As a long-time fan of Angela Marsons and her Kim Stone series, I always anticipate each new instalment with great excitement. 36 Hours delivers a thrilling, fast-paced story but stands out for being quite different from previous investigations. Instead of the dark, gruesome crimes I’ve come to expect, this time, the team is thrown into chaos by a cunning prankster who has them chasing their tails across the West Midlands. It’s less grisly but still utterly gripping and full of shocking twists.
I particularly enjoyed the shift in tone—it gave the story a fresh feel while still retaining the sharp writing and complex dynamics between the characters that I love. Kim is as determined and tenacious as ever, and the team’s chemistry continues to shine through. I did notice hints of what could be the next major storyline beginning to take shape, and I’m definitely intrigued to see how that develops in future books.
Overall, 36 Hours is another strong addition to the series. It might not be quite as gut-wrenching as some of the earlier novels, but it’s still an engaging and cleverly constructed mystery that kept me turning the pages late into the night. A solid read for fans and newcomers alike.

Well this was different ! Cracking idea of making it a race against time ,and it gave the book an added urgency. I always quite like Frost and her relationship with Kim Stone and the team, I think its funny., I think they both have some great lines. This was an enjoyable book to read and was tense, fun and had great ingredients to make a thrilling read.

Loved this. You could feel the tension throughout as the time ran out for each clue and overall. Some good twists and red herrings along the way as always. I did find it strange that Kim was willing to believe Frost so quickly in the beginning, but soon forgot that as the book progressed. Kim once again defied Woody and other leaders and was proved right, and it was interesting to read the dynamic between the team and Frost in the early hours of the investigation. It was good to see Stace getting out of the office for a bit too. We saw the different strengths of the team, and how they gel together to get things done including solving the clues and working out destinations. I liked that throughout, we knew each member of the team had someone waiting and caring for them. I think Kim, Bryant, Penn and Stacey are my favourite team in any police procedural series as they are all so lovable!
Thanks NetGalley.

Wowzas!! I could not put this down!!
It starts off with a bang and a reintroduction to all our favourite characters who are thrown into a new case from the off.
You can sense the urgency and frustration of the main characters as they try and figure of the clues of a game they didn't ask to be part of.
This is perfect for those readers who enjoy the rest of the Kim Stone series, but new readers shouldn't be put off if they want to read this as a stand alone.
Bring on book 22!!

This is a good read in the authors Kim Stone series. 36 Hours didn't wow me though or become the page turner I usually love from Angela Marsons. The premise is very different to previous books and here Kim and her team have to solve clues within time limits and failure isn't an option. They also have to work alongside someone they don't like or trust and I enjoyed seeing how the team came to see this character in a different light. I'm not a fan of cryptic clue solving so did find the book hard to get into initially. It did pick up at the halfway point and became a very tense and fast paced read. I love the banter, friendship and camaraderie between Kim and her team, for me this is what makes this series so good, relateable and realistic. And seeing Kim's caring side is a lovely touch. Whilst this isn't one of my favourite reads from this author I'd still recommend it if you're a fan of police procedurals.

3.5 stars

Oh my goodness! I was absolutely hooked on this book!

Straight off we hear from each character as they prepare for their day, which soon introduces the beginnings of their next case. What I wasn’t expecting was those cryptic clues and a favourite pastime of mine which is the centre of this investigation. I obviously read with scrutiny but the author has done her research well!

As ever with a Kim Stone novel we are thrown into a complex investigation which you will no doubt want to solve. You’ll follow clues, work out those hints and you’ll still get it wrong. You’ll follow a sadistic killer, meet new characters and experience the pure joy of being surprised again and again.

I adore the characters and each individual storyline of their lives. as this series isn’t all about Kim but her whole team. The secondary storylines and the progression of their individual struggles is just as important as the main character themselves which is one of the reason I will always love this series. You don’t just get the story you get their complete lives which I feel helps them feel more human.

I adored the camaraderie between characters, the storyline, the tight time frame, the descriptive elements of the case, the introduction of a new character and most definitely the lure for the next book.

Once again Angela Marsons has pulled another epic novel out the bag! I hope she has her pencil in hand as I can’t wait for book 22!

Book 21 in the captivating Kim Stone series - says it all really about her popularity. In '36 Hours' Kim and the team are set against a viciously clever riddler who tests them to the very end. The book is extremely clever and must have taken so much time and effort to work out so kudos to the author. The team's characters are written so completely it's as though they just stepped in from the last adventure. A feat which I'm sure can't be as easy as it's made to look. Angela Parsons improves with everything she writes and I'm 100% sure she isn't finished yet. If you're looking to start a very addictive series or you're already a fan, look no further. 5* and more from me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own

Thanks to Angela and NetGalley for allowing me to read 36 Hours, the 21st book in the D.I. Kim Stone series, before the publication date.
WOW! What a story! Just when you think that Angela cannot improve on her previous books, she does exactly that.
From the opening chapter, this is a rollercoaster of a read which keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. I was completely hooked.

