The girl stared unseeing up to the blue sky. Her mouth was open, as if she was about to speak, to cry for help... but her voice had been silenced forever.

When Detective Kim Stone and her team are sent to Westerley, a forensic research facility, they discover the body of a young woman, her mouth filled with soil. But she doesn't belong there. It seems a killer has discovered the perfect cover for their crime.

Kim breaks the devastating news of Jemima's murder to her parents, who speak of a gentle soul with no enemies. Yet when Jemima's sister confides in Kim that she was afraid to leave the house, Kim is certain that Jemima knew her killer, and is determined to find this brutal murderer before he strikes again.

Scouring Jemima's crime scene, Kim finds a hairgrip, decorated with a heart cut in two. Then a second woman is attacked and left for dead, her mouth crammed with dirt, just like Jemima's. A similar hairgrip is found nearby. But when she wakes in hospital, she can't remember what happened, only the sing-song rhyme one for you and one for me.

As Kim stares into her tear-filled eyes, she vows to uncover what links the women. And when she learns they went to the same school, she knows the answers lie buried in the past. But then a third woman goes missing, and she knows time is running out. Can she find the truth before a twisted, damaged mind claims another life?

An absolutely heart-pounding mystery thriller from multi-million-copy number one bestseller Angela Marsons that will have you hooked on the Detective Kim Stone series.

Can be read as a standalone.

Read what everyone is saying about Play Dead:

'I read this book in one sitting, yes it really was that good... perfect... Utterly gripping... it's certainly going to be in my top reads... 5 stars out of 5 plus a glass of wine (to steady my nerves, after reading such a heart-pounding crime thriller).' The Book Review Café,?????

'Hooks you and reels you in... Life gets put on hold until you've finished... AMAZING... utterly fantastic.' Reading Room with a View,?????

'The best thriller I have ever read. I could hardly breathe with the suspense.' Redheaded Bookworm,?????

'Wow. Give me a minute while I catch my breath... Ingest it by any means, just make sure you do... riveting, blood-tingling, pulse-pounding... will take you on the journey that will play on your mind long after you've finished reading.' Caroline-Writes,?????

'I defy anyone to turn away from the page. I was glued to this book.' Book Addict Shaun,?????

'Wow, wow, wow, I absolutely freaking loved it... You crime book fans are seriously going to love it... I cannot recommend this book enough, it's flippin fantastic or like they say in the Black Country Supa' smashin' great read!' Chelle's Book Reviews,?????

'The best book I've read all year... spine-tingling and absolutely perfect.' The Bookshelf Blog,?????

'Wow... has blown me away!... I loved every second of this rollercoaster of a ride.' Cal Turner Reviews,?????

'READ THIS NOW... fantastic... had me hooked from the very beginning.' Blabbering About Books,?????

• We started tracking this book on March 18, 2016.
• This book was £1.99 when we started tracking it.
• The price of this book has changed 21 times in the past 3,619 days.
• The current price of this book is £0.99 last checked 7 hours ago.
• The lowest price to date was £0.99 last reached on February 12, 2026.
• This book has been £0.99 8 times since we started tracking it.
• The highest price to date was £2.99 last reached on July 31, 2025.
• This book has been £2.99 9 times since we started tracking it.
• This book is currently at its lowest price since we started tracking it.

• Crime, Thriller & MysteryCrime FictionBritish & IrishEnglish
• Crime, Thriller & MysteryCrime FictionVigilante Justice
• Crime, Thriller & MysteryCrime FictionNoir

• Publication Date: May 20, 2016
• Text-to-Speech: Disabled
• Lending: Disabled
• Print Length: 401 Pages
• File Size: 19 KB