Angela Marsons, thank you for writing this book!
I love the Kim Stone series, and once again the latest installment really delivered. I was going to wait for the audiobook version to come out, but I had a free evening so I bought the kindle edition and read the whole thing before I went to bed.

With so many of these books being released in quick succession it would be easy for things to start feeling a little stale by the sixth installment, but with each plot being so different from the last, Dead Souls continues to be just as exciting and horrifying as its predecessors.

This time the crimes are very topical, and I can give nothing but my greatest respect to Marsons for delving into the dispicable world of hate crimes with such skill. Clearly a lot of research went into this particular project and it must have been an emotionally exhausting experience.

This book used the altered dynamics at play within the team (with Kim working on a project seperate from Bryant, Kev and Stacey) to give us more insight into lives and minds of the rest of the team. It was wonderful to get to know more about Stacey in this book. I have spent the last five novels hoping to learn more about her, but her own personal journey in Dead Souls was satisfying enough to have been worth the wait.

Basically, this book is a solid five stars, and I am already waiting impatiently for the next one!

A dark and disturbing story about how f***ed up humans can be and the atrocities they would commit in the name of whatever f***ed up thing they believe in. Sadly this story is very close to reality.

And there's my book goal for 2017 met! I think this was a good one to go out on as its themes are sadly relevant to 2017.

I'm a big fan of this series and look forward to reading more of these in 2018.

Dead Souls by Angela Marsons is the sixth book in the D.I. Kim Stone series. Doctor A is a forensic archaeologist who was conducting a training class when she uncovered a skull at Hayley Green. She quickly halts the training and contacts the police. D.I. Kim Stone arrives at the scene and discovers D.I. Tom Travis is there as well. This location happens to be on the border of two police districts. Kim is told by DCI Woodward (Woody) that it will be a joint investigation (inter-force collaboration). Kim and Tom will have to work together. Kim will have the challenge of working without her team. Tom and Kim used to work together until “the incident” (which Kim refuses to discuss with anyone). Tom has not spoken to Kim since then and she is unsure why. Kim puts on a brave face and starts working the case. Doctor A slowly uncovers the three bodies in the grave. She is able to discern that the grave was not the original dump site. Exploring the bones, Doctor A uncovers bullet holes, animal trap marking, and dog bites. What horror did these three people incur? Kim and Tom explore the relationship between the land owners and their renters. It is obvious that they are both keeping secrets. Will the identity of the victim’s lead them to the killer? Meanwhile, Kim’s team is working on a series of hate crimes, and it causes tension between Bryant, Dawson, and Stacey Jones. Stacey wants to prove that she is just as good as the others. She can do more than use a computer and starts her own investigation. Then one of Kim’s team members is in jeopardy, she uses all the resources available to resolve the crimes. Can Kim and Tom find the perpetrators in time and bring Kim’s team member home safely?

Dead Souls is well-written and has a fast pace. This book engages the reader’s attention from the first page and holds it until the very end. Kim Stone is a complex and unique character. We get to know a little more about her in each book and Kim’s character grows or develops a little more. I appreciated finding out more about Stacey Jones in Dead Souls. It was also interesting to see Bryant and Dawson work together (very entertaining). The mysteries in Dead Souls are complex and convoluted (lots of twists). There are many details and moving parts. It all comes together in the end. If you pay close attention, you can identify the main culprit before the reveal. I give Dead Souls 5 out of 5 stars. If you have not read any of the other D.I. Kim Stone novels, then I suggest you start at the beginning. Otherwise, you will not understand Kim, how she works, her team, and the team dynamic. Dead Souls deals with very sensitive and controversial issue. The story dives into hate crimes (racism) and how people perceive each other. It is hard to fathom disliking a person based on their race, sexual orientation, or disability. It is disturbing what people will do in our society. Dead Souls is an exceptional novel.

A brilliant dark read about hate crimes from Angela Marsons who does not shy from tough topics. Great insight to Kim Stone and her team. Another wonderful addition to the series

Brilliant as ever!