It looked very like a suicide, and to begin with, that was how both DI Kim Stone and Keats, the pathologist called it. It was only later that Stone and her team realised that when Samantha Brown cut her throat, hers was not the only hand holding the knife. It was murder. Sammy's parents. Myles and Kate were a little bit reluctant to say what their daughter had been doing recently. The property where she was found was less homely than most hotel rooms: her mother was about to accuse her husband of saying that Sammy was ready... But what was Sammy ready for and where was their other daughter, Sophie?

I've been reading Angela Marson's DI Kim Stone books from the very beginning. At one point I did begin to wonder if they were not getting just a little samey with the constant referencing of Marson's childhood traumas, so it was a relief to find Stone working on cases that had absolutely nothing to do with her. The murder of Sammy Brown followed her escape from a cult and Marsons paints a picture of what cults are really like which I'll find difficult to forget, to the point where I realised just how easy it would be to become embroiled in one. Marsons understands the psychology of cults rather than just the mechanisms.

Sammy Brown's death would be only the first of several associated with Unity Farm and its charismatic leader, Jake Black. Who, exactly, was Kane Devlin, and why was he involved in snatching people from Unity Farm? Was it for money? It would take the combined efforts of Bryant, Stacey and Penn on the CID team to unravel the problem.

Bryant has problems of his own, though. A case he was involved with in the early days of his police career has returned to haunt him at regular intervals, but this time it looks as though Peter Drake, a violent killer and rapist will be free to kill again. How can the father of one of his victims cope with the thought that the man is out of prison? Will the judicial system actually bring about justice?

Sometimes you find yourself so deep in a book that you're not bothered about things which you normally do. Well, Killing Mind is one of those books. I've always liked Kim Stone's rather acerbic attitude and she and Bryant make a superb combination which is more than the sum of the parts. I can't wait for the next instalment and I'd like to thank the publishers for letting Bookbag have a review copy.

At first glance Samantha Brown’s death seemed to be a straightforward suicide but it niggled at Kim Stone and she took a second look. Kim and her team find that Samantha had only just moved into her flat and had spent some time in previous years in what her parents call “a cult”. Unity Farm is run by Jake Brown and everyone who lives there is there of their own free will but the team are suspicious. Then a second body with links to Unity Farm is discovered and Kim puts one of her officers in undercover. Bryant is distracted by the parole of a murderer - as a PC he guarded the victim’s body until CID arrived- and he’s accompanied the victim’s father to parole board meetings for several years.

As is the norm with this series I couldn’t put it down. Great read from start to finish.

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

Thanks to #NetGalley and #AngelaMarsons and #Bookcouture for the opportunity to read and review the latest "Kim Stone" Crime Thriller "Killing Mind".

Having just read the 'prequel' - "First Blood" - and also having read all of the other books in the series, I was eager to get to this one and meet up with Stone, Bryant, Penn, Stacey and all the other regular characters - and I was not disappointed.

Stone and Bryant are called to a suicide of a young woman, a matter of procedure, and figure that once Keats has pronounced that the case is closed. Little do they know that things will soon be turned upside down when other evidence surfaces.

in the middle of the investigation into Samantha "Sammy" Brown's death, another body surfaces, with similar method of death and Stone and company are plunged into the world of cults and mind control.

Angela Marsons manages each and every time to imbue her characters with just the right qualities to do their work somewhat dispassionately, but always shows their humanity - as she does when Bryant is enmeshed in an old case that has resurfaced due to the perpetrator being paroled. And Bryant's sense of that is right and wrong is stretched thin while still working on the team's case.

It's been wonderful through the years to see how the characters have grown and changed, matured and work closer and closer together as a real team - but not afraid to let new members in (once they've proven themselves, of course).

I think one of the final paragraphs of the book sums up just how far Kim Stone has come: "She knew that Bryant would struggle with the decision he'd made, but she'd have supported him whichever route he'd chosen. Because she now knew that's what friends did."

I love this series and highly recommend it. I look forward to the next Kim Stone thriller with great anticipation.

