Another great book in the Kim Stone series. The team have had instructions from above that they need to work to their contracted hours but is it what they want? especially when Penn is dealing with a court case and they have new murders to investigate.

This is book number 11 in the D.I. Kim Stone series but can be read as a standalone, but why do that when you have a whole ten more books to read?!!

This time around Kim and her team are tasked with finding a serial killer who stages his victims in children's games and is linked to a children's competition for child prodigies.

This book had me hooked from the very first page. It is a well written, compelling and gory read. I love the short chapters and the banter between the team. I hope Penn is re-instated to the team in the next book and the new girl Tiff remains.

Another installment following Detective Kim Stone and her team as they try to find the latest killer. This is not just an ordinary slew of killings either and that's what made it interesting!

I love the author's choice of short chapters alternating between the various characters. This kept me on the edge of my seat reading chapter after chapter to find the killer. I was not a huge fan of Penn's story at the beginning, but keep with it!

Overall, this was a fun fast paced read, but was not anything earth shattering, hence the 3 stars.

Thank you #NetGalley and #Bookouture for allowing the opportunity to read and review #ChildsPlay.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

A serial killer is using children's games to stage murders... is it connected to the gifted child's tournament?

this was a fabulous thriller. i couldn't put it down!!!

Another great thriller from a superb writer.
A solid plot line with all the usual twists and turns we have grown to love from DI Kim Stone.
One of those books which, when I'm immersed in it, hubby knows there's no point in trying to talk to me.
Excellent, thank you.

When I get approved to read a Kim Stone novel I drop everything because I know I’m not going to be doing anything until I’ve read the whole story. Child's Play (thanks for the creepy title) was brilliant and if you’re worrying that after ten books the author might be running out of ideas this will reassure you that she has stores of intriguing, unsettling, mind behind stories to tell. This was such an original idea and not one I’d come across before and just when you think you know what’s going on, Marsons turns everything on it’s head. I absolutely adore this series, please never stop writing them.

Unbelievable that this is the 11th in the fabulous Kim Stone series and just when you thought it couldn't get any better, IT MOST DEFINITELY DOES !!!

A serial killer is using children's games to stage the horrific scenes of their gruesome murders and what if any is the link between the murders and the tournament for gifted children.

I love this series so it's always great to have Kim and the team of DS Bryant, Stacey and Penn back. I love the banter, the relationships within the team and how their personalities come to the fore when tackling a new case.
It was great to meet the bubbly and outgoing new girl Tiffany, I definitely hope we see more of her in the future, as she steps in to help the team while Penn is seconded back to his old division to help with an old case.

Another BRILLIANT, ingeniously constructed, tightly plotted storyline, with plenty of action and suspects galore makes this one hell of a nail biting thrill ride.
This is Angela Marsons doing what she absolutely does best and long may it last.

Most certainly a highly recommended 5 star read- superb novel that I LOVED.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for an ARC for my honest review.

Yet again Angela Marsons delivers a thrilling, fast paced and well written crime thriller! D.I Kim Stone and her team have their work cut out in this one! Would highly recommend reading this!!

Another Kim Stone mystery and another twist turning, thrilling, journey into the minds of the evil/damaged/vulnerable characters she creates. I really enjoyed how this was set in the world of child geniuses and the impact this on them and their families. Once again Angela creates a great story combined with characters we have grown to love.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Child’s Play, the eleventh novel to feature DI Kim Stone of the Staffordshire police.

Kim and the team are asked to investigate the murder of Belinda Evans, a retired child psychologist. The murder has ritualistic elements that lead them to investigate Belinda’s life, starting with her sister Veronica’s strange reluctance to discuss their relationship. This focus changes when two more child experts are murdered in similar circumstances and all three are linked to an organisation for genius children. They are without DS Penn who is seconded back to his old team to see through a murder prosecution.

I thoroughly enjoyed Child’s Play which is an exciting but disturbing read with plenty of twists and turns. The novel is told from the investigative point of view after an opening prologue which sets the scene and hints at a motive. I like this approach best as it allows me to settle in to the read, identify with the characters and get engrossed. The two plot lines run alternately throughout the novel and while they are totally separate they are both absorbing so the switch between them is not distracting or off putting. I also like that the novel concentrates on the journey to the result, rather than the solution itself.

Strangely I didn’t prefer one plot line more than the other as they both have plenty to offer and supply much food for thought. I’m not going to discuss the Penn story so as not to issue spoilers, other than to say that forensic science may not be as infallible as we are led to believe. Ms Marsons’ research into how gifted children are treated is obviously extensive but she incorporates into her novel in a natural and unforced manner although the picture she paints is not pretty, in fact I found it disturbing.

The plot is exciting and very readable but much of my joy in this series comes from the characters and their interactions. I didn’t take to Kim Stone at the beginning of the series but now she’s one of my favourite characters, driven and smart. I love the camaraderie and rough humour between the team which seem so natural and everyday. In this novel I particularly enjoyed Kim’s efforts to make the team work less after a memo about stress and burn out and their resistance!

Child’s Play is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

We kick off with a pretty brutal murder, in a play ground leading us, the team, to our newest investigation. Stone is under orders to keep an eye on her team, rest them, no excessive working hours and we have a newbie added to the squad. She is young, full of life, energy and new annoying habits. In between our team working on the gruesome playground murder one of our team, Penn, is attending court for a previous case, the killing of a shop keepers son. The difference in how Penn and Stone liase with the victims family and indeed the characters themselves are night and day. Two different stories, side by side and the layers of everything else in between. The team dynamics, new working relationships, new conditions and another body along the way, just another day in thew office for Stone and co.

