"You were not only building a team, you were building a family."
DI Kim Stone is back at West Midlands after a break and those left of her previous team are returning to work as well as coming to grips with what happened in the previous book #8 so if you have not read the series from the beginning, please do not go further in this book. I don't really feel that this can be read as a standalone. The rest of this review may give away details from previous installments.
The theme of this book is grief. People handle their emotional pain and loss in different ways, and Kim, Stacey and Bryant are no exception. In addition, they are faced with having to deal with a new officer in Dawson's place -- Penn "NotKev" who is there as replacement. Met with anger and resentment, Penn is not welcome. But they still have to work together and get the job done.
The murder case builds slowly. A doctor is found dead and shortly thereafter his son is in a fatal automobile accident. Then an elderly woman. The victims keep coming. How are they all connected and why are they being killed? As the evidence seems to magically appear leading them in the direction of a viable suspect, Bryant helps Kim Stone see that things are falling into place a bit too conveniently. Meanwhile, Stacey is looking into the disappearance of a 15-year-old girl.
Although the investigation is certainly a big part of this book, the main focus is on the psychological aspects that the characters are dealing with and we learn more about the type of person that Kim is and how she has learned to deal with her personal issues from her past. We see how strong the bond is between the team members and how they support and care for each other. Once the killer is identified and the confession explains the "why" of it all, the point is again driven home that the things that happen to you or to those you love affect you deeply and differently.
I love this series and with every book I feel as if I'm going to a family reunion when I start reading. I miss the characters while waiting for the next one in the series and can't wait to "see" them again.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review.
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