Stone’s team are on the clock with the rules being set by the Jester.
Around the 12 hour mark, you can almost feel the nauseating exhaustion being experienced by the team, not helped by the adrenalin and caffeine pulsing through their systems.

The chapters which are narrated by The Jester, provide insight into the person who is responsible for the situation.

Recently, D.I. Kim Stone’s character seems to have mellowed a little, but it is not long before her steely determination surfaces and there are some scenes which I would have loved to witness in person.
Stone’s decision to confront forensic techie, Mitch, in a restaurant is priceless.

She is totally selfless and irreverent in her attitude to the senior management whose decisions are often made wearing their politician hats.
Stone seems to have formed a sort of uneasy truce with her nemesis, journalist Tracy Frost.

Gradually we learn that, unknown to each other, the 2 feisty women have a lot in common, both having experience chaotic and traumatic childhoods.
Both became successful in their professional lives, although it could be argued that Frost’s morals are still focused on her bylines. She is definitely not a team player, making decisions without consideration for the impact on others.

DC Stacey Wood can almost predict what Stone needs before being asked.
She finds the presence of Frost in the office unsettling as she suspects that Frost will use anything that is said or done in future publications. That, added to the demands for her research and analytical skills during the investigation will push her to the edge, leaving Stacey to question her role in the team.

A new journalist, Steve Ashworth, appears in the story. Disruptive and confrontational, totally without empathy, Ashworth likes to dig for dirt and doesn’t seem too concerned about the accuracy of the articles which he publishes. ( I wonder who his character could be based on?)

It is a well-crafted story which gives pause for thought.

Angela Marsons does it once again! From the instant information of the case they would be working in this installment we are thrown into a cat and mouse chases that had me quite literally turning the pages as quick as possible to find out how it was going to unfold.

The perpetrator in this book is twisted, sadistic and quite frankly very clever. There was a suspect pool as deep as the sea and not once could I pinpoint one person. It was hard to trust anyone here.

As always, the character development and the bond between the team was just second to none. And the relationship between a certain 2 is something I love in these books. I love when they work together.

Fantastic 21st installment in the Kim Stone series and I will continue to binge these books everytime they are released.

36 Hours by Angela Marsons is book 21 in the DI Kim Stone series. It is published on 10 December. Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and the author for the advance copy to review. After 21 books, this series is still going strong, with the same level of intensity. Kim is woken at 5am by Frost, the reporter, not someone she was expecting or keen to see. The day off Kim and her team were expecting was not going to happen. Someone is playing a game with Kim and the team, a dangerous game and it becomes a race against the clock. The ruthlessness of the person calling the shots is evident in the lengths they go to in the pursuit of the game. Bryant, Penn, Stacy and Woody are such fabulous support characters, and they really add to the enjoyment of the book. Each member of the team is important, and I like them all. It has been wonderful to meet up with them again in this latest book. I was just so invested in the story and couldn’t put the book down. It was such a fascinating story.

Wow! This book could not be put down! Angela Marsons definitely has a 5 star in the making! Detective Kim Stone and her team were true to form and kept me flipping pages with no hesitation. Plenty of action and suspense to keep me riveted to the pages. Loved the interaction with journalist Tracy Frost and the deeper hidden complexities of relationships. Great book!

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC. I will start this review as I always do by saying that I start every book in this series remembering how good the previous one was and assuming (wrongly) that it couldn’t get better. This book premise intrigued me with its short timeline concept and I was curious to see how this was handled. The characters were as fully developed as always, the clues were intriguing and just tough enough that I was able to understand them and relate to the team on how obvious they seemed once I’d figured them out. I can’t wait for the next instalment, curious to see where the team go next and what might happen with the changes to certain relationships. It’s rare to be so deeply invested and adore every single book in a 21 book series but that is the power that Angela possesses with this series, I hope there are many more to come.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my copy of 36 Hours by Angela Marsons.
A different premise for this book. Someone is sending the team clues via Tracy Frost the local journalist.
The clues are taken seriously and the team really believe that someone will die if they don’t solve them on time.
I could not put this book down. Once I started it I had to get to the ending. Everything else was ignored.
BRILLIANTLY PLOTTED. LOVED IT ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have read and enjoyed all of the books in the Kim Stone series and have to say they really do go from strength to strength. This latest instalment is so very clever with its plot involving geocaching. I love how all the characters in the team have their own niche of expertise and work cohesively as a team. Excellent as always!

