After the darkest of traumas experienced by DI Kim Stone and her team previously, Angela Marsons gives the reader a much needed breather with this, her 11th addition to this brilliant series. This is a series I read for the characters, the emotionally damaged Kim, and her team, the interactions and banter between them, all of whom I have come to care for. Plus, of course, for the well researched themes by Marsons, here, the topic of child prodigies, their impact on siblings, and their parents. Such gifted children, breathing the rarified air of being head and shoulders above their peers, and garnering the kind of attention it can be hard to live without as they become adults. A normal childhood is often a pipe dream for them, as can be socialising and having friends, and sibling relationships can result in bitter rivalries and resentment. Marsons looks at the parents, the quandary of just how far should they push their 'special' child, and 'tiger' parenting, more often than not built on a punitive system for the child to perform.

Kim and Kevin Bryant find themselves at the gruesome murder of a 61 year old Belinda Evans, a Child Psychology professor, at a playground park, secured to a swing with barbed wire, stabbed through the heart, with the letter X carved into the back of her neck. There are further murders with a similar MO that include a children's counsellor, and the original founder of Brainbox, which organises competitive events and quizzes for gifted children. Penn is in court accompanied by his old team members, the trial is expected to be a slam dunk affair, only for everything to disintegrate with the murder of a defense witness, and a prosecution witness that jeopardises the case and the career of DI Tom Travis. Penn is forced to painstakingly review the police case, only to find it riddled with serious problems which question the probity of the original investigation. Kim is convinced the killer will be at the Brainbox convention given all the victims are connected with it, so takes her team there, but danger awaits her and for Penn in his case.

As Kim implements orders from above to not push her team so hard and endanger their mental health, there are the comic repercussions of Kim and her team struggling to work normal hours, all their lives threaten to derail until they return to the long hours and intense pressure of their normal working lives. Penn's absence from the team results in the entry of the effusively cheerful and perky Tiffany, a new addition, whom the horrified Kim refers to as Tinkerbell or 'Tinks'. Tinks works with Stacey, who finds herself utterly surprised at how well they work together. This was a gloriously entertaining, and fun crime read, so great to catch up with Kim and her fabulous team, whilst at the same time appreciating in depth the strange world of gifted children, their parenting, and family dynamics. Looking forward to the next in the series! Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.

Absolutely fantastic! Angela Marsons never fails to deliver an absolutely fantastic read! Thank you for letting me review this title, I can’t wait for the next Kim Stone instalment

Child's Play (Detective Kim Stone Crime Thriller Book 11) by Angela Marsons. Zipped through the book at record speed. Two different crimes investigated (and solved), each having their own unique twist. Quirky new detective introduced and proves to be an asset to the team. Hope Tink will be in future books. The series keeps getting better and the characters are all evolving. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Another brilliant instalment in the Kim Stone series. I can’t believe we are on book 11 and they are all as brilliant as each other. I just love Angela’s style of writing and am loving getting to know the newer characters. Bring on book 12. I highly recommend this entire series and author, she’s just amazing.

Brilliant book eleven already. I'm an admirer of Angela Marsons' work for many reasons, one of which is that her consistent output doesn't keep her fans waiting too long.

Child's Play opens with a surprisingly gruesome prologue that sets your thoughts whirring. The initial crime is shocking (and had me squirming in my seat) but we have to wait to discover the motive for such an inventive murder.

As often before in the Kim Stone series the book deals with children and how they are affected by their situation in life. This novel in particular delves into the fascinating world of child prodigies and their families. I appreciated the obvious research that Angela put into examining the subject.

This book also gives a side storyline to relatively recent addition Penn, a character that I really like. Unfortunately, it is not a happy time for him but it was nice for Penn to be given more to do and away from the rest of the team. We also get to meet cheery Tiff whose sunny disposition is perhaps a breath of fresh air for the department.

As this book isn't perhaps as strong as some of the previous instalments I have only given it four stars (would give 4.5 if possible). It's still a great book but Angela Marsons' back catalogue is so stellar it doesn't seem fair to rate it as high as some of her previous novels. Die-hard fans like me will still love it and I've already started waiting for brilliant book twelve!

Thanks to Angela Marsons and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book.

Can’t believe this is the 11th book in this series already! I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as the last book but still a good book and it’s 4 stars from me. I race through these books and I really enjoy the way they are written. Bring on book 12!

There are very, very few authors that are capable of keeping me interested in a series this deep into it. Ms. Marsons has proven yet again, that she is more than capable of keeping a series feeling new and fresh.

If I had one small thing to nitpick, and it is small, is that you don’t get to see Penn interacting with the rest of the team in this one. As a newish character and one taking the space of a character that was incredibly difficult to lose, both as the team in the story and as a reader, I would have liked to have seen more of those interactions in this book. I do think that we get an even better feel for him as a character in this, even if it isn’t through his interactions with the team.

