Superb debut that bodes very well.. Kim Stone is one to watch!
In an overcrowded marketplace it takes something remarkable to make an impact with a debut novel and Angela Marsons has achieved just that by combining a retrospective investigation into a series of murders ten years ago with a race against time to catch the perpetrator who is currently calling time on those who tried to keep their past well and truly hidden. Combining a gripping plot with a lightening fast pace, a wonderful sense of place and some sparky characters who stay with readers, this is nigh on perfection and the added empathy of Angela Marsons is the icing on the cake!
A haunting prologue sees a group of five amid the bleak and unremitting landscape of the Black Country making a silent pact as a body is buried in 2004. Silent Scream then cuts to the present day and a series of macabre killings, beginning with highly respected headmistress, Teresa Wyatt. With her home and purse left untouched, this is clearly no robbery gone awry with the victim an accidental casualty. Piecing together the last weeks of her life reveals a keen interest in the site of a potential archaeological dig on the now derelict grounds of a former children's home where she once worked, prompting D.I. Kim Stone to take a closer look at her concerns. As Teresa's death is swiftly followed by a fellow ex-colleague, head-chef Tom Curtis, this is the start of an enthralling race against time to catch a murderer. As well as the activity surrounding the current murders of those connected by their former employment at the children's home, the discoveries of human remains long buried on the site alerts Kim that this could be the work of two separate and very depraved killers.
It is D.I. Kim Stone's inability to hide her feelings and a genuine rapport and respect for her team that shines through and her innate empathy makes her a character to vie for. As once said, 'one of the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised', and Kim has that in spades! Kim is a survivor with her own history of being treated inconsequentially by a brutal childhood and a life in and out of care homes, made to feel worthless. But rather like 'Baby' in "Dirty Dancing", nobody puts Kim in the corner! Her inspiration is derived from the memory of the death of her twin at the age of six and the feeling of failure as she watched his life extinguished. She strives to bring justice for those victims who cannot speak out for themselves and she doesn't beat around the bush or play politics. That these crimes reignite her own history makes this a personal journey for Kim Stone and her sensitivity with all those who have suffered is utterly sincere.
Kim Stone's genuine friendship with her sidekick DS Bryant and her encouragement towards DS Kev Dawson and DC Stace Woods adds a real warmth to Silent Scream and Marson's flair for characterisation is evident. The relationship with DS Bryant is inspired and he counters her upfront attitude with his genuine social skills, playing "nice" when Kim steps on plenty of toes! A particular highlight was DS Bryant's dissection of solving a crime into the different courses of a meal and the witty repartee between Kim and droll pathologist, Doctor Keats. The dialogue is excellent; sassy, smart and taking no prisoners where work is concerned, through to the a concern for the feelings of others whose life have been blighted by the 'facility'. Angela Marsons shows a real knack with her humanity in touching on a very distressing subject matter. As Kim racks up complaints and barely appeases her superiors, she never lets her team sacrifice themselves for her, even though everyone of them clearly would without a second of hesitation. At thirty-four, single, with a passion for restoring her Triumph Thunderbird, listening to classical music and being incapable of winding down, Kim Stone is refreshingly free of the now familiar demons of fictional detectives and all the better for it.
Plotted to perfection with an excellent rollercoaster finish, some well disguised twists keep the reader on tenterhooks until the very closing pages. A debut not to be missed; D.I. Kim Stone is on one heck of a journey and I look forward to accompanying her! As D.I. Stone and her team uncover a long buried mystery and their links to current events, there is more than enough originality to establish a very worthy place among the big hitters of the police procedural genre for Angela Marsons. A highly accomplished debut and a writer to watch out for.
A haunting prologue sees a group of five amid the bleak and unremitting landscape of the Black Country making a silent pact as a body is buried in 2004. Silent Scream then cuts to the present day and a series of macabre killings, beginning with highly respected headmistress, Teresa Wyatt. With her home and purse left untouched, this is clearly no robbery gone awry with the victim an accidental casualty. Piecing together the last weeks of her life reveals a keen interest in the site of a potential archaeological dig on the now derelict grounds of a former children's home where she once worked, prompting D.I. Kim Stone to take a closer look at her concerns. As Teresa's death is swiftly followed by a fellow ex-colleague, head-chef Tom Curtis, this is the start of an enthralling race against time to catch a murderer. As well as the activity surrounding the current murders of those connected by their former employment at the children's home, the discoveries of human remains long buried on the site alerts Kim that this could be the work of two separate and very depraved killers.
It is D.I. Kim Stone's inability to hide her feelings and a genuine rapport and respect for her team that shines through and her innate empathy makes her a character to vie for. As once said, 'one of the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised', and Kim has that in spades! Kim is a survivor with her own history of being treated inconsequentially by a brutal childhood and a life in and out of care homes, made to feel worthless. But rather like 'Baby' in "Dirty Dancing", nobody puts Kim in the corner! Her inspiration is derived from the memory of the death of her twin at the age of six and the feeling of failure as she watched his life extinguished. She strives to bring justice for those victims who cannot speak out for themselves and she doesn't beat around the bush or play politics. That these crimes reignite her own history makes this a personal journey for Kim Stone and her sensitivity with all those who have suffered is utterly sincere.
Kim Stone's genuine friendship with her sidekick DS Bryant and her encouragement towards DS Kev Dawson and DC Stace Woods adds a real warmth to Silent Scream and Marson's flair for characterisation is evident. The relationship with DS Bryant is inspired and he counters her upfront attitude with his genuine social skills, playing "nice" when Kim steps on plenty of toes! A particular highlight was DS Bryant's dissection of solving a crime into the different courses of a meal and the witty repartee between Kim and droll pathologist, Doctor Keats. The dialogue is excellent; sassy, smart and taking no prisoners where work is concerned, through to the a concern for the feelings of others whose life have been blighted by the 'facility'. Angela Marsons shows a real knack with her humanity in touching on a very distressing subject matter. As Kim racks up complaints and barely appeases her superiors, she never lets her team sacrifice themselves for her, even though everyone of them clearly would without a second of hesitation. At thirty-four, single, with a passion for restoring her Triumph Thunderbird, listening to classical music and being incapable of winding down, Kim Stone is refreshingly free of the now familiar demons of fictional detectives and all the better for it.
Plotted to perfection with an excellent rollercoaster finish, some well disguised twists keep the reader on tenterhooks until the very closing pages. A debut not to be missed; D.I. Kim Stone is on one heck of a journey and I look forward to accompanying her! As D.I. Stone and her team uncover a long buried mystery and their links to current events, there is more than enough originality to establish a very worthy place among the big hitters of the police procedural genre for Angela Marsons. A highly accomplished debut and a writer to watch out for.