How to Read the Detective Kim Stone Series
For the best reading experience, it is highly recommended to follow the original publication order. While each novel presents a self-contained investigation with a satisfying conclusion, the overarching character arcs, personal histories, and evolving dynamics of Detective Inspector Kim Stone and her Halesowen squad—comprising Bryant, Stacey, and Penn—develop continuously across the books. Starting with the first published novel allows you to witness Kim’s gradual softening, her struggle with childhood trauma, and the forming of deep-seated trust within her team.
However, if you are a purist who prefers tracking a protagonist’s journey from the absolute beginning, a chronological reading path is also possible. This path starts with two newsletter-exclusive short stories and a full-length prequel novel that detail Kim’s early life, her initial days on the force, and the assembly of her core investigative unit before diving into the main timeline.
D.I. Kim Stone Books in Publication Order
This is the order in which the books were released, beginning with the breakout debut that launched Kim Stone into the crime fiction stratosphere:
- Silent Scream (2015)
- Evil Games (2015)
- Lost Girls (2015)
- Play Dead (2016)
- Blood Lines (2016)
- Dead Souls (2017)
- Broken Bones (2017)
- Dying Truth (2018)
- Fatal Promise (2018)
- Dead Memories (2019)
- Child’s Play (2019)
- First Blood (2019) (Prequel novel)
- Killing Mind (2020)
- Deadly Cry (2020)
- Twisted Lies (2021)
- Stolen Ones (2021)
- Six Graves (2022)
- Hidden Scars (2022)
- One Hour (2022) (Short story prequel)
- Deadly Fate (2023)
- Bad Blood (2023)
- First Fight (2024) (Short story prequel)
- Guilty Mothers (2024)
- 36 Hours (2024)
- Little Children (2025)
- Wicked Women (2026)
D.I. Kim Stone Books in Chronological Order
If you prefer to read the series strictly by the in-universe timeline, you should start with the prequel short stories and prequel novel before transitioning into the main publication sequence:
- First Fight (2024) (Prequel short story; available via mailing list signup)
- One Hour (2022) (Prequel short story; available via mailing list signup)
- First Blood (2019) (Full prequel novel depicting the team's first case together)
- Silent Scream (2015)
- Evil Games (2015)
- Lost Girls (2015)
- Play Dead (2016)
- Blood Lines (2016)
- Dead Souls (2017)
- Broken Bones (2017)
- Dying Truth (2018)
- Fatal Promise (2018)
- Dead Memories (2019)
- Child’s Play (2019)
- Killing Mind (2020)
- Deadly Cry (2020)
- Twisted Lies (2021)
- Stolen Ones (2021)
- Six Graves (2022)
- Hidden Scars (2022)
- Deadly Fate (2023)
- Bad Blood (2023)
- Guilty Mothers (2024)
- 36 Hours (2024)
- Little Children (2025)
- Wicked Women (2026)
Prequels and Mailing-List Exclusives
Angela Marsons has written three works that sit chronologically before the events of Silent Scream, offering fans a deeper look into the detective's past:
- First Fight (2024): This short story explores a very early event in Kim Stone’s life. It is not sold on retail platforms and is available exclusively as a free download for subscribers of Angela Marsons' official author newsletter.
- One Hour (2022): Another exclusive prequel short story that focuses on a pivotal hour in a younger Kim’s life. Like First Fight, it is obtained by signing up for the author's newsletter.
- First Blood (2019): Unlike the mailing-list short stories, this is a full-length published novel. It details Kim’s transition to the Halesowen Police Station and her struggles to get her newly assembled team to work together on their very first joint homicide investigation.
What to Know Before You Start
The series is set in the Black Country, a region of the West Midlands in England known for its rich industrial history, unique dialects, and rugged charm. Marsons weaves this local flavor throughout the series, giving the police procedural a grounded, atmospheric, and highly authentic feel. Kim Stone herself is a complex protagonist: blunt, fiercely independent, socially awkward, and deeply empathetic beneath her defensive shell. As she handles cases dealing with child exploitation, cult dynamics, and institutional corruption, her personal evolution becomes just as compelling as the mysteries she solves.
Readers should note that there are no official spin-offs or co-authored books in the Kim Stone universe. Angela Marsons writes the series entirely solo. She has, however, written a few standalone novels—including The Forgotten Woman (also known as My Name Is), Dear Mother (also known as The Middle Child), and If Only—which are unrelated to the Kim Stone series but showcase her talent for emotional, character-driven fiction.