In the darkness of a cold December morning, Detective Kim Stone steps through the doors of Halesowen Police Station. She's about to meet her team for the first time. The victim of her next case is about to meet his killer...

When the body of a young man is found beheaded and staked to the ground in a secluded area of the Clent Hills, Kim and her new squad rush to the crime scene.

Searching the victim's home, Kim discovers a little girl's bedroom and a hidden laptop. Why is his sister relieved to hear he's dead - and where is the rest of his family?

As Kim begins to unearth the dark secrets at the heart of the case, DC Stacey Woodward becomes convinced that this murder is somehow linked to a women's shelter. As a child of the care system herself, Kim knows all too well what it means to be vulnerable.

With the killer about to strike again, Kim is in deep water with a rookie squad. Inexperienced Stacey is showing signs of brilliance but struggling to hold her nerve and, while D.S. Bryant is reliable and calm, D.S. Dawson is a liability. With his home life in pieces, his volatile behaviour is already fracturing her fragile new team.

Can Kim bring Dawson in line and pull her crew together in time to catch the killer before another life is taken? This time, one of her own could be in terrible danger...

Discover where it all began for Kim and her team. An absolutely heart-stopping mystery thriller that will keep you glued to the pages, reading late into the night. Perfect for Kim Stone fans and new readers to the million-copy bestselling series.

A detective hiding dark secrets, Kim Stone will stop at nothing to protect the innocent.

Read what everyone is saying about First Blood and the Detective Kim Stone series:

'I cannot begin to tell you how god damn good it is. First Blood is so bloody brilliant and so gripping... totally blown my mind...Without a doubt one of my best reads this year leaving me with a book hangover.' Baker's Not So Secret Blog ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A great introduction to the best crime series on the shelves right now... I loved this book from cover to cover...a brilliant read which will have people turning the pages at a feverish rate. This is a second chance for those of us who follow the series to have that first meeting with Stone and the gang, and it's absolutely brilliant.' Nigel Adams Bookworm ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