Another great book in the DI Kim Stone series. Reporter Tracy Frost gets a message from the Jester saying follow the clues or someone will die. The team has 36 hours to follow the clues. Will they make it to the end or will an innocent child die. A very fast paced book with lots of twists and turns.

My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ’36 Hours’, book 21 in the Detective Kim Stone series written by Angela Marsons, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

At 5am on a Sunday morning journalist Tracy Frost rushes to DI Kim Stone’s house to show her a message she’s received from someone calling themselves ‘The Jester’. The message says that a trail of cryptic clues has been set up and if they don’t follow it and identify the location in the clues within a given time then someone will die. Kim summons her team of Bryant, Penn and Stacey for what appears to be the most frustrating case yet as The Jester is completely in charge and always one step ahead of them.

I’ve loved every single moment I’ve spent reading ’36 Hours’ giving proof of what a brilliant thriller Angela Marsons has written. The fast-paced plot has been skilfully crafted and packed with drama, suspense and intrigue as the clues become ever more confusing leading them astray more than once. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed meeting up with Kim who’s liked and respected by her loyal team, as well as DCI ‘Woody’ Woodward who threatens Kim that she may not have a job if she disregards his orders and doesn’t bring this investigation to a successful conclusion. This thriller has had me gripped from the first page to the last with so many twists that it’s been impossible to stop reading, reaching the final chapters with their shocking conclusion and the wonderful final page. This is a wonderful novel that deserves far more than the five stars I can give it!

Ever felt like you have just stepped right into the midst of a film set? No? Well pick up 36 Hours and that will all change. Those opening chapters had a real cinematic feel to them, that immense build up of tension as we visit each member of the team at home with their nearest and dearest on an ordinary Sunday afternoon going about their business…and you just know that things are going to go crazily pear shaped and oh boy don’t they just! As soon as Kim is dragged from her bed with frantic banging at her front door, that lazy Sunday has been turned right on its head!
The scene is set with the 36 hour countdown set by an anonymous challenger and while at first you might think Kim has gone slightly insane dragging her team out on what could be a wild goose chase, when you discover the first clue left, you just know this game is for real! Talk about giving you the heebie jeebies! Again, Angela Marson’s also pokes around at your brain, making you think about society and the values we place on individuals depending on their social status. She has such a knack of bringing issues to the forefront of her writing without the reader ever feeling that they are sitting through a lecture.
I knew nothing about geocaching before reading this and it was a brilliant hook on which to hang this plotline, it worked perfectly, setting up a whole host of potential suspects that keep you guessing right until the end! Angela Marson’s already knows how to pen a page turner but this one really played to her skills as a writer, with those short, sharp, hooky chapters adding to the pace.
Again, the team dynamics come to the fore, with the addition of Frost in the mix this time around, really adding to the mix. If you know the series, then you will know that Kim and Frost have a tempestuous relationship and Kim often has to restrain herself from going too far with Frost. However, without giving any spoilers away, in this book, we get to know Frost a little bit more and there is something about her that made me warm to her further – the question is – does Kim and is she going to throw her arch enemy to the wolves – well for that you will just need to read the book and find out!
As a long standing reader of the series, I feel as though I have watched the team grow up and develop, I’ve laughed and I’ve cried with them as Angela Marson’s tends to stick them up a tree and throw very large rocks at them. If you haven’t read any of the previous books in the series, you can read this as a standalone, as each book has its own unique storyline. But I’d urge you to go and read the rest because the author has created such a tightknit team, one so vibrant and multidimensional that they almost step out of the pages and into your life. Getting to know the team will give you such a richer reading experience.
Once again Angela Marson’s has penned a masterpiece, a carefully executed plot, all the twists and turns you want and expect from crime fiction; it’s fast and it’s furious – readers – it’s a belter!

Detective Kim Stone Book 21 gutted never come across the author or the series, yes there is back history but didn't stop me enjoying this book.

Good paced book east to read and enjoy. Plot was good and easy to follow, never guessed the ending. Loved the characters but did seem bit to convenient solution to the questions and the kidnapping would have been nice for a tied in but liked the doctor story would she be able to.

