3.5 stars

Although still enjoyable in Marsons’ usual style, this book didn’t quite live up to expectations.

There seemed much less mystery and intrigue, while certain events (like Kim’s mother’s death) were all but insignificant. It was also slightly more predictable than I would have liked, given the usual confusion and shock impact the books provide.

Having Symes reappear was a good angle, but it felt slightly rushed and the story lacked depth.

Characters seemed subdued and there was far less of Kim’s team (and their families) than usual. Those reading this as a stand-alone won’t notice, but for long-term readers, hearing more about Jasper and Devon adds to the realistic tone of the books and these characters were missed.

A good read, but somehow lacking in finesse.

This is the best, the most tense and adrenaline fuelled, gripping novel in this series.
It's starts with a bang and it never stop keeping you hooked or surprising with a new twists.
I could write a very long review but i don't want to spoil anything as it's one of those book that you must read if you want to understand why I rated it so highly.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Wow this writer just keeps getting better and better.
Great story lines, brilliant characters, sharp dialogue loved reading it!

In a Nutshell: Worked just as a good thriller should. Well-written, fast-paced, great on thrills, gripping.

Story:
DI Kim Stone has been called to investigate a house fire. However, the fire isn’t as innocent as it seems. Four members of the Daynes family have been found dead, and each of them has been killed by gunshot, with the mother holding the gun. While Kim and her team are working on this case, they hear that a dangerous psychopath whom Kim had arrested a few years ago has escaped from prison and is out for her blood. With a protection officer by her side, Kim has no choice but to stay away from the limelight and yet find out what happened with the Daynes family.

Where the book worked for me:
✔ Quick-paced. Short chapters. Kept me gripped from start to end.
✔ No needless subplots. Everything is written keeping in mind the two main investigations - the Daynes murders and the psychopath’s escape.
✔ I loved Kim’s character. She is snarky and over-confident while still being vulnerable. I can see why she is such a beloved character in police procedurals. The rest of her team members - Bryant, Penn, Stacey Wood, Leanne – are also memorable.
✔ Two thrilling cases in a single crime book. “Buy one, get one free”!!
✔ No alcoholics, no sex sirens, no woman character who is described mainly by her looks. Also, no phones dying out at the last minute.
✔ Very inclusive and diverse.
✔ The prologue was brilliant and creates the right amount of suspense.
✔ It does complete justice to its “police procedural” genre. The focus is steadily on the investigations and the entire police team, even though Kim is the star of the show.
✔ It is surprisingly humorous for a thriller! And I mean, intelligent humour, not cheap cracks on someone's looks. The repartee between Kim and her team is superb.

Where the book could have worked better for me:
❌ Well, this isn’t the book’s fault. But I would have loved the book had I felt a oneness with Kim and her team. I felt a bit like Penn, the new joinee to her task force. The group has a smooth camaredierie and I felt lost trying to put everyone in their right roles. With a lot of characters to focus on, this took time. Mind you, the book works wonderfully as a standalone. Wherever there are references to any of the past books, the author provides enough information to help you bridge the gap. But being the series freak that I am, I still felt like I was watching a movie with an ensemble cast at the midway mark.
MINOR SPOILER: <spoiler>❌ Too many adopted/foster children for the plot to be believable. A couple of tracks involving foster parenthood or adoption would have been fine. This went OTT. </spoiler>


I had almost given up on Angela Marsons after reading her romance book “If Only” last year. But a friend told me that she is fabulous in her crime thrillers. Having read this book, I heartily agree. This was my first Kim Stone book, and it won’t be the last. But I’ll make sure I will follow the series order now onwards.

4.25 stars.

My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the DRC of “Six Graves”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Angela Marsons does it again!
Kim Stone is back and this book is a rollercoaster of a read.
An old enemy is back and wants revenge on Stone and will stop at nothing to get it!
Meanwhile Stone is investigating a new case, it seems easily solved a murder suicide , but is it?
The writing is of a high calibre and the story moves on at pace with short punchy chapters.
Highly recommended!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture.

