A stunning, 5* read from Angela Marsons as I have come to expect in this fantastic thriller series.. Amazingly well developed characters, chills, twists and a thumping good narrative all make this an unputdownable read. The author completely and skilfully misled me throughout the story and the final reveals were unexpected and satisfying. Loved getting to know Penn better and, as always, the banter of the team was a joy to witness with Stone and Bryant feeling like old friends. Always end my reviews for these books saying I can’t wait for the next instalment but that’s the truth of it. More please!
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

Detective Kim and her team are back in action when they arrive at Haden Hill Park to the scene of a horrific crime where a woman is tied to a swing with barbed wire . The victim Belinda Evans was a retired college Professor of Child Psychology and when two more victims are found Kim discovers that they are all involved in annual tournament, Brainbox, for gifted children . Kim is racing against time to find the serial killer but is one man short as Penn is called back to his old team to look at an old case he was in charge of which falls apart in court.

Child’s play is the 11 book in DI Kim Stone series by Angela Marsons and is as addictive as the others .Even though not as intense as the last few the plot is well crafted , fast paced and keeps you guessing till the end . Looking forward to reading the next one in the series !

I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

Another excellent novel in the Kim Stone. I do not have a negative comment to make. I loved this book, love the whole series.

#ChildsPlay #NetGalley Another top notch DI Kim Stone novel from this author. Plenty of action and twists and turns that kept me devouring the pages until late into the night. I enjoyed the fact that there were two main stories running in this book with Penn temporarily seconded back to his old team to close one of his old cases down. this was another excellent read - this series keeps getting better and better. I look forward to the next installment!

I really loved the Kim Stone books at the beginning but I'm growing a little tired of the ridiculous events taking place in the black country. Bodies have started turning up and there is a noticeable link between them. The killings are very creative which is what makes it all the more absurd. The dialogue feels a little rushed and there isn't as much about Kim herself which was always what made this series stand out. It was a quick read but definitely not one of my favourites.

Good story, from a great author. Really good plot and I'd highly recommend it to others. Just great!

I think this might be my favorite Kim Stone book yet in the series. I honestly can't believe that after 11 books that they keep getting better. With this book, we are following 2 investigations. An old one that Penn was involved with before he joined Stone's team. It was nice being able to get to know Penn a little better. Kim and the rest of the team are investigating a series of murders that are being staged through some form of children's games. I enjoyed both of the investigations in this book, they both were interesting and kept me thinking. I can't wait to see what the team investigates next. I'll be reading it as soon as it comes out!


*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Angela Marsons’ Kim Stone novels always have me captivated from the start and this was no different. The duel storyline was brilliant and flipped from one to the other throughout. Getting two stories for the price of one is always going to be a winner! This book had many characters and two main storylines which were both intense and gripping. The killers MO was brilliant thought out and that opening chapter was ... Wow! It was so descriptive and what a sinister killer! There’s not much that turns my stomach but this was pretty close to it. I could visualise it as the description was so detailed! This is one of the things I love about Angela Marsons writing. An intense storyline, great complex characters and well delivered conclusions! Fabulous as always and can’t wait for the next Kim Stone novel!

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

Thank you Net Galley for this eBook in exchange for an honest review.
**
Child's Play is the 11th book in the D.I. Kim Stone series; and the first book by Angela Marsons that I've read. While it is a standalone book, I believe reading Marsons previous books on Kim Stone will give a background to herself as an investigator as well as her team.
*
Child's play starts off with a brutal murder in an abandoned park. The victim is posed on a swing set, on first look it would look like a woman sitting on a child's swing set. Upon closer inspection you will see she's been stabbed and has been posed with barb wire wrapped around her.
As DI Kim's team starts to investigate the murder of Belinda Evans they are met with quiet a different story than first thought. As their investigation continues it will lead Kim & team to the world of child genius's and a tournament stemming back decades.
But Belinda's murder isn't the only death linked to this case. By the end there is 3 deaths all tied back to this tournament. Will Kim Stone's team find the murderer before he or she strikes again? Or will there be another death for them to investigate?
**
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Kim Stones team and cannot wait to read more of her books in this series :)

I always enjoy a visit with DI Kim Stone and her team. And this is no exception. Kim is investigating the death of a middle aged woman, knifed and left entwined with barbed wire on a swing set. The victim, Belinda Evans, is one weird bird and her relationship with her sister, Veronica, is really odd. Meanwhile, Penn is involved with a court case from his last case with his old team. And it’s going to Hell in a handbasket.

11th installment of Kim Stone and I always devour each book. Angela Marsons books are always well crafted, moving at a fast pace and keeping your interest throughout. I love learning more about the team as she continues to develop each character. Things always feel real in her stories, especially dealing with the bureaucracy. “Sir, you have to take the shackles off...my team is losing the will to live. Stacy is looking for a part time job, and Bryant is on the brink of divorce. And if that wasn’t bad enough, I’m actually cleaning my house.”

The plot involves child prodigies and a tournament that tested their skills. Marsons does a great job of exploring the whole phenomenon of gifted children, including their social challenges and need for attention, the parenting choices made in raising them, and the effect on their siblings. She obviously did here research as you can tell with each book.

