Guilty Mothers

She lies on the floor, her blue eyes wide and unseeing, arms outstretched as if begging for help. Kneeling next to her, wearing a sequinned purple ballgown and holding a knife in shaking hands, is her daughter… In a quiet kitchen, where two mugs wait by the kettle to be filled, Sheryl Hawne lies in a pool of blood. Her only daughter, Katie, is found at her side, still clutching the murder weapon and apparently incapable of speech. To Detective Kim Stone, the case seems open and shut. But Katie is in no state to be questioned, so Kim and the team must dig deep to understand what triggered this brutal act. Soon, they learn that Katie participated in beauty pageants as a child, and her mother kept a shrine to her achievements. As Kim gazes at the golden trophies and shiny rosettes, she is forced to wonder if this was what set Katie on the path to murder… But then Kim receives a shocking call. Another woman is dead. And with Katie safely locked up, she cannot be the killer. The second victim also entered her daughter in pageants, and a broken tiara is found thrust down her throat. Someone clearly feels that these mothers are guilty – and that they deserve to die. Forcing back the memories of her own monstrous mother, Kim vows to find justice for these women, no matter what pain they caused. Now more than a day behind their killer, Kim races to learn more about a competitive world where appearances are everything and mothers will go to any lengths to ensure their daughters triumph. Buried somewhere in this dark past is the key to unlocking the case… but will Kim be able to find it before another family is destroyed forever? The twentieth book in the international, multi-million-copy bestselling series, Guilty Mothers will have you glued to the pages. Fans of Karin Slaughter, Val McDermid and Robert Dugoni will devour this gripping crime thriller. Can be read as a standalone. See what everyone is saying about the Detective Kim Stone series: ‘OMG!!! SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO US ANGELA!!!! JUST WOW!!!! Seriously love, love LOVED this book!!!!… I was on the edge of my seat, biting my nails whilst feeling my heart pounding into the silly hours of the morning… one of the best books I have ever read!!!! An absolute MUST READ!!!’ Bookworm86, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘WHY DO I DO IT TO MYSELF EVERY TIME????? Why can’t I just be a sensible reader and savour every sentence, why do I have to halt the universe, sit in a quiet room, mute the kids and hubby and devour it in one sitting???’ Bookreviewercakemaker, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘OMG! OMG! OMG! Angela Marsons what on earth have you done to me?!… I’m completely out of words to describe this. Just OMG! Wow! Speechless!… Utterly amazing.’ Rachel’s Random Reads, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The jack, queen, king and ace of crime fiction… you can’t stop reading it until the fantastic ending… Another mesmerizing and riveting read! I find it insulting to even rate it giving between one to five stars, because how many stars should you give to the sun?’ The World Is Ours to Read, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘OH. MY. GOD!!!!!!… It hits you right in the face from the first page to the last, bang! – cliff-hanger; bang! – twist; BANG!! – ANOTHER jaw-dropping moment… fast, chilling and thrilling… quite simply perfect.’ Emma the Little Book Worm, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I love Kim Stone!!… I must admit I did make a little squeak of excitement when I read it!… gripping, thrilling… I was hooked from the very first page! The Queen of Crime has done it again! Fab, fab, fab!!!’ Stardust Book Reviews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Absolutely BRILLIANT!!!… Love, love, love this book!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