Sadie Winterknows things...... Her parents won't listen. She hates Heathcrest, the school her and her sister are sent to attend.
Whilst her sister Saffie is thriving Sadie retreats more and more into her shell.

When her body is found, after she jumps from the school roof its put down as suicide. A troubled girl, no friends.
Kim Stone is assigned to the case, something doesn't feel right. She has an inkling that there is more to this girls death than meets the eye.

Then another boys body is found and these two deaths point to something very sinister that happening at the school.
My thoughts ....
Everytime Angela Marsons brings out a new book, I know from the first page that I'm going to be gripped. This one is just brilliant. It still has the Kim Stone humour. The plot is thrilling and sinister full of characters that all have secrets. But who has the biggest?
Set in a private school with secret societies this titillating dramatic conclusion will leave you speechless.

OMG that ending!!

I am so behind on my reviews that as much as I want to go on and on about this book and the amazing series it's a part of, I'm going to keep it to short and sweet:

-This is one talented author who listens to her fans and keeps the plot lines interesting and relevant, and keeps the characters rich and full of life. Every book in this series I have rated 5 stars! I keep waiting for that one-you know, that one that just doesn't measure up, or falls short of what you have come to expect. Marsons has upped the bar so high that should that time come, the fall will be painful. But nothing to worry about now, as I think this book ranks close to being her best one ever, and definitely the one that has generated the most tears!!

Looking forward to the next adventure with Kim Stone and her amazing team, and let's hope they all continue to be 5 star journeys!

ARC provided by NetGalley

First I want to thank NetGalley, Angela Marsons, and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this amazing book. I really liked it, and I want to go back start book one of this series now. I have a fascination with books that have to do with school and universities, and this one hit the nail on the head. It was so good, it had murder, secrets, secret societies and so much more. I liked how it all tied back to what happen in the past. I had so many questions and I thought I had the answers for what was happening but I didn't, until the end of the book. I was sad for the ending for sure, just because of what happened. I liked how everyone got their justice. I didn't care for the parents nor did I care for the coach. I was a little put off about the principal just because I couldn't quite put my finger on how he felt about what was going on. He wasn't ever upfront with what as going on. But yes I did like it and will be reading more, Thanks again!!

Angela Marsons DI Kim Stone series is one of my favourites from the thiller world, this is no mean feat as there are so many fantastic crime writers out there penning truly exciting and engaging books one after the other - this is book number 8 and unlike some series the quality remains consistent throughout. It's no wonder she's a number one bestselling author.

I have a soft spot for Bookouture releases as they are 99.9% of the time EXCELLENT. I know many of my friends who read this genre feel the same as I do about them. So, it isn't just the odd book they publish but many, many of their titles that hit the mark. You can safely say that most of their output will be awarded at least 4 stars!

Right from the beginning the intensity hits you smack in the face, creating a whirlwind as I flew through the pages in utter bemusement. Gripping and genuinely impossible to put down this deserves nothing less than 5 stars and I see that most readers agree. Marsons had me hook, line and sinker with no let up until the end. I had no choice but to read it in one sitting and was glad I hadn't started reading it at a time when I would've had to put it down to do other things. Phew!

I definitely recommend this to crime readers and advise to only pick it up when you have the time spare to finish it in one go. I truly love this series and hope it continues for a long time to come!

I would like to thank Angela Marsons, Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for an honest and impartial review.

"...the past never stays in the past."

The deaths of several children at a private, exclusive school will test the skills and emotions of Kim Stone's detectives. Much of the plot centers around secret clubs that exist at the co-ed Heathcrest Academy -- a school that caters to the rich and whose graduates usually go on to illustrious careers and exist at the top of society. Once a member, always a member. And no one can turn down an invitation to join. Consequences and rules govern the members' behavior and it seems some are meant to pay the biggest price for getting on their wrong side. The legacy is forever.