I also enjoyed the side story with Penn and a case he had been leading in his previous station.

This can be read as a stand-alone but given the strength of these books, I really recommend starting at the beginning and savoring them all.

My thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of this book.

Although I was a huge fan of Angela Marsons' writing from the start, the revisiting of old and beloved characters is what makes series fiction so appealing but of course that only works if the author maintains the same level of writing and plot complexity; Angela Marsons does.

Child's Play sees a serial killer and we take a look at the dubious world of child prodigies or perhaps that should say the world that the parents of child prodigies inhabit. Meanwhile Penn is investigating an old case of armed robbery. Both storylines are, as always, well thought out and meticulously plotted which added to the brilliant characterisation is to my mind the crux of a good read.

This is the 11th book in the Kim Stone series and still the author keeps the stories fresh and engaging. I love the development of the characters - I have several favourites now!

In this book there are two plot lines. The first one is a new case that Kim and 3 of her team are working on and the second involves DS Penn who is giving evidence in court on a case he dealt with at his former station. Fast paced and gruesome and a thoroughly engaging read.

I always look forward to new adventures of DI Kim Stone, she's spiky and sarcastic but loveable and really funny. Marsons writing has equal amounts of seriousness, emotions and comedy the timing is just incredible. I love reading about the area I live in too, when the characters go to McDonald's drive through for instance, I know exactly which drive through they're at and it really brings the characters to life. Another outstanding book as usual and I eagerly await the next, as usual :-)

Everybody, it seems, is fascinated by child prodigies, since most of us don’t know one and it seems so foreign to us. Detective Kim Stone, in the eleventh installment of the Detective Kim Stone Thriller series, Child’s Play investigates the murder of Belinda Evans, a retired college professor in child psychology, now in her 60s, who was found on a swing with an x carved in the back of her neck. More bodies with the same markings begin to show up, and when Kim ties the murders to an annual child prodigy conference where prodigies meet and perform, she finds that she and others are in grave danger. Belinda’s sister, Veronica isn’t forthcoming, even though Kim is sure she can help, and Belinda and Veronica have a strange relationship that throws Kim off the trail.

Kim Stone is a viable detective, and does a good job. Marsons has developed her character well over the course of the series of novels. Stone has her own demons to work through, and in this case, her right hand man is working on a murder in another precinct, so Kim is virtually on her own. Readers will be able to relate, but still won’t be able to guess who the murderer is or the reasons for the murder until the dénouement at the very end of the novel. Marsons does her research when writing this series, and the facts related to the child prodigy phenomenon are not only fascinating, but ring true.

Marsons’ books are well-written, and keep readers on the edges of their seats. Child’s Play is fascinating and will keep readers in suspense throughout

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

I didn't mean to take so long in giving my review of this book, but it took me a while to read it, and life intervened. This series gets better and better with each new book that is published almost twice a year. Though, Kim knows who she is and where she stands on issues., but little by little with each new book we see Kim drop a bit of the hard armor that she has shielded herself with since the death of her brother, and the abuse she dealt with at the hands of her mother.

I have loved Kim since SILENT SCREAM was published. With each book, she sheds a little bit of the hard armor she has enveloped herself in. We also have gotten to see how Kim and team have grown together as a team through their trials and tribulations.


I

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Angela Marsons is one of my favourite authors. This book did not disappoint. It kept me glued to it and I finished it in no time. I do not think this is the best book in the series but it is still very good.
I am amazed that the series has remained at a constant high. There is not one book which I have disliked. I have noticed that with time, some series lose their freshness and appeal but this is definitely not the case here.

I highly recommend this series to anyone who is looking for a good crime series that doesn't disappoint.

Never before has a series gripped me for so long. Yet, 11 books in, I am still just as excited to read the new Kim Stone book. Angela Marsons’ has developed not only wonderful characters, but a whole world that I can’t wait to get back to (which is weird given the number of serial killers in that world).

As ever, the story is intriguing, well written and has fascinating characters. This time around, we have 2 cases to follow which are entirely unrelated as one member of the team goes back to help his previous force with one final case.

I would definitely recommend going back to the beginning if you have not read any of the books of the series yet. I am jealous of anyone who hasn’t, as you have 11 books of tremendous storytelling to catch up on, before you join the rest of us in the excruciating wait for the next instalment.

Another brilliant instalment of Kim Stone’s story. Love these books, excellent characters and love the story developments amongst main players. Please keep them coming Angela!!

Book 11 of the Kim Stone series and i still thoroughly enjoy this series as much as i did at the beginning. The writing from Angela again is superb and she is definitely one of my favourite authors. I'm so glad that Penn had his own side story in this book as i am really warming to the character. I really hope that Bookoture continue to let Angela run with this series. Brilliant as usual!

It took me a while to like Kim, but feel her complexed character has really developed.

This book is one of my favourites from Angela, if not her best book! I devoured this over two nights, literally not being able to put it down. Can’t wait for the next one 👍🏻