Really enjoyed this latest instalment of the Kim stone series, the only complaint is that I wish the book was longer!

I’m a massive Angela Marsons fan. Kim Stone is one of my favourite characters in all of the books I’ve read! This book is just another brilliant instalment in the Kim series. Kim is sent to a suicide..... but is it? Or is there something else behind it. We follow all the characters as they try to unravel what’s going on.

I don’t want to spoil any part of this book, but it didn’t go the way I thought it was going to.

A brilliant read and again I can’t wait for the next one.

I say it every time, how can this series possibly improve? How can the cases grip you even more than the first one we read? But they do. From the first page we are yet again there with DI Kim Stone and her fantastic team

The case this time surrounds a sinister cult. I’ll give nothing away except to say that you won’t be disappointed.

Another amazing book from Angela Marsons, they just keep getting better and better. I love all of the characters and have loved them since the very beginning. I found this plot different to the others but in a good way. I thought the idea of a cult at the centre of the plot was interesting and had me hooked from the beginning. I also liked the fact that there were two plots running alongside each other and thought this developed Bryant's character even further.

Excellent 5 star read as always! Looking forward to the next instalment!

Another great treat from Angela Marsons!

If you are looking for a kick as female detective, who takes no nonsense and has a brilliant bunch of backup characters that you can get 100% get invested in, then this is the crime series for you.

I absolutely love the Kim Stone series and this book did not disappoint, I enjoyed the focus on a topic not widely covered in crime books (not saying what as I don't want to give any spoilers!) and liked seeing a bit more to Bryant's Character and his history.

I cant wait for the physical copy to come out so I can add it to my collection.

We all know I'm going to rave about this book, I am completely obsessed with Angela Marsons Kim Stone series and highly recommend it to EVERYONE!

Angela has a brilliant way of writing that allows you to become fully invested in the characters and story.

'It had seemed so simple. Get in, get the information, get out. But now they were getting inside her mind and she didn’t know how to stop them…

When Detective Kim Stone is called to the home of Samantha Brown, she finds the young woman lying in bed with her throat cut and a knife in her hand. With no sign of forced entry or struggle, Kim rules her death a tragic suicide.

But a visit to Samantha’s parents rings alarm bells for Kim – there’s something they’re not telling her. And, when she spots a clue in a photograph, Kim realises she’s made a huge mistake. Samantha didn’t take her own life, she was murdered.'

This, as always, had me gripped from the start. (But as you may have guessed I'm a bit biased!) This is number 12 in the series and still as brilliant as the first!

I could talk for days about her work (so if you've read it and want to talk message me!) But I just implore you all to read this series!

Huge thank you to @netgalley and @bookouture for sending me a copy in return for an honest review!

☆☆☆☆☆

Brilliant, brilliant,brilliant. I always look forward to Angela Marsons books and this one did not disappoint. It centres around a cult and I found the details of how people are recruited and indoctrinated extremely frightening. The most frightening for me was that I could see how easily it could happen and how inviting the sense of belonging to a family is to many people. This book, although part of the Kim Stone series, can be read as a stand alone but you would miss so much by not reading the rest of the series!
The main characters were sometimes flawed but human and totally believable.
Did I mention that I found this novel brilliant from start to finish?
Thank you Angela Marsons, Bookoutue and Netgalley for giving me the chance to read this advance copy and give my unbiased opinion.

Wowzer this was fantastic, it had me absolutely gripped. This series seriously gets better with every book. I read this in super quick time because I literally couldn’t put it down. It was tense and dramatic and was a really well told story. I really enjoyed it, it had me from page one right through to the end. I highly recommend this book and it totally deserves 5 stars. I would probably give it more if I could!

The loss of a young life is always devastating but there is something about Samantha Brown's death that nags away at Detective Kim Stone even after she's called it as a suicide and leads her to looking again at what she'd found. The grieving parents aren't being straightforward with her either and when she discovers their secret she knows not only was it not as simple as first thought but also other young vulnerable people are still in great danger.

