EXCERPT: ....finally we're playing a game. A game that I have chosen.

A trail of blood is forming in a circle around the gravel.

I push harder, causing the roundabout to whiz past me at speed.

'You should have listened to me,' I cry, pushing as hard as I can.

The sounds coming from her are no more than a whimper.

The blood on the ground is pooling, clumps of flesh are sticking to the concrete base.

The crying stops completely after I hear the sound of the fracture of her skull.

I give one last push of the spider's web and stand back.

'You really should have played with me,' I tell her again, although I know she can no longer hear.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: Late one summer evening, Detective Kim Stone arrives at Haden Hill Park to the scene of a horrific crime: a woman in her sixties tied to a swing with barbed wire and an X carved into the back of her neck.

The victim, Belinda Evans, was a retired college Professor of Child Psychology. As Kim and her team search her home, they find an overnight bag packed and begin to unravel a complex relationship between Belinda and her sister Veronica.

Then two more bodies are found bearing the same distinctive markings, and Kim knows she is on the hunt for a ritualistic serial killer. Linking the victims, Kim discovers they were involved in annual tournaments for gifted children and were on their way to the next event.

With DS Penn immersed in the murder case of a young man, Kim and her team are already stretched and up against one of the most ruthless killer’s they’ve ever encountered. The clues lie in investigating every child who attended the tournaments, dating back decades.

Faced with hundreds of potential leads and a bereaved sister who is refusing to talk, can Kim get inside the mind of a killer and stop another murder before it’s too late?

MY THOUGHTS: Who would ever have thought that after 11 books in this series, we would still be gagging for more!

And what can I say that hasn't already been said? Unputdownable. Twisty (and twisted). Compelling. Riveting.

I really didn't like Kim Stone at the beginning of the series, although I was hooked from book 1. But over time, her character has developed and she has mellowed (a little). She is far more human and not so angry. Still prickly, and determined to do things her own way, but just a little softer around the edges.

Bring on #12!

😍🤩😍🤩😍

THE AUTHOR: Angela is the author of the Kim Stone Crime series. She discovered a love of writing at Primary School when a short piece on the rocks and the sea gained her the only merit point she ever got.
Angela wrote the stories that burned inside and then stored them safely in a desk drawer.
After much urging from her partner she began to enter short story competitions in Writer's News resulting in a win and three short listed entries.
She used the Amazon KDP program to publish two of her earlier works before concentrating on her true passion - Crime.
Angela is now signed to write a total of 16 Kim Stone books for Bookouture.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Child's Play by Angela Marsons for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.

This review and others are also published on Twitter and my webpage sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

Started this book at 4pm this afternoon and just finished it at 10.20pm!

Belinda Lucas is found dead - tied to a children’s swing with barbed wire and stabbed. DI Kim Stone and her team can’t find a motive for her death and her sister is not very forthcoming about their past. Then another body is found - a former child counsellor and he’s connected to Belinda through a competition for child geniuses. The team are a member down as Penn has had to return to his former force for a court case. Unfortunately for Penn things aren’t going well in court and he soon realises that the evidence they had is not as robust as they thought and they might have the wrong Manag in the dock.

Absolutely brilliant read from start to finish. This series just gets better and better.

Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Angela Marsons for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

I loved this book just as I knew I would. I have loved everything I have read by Angela Marsons and this was no exception. I had a bit of trouble moving between the different story lines but I blame old age for that and not the author.
I highly recommend this book and thank NetGalley for letting me read this advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

With thanks to Netgalley and Bookoutre for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

I can't believe this is the 11th book featuring Kim Stone and her long suffering team. I have read every book in the series and I have enjoyed each one. I am always excited when Angela Marson`s releases a new book because it is like meeting old friends.

Child's Play was about gifted children and the impact it can have on their other siblings. I have seen these children on television and then as adults they tend to rebel.

I was immersed in this story from the first page. It started in winter 2010 when two people meet in the park. The older woman is tied to a roundabout with her head touching the ground. The killer kept turning the roundabout leaving her fatally injured.

In the present day Kim was called to a murder scene in the middle of the night. There she found a woman sitting on a swing, tied with barbed wire. She had been stabbed in the chest and the killer had marked an X behind her neck.

