Another great book from Angela Marsons and after 12 books she is one of my favourite authors. The only down side is once started it is hard to put down and usually finished within a couple of sittings. Fascinating read looking into the power of cults and human vulnerability plus the usual great team investigating.

With thanks to Net Gallery and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Disclaimer * I am a massive Kim Stone fan. I have lapped up every single instalment of this series and was over the moon to be selected to read number 12 on Netgalley *

I always worry when a new Kim Stone is out that it won't be as good as the previous ones. That the ride will be over. I then start the book and within a few minutes I'm hooked and wonder why I was worried. I've no idea how Angela does it but 12 books in and Kim is as good as ever.

A young girl is found with her neck cut in her own flat. First look appears to be suicide but Kim has a feeling that all is not as it seems. A bit of investigation and Kim and her team are thrown into a hunt for a killer with links to a cult.

I don't know much about cults but this book seems to have been very well researched by Angela which adds to the plausibility of the story. It's worrying how easily one could be taken in by such a group.

Looking forward to book 13 (hoping it won't be unlucky for Kim) and please please can Stacey get married in this one!

Another fantastic installment in the Detective Kim Stone series. I am a huge fan of the series and always love to hear about Kim and her team. IThe plot is superb and the characters are as interesting as ever. Once again I demolished another Kim Stone book in a single sitting. A young woman is found with her throat slit, alone in her flat with no forced entry, it is though to be a suicide but something niggles Stone and she is convinced it is a clever murder. Then a young man is found in a lake with his throat cut and a link is found between the victims and furthermore, both spent time a a retreat which is thought to be a cult. Fast paced and engaging read. 5*

This is my first Angela Marson’s book. Yes, I know coming in at book 12 is a bit mad, but having finished it and loving it, I will be going back and reading them all. The Killing Mind took me down a rabbit hole into the world of cults and the effect they have on people’s minds. It didn’t matter that I was late to the series. I might have been missing some background on the main characters, but it in now way distracted from the story. The plot was excellent with so many questions going round in my mind. I had absolutely no idea who the killer was and was very surprised when it was revealed. the story is fast-paced and a definite page turner as everything unfolds. I really like Kim’s character along with all the others too, and I look forward to getting to know each of them better as I go back and read the series from the start.

As a crime novel, this one is definitely up there with all the top releases of the year so far and I have no doubt it will be a bestseller. The writing is fluid, the characters are well developed, and throughout reading, I felt as if I was watching one of my favorite crime shows on the TV. The writing brought everything to life and I can’t wait to delve into another of these books.

I'm always very excited when a new Kim Stone book comes out, and, once again, this did not disappoint! In this story Kim and her team are called to investigate the suicide of a young woman, who is found with her throat cut. When the body of a young man is found in a lake, also with his throat cut, Kim quickly realises that they have 2 murders to contend with. The link between them takes them to Unity Farm, a retreat, and it soon becomes obvious that something strange is going on here. This is a great read which will keep you guessing to the end. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

I have read every book in this series and once again I really enjoyed this book.Angela Marsons is the mistress of crime writing. I love the police team settings , I used to live in Halesowen and was a special constable at Halesowen police station,I can really identify with the team and the locations and I love the books.This was very believable and the psychology behind cults was very interesting .I am not giving anything away but this was a cracking book and all I can say is bring on the next book..

I am really enjoying this series, it gets better with every book. It has a fast paced story line with great believable characters. We get to see more of the characters personalities and back stories more and more with each book.
I look forward to reading more about Kim Stone and the team.

Angela Marsons has done it again, this is another excellent instalment in the Kim Stone series. I could not put it down! I love how she continues to come up with new, fresh, exciting and gripping storylines for these characters. Never predictable and always paced very well, I completed this in one sitting.

I have read the majority of the Kim Stone series and generally find them an enjoyable, easy read. Kim can be a bit annoying in her single minded, stubborn approach but she has a good team around her as well as a sympathetic back story which overall evens out . This book was similar to the others with a good storyline, you don't necessarily need to read them in order but overall I would imagine it helps as reference is made to aspects of previous books. I enjoyed the topic of cults as similar to Angela Marsons I find it fascinating. Perhaps, it would have been helpful to have more of a background on the leader to understand more about how it came about but just my preference.

