This is the seventh book in Angela Marsons' D.I. Kim Stone series and while I think this book could be read as a stand alone, you would be doing yourself and the series a disservice if you did not start at the beginning of the series; Silent Scream, Evil Games, Lost Girls, Play Dead, Blood Lines and Dead Souls.
It was going to be a busy night for D.I. Kim Stone with the murder of a prostitute and Kim discovering an abandoned baby outside police headquarters. Then three more prostitutes are murdered in quick succession with each death more violent than the last. At the same time multiple women are coming forward claiming that the child is theirs, but things are not adding up as to why the baby was left where it was and something more sinister is afoot. Kim's team is going to be split up and bring the team in contact with some of the worst of the worst of humankind.
This was an interesting addition to the series and it is nice to see that Marsons has not yet run out of ideas as well as twists and turns. (I did not see the ones that happened at the end which is always a high point for me). Although the victim choice in this book may be typical of "these' type of mystery books, prostitutes; I like that Marsons added more background to their situations as to why and how the women became part of this type of lifestyle, adding more of a human factor to them instead of just a victim/body. It was also interesting how the baby aspect unfolded when all the pieces were there and it felt like a very real situation that probably happens more than we think.
I never thought that I would say this but there was a little bit too much of the secondary characters within this book that I felt that we didn't get as much face time with Kim. Kim is one of the main reasons that I read this series and while I like Stacey and Dawson as characters, their characters do not hold a light to Kim. I also want to see Kim advance more as a person and professionally. She has had some big strides within these books but I am wanting more from her so she does not begin to seem flat and predictable. Though I will say Kim with the baby and was pretty funny and the lack confidence her team have is also funny.
I always look forward to see what Marsons' can come up with next and each time her creativity surprises me. Seven books in and we have yet to have repeat plot or formula, so as long as Marsons keeps writing I'll keep reading.
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Nicholas Sansbury Smith takes the readers on an action filled ride as the follow Team Ghost who about to face their most deadly enemy:
Master Sergeant Reed Beckham is the leader of the Delta Team, codename Ghost. He has lead them through every hell hole on this Earht and has never lost a man, but he is about to face the most deadly threat of all, a variant strain of Ebola. This virus has the ability to turn humans in to monsters and it has the ability to spread just as fast as Ebola does. Team Ghost is assigned to extricate and protect the only scientists that could figure out a way to stop the virus and save the human race. As cities fall around the country and world more pressure is put on team Ghost and Dr. Kate Lovato to live long enough to find a cure.
I'm really happy I found Sansbury last year, he has become one of my go too authors when I am wanting sci-fi. I am also happy that he writes series so I can get my fill on many different fronts within this genre. For this book Soldiers vs mutated humans is almost always a good read in my opinion, can gun power really overwhelm numbers is always the question (Ijust think of the Hordes on TWD).
This book does not have a calm second, you just need to hold on for the ride as this book is action packed and goes from one battle to the next, so to say that it is action packed is un understatement. It is also fairly gruesome and gory in the telling of the story, which I think needs to go hand in hand with zombie novels. I have yet to read a book about a nice zombie or where there is not some blood and guts spilling. Sansbury Smith does not hold back but at the same time you are not going to feel the need to lose your lunch. He has found a good balance there.
Beckham is a great main character he is fearless in danger, knows when his back is against the wall and would not put his men through anything that he would not do himself. In other words the type of leader that you would want to follow. I appreciate that none of the members of team Ghost are safe, even Master Sergeant himself. They get hurt and lets just say not all the team members are going to make it back.
I have started three series by Sansbury Smith now and I revel at his ability to have this many series and not have them the same. I am very excited to continue on with this series, as I really enjoyed this book.
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