The #Bookvent Calendar 2021 – Day Eleven

#Bookvent – Celebrating my top reads of 2021

The day eleven #bookvent choice comes from one of my all time favourite series and all time favourite series. The author is not afraid to push her protagonist to the limits, turning the screws on the suspects and all too often the knife on our favourite characters too. Every book I read I absolutely tear through and this was absolutely no exception. Combining a thrilling investigation and an intriguing mystery, with the kind of humour that I have absolutely loved, I have to say that, in spite of it being book fourteen (!) in the series, it’s definitely one of my favourites. My day eleven pick is ….

Twisted Lies by Angela Marsons

Her stomach lurches as she sits in the windowless room. He throws her phone to the ground, grinds it against the floor with the heel of his shoe and brings his face closer to hers. There was no turning back now, her life as she knew it was gone.

When the lifeless body of a man is found on an industrial estate, Detective Kim Stone arrives on the scene and discovers he’s been tortured in the worst way imaginable.

But as she breaks the devastating news to the victim’s wife, Diane Phipps, Kim can’t help feeling that something isn’t quite right about the woman’s reaction.

Twenty-four hours later, the victim’s family disappears into thin air.

Then a second body is found staked to the ground in a local nature reserve.

Desperate to crack the case open quickly, Kim and her team unravel a vital clue – a fiercely guarded secret that links both victims and could cost even more lives.

A secret that some police officers are also protecting.

Faced with deceit from those she should be able to trust, family members who won’t talk, and local reporter, Tracy Frost, opening a can of worms on the case of a woman murdered by her husband a year ago – Kim is in deep water like never before.

Kim must find the motive if she is to find the killer who is systematically targeting and torturing his victims. But can she unlock the shocking truth and stop him before he strikes again?

An absolutely jaw-dropping crime thriller from the number one, multi-million-copy bestselling author of the incredibly addictive Detective Kim Stone series.

Oh I do love me a good Kim Stone thriller and Twisted Lies is a fluffing excellent one. Full of mystery, misdirection, loathsome characters and one of my favourite crime fighting teams there was nothing not to love about this book. Pacing was fast and furious, and the murders just grizzly enough to both amuse me and make me occasionally green around the gills. Kim is her usual acerbic and intolerant self, Bryant her conscience who keeps her on the straight and narrow. And then we have Stacy and Penn with their own kind of banter and camaraderie which it is lovely to see continue to bloom, They really are a formidable team and I love the way they are growing together. I haven’t quite forgotten or forgiven that book, but I’m happy with the way Angela Marsons is taking them all. Not only do we get to see the team in all their glory, this book allows us to see a very different side to Tracy Frost with a subplot that takes a very relevant and pertinent turn. As always the author shows her skill in handling difficult topics with care, showing empathy and not sensationalism in how it is woven into the heart of the story. This was a book where I had guessed partly how. the story would go but by no means the who resolution and anyone picking up the book should prepare to be surprised as, in true Angela Marsons style, she allows you to get cocky and comfortable before lobbing a flipping fast curveball right at your head. It makes for a fast and fantastic ending that had me smiling a very big smile. Twisted lies is the perfect title for this book, perhaps one of the most grizzly in the series yet. But for every moment of torture (for the victims) comes a moment of pure emotion or humour that kept me riveted to every single page. Absolutely bostin’.

You can read my full review of Twisted Lies here.

Happy #bookvent reading all

Jen