4.5 stars

Deadly Fate by Angela Marsons is the 18th in the Detective Kim Stone Police Procedural series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


Series Background:    (Contains spoilers from previous books) DI Kim Stone learned to be tough.  Her mother, who recently died of cancer, was being held in a home for the criminally insane due to actions that almost killed Kim, and resulted in her brother's death.  Kim had little to do with her.  Although Kim's social skills are lacking, her heart is in the right place, and her detective skills outstanding .  Her team consists of: Bryant, her right hand man and friend, and the person who voices concerns in a much more diplomatic way than Kim ever would; Stacey, who can find required information in a seemingly bottomless computer system; and  Austen Penn, who for some reason, enjoys attending autopsies.  


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Kim and her team investigate the death of Sandra Deakin, who was found in a graveyard, with multiple stab wounds (including one across the face).  Sandra believed she could communicate with the dead, so she often walked through the graveyard with her dog, much to the dismay of the local clergy, who had banned her from the church.

Sandra is a psychic, and recently met with a group of women who wanted readings.  They were all there for a specific purpose, but none really got what they wanted, and tensions rose.

When a 19-year old boy is found dead just outside the call center where he works as a psychic, things take another turn.  

Kim, of course, thinks that psychics are all frauds, but she will have to open her mind if she wants to solve this one.

Meanwhile, Penn is on his own search, and Stacey has a stalker.


My Opinions:
For the first time.....I don't have to deduct 1/2 star for the cover.  I love this new one!!!!!

I guess, as the blurbs state, you could read this as a stand-alone novel, but I would strongly recommend reading these books in order.  You really need the back-ground of each character to truly understand them.

The book touches on a number of topics.    One topic that is covered quite extensively is psychics, and whether they are fraud or not, and reasons why people believe.  It also made you wonder whether frauds do harm.  Homelessness was also touched upon, and why some actually choose this lifestyle.  Gambling and stalking are also topics that were discussed.

The characters in this series are like family.  I was happy to see Eloise make an appearance, and Tink.

The plot, and the different cases were all really good.  For the first time, I have a story-based complaint (not bad for 18 books)....I didn't like being kept hanging with one of the cases.  I usually find that more inexperienced writers will leave a cliff-hanger so that you want to read the next book in the series.  Marsons doesn't have to do that, and I was disappointed.

Anyway, despite the cliff-hanger, I am looking forward to book 19!

There is little new to say about Angela Marsons and DI Kim Stone. Suffice it to say that this is the eighteenth instalment and the series is as fresh and new and indispensable as it ever was. Great plotting, memorable characters, a thoroughly good read.

WoW Angela Marsons is one of the Best Authors out there. Every book I have read by her, especially this brilliant series about Detective Kim Stone, has been a 5 star read, And her latest one "Deadly Fate" by
Angela Marsons it's the.......WoW eighteenth book in the excellent Detective Kim Stone series, This series is one of the best out there to get into, they are always full of brilliant twists and turns from the beginning and all the characters are brilliant! especially Kim. All the storylines are brilliant and will have you guessing till the end.

I can't recommend this series and they are great from start ti finish.
Another 5 star read.

The Biggest Thank you to Netgalley, and Bookouture and one of my favourite authors Angela Marsons for an early copy of her book.

What can I say? Angela Marsons just keeps bringing the goods.

If you are not familiar with Angela Marsons or the inimitable Kim Stone yet, then you are truly missing out.
If police procedurals, serial killers, stalkers and crime fiction is your thing, this is the series you need to start reading!

This story gets right into the action from the start when the mutilated body of a woman is found in a churchyard cemetery.
Particularly disturbing is the way in which the body has been mistreated, with multiple and erratic stab wounds to the body and a disturbing, yet deliberately brutal gash to each side of the mouth… making it look like a garishly wide grin.
Clearly not just an opportunistic murder robbery, this is obviously personal, and Kim Stone and her team waste no time seeking clues to the killer and their motives…starting right there at the church.

18 books in and still as gripping as the first, Angela Marsons keeps coming up with uniquely captivating mysteries that keep the reader guessing from start to finish.
The stories never get stale or predictable and always have lots of background stories going on to keep you glued to the pages and guessing.

