Dead Souls: A gripping serial killer thriller with a shocking twist

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.

I generally dislike series of books because they seem to turn into much of the same. Angela Marsons has succeeded in proving me wrong. This book tackles head on the issue of racism and what the repercussions could be if society fails to act. An amazing story with so many twists and turns. It had me hooked from the first page. I doubt if Kim Stone will ever get boring.

Dead Souls book six in the brilliantly gripping D.I. Kim Stone series sees Kim and her team stepping way out of their comfort zones when Doctor A during an archaeological practice dig finds the remains of a body buried within the last twenty years or so and as the field is on the border with West Mercia Kim is ordered to work the case with D.I. Travis whom she had a massive falling out with five years ago. So, her team are left on the outside, with Bryant in charge looking into the beating of a Polish man. But what seemed a straightforward case soon becomes more when the guys unearth horrifying threats and a string of other cases involving minority groups. And honestly, I was completely hooked by a tightly plotted, disturbing and thought provoking storyline and I loved getting to see Kim work without Bryant to reign her in and the rest of the team adapt to working without Kim. Would happily recommend.