Evil Games - Angela Marsons

Reading Challenge Category: Second book in a series

Official Blurb:

The greater the evil, the deadlier the game…
When a rapist is found mutilated in a brutal attack, Detective Kim Stone and her team are called in to bring a swift resolution. But, as more vengeful killings come to light, it soon becomes clear that there is someone far more sinister at work.
With the investigation quickly gathering momentum, Kim finds herself exposed to great danger and in the sights of a lethal individual undertaking their own twisted experiment.
Up against a sociopath who seems to know her every weakness, for Detective Stone, each move she makes could be deadly. As the body count starts to mount, Kim will have to dig deeper than ever before to stop the killing. And this time - it’s personal.

My Thoughts:

Having been utterly engrossed by Angela Marsons' inaugural offering in the DI Kim Stone series, my anticipation for "Evil Games" was sky-high. The transition from the first to the second book was seamless for me, diving in as soon as I turned the last page of its predecessor. It's worth noting that "Evil Games" unfurls a distinctly different tapestry, veering into the more cerebral alleys of crime, focusing less on the visceral and more on the psychological. This shift didn't detract from the book's allure but added a layer of intricacy that I found compelling.
The tempo of the investigation in "Evil Games" might seem more measured, especially when contrasted with its forebear. This deliberate pacing, however, doesn't impede the narrative's momentum. Instead, it offers a canvas for deeper character development and a more nuanced exploration of the criminal mind. The dual investigations that DI Kim Stone navigates are a testament to Marsons' ambition to mirror the multifaceted nature of detective work. While I commend the authenticity this approach brings to the depiction of a detective's workload, I must admit that the initial crime, which the reader is thrust into midstream, felt somewhat incongruous with the overarching narrative. This subplot, though intriguing on its own, seemed to jostle for space within the story, occasionally disrupting the cohesion of the plot.
Despite this, the book's core investigation is executed with Marsons' characteristic deftness. The psychological depth she imbues in her characters—heroes and villains alike—adds a richness that is both disturbing and captivating. The antagonists Marsons crafts are not merely figures to be reviled but are presented with enough complexity to provoke a reluctant empathy or at least an understanding of their twisted rationalisations.
In conclusion, while "Evil Games" may diverge from the visceral shocks of its predecessor, it compensates with a psychological complexity that is equally gripping. The slight disjointedness brought about by the parallel crimes does little to mar the overall experience, serving instead as a reminder of the chaotic reality of police work. Angela Marsons proves once again that she is a masterful storyteller, capable of weaving intrigue and depth into the fabric of her narrative. As I eagerly anticipate embarking on the third instalment, it's clear that Marsons has not just written a good book but has further cemented her series as a must-read for fans of the crime genre.