There is no grief like the grief that does not speak.

It slides on silent feet just beyond the turn of the head. And it waits, cast away to the top of the shelf in the dark. It sits alone, but beckons with the promise of gaining your undivided attention when you least expect it.

Angela Marsons brings us full circle back to the heinous crimes in Dying Truth. D.I. Kim Stone and her squad of officers of the West Midlands Police must regroup while less intact. The empty desk in the corner is a painful reminder that DS Kevin Dawson, a solid member of this team, will no longer have his presence felt in this room or any other room. Dawson fell to his death from a high tower while saving the life of a young boy.

As dedicated readers, we feel that hush. Kim, Bryant, and Stacey move about with sealed lips. Somehow if you give a voice to it, it makes it real. And that kind of real is just too much to bear right now. Real is the harsh tones from a phone call reporting the body of murder victim, Dr. Gordon Cordell, in a nearby park. Soon the body of his son, Saul, will be found crushed beyond recognition in a highway accident. Fate or coincidence, either way, Kim and her team must gear up to the challenge.

Beyond anything, we've come to know that Angela Marsons crafts a story like no other. Every book in this series peels away a layer of Kim Stone, slowly and painstakingly. She is a complicated, multi-faceted individual who carries the bulk of her personal story under lock and key. In Fatal Promise, Kim has just had her cast removed from her broken leg. It will not sideline her. There's no time allowed to reflect or to pause. Automaticity takes charge and it's driven intensely from within.

Fatal Promise has us looking through windowpanes, up close and personal, at the changes that will evolve under trying circumstances within our familiar group here. Marsons touches her readers with a rush of humanity that reflects the real world out there. Dealing with the rawness of situations best left untouched. Angela Marsons, you've given it a name and made it so.

I received a copy of Fatal Promise through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to the highly talented Angela Marsons and to Bookouture for the opportunity.

Angela Marsons pulls it out the bag yet again. Absolutely love her writing style and I really enjoy reading about Halesowen and surrounding areas I live close to. DI Kim Stone is such a likable character and each book we find out more and more about her. Bring on the next in the series.

Once again another superb book from Angela Marsons. Although it could be read as a standalone, this book follows the team still dealing with the events of book eight 'Dying Truth'. I had wondered how the author could follow her previous book, but I had no need to worry, as always it drew me in from the first page and didn't let me go until the last. I am already looking forward to the next one.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

This one only gradually worked its way up to 4* for me. The opening chapters were largely a recital of the ending of the previous instalment, including the tragic death of DC Dawson. Then Kim and Stacy spent the bulk of the book being mean about/to poor Penn, who had been sent to join the team, and just being generally petulant and emotional.

However, the main plot was extremely good. For most of the novel I was completely mystified, but the ending was very satisfactory. The side plot dealing with Stacy's case was also interesting and added variation.

Recommended. I'm looking forward to more instalments with Penn on the team.

At one point in this novel, a character says that any reason to spend time with DI Stone is a joy. Another character is waiting for a sarcastic tilt of the mouth as he'd never "met many people who would say the same about Kim Stone." Let me say that this could not be further from the truth... I, for one, love spending time with her and judging by the sales figures, I'm not alone. It was very hard to come back to this universe. After the indescribable loss in Dying Truth, Kim is not the only one scared to see how her team will work now. The readers, at least, can rest assured that, even if the funny banter is subdued, it's still there. It's interesting to see how the dynamics amongst the characters have changed and are affected by their different circumstances. From the emotional aftermath and the grief, to the more practical issues. And the case is pure dynamite. The first body (not really a spoiler, we know there won't be just the one) is someone we know from the previous installment. Could the mysterious Spades secret society be involved? Kim is all over it but, will she be as good as she used to now that she has one more trauma to add to her soul? You have to read it to find out and you won’t regret it.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Bookouture!