This 8th book in the DI Kim Stone series has all the pieces that make a page-turning crime thriller and police procedural. Great writing, lots of detail about the investigation, and the characters we've all grown to know and love through the other books -- yes, I've read them all, in order, to this point.
When reading a book is much like attending a family reunion, you know the author has developed characters that have personality and depth. So, to do what Ms Marsons did feels a little like betrayal. But no further spoilers here -- and as someone else mentioned in another review, Karin Slaughter made me feel this way at another time and book. I can't accept it!

Is the tear-jerker ending enough to make me quit reading this series? Probably not, though I don't like to be manipulated this way. I'm sure I will still want #9. After all of these books, however, I do wish that Kim would get some serious psych help to get over her issues and resolve some of the problems she has from her own past!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review.

I love Angela’s books. I wasn’t disappointed with this one. I feel I’m in kim’s Life and looking in. Brilliant

omg I simply loved the latest Detective Kim Stone book. Fast paced and exciting I devoured it in a few sittings!

The setting is a very expensive fee paying boarding school, Heathcrest Academy where a young girl has supposedly committed suicide. Kim's not one for shutting the case when there's a niggle in her mind something isn't right and is determined to leave no stone unturned. There are secret elitist clubs, where the students with the right connections get asked to join. To refuse is unheard of and will end in punishment. Kim, Bryant, Dawson and Stacey are on the case.... and that ending! I just never, never saw that coming. An explosive read so, so recommend.

The thing with Angela Marsons and her Kim Stone series is, we get served the same thing again and again. This is the 8th serving and it’s pretty much what we got served in the previous 7.

What I mean by this is we get served top quality, edge of the seat story telling at a very high level. I can’t think of a series out there that is this far along and remains so consistently brilliant. I keep waiting for a dip but every book she knocks it out of the park.

A troubled teenager Sadie Winters, jumps to her death from a tower at the private school she attends. Suicide is the most obvious conclusion until a teenage boy also turns up dead at the school a couple of days later. Kim and her team are sent to investigate and although both deaths on the surface look accidental, Kim is convinced that both deaths are suspicious. As she delves deeper she is convinced both have been murdered.
The powers that be at the school aren’t forthcoming with information and want to brush the incidents under the carpet, more worried about the image of the school than the deaths themselves.

Interviewing the students and staff Kim discovers that there are secret groups in the school that have been there for generations. The suits of cards are an elite group amongst the elite. You are privileged to get picked for them and once you are in you are there for life. You will have friends in powerful places who will look out for you no matter what.

As Kim considers the possibility that she may have a child killer on her hands she has to visit her old foe Dr Alex Thorne to try and understand the mind of a child sociopath or psychopath.
As she comes to understand what may be going on and unravels more clues, she finds incidents going back decades at this privileged school, all which may be linked to the most recent deaths but as she finds out more she seems no nearer to finding out who may be responsible.

Well wow. Just wow. Another fantastic addition to the series. I found it hard to put this one down despite many many real life distractions that are affecting my reading time. I loved the setting of the school, a setting that is central to this story. It’s a very small story location wise. The vast majority of the story takes place at the school or the police station. Very little of Kim’s personal life in this one, which has featured in other books, but such is the pace, intensity and indeed complexity of the story, I think it was a wise move. There just wasn’t room for it here and the story of the events of the school rightly get central billing.

I was sucked into this one from the first page until the last. Rather than this series starting to get stale after 8 books if anything it is getting better. I just loved loved this one and really can’t wait until book 9. These books are like a Michelin star restaurant, brilliance and consistency every time.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Angela Marsons for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

On opening Dying Truth I was immediately swallowed whole by the intense scenario which unfolds before my eyes, I was holding my breath trying to fathom out what was happening, from then on the pages flew through my fingers until the penultimate end.

The death of a young girl Sadie Winter, a posh private school an apparent suicide, or is it. The depths the school will go to, to prevent any bad publicity seeping out, the possibility prospective parents will no longer wish their children to attend this high class school.

As the story unfolds another child, a boy is found dead, is it another suicide or is there something else afoot within the walls of this school. Detective Kim Stone delves deep discovering there are links to each death and past events which had been covered up by the school. What is this school holding back, is a pupil or teacher responsible, for the untimely removal of past pupils and the death of others, Kim and her team have there work cut out for them, the pieces of the puzzle seem to trickle through there fingers, barriers block there way, will someone talk, time is running out.

