20 books later, Kim Stone is as strong as ever! I always know I'm in safe hands with Marsons.
Had to pace myself and only let myself read a few pages at a time, there's so much time between books (quite rightly, as Marsons needs time to write them - although probably couldn't write them fast enough for me!).

Kim and her team go from strength to strength as each book passes, but what really sets books 19 and 20 apart for me is how we've got to know the rest of the team on a much more personal level. It's all well and good catching the bad guys, written in clever threads that slowly untangle, but it just hits differently when you really care about the characters and are invested in their work.


**** MINOR SPOILERS BELOW ****
The UK pageants scene is much less known than the US, it's such a contentious and polarizing topic too which plays into the investigations perfectly. I have to really admire Marsons for continually digging into sensitive and potentially difficult topics, doing so with great care but also confronting rather than avoiding the problematic areas.

How can this possibly be my 20th outing with Kim Stone, it only seems like yesterday I met her and the team! 20 books down and I honestly feel like Kim and her team are a part of my life and the series feels as fresh as it did back on book one!
With two deeply unsettling storylines running concurrently, Angela Marsons immediately immerses her readers in the dark world of narcissism and coercive control. When Kim and the team are called to a brutal murder, it seems like they have the case all sewn up from the outset but it quickly becomes clear, life is not quite that easy for the team as they discover a link between this death and another and that link is the pageant circuit. I always imagined the pageant world to be largely American but it is big business over here too and the competition is fierce, not least amongst the parents. It really hit home how cut throat it really is and the pressure if puts on young girls and their body image, not to mention the eye watering financial burden of the cost of competitions! Crazy stuff!
Guilty Mothers takes us on a dark and disturbing journey as we discover just how competition impacts on the relationships between mother and daughter, and indeed the wider family. Once again, Angela Marsons takes a subject and drags you out of your comfort zone and makes you think; she always does it without you ever feeling you are being lectured to.
The other storyline features, Tiff, affectionately known as Tink by Kim. Fans of the series will have already been introduced to Tiff, a young policewoman, keen to join Kim’s team. And I’m really loving this character, it was great to see her develop throughout this book as she pairs up with Penn, demonstrating her keen nose for trouble. I’ll not give any spoilers but, again this storyline explores relationships with mothers and boy was this one harrowing. It had my blood boiling and I’m sure when you read it, you will see what I mean!
As with all books in this series, Angela Marson’s has created a cast of characters who are so multi-dimensional that they almost step out of the pages and into your lives. Kim has a very special place in my heart and if you know her backstory then you will know just how much the mother/daughter relationship impacts her life. She’s tenacious and she’s ballsy and this woman tells it how it is – but at the same time, she absolutely has her team’s back. I just love her dry sense of humour but most of all I love the vulnerability she hides under that tough exterior. Kim Stone is most definitely the detective you would want to be fighting your case! The team gel together just perfectly with the sense of camaraderie and support just shining through. It was good to see Stacey getting back into her stride after her recent trauma and I get a sense that she and Tiff are going to become very good friends.
The pace is just perfect, each little hook keeps those pages turning and I’d actually poke sticks in my eyes to keep reading well into the wee hours! The twists and turns keep you on your toes and the sense of satisfaction at the end is better than any gourmet meal you could ever eat.
You can read this as a standalone, as you can with all of the others, but seriously, if you haven’t stepped into Kim Stone’s world yet, then I suggest you go back to the start, settle yourself down in a cosy room and enjoy the ride!
I’d like to suggest that Bookouture insert a sicknote template with each of Angela Marson’s books. Readers should be given special leave because once you start reading you really shouldn’t have to stop!

Unbelievable to think that we are at book 20 in this series, and it never gets old, it is so good to be back with such familiar friends as they take on a couple of new cases.

