I have read all of the Kim Stone books, and this really is one of the best crime series of recent years. I look forward to every new release, and the books just get better and better.

I love this series. I tell everyone I know about it and this book was another great addition. I love all the characters and I can’t wait for the next one. I’m running out of words to say how amazing this series is!

This book was amazing as is normal for this author.  There is nothing that she writes that isn't first class.  

The character has grown over so many books that you just know that Kim stone is going to be around forever.

Another excellent read from Angela Marsons.  Kim Stone is a great character, I love her acerbic comments.  The team are on the trail of a ritualistic killer, plenty of twists and turns, a great read.

I love all Angela Marson's books - they are just thrilling and engrossing. Her stories are always well crafted, moving at a fast pace and keeping your interest throughout.

Yet another wonderfully thrilling Crime story from angela marsons that shocks, delights and enthrals from start to very end.

I adore the fact that every one of this authors books has shocks and surprises in store from the first to the last page, and even if you think you know who did it, even if you’re CERTAIN... you’re going to be tripped up somehow. Whether because you’re wrong, or because the why is such a reveal that it’s beautifully and disturbingly believable!

And enthralling read from start to end, I was far from disappointed!

This is the 11th yep 11th book in Angela Marsons' DI Kim Stone series, and I highly recommend it. All of the books are unique and interesting and there is only one or two that did not live up to the high standards that I have set for Marsons' as an author. You also need to start at the beginning as the characters are shaped throughout the books; Silent Scream, Evil Games, Lost Girls, Play Dead, Blood Lines, Dead Souls, Broken Bones, Dying Truth, Fatal Promise and Dead Memories.

D.I. Kim Stone and her team are back and the killer really is a Child at Heart:

Kim Stone is summeded to a very disturbing scene. An older women tied to a swing with barbed wire, with an X cut into the back of her neck. The victim is a retired child psychologist, who was known for taking on tough cases and tough case studies. Then two more bodies are discovered with the distinctive X mark as well as having a history of working with children. Kim and her team are on the hunt for a serial killer, one that appears to have links to gifted children. Could Kim and her team finally met their match. This is a game of Cat and Mouse you do not want to loose.

The best part about this book was that I was not able to figure out who the murderer was. I went back and forth between many people within the book and I can say by the end of the book that I got it wrong. Trust me, I do typically figure books out before the end of a book, it's my super power, but I did not see this one coming. Marsons is able to achieve this through her well thought out plots, storytelling and really having the reader in the thick of the investigation with Kim and her team. It is very rare that something is kept from the readers and when it is it is to add suspense to the book. Marsons' is a master of red herring and really showing what detective work is like, following the evidence set before them and where this information leads the investigation.

I do like when there is more than one case occurring within the book as I think that speaks to how detective work occur, you never really have one case on your desk. I just wasn't a fan of Penn going off on his own back to his old squad, even though I get that he was in charge of the case that is now before the courts. Really that whole case could have been a whole book to itself. I did like that it showed more of Penn as a character and the squad that he came from and how much he was appreciated there, but how he feels he is more at home with Kim's team. I just felt that as a whole that Penn story was very disjointed from the other characters as it only involved Penn and no one else.

One Character that I really with there would have been more Alison Lowe in this book. I like her preservative, her constantly reading her coworkers, as well as how she pushes Kim's buttons, constantly. I get she cannot be in every book, but I actually thought she was going to be a permanent member of the team after the last book and I missed having her there. Though I will admit I did like the addition of Tink, add some overeager cheerfulness to the mix and I look forward to see what Kim does with that in the long run, if she is allowed to stay (Please let her stay Marsons).

Well 11 books in and I'm still a huge fan of this series and Marsons's work. It takes a lot to have a reader stick around this long and to keep each book refreshing with new mysteries to solve. Does this have some similar elements to some of her other novels, Yes, but Marsons' creativity with the plot and mysteries makes it new once again. I always look forward to reading her novel and I am looking forward to book 12. 

Enjoy!!!

Absolutely enjoyed from start to finish, u didn't want the book to end. Highly recommended, if you like books that keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat.

As always with this series, this is another brilliant addition. No.11 in the series and it shows no sign of letting up from being one of the best crime series around at the moment

This is the only series I read when I need strong book after couple of failed attempts .
Angela character Kim is the best character that I read for a while, also the other characters are really good , alot of extra information about them, it made me like them more.
There is two different cases going in the same time, I actually found it perfect mix of strong background and good build up.

It is well written and I would read the next book in the series soon.

CHILD’S PLAY (D.I. Kim Stone Book #11) by Angela Marsons is another great addition in this British police procedural thriller series. Besides the main crime plotline, Ms. Marsons gives Penn his own side sub-plotline on an old case with his previous team. 

Kim is called to the scene of a horrific murder with an elderly woman tied with barbed wire by her wrists to a swing and stabbed through the heart. When Keats discovers an “X” on the back of the woman’s neck during autopsy and another body is discovered laid over a chalked hop-scotch with the same marking on his neck, Kim knows they are looking for a ritualistic killer.

Another body is found, who was the killer’s first victim positioned by a Snakes & Ladder game in his home with the “X” on the back of his neck. All three victims are tied to a yearly gifted children’s competition which is occurring this weekend. Kim, Bryant, Stacy and a temp called Tiff are all on site and hope to catch the killer before there are any more deaths.