I love, love, love Kim and her team and its been good to read about the return of a well loved character even if it was only briefly, it was well worth it. Every time Angela writes about Kim we find out another piece of her past, her personality, the flaws, the damaged mind. I would love one day to see Kim free from a perpetual circle of torment, but it would probably be a shadow of her former self.

I really don’t know how Angela does it, every book written in the Detective Kim Stone series just gets better and better, setting herself a higher goal the more she writes. Long may Angela write such insatiable books that your hunger for the next is never truly quenched even as it sits in your hands, with that ever unfolding knowledge its over too quick and your hunger rages on.

Over 3 weeks ago I read Dying Truth, that scene is playing over and over in my head, like I just read it yesterday, the overwhelming emotion still feels raw, just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes.

Angela has written a true awe inspiring criminal thriller, which will twist your heart from your body only to be snatched back with an earth shattering thud, leaving you breathless, tearful, and surrounded by a cascade of tissues.

Thanks go to Bookouture, Angela Marsons and Kim Nash for an advanced readers copy of Dying Truth in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Ms Marsons has gone and done it again. She has not only produced a story which is so believable it drew me in immediately, she had me in tears near the end.

Once again Kim Stone finds herself embroiled in a mystery full of twists and turns. The story had me wanting to continue reading to find out exactly what was going on. This author is one of my all time favourites and if she continues to bring out work such as this then I foresee she will remain a favourite for a long time to come.

Huge thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for providing a copy.

Finally!! After seeing a lot of posts on social media regarding the contents of ‘Dying Truth’, I FINALLY was able to read it. Of course, with some of those social media posts stating how the book made people cry, I was a little bit apprehensive as to whether the book was going to come across as being hyped up because of that, or whether I was going to end up like other readers with a muckle book hangover at the end of it.

‘Dying Truth’ started very cleverly, with part of the ending being brought to the beginning, adding the all important hook straight from the get go. I was intrigued big time, wanting to find out exactly how Kim Stone ended up in the predicament we find her in at the start of the book, which was actually part of the ending.

Set predominantly in a high-end boarding school, Kim Stone and her team are faced with multiple deaths of children from said school. Kim’s gut instinct says that they’re all linked, but some members of her team aren’t quite so convinced. Is there a child killer on the loose? Or has someone ruffled other people’s feathers by shuffling their deck of cards?

For me, the boarding school situation went on a little bit too long. I can see why it did need to be the focus of the storyline to an extent and I would agree with the majority of that, however, it was as though the storyline was being padded out by the too-ing and fro-ing, making the conclusion longer to reach. Well, either that or I am incredibly impatient!

Because I had seen so many readers say that they were in floods of tears and distraught at certain events in the book, it was in the back of my mind and I was trying not to let it interfere with my own views of the book. I couldn’t help but sit and wait for the emotional parts, therefore, I didn’t end up reacting the same as others. Yes, it was shocking, and yes my hand connected with my mouth more times than I can remember. But I didn’t cry, nor was I distraught. I was more shocked than anything else, truth be told!

‘Dying Truth’ certainly had the shock factor which gripped me from start to finish, like I was trapped in chains with no means of getting released until I had reached the end of the story. The dynamics of the storyline were brilliantly written and very well executed, and even though I did feel certain parts were padded out, I did enjoy the cat and mouse chase regarding the school. I did try to work out who the culprit was, and the fact that I caught onto the red herrings meant that I was 100% wrong when it came to the ‘whodunnit’ parts. I didn’t see it coming at all – I was just glad that I was sitting down when I reached the conclusion!

Another high energy, shocking and gripping read from Angela Marsons. Impressive from start to finish, this author never fails to deliver.