Six Graves is the sixteenth instalment in the DI Kim Stone series by Angela Marsons and once again it was amazing in its brilliance. I adore reading about Kim and her beloved dog Barney who we see snippets of, her acerbity and her passion and relentless drive for always getting the baddie. This tale focuses on two exciting and appalling crimes, the first involving a fire at a rural property and the discovery of four bodies within – father, mother and two teenagers. However, they didn’t die from smoke inhalation as they have been shot. In addition, a serial killer, with a long-held vendetta against Kim, has escaped from prison and he is bent on getting her attention. The chilling twists and intense chapters kept me enthralled and entertained until the very last page. An exceptionally good tale with a nail-biting conclusion and very highly recommended. I hope this fabulous West Midlands based series just keeps on running.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Bookouture via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

Wow wow wow. Book 16 in the Kim Stone series and it’s up there with the best in the series.

An old foe has escaped and is after Kim who is assigned a bodyguard(a brilliant addition) while investigating what looks like a familicide.

I honestly don’t know how Angela Marsons does it. Book 16 and it’s as fresh and exciting as the first one. The team are all here again and it is just so much fun spending time with them. The pace is relentless throughout and the book goes to some pretty dark places. A few red herrings, the most evil of foes, a race against time, you have the quintessential pulse racing thriller and it is executed superbly.

Again I say bravo to the author. I was thoroughly entertained throughout. I’m already looking forward to the next one.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.

Yet another cracking read from Angela Marsons. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC.

Kim is back with another twisty murder. By now, the West Midlands must be at Cabot Cove levels of sadistic murders. This time, a family is annihilated with all evidence pointing towards the mother. Kim must fathom how this incredibly unlikely event could have happened while being stalked by sadistic killer, Andrew Symes. Good times!

As always, the book clips along. There was not quite enough Penn and Stacey for my liking, but I won't hold that against the book. If you're after a quick thrill, this book is for you!

EXCERPT: Bryant averted his gaze from the hole in the ground. He couldn't force himself to imagine the coffin descending into darkness.

He shrugged further into his jacket as a cold wind gusted around the small group of mourners at the top of the Powke Lane Cemetery. The coffin was being placed into the hearse for it's final journey up the hill to where they awaited its arrival.

Nice spot, people always said about the highest point of the cemetery. Mourners drew comfort from a good view from where they buried their loved ones. He suspected that the dead didn't care.

ABOUT 'SIX GRAVES': When Detective Kim Stone rushes to the scene of a house fire, she’s shocked to discover it’s claimed the lives of two teenage children and their parents. But this tragedy is not quite as it seems. Each body is marked by a gunshot wound and the mother, Helen Daynes, is holding the gun.

The case sparks painful childhood memories for Kim who suffered at the hands of her own abusive mother. As she begins to untangle the dark web of secrets within the Daynes family, Kim and her team discover Helen had a history of clinical depression. But could it have driven her to murder her loved ones?

Then Kim uncovers a tiny, vital clue in Helen’s bedroom that throws the investigation wide open. Could someone else have killed the Daynes family?

With the case only just underway, a deadly threat is made to Kim’s own life. Years ago, she rescued two little girls from the clutches of a dangerous psychopath who has just escaped prison and is coming for her.

A witness protection officer glued to her side, Kim must bite back her fear, as she keeps digging into the Daynes’s background and soon hits upon a shocking secret from Helen’s past that could crack the case. With the remaining family members in danger, Kim is under pressure like never before.

The monster circling Kim raises the stakes when he threatens the life of another innocent victim. He’s leading Kim straight to him. Forced to go against direct instructions from her superiors, will that one fateful decision cost her more than her job?

MY THOUGHTS: I approached Six Graves with some trepidation. Angela Marsons was signed by Bookouture to write a total of 16 DI Kim Stone books, and Six Graves is #16. While I longed to read it - I have loved every book in this series - I knew it was 'THE END'.

So I began with trepidation, the hollow feeling in my gut strengthened by the opening paragraphs (above). Obviously DI Kim Stone's funeral. On tenterhooks, I read on. Was I right? Yes, and no.

I read slowly, savouring each word, appreciating every nuance. The ending is at the beginning of the book, so I knew where we were going and really wasn't in any hurry to get there. Not at all. I didn't want this book, this series, to end. But, damn it, the mystery surrounding the apparent murder/suicide of a family, Syme's escape from custody and his subsequent abduction of two small girls had me glued to the pages, all previous intentions of drawing this read out for as long as possible fallen by the wayside.