Although it could easily be read as a standalone, you will want more…it is a riveting read with a psychic twist, and a nicely balanced segue leading towards a next book in the series.
I’m already looking forward to the next installment!

I really hope to see this series on the screen some day soon as a BBC hit series! They’re that good.

5⭐️s!

With many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for my advance copy to read and review.

I can't believe that 18 books into the series, and I still await with baited breath for the next story.

I love the short chapters, they really help to keep the pace going, although its not so good for your sleep quotient,

The combination of the familiar team and the locations always set near where I live, help to really feel part of the team,

Once again there are 2 stories being investigated, that seem to be totally separate but will they join up?

Once again, I wholeheartedly recommend this and the entire series, there is not a bad book amongst them.

I thank the publisher , Author and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest opinion

This was my first Kim Stone adventure and I completely understood why she is such a popular character. A fantastic police procedural that I enjoyed immensely!

The 18th in the D.I. Kim Stone series. I still open each book with excitement.
I always race through, unable to put the book down. Angie Marsons has the knack to hook me in from the first page, and the short chapters are perfect for ‘just another chapter’.
Fabulous as always, I love Kim Stone and her team of Bryant, Stacey and Penn. I feel like I’m there with them, I know them so well.
A body was found in a graveyard. It was a brutal attack. The victim was a psychic. The way the author looked into psychics was really interesting, the way they play mind games when they were analysing people. And the telling of things that people want to hear. Very interesting and always makes me wonder…..
Another body is found with the same injuries and the team race to find a link. There are some characters in this book that really made my skin crawl.
There were two side stories, one of a homeless man which Penn was looking into and another about a stalker which Stacey was dealing with. The stalker case was entwined with the main storyline and had my heart thumping at times.
Another chart topper, these books are just so effortless to read.
I recommend this book 100%, and all the others in the series.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the review copy in which I give my honest opinion.

Detective Kim Stone had thought nothing could shock her, but the brutal death of a woman in the graveyard, with eleven stab wounds and one violent swipe across her mouth had Kim realising this murder was personal. Sandra Deakin had been a psychic, a well-known and popular woman who had many clients. But someone had reason to kill her. Kim, Bryant, Penn and Stacey had their work cut out, their deep digging into not just Sandra's life, but other psychics who lived in the area. The next to lose their life in the same brutal manner was a young man who worked in the psychic call centre - Kim couldn't work out the reason for this death other than the connection.

When a popular psychic came to town, ready to do a show in the local theatre, Kim knew she needed to warn this woman. Her safety was paramount. While Kim and another officer people watched those who were watching the show, Penn and Stacey were locked in offshoot investigations. Penn had found a tenuous link to a ten year old cold case, while Stacey watched reams of footage. Would they put it all together before another person died? Would they discover the motive - something which was puzzling them all?

Deadly Fate is the 18th in the DI Kim Stone series by Angela Marsons and it was brilliant! Filled with gritty tension, heartstopping moments and deep, dark mysteries, I loved every minute. But Ms Marsons, what's with the ending? That means I have to wait until #19 for answers!! How can I wait that long? Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

My favorite thing about this series is the relationships between the characters; especially Kim and Bryant.

“I thought you said I was right.”
“I did. Still doesn’t mean I’m going to listen.” 😂

Book 18 and I still look forward to each new book coming out. I have not grown tired of the characters; in fact, I love them a little more with each book. Every book has a main storyline, and a little extra side story or two, which I highly enjoy (I’m a gamer. I love side quests lol).

I was hooked from page 1, as I always am with Angela Marsons’ books. This book ends in a bit of a cliff hanger, so I know I will be impatiently waiting for the next instalment. Hands down, this is one of my favorite series.

Thank you so much to Angela Marsons, Bookouture and NetGalley for approving my request for an eARC.

3.5 stars rounded up

What happens when DI Kim Stone and psychics cross paths?

Deadly Fate is book #18 is aptly titled mystery/procedural about a killer who is murdering psychics.

The team is called in to solve the murder of a psychic, but one murder turns into three. Furthermore, a suspect has taken a very unhealthy liking to one of Kim’s team.

While all team members were present, Stacey had the main storyline. Penn, Kim, and Bryant played a heavy role in solving the crimes, but their personal lives and narratives were a bit bare. Given the events of the previous book, I was expecting more from Kim’s character in this installment. Thankfully, Barney makes some appearances.

