Play Dead by Angela Marsons

Play Dead by Angela Marsons
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 2 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - Sphere

Source - The Works

Blurb from Goodreads

The dead don't tell secrets... unless you listen.

The girl's smashed-in face stared unseeing up to the blue sky, soil spilling out of her mouth. A hundred flies hovered above the bloodied mess. Westerley research facility is not for the faint-hearted. A 'body farm' investigating human decomposition, its inhabitants are corpses in various states of decay. But when Detective Kim Stone and her team discover the fresh body of a young woman, it seems a killer has discovered the perfect cover to bury their crime.

Then a second girl is attacked and left for dead, her body drugged and mouth filled with soil. It's clear to Stone and the team that a serial killer is at work - but just how many bodies will they uncover? And who is next? As local reporter, Tracy Frost, disappears, the stakes are raised. The past seems to hold the key to the killer's secrets - but can Kim uncover the truth before a twisted, damaged mind claims another victim ...?



My Review

This is book four in the series, you would manage this as a standalone but I would say to read the previous three. You get better insight into the characters, their background and they are just really good books. DI Kim Stone and crew are headed to a body farm, ordered by the boss the team reluctantly go and come across a body that shouldn't be there. When it soon becomes apparent they have a serial on their hands the team is pushed to get to the bottom of it before another life is taken.

The book splits into two, the murders/police investigation and an unknown character (written in italics) we don't hear often from them but as the book progresses we get a bit more clarity of what is the point. Stone has to find out who the victim is, why someone would have so much rage toward them and what the motivation could possibly be. Whilst dealing with that she also has a journalist under her feet, Tracy Frost, Tracy has a nose for these things and wants the scoop, regardless.

I love Stone and her team dynamics, even snarky encounters she deals with them brilliantly and always the champion for the victim. What I liked about this book (as well as the norm stuff we see from Marsons) was the body farm stuff, what they do, different tests on the subjects, it isn't something you really ever think about. Action packed as per, relationships, police investigation, dead bodies, serial killer what more could you want? 4/5 for me, I have the rest in the series on my shelves, cannot wait to see what is next for Stone and the team.

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Play Dead by Harlan Coben

Play Dead by Harlan Coben
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 days

pages - 518

Publisher - Orion Books

Blurb From Goodreads

Ex-fashion model and successful business woman Laura Ayars' perfect world is shattered at a time which should have been the happiest of her life. On her honeymoon, her sports superstar husband goes for a swim - and never returns. But what has happened to David - is he really dead?

Whilst struggling to cope with her grief, Laura is plagued by questions and doubts. Was it an accident? Or suicide? Or some terrible, ill-judged hoax?

As events begin to unfold, Laura starts to uncover a conspiracy which reaches deep into the past, and is now slowly beginning to destroy everyone involved. Someone will do anything to keep Laura away from the awful truth - and she has no idea who she can trust .


My Review

Successful business woman and model Laura Ayars couldn't be happier, she is married to a basketball legend and they are on their honeymoon. However, David goes out for a swim and doesn't come back, is he really dead? Laura struggled to cope with her grief and enlists the help of Davids friend to dig and see did David really die. As more questions arise, secrets from the past are threatened to be uncovered and someone will stop at nothing to make sure that doesn't happen. Lives are at stake, people will die but will Laura ever find out the truth about what happened to her husband.

This book near got a two stars from me, when you get to the crux of the matter and start to discover what has actually transpired, you need to suspend belief. Whilst the boundaries of reality are pushed to breaking it is actually written well and easy to read. I found myself signing in exasperation at times whilst still wanting to carry on and find out what happened to the characters and why some people were acting so shifty.

Overall its an ok read, one maybe for on holiday where you don't have to put much effort into thinking about it. 3/5 for me this time, I have more Harlan Coben to read, more recent and very different to this which, he does admit isn't his best work and from decades ago but still worth a wee read I would say although don't judge his recent works on the strength of this one.

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