By the end, I felt battered and drained, exhausted, bereft, and wanting to go back and start all over again.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#SixGraves #NetGalley

I: @angelamarsonsauthor @bookouture

T: @WriteAngie @Bookouture

#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #suspense #policeprocedural #psychologicalthriller

THE AUTHOR: Angela is the author of the Kim Stone Crime series. She discovered a love of writing at Primary School when a short piece on the rocks and the sea gained her the only merit point she ever got.
Angela wrote the stories that burned inside and then stored them safely in a desk drawer.
After much urging from her partner she began to enter short story competitions in Writer's News resulting in a win and three short listed entries.
She used the Amazon KDP program to publish two of her earlier works before concentrating on her true passion - Crime.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Six Graves by Angela Marsons for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of Six Graves by Angela Marsons. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing an ARC to review.

Detective Kim Stone and her team find a family, all dead, with murder-suicide seeming to be the obvious reason. But some things don't add, and there might be a more sinister reason for these deaths hiding in plain sight. But while they track a killer, a person from Kim's past threatens her very life.

Six Graves is the first book I have read in the Kim Stone series, and I have some conflicted thoughts. When it comes to the mystery part, this book does not disappoint. I was very invested in finding out how the family died. I also enjoyed the serial killer stalking Kim story arc. But, having not read any of the previous books and not knowing all the character's past history, I felt like I missed a lot of contexts. For that reason, I am taking a point away. But that is my problem, and I recommend people give this author a try. Just maybe on book one, not book sixteen.

Absolutely one of the best thriller series ever written ! A must read ! Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book ! Opinions are solely my own ! #Netgalley #Bookouture #SixGraves

The book begins with a funeral- the reader does not know who is dead but the reader hopes it isn't who it seems to be! Backtrack thirteen days & DI Kim Stone & her team are pulled off an excruciating team building weekend to deal with a case- no tears from any of them! When Kim & Bryant are called out to a team at a fire they find that a family has died, but not from the fire. Two teens are dead in their rooms of gunshot wounds. The father has also been shot as has the mother, although she is the one holding a gun. Keen to go about things in her usual fashion Kim is horrified when her boss tells her that Symes, a violent psychopath has escaped prison. He blames Kim for the loss of an eye & the opportunity to kill two little girls. She now needs protection & has been appointed Leanne who will stick to her like glue until Symes is caught. Kim is a loner & is NOT happy at having a shadow!

This book might be the sixteenth in the series but it is still as fresh & enthralling as the first, only now the faithful reader has grown to know & love Kim & her team. The story keeps you guessing & I never seem to guess whodunit!! As always I can't wait for the next one. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

As usual, the author never disappoints with a new story in my now favourite series, Kim Stone crime thriller.

The more I read these books, the more I feel connected and sometimes, like going home. A home where danger is right around the corner, but I know detective Kim will save the day in the end.

It’s not a smooth road trip, as there are so many unseen twists, and that will always mark her heart.

“Six graves” is another pulse racing story that will keep you engrossed til the last page.

🆓📖Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Six Graves' by Angela Marsons.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Angela Marsons, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 12th May 2022.

This is the tenth book I have read by this author and it is the sixteenth book in the 'DI Kim Stone' series but can be read as a standalone. I have previously read the first 7 books in the 'DI Kim Stone' plus the fourteenth and fifteenth book which I loved and would recommend. Sadly I haven't had time to read from the 8th book until the fourteenth but will definitely be making time to as I LOVE KIM STONE!!!

I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated 'Fans of Karin Slaughter, Mark Billingham and Robert Dugoni will love Six Graves.' I am a fan of all three of these authors especially Karin Slaughter so am looking forward to see if it lives up to this statement. I am also a MASSIVE fan of Angela Marsons and the Kim Stone series and if this is half as good as the rest it is sure to be a great read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue and 82 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in West Midlands, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited the West Midlands on several occasions so am looking forward to see if I recognise anywhere.

This book is written in third person perspective with the main protagonists being Detective Kim Stone and Symes. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.

'Six Graves' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Angela discusses/includes strong language and graphic scenes.

OMG!!! SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO US ANGELA!!!! JUST WOW!!!! Seriously love, love LOVED this book!!!! Although, shouldn't be so shocked, it is Angela Marsons and Kim Stone after all!!!! Anyway, on with the review shall I....

Angela's style of writing is absolutely fantastic. She has a way in which she completely absorbs the reader into the book with vivid and graphic descriptions that have you completely lost in the plot. It is the type of book that when you finish you look around and wonder where you are and how is nobody else reacting to the bombshell that has just been dropped!!! The cover IS Kim Stone for me and the name and synopsis suited the plot perfectly.

