Even the darkest secrets can’t stay buried forever… 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?
An absolutely gripping, darkly compelling, and nail-bitingly tense mystery thriller that will keep you racing through the pages long into the night. A Kindle Chart #1, million-copy, international bestseller, Silent Scream turns fans of Rachel Abbott, Val McDermid and Mark Billingham into Angela Marsons addicts.
What readers are saying about Silent Scream:
’I absolutely loved it!…This one is one of the best crime thrillers I’ve read in a long time, and that includes mainstream authors such as James Patterson! I would seriously put this book in the same league.’ Fiona’s Book Reviews
‘Wow. That’s all I need to say… one of the best books I’ve read so far this year… gripping… hooks you in from Chapter One… you won’t want to put it down… fantastic.’ Little Northern Soul
‘I found myself biting my nails numerous times… to say that this book is brilliant is an understatement.’ Relax and Read Reviews
‘I have not been so impressed by a debut novel in a long time, and I’m actually now itching for more …D.I. Kim Stone is like the British Jane Rizzoli. She’s so ballsy and doesn’t understand the meaning of the word no. I LOVE heroines who just do what they want and sod the consequences and Kim did that, right from the beginning… I can’t wait for the second book, because this one was a top-notch crime thriller.’ Leah Loves
’I don’t think I’ve been so hooked by a new author since the discovery of Mark Edwards or Mark Billingham… Silent Scream gets 5 stars from me – if you finish a crime thriller feeling like you just need to have a lie-down and a cup of tea to get your breath back, then the writer has done their job. Angela Marsons, I still don’t have my breath back.’ Reading Room with a View
‘Normally when I see everybody rating a book five stars I think ‘Is it really that good?’ Silent Scream is that good, and then some… The only problem Angela now faces is keeping up this standard as the series progresses, but if she does than she’s going to be an author to watch and a huge star within the genre.’ Book Addict Shaun
‘I started reading Silent Scream thinking I would just read a few chapters. I ended up reading it all…An excellent read and one I would happily recommend.’ Northern Crime
‘This is a fantastic debut novel by Marsons. The blurb said that if you were a fan of Val McDermid and Mark Billingham you would love this book and being a huge fan of both I thought I would give it a go and I was pleasantly surprised…With lots of twists and turns this is a real page turner.’ The Laughing Librarian
‘Stunning.’ Mail on Sundaymore
Silent Scream is the first in the critically acclaimed Kim Stone series by Angela Marsons. I can safely say I understand why they are so popular.
Crime procedural books are not my absolute favourite and I did find the first part of the book a little dry. It was by the numbers however the story began to take a dark turn and eventually, it became a very haunting and extremely chilling read. Credit must go for Marsons for holding my attention and then really engaging me with the story. (However, I did guess who the killer was)
The writing is superb and the dialogue is snappy. Each character has a personality and voice and I found some of them had a good amount of growth throughout the story.
The reason this loses a star is because I tried so hard to like Kim Stone. She ticks all the boxes for a lead character in these types of books – she is a maverick, she is tough, she doesn’t follow the rules etc. She has a motorbike. Yet, I found her the least likable of the entire team which sadly damaged my fondness for the book. She comes across as a bully (even saying as much in one part) and despite her own dark past, usually a sign of a protagonist is to not let that change you. I know she is incredibly popular with readers and hopefully in future books her character arc changes slightly.
All in all, this was a good read on the beach and I will check in with the next ones.
I am a big British Police procedural lover and I fell in with this series due to the main character, Kim Stone. She’s a no nonsense DCI who may be hard headed, brash, and a bit egotistical. But underneath all of her brashness you know there is a heart of gold.
When two murders and a missing person have only a girl’s home in common, things can only get worse. And when the bodies of children are unearthed at the now closed home, it starts to get a little personal for DI Kim Stone. Kim needs to solve these murders quickly to ensure that remaining ex-staff of the home don’t end up in the morgue as well.
After reading some reviews on this book, I had really high hopes and was thrilled with the prologue, however after the first couple of chapters, I started to get a little bored. It seemed like all police work and I didn’t feel any attachment to the main character. She just seemed like a typical hard-ass detective. I almost gave up.
Boy am I glad I didn’t! It wasn’t long after I decided to keep going that all of that changed. DI Kim Stone began having more depth and felt much more human. Her tough exterior is balanced by her compassion for the victims, both of which are fueled by her very dark past.
Marsons does a fabulous job carrying the story along between the perspectives of several different characters adding dimension and allowing for a perfect ending. At times I enjoyed listening to the perspective of the killer, however, there were a few times that I found it quite disturbing. Definitely not for the faint of heart.
So why 4 ½ and not 5? Well, a couple of reasons. Kim’s closest relationship is with her friend and colleague, Bryant, but I felt no real connection there. I didn’t feel like there was depth to any of her team. Although, this is a the first book in the series and maybe we’ll see more from the other characters in subsequent books.
The second reason is because I was able to guess at least part of the end from early on. But I will say that it is REALLY difficult to pull one over on me and I did at least get a small surprise at the end.
This is definitely a series that I will follow!