Angela Marsons has done it again (I think I write this at the beginning of every review in the Kim Stone series)
Killing Mind is book 12 in the Kim Stone series and the series just gets better and better.
From the second I start to read I’m engrossed. Short, sharp chapters that makes me unable to put the book down.
Kim and her team work so well together even though the personalities are so different and each has their own strength and they gel so well together.
Kim is called to a death of a young girl which looks like suicide..but is it? Then when she goes to inform her parents they seem to be hiding something. Is there more to it than what they are letting on?
You need to read it to find out what...
This book is gripping, page turning and just brilliant.
5 stars
Highly recommend

I absolutely love these books and cannot rate them high enough. How Angela marson manages to think up these storylines I cannot fathom but I hope she continues for many more books.

The team are called to investigate what appears to be a clear case of suicide but things don’t sit right with DI Kim Stone and the case is reviewed then reclassified as murder. The crime leads them to have dealing with Unity Farm a kind of spiritual retreat run by the charismatic Jake Black. But is everything as perfect and welcoming as it seems?

Many thanks to the publishers and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another brilliantly constructed Kim Stone novel from the superb Angela Marion's. The characters, the plot, the settings, the realistic dialogue and the police work all ring so true. This series is one of the best around! They are best read in order, but I recommend that you read them however you can find them. Completely, stunningly excellent.

Killing Mind is another excellent immensely readable book in the Kim Stone series.
An apparent suicide turns out to be a murder, as Kim and team begin to investigate. When liaising with the family they discover links to a retreat called Unity Farm. As the case continues at a fast pace it becomes clear that people are been targeted and their fears and insecurities being used to indoctrinate them into a cult.
More bodies are discovered and Kim sends ‘Tink’ a police officer who was introduced in a previous book to go in undercover, not realising the danger she may be being placed in.
Along side there is a secondary story involving Bryant and the first murder scene he attend as a young constable. This works well and is well written and emotional.
This book romps along at a good pace, it is interesting and captures your attention to the point you won’t want to put the book down.
I felt there was less personal interaction between the main characters this time but mainly because they were so committed to unearthing the truth and catching the villain/s
My thanks to net galley and publisher Bookouture for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this arc. And special thanks to Angela Marsons!!

Make a big pot of coffee.
Turn off the phone.
READ.

I love this series. And with book # 12, the love continues. This story started with an apparent suicide of a young lady for Kim, followed quickly by the murder of a young man in a similar manner. While Kim and her team were trying to figure out how the two victims were connected, Bryant was side-tracked by the prison release of the murderer of his very first case as a policeman. And they're off as they say at the races. The pacing of the two stories was great as usual. Kim, Stacy and Penn found the cult connection between their victims early on. Kim, given her own background and mental toughness didn't give it much credibility to start with, but with the addition of a single shoe found at their second victim's scene, began to think further. As a result, she called on Tink to come in on the action. YEAH!! Tink!!

A great fast read, but left me with a couple or three burning questions at the end:
1. Were Kim's moments of gooey softness with her team members aberrant one-offs? I hope not.
2. Will Bryant get all the knots worked out of his knickers?? I hope so.
3. WHO is going to replace Betty???

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC.
I love this series and (being pessimistic) I often fear that maybe this one may be the one that disappoints as surely, she can’t keep hitting the jackpot! But not this series, it just seems to get stronger and stronger. It was great to catch up with Kim and her team again, but was sad that Betty has left us…
The books are exciting reads with short punchy chapters that keep the pace at a fantastic speed. I love the very believable characters, that have developed over the series and a great new character Tiff (Tink).

The subject matter of this one is cults, it was obvious Ms Marsons has done a lot of research, but unlike other authors, she has edited it down to just the right level. Overall this was yet another gripping crime thriller, with some great banter in the team and familiar locations.

Five massive stars from me for this utterly brilliant read. Book 12 in the Kim Stone series. What a great story with the usual great characters that are part and parcel of this super series.

The problem with reviewing the twelfth volume in a series that you love, is that eventually you repeat yourself. What can I say? That I love the characters, the writing and the plot? Well, I do. How can Marsons have written so many novels and still keep it fresh is outstanding. This time, one of the team members goes undercover into a cult. Said person is a police officer so the leader won't be able to brainwash them, right? Well, that's what makes cults truly terrifying, you may be a normal person but no one is safe from psychological manipulation. All the characters get a chance to shine. Bryant revisits his first case in a subplot that surprised me and made me look at him under a different light. Stacey seems to be closer to personal happiness and Penn is just as good-natured as always. But it's Kim that I like more and more every time. She's more empathetic and smarter than ever.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/ Bookouture!