Fatal Promise should be a compulsory read for everyone!!!! I cried and I laughed and I cried some more!!!! Detective Kim Stone and her team have murders to solve. But she and her team are still grieving following the death of Dawson, the fourth member of the team. That doesn't stop them from pursuing the murderer or murderers!!! Stacey comes into her own with a separate case that she's gotten her teeth into! Bryant who is Detective Stone's right hand man struggles with Kim's lack of acknowledging Dawson's death. Also enter Penn, the replacement on the team for Dawson. He's carrying his own baggage. A brilliant fast paced read with oodles of brilliant shocking twists. I thought I had the mystery solved several times but I never saw that ending coming. Well done Angela Marsons once again. A heart stopping story. Also brilliant handling on the teams grief, so sensitively and realistically done. Thanks Angela you're definitely a one in a million author. It was an honour to read it!!!
Thanks Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read this book.

I was so excited when I knew Kim Stone was back again. I can't get enough of this series. Kim is an amazing character as is Bryant and Stacey, it was nice to see Penn's character also quietly evolving after a difficult start for him.
As always the team have a difficult case to solve and we are kept gripped from page one right until.tje very last page.
It was nice to also see a bit more of Kims vulnerability

The 9th in the Kim Stone Series. When I first started reading this wonderful series I had no idea where this journey could lead.

From best villain in a book to Duke of the most amazing and heartbreaking stories you could ever imagine.

Fatal Promise more than lives up to the stories of every past book. Emotionally haunting and a masterpiece of psychology. This book is one of the best I have read this year as well as one of the best of all times.

I love the intricate plot details and character development that you see. I always get a little bit more from Kim with each new book that is released. Her psyche is shown just a little more and you really get to see just what she is made of.

I am a HUGE fan of Angela Marsons books and I have read them all but this is my absolute favourite. It kept me guessing the whole way through and it was great to see Stacey getting her own case and seeing her become much more prominent in this book. I also loved the way Kim was more vulnerable in this book than previous books and we get to see a more human side to her character. After what happened in the last book A Dying Truth I was worried as to how the dynamics of the team would be in this book and while it was very sad for in parts i felt it was perfectly written absolutely loved it so many twists and turns kept me hooked and guessing the whole way through and never have i called it so wrong !!!! Best book I’ve read this year 5 big fat juicy stars from me !!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️



Thank you very much to NetGalley, Bookouture and Angela Marsons for the arc of Fatal Promise. My review is honest and unbiased.

** if you haven’t read Dying Truth the previous book in the series
This review may inadvertently contain some spoilers**

I can not believe I’m sat here writing a review for the ninth book in the Kim Stone series, when I wrote my review for the first book Silent Scream I know I was really excited about what was then a new crime procedure series, and yet nine books on and it’s still a series that stimulates me. Angela Marsons writing goes from strength to strength and you can tell she is just as passionate about the series as her readers, each book has been very different, her characters are always ones I look forward to meeting up with again, they feel like life long friends as I’ve shared in their triumphs, despair and loss. One thing you can guarantee is Angela Marsons writing never disappoints and Fatal Promise is a brilliant addition to this unmissable series.

I’m not going to rehash the plot details as everything you need to know is in the book description, but I will say Kim and her team have their work cut out solving their latest case, and what an intriguing case it turns out to be. The dynamics within the team have changed due to events from Dying Truth (I still haven’t forgiven the author for that one!), which result in discord amongst the team, even Kim and team mate Bryant’s usual banter seems strained and fraught with tension, it doesn’t help matters when Penn joins the team, (a character we met in previous books in the series). Personally I feel he's a worthy addition to the team and I’m hoping he’s going to be come a regular fixture. I thought I knew all there was to know about Kim Stone but I was wrong, the author explores Kim’s abusive past in further detail, and despite her pain and guilt which plays out in her behaviour towards others, the author still allows Kim’s sardonic humour to shine through. Kim Stone is definitely one of my favourite fictional Detectives, she’s complex, surly and yet she has hidden qualities that make her a very endearing and intriguing character.

Fatal Promise was everything I hoped it would be and more, with a cracking storyline that pretty much keeps the reader guessing to the final chapter. Every last page is packed with suspense, mystery and emotion, it’s a cliche but it’s a book I couldn’t bear to put down even for a few minutes. Each book in the series has been very different and I love the fact that Angela Marsons doesn’t always use the same formula so every book feels just as exciting as the first book in the series. Would I recommend this book? It’s a definite and resounding “yes” and if you haven’t read this series yet, why not? Seriously if you are a lover of crime this is a series not to be missed

Review maybe altered slightly and edited prior to publication on my blog

Do not read this is you haven't read book eight. Just don't. No specific spoilers but you don't want to risk it.

