They thought they were safe. They were wrong.The murder of a young prostitute and a baby found abandoned on the same winter night signals the start of a disturbing investigation for Detective Kim Stone – one which brings her face to face with someone from her own horrific childhood.As three more sex workers in the Black Country are murdered in quick succession, each death more violent than the … succession, each death more violent than the last, Kim and her team realise that the initial killing was no one-off frenzied attack, but a twisted serial killer preying on the vulnerable.
At the same time, the search begins for the desperate woman who left her newborn baby at the station – but what at first looks like a tragic abandonment soon takes an even more sinister turn.
When another young woman goes missing, the two investigations bring the team into a terrifying, hidden world, and a showdown puts Kim’s life at risk as secrets from as secrets from her own past come to light.
As Kim battles her own demons, can she stop the killer, before another life is lost?
A gripping new crime thriller from the Number One bestseller – you will be hooked until the final jaw-dropping twist.
Praise for Broken Bones:
‘Angela Marsons has yet again nailed and delivered an outstanding five star read…Had me hook, line and sinker until the shocking end. The author certainly knows how to keep me on my toes until delivering a final punch that knocked me well and truly off my feet.’ By the letter Book Reviews
‘Angela Marsons yet again drags you into the story and locks you in until the final word. I can honestly say this is my favourite book of the best British Crime Series I’ve ever read! If I could give it 6 stars I would.’ Goodreads reviewer
‘Timely, hard-hitting and makes for some emotional reading…Once again this is another faultless book from Angela Marsons who I firmly believe is in a league of her own in this genre.’ Book Addict Shaun
‘With an opening that will have you gripped from start to finish, I devoured it in a matter of hours – I simply couldn’t put it down…I was literally on the edge of my seat with anticipation wanting to know what was going to happen next.’ Chelle’s Book Reviews
‘Marsons for me is the QUEEN of this genre. She knows how to add the human touch to each story and I just adore her. Bloody FABULOUS.’ Postcard Reviews
‘Angela Marsons is one of the most immensely talented writers out there; she has an exceptional skill in creating a cast of characters and a spider web of plots that will keep you glued to the book until it is finished. I’d strongly advise getting yourself well comfy before you start reading this as you are not going to move until you are done!’ Goodreads reviewer
‘An action-packed page turner with many twists and turns in a plot that is brilliantly written…This is a clever, realistic storyline that sucks you from the very first pages. I would have no hesitation in recommending this series to anyone… Love it!’ Goodreads reviewer
‘Marsons just gets better and better, her plots are slick, her writing intelligent, and her characters are like family… It’s a sign of a phenomenal author to be able to create that connection between reader and character, and Marsons just has it… I cannot praise her writing enough. Broken Bones is utterly amazing. Buy it. Now.’ Emma the Little Book Worm
‘The suspense builds up so fast and I couldn’t wait to get to the end for everything to be revealed… this is definitely my favourite book of the series so far!’ Stardust Book reviews
‘Simply brilliant. The plot is amazingly good and keeps you hooked from the first page. I really didn’t see the ending coming…I read it in one day and feel bereft now I’ve finished it.’ Goodreads Reviewermore
Riveting. Emotional. Suspenseful. Truly a MUST for your TBR list!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley & Bookouture in order to read and provide a voluntary and honest review, should I choose to do so.
BROKEN BONES (D.I. Kim Stone, #7) by Angela Marsons is an intricately woven web of clues under investigation by Kim and her team that brings together international sex slavery, illegal immigrant exploitation and prostitution into a realistic and brutally honest story. Once again, I can highly recommend this book and series!
It is Christmas and as D.I. Kim Stone is leaving the station, she finds a baby abandoned on the steps. As the team comes together to watch Kim deal with a baby, a call comes through for Kim and her team of a murdered prostitute. As Kim and Bryant follow the trail of clues, they get pulled into a world of not only prostitution, but also the grooming and entrapment of young girls into modern day slavery and gangs.
At the same time, Stacey and Dawson investigate to find the mother of the abandoned baby. Their investigation leads to a factory of Romanian workers that just does not seem quite right and a dead Romanian man, who appears to be a vagrant. As they work the clues, they are introduced to a world of illegal immigrants forced into indebtedness that will never be overcome and is therefore just a form of slavery.
At first, there appear to be too many threads to follow and I was not sure of how all of the plotlines would come together, but under the deft plotting of Ms. Marsons everything all tied together beautifully with a very surprising ending. I believe all of the issues covered throughout this book were handled with truth and empathy, including the revelations in the main characters lives. Kim, Bryant, Stacey and Dawson are a realistic group of investigators/characters that have all grown in various ways throughout this series. Another great addition to the series that can be read as a standalone, but I believe if you give it a try, you will become as hooked as I am and read the whole series.
Thanks very much to Bookouture and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review. I hope this series continues on for many years to come!
DI Kim Stone and her team are called to the crime scene of a murdered young prostitute. Before Kim can leave for the station, she discovers an abandoned baby outside its doors. She assigns DS Kevin Dawson and DC Stacey Wood to find the baby’s mother, Stacey’s first case in the field since her harrowing abduction four months earlier. Kim and DS Bryant begin their investigation of the murder but are soon having to go to the scene of another similar one. It’s clear that these young women are at horrible risk and time doesn’t seem to be on their side.