I love Stone, the team, Betty the plant (may she live and be fought over forever!) and the difference in interactions with the officers and the victims family (from one case to the other). There is always minimally one complex character and whether you like them or not you can help but be drawn to them, their disclosures or what they are hiding, why are they hiding something, are they hiding something. Eek you are reeled in like a fish pretty much from page one, a style we have come to know and expect from Marsons.

Murder, police investigation, teamwork, relationships and as with all that we still get the personal insights, albeit briefly for some, for me it gives the story some heart. We know they work hard and it is awesome seeing them as cops but I love we get to see parts of them outwith the team, makes the characters more human. That and how they do their job, I just love pretty much the whole team, the writing, the build up of the story and the pace it keeps. If you haven't read Marson's before you could start here but you would be doing yourself and the series a disservice, book one is Silent Scream go check it out, 4.5/5 for me this time, great series, great book, roll on number 12 already.

She’s back!! For anyone who has only just come across Angela Marsons, I implore you to go back and read this series from the start! What an amazing book!! Angela is my new James Patterson. I cannot rave enough about her, if you love crime thrillers where the protagonist is female, I challenge you to NOT like the Kim Stone series!!

Let's play a game. It's a twisty one involving revenge, murder and family strife. Are you up for it? Kim Stone and her team certainly were!

In this 11th installment of one of my absolutely favorite series, Kim and her team find themselves one step behind a gruesome killer whose hunting ground seems to be child prodigies and the people who work closely with them.

The investigation takes them deep into the darker side of life for gifted children - the unyielding pressure to be the best and stay on top, bitter rivalry and resentment between siblings and eventually growing up and dealing with the fact that you are not the star of the show anymore. The storyline was intriguing and made me think about all those children you see totted on television and youtube with special talent. What happens to them after they grow up and their special talent isn't as exciting anymore now that they are no longer children? It was riveting to explore this along with Kim and her team. Marsons is a star at writing new and compelling cases for each book!

Of course, all the banter and team love was as ever present here. It's what I have come to love most about this series. We even got a new character, Tiffany/Tinks added to the team when Penn had to return to his old stomping grounds for a case. Her bright and bubbly personality was quite the clash with Kim and it was great to watch how the members of the team reacted to her.

I sped through this book in one night because as usual, when I enter the world of Kim Stone there's no coming up for air until the case has been solved. Thank you Angela Marsons for doing what you do best! This was another well written, thoroughly researched, twisty plot. It can be read as a standalone but honestly - do yourself a favor and read them all. They don't disappoint!

I love Angela Marsons, for me, she is up there with Jeffery Deaver and James Patterson. This book was well written and well researched. I had never thought about what happens to child prodigies when they grow up and this gave a fascinating insight into this and also the effect of being the sibling of a child prodigy.
The book began with an extremely gruesome scene, so gruesome in fact that I found myself wincing at the thought of the pain that was being inflicted. From this beginning it developed into a gripping psychological story with complex characters and original plot.
I thoroughly enjoyed this latest DI Stone investigation and look forward to the next book.

Angela Marsons has pulled it out of the bag again!!! I always worry with a series that I love that the next book won't be as good as the last and the last book in this series was amazing so it was a hard act to follow.

Kim and her team are tasked with finding a serial killer who stages his victims in children's games. The killer it seems is linked to a children's competition for child geniuses but how?
A new character was introduced in this book, as Penn was away from the team carrying out an investigation with his old team. I hope (please Angela if you read this) that Tink will stay as she added a new dynamic to the team and brought out a softer side to Kim.

Penn is seconded to his old team as questions are asked of a previous investigation. Is the arrest and charge all it seems?

I make no secret, to any one who will listen, that this series is one of the best police procedurals that you can read. This new instalment has not disappointed. Keets and Mitch are just the right side of sarcastic to keep Kim in line without it becoming a tiresome element to the story and I am enjoying the fact that the other characters are starting to be explored outside of the main story. Why is Stace avoiding Devon?

Very much looking forward to book 12!

This is already the 11th book in the Kim Stone series, and I just love the series. I love reading about this take-no-nonsense ever woman!! In this book she has to investigate the death of a woman. A woman who was a child prodigy when growing up and this opens a whole new world of child geniuses and prodigies to Kim and her team. I really loved and enjoyed the book and can't wait to read the following in the series! Highly recommended.

I am a huge fan of this series and author. Needless to say I was thrilled to be approved to read this book! Excellent writing. Fast paced plot with unexpected twists. Author brought in a new character - excellent addition.
Excellent read and highly recommend.

Child's Play is the latest Kim Stone story by Angela Marsons. As with other books in this series it is a stand alone novel, but so much more enjoyable for me having read the previous ones. Ms Marsons does an excellent job of drawing the reader into the action with some edge of your seat moments. I was given an early copy to review.

I've read all of the Kim Stone series, so it's always exciting when a new one comes out! This one certainly didn't disappoint! A woman is found stabbed to death tied to a swing in a children's playground. Kim's investigation leads her and her team in to the world of child prodigies. In the meantime, Penn, the newest member of the team is seconded back to a case with his former team, in which previous water tight evidence starts to unravel. This is another great read from Angela, and will keep you guessing right to the end. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

And she does it again . I love this series and every book is as good or better than the previous one ! Keep them coming Angela ! Easy 5 stars