The woman was called Belinda Evans a child psychologist. Belinda and her sister Veronica did not get along. However Veronica often visited Belinda three times a day. At first Veronica was very abrasive and was reluctant to talk about Belinda. She let slip however that Belinda was due to attend an event called Brainbox a competition for gifted children.

The next day the body of a child psychologist who used to attend the Brainbox event is found murdered. When Kim sees the familiar X, she tries to discover who was murdering victims who were part of Brainbox.

Meanwhile Penn was due to give evidence on one of his old cases. A young man died during a robbery at a petrol station. At first Penn thought a local criminal gang was responsible. However an eyewitness saw another man was responsible. However when the trial starts, the eyewitness goes missing and a witness for the defence changes their evidence. Penn has to conduct a review to check they arrested the right man.

To replace Penn, a WPC called Tiffany joined the team, Like Stacey she was computer whizz kid, but she was a girly girl who liked to sing show tunes whilst working. Kim quickly named her Tink or Tinkerbill, she fitted right in and hope she will feature in future stories.

During the investigation Stacey was decided whether to commit to her partner. The team had to work 9-5 to reduce work stress, Bryant mentioned his wife hated him being at home. Bryant `s home life is rarely mentioned in the books and I wondered if this might be a future storyline.

As always the story was fast paced, with twists and turns a plenty. I l like Penn and I was p!eased his was leading his own investigation.

I highly recommend this series.

It’s hard to believe that this is book eleven in the Detective Inspector Kim Stone series. There are not many series that are still going strong after this many books but Angela Marsons is one special author.

All the books in the series could be read as a standalone book but to be honest if you did that then you would be missing out, because these books really are worth reading. The characters have become friends and I have loved reading as they have grown over the series.

I find that all the books in the Kim Stone series suck me in but this one did a particularly good job of it, I was only a few percent in when I was spending far too long reading late into the night. I also found the subject matter fascinating, the child genius’ and the pressure put on them and the long lasting consequences of that.

As a wannabe writer, I envy the way Marsons is able to weave the story and the process Stone and her team work out the case and piece it all together.

There was much to love about this book, it was clever and it kept me guessing and wondering and thinking. This is definitely my favourite book series of all time.

Another 5 star for Angela Marsons. Child's Play was exciting from start to finish, I had no idea who had done it! I loved the fact that there were two stories running alongside each other. The story had all our favourite characters that we have grown to love throughout the series and they are still as believable as when we first met them.

Seriously, looking forward to the next installment for Kim Stone and her team...

Another great story line from Angela Marsons and her character Kim Stone, along with Bryant and the rest of her team, including Penn who was called back to deal with a case from his previous post they still managed to get involved in solving murders carried out in a strange way. A brilliant story line with a surprising ending. A great read.

I haven’t read many of Angela Marsons books and the ones I have read haven’t been in order, but it doesn’t matter, I don’t feel that I’ve missed out on anything.
This was a very well written story, with a believable storyline and really likeable characters. Once again, another brilliant book in the series.

Unsurprisingly, this is another cracker by Angela Marsons. I've read all the books in this series and will continue to look forward to the page turning chills this author delivers. Not sure what that says about me, but it definitely says this book and this series are perfect for the crime fiction fan!

I have been a long time fan of Angela Marsons and have read all of her books, her plots just get better and better and this one is no exception. This latest installment in the Kim Stone crime series is fantastic. Right down to the last sentence, Angela leaves you wanting more.

This is another brilliant read from Angela Marsons that is highly recommended for loyal fans and new readers.

Finally we’re playing a game. A game that I have chosen. I give one last push of the roundabout and stand back. 'You really should have played with me,’ I tell her again although I know she can no longer hear. 

The prologue of this, the 11th book in the series, is a pretty gruesome start to a book by any standard, but not when it's author is Angela Marsons, she gets it spot on every time and the gore doesn't stop there. This one starts off in a park in Winter 2010, in chapter one the story has moved on to the present day and another case for DI Kim Stone and her team to crack when a woman in her sixties is found tied to a swing with barbed wire and an X carved into the back of her neck. Whilst they're investigating this heinous crime, a further two bodies, with the same MO, are found and Kim knows they are dealing with a serial killer, they all appear to be linked to a tournament involving child geniuses, which has been operating for years, but where does the killer fit into this and why these three seemingly innocent people? Kim and her team are desperate to catch the perpetrator before there's another victim.

