I look forward to every Kim Stone being published and have enjoyed every single one that I have read. This one was no disappointment and I couldn’t put it down.

Unfortunately this book was not for me, it was a bit slower than I would like and it just didn't hold my attention. I am sure other people will love it!

Detective Kim Stone cannot cut a break. For starters, the newest victim in her current case, Gordon Cordell, is linked to a case she previously worked on. Then Gordon's son is seriously injured in a car accident. But that is not what is weighing heavily on Kim's mind. Kim and her team have lost one of their own and they are all seriously grieving.

With Kim's hands being full, there is another dead body found. This is a woman who, by no coincidence presents another link. She is connected to the hospital that Gordon worked at. Quite obvious to Kim and her team, there is a serial killer at work. Can they stop the killer before another life is lost?

This thrilling novel has a powerfully sensitive impact. The grief the team is experiencing affects them all in different ways. This grief was palpable and kept me quite drawn to this book. I loved the way this book was written and how it was layered. This read by Angela Marsons captured my attention and I devoured it in one sitting. I was so enthralled that I went and read book 10 immediately after, which is Dead Memories. I also got a chance to read the next book, Child's Play. I cannot wait for more books in this series.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

Please see complete series review on my blog at - https://www.robinlovesreading.com/2022/06/series-review-kim-stone-series-by.html

Also, please enjoy my YouTube video review of all seventeen books in the series thus far - https://youtu.be/6XMz0AviJZk

I remember the very first time I came across a new author called Angela Marsons and her debut novel Silent Scream.
I knew she was one classy writer and here we are 10 books in and shes still writing these outstanding thrillers.

Fatal Promise is the 9th book in the fabulous series featuring Detective Kim Stone.
This book starts almost immediately after the eighth book so it is recommended you read the series in order.

Fatal Promise follows on straight from the last book (Dying Truth). Kim Stone and her team are still very much in mourning following the death of one of their own, it is so raw and beautifully written I had tears in my eyes – a lot! It’s an emotional roller-coaster #sniff
In typical Kim style, she completely disregards doctor’s orders and pushes herself beyond the max to throw herself into the next murder investigation - finding out the truth behind what happened to Gordon, quickly followed by his son’s sinister car accident and then another female victim who had links to Gordon. Who is the killer? Why? Who is next on the killer’s list? Will Kim & her team be strong enough, physically & emotionally, to untangle the clues and find their suspect in time to save another life?
The murderer’s POV is woven in throughout but I still had no idea who it was until near the end, I do love a guessing game, playing out different theories in my head.
The first victim, Gordon, was introduced in the previous book so there is a little back-story new readers will miss. Theoretically you *could* read this as a standalone however this is not a series I would recommend jumping in at any point – start from the beginning! Oh how I envy those of you starting this series afresh! You won’t regret it, I promise you!
Fast paced, gritty and incredibly emotional. I LOVED this book.
Thank you to Bookouture for providing this book in exchange for a review.

This is a series that just continues to go from strength to strength. Kim Stone is a brilliant, string character that, despite what is thrown at her, manages to keep pushing through.

I like Kim and her strong character but in this book she looked overwhelmed and not like before, I understand it’s because of tragedy that happened in the book before.
The story start with the brutal murder of doctor and the bodys keep coming , Kim needs to find why and who ? before it is too late .

This book was as great. I feel this is one of the best series that I read.

A series that continues to go from strength to strength. Kim Stone is a fantastic character that manages to keep pushing through everything that is thrown at her personally and professionally.

Another hit from Angela Marsons. Fatal Promise is ninth book in the DI Kim Stone series. This series needs to be read in order as the books builds upon the previous (binge reading is always encouraged). I found Fatal Promise to be well-written with complex characters. I like that we learn something new about Kim Stone in each book. Kim is a multifaceted woman whose past has shaped her. The only individual allowed close to Kim is her best friend and dog, Barney. Kim and her team are grieving the loss of DS Dawson who died in Dying Truth. It has them on edge causing tension in what is normally a team that works very well together. Each one of them deal with the loss in a different way as we get to see in the book. They get a new team member, DS Austin Penn who is good with computers. This will be especially hard on DC Stacey Wood who has been the team’s computer expert. The mysteries are complex with unexpected twists that will have the reader gasping with surprise. The violence is ramped up with a killer on a spree (there is foul language too). I liked the ending and am looking forward to Dead Memories. Be prepared to hang a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door when you begin reading this fast paced suspense.