Kim Stone is a great fictional character and her team are always as pivotal to the plot as she is. Once again there are a great many layers to this excellent book involving both the regular protagonists and those unique to this twelfth installment of Angela Marsons's first class series. As always nothing is as it appears and as the tension increases so do the discoveries and revelations which gradually bring everything together.

This time DS Bryant has his past under the spotlight as he struggles with the fallout from a case at the beginning of his career. There were glimpses into his home life I thoroughly enjoyed and were just detailed enough to reinforce his place as my favourite regular character.

Ms Marsons is one of our best, most consistent, murder mystery writers and that fact is highlighted once again in her latest offering. The storyline is compelling and, without giving anything away, Kim's feelings at the end mirrored my own. The amount of research undertaken is clear in the detail included in all aspects of this book and I was left feeling more aware of what constitutes a cult and how they work as well as what is necessary for them to lose their power over those drawn into their shady world without being overwhelmed by detail.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who has read any of the previous novels or wants to dip their toe into the Stone universe. Neither group will be disappointed and the latter will very possibly find themselves buying all the previous books as well

Book 12.. Still going strong, still interesting, still unputdownable. The End

​What can I say, we seem to waste our lives away waiting for new books to come out. This one was well worth waiting for, a fantastic addition to the series. There has been no better place for me to be the last few days than in the world of Kim Stone. So a big thank you to the very talented writer, Angela Marsons for taking me away from the troubles of the world for a short while.
I would say you could read this instalment as a standalone, but with all books that are part of a series, it's always better to read the books in order. You learn and grow with the characters this way, you know any back history.
I have found in the past that some series when they are so good start to go a little bland the more books are published, we sometimes see story lines becoming the same etc. Not with these books, I find each and everyone fresh, topical and current. This series shines better each time a new book is published.
Kim Stone has become a favourite with many crime thriller readers and it's no surprise. She's a first class character and one who you just keep learning about.
The team have a new case to work on, what appears to be a suicide is quickly dismissed. Kim and Keats had first agreed that this was suicide, but something is nagging at Kim, and Kim likes to trust her instincts. Maybe just maybe is wasn't suicide.
There is soon another body found and it doesn't take to long for a link between this and the suicide victim to be discovered. These tow victims had spent time at a local farm and this has to be where some of clues can be found. the team are sure that this farm holds a lot of answers for them.

These books grab you as soon as you start reading, and don't spit you out until that last page. they are almost like a drug, as you find yourself craving for more, very addictive.

Yay, she's back, have been waiting for the next in the series, not disappointed, these Kim Stone book's get better and better, she's becoming a force to be reckoned with, you become part of her team, cheering them all on, love this character, go out and start the first and work your way through them, I see a few sleepless nights in for you, brilliant series, British police procedural at it's best

This is book 12 in the D.I. Kim Stone series. It could be read as a standalone but I would totally recommend reading the the previous 11 books, not only to get the back story but because it is such a great series.

This time around Kim and her team are investigating murders linked to a cult. It is another well written, fast paced book with great characters and a compelling storyline.

Like all her previous books I have given this 5 shiny stars and highly recommend it!

“We’re the police. We’re good at this shit.”

Killing Mind, Book #12 in the D.I. Kim Stone, series finds Kim and her team investigating a cult linked to a murder.

A young woman commits suicide, or so it seems. It takes D.I. Kim Stone and her team a hot minute to figure out that what looked like suicide was actually a murder. The team’s investigation leads them to Unity Farm, a cult that lures in the vulnerable. In order for the police to get the evidence they need, one of the team members finds themselves going undercover and joining the cult. This book doesn’t only focus on the creeper who runs the cult, it also focuses on the psychology and manipulative tactics that cult leaders utilize to indoctrinate members.

In addition to the cult case, Bryant finds himself haunted by one of his past cases. This installment also prominently features Stacey, Penn, and Tiff “Tink” who appeared in book 11, and of course Barney, the dog. I love all of these characters, but I have really grown to love Penn. I would love to see more of him. One character who works to deprogram cult members seems to have the potential to appear in a future installment, but I might just be reading too much into things.

