I needed to figure out a way to start reading series where I am not current or the series is finished but haven’t read them yet. So it’s a way to commit myself to read my backlist, particularly series.
I’ve been wanting to read the DI Kim Stone for a long time. The audiobooks are available just on Audible so I’ve collected them. I don’t know much about them other than the setting and Jonetta likes them.
Silent Scream by Angela Marsons Narrator: Jan Cramer
Series: DI Kim Stone #1
Published by Bookouture on April 24, 2015
Genres: Mystery
Length: 8 hours, 17 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Barnes & Noble, Apple
Even the darkest secrets can’t stay buried forever…
Five figures gather round a shallow grave. They had all taken turns to dig. An adult sized hole would have taken longer. An innocent life had been taken but the pact had been made. Their secrets would be buried, bound in blood …
Years later, a headmistress is found brutally strangled, the first in a spate of gruesome murders which shock the Black Country.But when human remains are discovered at a former children’s home, disturbing secrets are also unearthed. D.I. Kim Stone fast realises she’s on the hunt for a twisted individual whose killing spree spans decades.
As the body count rises, Kim needs to stop the murderer before they strike again. But to catch the killer, can Kim confront the demons of her own past before it’s too late?
I purchased the audiobook and the ebook, and the series is all in KindleUnlimited (without audio). Silent Scream sets up the world and the character and begins to develop Kim for us. She is quite independent, obviously done well enough that she has her own team of detectives. She’s not afraid to go as far as necessary to prove her ideas are right on a case.
Kim grew up in foster care after her mother kept trying to kill her and her twin bother, Mikey. Kim protected him as much as possible but she was only six when Mikey died. Their mother is still alive in a care home.
We are introduced to her team and her boss, Woody. She often skirts orders and is a frustration to him although she solves her cases. Her co-workers are Bryant, Kevin and Stacey. Bryant seems solid. Kevin is all or nothing and inconsistent. Stacey is a whiz with the computer side of things.
The case has bodies found near a children’s home that closed years ago. Now the employees of the home are being murdered. Kim gets onto things but takes too many risks on her own. There are some real twists at the end.
Evil Games by Angela Marsons Narrator: Jan Cramer
Series: DI Kim Stone #2
Published by Bookouture on June 3, 2015
Genres: Mystery
Length: 8 hours, 43 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Apple
The greater the Evil, the more deadly the game…
When a rapist is found mutilated in a brutal attack, Detective Kim Stone and her team are called in to bring a swift resolution. But, as more vengeful killings come to light, it soon becomes clear that there is someone far more sinister at work.
With the investigation quickly gathering momentum, Kim finds herself exposed to great danger and in the sights of a lethal individual undertaking their own twisted experiment.
Up against a sociopath who seems to know her every weakness, for Detective Stone, each move she makes could be deadly. As the body count starts to mount, Kim will have to dig deeper than ever before to stop the killing. And this time - it’s personal.
I went on reading fairly soon with Evil Games. The development of the characters of Kim and her team continues. Particularly, we learn more about Kim as her killer does. Kim keeps herself locked down and not feeling so that she doesn’t fall into constant feelings and can function. She knows she might need to deal with her history but not during this case. There are peaks at her mother. Kim is also getting attached to her dog, Barney.
The first case involves a father who was sexually abusing his daughters. Then there is the killing of a rapist just released from prison. As Kim and the team investigate and more murders happen, Kim keeps crossing paths with Alex, a counselor who does court mandated counseling, and also at a men’s group home for after prison.
We know and Kim knows pretty quickly that Alex is a sociopath. Alex tries to play Kim and talk about her past to try to manipulate or break her. Kim’s boss thinks the evidence is too thin to convict Alex of anything. Kim gets help from a childhood therapist she hasn’t seen in at least 20 years and keeps investigating.
I loved seeing Kim bring cases to arrest which were tricky both personally and professionally.
