Another brilliant instalment in the Kim Stone series, I really can’t believe this is book 20 in the series they really do get better and better. Although you could definitely read this as a standalone I would highly recommend reading the series from the beginning as you really get a better insight to Kim and her team old and new you really won’t be disappointed.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Guilty Mothers by Angela Marsons in return for my honest review.

A very enjoyable read. We delve into many brave but strangely fascinating worlds. The relationship between mother and child is deeply explored and the ways in which this can go wrong with high expectations from both sides. There is also a trip into the intense and competitive world of pageants for young girls and the dedication and unnatural lengths some will go to when competing or living the process vicariously through a child. There are also some dark scenes of coercive control and domestic abuse and this is all before we mention the murders…..
The plot unravels at an intriguing and compelling pace with plenty of twists and turns and sub plots to keep me thoroughly enthralled. I was engaged with the main detective character and she was very likeable which always helps too. I have enjoyed previous books by this author and certainly wasn’t disappointed this time. I’m off to polish my tiara and to find a new read that remotely lives up to this one. Recommend.

I can’t believe we’re at book 20 of Detective Kim Stone and Angela Marsons is still able to captivate me with a banger of a novel.

A fantastic police procedural underpinned by the murky depths of the UK pageantry circuit. A deep dive into the morality of child performers and its flaws. Of course, I’m sure in real life something as dramatic as a pageant mother serial killer hasn’t occurred, but it’s a brilliant way to discuss how dangerous and deeply disturbing the industry can be.

As always with a Detective Kim Stone novel you are reintroduced to many of the side characters which pop up time and time again. Any of her books which doesn’t include Alex Thorne is a win in my eyes!

Excellently written, stirring discussions and a fast paced and thrilling plot to go with it. Thank you Angela for 20 books!

Angie is always ready to surprise me, and I guess Detective Kim Stone as well. Never would have guessed we would be taken into the luxurious and competitive world of British beauty pageants. Yet, that is where we both found us. Not just us, Kim's team as well. Beauty pageants seem to be such an American things, but I guess it is a British things, at least for some. The whole thing has always puzzled me, and I think Marsons has captured the different roles mothers, daughters, and the people in the business can have.

Despite the very unlikable characters the book was filled with, the book itself was superbly likable. I so love to read about Kim and her team, and most of all about Barney, the dog. It was especially enjoyable reading about the growth of one of the team members, despite the hardships.

It is really hard to write about the story line without giving anything away, and I do not want to take anything away from this wonderful story. I cannot believe this is already the 20th book, because it is still somehow fresh and genuine. Never knew I could fall in love over and over again!

Guilty Mothers by Angela Marsons is book 20 in the Detective Kim Stone series. Thank you to Bookouture, Netgalley and Angela for the ARC. Kim and her partner Bryant find themselves in the midst of horrific carnage after being called to what seems to be an open and shut case. At the same time, Tiff who is a PC transitioning to detective, is called to what seems to be an accident or suicide. There is a great sense of mystery of both cases. The characters are wonderful with the friendship and respect shown between them all. Stacey has bounced back after her previous trauma and then with the addition of Tiff, all the characters have something to offer to the story. The relationships of the characters being investigated are complex with controlling elements of their behaviour making for such sad reading at times. The child beauty pageant industry was certainly an eye opener to read about. Angela never disappoints with her books and even though this is book 20, it was still a pleasure to read.

It is a sad fact that that some pageant moms can be described as “narcissistic zombie robots”. As this book begins, the question is, did Katie Hawne kill her mother in cold blood? Despite odd, childlike behavior displayed by Katie, D. I. Kim Stone and her team just might have an open-and-shut case with the most recent murder they are investigating. However, there is soon a second victim, and with telling evidence that the cases are connected, Kim quickly becomes sure of Katie’s innocence. Kim and her partner Penn are now beginning to see the sad and unfortunate reality of what can go on with little girls and their mothers in the pageant world.

Is it an oedipus complex, Munchausen by proxy or narcissistic mother/daughter relationships that are the backdrop of an often ongoing part of a toxic world of pageants? While Kim is addressing the brutality behind the murders that tie into past pageants, there is a separate case with Kendrick and Tiff, a Constable making a big imprint on the CID. A body that was discovered proved to be that of a missing man. However, this discovery involves much more when it comes to a deep problem with another type of family dynamic.

Oh. My. Word! Angela Marsons is talented beyond belief. Guilty Mothers ran the gamut when it came to me experiencing a plethora of emotions. Shock. Sadness. Rage. Even brought me to tears more than once. To say I loved this book would be a gross understatement. I loved it so much that I had to stop and go back and reread sections. The draw to this book is indescribable. This stunning book, a one-sitting read, had me holding my breath, grabbing my cheeks, and holding back tears.

It is amazing how Ms. Marsons continues to breathe life into this amazing crime fiction series. And can I reiterate how she makes the reader FEEL? How this mega talented author evokes strong feelings in her readers? Oh my! Now I have to wait for Book 21!

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Once again Kim Stone and her team are up against a crafty murderer and once again they solve it. It was a plot that revolved around the child pageant world and mother/daughter relationships and I enjoyed the story. In this book, I actually enjoyed the secondary story more. I loved that Penn and Tiff were paired to solve a murder when a body is found in the river, it’s not as straightforward as it seems and Penn and Tiff rely on their instincts to solve this case…