Another Kim Stone novel. 12 now in the series. That’s a lot right? Usually you start to reach diminishing returns. But book 12 - Killing Mind is one of, if not my favourite in the series.


When Kim is called to the death of a young woman in her flat it is ruled a suicide. The woman appears to have cut her own throat, knife still in her hand.
Kim visits the parents to tell them of their daughters death but she gets the feeling they are being evasive and not telling her the whole truth about her daughter.
When she spots a clue in a photo she realises she’s made a terrible mistake and that their daughter was murdered.
When a body is discovered shortly afterwards of a young man in a nearby lake with his throat cut in a similar fashion, Kim looks for a link between the two and finally finds that they both spent time in Unity Farm, a sort of retreat for vulnerable people.
She sends one of her officers in under cover to find out more but she soon finds out that Unity Farm is not all it seems and has a sinister side to it. Some refer to it as a cult. Has she sent her rookie officer into unnecessary danger?

Well this was just bloody brilliant, no other way to put it. I do love this series and with every new release I do fear that it may disappoint as you can’t keep hitting the jackpot. I think I rated all the previous books between four and five stars and this one is an easy five stars. It may be my favourite in the series.

I found the subject matter fascinating and was drawn in to the story in the early part of the book where short sharp chapters keep you on the edge of your seat and reel you into the story that’s to unfold. I was riveted to this from start to finish. Perfectly paced, nicely plotted and a very satisfying ending.
There were a couple of times when I did have to suspend disbelief but they were minor and obvious plot points to drive the story on. Not enough to detract from my five star score.

If you like Kim Stone you are in for a real treat here. Start the book early in the day because once you pick it up you won’t want to put it down.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Angela Marsons for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. (less)

As always, a cracker of a book from Angela Marsons. Hooked from the first page; the insight into cults and how they prey on insecurities and use vulnerabilities to snare their targets made for a compelling storyline. I love catching up with all the characters, can’t wait for the next instalment!

I was delighted to receive an advanced copy of The Killing Mind. This is the 12th book in the Detective Kim Stone series, and Angela Marsons has maintained the high standards, gripping suspense and the psychological insights of previous books. I have enjoyed all books in this series and a new one always goes to the front of my reading list.

The author’s insight into the background and emotional makeup of victims, villains, as well as Kim and her team adds a compelling dimension to these police procedurals. This can be read as a stand-alone, but previous books give added information about the team members and how much Kim has grown during this brilliant series.

The plot begins with Kim called to the scene of the suicide of a young woman. Her distraught parents seem to be concealing something about the circumstances surrounding her death. When a young man is found killed in a similar manner, her death is classified as murder. This leads the detectives to a place called Unity Farm, a retreat where both had been members of a cult-like lifestyle movement.

Kim interviews Kane, a gruff deprogrammer, who is dedicated to removing people from this cult and restoring them to their normal personality. Kim is suspicious of his involvement with Unity Farm and dislikes his abrupt manner. He refuses to answer some of her questions. He explains to her the psychology of cults and how they recruit and prey upon the unhappy, dissatisfied and lonely, manipulating their minds for sinister gain. He describes the difficulty of successful de-programming and how it may be accomplished.

Kim does not seem to absorb much of what Kane tells her, not yet convinced that Unity Farm is a cult. There may be other disappearances connected with the place and its charismatic leader. She sends a young constable, Tiff, undercover into Unity Farm to find out what is going on. Tiff seems ideal for the assignment, looking younger than her age and quite innocent. Is Tiff too vulnerable for this duty? Might she be programmed into the cult? Tiff is excited to take on the role, hoping that a successful outcome would lead her to become a full member of the team.

Penn is becoming a valuable member of the team having replaced a favourite detective. Bryant has his own case, following the release of a man who was imprisoned for brutal crimes in the past, and now due for release may commit more violence. Stacey has found some important information relating to Unity Farm and its adherents. Kim comes to the realization that Tiff may be facing grave danger. Is it possible to save her in time or have they manipulated her mind through programming?

This is a complex but easy to read plot. Its short chapters increase the pace, momentum and suspense.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this absorbing ARC.