There are two story lines in this book, firstly welcome to the world of child pageantry and a bunch of narcissistic mothers who are being slowly killed off. This is a subject you do not hear about as much now, but Angela Marsons does an incredible job of taking us into this world and showing us how competition and the desire to win can take its toll on many women, sadly it is usually the children that may suffer the most but, in this book, we see the price their mothers may also pay.

Then we have the murder of a man that is found in a fishing lake. Kim allocates this case to Pen and Tiff, and they come across a mother and son’s relationship that Tiff instinctively has a gut feeling there is a major level of toxicity about. It is great to see the increased role Tiff now has within the team and there are moments in the book where you can see that Pen is proud of the way Tiff is developing as a detective. I am sure she is going to play a bigger role as the series continues.

Kim is at her usual best, striving to solve the cases and provide closure once again to the victims. Once again, she leads the team in a way that they feel supported and they are able bring out the best in themselves, in doing so her role as a leader and mentor has once again been successful. Her caring nature and a natural ability to interact with other people makes her the great asset to the force that she is. She is tenacious and once she becomes focused on a case she will not let it go until it is resolved to her high standards and she will not accept no for an answer from anyone.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions expressed are my own.

Book 20 in the Kim Stone series and Guilty Mothers is a solid if somewhat flawed and unspectacular addition.

Here Kim and her team are faced with the world of child beauty pageants and obsessive mothers as they investigate the murder of a mother of one of those child pageant competitors. As more mothers are killed they realize what seemed a straight forward case is anything but as they try to solve the case before more are killed.

This starts off great and it’s always great to spend time with Kim and the team but, it kind of lost its way for me a bit. Too many story lines at once and potential suspects and red herrings. Too many moments that weren’t believable and the somewhat predictable ending in a remote place with Kim trying to talk someone down. (Again)
The story just wasn’t believable enough for me overall to make this one of the stronger books in the series. It was a great set up and a great subject matter to tackle but there were too many “bad” people here that felt purely there for misdirection and took away the believabilty of it. The story was just too busy, it felt like it was trying too hard.

Still I did enjoy it despite that. Just not as much as I hoped.

Three and a half stars round up to four because I love this series.

Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.

As well as a murder case to solve, this book sees Kim have many reflective moments as the case revolves around the subject of the powerful relationships between mothers and their children. Obviously this is very poignant for Kim and also other members of her team, I love this series and can’t believe we are up to book 20!

Another gripping rollercoaster ride if a story. So many great things about this book..
Couldn't guess the outcome and after 20 books by Angela parsons I'm still ready for more of Kim stone and her amazing team

20th book in the series and once again, Angela Marsons has written another intriguing and fast paced story.

The familiar characters are like old friends and Marsons manages to keep the reader engaged through the continued development of the characters individual stories. I love how she manages to develop and add to each characters background and the way they fit together to make a truely loveable team.
The storyline, like the rest of the series, is compelling and intriguing and the fast pace and scene setting that Marson's is so talented at, really added to my inability to put this book down.

Loved it, already waiting for the 21st!

I love Angela Marson and was delighted to be chosen to read her latest book. It did not disappoint! The characters feel like old friends and in each book Angela develops their personalities so well. The storyline was really interesting and intriguing and I liked the way the two investigations ran side by side. I did not guess the ending and really took on board the message at the end. Needless to say, I will be giving this book 5 stars.
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to give my unbiased opinion

Absolutely loved this! The narcissism of the mothers is something I regonize all to well. But my favorite part of the book was Tiff coming into her own and chasing her instincts in the case of a murder victim which leads to a shocking conclusion! Don't miss this!

"Guilty Mothers" by Angela Marsons dives right into the action with a shocking crime scene involving a mother and daughter. As Detective Kim Stone and her team delve into the investigation, they uncover dark secrets lurking beneath the surface of the seemingly perfect world of beauty pageants.

One of the highlights of the book is the familiar yet engaging character dynamics, including the introduction of Tiff to the team. Marsons keeps readers hooked with the intricate relationships between the characters and the compelling storyline.