I say this with every book that she publishes, but I truly feel this is Angie's best novel to date. Wow. Just wow. I feel at a loss for non-spoilery words, but in short, this is precisely what a crime fiction novel should read like. It's no easy feat to keep a series running so long that you are publishing your 8th installment to greedy readers (because honestly, we can't get enough), but I can't think of a single thing I would change in the writing or narrative. In short-this novel was perfection. We are given a breathtaking plot that was mysterious and sinister, one that kept me guessing until the very end, and a gut wrenching twist that brought me to tears. The entire series is a must read, and one you'll rush through quickly if you're new to Kim Stone, but suffice it to say it's worth reading the first 7 books solely to experience this one. Thank you for breaking my heart in such a beautiful way Angie. <3

Holy mother of smoke this book will totally blow your brains out...It has left me completely shell-shocked it is that damn good. Angela Marsons what are you doing to me?! lol. I always struggle to write reviews for a series with the fear that I keep repeating myself. After reading this book I don't have that problem Angie has totally nailed it and excelled herself Dying Truth is without a doubt my favourite one in the series and I could talk about it all day long.

I have to say I cannot believe this is book eight having read the whole series Angie's writing just gets better and better which I have said before but this one truly is and it is nothing like an of the other books in the series. Dying Light is jam packed with tension, suspense and emotion. And I love how Angie always brings the characters to life, Kim Stone absolutely rocks.

With an OMFG prologue I was totally hooked...talk about an intense start. Then we are transported to six days earlier where we are taken on one hell a white knuckle ride. I devoured this in one afternoon where I found myself racing to the end, I was dying to know what was going to happen next. It is full of twists and turns that will keep you on tender hooks from start to finish.

Has always we are follow a case set in the Black Country where I live so I find this series really easy to visualize knowing the setting. But I have to say that the scenery descriptions are spot on and the author makes them so real, making me feel like I am in the story.

If you haven't read any of this series before you don't know what you are missing this is without a doubt my favourite detective series by far.If you are looking for a fast paced gripping read this is the book for you. Which I cannot recommend enough giving all the freaking stars.

This latest one, book 8 in the Kim Stone series, centres around a prestigious boarding school and the story opens with the apparent suicide of 13 year old Sadie Winter, but not everything is as it first seems and when another incident occurs involving another student from the same school, alarm bells begin to ring for Kim and her team and they are determined to get to the bottom of it, but what is the link and will they discover it before anyone else comes to any harm.

Angie Marsons, what can I say?  All the books in this series have been top notch reading, but this is by far the best one yet,  it is a fast paced, intense read which, every time I had to put it down I was thinking, just one more chapter please!  Unfortunately real life gets in the way, but that just made me more eager to get back to it whenever I could.  The story is extremely well written, full of surprises and heartbreak and by the end of it I was an emotional wreck as it brought back a memory that I thought was hidden away and you certainly don't expect a line in a book will bring it back to the forefront of your mind again quite like this did.  This series, in my opinion, just goes from strength to strength and this author delivers every single time, I can't wait to see what book 9 has in store for us. 

I would like to thank Bookouture for the auto approval and will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.  A huge five stars from me, just wish I could give it more!

I say this every time but Angela Marson’s Kim Stone books keep getting better & better. Each time I think she can’t top the last one but in Dying Breath she certainly manages it!

When a young girl is found at the base of the Bell Tower of an upmarket boarding school, suicide is the first thought. However Kim being on the spot, immediately suspects that foul play is involved.

As her team delve into the privileged world of the Public School they uncover a lot of nasty goings on. Can they get to the bottom of it before more people die?

I love the characters in this series. I have enjoyed seeing Kim develop as the series unfolds & I am eagerly awaiting the next instalment!

Thanks to Netgalley & the publishers for letting me read & review this book.

Hey, guys!

Guess what ?!?

Today is the Publication Day of Kim Stone #8 ! YEESSSS!

Dying Truth is very much alive today!!!

There is a reason why I absolutely adore Angela Marsons’ books! With every book next in the row, she is getting better and better! And for the very first time, she made me cry! Yes, I was crying over a thriller! Not very beautiful picture when you have to show up at Anastacia’s concert with eyes red of crying over a book. And every time when I finish another one of Kim Stone series my jaw is down to the floor! I absolutely adore Kim Stone as a main character, I love her team, I even love Dr. Alex Thorne. But mostly, I love the most trilling plots and different subjects that the author creates, tough cases that make me turn the pages faster and faster!