This is quite possibly going to be one of the hardest reviews I have ever written as everything I want to say may contain a spoiler for the previous book in the series, Dying Truth. If you haven't read that book then read on at your peril as I am going to do my best not to let any cats out of the bag but I won't make any guarantees. It may be as much what isn't said that gives the game away as much as what is.

The story sees Kim just coming back to work from an enforced period of sick leave. Rather than take it slow, as if that would ever happen, she launches herself straight into a murder case, one which has somewhat emotional connotations for all of the team. The killing is quite brutal, the evidence confusing. And it's only the tip of the iceberg. With the bodies piling up it falls to the team to find the motive for murder before the killer strikes again.

And that's all you are getting from me. Apart from read the book, it's fabulous ...

Okay ... so I lied. There is more, but here is where it gets tricky so this really is your last warning. If you are a fan of the series but haven't read Dying Truth yet then step away from the review. Now. Go. This is one time when I will categorically state that you need to have read at the very lest the book before this in order to understand and appreciate what you are reading here, and to avoid the spoilers which are contained within the story itself.

Still here? Okay then. Here we go.

Fatal Promise really is a brilliant book. I know that probably gets said a lot but there are many reasons why this is true of this story. Not only do you have a complex and bewildering case, some top class narrative and brilliant characters, but this story has an emotional depth that fans of the series will totally understand. I'm still not over the ending of the last book and reading this one just bought it all back. There are scenes which will tug at your heartstrings and draw the tears to your eyes, notably one scene between Stacey and her partner Devon. It is raw and packed with such feeling that you can't help but experience it for yourself as you read.

It's fair to say that the overall tone of this book is quite different to what you have read before. Yes, there is still a murder mystery at its heart. You get chapters told from the killer's point of view, steering you along and making clear their m.o. long before the team cotton onto it, but giving you no clues as to who the guilty party is. The opening chapter is both packed with emotion and yet also emotionally isolated and it set my mind whirring before we even got into the bones of the case. It is still a thriller in every sense and the closing chapters will see your pulse skyrocket at Angela Marsons once again excels in building the tension in the final third of the book, leading us to a rather dramatic showdown. Not quite as dramatic as the last book mind, but enough to drive you to chomp those nails down to the quick. 

What I loved about this story was watching the interaction of the main team. Yes, the line up is slightly different this time around. Unavoidable to be fair. We see more of Penn, who is a character we met in two previous cases. I have to say he's a great character and I'm looking forward to seeing more of him in the future. Boyd was his usual fatherly self although his relationship with Kim is more fractious this time around, the usual easy banter not sitting well with either of them. Theirs is a strong friendship but by 'eck does Angela Marsons push them to the limit this time around.

But one of the key successes in this novel, which marks the just past half way point in the series, is the way in which it further explores the background and psychology of Kim Stone herself. We are aware of her losses, they were exposed very early on in the series. We know her coping strategy, again explored to a manipulative extent by Alex Thorne in Evil Games. This time around it is in mandatory counselling with her long time confidant, Ted Morgan, that we learn even more about Kim's past and the events which shaped her life and her personality. This is not something that Kim would freely admit to anyone so having that outsider view really brings home her character quirks and reinforces your belief in the woman we all know and love, no matter how prickly she may be. And boy is she prickly this time. Even by her usual standards she's going some. You get the true sense of Kim being on a kind of precipice in this book, with the possibility of the case sending her either limping home to safety or crashing over the edge. It truly could go either way.

Are there spoilers here? Perhaps not. Maybe by omission rather than inclusion but then I know what happens ...

If you are looking for a tension filled thriller, travelling in the company of a brilliant cast of characters, a read that is high on drama but equally high on raw emotion, then pick this book up. If you have enjoyed the previous books in the series then, yes, this does mark the start of a new era, but Angela Marsons has managed the transition perfectly, capturing not just the emotions of the characters but, I suspect, those of more than a few of her readers too. We may be saying goodbye to the past, but the future is shaping up to be a pretty fluffing dandy one I'd say.