I will never get tired of that team and how they work so well together. It is one of the things I love about this series. While you don’t spend huge portions of the book on personal dramas for those characters, you absolutely know who they are as individuals, which makes them so very real.

The two different storylines in this are kind of classic for this series and is one of the many things that I love. One of those threads is the one Penn is working on and the other is the main thread the team is working on. I liked getting to see a new face, similar to the last book, and I’m wondering if those are hints at the team growing in the future.

I always wonder when I get to the end, where the next book can go that is going to feel new, that things are going to start to feel stale. The fact that this is book 11 and not one of them has ever gotten even close should tell me I don’t have anything to worry about any time soon.

*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As THE biggest Angela Marsons fan you can imagine my total glee and being given an ARC from Netgalley, Bookouture & Angel Mardons. Thank You!

Well, what an absolutely amazing read. How can it all ready be book #11 in the series.

Kim Stone is such a formidable character with a heart of gold and a spine of steel. Every book just shows her character growing more & more.

I adore the relationships she has with her colleagues. The banter she has with Bryant makes me laugh away to myself at times and the nurturing instinct she shows for Stacy and Penn is really sweet to read.

In this book you follow 2 storylines, Kim Stone and her team investigating a killer on their murder spree and also Penn in more of a stand alone following up on an old case of his. Great to see Penn shine on his own!

As always with all of the Kim Stone series I didnt work out who they were trying to capture, makes me love these books even more as its so rare in this genre of book not to get a feeling half way through on who it is!

In a few words.... fabulously twisted, original, utterly addictive, unputdownable, amazingly written... cannot wait for book #12.

Angela you have such an amazing gift, keep them coming!

This is book #11 in the Kim Stone series. It can be read as a standalone, but I would recommend reading the previous books first to understand the story of the characters.

Kim is back and is called to the scene of a murder of a woman in her sixties tied to a swing in a children’s play park. The victim was a retired college professor and when Kim and her team begin to investigate her life, they find that she had a very complex relationship with her sister. As more murders happen, Kim finds herself involved in an annual tournament for highly gifted children, which has links to all the murder victims. Can Kim and her team work out who the murderer is before anyone else dies?

Welcome back Kim!! I am particularly partial to a Kim Stone book, so jumped at the chance of an early read when I was offered it!! The book goes straight into the action when the body of a woman tied to a swing is found in a children’s play park. The first murder was deliciously gruesome and there was no way that I would be putting this book down until I’d finished it after reading those opening chapters!! I’ve always loved Kim’s character and as we are now up to book number 11, it feels like we are welcoming back a very close friend!

I also love the relationship Kim has with her team, particularly Bryant and the banter that she has with him always leaves me laughing! There is also a new addition to Kim’s team, Tiffany (who was fondly nicknamed Tink) and paired with Stacey, it’s fascinating to read how Tiffany and Stacey work their way through all the clues. There is also a separate storyline running alongside for DS Penn involving a previous case he’d worked on before he joined Kim’s team. The storyline switched between both of the stories and it was great for Penn to get a little side story of his own. Whilst we had been introduced to Penn previously, it gave us the opportunity to know some more about him and particularly his honesty and principles which not all police officers have!

Despite this series being 11 books in, the action and suspense doesn’t let up at all and the plot lines just keep getting better with each book. The investigation into the murders is hypnotic and it feels like you are right there in the middle of the action. I found the first murder a lot more upsetting than the others, particularly as the victim’s relationship with her sister wasn’t what it appears. I also liked how Kim also felt this way, and showed a tender side to her which we don’t often get to see!!

I have loved reading these books and will continue to do so as long as the author keeps writing them! They are gruesome, gritty and raw with a little dash of humour to offset all the bad stuff that happens! The characters are genuine and believable and in every book the story just fits together perfectly! The storyline twists and turns, keeping you on the edge of your seat waiting to see whether your guess at who the murderer is was right – which for me it never is! I also love reading about the places around where I live, and I can usually find that I have some connection with the locations in the books (this time it was Wombourne!!). A thoroughly enjoyable book, a fabulous series and a fantastic author! Roll on book #12!!

I find it hard to believe that this is Book 11 in the Kim Stone series. Coming up with another unique plot and making sure that the core characters remain interesting, has got to be no easy task. Angela Marsons has managed it yet again with Child's Play.
There are two cases to be solved. First, a killer who likes to 'play' with his/her victims, and second, an appearance in court to conclude what appears to be an open and shut robbery/murder. Neither case is easy and there are numerous twists and turns along the way. Did I guess the identity of either killer? Well, no, I did not, but I had fun guessing and being proven wrong, again and again. There were enough potential suspects to keep my attention and in the end, it all made sense.
You could read this as a standalone, but be prepared to want to read the first ten books, as there is much to learn about Kim Stone and her team.
I received a DRC from Bookouture through NetGalley.