So, here are my thoughts for D.I.Kim Stone #8 in the series. Enjoy!

Sadie Winters is a teenager who loses her life by jumping from the roof at her school. While the school tries to label the case as “an accident”, D.I.Kim Stone has a different opinion. Something about the position of the fallen body doesn’t feel right. Then another child at the same school dies from peanut allergy. Nothing suspicious, except that there are whole peanuts in his throat. Another case marked by the school as “an accident”.

Kim Stone and her team are investigating the school. A private school for the rich kids from wealthy families, whose family image for the public means more then everything. A school that needs money and rich people ready to pay whatever it takes just to be seen as the top of the society. The investigation discovers secret clubs and societies, bulling and tormenting the kids who are somehow different, unsolved mysteries that origin from many years ago.

Who is behind all those suspicious deaths? Can another child do such a harm? Can a child be evil? Is it possible that there is more behind then an innocent prank that went wrong?

I won’t reveal more, for the sake of the book. There are no words that I haven’t said before. The evil in children is such an intriguing subject for a book plot. And for the very first time I was crying over a thriller! It never happened to me before! I loved the book! I adored the book! It seems that this lady (Mrs. Marsons) can not be stopped! Her writing is getting better and better with every next book in the row! It is not just the mystery and murder part, it’s whole emotion part that surrounds the story. There are parts of the personal lives of Kim and her team, there are early childhood flashbacks, there is the balance between the good and the bad with the return of Dr. Alex Thorne. With one word, there is everything! A perfect read that will leave you with no sleep all night until you finish it and then you’ll find yourself shedding a little tear. Totally recommended!

I have read all of Angela Marsons’ previous Detective Kim Stone novels and it is an amazing series, well written and clever.

Dying Truth is based around a boarding school, Heathcrest, where two pupils die in the same week. Detective Inspector Kim Stone suspects there is foul play even though the headmaster assures her and the parents that all is fine.

I love murder mysteries where there is a limited number of suspects and this does not disappoint in that respect but this school is a strange and dangerous place. Kim Stone takes no prisoners and is relentless and seemingly fearless in her approach to getting to the truth.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Angela Marsons for my ARC in return for my honest review.

Excellent read and highly recommended.

Book eight in the Detective Kim Stone series , one of my favorite female detectives . This book is about an elite school and their secret society . Twisty thriller that will keep you perched , terrified , at the edge of your seat until the very last page ! A perfectly crafted work of art ! I love this series ! Angela Marsons is one of my favorite authors and is a master storyteller . Thanks to #Netgalley and #Bookouture for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review ! I so appreciate the opportunity ! #DyingTruth

Dying Truth by Angela Marsons

When the battered body of teenager Sadie Winters is found in a tangled heap at her exclusive boarding school of Heathcrest it seems clear what happened – she jumped from the roof. A terrible, tragic end for a troubled youngster. But when another pupil, a boy this time, dies at the School that same week, Detective Inspector Kim Stone suspects foul play. She isn’t one to believe in coincidences, no matter how many times the headmaster assures nervous parents that their children are safe. Stone and her team dig into the culture of the Heathcrest, uncovering stories of a secret society, while Kim Stone becomes fascinated by the idea of a child killer. There is something very rotten at the heart of Heathcrest School and its astronomical fees cannot hide it forever. Stone will do whatever it takes to discover the truth and so too will her dedicated team.

Dying Truth is the eighth novel in Angela Marsons’ absolutely wonderful Kim Stone series. I’ve yet to read them all – I’ve bought them all so they’re ready to go – but it’s abundantly clear that this is a very special series indeed and this novel is a fine contribution to it, if not the best. Angela Marsons is a crime writer that stands out on that crowded shelf and Dying Truth confirms that place. If you haven’t read the others, then I think you could read and enjoy this as a stand alone novel. But if you’ve read some or all of the others then you may well find yourself as traumatised as I was by the end. Angela, what have you done to me?!