The exploration of the competitive world of beauty pageants adds an interesting twist to the plot, shedding light on the pressures faced by both mothers and daughters. As Kim races against time to catch the killer, the suspense builds, keeping readers guessing until the very end.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Overall, "Guilty Mothers" is a gripping addition to the Kim Stone series that will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next instalment. With its fast-paced plot and well-developed characters, this book is sure to satisfy fans of crime fiction. Solid 5 stars!

This is book #20 in the Kim Stone series. Whilst it is part of a series, it can easily be read as a standalone book, although I would recommend reading the books in series order for better understanding of the characters and their storylines. We return to the Black Country where DI Kim Stone and her team have a tricky case to solve which seems to revolve around the world of child pageants. When they find their victim, Sheryl Hawne has been viscously murdered, Stone and the team struggle to work out who is responsible and how everything fits together.

This was another great read, although I expected nothing less from this author!! I love this series and have followed it right from the very first book. You certainly get to feel like Stone, Bryant, Stacey and Penn are people you know very well and this book gives us the added team member of Tink, who we've met before in previous books. The storyline grabs you right from the very beginning and you find yourself in the surprisingly murky, cut-throat and bitchy world of child pageants. We also find another storyline running alongside this one where Tiff and Penn are investigating a body pulled out of a local fishing pool. Both storylines are gripping and whilst they have a common theme, they are both completely different to each other!

If you've read any of the other books in the series, you'll already know that DI Kim Stone is certainly a force to be reckoned with. She's still just as fabulous in this book with her dry humour and quick comebacks, and we still get to see the humour (and despair sometimes!) in her relationship with her second in command, Bryant. Stone does though let her vulnerable side show through on occasions, and we again get to see this briefly when the subject of poor maternal parenting comes up. The plot of child pageants is an unusual one, and one I haven't read about before. The storylines cleverly twist and turn, giving you so many characters to suspect. As the book moved on I found myself mentally ticking them off and then re-adding them to my ever growing suspect list! It will certainly keep you guessing all the way to the big reveal as to who is the killer is!

Of course, living in the Black Country, I knew a lot of the places mentioned in the book and could picture the team working their way across the Dudley Borough (and beyond!) as I read. I did let out a little squeal of excitement when I found the team in Wordsley, literally going past where I work - I'm surprised they didn't see me in the doorway as they drove past!! Yet again though, this was another fabulous read and one which had me hooked to the very last page! I absolutely love Kim Stone and hope that this series of books never ends! Fast paced, intriguing and well researched, this book definitely gets a big thumbs up and five big shiny stars from me!

I love this series and always devour the books, this was no exception, within the first chapter it's like they've never been away.
Several murders relating to Pageants and its a race against the clock before any more are murdered.
I liked Tiff getting her own case with Penn and can see her getting more involved in the future
Another great read

Another roller coaster ride from Angela. It was lovely to see Tiff getting more involved with the team, following her hunches and being mentored by Penn, As usual Angela kept me guessing until the end

There should be an advisory warning given before you start reading one of Angela Marsons books to make sure that you have nothing planned because once you start, it’s almost impossible to leave it down, This one like the others leads Kim and her team into several different directions before the murderer is finally revealed. As usual it’s a five star read with only one negative thing and that’s having to wait for the next book.

Who needs sleep when there is a new Kim Stone book on your kindle!! Once again, Angela Marsons has stolen my sleep with a gripping page turner with one of my favourite teams of detectives. Book 20 now and they seriously do just keep getting better all the time.

This time the team are plunged into the world of child beauty pageants. The link between their victims is that their daughters were all participants as young girls. It is not all pretty dresses and makeup. We get into the dark side of pageants as the killer strikes again.

It is also a look into mothers and the relationships they have with their daughters. They are not always rosy, most likely they are complicated. There is no such thing as the perfect mother, and this has the team thinking about their own mothers.

I could not put this book down, reading into the early hours of the morning. Am I sorry.. not at all!