I think I write this every time I write a review on this series, but it really keeps getting better and better. Kim Stone is my favorite female detective; she’s kick-ass but also vulnerable. All of the characters in this series have continued to develop, and I look forward to seeing them develop even more in the next installment.

I was completely captivated by both the mysteries and the characters. There never was a dull moment. My only complaint was Stacey’s storyline just kind of felt thrown in and resolved really quickly without much effort. It’s an important topic and needed more attention. O.k., I lied because I have one more complaint: This book felt too short--when I got to the last page I stared in disbelief--not because elements were not resolved (they were), but because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to these characters again. Hopefully, Angela Marsons won’t make us wait too long for book #13.

I highly highly recommend this series!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Every time one of these books come out I wonder how the author will beat the last one. She always does. I now feel like know the characters and I’m way too invested. I held my breath for much of the ending. I eagerly await the next one.

I never want the day to come where I finish an Angela Marsons novel and don’t say ‘Wow’ out loud. How this amazing and fabulously incredible woman manages to write the most gripping and thrilling crime dramas time after time is something I will forever be in awe of. I’ve said it before, twelve times in fact, but this series is just incredible and is in a league of its own. Quite simply, one of the best crime series in existence and Killing Mind continues the extremely high standard that Angie sets for herself with every book that she releases. I don’t know how many ways or times I can say it, but I just love this series and simply adore its author. I hope to one day be writing a review for the 30th book in this series, going on like a broken record about just how much I love it and how much it means to me.

One thing I enjoy is how Angie never fails to come up with a truly gripping storyline for each and every one of her books. Killing Mind deals with cults, something that has fascinated me for many years (when my early knowledge of them came from a storyline on Home and Away). The storyline within Killing Mind might be one of my favourites so far simply because of how scarily real the whole thing felt and how the manipulation of one character showed me just how quickly these cults can begin to brainwash someone and completely change their way of thinking and behaving. The cult provides lots of insights into how poor family relationships can have a damaging effect on a person, and how another person can use that to manipulate another person and completely take advantage of them. It also shows the effect that the cult can have on the friends and family members of those who have been taken in by them. This really is a gut-wrenching read in places. Angie always makes her characters feel like real people, with emotions and thoughts that are palpable and so there’s always a heightened sense of emotion in me when I read these stories as I quickly become invested in the lives of those I am reading about.

Coming into Killing Mind not long after reading the prequel to this series, First Blood, I have to say a part of me missed DS Dawson. However I am now firmly a fan of DS Penn and I enjoyed his role in this story and the part he plays within this fantastic team. Where the cult shows the damaging effects of poor family relationships, we see the flip side of the coin with the heartwarming relationship that Penn has with his brother. One scene in the book stood out to me especially and as I know Angie will be reading this, the scene that melted my heart was the text Penn received from his brother after a phone call. Being back with Kim, Bryant and Stacey was nothing short of sheer joy. I have to say that Kim and her team have started to feel like a family, not only to me but to each other, and that was something that shone through as I read. The camaraderie is wonderful to read, and these are some of the best characters I’ve ever read about within this genre. The secondary storyline we see Bryant going on added a further dynamic to the working relationship but also the personal friendship of him and Kim. I really enjoyed that part of the story and was as gripped to it as the main storyline. I think with each book we are seeing a softer side to Kim as she really starts to develop genuine care and affection for her team. After reading the prequel this is especially clear to me now more than ever. Kim is a character who develops so much with each book and it’s so intriguing to witness those changes in her with each story that I read. I think here especially there may be lasting emotional repercussions for Kim.