The setting is fantastic. Murder mysteries set within a confined space with a limited number of suspects always appeal but there is nothing cosy about this novel. We break through the confines of the school by learning what has happened to former pupils but the school dominates like an ogre that reaches the dark sky. It’s a horrifying place. Angela Marsons evokes it perfectly, its mood of terror is portrayed convincingly.

Dying Truth is a pageturner if ever I read one. This is one of those delicious thrillers that you just don’t want to put down. Its short chapters, many with their own cliffhangers, maintain the pace from start to finish. It’s as exciting as it is disturbing.

But while the school dominates the novel’s mood, it’s the character of Kim Stone who forms its heart. I love everything about her. I love how fearless she is, how she refuses to take any nonsense and she has the perfect response to any sexist or snide remark. She’s clever, grumpy and strong-willed. She can go after the red herrings but she knows when to let them go. And then there’s her devotion and loyalty to her team. This is a major theme of Dying Truth and it gives the novel such a heart, in contrast to some of the families that we meet here. It also gives the novel some of its pain.

Dying Truth is the perfect example of how to pace and plot a crime thriller. There is interest on every page, every character adds something, and its mood is perfectly captured. I loved this book and I can’t recommend it, or the Kim Stone series, enough. Don’t let it pass you by.

Other review
Dead Souls

WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?!

I can’t. Sorry, just can’t. *blows nose* Please buy the book, read it for yourself, come back and talk to me or find yourself a good therapist.

What do you mean, this doesn’t constitute as a review? I’m not sure what else I can say. There are no words, people! I am writing this five minutes after finishing the book and I’m reeling! I’m not entirely sure I can string together a coherent sentence but I’ll try.

Have some tips first. Cancel all your plans. If you have kids, send them to grandparents, babysitters, wherever. If you have a partner, make sure they stay out of your way. Tie them up if need be, do whatever it takes. You will not want to be interrupted or distracted! Grab a bottle of alcohol of your choice and tissues. Aftercare and therapeutic conversation is available for those who need it.

First of all, let me just say, I love a great boarding school setting. Heathcrest Academy is specifically for the off-spring of the rich and famous. And boy, are they an arrogant bunch of kids. There were a few I would quite happily have given a bit of a spanking to wipe the smug smile off their faces. Talk about being entitled and thinking you’re better than anyone else. Sheesh.

It’s in this environment that thirteen year old Sadie Winter is found dead from an apparent suicide. Sadie seems to be somewhat of an outsider. Not particularly liked, nor particularly hated. Quite frankly, nobody really knew her. So what would cause such a young girl to jump from a roof and end her life? DI Kim Stone quickly realises things are not what they seem.

From the very first page, it’s as if someone has wrapped their hands around your neck and you’re left gasping for air. The prologue sets the tone for things to come and the pace doesn’t let up. Heathcrest has secrets and skeletons galore hiding behind their fancy wood panelled walls. With staff and influential parents desperate to avoid any type of scandal, Kim and her team have their work cut out for them jumping over various obstacles to get to the truth.

You’ve probably noticed from the book description that fans of the series can rejoice at the return of Dr Alex Thorne as Kim wants to learn more about the psychology behind children murdering other children. Are they born evil? Why did they do what they did? Do any of them show remorse or even remotely understand that what they did was wrong? Who better to ask than Alex, my favourite resident psycho?

And then … there’s this thing … I can’t talk about it. I mean, really, as it would give too much away. But also, whew, the emotions … *sniff* … I just can’t. If you’ve been following this series, be prepared for some major ugly crying.

Dying Truth is a dark, disturbing, harrowing and utterly absorbing tale. Angela Marsons ripped out my heart, shred it to pieces and stomped all over it. I love it! And her. If you’re one of those people who think a long-standing series loses its shine and lustre after a while, Angela is here to make you revise your flawed theory. I absolutely can’t wait to see what happens to Kim Stone and her team next. I don’t even care who I have to bribe (or hurt) to be first in line.