Most heart racing, nail biting, actually stopped breathing epilogue I've EVER read!!!! I mean how on earth do you do it Angela??? Every single book is more heart racing than the next and this has absolutely smashed it!!!

The storyline is an absolute rollercoaster ride through a multi layered adventure park set in the world of horror and crime!!! There's never just one case with Angela but so much going on, not too much to get you confused but just the perfect amount to keep the pace continuous. The majority of chapters end on cliffhanger so keeps reader addicted and turning pages. Although this book is the 16th book in the epic Kim Stone series it can easily be read as a standalone. I haven't had time to read from books 7 until 14 and I cannot wait to get back to her previous books I never had any point felt I'd missed out something to do with the book. Anything that had been mentioned from previous cases were explained with just the right amount of information, not too much to bore those who have read every book and just enough so new readers know what's happened. The murders and crimes are unique and morbidly intriguing. I was on the edge of my seat, biting my nails whilst feeling my heart pounding into the silly hours of the morning as this is one book that cannot be put down so clear your diaries before picking it up. It fills you with all emotions from fear to laughter, tension to shock. I was not expecting that ending at all on both cases. I was absolutely speechless and actually shouted OMG to which my partner looked at me stupid!!! My heart was in my throat the whole way through from the epilogue to the very last sentence. I just could not believe what I was reading. Well done Angela, I'm getting harder and harder to shock but you had me hook, line and sinker!!!! I seriously NEED to see these amazing books on the big screen!!

Although this is the sixteenth book in the series I had would have had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.

These characters have become like friends to me and each time I meet them it feels like I haven't been far from them for long. Kim and her fierce attitude, DCI Woodward and his stress ball, the hatred for Tracy Frost and so much more. Had me giggling straight away which is brilliant considering it's a crime novel. I love it when authors put some comedy in these novels as it lightens it up at times and Kim's attitude really does make me smile. Angela creates fantastic team dynamics with memorable characters who work together brilliantly and perfectly. Each character is unique and has strong personalities and they just are completely unforgettable. Randomly, its always important for me to like the pathologist in any police procedurals and to click with them as much as the main police team. Their relationship with the main protagonist is also important to me as reader. In this case the pathologist is Keats and how I love the sarcasm between him and the team and his attitude. Stacey and Penn are also strong team members and I love how they work so well together and yet wind each other up constantly. I absolutely love, love, loved Leanne and her and Kim together are absolutely fantastic. I genuinely never thought that anyone could annoy Kim as much as Leanne but Leanne definitely managed that one. I was in tears laughing at some of their conversations, especially the Toaster!!! 😂 😂 😂 Angela please make Leanne a more permanent member of the team I cannot wait to see these two at it again!!!

A MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS ANGELA MARSONS!!! As always you have done the research and you have created what I can guarantee will be one of the best read books ever!! When are you going to bring Kim to the big screen??? I hope your busy writing cause I cannot wait to get my hands on your next success!!! Seriously what are you waiting for guys??? Stop reading this and get your copy now!!!! This is exactly why you and this series are in my favourite 3!!! You are absolutely amazing and I hope you are busy on your next success because I'm missing the gang already!!!

Overall an absolutely amazing psychological thriller of epic proportions that will keep your heart pounding all night. This is one of the best books I have ever read!!!! An absolute MUST READ!!!


Some of my favourite quotes in this book include the following:

😂 Way too many for me to include!!! I'd end up adding the whole book and giving too much away


Genres covered in this book include Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Police Procedural and Psychological Fiction amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of page turning, heart pounding, non stop, unputdownable crime books that will shock you!!!!


424 pages.

This book is just £2.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I LOVE LOVE LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Another brilliant Angela Marsons book. Sometimes, there are books in a series that do not live up to expectations but the Kim Stone series just get better and better. I have not read one in this series that disappoints. I would thoroughly recommend this book and will probably read it again in a few weeks time! I am looking forward to No 17.
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to give my unbiased opinion and congratulations to the person in Bookouture who signed up Angela Marsons!

