I was eager to find out what had happened and it’s not what I was expecting at all, I was engrossed.

The back and forth between all the team and especially between Kim & Keats had me smiling so much.

You read each book as if you’re reading the series for the time and you become so invested immediately.

Angela. Marsons Bad Blood Review
This has to be one of my favourite series. How is it book 19 already? I will never get tired of this, i hope there are many more to come.. when Kim Stone is called to a crime scene, the man has been posed in a certain way. Why??? The man fortunately is still alive but barely. A second man is found, his bones broken and he has been posed in a specific shape. Who are these men and is somebody out for revenge? If so what have they done?
One of kims team is also having a rough time of it, and is holding a big secret that could affect her working relationship with her boss and colleagues and also her wife Devon. Will she come clean?
This book as always had me hooked from the start. Always lots of twists along the way, great plots. Highley recommend