Very much enjoyed it will look out for previous books as well as future

What a superb read! Angela Marsons never fails to deliver and this brilliantly crafted thriller certainly lives up to its promise. The team's hoped for relaxing Sunday starts before dawn with an unexpected -and unwelcome- visit from thorn in her side reporter Frost, to Quinn 's home . Been dragged from her shirt sleep by the person she would least like to see wasn't the worst of it. Frost brings an intriguing new case for Quinn and her team to pursue and this time , they are being set a series of challenges with clues that are time sensitive. Each time they fail to crack a clue in time, the victim of the man calling himself The Jester, loses another body part in excruciating, slow torture. They are forced to work with Frost as The Jester has made her part of his sick plan and she has to write regular online articles. There is an added frisson of fear and involvement as we, the reader, gets caught up the urgency of the chase. I don't want to reveal any spoilers but I will say that it gains in intensity as it races along and the stakes get higher with every turn of the page. Superbly written and utterly compelling. The intricacies of the symbiotic relationships within the team and Frost are so cleverly crafted and the storyline contains so many twists and turns that the final dénouement came as a complete surprise. Outstanding!

Angela Marsons has done it again! Another brilliant Kim Stone novel.

This one is even more tense with the team working against the clock to find a devious criminal who wants to play a game with them.

As always, we're given insights into the team's lives in a way that makes us root for them.

Read this. You won't be disappointed.

As always this series didn't disappoint. I think it could be read as a standalone since each book has it's own case, with basic background given about the team. I love the way the team interact, even though this time they had a reporter amongst them. There were enough twists that I had no idea who was responsible until the reveal. Now I just have to wait for the next book

“It wasn’t the first time she’d done things under the threat of losing her job. Hell, it seemed to happen with almost every case she worked”
And that my friends is an excellent explanation of how D.I Stone operates.
Book 21 in D.I Kim Stone series, and it’s as good as the first.
You can read this as a stand-alone as the story Carry’s itself very well. But the series is brilliant so highly recommend all 20 books prior to this.
Marsons is one of my favourite authors.

Book 21 of my favourite series, and it's once again a 5* read. I was hooked from the first chapter and unable to put it down.

Kim and the team are all brought in from their day off when Frost, a reporter for the local newspaper, receives a cryptic message which sends them all on a puzzle solving mission. Solve the puzzles in time and lives will be saved.

I don't know how the author manages to consistently produce fabulous books every time. They are written fabulously. They are fast paced, fully of action but also occasionally show Kim's vulnerable side. In this book the relationship she has with Frost is a joy to read. There's nothing at all I dislike about this series. The storylines are perfect, they're everything you want in a crime thriller. The biggest attraction though are the characters. Every one of the team plays a role to perfection. An absolute joy to read.

DI Kim Stone has never had a case quite like this. Being woken by local reporter Tracy Frost early on a Sunday morning is bad enough, but when Kim reads the note Frost has been sent she knows her day is only going to get worse.
Someone has set Frost and Stone a challenge, and if they don’t follow the rules and solve the clues someone is going to get hurt.
As Kim and the team desperately try to solve the first clue they soon realise that this is far more than a game and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Kim isn’t well known for following the rules and the risks of breaking them this time could be too high even for her.
But, when a heart surgeon is kidnapped, she knows that she will need to pull out all the stops even if it risks her career.
This isn’t the usual type of crime story. It’s a game of cat and mouse that will have you on the edge of your seat, trying to work out the clues and who the perpetrator is, while urging Kim and the team on.

I have a love/hate relationship with these books! I love the storylines, the characters, the style of writing but hate the fact I can’t stop reading once I start and finish the book too quickly!

I cannot recommend this series highly enough. DI Kim Stone and her team are a great blend of different characters with different skill sets that come together brilliantly to solve complex murder cases. Throw in the complex relationship Kim has with Keats, Mitch and journalist, Frost makes for some great banter.

Many thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Angela Marsons has done it again with 36 Hours, the 21st installment in the Kim Stone series—and it’s nothing short of incredible. The story grips you from the first page and doesn’t let go, delivering a tense, fast-paced game of cat and mouse that kept me hooked until the very end.