Six Graves by Angela Marsons is the sixteenth book in the D.I. Kim Stone series. While you can read Six Graves as a standalone, I believe it is best to read this series in order. It will allow you to get to know the characters, their backstories, and their relationships. This series contains realistic, complex characters. Detective Inspector Kim Stone has had a rough life. She does not let people get close to her. Her best friend is her dog, Barney. Kim may be rough around the edges, but she cares for her team. She is also dedicated to her job. Of course, this dedication has led to an escaped killer (Symes) trying to get ahold of her and end her. Six Graves is well-written with fast pacing. I like that the chapters are short. There are chapters from the killer’s point-of-view. He is a nasty piece of work. While trying to avoid the killer, Kim and her team are busy with a new case. In order to keep working, Kim’s boss insists that she have a bodyguard and it is the last person Kim would like to follow her every move. I had to laugh at some of the lines between Kim and Leanne. Those two are so much alike (probably why they do not get along). The mystery is well-plotted and complex. I was surprised that I was able to solve this one (I loved the challenge). Angela Marsons gives us multifaceted mysteries that are challenging, dark, and twisty. Be prepared to stay up late to finish this suspenseful tale. I do want to warn readers that there is detailed violence and foul language. Six Graves is full of twists that will have you quickly turning the pages to discover how it ends. I cannot wait for the next book in this gripping series. Six Graves is a twisty tale with an escaped slayer, unsolicited shadow, a troublesome team dynamic, a curious crime, and one determined detective.

**HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY**

Everytime I am blessed to receive another ARC of the Detective Kim Stone series I do a little happy dance... well ok not so much little, more like a manic crazy fan dance!

Six Graves is number SIXTEEN in the series and I'll admit, each time I have that trepidation of 'is this the book that isnt as good' and each time I'm left in awe of just how Angela Marsons manages to entangle so much within a series and still manage to make it feel fresh and exciting.

In this installment Kim and her team are investigating a house fire where four people have died. It soon becomes obvious that this isn't a tragic accident but a hideous crime. Murder/suicide or just plain murder?. The witnesses aren't forthcoming and act skittish.. what are they hiding.

As the investigation gets under way Kim's arch enemy Symes has escaped confinement and is on her tail AND to top off Kim's day, protection officer Leanne King is assigned to follow her around, just what Kim needs.. not!

As all fans of Kim Stone know, she is not a fan of people (same here) and doesn't respond well to being told that not only is she not on the case to find Symes but she has to be chaperoned everywhere until he is caught!

I adore the mix of personal and professional throughout this series, each time we learn something new or it digs a bit deeper into previous backstories and the banter between the characters is brilliant.

I love just how fast paced at neck braking speedneach and every installment is. The tension and suspense never let's go and hasnt faded with each book. The grip this series has on me is unbelievable. I am now already ready and waiting for number 17.

I highly recommend this to ANYONE and if you haven't yet read the previous books WHYBTHE HELL NOT?

Hugest of thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

Another brilliant book from Angela Marsons in her Kim Stone series. I think this might be the best one yet.
There are two strands to this story. Kim is investigating, the murder/suicide of an entire family, seemingly at the hands of the mother /wife and is under intense pressure to accept the obvious and get the case closed. That is not Kim’s way however. At the same time, a murderous psychopath, with a penchant for torturing small girls, has escaped from prison with one aim in mind. To get revenge on Kim Stone. Kim needs professional protection and it comes in the shape of Leanne King. The relationship and dialogue between Kim and Leanne is priceless. Neither are sympathetic characters but that added to my enjoyment. The dynamic between the team just gets better and better.

Starting with a funeral and ending with a bang I can’t wait to see what Angela does with Kim’s character in book 17.

I’m so glad someone recommended this series. It never disappoints. This one starts off with a bang. We are at an unknown person’s burial and we aren’t quite sure who before we step back and see what led up to this event. How can you not continue? I guess it could’ve been worse and that was the epilogue in her last book.

This has all the things you love about a Kim Stone book. A case that isn’t what it seems, twists you can’t predict, and her team that you’ve grown to love. I like that her team is complex, relatable and isn’t always in sync, like you expect from a team working closely together. I also like that there are multiple things going on at once. A case to solve in addition to Kim’s past coming back to haunt her.

I'm a huge fan of the Kim Stone series and for the 15 previous books my statement has been along the lines of 'I didn't think it could get any better, but it has', well she's done it again this was a superb read.

The characters, the storyline, the jeopardy present seemingly on every page, had my heart doing all its moves. The story starts with a house fire containing the destruction of a family, apparently from one of their own and Kim is determined to find out what lay behind these devastating events. Her investigation doesn't take her anywhere good!

If you are looking to see if the series is as good as the previous books, prepare to be stunned; if you haven't read any, you're in for a treat!