Lost Girls by Angela Marsons Narrator: Jan Cramer
Series: DI Kim Stone #3
Published by Bookouture on November 16, 2015
Genres: Mystery
Length: 10 hours, 33 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Apple
When nine-year-old best friends Charlie and Amy disappear, two families are plunged into a living nightmare. A text message confirms the unthinkable; that the girls are the victims of a terrifying kidnapping.
And when a second text message pits the two families against each other for the life of their children, the clock starts ticking for D.I. Kim Stone and the squad.
Seemingly outwitted at every turn, as they uncover a trail of bodies, Stone realises that these ruthless killers might be the most deadly she has ever faced. And that their chances of bringing the girls home alive, are getting smaller by the hour…
Lost Girls was exceptional. I’ve been very happy with the main character Kim Stone, her dog Barney, her team, the mysteries and the narration.
The situation is two nine year old girls who are best friends, and families are close, have been kidnapped. It’s happened once before with one girl came home and the other still missing presumed dead. What the kidnappers do is play the families off against each other to get the highest bid. The high bid girl wins and the other dies. Despicable.
Kim and her team are to head the task force because one of the families requested her. It’s not her usual thing but it turns out one of the mothers was with Kim in foster care. That adds another dimension and view into Kim’s past. The previous case was a mess as far as documentation. There is a lot of it missing. They get Helen who was the family liaison to also fill that role on the current case. The family of the girl who came home is hiding and doing a good job.
I’m not going to spoil any more but Kim and her team are amazing. She has Kevin handling a different case. She is trusting him a bit, developing him and he is doing well. Lost Girls was fast paced, edge of the seat and suspenseful.
Narration:
I am not sure I have listened to Jan Cramer previously. Her voice was clear and no nonsense for Kim which was just right. I am comfortable with the voices for the other male and female characters. I have been able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
About Angela Marsons
Angela Marsons is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of the DI Kim Stone series and her books have sold more than 5 million in 7 years.
She lives in Worcestershire with her partner and their 2 cheeky Golden Retrievers.
She first discovered her love of writing at Junior School when actual lessons came second to watching other people and quietly making up her own stories about them. Her report card invariably read “Angela would do well if she minded her own business as well as she minds other people’s”.
After years of writing relationship based stories (The Forgotten Woman and Dear Mother) Angela turned to Crime, fictionally speaking of course, and developed a character that refused to go away.
She is signed to Bookouture.com for a total of 28 books in the Kim Stone series and her books have been translated into 30 languages.
Many of her books, including Blood Lines, Dead Souls, Broken Bones, Fatal Promise and Dead Memories reached the #1 spot on Amazon on pre-orders alone and the translation of Dead Souls, La Verita Sepolte, recently won the prestigious Primo Bancarella award.
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
Friend or follow me at Goodreads.
- The Red Queen by Martha Grimes #MarthaGrimes#AtlanticMonthlyPress - July 5, 2025
- 🎧 Dead of Winter by Rebecca Zanetti @RebeccaZanetti #AvaFlynn @tantoraudio.bsky.social #LoveAudiobooks @TantorAudio - July 3, 2025
- 🎧 Infinte Archive by Mur Lafferty @mightymur.bsky.social @kelseynavfoster.bsky.social @penguinaudio.bsky.social @acebookspub.bsky.social#LoveAudiobooks @mightymur @KelseyNavFoster @AceBooksPub @PRHAudio - July 1, 2025
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 25-Audio
- 25-COYER
Oh, how I love this series! Glad you’re enjoying, too, Anne💜
yes I’m loving it so far.
Nice that your latest SoS picks are off to a fab start. What a tough childhood for her.
yes. This series is awesome and I’m glad I finally started. Since they are all Audible only it has taken awhile to collect them.
This looks good. Maybe if I ever renew Audible.
I’ve barely started them but I LOVE them.
Never heard of this series! Nice!
It’s a police procedural set in the UK. I love it.
Sounds like this series ended up being really good for you! Great reviews!
Thank you Lisa. I love them so far. I hope to read more this month.