At the same time, Penn is off when he is needed to testify on his last case tied to his old unit. The case begins to fall apart and Penn has to rework with case. Something is not right and Penn finds not only himself, but his brother in danger.

Even with this being the eleventh book in this series, I am never bored, always glad to get back to favorite characters and looking for the next book to come. This book’s two plotlines do not intersect and therefore you get two dramatic solutions. The investigations in this series are as interesting as the resolutions because they always are intense and intriguing. All the main characters feel like they could walk off the page and feel like a second family. The secondary characters are always fully fleshed with interesting back stories and motives.
 
I can once again highly recommend this book and the entire series. It is a definite MUST READ!

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

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

The plot involves child prodigies and a tournament that tested their skills. Marsons does a great job of exploring the whole phenomenon of gifted children, including their social challenges and need for attention, the parenting choices made in raising them, and the effect on their siblings.

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

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

Another brilliant offering by Angela Marsons. 

As an author Marsons goes from strength to strength. Each novel is so distinct from the others. Her storylines are always intriguing and Child's Play is no exception. 

I thought it would be difficult for Marsons to top the last Kim Stone novel, Dead Memories,  but I couldn't have been more wrong. Child's Play delves into family dynamics, explores how families faced with the extraordinary can react and takes us on a thrilling, time sensitive race to find a disturbed killer. 







Blurb 
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.
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 killers 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?
What I think
I know I'm in safe hands when I open an Angela Marsons' book and just settle down for the ride. I am delighted to tell you that Child's Play lived up to my expectations and I fnd this particularly surprisong as this is Marsons' eleventh book and I have yet to be disappointed. 
Never having been a gifted child, more of a plodder, like Marsons, the idea of how child prodigies live their lives, how much control they have over their lives, how it impacts on them as adults and how their families are affected is so intriguing. Throw in murders with a cryptic sign, family dynamics that are distingtly 'off' , feuding sisters, a tournament for gifted children and the fear of another murder happening soon and we are gifted another tightly plotted, intriguing and thrilling read. 
A new addition to Kim's team is pleasing, the existing team are humanised by their ongoing personal lives and I loved the lovely role reversal with Kim being able to relate more to a witness than her sidekick. Detective Penn's subplot allowed us more insight into his character. 
Marsons is one of those authors that blends darkness with a healthy dose of humour and that is a quality I love in her writing. She doesn't veer away from the horror of life, but rather balances it out with lightness. The prologue was chillingly dark and had me hooked from the start.
So .... bring on Book 12, is all I can say

The 11th book in this series is as fabulous as the first ten. I’m totally unsure of how Marson’s manages to compose a story better than the last every single time. The intricate details of this case are brilliantly laid out with enough suspense to keep you guessing until the very end. One of my favorite things about her novels is there is always a touch of humanity and kindness weaves in whether it be from the main character DI Stone herself or one of her team that always makes you smile and think the world is not all bad!

Chilling first chapter was yet again telling us one thing, this will be again another fantastic read. 

I love how Angela Marsons always finds new topics for her books and can cover so many different subjects. Can't wait to pick up another one and see what's coming next.

Another brilliant Kim Stone story full of the usual intrigue and plot twists!  However I did feel that this story was a little on the short side?  Or maybe it was because I flew through it in record time.  Suffice to say I cannot wait for the next installment and hoping that there is a little bit of excitement and joy for hardcore Kim!  Many thanks to netgalley for an arc in return for my honest opinion.

Kim stone is. A fab main character. Her relationship with her team gives her the anchor she needs to do her job effectively. The plot is twisted and fulfilling . A great read l round

Gripping as always. I cannot get enough of Angela Marsons books. This is the 11th in the series and it certainly didn't disappoint. I'm looking forward to the next one already. Recommended.

Once again, an excellent book by the fabulous Angela Marsons. 
Hard to believe this is number 11 already. 
Deadly and gruesome games are being played and left in Kim Stones very capable hands to solve.
I always love to catch up on Kim and her wonderful team and loving the fun new addition, Tinkerbell.
A gripping and unputdownable read and highly recommended.

Child's Play by Angela Marsons (DI Kim Stone, #11)

This is book #11 in the D.I. Kim Stone series.

When Belinda Evans, a retired college Professor of Child Psychology in her sixties is found dead in a Haden Hill Park playground, Detective Kim Stone's attention is automatically piqued.
When she arrives at the horrific scene she quickly observes that this is no ordinary crime. The victim has been bound and attached to a swing with barbed wire which would dig into her flesh with every creak of the swing.
Forensic investigations will show that the letter X has also been engraved into the back of the victim's neck, further testament that something even more sinister might be afoot here.

The victim's car is found locked and untouched nearby, and her identity is quickly discovered.
An immediate search of the victim's home uncovers a packed overnight bag but little else. Their investigations though, bring them face to face with a woman bearing such a striking resemblance to their victim that they do a double take.
Belinda's sister Veronica makes her presence felt in no uncertain terms and it soon becomes apparent that her relationship with her sister was complicated at best, further piquing the detective's early suspicions as to a possible suspect.

When two more bodies are discovered with the same distinctive marks and in similarly orchestrated scenes, Kim now believes she is looking for a serial killer.

Buckle up for a gripping detective investigation, the kind only Kim Stone and her team can deliver!
What can I say? Angela Marsons once again defies the odds in delivering a new twist to a murder tale...they just don't get old! Love her work.

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️'s 

Many thanks to Netgalley for my copy to read and review.