Review: Play Dead by Angela Marsons
Synopsis:
A body has been found at the Westerley research facility. A young woman's face has been completely bashed in, and there's little to identify her with.
What puzzles DI Kim Stone the most is that Westerley is one of the hardest places to find, especially since it's supposed to be a secret. So how did the killer get there?
Thoughts:
This remains the only mystery series I'm currently reading in which I can't figure out who the culprit is before the end of the book. I've read several other mystery books, and I think that because I'm so familiar with mysteries and looking for clues along the way, it makes many endings less exciting for me. However, Angela Marsons has been able to keep me in suspense for 4 books, and I'm sure that she'll continue to do so.
I've loved this series from the moment I started it, and I think that I can fairly say that this is one of my favorite series right now. The way that the plot is so carefully built, and how the clues are expertly placed throughout the story, all makes for a great reading experience. Every time I pick up one of her books, I know that I'm going to love it.
You can't really say that these books are action packed, but they're definitely suspenseful. The writing keeps you entertained and engaged, allowing for a wonderfully smooth reading experience. I've never had trouble getting back into her books after setting it down for some reason or another.
This was probably the most intriguing mystery so far in the series, but that's just because of the type of crime committed. Something about gruesome murders always grab my attention more than a simple gunshot or stab wound (yes, I realize that makes me sound like a psychopath. I promise that I'm not). The way that everything fell together was so pleasing that I smiled to myself at the end of the book.
I do want to say that there was something I wished we had a little more background on by the time the book ended. It wasn't anything super important, and we did get an implication of what the background could be, but I wish it was a little more concrete.
I pretty much read the second half of the book in 2 sittings, taking a break in between for dinner. I had to know how the story ended, and I think that's always a good indicator of a great book.
I still haven't figured out if I'm supposed to like Kim, but I really do. I think she's supposed to be a slightly unlikeable main character, but I find her entirely likable and really intriguing. I'm really enjoying watching her character develop and her story unfold more as the series goes on. There's just something about her that smile to myself, probably because she doesn't take crap from anyone.
5 stars. If you haven't picked up this series before, I highly recommend that you do. I really enjoy it, and I think it's a series that will continue to intrigue and surprise me as I go through the books.
