This review is written with thanks to Bookouture for my copy of Dying Truth via Netgalley.

Blurb:

How far would you go to protect your darkest secrets?

When teenager Sadie Winter jumps from the roof of her school, her death is ruled as suicide – a final devastating act from a troubled girl. But then the broken body of a young boy is discovered at the same school and it’s clear to Detective Kim Stone that these deaths are not tragic accidents.

As Kim and her team begin to unravel a dark web of secrets, one of the teachers could hold the key to the truth. Yet just as she is about to break her silence, she is found dead.

With more children’s lives at risk, Kim has to consider the unthinkable – whether a fellow pupil could be responsible for the murders. Investigating the psychology of children that kill brings the detective into contact with her former adversary, Dr Alex Thorne – the sociopath who has made it her life’s work to destroy Kim.

Desperate to catch the killer, Kim finds a link between the recent murders and an initiation prank that happened at the school decades earlier. But saving these innocent lives comes at a cost – and one of Kim’s own might pay the ultimate price.

An utterly addictive crime thriller from the Number One bestselling author – you will be gripped until the final shocking twist.

Review:

Yes, I know I’m horribly behind with this series and I honestly can’t tell you why. Angela Marsons is a fantastic writer and in DI Kim Stone and her team, she’s created characters that feel like family when you come back to them. I love the banter between them and the way they bounce off each other, but now, by book eight, we’ve been given really detailed glimpses into their pasts and personal lives, and this makes me connect with them and really root for them in everything they do.

The premise of Dying Truth is one that becomes more complex as it gathers pace, and I loved diving into it, both on a superficial level and as a deeper exploration of issues such as class and elitism, as well as many issues faced by teenagers. It is fast paced, and this makes it very difficult to put down as we get nearer to the truth of what is happening at Heathcrest School. I never went to boarding school, and, quite frankly, it’s my idea of Hell, but I love the way Angela Marsons describes it and creates a dark atmosphere of secrets and lies.

Since I am nearly seven years behind with this series, I was warned about the ending. I obviously can’t discuss it, but let me just say, I am as floored as everyone else – and I’m looking forward to seeing where the series goes from here.

Dying Truth is available from Amazon.