As both cases are explored, there’s a strong maternal theme that emerges as these young girls had families and sad circumstances that led them to the streets and the baby’s abandonment. It was also enlightening to see in detail how young girls are “groomed” by unlikely people and trapped in these situations. “Seeing the bigger picture” was a common refrain heard throughout that took on an ominous meaning. I love how Kim Stone made these victims a priority and didn’t discount their lives, any of them. There’s a particular act of kindness she renders in the story that almost made me cry (okay, my eyes did get teary). And the investigation of the abandoned baby led to a different kind of human enslavement involving an immigrant community. It was quite an education.
I keep thinking with each book in this series that the next won’t be able to measure up to the last one and the author continues to prove me wrong. There are underlying messages and themes that elevate these stories beyond a police procedural and crime novel. I emerge smarter and more connected to humanity. By the end, solving the mystery isn’t even as important as the experience getting there. I continue to listen to these books as Jan Cramer is a talented storyteller and inhabits these characters like a well tailored suit. I hated the crimes but loved how the victims were honored and their stories told. This was special.
D.I. Kim Stone is a total badass. This book in the series (7) was especially twisty–which made me like it even more!
I know I check a lot of the same boxes, but some are worth mentioning…ORIGINAL for one. There are sooooooo many police procedurals out there, but they have stories I have read somewhere…so far 7 books in now, the stories are so original, unique and not in every other book. I LOVE THAT.
Wonderful characters – each book has given us all some back story of each character and you just like them more and more. I want to reach through the book and put my arms around Kim and tell her to LET GO AND COME INTO THE WORLD…you deserve more. I was so glad when she got Barney – not just because she has someone at home, but because of WHY. I like her still caring about Gemma, someone that hurt her…she cares but it is hard for her to open.
THIS AUTHOR IS AMAZING…I am so sad to read 8 because it is the last so far…and that really truly makes me sad.
Dawson turns out to be such a caring man…and really truly for his team.
I just love this series and Angela Marsons has become my FAVORITE AUTHOR…
off to 8 but so sad….
Broken Bones by Angela Marsons is the seventh book in the D.I. Kim Stone series. Kim Stone is ready to go home, but her car has decided not to start. She is heading back inside the station house when she finds a baby outside. Kim quickly calls DS Bryant to the station to assist (who cannot help but call his colleagues). Kim assigns Stacey and Dawson the abandoned baby case and heads out with Bryant to investigate a new homicide. Kelly Rowe, a down-on-her luck single mum, was found murdered. This is just the first in a series of killings of prostitutes who work on Tavistock Road. It leads Kim to encounter two people from her past. Meanwhile, Stacey and Dawson are trying to track down the individual who abandoned the baby at the police station. Their only clue is a Romanian shawl that the baby was wrapped in. This clue leads them down the trail of the Robertson’s who employees Romanian workers. Something is not right in that factory and it is hope to Kim’s team to uncover the truth.
Broken Bones is well-written and captivating. I was immediately drawn in to the story and I did not want to stop reading. The story is full of twists (I just loved it). I found the story to be fast paced with loads of action. I am glad that more of Kim’s past is revealed in Broken Bones. In each new book in the series, we get a glimpse into Kim Stone’s history. I like seeing a softer side of Kim with her dog, Barney. I also appreciate the banter between Kim and her team members. Broken Bones does contain British slang and some words are spelled differently (than how we spell them in America). It does not take away from the story and the meaning of the words can be construed from the text. There is some foul language in the book (fair warning). I do not recommend reading Broken Bones as a stand-alone. Each book in the D.I. Kim Stone series builds upon the previous one. You need to read the books in order. It will help you to understand Kim and her team. I am rating Broken Bones 5 out of 5 stars (I loved it). The revelation of the murderer was the best part. It will surprise most readers.
Broken Bones, (D.I. Kim Stone #7) by Angela Marsons is a suspense thriller which will have you reading past your bedtime. Once I started, I could not stop reading because I was hooked by the story. In Broken Bones we find DI Kim Stone perplexed and considering if the murder of a young sex worker and the finding of an abandoned baby within hours could be connected. There is nothing to indicate a link.
I won’t post spoilers, but the plot of the story is realistic. There are layers to this story which are very cleverly woven together. As we get into the book there are other characters who are in trouble, but their calls and cries go unheard. D.I. Stone divides her investigators into two teams in order to find out more about the parents of the abandoned baby boy, and to try to keep more working girls from becoming another murder casualty. The young women who have been murdered are not the normal type of women who would be working the streets at night. They previously had opportunities in their lives and they are intelligent, but have become victims while trying to pay off a debt.
As I read the book, I also looked online about how young women are lured to human bondage for a number of seemingly innocent reasons. It is shocking and the characters in Broken Bones will haunt your memory even after you finish the book. When the reader continues to think about the book after it has been put away, the author has been very successful!