Angela Marsons is one of a few author's that I don't need to read the blurb before buying a book and this one was no exception, I was very happy to see the team back again and, as DS Penn was involved in another case, a young constable called Tiffany is drafted in to assist, I immediately took to her and loved the relationship between her and Stace, they worked so well together. The concept of the child genius was very intriguing and I was shocked to see how far some parents will go to use their children's special gift, and not always for the good of the child, or their siblings, in some cases. In true Marsons style, this is another superb read which kept me hooked throughout.

I would like to thank Bookouture and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

If over the years my raving and gushing over this superb series hasn’t somehow already convinced you to read them, let me try and persuade you one more time. This is the eleventh book in the incomparable Kim Stone series, and yes you could technically read any of them as standalones, but I don’t recommend doing so because every single dang book is phenomenal. This is quite the feat because usually after only a handful of books a series can get boring but there is absolutely none of that here. Each installment raises the bar somehow and just solidified Marsons spot as one of my favorite crime writers on the planet.

As usual Kim and her team have several things going on at all once. Of course they have the main investigation where someone is killing people linked to child prodigies which is a subject that I found endlessly fascinating and was obviously well researched by the author. All of the members of the team has separate personal issues cropping up as well, Penn is called back to his old team during a trial leaving Kim and crew a man down, Stacey is having some sort of issue at home but is keeping quiet, Bryant is just good old Bryant, driving Kim and his wife crazy, and then a new temporary member joins the team just to keep things interesting. It may sound like a lot, and it is, for sure, but it’s not too much. In fact, it’s the perfect balance between personal and professional life that makes these characters feel like my own dear friends.

Marsons is one of the few crime writers left who always, without fail, manages to surprise me. I never work out what direction the case will take, much less who the actual killer is and the excitement and action is nonstop. You cannot put one of her books down once you get started and this was no exception, another highly impressive addition to a fantastic series that I cannot recommend highly enough!

Child’s Play in three words: Thrilling, Complex, and Pacey

Child's Play is the eleventh book in the Detective Kim Stone series, and I'll just go ahead and say it — this is the most gripping, fascinating and exhilarating so far. Each instalment can be read independently of one another, however, I couldn't imagine anyone being content with just reading one. When a slew of brutal ritualistic killings take place in the local vicinity Kim is called in to investigate. She discovers a link between each of the victims — they were all associated with tournaments put on for gifted child prodigies. Feeling that this is where the answer lies Kim embarks on a tough assignment — going back through all of the children who have taken part in these competitions over the decades despite being short-staffed. Is she on the right lines or barking up the wrong tree completely?

I picked this up hoping to read a few chapters before bed as I was already tired enough to nod off. Fast forward 3 hours and I am still awake and almost finished! I didn't see that coming. This is a testament to Marson's writing, the riveting storyline and clever characterisation. The plot reels you in from the first couple of pages and from then on I was stuck in a page-turning frenzy. The Kim Stone series is right up there with the best in the crime genre that is for certain and it's not hard to see why. There is a very human side to Ms Marson's characters that is mostly lacking in the genre and makes this a cut above the rest. With twists, turns and misdirection galore, this is a must-read book and series for thriller fan. An easy five stars! Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.

Child’s Play is the eleventh book in the Kim Stone series and once again I am lost for words. Each book I read I keep saying this is the best one yet but this one is. Angela simply gets better and better. It only seems fives minutes ago that I read book ten and in such a short space of time Angela always delivers a top quality story she never fails to disappoint.

Right from the prologue I knew this book was going to be epic. Those of you that follow my blog will know I love a good prologue….and this one just beat all prologues I have read hands down. I actually found myself screaming OMG at my kindle….what an amazing start. Well that was it I was hooked.

Has always the author takes us on a journey around the Black Country the fact that we visit Wombourne made me smile because that is where I am from.

