5 Stars from me!

I am delighted and honoured to be part of the Blog Tour for The Hangman’s Hold – particularly as I am enjoying the Matilda Darke series so very much. I recently had the privilege of asking Michael Wood a few questions about himself and his writing style, see here for my Interview with the Author, Michael Wood.

A rich and diverse group of characters makes The Hangman’s Hold a thoroughly engaging read which will keep you on your toes. If you are a fan of crime thrillers and ‘enjoy a good murder’, you will also love this series from @MichaelhWood and I highly recommend that you go back to the beginning and read the books in order. This is the best way for you to understand the complexities of Matilda’s character and pick up the subtle nuances and peculiarities of the relationships within her team.

I’ve been with Matilda since the beginning and truly love these books, she sits firmly on my shelf among novels by Mark Billingham, Stuart MacBride, Simon Kernick, Alison Bruce, Lisa Hall, Jane Isaac, Ann Cleaves, Peter James, Helen Cadbury, Sarah Ward and Linwood Barclay – to name but a few.

In The Hangman’s Hold, DCI Matilda Darke and her team seem to be right in the middle of the focus from a smart but provocative killer who knows exactly how, when and where to locate victims; ready to lie in wait and deliver their own form of justice. The concept of this is dark and unsettling. The police team struggle to find forensic evidence and the killer continually taunts Matilda and local journalist, Danny Hansen. Will Danny’s naivety turn out to be his downfall, or is he somehow involved?

Like Matilda, I felt immediately drawn into the case as soon as her wonderful friend Adele became close to the first victim and potentially at risk herself. I felt so sorry for Adele, who very much deserved to meet a wonderful date, yet not only is her beau murdered but he then turns out to have a somewhat murky past – how can she reconcile herself to having enjoyed his company? How will she learn to trust again after this? Fortunately, Matilda is there for her (it’s nice to see Matilda supporting Adele for a change) and the friendship between these two ladies is enviable.

With a mounting body count, Matilda finds herself appointed with a profiler who muddles her thinking with his strong resemblance to her beloved deceased husband. This leads to her fighting her own demons amid a growing pressure to solve the case as she struggles with her conflicted feelings towards another man – albeit one her reminds her so much of James. This is such a well articulated thread throughout the books and forms part of what makes Matilda so real, vulnerable and relatable.

Tension builds once the profiler suggests that the killer may be someone Matilda knows which leads to mistrust and defensiveness with Matilda’s team and is a sublime demonstration of the destructiveness of paranoia as her team second guess themselves and each other. How can you work together as a team if you don’t trust your colleagues to have your back.

‘Taking the law into your own hands’ is another excellent thread through this book and it shines a light upon society and the way we are all so quick to label and the judge. The repercussions of which can be catastrophic. It made me stop and think about the loved ones and families of the accused/convicted as they are often the ones who are left picking up the pieces and the impact upon the lives of wives, mothers, fathers, children and even distant relations can be immense. Stop and think for a minute, if someone close to you was convicted of a hideous crime how fast do you think your own life would unravel?

Without giving away any spoilers… I am very much looking forward to the next book!

Synopsis:

Your life is in his hands.In the gripping new serial killer thriller from Michael Wood, Matilda Darke faces a vicious killer pursuing his own brand of lethal justice. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons and Helen Fields.

There’s a killer in your house.
The Hangman waits in the darkness of your living room. As soon as you get home, he will kill you – hang you by the neck – and make you pay for all the crimes you have tried desperately to forget.

He knows your darkest secrets.
The police are running out of time. DCI Matilda Darke is facing her worst nightmare: a serial killer pursuing his own brand of lethal justice, whose campaign of violence is spreading fear throughout the city.

And he is closer than you think.
As the body count rises, Matilda is personally targeted and even her most trusted colleagues fall under suspicion. But can she keep those closest to her from harm? Or is it already too late?

I’ve only recently read the Matilda Darke Series despite having it on my tbr for what feels like forever and I’m kicking myself that I didn’t pick them up sooner as I love them! So when I saw that the 4th book was about to come out, I knew I had to pick it up! Again, this obviously follows Matilda Darke who is a DCI in South Yorkshire police and is based in Sheffield.
The plot of this was very interesting as it followed a vigilante serial killer who is targeting people who have been in prison or some other form of punishment and served their time and are now out living their lives. It was a really interesting look into the vigilante killings as we also got to see a chapter told from the perspective of the victims prior to their death. There were some victims that had families who had no idea what they’d do previously and others whose families knew and had chosen to forgive them for their past actions.
As always, things don’t go smoothly for Matilda and her best friend Adele even gets dragged into the all the problems this time round. One of the things I love about the Matilda Darke series is that Michael Wood always seems to get the right balance between showing us the actual crime plot of the book and also Matilda’s life and the other members of her team. In Hangman’s Hold, we see Adele, Chris and Matilda all training for a half marathon that they’re running and get to see Matilda battle her feelings when she finds someone who she finds attractive. It would also appear that the killer in this book is also targeting Matilda which was yet another thing to add onto her plate to deal with. I really feel for Matilda; she’s quite a relatable character and is flawed but in ways you can relate to as she suffers from anxiety and also has internal dialogues about her weight and what’s going on in her life which I enjoy hearing.
I would definitely recommend picking this up if you’re a crime fiction fan and it’s definitely worth picking this up if you’ve read the other Matilda Darke books. This can be read as a standalone so if the other plots in the Darke series haven’t intrigued you, then rest assured you could just pick this up! There are events and things that have happened in previous books mentioned, but they do get mentioned with some background information, so you know the context and what happened previously.
Overall, I highly recommend Hangman’s Hold; make sure you make time to read it as Michael Wood’s books are so gripping and suspenseful you won’t be able to put them down!

