First Blood

De: Angela Marsons

Narrado por: Jan Cramer

In the darkness of a cold December morning, Detective Kim Stone steps through the doors of Halesowen Police Station. She’s about to meet her team for the first time. The victim of her next case is about to meet his killer....

When the body of a young man is found beheaded and staked to the ground in a secluded area of the Clent Hills, Kim and her new squad rush to the crime scene.

Searching the victim’s home, Kim discovers a little girl’s bedroom and a hidden laptop. Why is his sister relieved to hear he’s dead - and where is the rest of his family?

As Kim begins to unearth the dark secrets at the heart of the case, DC Stacey Woodward becomes convinced that this murder is somehow linked to a women’s shelter. As a child of the care system herself, Kim knows all too well what it means to be vulnerable.

With the killer about to strike again, Kim is in deep water with a rookie squad. Inexperienced Stacey is showing signs of brilliance but struggling to hold her nerve and, while D.S. Bryant is reliable and calm, D.S. Dawson is a liability. With his home life in pieces, his volatile behaviour is already fracturing her fragile new team.

Can Kim bring Dawson in line and pull her crew together in time to catch the killer before another life is taken? This time, one of her own could be in terrible danger....

Discover where it all began for Kim and her team. An absolutely heart-stopping mystery thriller. Perfect for Kim Stone fans and new listeners to the million-copy best-selling series.

This audio edition includes exclusive bonus content. In conversation with narrator Jan Cramer, Angela Marsons talks about her writing process, her journey to being published, and never-before-told insights into the series and Kim Stone’s character. Not available in other formats.

A detective hiding dark secrets, Kim Stone will stop at nothing to protect the innocent.

©2019 Angela Marsons (P)2019 Bookouture

What a great surprise

So this is how this team got started. Very interesting.

This series is a favorite of mine so this surprise prequel was another must-read for me.

Kim, which is easy to understand, has had problems at previous assignments and gets sent to “Woody”’s team. There she meets her new crew - Stacey, Dawson, and Bryant. It was fun to get to know the beginnings of this team.

Even though Kim was given a day to learn the team, they are immediately thrown into a gruesome murder investigation which soon escalates. As typical of Angela Marsons, we are led down many paths during the investigation. The story is disturbing but hard to put down. And it’s worth it for the little revelation at the end.

The narration by Jan Cramer does, as usual, enhance the story. Very well done!

Entire series fantastic

I have listened to the entire series and currently waiting for next episode. Each case is as exciting as the next and each character brings a memorable twist to each story. I definitely recommend the entire series. Narration is perfect, no annoying voice here.

Best beginning ever!

Angela never disappoints. She amazing! The series is wonderfully written that Kim and her team are part of my family. Can't wait for the next book. Thanks Angela for a superb series.

Awesome

I loved this book as I did the rest of the series. Jan makes the story more real and the characters come to life.

Highly recommended series.

Book 0

OK, my first question in listening to this book was why did the author wait until several books into the series before writing the book that tells the tale of how the team came together. The author actually talks at the end of the book and mentioned this, said that her first couple books in the series she was just trying to get published and only after she became somewhat successful was she able to sit back and think about the series and only then did she decide she wanted a book telling how the team came together. Thus the prequel, book 0, was born.

If you are reading this review and thinking about giving the series a try, for sure start with this book.

In the end, or the beginning should I say, it's just another good book in the Kim Stone series.

Brilliant police procedural

Ms Marsons has done us all a huge favor by taking us back to the creation of protagonist Kim Stone and team. Beautifully plotted. Highly recommend! Narrator Jan Cramer is superb as always. The author-narrator interview was icing on the cake.

What a fantastic read

I love that we got to see how Kim and her group all got together. Fabulous!! This was a lighthearted read compared to her other gory novels.

Good start

To a new series. I liked learning about each character and the story kept me interested. The narrator did a really good job as well.

WOW!!!

Brilliantly written prequel to the Kim Stone series!! I loved it! The personal touch at the end of the book was really special! Thank you Angela Marsons and Jan Kramer.......i highly recommend this book to all readers! Absolutely fantastic!!!

Almost Perfect

If you’re like me, you look forward to a new Kim Stone novel. First Blood will not disappoint. I don’t know how Marsons does it, churning out two books per year without losing her literary mojo!

I’ve mentioned my one gripe in previous reviews and I’ve attributed it in the past to Jan Cramer, but I’ve come to realize it’s not entirely her fault. Every time she reads from the killer’s perspective, she reads it like she’s the “Wicked Witch of the West”. I expect each section to end with “I’ll get you and your little dog too!” I’ve come to realize the fault lies with Marsons. These vignettes are the one flaw in her novels. They serve no purpose, are entirely superfluous.

On a side note, there’s a twist toward the end that will warm the heart of any reader of the Kim Stone series. No spoiler, just be prepared to feel a gentle tug on your emotions.