There was a standout character in the story here however and that was Tiff. There’s so much I want to say about this character but I am fearful of giving too much away. Tiff is a young and overly enthusiastic police officer, certainly too enthusiastic for Kim’s liking at times, but Tiff finds herself front and centre of this investigation with the huge role she plays in the uncovering of the cult. Her part in the story was one of my favourites because it was her character that allows the reader to really understand these cults more and to see how masterfully they take over the mind of a young and vulnerable person. Tiff is a character I really hope to see again in future books. As said I don’t want to say too much about her character but I was intrigued by my own thought processes in how the story ended up in terms of her relationship with one of the other characters. Recently I read a book where the bad guy had me seeing the good in them at times, and that was the same here. I know this is totally ambiguous and makes no sense but the denouement and reveal here in Killing Mind has sent my brain into overdrive as Angela shows that everything isn’t always black and white and there’s a couple of characters in this story I’ll be thinking about for a while longer yet. There’s lots of talking points raised within this story and some of the themes really would make for good discussion.

Killing Mind was once again another masterclass in how to deliver everything a crime novel needs to make it a gripping, thrilling and unforgettable read. Angela Marsons is one of my favourite authors and personally one of my favourite people I have ‘met’ since starting my blog. I’d love to one day meet her in real life but fear my anxiety would turn me into a total wreck. This series means so much to me and I have always been thrilled at the time Angela takes to read and share my reviews. I can’t come up with many more ways to describe my love for this series, just search Angela Marsons into the search box on this blog to see what I mean, and so I will finish by thanking Angela for another incredible story that was over far quicker than I wanted it to be. I sometimes wish this was one of those series I discovered when there were twenty other books to read right after it, but I have been here since the very start with the fantastic, Silent Scream. If however you are one of the people who has been living under a rock since 2015, you are one of the lucky ones who does have an entire series of books to devour and fall in love with. Killing Mind is one of the best crime fiction books I will read this year and as always it will without a doubt be in my Top Books of the Year list. Absolutely brilliant and unmissable crime fiction.

Loved this book. Killing Mind is Book 12 in the D.I. Kim Stone series and worth waiting for. Gripping drama from page 1. This book looks at cults and the devastation they can cause to the vulnerable. Kim Stone is at her caustic best at the helm of her team. The usual team players fulfil their usual roles. Love the characters of Bryant and Stacey. I finished the book in one sitting. Really could not put it down and I am looking forward to the next instalment.
The only drawback I can see is that you do have to read the books in sequence. If you picked up Killing Mind as your first introduction to DI Kim Stone, you would not get a full understanding to what makes her tick. This book does little to develop her character further, concentrating more on Tiff. Both Bryant and Stacey backstories are moved on but again with very little about how they got to that point. Which is fine if, like me, you are reading it as part of a series.
Thank you to Bookouture and Net Galley for giving me an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of Killing Mind in exchange for an honest review.

Angela Marsons does it again!

The Kim Stone series is one of my all time most favorites. I love Kim and her bad-ass team of crime solvers. Bryant brings the warmth, commitment, and devotion of a seasoned cop. Stacey brings the brains and stubbornness of a talented young female cop working her way up the ranks. And Penn? Penn brings joy and a bright light to a team that's still working through heartbreak. And of course, Kim is Kim. Hard, brilliant and stubborn but also soft and fragile when no one is looking.

In book 12 we have two cases that we are following which is a Marsons classic. Sometimes those two cases intertwine and sometimes they do not. In this instance, case two stands alone but it's no less haunting than the case that's front and center; we get a glimpse into Bryant's early days and a case that's followed him for over 20 years. On the other hand, Kim and her team have come in contact with a modern day cult and all of them are soon to be surprised by what they find.

We saw a more emotional side of Kim this go round which I have been craving. I don't need Kim to find love but I do love when we see the more human side of her. She's almost like a machine, going from one case to the next and rarely stopping to talk or think about how she feels. In book 12, we see just a glimpse into her feelings when she handles an issue with Bryant and I loved getting the chance to see more of the emotional side to a character that holds her cards so close. I loved seeing just how much she values the big man who she gripes with almost daily.

Finally, I have said from the beginning of the series that I appreciate so much the complex women that Marsons introduces us to. We see evil, sadistic women whose personality traits are are typically saved for male antagonists and I love that we see a side to females that we don't normally get to see in stories and thrillers.

As always, I can't wait for the next installment.