Fatal promise by Angela Marsons.
A fantastic read. I love Kim and how she is. I liked Penn in the end too. It wasn't who I thought it was.
Kim Bryant Stace are like family. It was a shame about Dawson. I hope Penn gets to feel like family too. 5*.

Fatal Promise is the ninth book in the stellar Kim Stone detective series, but this one broke my heart. It took me along time to read this one simply because the events in the previous novel were devastating and heartbreaking and I just didn't have it in me to read the next installment until this week. However, I am so glad that I did as it continued the story set up in the previous novel and dealt with some major issues that needed to be dealt with.

First of all, if you have not read the previous entry in this series, you should do so in order to really get a good grasp of the person who was murdered and to understand the importance of the events in this book, otherwise you will be left completely in the dark. At the beginning of the novel, which picks up several weeks after the events in book 8, the team is dealing with a tragic loss and are devastated. I truly love how the author dealt with the loss and how she developed the scenario, especially when a new team member arrived to replace the hole left vacant. While my heart was broken, I could still smile through a lot of the situations in which the team found themselves, and the banter that is usually there slowly found its way back as the novel progressed. I though the author did a wonderful job showing how each person dealt with their grief and developed throughout the novel. This could not have been easy for her to write and I commend her for it.

The plot itself was great, as usual; fast, interesting, with a lot of twists and turns. There was actually a secondary plot line that Stacey was investigating which really had nothing to do with the murder and it was interesting in itself, simply because of the ethics involved. I think I actually enjoyed Stacey's story line more than the original murder scenario as I have always been fascinated by the concept, but both were compelling. I like how the author tries to incorporate a theme into each of her novels, but also continues the story from the previous novels. Simply, if you had to make a choice, what choice would you make? And could you live with the consequences of that choice for the rest of your life? And should you have to make that choice when circumstances are dire? It was an interesting concept and left me thinking about it for a couple of days. Having the story continue from previous novels allows for great character development and good interaction between the characters. I have been following the series since book 1 and love how much they have grown as people and as friends.

While the events in the previous novel were quite upsetting, I am so glad I finally read this book and had closure to what happened. I was able to follow the characters in their journey through their grief and healing and really empathized with them as they continued to do their jobs. I thought the novel was well-thought out, interesting, and well-written. As always, I am a huge fan of Kim and her team, and look forward to continuing their story in the next book.

This is the 9th book in Angela Marsons' DI Kim Stone series so you will want to read the previous 8 books before this one (Silent Scream, Evil Games, Lost Girls, Play Dead, Blood Lines, Dead Souls, Broken Bones and Dying Truth), especially book 8 as there is a connection between the two.

Angela Marsons bring back DI Kim Stone but everything has changed yet the killers still keep coming:

Who Lives, Who Dies? You only need to choose. When a doctor is discovered murdered in a local woodland plus he has a connection to a previous case that the team has worked on, it is all hands on deck. The the doctors son is killed in a supposed car accident could it just be a coincidence. Then a woman is discovered dead and Kim discovers the only thing that connects them is the Russells Hall Hospital. Is that too little of a connection? All they know is a serial killer is on the loose; Kim and her team are at their worst but they need to get ahead of this case as the body count continues to rise.

Marsons has been my go to author for a bit now for great detective mystery reads but authors cannot get it right all the time. This is the second book in this series where I found it was just okay. I did not have that edge of my seat feeling at all from this book and honestly compared to the book before this it took me way too long to read this one.

I didn’t really find either of the cases in this book interesting but if I had to choose between the two cases I found Stacey’s case the more interesting even though I was able to guess what was going on before she was. Although with Kim's case I liked the connection to the previous book and I did not guess who the killer was, I just felt like these was nothing new in that case and that Marsons herself had done something similar before. It felt like this book relied a bit too much on an increased body count to move the mystery along instead of following Kim's gut to move the cases and therefore the mystery along.

I think the most interesting part of this book was seeing how the team reacts and has changed from the events of the previous book especially Kim. It constantly felt like she was off her game and in a way showed some real emotions that Kim does not normally reveal to others as well as how much she cares. As stated before Kim doesn't seem to be able to trust her gut or won't trust her gut and is just going through the motions. Additionally, the team dynamics also changed and Bryant was even more stepping on Kim's toes and trying to "keep her in line".

