Silent Scream by Angela Marsons

Out now
Published by Bookouture
Purchase from Amazon here


The Blurb:

Even the darkest secrets can’t stay buried forever…

Five figures gather round a shallow grave. They had all taken turns to dig. An adult-sized hole would have taken longer. An innocent life had been taken but the pact had been made. Their secrets would be buried, bound in blood …

Years later, a headmistress is found brutally strangled, the first in a spate of gruesome murders which shock the Black Country.

But when human remains are discovered at a former children’s home, disturbing secrets are also unearthed. D.I. Kim Stone fast realises she’s on the hunt for a twisted individual whose killing spree spans decades.

As the body count rises, Kim needs to stop the murderer before they strike again. But to catch the killer, can Kim confront the demons of her own past before it’s too late?

Fans of Rachel Abbott, Val McDermid and Mark Billingham will be gripped by this exceptional new voice in British crime fiction.

Watch out for more from D.I. Kim Stone


My Review:

I can't believe I have left it so long to read this book! I love a good crime thriller to get lost in, and this fits the bill perfectly. Tense, compelling and with loads of drama it had me engrossed from start to finish.

Silent Scream introduces us to DI Kim Stone and her team who are called to the murder scene of a local woman. But before long the murder investigation grows as human remains are found buried at a former children's home, and other bodies begin to appear. It is down to Kim and her team to try and prove the link between the deaths, and unearth who the killer is.

This is an excellent start to a new series of books featuring Kim Stone. Angela Marsons has created a character that is a caring and dedicated detective, but also tough, and definitely multi dimensional. She is passionate about the job she does, and her passion can at times push her to the boundaries of what she meant to be doing. I loved her defiant streak which could easily have gotten her into trouble, but she has a strong instinct and will follow it at all costs.

But as well as following the investigation from Kim and her teams perspective we also get glimpses into what is happening for the murderer in the chapters written through their eyes. I like to play detective and try to be one step ahead and solve it before the perpetrator is revealed. I thought I had it sussed but I was wrong...totally wrong! But I liked seeing the case from a different perspective, as it gave more depth and insight into their motivation.

I was reading this week that Angela had been submitting manuscripts and getting rejections from publishers for many years. I cannot understand why as her writing is fantastic. She has a real talent for developing strong, interesting characters, and writing a novel that drew me in from the start and kept me on the edge of my seat until the end. I am so pleased that Bookouture have signed her and bought her work for us to read.

Silent Scream is perfect for fans of crime fiction. I would highly recommend it as a gritty, engrossing read.

Thank you to Bookouture who kindly provided a copy in return for an honest review.