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Colin Ward
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To Die For (Detective Mike Stone Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Colin Ward (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 out of 5 stars 67 ratings

Are shadows of a past fuelled by hate becoming the dark echoes of his future?


WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO SEE? When a woman’s body is discovered posed in a grotesque tableau, DI Mike Stone knows he is not looking at a textbook crime of passion or circumstance.

HOW FAR WILL YOU HAVE TO GO? Everything about the scene says it is only the brutal beginning of a killer’s dark story about to stampede its way through the centre of Birmingham.

WHAT IS WAITING FOR YOU AT THE END? DI Stone soon finds himself at the centre of an investigation spiralling out of control, threatening to spill blood in his personal life.
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  1. Book 1 of 2
    Detective Mike Stone
  2. Print length
    427 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    July 28, 2017
  6. File size
    1.8 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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There are 2 books in this series.
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B074D189QJ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ In As Many Words
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 28, 2017
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.8 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 427 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1999808907
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 2 ‏ : ‎ Detective Mike Stone
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 67 ratings

About the author

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Colin Ward

Colin Ward

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Colin has been writing for over twenty-five years in wide range of forms and styles and has self-published a number of titles. His debut novel "To Die For" was first published in 2017 and was followed by two poetry collections over the following year. The publication of his play "No Smoke", which gained high praise from BAFTA winner Geoff Thompson, was also published in 2018. The second novel in his DI Mike Stone trilogy, "Innocent Lies," was published in 2021 and brought a new cover To Die For.

Simon Kernick, Mark Billingham, Michael Robotham are a few of his original inspirations, but he now enjoys a wide range of authors. This is especially true of his taste for Scottish Crime, especially when listening to audiobooks.

Independent writing is still where Colin likes to focus and he supports fellow indie authors with formatting, design and publication of their own books.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
67 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book to be an all-absorbing police procedural set in Birmingham, with well-developed characters. They appreciate its readability, with one customer noting how it draws readers in from the first page.

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PacingCharacter developmentReadability
4 customers mention "Pacing"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the pacing of the book, describing it as an all-absorbing police procedural that keeps readers engaged throughout.

"This book will suck you in from the first page! The prologue is terrifyingly captivating and it doesn't let up until the very end!..." Read more

"...It is a first rate, straightforward, police procedural set in Birmingham, England, and peopled by well-developed characters, led by DI Mike Stone...." Read more

"This is a very good mystery book. It has good characters and is exciting right to the end. I definitely recommend it." Read more

"Great crime novel!..." Read more

3 customers mention "Character development"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the well-developed characters in the book, with one review specifically mentioning DI Mike Stone as the main character.

"...The characters are well developed, the author's use of descriptive language is superlative...." Read more

"...police procedural set in Birmingham, England, and peopled by well-developed characters, led by DI Mike Stone...." Read more

"This is a very good mystery book. It has good characters and is exciting right to the end. I definitely recommend it." Read more

3 customers mention "Readability"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable, with one mentioning it draws readers in from the first page.

"This book will suck you in from the first page! The prologue is terrifyingly captivating and it doesn't let up until the very end!..." Read more

"Crime fiction is usually not my genre, but I really enjoyed this book...." Read more

"Great Book..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Nate
    5.0 out of 5 stars Heart pounding, stay-up-all-night-to-finish book!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2018
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This book will suck you in from the first page! The prologue is terrifyingly captivating and it doesn't let up until the very end!
    There are two threads throughout the book. One being an all absorbing police procedural, the other, a bone-chilling thriller. The characters are well developed, the author's use of descriptive language is superlative. The main character is DI Mike Stone; he is complex, intuitive, relatable and likeable.