For me this was one of the weaker books in this series so I hope this is just a bump along the way. Of course I’ll be reading the next book in this series, authors can’t get it right all the time, right? And really Marsons is one of my favourite authors out there.

Enjoy!!!

There was something about the way this was written that I had such a hard time getting into it. I tried a few different times, and did pouch through it, but I made no connections with characters and could have easily just stopped reading.

Detective Kim Stone Book 9 One of my favourite crime series, Book 9 didn't disappoint
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Fatal Promise – Angela Marsons

I’m always impatient to read Angela Marsons books and she never fails to deliver a ripping good yarn. I always clear a few hours to make sure that I can read these in peace. Fatal Promise is number nine in the Detective Inspector Kim Stone series and like the previous books there’s plenty of action, deceit, drama and secrets to keep the pages turning. I believe that these really should to be read in chronological order as the author has woven such intricate lives for Kim and the rest of her team. I’m still reeling from the end of number eight Dying Truth; I wasn’t at all prepared for it.

The team are all over the place and I don’t just mean emotionally they are physically in different stations. On their arrival back to Halesowen Stacy and Bryant are struggling to cope following the death of Detective Sergeant Kevin Dawson, who lost his life trying to save a young boy. They are assigned a new colleague, Detective Sergeant Penn although he’s a decent copper and has worked with them before he’s just not Kev. DI Kim Stone is back following enforced leave due to a broken leg so in true Kim style as soon as her stookie is off she’s straight back on the job.

Dr Gordon Cornells body is found dumped at the edge of a local woodland, he had been brutally murdered, Dr Cornell is known to Kim as she had had dealings with him in the past when she was looking into the death of a young school girl. Shortly thereafter son was involved in a serious traffic accident and lost his life and then we have the body of an elderly woman who has been found in suspicious circumstances she also turns out to be connected to Dr Cornell as she was a patient at the hospital both the father and son worked at.

In my opinion the author has done a grand job of dealing with the grief of the team and how the dynamics changed with the loss of what we knew to be a vital cog within the team. I like that we find out more about the teams personalities and their own ways of dealing with, not that successfully to begin with but by the end of the book they are becoming more like their selves.



Read for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley and Bookoutre Publishers

Another cracking read in the Kim Stone series. As always, it kept me hooked and I enjoyed the two side by side plots, both of which had plenty of suspense. Can't wait for the next case!

I love, love, love the Detective Kim Stone books. I can't get enough of them, Angela writes so amazingly she keeps you gripped from the first page until the last. As per normal, I couldn't put the book down. I was weary how this book would be after the ending of the last one and the team losing Dawson, but she did it brilliantly and I'm even looking forward to Penn's character developing with the team. I didn't guess who the killer was, but I never normally do!!
I can't wait for the next book, Angela is by far my favourite author. Thank you for letting me read and review this book, I recommend her to anyone I can!
And 5 stars for this book is no where near enough!

Fatal Promises takes place a few months after the tragic ending of Dying Truth . The team is in shambles, having been separated and dispatched to other units while Kim heals. Kim was cleared to return to work but she has not completely bounced back. She is in pain, weak and a bit off her game. Can the team pull it together amidst their grief and the unwelcome addition of a new team member to unravel their latest case?

Emotions run high in this installment to the series as the team deals with their emotions and grief. I particularly enjoyed Kim's interactions with Ted - a therapist with insight into her childhood. I love how Marsons peels back more of Kim's layers with each new book.

This book has two parallel storylines. While Kim and her team are investigating a surgeon's murder and subsequent linked crimes, Stacey is drawn to a missing girl investigation which is not all it seems.
The mysteries were dark and disturbing but what I really enjoyed was how Marsons tackled this book with heart. The team displayed anger, denial and grief over the loss of one of their own. I found myself feeling much like they did over the loss - it was like a family stricken by the loss of a loved one. They know they have to move on but the journey is difficult and emotionally wrought.

Keep doing what you're doing Angela Marsons! This series continues to get better with each installment! Can't wait to see what you have in store for Kim, Bryant, Stacey and Penn next. Whatever it might be, one thing is for sure - I'll be along for the ride!

Another solid read by this author . DI Stone and her team are struggling with the death of detective Dawson from the previous book. They all grieve differently but their intense pain and longing is the same. Stone , herself is hurting not only from this death but a painful leg injury that is just healing . She is questioning her abilities but does manage to figure out why Dr. Cordell and people associated with him are murdered . As always lots of action and a great investigation.