The best part about this book is the exploration of the legitimacy of psychics--Marsons shows all sides: from people’s need to believe, tricks one might play, and the psychology behind the trade. Kim’s wavering belief towards the end was a nice touch.

In addition, there are two other storylines--one revolving around the death of a homeless man and the other around a stalker.

The tone is dark and moody, and the mysteries are intriguing. Deadly Fate is heavier on the investigation and the crimes than the characters themselves. For this reason, I felt like I was missing the heart of the series.

Not a favorite, but solid overall. We will see how things play out in the next installment.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review.

Loved it!
Another brilliant read in this fantastic crime series.
It’s always great to catch up with Kim, Bryant, Stacey and Penn and this book definitely had me hooked.
Kim is called out after a woman’s body is found mutilated in a grave yard and it she’s known to many of the locals. Sandy was a psychic and died a few days after attending an evening with some women to give them readings.
Soon another person with links to the psychic world is murdered and Kim and the team know they need to stop this killer, and quickly.
Kim and Penn are also working on other cases and I loved the dynamic in the team as much as ever.
Stacey has her own troubles and I’m interested to see how these are addressed in the next book.
As always five huge stars for a brilliant crime thriller.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Another excellent instalment in the Kim Stone series. Even though this is book 18 it’s still as good as all the previous ones and still kept me engrossed from the first page. It’s actually 3 cases that are all somehow linked and Kim at her best manages to find the connection. I just love this series and can’t wait for the next instalment.

Cant believe we are on the 18th book in the DI Km Stone series and they never become stale.
This time is no different !
There are 3 main story lines for Kim, Bryant and her team to investigate.
The body of a local psychic, Sandra Deakin, is discovered in a church graveyard. Her mouth mutilated and 11 stab wounds on her body. Could her death be connected to her job,has she told one of her clients something they didn`t want to hear?
Could it be professional rivalry or as often the case does the truth lie closer to home?
When the body of a 19 year old who worked at a psychic hotline call center turns up with the same injuries as Sandra Kim knows they need to find the perpetrator quickly before they kill again.
There`s also the discovery of a homeless man found dead under a bridge. Penn is put to work to try and uncover his identity.
The team finds themselves reopening a cold case involving the disappearance of a 15 year old boy who went missing cycling through the woods with a friend on his way to school.
They certainly have their hands full in this one.
This is an action packed thoroughly engrossing read that has left me eagerly awaiting the next book in the DI Kim Stone series.
I cant wait!

Woah!! How Angela Marsons does it I just don't know, but we are at book 18 of the fabulous Detective Kim Stone books and the series just keeps getting better and better. This book really made me think, I love how the story weaves around and takes us on a journey, as always we have the main story but also a few smaller side stories that normally add to the main storyline. And Angela Marsons has to be the Queen of sucking readers in and tossing us about and then finishing to book and in this case, OMG, I NEED to know what is going to happen. Marsons has broken readers' hearts before in this series, and I don't trust her not to do it again, so book 19 better not be too far away! If you haven't read any of the Kim Stone series then you need to change that right now, and if you are thinking that you can't possibly commit to a series with 18 (and counting) books, then fear not, they will fly by if you do start at book one (which you should), but if you want to start with this book or any other then you can do that too, but you will be missing out. The Kim Stone books are my favourite series ever and I cannot wait to find out what happens next.

Certainly lived up to my expectations, another brilliant intriguing read. Kim is tasked with finding the killer of a medium who claimed to be in contact with the dead. It is a brutal and vicious attack which leaves Kim to believe that the murder isn't random but personal. Kim realises that it is going to be no mean task in finding the motive and lead them to the killer

D I Kim Stone is called to a murder scene at a graveyard, where the body of a local psychic, Sandra Deakin has been found. Sandra’s body has multiple stab wounds and her mouth slashed making the detectives believe the murderer is sending a message and the killing is personal. As Kim and the team delve into Sandra's last known movements they discover the last people to see her alive are all lying about the reason for their meeting with her. When the body of a nineteen year old male is found outside a psychic hotline call centre with the same injuries, Kim knows they need to move quickly before another body is found.
Deadly Fate is the 18th novel in this series and I am always astounded that each book is better than the last. The joy of starting mother chapter in this series cannot be quantified. Each of the characters are so familiar and you feel totally a part of their journey, even envisioning yourself sitting in the squad room looking at the murder board as the team piece together the victims’ histories as they move closer to finding their murderer. Suffice to say I cannot wait for book 19.