One of the highlights of this series is the dynamic between Kim’s team, and this book is no exception. Stacey and Penn, in particular, shine with their clever insights and teamwork, adding depth and heart to the relentless action. Marsons’ ability to keep readers engaged this far into the series is remarkable, proving why she’s one of the best in the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Five stars—this is a must-read for any crime thriller fan!

I read the description on what the book is about and definitely caught my attention. I read all the high ratings and even better. I had to DNF at 10%, unfortunately wasn't for me. Made me sad because I love suspense thriller books and having the opportunity in trying stories before they come out. But this one didn't grab me. Still appreciate you NetGalley.

I just love Kim Stone and the team, this book got me out of my reading rut

A very tricky case that starts off sounding like someone is playing a trick on the police. Finding herself having to work with one of her nemesis to crack the case only adds layers to the story.

Already can't wait for the next one!

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book, this is my honest opinion.

This is the 21st book in this series, hard to believe but just demonstrates what a fabulous author Angela Marsons is, in that she keeps producing such exciting books featuring Kim Stone and her team.

Once again, we have another great plot that keeps the reader engaged throughout. This time Kim and her team only have 36 hours to solve this crime, and the tension and suspense is ripe. Our old friend Tracy Frost the reporter features heavily in the book with her receiving an email before sunrise that leads her to a set of clues to follow before someone will lose their life. Once again Kim is challenged by her relationship with Tracey, and you can almost visualise her eye roll when she initially realises that Frost is back in her life again, and whenever Tracey is present, we all know something big is about to happen. This killer is more than a person taking lives, he is incredibly clever and wants to engage others such as Kim and Tracey in the game he wishes to play. All I can say is the girls need to watch their backs; this is like something they have not seen before and the whole team will be tested in trying to bring this killer down.

Another wonderful instalment in this series which I never tire of, if you have not read these books before you really should. Highly recommended. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions expressed are my own.

Straight to the top of my reading pile, every time.
The 21st book in the D.I. Kim Stone series. I still get excited for each new book!
In this instalment there is hardly any reference to the private lives of the team, so definitely one that can be read as a standalone.
It really is a race against the clock when local journalist Tracy Frost turns up on Kim Stones’ doorstep with a message. As strong-willed women they’ve had a few clashes over the years.
Kim assembles her team, although the hierarchy are sceptical on the authenticity of the threats. The clues are cryptic, and the team are straight onto it.
Working out the clues, which lead to locations of boxes, was complex. The contents of the boxes seriously made my stomach churn. The person sending the clues was playing a very sick game. Kim and her team hardly rested, it was very tough on them but as usual their closeness and banter got them through.
Fabulous as always, the pace of the story made me race through, with my heart pounding.
Many thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the review copy in which I give my honest opinion.

36 Hours by Angela,Marsons

When Detective Kim Stone is woken before dawn because local journalist Tracy Frost wants to show her a message, she’s not impressed. But her blood turns cold when she reads the note. She has 36 hours to follow a trail set by an anonymous challenger. If she fails, people will die.

Kim’s gut tells her this is no hoax. She summons her team, desperate to prevent what lies ahead. With minutes to spare, they solve the first cryptic clue. It leads to a box hidden deep in the woods, containing a second clue and a tape. As she listens to the recording of a heart-wrenching scream, Kim knows her enemy will go to any lengths to achieve his goals… and that she must draw on all her experience of evil men to understand what is driving him.

More often or not a series starts to go downhill after about 6 or 7 titles, but with Angela Marsons - Kim Stone books , they do not and this at book 21 , is as fresh as if it were in single figures. Great plot and Kim Stone is still a great read and keeps you guessing and wanting more .

I absolutely love the DI Kim Stone Series, and this is no exception. It's fast paced, with an intriguing story line and plenty of characters with something to hide. The only reason this one wasn't a 5* from me is I sort of thought that the whole thing could have been solved a bit quicker if they had just bought in someone who likes to do those riddles - but that may have been against police procedure.

However another brilliant instalment to this series - I will be sad when it's over.

My absolute favourite author and series. 21 books and still as good as the first in the series. Kept kebon the edge of my seat.

As usual this author gives us everything, a great storyline with twists and turns plus the characters are so good. Especially the core team which is like a family.
I loved this book its a fantastic addition to the series five stars from me