Thanks you so much to Bookouture for allowing me to read this book so early . Always a thrill. Publishes on May 30th.

Loved it loved it loved it

I love this series of books but I actually think this is one of my favourites of the series.

Gripping as always I couldn’t put this book down and now I’ve finished it I feel a little lost.

Read it!

I am a huge fan of Angela Marson and I was delighted to get the opportunity to read her newest book Guilty Mothers. This was one of the most gripping and thrilling books I have read in a long time. I read it over the course of a day as I simply couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to read more from the author in the future.

Thank you to Bookouture for accepting my review request for Guilty Mothers through NetGalley.

Another fantastic installment to the D.I. Kim Stone series. (I can't believe this is book 20!).

In Guilty Mothers, D.I. Kim Stone and her team (Bryant, Penn, Stace and Tiff) are investigating murders with what they believe are links to child beauty pageants. Penn and Tiff also have their own case to investigate when another body is discovered under different circumstances and Tiff acts on her gut feeling. First of all, I absolutely love that Tiff has more of a role in this book and we get to see her find her feet a bit more within the team. It almost feels like we've watched Tiff grow up into the role she's in, and as Angela has a way of writing the characters so you feel like family, this book made me feel like Tiff had been welcomed truly into the group.

As the title, Guilty Mothers, suggests, the cases are based on the relationships between mothers and children. Angela Marsons has taken a controversial topic of Child Beauty Pageants and written a thrilling, fast paced and gripping story that had the perfect amount of twists and reveals to keep me wanting more. I can always count on Angela to grip me from the first page to the very last. The jaw dropping reveals were aplenty.

I look forward to every new installment of the series, and I'm keen to see where the team are led to next.

On the kitchen worktop stands a kettle and two mugs - waiting to be filled with one’s chosen beverage - a normal everyday event. However, the person meant to be filling those mugs, Sheryl Hawne, lies unresponsive on the kitchen floor surrounded by a pool of blood. Standing beside Sheryl’s body is her daughter Katie, a bloodied knife in her hand.

This then is the scene that awaits Detective Kim Stone, to all intents and purposes this is an open and shut case, but never judge a book by its cover - this case is going to be anything but open and shut.

Katie is in no fit state to be interviewed, so Kim begins to question everyone who knows this mother and daughter, (although it’s still likely that Katie committed the crime).

Upstairs, Kim discovers trophies and rosettes galore, which were won by Katie as a child beauty pageant, it’s almost shrine like, and she wonders if this had anything to do with the savage murder.

Just when Kim thinks she has it all sewn up, she gets a call informing her of another horrific murder, and it’s also a mum who entered her daughter into child beauty pageants. Katie is in custody so can’t be held responsible for this murder. There’s clearly much more to this than meets the eye, and Kim and her team are going to make sure they find out exactly what these mothers are guilty of.

Running parallel with this is the case of a man who’s body is discovered in a fishing lake. It’s not clear whether this was a suicide, a simple accident, or something more sinister. This case introduces a mother and son, where Detectives suspect that something’s going on behind closed doors that they find very concerning.

Well, here we are at book #20 in the Detective Kim Stone series, and Angela Marsons has introduced yet another subject that very few of us will be familiar with - that of child beauty pageants, where it appears that in some cases it’s the mothers who are after the glory of winning the trophies.

Well written and meticulously researched, with vivid characterisations which are hugely insightful, particularly regarding Kim's team - it's like they've become people that we know - friends that we enjoy spending leisurely catch up time with, and yes, people we care about. The finger of suspicion reveals various suspects in the child beauty pageant case, but I was nevertheless surprised to find out whodunnit!

Once again another fabulous tale of murders and bad deeds.
There are two different stories running parallel in this book, with Penn taking the lead and Kim doing what she does best with the other.
I raced through this like all the others in this series, and once again I am waiting for the next book to be released. Thank you Ms Marsons for another blooming good read.