Called to a park after the discovery of the body of a woman in her sixties, Kim Stone and her team uncover complex family relationships, and further bodies with the same distinctive marking

Meanwhile, Penn is recalled to his old team when a case for which he was SIO spectacularly collapses.

And there's an overtime ban.

So how is everyone going to unravel the truth?

I don’t know how Angela Marsons does it! She never makes us wait very long for the next instalment in her Kim Stone series, but the quality of her writing continues to shine.
Really warming to her new characters, hoping Tink will end up being a regular. Yet another great and imaginative storyline covering two investigations and I had several culprits in mind before the real one was revealed - and it wasn’t someone I had even considered! This is why I love Angela Marsons writing, she takes you round the houses before you get to the reveal, giving you plenty of suspects on the way.
Can’t wait for the next instalment.

Superb as always! Looking forward to seeing the next installment. These books never disappoint. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC, which I have been totally engrossed in reading for the last few hours.
This is Book 11 of the Kim Stone series by Angela Marsons and Child’s Play was an excellent story and thoroughly entertaining book to read. I have enjoyed all of the books in the series and look forward to reading Book 12. Each of the books in the series are about a different subject, some more topical than others but all of them are well written and well thought out. The main characters get stronger each book that you read.
Highly recommended.

How can Angela Marsons improve on this fantastic and very addictive series you ask. I only have two words to say CHILD'S PLAY. It is dark, twisted, gory and compelling reading. When one of her books lands in my inbox it goes straight to the top of my reading list.
The story is about child prodigies and I will say no more. It is heartbraking, the premise is original and so dark. I read this book in one sitting. Phone switched off and takeaway. I had no idea who the killer was until the big reveal. I am in reading heaven.
I love the interaction between Kim and her team and the new addition Tinkerbell and really hope to read more of her in the future.This is also the first time we have two plots which really ramped up the tension and suspense. This is the stuff of nightmares and yes this author has done it yet again delivering another page turner par excellence. From the first book in this fantastic series I have been hooked. This author just keeps on getting better and better. An easy ten stars and so Highly Recommended.
I would like to thank the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

Grab your favourite cuppa, get comfy and get ready to be totally gripped.

This series just gets better and better!

It's dark, it's full of twists, it's addictive and I loved it.

Kim Stone is a fascinating character and I love her interactions with her team.

Roll on number 12.I

It's not often that I'm speechless at the start of a review, but I am struggling to convey my admiration that Ms Marsons has managed to do it yet again - come up with an original plot, exploring a fascinating new topic while completely bamboozling me as to the killer's identity. Eleven books in and she is still delivering some of the best police procedurals around.

Kim & Bryant are called to the scene of a grisly murder in a park, where a well-dressed middle-aged woman has been tied to a swing and stabbed. The victim was a recently retired child psychology lecturer with a secret life, whose sister seems determined to hide their past. The second victim is a children's counsellor, and the team find links to the unusual world of child prodigies, individuals whose special skills have prevented them enjoying normal childhoods, but what may have driven one to murder?

I liked that this one took a step back from Kim's tragic history and allowed her to just be a detective for a change. The last few books have featured so much trauma for the team, that it was a relief to have them work a case without being the targets. There's a separate case which takes Penn back to his old team, and ultimately does put one recurring character in danger (it seems there always has to be one) but rather than contriving a link between them, it felt more realistic that Kim's team do have to work apart sometimes. This was also the opportunity to introduce some comic relief in the form of Tink the new DC.

Very well written and paced as ever, this had a wide range of potential suspects or victims, perhaps too many as I found myself having to use the search function on my Kindle to remind myself who was who. The opening scene featured a particularly gruesome method of execution and a lot of the suspense came from wondering who that victim would turn out to be, and how it fitted in. I defy anyone to guess the perpetrator before the reveal.

This one could actually work as a stand-alone thriller, but for full enjoyment I recommend reading the full series in order. My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. Child's Play is published on 11 July 2019.

Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review.

Childhood, a time of carefree abandon.  Hey!  Let's go play in the park!  The monkey bars and the jungle gym beckon, the merry-go-round promises a ton of fun, and the sliding board is waiting.  Hold on for a sec . . . that swing is already occupied, and the teeter-totter is taken.  Someone has been having a <i>real good time.</i>       

Child prodigies, the gifted ones, they outshine and surpass the others around them.  These accelerated few manage to garner the most attention in any given household, fawned over by parents and teachers alike.  You can be sure there is collateral damage in the offing.  You can also be sure that DI Kim Stone and her team will take care of business.

Another winner from the author. I found this book to be an enjoyable, quick read. However, I did not like that there were two parallel plots with no connection between the two. The minor plot took away from being able focus on the main story. I hope the author does not do that in subsequent books.

Oh I read this too fast! And now I’m sad it’s over! Amazing read as always from Angela Marsons and Kim Stone! I put everything else to the bottom of my to do list until I’d read this. Just brilliant. Can’t wait for the next one.