Deadly Cry
4 Stars

A young mother disappears while out shopping with her small daughter. Hours later her body is discovered with her neck broken. Then another mother's body is found, but this time her six-year-old son is missing. Why would the killer target these mothers, and why take one child but not the other? DI Kim Stone and her team are in a race against time to answer these questions before it is too late to save the boy.

Once again Marsons delivers a fast-paced and riveting thriller although the characters and themes are quite similar to those in Child's Play. Despite these similarities, the case is intense and it is entertaining to follow along with the investigators and try to discern the clues and weed out the red-herrings. Even though some of the twists are straightforward, Marsons, as is most often the case, does manage to surprise at least once.

One area that is lacking, however, is with the development of Kim's character. She is still very much alone despite her closeness with her team. Perhaps it is the romance reader in me, but I really wish she were able to make a connection with someone.

Overall, another enjoyable installment in an excellent police procedural series. ( )

Kim and her team handle a couple of cases, both involving murder victims with children, but in the second case, the victim's son was taken following the murder of his mother. Now Kim and the rest of the team, including Alison, who Kim has brow-beaten into coming back and act as profiler on the case are racing against time to find the missing boy. At the same time, Stacey has been asked to pick a cold-case shuffled in from another precinct and give it fresh eyes. Stacey chooses a rape case that has gone unsolved and takes an unexpected statement from the victim. Meanwhile, Penn tries to come to terms with the death of his mother and the growing distance between himself and his special needs brother.

Deadly Cry focuses on siblings, including victims and their families, as well as, Penn and his brother. Each dynamic is explored in a variety of different scenarios, bringing depth to the investigation and the story. The clues in the case, including the use of graphology, form a dandy puzzle, and it is enjoyable to watch the characters investigate and work toward a solution. The only part of the story that seems a little far-fetched is the actual resolution to the crime; however, overall, Deadly Cry is an enjoyable whodunnit and an excellent addition to the DI Kim Stone series. ( )

My review of
DEADLY CRY
by Angela Marsons
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

A small child is found wondering around a shopping centre and DI Kim Stone just happens to be there to begin the coordination until uniform officers arrive. A woman is murdered, and Kim's team discover she was the child's mother. Then a second murder, only this time, the victim's child is abducted. Can Kim prevent more deaths, and can they find 6 year old Archie, before he becomes the latest victim?

What's not to love about this book? Kim Stone is as determined as ever, and still getting into big trouble with her boss DCI Woodward. I've warmed to Kim as her character has developed throughout this series. Her back story is tragic but she uses her experiences to drive her forward. Perhaps something to aspire towards.
Bryant is the dependable DS, who holds everything together. I would like to see more development of Bryant with more storylines for him specifically.
Penn is struggling with the recent loss of his mother, and doesn't know how to get through to his brother Jasper, who has become very withdrawn, not even baking the cakes he has become famous for within the team.
Stacey shows her steely determination when investigating an old case from another station. She isn't so sure the man convicted of a horrific sexual assault is guilty. I loved seeing Stacey grow in this book. She usually has a supporting role but held her own here perfectly. My only negative regarding Stacey is that with her impressive police work, she may be promoted out of the team. I hope not, because she rocks!

I can't find any negative points about this book. It is probably Angela Marsons' best yet! Not many crime writers can bring out in you such feelings of sadness, anger, fear, or tension, while throwing in a few laughs too.

I cannot recommend Deadly Cry enough, and now must wait until Angela follows up in the next DI Kim Stone story. This obviously gets 6 stars out of 5 (yeah I know, but this is my review so there). ( )

Deadly Cry by Angela Marsons is the 13th DI Kim Stone Crime Thriller. This is one series that I recommend reading in order. Each book builds upon the previous one. We get to see the characters develop over the course of the series. I thought Deadly Cry (like all the other novels in this series) is well-written with a quick pace and complex characters. Kim Stone is a woman who lives life on her own terms. I like her relationship with DS Bryant. He is the closest thing to a human friend that Kim has (with her dog being her best friend). Kim Stone is a likeable and relatable woman. She had a troubled youth which is why Kim is the way she is (prickly, distant). We get to learn more about Penn and Stacey in this book. Penn is dealing with the loss of his mother and being responsible for his sixteen-year-old brother, Jasper who has Downes syndrome. Stacey Wood is getting married and she is eager for her big day to arrive. She is considerate of Penn and attempts to temper her excitement. Stacey is a smart, capable woman who has great potential. I like that there is some humor scattered throughout the story. The group is dealing with some rough cases plus personal issues and they need a little levity now and then. The mysteries were multifaceted with twists and turns that I found exciting. I thoroughly enjoyed following this mystery and solving it. It can be solved before the reveal if you pay close attention. There was a good ending that completely wrapped up the cases. I have a feeling change will be coming to our little group soon, and I cannot wait to see what happens next time. Deadly Cry is a fast-paced mystery novel that will keep you riveted until the very end. ( )

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

Stacey is tasked with reviewing cases a neighbouring force was unable to solve, to see if a fresh pair of eyes helps, and picks a rape case to focus on. Kim is made to attend a meeting about the security surrounding a Z-list celebrity book signing (it was ridiculous the number of people with responsible senior job who apparently needed to attend this meeting, but whatever...). Then a mother is murdered and her child left alone in a shop, followed closely by the murder of another mother, but this time her son is taken.

After a promising start things became more and more unlikely (bodies piled up, Kim shouted at people and disobeyed direct orders) culminating in the least likely solution to the crimes I have read in a long time.

On the other hand, I did love the rendering of Penn's relationship with his brother, and the Kim/Bryant dynamic is always entertaining. ( )