A slightly different plot to the usual. I found it a slow start but the second half of the book certainly picked up. Kim Stone, Bryant, Stacy and Penn are all stars of this series . The team has 36 hours to find " someone who wouldn't be missed" This is certainly a race against the clock.

A new Detective Kim Stone book, which is a lot different from the previous ones but hugely enjoyable. There is plenty of tension in this fast paced read as the team hunt for the author of some threatening emails sent to local reporter Tracy Frost. I love the team dynamics and the developing characterisation as we see a different side to Frost. Book 21 is still as fresh as the first book in this popular and highly recommended series. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

I have followed Angela Marsons from the beginning, reading her first book “Silent Scream” in 2015, and thinking that this author was going to be a star and really hoped that she would be given the chance to write another one. 21 books later and I still think she’s an absolute star. My only thoughts now are “when are they going to turn her books into a television series, they’re perfect for it”. I really hope one day I will see on Angela’s Facebook page an announcement that this will be happening because she truly deserves it. A brilliant author with authentic and amazing characters!

I am a devoted fan of the entertaining, compelling Kim Stone series by Angela Marsons. I have been thrilled to read all 21 of the books. Thank you, NetGalley and Bookoutture, for the ARC for '36 Hours.' The title refers to the time in which the ongoing crimes must be solved. Each book is fresh and unique in plot. This was an exciting, pulse-pounding race to its finish, and it immediately went to the top of my list. The chapters were short and ominous, high in tension and suspense.

Kim Stone, at a young age, endured an abusive, hideous childhood. As an adult, there are flaws, and she has become a blunt, aggressive leader of a team of diligent detectives. She prefers being alone outside the workplace but cares for her team and the crime victims. The team appreciates her perceptive leadership and is dedicated to her. She has never liked the reporter Tracy Frost and is angry when she pounds at her door at 5 am. Tracy shows Kim a letter she received. It is from someone calling himself The Jester. It could be a hoax, but Kim does not entirely dismiss it. The letter contains cryptic clues, sending the detectives into the world of geocaching, a popular but little-known pastime.
The letter states they have 36 hours to follow a series of clues. They must interpret information and directions about where to proceed next for further clues. They must follow set time limits. If they fall behind schedule, an expendable person who would not be missed will die. Kim has been warned by her boss not to take the case. There is not yet a murder, and the team is rushing to save a potential victim. She knows she may need to go against strict police rules and jeopardize her position. She must also work with her nemesis, Tracy, and listen to her ideas.

Stacey and Penn are assigned to figure out clues in successive notes from the office. Kim and Bryant are in the field trying to learn the identity of the Jester. They have learned that a homeless man has been abducted and are horrified when they receive proof that he is being tortured. They must save him before their allotted time expires. If they are a minute late in reaching him, he will die a horrific death.

They realize that The Jester is a highly intelligent, cunning, and sadistic villain. He wants to expose the police as incompetent and gain fame for himself. The Jester's next victim will be a missing heart transplant surgeon. She is soon to perform a heart transplant on an eight-year-old patient. Her absence will lead to the child's death. They are in a frantic, heart-pounding race to save the surgeon and her patient. Will they run out of time? There are several suspects for the Jester's identity. A person that they have come to appreciate for their input has been severely attacked and is near death.

Brief updates on the team members' outside lives make them stand out as personalities and increase tension in this difficult case. This story was difficult to put down and is highly recommended. Publication is due on December 10th

I DEVOURED this book in one afternoon! This has to be the most nail biting Kim Stone book yet like wtf?! The short chapters keep u racing thru the pages to find out what the twisted baddie is going to do next! Do NOT miss this!!

The twenty-first book in the Kim Stone series starts hard and never lets up. The story starts when Tracy Frost receives a challenge in the form of a message. Kim assembles her team and the hunt is on to find clues that will prevent people from dying. The hunt leads to a geo-caching community that has exploded since Covid.
I was impressed at the tension and fast pacing that was consistent throughout the story. The team gets no breaks and that means neither does the reader.
The characters are so well defined and I enjoyed seeing the team develop a new appreciation for Frost and vice versa. Part of my enjoyment of this series are the characters - their moral standards, but also their humanity. Marsons shows them when they’re vulnerable.
I don’t think this would work well as a stand-alone as you need to have a deeper basis for the relationships between the characters.
Once again, I was furious at a publisher that decided it was appropriate to give up half the plot in the blurb. When will they learn?
My thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of this book.