    This is seriously the best book I have read this year. I stayed up way too late, unable to put it down. I will admit, my house was dark and quiet, I was the only one up in the wee hours of the morning, reading and I was looking over my shoulder, jumping at every little noise. That's how this book has you in it's clutches. I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more from this talented author!
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  • London Lass
    4.0 out of 5 stars Secrets, guilt and a serial killer.
    Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2017
    Format: Kindle
    British policeman DI Mike Stone doesn't usually let the secrets and guilt of his past get to him. But when a serial killer starts to target the people he loves, he's forced to examine his own motives just as much as the murderer's. This is a gripping story set in Birmingham, and at £1.99 for the Kindle version, something of a bargain.
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  • Dianne
    5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating Police Procedural
    Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2018
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    To Die For is, in a sense, two books in one. It is a first rate, straightforward, police procedural set in Birmingham, England, and peopled by well-developed characters, led by DI Mike Stone. He is a maverick, a cerebral cop, who engenders loyalty among his team in the search for a violent killer. His relationships with pathologist, Reg Walker, and Chief Superintendent Carter, as well, add depth to the story line. He is one likable man. While this story line is moving forward, it is interspersed with chapters headed, "The Boy." This is the second book, if you will, which is a psychological thriller. It begins the book with a bang, and tension continues through this thread of a nameless boy being hunted by who knows whom? The two stories progress side by side until they intersect near the end. This is done very well, and the ending is satisfyingly complicated and reasonable. The fact that the violence portrayed is the result of violent acts and not the acts themselves shows some subtlety and restraint on the part of Mr. Ward. I appreciate that. This appears to be the only book featuring Mike Stone. I certainly hope this is just the beginning of our reading relationship!
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  • Brendan Greenwood
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great crime novel!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Crime fiction is usually not my genre, but I really enjoyed this book. The main character is just flawed enough that I was annoyed with him at times, which is something I enjoy. The pace was solid, with just enough clues to make you think you might know who the culprit was. Overall, very enjoyable read!
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book
    Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This is a very good mystery book. It has good characters and is exciting right to the end. I definitely recommend it.
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  • Bahamamama
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fast paced, violent, and disturbing, in all the right ways!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2018
    Format: Kindle
    I honestly do not know where to start. This book was everything you could ask for in a crime thriller. It was fast paced, violent, and disturbing, in all the right ways. I was pulled in on the very first page and it did not let me go until the very last page. Once I found the time to read I could not stop, it completely consumed me. I had to know “who?” “why?” “what happens next?” This book kept me on the edge of my seat, I was cringing at each crime scene (seriously, my kids kept asking me “why are you making that face?” haha). Then once I thought I had the plot all figured out *BAM* an amazing twist that I never saw coming! As for the main character, DI Mike Stone, he was passionate, complex, flawed, yet completely relatable. This was one of the best books I’ve read in 2018. It was the book that got me out of a nasty reading slump I’d been in lately. I cannot wait to read more DI Mike Stone novels.
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  • J R
    5.0 out of 5 stars Colin Wards book TO DIE FOR is a treat for ...
    Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2018
    Format: Paperback
    Colin Wards book TO DIE FOR is a treat for lovers of detective fiction loaded with action thriller and psychological behaviors that relate to todays world detectives and describes how one detective must uncover the truth while maintaining his own composure. I can only describe the the romp through the varied settings from start to finish as surreal with descriptive landscape he brings to reality . Being in the United States I found the
    the genre, setting, and main character of this novel to bring to mind life in another country as well as the character of the characters in the book is loaded with critical thinking , emergency response to certain situations and ends ..... well I'll let you find out how it ends. Order this book it delivers the distraction readers look for that keeps them amused.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Suzanne
    4.0 out of 5 stars Loved it
    Reviewed in Australia on October 26, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    All the way through I couldn't work out who the boy was and his connection to the main character. Just had to keep reading, what a great ending! I hope the author brings out another book.
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  • ScotttheReader
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fast-paced
    Reviewed in Canada on October 24, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    A fast-paced and action-packed novel, To Die For keeps you guessing the whole way. The pacing is consistent, as are the characters. The book is well-written with a good balance of dialogue and description, without falling into too many exposition traps. Certainly an entertaining read and a good setup for a series. To Die For is definitely worth it for mystery/police thriller fans.
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  • Anita H
    5.0 out of 5 stars Keeps you enthralled until the end
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 10, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I loved this book. The writing is obviously well researched and you are drawn into Mike Stone’s story from the very first page. The side story of the boy draws you through the book without giving you the answer to his involvement until Colin expertly reveals it.
    The crime scenes are graphic, but essential to the plot and, although they may make the reader wince while they read, they draw a picture that only makes you feel for Mike and the situation he has found himself in.
    The greatest skill of Colin Ward’s writing is that he draws you in and holds your attention until the very last word. I am really looking forward to the next book in the Mike Stone series.
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  • film and theatre buff
    5.0 out of 5 stars A cracking good read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 12, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Colin Ward's debut novel is a fast paced police thriller. Its very well researched, and there are some seriously gruesome crime scenes which would make even lovers of Scandinavian crime stories wince. If you like TV's 'Line of Duty' where the action is fast, and storylines take unexpected turns then you'll enjoy 'To Die For'.
    There is plenty to keep you guessing and when the story reaches its climax you'll find yourself turning the pages fast.
    Detective Inspector Mike Stone, DS Bolton, and DC Kahn are well drawn characters who could easily be the subject of a series of novels. If there is a sequel I will certainly buy it.
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  • Bill
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good crime thriller!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 28, 2018
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This is a fast paced crime thriller which I read in just two sittings as it was a real page turner. I liked all the characters but especially Mike Stone, the lead detective, which is always an important element in my enjoyment of a book. A series of grisly murders have been carried out and Stone comes to realize they are somehow connected to him personally. The author does a good job of keeping up a relentless pace to the story as Stone hunts down the killer. There are good twists in the plot leading to a climatic ending and revelation. An excellent first novel and I look forward to reading more by this author.
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