Hugely recommended!

A really well written police procedural/psychological thriller, the author also nails the value of female friendships. Cleverly plotted with believable, three dimensional characters, it's a real page turner - I too stayed up until silly o'clock to read this in one sitting, although I failed and had to read the (very satisfactory) conclusion over a bleary eyed breakfast.

Loved the characters and the team dynamics and hope to read more involving DCI Matilda Darke (bonus points if Adele Kean and Sian Mills are also involved).

p.s. If you're a Scott and Bailey/Prime Suspect fan, this novel, hopefully the first in a series, will be right up your street.

This was a quick and entertaining read but I probably would give it 3.5 stars if I could. There are several coincidences, internal inconsistencies, and plot points that make no sense f you stop and think for 20 seconds. Obviously, I can’t discuss them without leaving spoilers so I’ll leave it at that. I will likely read at least one more in the series because the characters are interesting.

This is what the beginning of a series should be. It left me wanting more. I will definitely be getting book 2 asap.

A somewhat engaging story at the beginning, but with a predictable ending. I never really connected with the main character and while I felt some sympathy for what happened in the past, I never really warmed up to her or any of the secondary characters. (Although, I liked Sian and Rory well enough). While there were some moments that I did enjoy, most of them were just bits of dialogue added for humour and not anything really relevant to the development of the plot.

(There was one small revelation at the end that was a surprise though)

Spoiler

The brother being the true crime author was an interesting twist

Overall, the story mostly fell flat and had a rushed ending.

Loved this. Matilda is an interesting character. She really cares for her team and they are great characters too.

5 stars from me!

I really enjoyed this fabulous debut and am therefore delighted that there are others in the series to get stuck into already! Huge thanks to Michael Wood for his swift work as there are another 3 books to read :)

DCI Matilda Darke is a perfect character for our lead role, she fits the bill entirely with a disastrous recent past, disheveled appearance, low self-esteem, alcohol dependancy, loyal colleagues and moments of brilliance peppered throughout a dogged and determined pursuit of the truth.

All of the characters in the story were incredibly well defined and I have to say (in addition to Matilda) I felt a strong connection to Jonathan Harkness. He vividly came alive on the the pages and I couldn't help but be drawn to this peculiar yet endearing man. 

I can't praise this book enough and if you are a fan of detective crime thrillers which tear along at a cracking pace then you will love this book. I found the story clever (without being pretentiously complex), gripping, fast paced (without cutting corners) and incredibly hard to put down.

I can't wait to go on to the next books in the series.

Synopsis: Two murders. Twenty years. Now the killer is back for more…

A darkly compelling debut crime novel. The start of a brilliant series, perfect for fans of Stuart MacBride, Val McDermid, and James Oswald.

DCI Matilda Darke has returned to work after a nine month absence. A shadow of her former self, she is tasked with re-opening a cold case: the terrifyingly brutal murders of Miranda and Stefan Harkness. The only witness was their eleven-year-old son, Jonathan, who was too deeply traumatized to speak a word.

Then a dead body is discovered, and the investigation leads back to Matilda's case. Suddenly the past and present converge, and it seems a killer may have come back for more…

For Reasons Unknown

Chuffed to discover a brand new author and new series!

Michael Wood has a brilliant protagonist in DCI Matilda Darke.

The first book in a series set in Sheffield, we are introduced to DCI Darke who is returning to work after a forced sabbatical of nine months.

No longer head of her unit, she is put in charge of a cold case from 20 years back.

Stefan and Miranda Harkness were slashed to death in their home. The only survivor being their 11 year old son Jonathan. Jonathan is so traumatised by the events he goes mute. The older son, aged 14, is missing and and finally located 3 days later hiding out in the woods.

As Matilda reluctantly digs into the sparse information on the horrific double murders, she realises that Jonathan, now 31, is back working in Sheffield.

When a man is found beaten to death close to Jonathan's place of work, he is once again in the police spotlight.

Could the haunted Jonathan be a devious killer? Or is it someone else? What about the neighbour Maun Barrington, who has a scrapbook filled with every detail of the Harkness killing? And what is Acting DCI Ben Hales' obsession with Jonathan? A corrosive hatred that is causing him to unravel?

I listened to the audiobook while reading the ebook and loved the narrator Stephanie Beattie's take on the different characters.

And as for the characters - I immensely liked Rory Fleming, Sian Mills, Adele Kean and am looking forward to getting to know them better in the next books!

Highly recommended!

⭐⭐⭐⭐