In this story we meet DS Penn… I love how the name of a village in Black Country has been taken and used for a character. A character I absolutely loved might I add.

Child’s Play is full of flawless characters,each one bringing something different to the story. I must admit I am a big fan of Stacey she don’t half make me laugh! She is a proper Black Country wench!

Once again I felt right there in the story, a story that will have you guessing until the end. I loved every single thing about this book. And you don’t need my praise to tell you how good this book is. Read it for yourself and find out.

Angela Marstons absolutely rocks and so does this book. Which I highly recommend giving it all the stars.

Thank you to Kim Nash for a copy and for the blog tour invite

My very first Angela Marson's book. Where have I been? Loved the characters and storylines. The chapters are short which some seem to like a lot. I don't really care either way. I loved the humour, too. That always grabs me.

I now know why everyone recommends Angela's books. I now need to work my way through 11 previous Kim Stone books.

Another great book by Angela Marsons.
Detective Kim Stone is called to Haden Hill Park where a woman is tied to a swing with barbed wire she has also been stabbed and there is an X mark on her neck. They find out the victim is Belinda Evans , 61 a retired professor of child psychology. Belinda is not all she seems on the outside she has secrets she also has a strained relationship with her sister Veronica . But when Veronica is spoken to she doesn’t give much away is she hiding something?
Two more murders are found one on a hopscotch and one in his house where a board game was place on the table and both had X carved in there necks .
In the meantime Penn who is from Stone’s team is on secondment with West Mercia Police for a court case where he was SIO when a young man was killed. The case takes a bad turn will Penn find out the truth.
Kim and her team are trying to work out what the link is between the three deaths. Could it be to do with the gifted children ???
A Brilliant read
Thanks Netgalley

Another great read . Love the short chapters and how the mystery gets solved in a timely fashion. Some corny humour which I quite liked . Less focus on Kim and her team and more on the topic of child prodigies. Always enjoy a book by Angela Marsons and this way does not disappoint . Recommend.

Loved, loved, loved this book!! I never tire of Kim Stone even after 10 books. This is number 11. Angela Marsons does it again. Amazing from first to last page

I once caught an episode of an American show, Child Genius, which I watched with a complex mixture of emotions: admiration for the talented youngsters, but also tremendous discomfort as they were trotted out like show ponies, under enormous pressure to perform and be perfect. It fascinated me. I was therefore delighted when I realised that Angela Marsons’ new book, Child’s Play, revolves around child geniuses (genii?). This is the 11th in the Detective Inspector Kim Stone series, which has amassed an enormous following worldwide. It opens with a particularly gruesome, graphic murder in a playground that happened some years ago. This is followed up by another playground murder, this time in the present. The victim is a woman in her sixties, and it’s up to the prickly yet fascinating DI to investigate. She’s faced with a number of problems though. She’s one team member short, and everyone is on shorter working hours. This is only the second I’ve read in this popular series (you can read my review of Fatal Promise here), but it still felt as though I was meeting up with old friends. I had forgotten the quiet, dry humour and gentle sarcasm that permeates Angela Marsons’ books, and often found myself chuckling. Here, Kim is enforcing a new rule that her team stick to working hours only, to prevent burnout. Hilariously, this actually has quite the opposite effect as they all find it incredibly stressful being forced to quit work at knock-off time when they have a growing number of murders to solve. Marsons dots her books with references to current topics which really brings them alive for me, grounding them in reality. She also writes short chapters that compel you to read the next. And because Child’s Play follows three main story strands, finding out what happened next meant rapidly reading the next three chapters.
I really enjoyed this read. It's pacey, non-stop action, by very real characters who I could totally relate to. And just wait until you meet the new member of the team who steps in to fill the gap while Penn is away on an old case....

Another wonderful installment from the talented Angela Marsons!

We see some of Kim's more sensitive side, a personal development for Stacey and more insight into Penn and his family life.

All the characters were well developed, the story was both disturbing but believable, and the "secondary" plot was well done and didn't make me think i was reading two books in one.

Also, I really appreciated the mention of my home town at the back end of the book ;-)

Thoroughly enjoyed!