When the body of a doctor is found murdered in local woodland, Detective Inspector Kim Stone is given the task of finding his killer. As more bodies begin to pile up, Kim begins to wonder if these seemingly unconnected deaths are all linked in some way, with the local hospital where the doctor worked being the link. With Kim and her team still reeling with what happened at the end of the previous book, they are finding it difficult to contain their emotions and struggle to discover the break they need in solving the case.

This is book #9 of the Detective Inspector Kim Stone series. Whilst it can be read as a standalone book, there are references to previous books in the series so I would recommend that they are read in order to avoid any spoilers.

I just know when I pick a book up by this author that I am not going to get anything else done until the book is finished. Luckily I was pre-warned that I may need to clear my diary for the weekend so I could get started on it, which I happily did! Angela Marsons has now been officially awarded my Queen of Crime Writing accolade following this book. I thought the previous book of the series, Dying Truth, was the best one yet but this one has yet again blown it out of the water. It started with a metaphorical bang and didn’t let up until the very end. There were no parts of the book where I thought ‘I’ll skip that and skip this’, I read and savoured Every. Single. Word.

I love the character of Kim Stone and in every book, she is getting better and better. While the aftershocks of what happened at the end of Dying Truth (don’t worry I won’t tell you what in case you haven’t read it yet!) are still reverberating through her team, I just wanted to reach out and hug each and every one of them. The relationships between the team are as strong as ever and I loved the way some were given more responsibility to prove themselves, despite difficult circumstances.

Again, as in previous books, the storyline was strong and powerful with two different mini stories running alongside each other. The writing was so thrilling and suspenseful that at times it made my heart beat faster and at others it made my eyes well up with tears. It’s not often a book comes along which has me devoting my attention to it completely! The ending was fabulous and so cleverly done! Just when I thought I had it all worked out, it all changed in the blink of an eye! I have to admit at this point I did shout out loud but thankfully there was no one else in the room to hear me!

I feel like I repeat myself every time I review a book from the series as I’m sure I always say the same thing but for me, personally, it is great for it to be set entirely in the Black Country. Don’t get me wrong, this series would still be fabulous if it was set in Timbuctoo, but to read a book where there are so many references to things and places that I pass by every day is just great! I live in Sedgley, quite nearby to some of the places that were mentioned in the book and every time somewhere was mentioned I read it out to my husband excitedly! I also loved the reference to Rattlechain Lagoon! I’ve never heard of this place yet I’ve been past the road that leads to it so many times (in fact I’ll be going that way tomorrow also!). It immediately had me looking it up on google to find out all about it! It sounds beautiful with pictures of blue water and golden sands – unfortunately in reality it’s absolutely nothing like that at all with it being a chemical hazardous waste lagoon! At least you can’t say that Angela Marsons only writes crime, as I’m sure she would write a brilliant local tourism guide!

In all seriousness though, if you are going to read one book this year then make it this one. (Although, if you haven’t read the previous 8 books then buy them and read them first!). I guarantee you will absolutely not regret it. Absolutely fantastic and highly recommended!! When do we get to read book #10??!!

I have been a massive fan of this author's books since her first crime thriller, Silent Scream, was released and after the ending to the previous book, Dying Truth, I was excited to read this one but also a bit concerned as I knew that the dynamics of the team I have come to know and love would be changed, but I needn't have worried - Marsons had it all in the bag and has again produced a brilliant thriller!!

This book has two main story lines and I was really pleased to see that Stacey was given her own case to crack - she is a brilliant character and it was nice for her to pop in to the limelight!

The main plot for the story I thought was excellent. There were plenty of twists and I had the wrong "villain" for the majority of the story - the characters are so well developed, the pace was fast and thrilling and this is hands down this is my favourite crime series out there at the moment - it is a cracking story and I will be recommending this one over and over!!

This book would be best read after reading Dying Truth as it will contain spoilers, but if you don't want to read the full series it is fine to read as a stand alone as what has happened previously is covered, but my personally opinion and recommendation would be to read them all - they are all excellent stories!

Five stars from me for this one - it is a brilliant story, very well written and I read it the same evening it landed on my Kindle after bumping this one up above all other books I had to read on my list, I couldn't wait to get started! Can't wait for book 10!!