Meet Detective Kim Stone. A detective hiding dark secrets. She’ll stop at nothing to protect the innocent.

‘This book has killed me!!!!... There is a smile on my face and goosebumps on my arms. Rarely have I been so satisfied with a novel… First Blood is a masterpiece.’ Chocolate 'n' Waffles Blog ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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

Searching the victim’s home, Kim finds a little girl’s bedroom and a hidden laptop, but where is the child? And why does the man’s own sister seem relieved that he’s dead?

As Kim begins to unearth the shocking truth about the victim, a disturbing resemblance is spotted with the recent murder of a man found beneath the staircase of Redland Hall with multiple stab wounds.

Both these men had dark secrets and Kim discovers a link to a women’s shelter. As a child of the care system herself, Kim knows all too well what it means to be vulnerable. Could the shelter be the key to cracking this case?

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…

An absolutely heart-stopping mystery thriller that will keep you glued to the pages, reading late into the night. Fans of Karin Slaughter, Mark Billingham and Robert Dugoni will want to binge the multi-million copy bestselling Detective Kim Stone series now!

Read what everyone is saying about First Blood and the Detective Kim Stone series:

‘The jack, queen, king and ace of crime fiction…you can't stop reading it until the fantastic ending… Another mesmerizing and riveting read! I find it insulting to even rate it giving between one to five stars, because how many stars should you give to the sun?’ The World Is Ours To Read, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘**A word of warning** you will struggle to put this book down, forget about eating, drinking, sleeping, and work, this book will consume your every waking moment… it’s the perfect crime thriller.’ The Book Review Café, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Superb!!! I love Kim – always have, always will!!… breath-taking, heart-pounding, exciting and thrilling!!! I completely and utterly recommend reading not just this book, but the whole series!! Fab, fab, fab, fab, fab.’ Stardust Book Reviews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I cannot begin to tell you how god damn good it is. First Blood is so bloody brilliant and so gripping… totally blown my mind.’ Baker’s Not So Secret Blog, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Superb!!! I love Kim – always have, always will!! … breath-taking, heart-pounding, exciting and thrilling!!! I completely and utterly recommend reading not just this book, but the whole series!! Fab, fab, fab, fab, fab.’ Stardust Book Reviews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Quite simply, Angela Marsons is THE QUEEN of Crime Fiction…Every book of Angie’s is a masterpiece of storytelling.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A great starting point for anyone new to the series… I couldn't put the book down…It is completely addictive and easily my new favourite in this series, I have a feeling I've said that before, but what can I say Angela Marsons seems to outdo herself each and every time.’ Rachel’s Random Reads, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘As always, another brilliant book by Angela Marsons featuring Detective Kim Stone and her team… Fast-paced and dark it kept me gripped from the first page to the last. Utterly superb.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Loved loved this book, Angela has done it again, just brilliant.... This story is great, pulls you in from the first page and never lets go…Get it, read it, you won't be disappointed.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘The quality of Angela Marsons writing has never diminished over the entire series. The release of a Kim Stone novel is an event to look forward to… I wish I could give it more than 5 stars because it certainly deserves it. Excellent and I happily recommend it and the series to anyone.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘The most fabulous crime series ever written.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘There is just something extremely special about the D.I Kim Stone series that just gets me hooked as soon as I’ve read the first page…My reviews will never do this series justice as for me, it is just beyond words as to how brilliant this series is and how it just goes from strength to strength with each instalment.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I could read Kim Stone books every day and never get bored, I read this in a day as couldn't put it down.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘The uber-sharp Kim Stone has to be one of the best detectives out there. A twisty, fast-paced plot stocked with red herrings.’ Bookpreneur, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A great introduction to the best crime series on the shelves right now… will have people turning the pages at a feverish rate.’ Nigel Adams Bookworm, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Watch out for more from Detective Kim Stone