I have been working my way through Angela Marson’s, D.I. Kim Stone series. I recently started purchasing the audiobooks through Audible using my credits. I really enjoy the narration by Jan Cramer. Well, I have read or listened to the first 7, so halfway there. I also have the prequel, which I will listen to next. My goal is to catch up by the end of the year, but we shall see how that goes.

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Dead Souls (DI Kim Stone #6) by Angela Marsons, Jan Cramer (Narrator)

Published May 2nd 2017 by Bookouture

5 Stars:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the sixth book in the D.I. Kim Stone series and this book is better than the last. Now being as I gave the last one 5 stars, I’m not sure what that means for this one or the upcoming ones, but I heartily recommend it. In this outing, Kim and her team have a case of racism, prostitution and going up against one of the most vile criminals she has had to deal with. When a grave is found that is on the border between two districts, Kim has to team up with Travis, someone from her past. The grave has more than one body and the cause of death is confusing at best. Bryant, Dawson and Stacy are left to work on a series of brutal attacks and work out their own interpersonal relationships without Kim as a boss and referee. While Kim and Travis are working on finding out how the bodies ended up in a mass grave, one of the team works silently delving deeper into one angle until putting themself in danger. The cases they are working are very pertinent in today’s world showing how racism and hatred can be carried to extremes.

Although all the cases are self-contained in each book, I definitely recommend reading them in order. The character development and team building progresses with each book. Having said that, you could read this one as a standalone. This story was so gripping, it has me listening non-stop. I didn’t do much else that day as I didn’t want to miss anything. It was interesting to see Kim’s team working without her and how they managed. Each revelation added a twist that had my jaw drop. The subject of racism and prejudice is a difficult one, but it was well handled in this story even though it is a hard topic to deal with and stomach. The way the two mysteries, separated by over twenty years, are brought together was extremely well done. Dead Souls was a perfect title for this book. It is possible to be alive but have a dead soul as you will find in this book. Jan Cramer does an amazing job of narrating this series and I highly recommend the audiobook if you enjoy listening to your books.

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Broken Bones (DI Kim Stone #7) by Angela Marsons, Jan Cramer (Narrator)

Published November 3rd 2017 by Bookouture

5 Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Once again Angela Marsons has shocked and surprised me with this story. The topics covered in this book: prostitution, slavery, human trafficking, loan sharking all while hiding behind paid lackeys and loopholes in the legal system are all happening to various degrees all around the world. This story begins with two incidents, an abandoned baby and the suicide of a prostitute. As Kim and her team try to find the mother of the abandoned baby and figure out who is killing prostitutes, they come up against a criminal kingpin that has been able to stay on the streets, even though everyone knows what he is doing, proving it is another matter. Will they find out who is behind these crimes and whether or not they are tied together?

This was another gripping story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Once again Jan Cramer brought this book to life for me with her wonderful narration. As always, the characters are the front and centre. Reading this series in order has allowed me to see the growth and development of the characters and the family this team has become. The crimes are all those that could and do happen everywhere and the frustration of the police with their hands tied is palpable. Kim Stone has gone through a lot in her life and finding justice for the victims is the most important thing to her, although saving someone is something she will risk her life for. I love seeing the team working together. They do not always get along, but they manage to do what is right and being in the right place at the right time, often pays off. In this story, the innocents are used and preyed upon. Although Kim can’t save them all, she definitely tries. There are so many twists in this book, I couldn’t stop listening to this one. The steps taken, the risks taken and the way the clues are put together will keep you glued to this book. There are some difficult topics, so it these are hard for you to read about, you might want to give this one a pass, but if you enjoy a taut, dark, police procedural, then pick this one up.