When a local psychic is found murdered in a graveyard, Kim and the team have a busy time on their hands.

Not content with just this case, Penn investigates a homeless man who has died & Kim wants him to be buried by family and not by the state. Stacey hovers over all cases doing her part.

As if two cases to deal with aren’t enough, Kim wants to look into the disappearance of a fifteen year old schoolboy ten years ago!

Goodness me! What can I say about the latest Kim Stone book? Superb, compelling, outstanding and so many more adjectives!

Kim doesn’t like anyone to know it but she cares a lot about the deceased and will try her hardest at all times, no matter how snowed under her and the team are.

I love how the author took on a subject (not giving anything away) and gave both sides of the debate.

Each book in this series becomes my new favourite and this one is no exception! Thrilling plots that often had me biting my nails.

Congratulations to the author for another outstanding read.

My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Angela Marsons still manages to keep it all so fresh 18 books in. A new engrossing case that will just have you on the edge of your seat (think one our main character in could be in danger 😭😭) trying to figure out all the pieces 🧩 and our usual fun, quirky team at the centre of it all. I just LOVE all the characters! Bryant just has my ❤️

If I had to sum up in 3 words: Twisted, Thrilling and Fast paced!

You'd think after 18 books I'd be getting bored of Kim Stone and her team but I just want to read more. Another fantasic story from Angela Marsons, will keep you guessing until the end.

Angela Marsons is the brilliant author of well-plotted, multifaceted crime thrillers/police procedurals. The well-organized and fast-paced plots are characteristic of her suspenseful storylines. Throughout all 18 books in the series featuring Detective Kim Stone, she never disappoints and comes up with new ideas and fresh stories.

Tink, a small detective that looks much younger, returns for an undercover assignment. Kim comes from a tragic background but has established herself as an effective leader of a cooperative, hard-working team of detectives. She oversees the cooperative and harmonious group of DS Bryant, DS Penn, and DC Stacey Wood. All respect the diligence and work ethics of the others and Kim, their leader. Tink, a small detective that looks much younger, returns for an undercover assignment.

The body of Sandra Deakin is found in a church graveyard by the church's bellringer, Terence Birch. Her body was left in gruesome conditions, covered with blood from multiple stab wounds and a grotesque slash across her mouth. She was identified as Psychic Sandy, known as a medium who claimed she could communicate with the dead.

A group of women met with Sandy the day before she was brutally murdered. They denied believing in the supernatural but met for their amusement and entertainment. Each woman was found to be lying. All hoped to consult with Sandy regarding personal issues. The meeting ended in turmoil with angry words directed toward Sandy. Both Terence, who discovered the body, and the minister of the church, Father George Markinson, were found to have shady pasts. They, and the group of women, are now suspects. It becomes evident that an enraged person is targeting mediums. A 19-year-old man has been killed similarly. He worked at a phone centre for a psychic hotline. Next, a famous stage medium giving presentations to packed audiences is a victim of what seems to be the same killer.

Writings by a medium disparaging all psychics except himself and angrily naming the victims raise suspicion. The detectives were given an unbiased view by an author who revealed some tricks of the trade for skeptics. He discussed how they could capably guess or covertly gain background information on those who came for help. They obtained payment on fraudulent grounds but may have helped their clients. A minority of psychics showed knowledge that could not be explained and might indicate actual supernatural powers.

Penn is assigned to a side case. Kim wants him to identify a homeless man who died from a medical condition. Kim wants him to inform the family of his death so he can be returned to them for burial. He seemed too well-groomed and clean to be living on the streets. Penn discovers some legal implications not resolved by the end of the book.

The team is also investigating an old cold case. A 15-year-old boy was probably kidnapped and murdered. When he vanished, he and his best friend rode their bikes in a wooded area. Stacey seems distracted and unable to work to her potential.

We are given believable psychological insight into why people consult mediums: the reasons for obsessive stalking, its effect on its victims, and the harsh outcome of uncontrollable gambling addiction.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the much-appreciated early copy of this book. I highly recommend it! The publication is expected on May 25.