Another cracking book in the Matilda darke series. Inventive plot with tightly written prose and believable characters.

This series just gets better and bettered

I have been a fan of the DCI Matilda Darke series since I read the first book ‘For Reasons Unknown’. I have loved each and every book of the series so far. I (im)patiently wait for each new episode/ instalment and I eagerly devour each new book as soon as it is released. Imagine my happy dance when I managed to get my hands on a copy of ‘The Hangman’s Hold’. On second thoughts best not. Anyway back to the book. I absolutely loved reading ‘The Hangman’s Hold’ but more about that in a bit.
DCI Matilda Darke has to be one of my most favourite female lead detectives of all time. She is one feisty and determined woman, who leads from the front and she takes no crap. I would love to have worked for her. She supports each member of the team but if they have made a big mistake or boo boo then she doesn’t hesitate to let them know. In a way she is a like a mother hen and her team are her chicks. She feels protective of them all. Matilda does her fair share of the workload and she doesn’t ask anybody to do anything that she wouldn’t be willing to do herself. In fact on more than one occasion she has placed herself in danger whilst investigating a crime, rather than put a member of her team in danger. Matilda’s career is overshadowed by a kidnapping which happened a couple of years ago. A young boy was kidnapped and a botched ransom drop off led to the kidnappers taking flight and nothing has been heard of or from the kidnappers to this day. The little lad who was kidnapped has not yet been found. Matilda was the police officer who was to make the drop off but there was a mix up and she went to the wrong place. Nobody, but nobody is harder on Matilda than she is on herself. She carries the weight of her mistake with her and she never lets herself forget what happened. At the time of the ransom drop off, Matilda was suffering from grief from the loss of her much loved husband, who died from a rare cancerous tumour. Matilda deeply misses her husband and she hasn’t allowed herself to move on. She thinks that if she moves on, she will be betraying the memory of her husband and she doesn’t want to move on. ‘The Hangman’s Hold’ sees Matilda contemplating a new chapter in her life and moving on from the loss of her husband. Matilda and her team also have to investigate a series of killings by the self styled ‘Hangman’. Will Matilda and her team solve the case and apprehend the killer before any further lives are lost? Will Matilda survive the case? Will Matilda move on in her personal life and will she find happiness? Well for the answers to these questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Bloody, bloody hell ‘The Hangman’s Hold’ is one action packed, heart stopping, blood pressure increasing, adrenaline causing rollercoaster ride of a read. The story hits the ground running and maintains the pace throughout. ‘The Hangman’s Hold’ is brilliantly written. The author’s writing style is such that you can’t fail to be drawn into the story from the first word on the first page and before you know it you are addicted to the book. At least that’s what happened to me. Bloody hell, I was in constant need of my next fix of the book. If I had to put the book down, then I would count down the time until I could pick it up again. It’s fair to say that I was an addict in need of my next fix. For me ‘The Hangman’s Hold’ really is a ‘CPID’ (can’t put it down) book. My Kindle wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it came everywhere with me. The time I spent reading ‘The Hangman’s Hold’ just seemed to fly past in a blur and before I knew what was happening, I was disappointed to realise that I had finished the book. The story, the characters and the author’s writing style were so blinking well fantastic that I just had to keep reading.
Bloody hell, ‘The Hangman’s Hold’ is certainly one of those books that made me think and have an internal debate with myself over whether or not I wanted ‘The Hangman’ to be caught. I don’t want to type too much about the nature of the crimes that led to ‘The Hangman’ carrying out his own form of justice because that would give far too much way. What I will say is that the first three victims of ‘The Hangman’ in a way reaped what they sowed and I certainly wasn’t going to shed tears over their deaths.
In short I absolutely, totally and utterly flipping well loved reading ‘The Hangman’s Hold’ and it’s my favourite book of the series so far. In fact the DCI Matilda Darke series just keeps getting better and better. Each of Michael’s books have stayed fresh in my mind for different reasons and will stay with me for a hell of a long time to come. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 5* out of 5*.

The Hangman’s Hold (DCI Matilda Darke Series, Book 4)
by Michael Wood (Goodreads Author)
30817744
Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* Jones's review Aug 31, 2018 · edit
really liked it
bookshelves: 2018, netgalley-arc, new-to-me-author, 4-star, contemporary-fiction, crime, detective-fiction, murder-mystery, police-procedural, suspense, series

EXCERPT: 'Chris?' she called out to the dark, silent house. 'Chris, are you home?'

She kicked off her expensive but painful shoes and sighed with relief. She headed for the kitchen when a dull thud from the living room caused her to stop in her tracks. There was someone in her house. If Chris was home, he would have made himself known by now.

She turned and studied the door. Her eyes were locked on the handle, as if waiting for it to be pushed down from the other side. She grabbed it, and opened the door carefully.

Adele opened it wide enough to put her arm through and flick on the living room light. The yellow glow made her squint. She listened intently but couldn't hear anything from the other side of the door. She pushed it fully open and froze in horror.

'Who the bloody hell are you?' she asked.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: Your life is in his hands.

In the gripping new serial killer thriller from Michael Wood, Matilda Darke faces a vicious killer pursuing his own brand of lethal justice. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons and Helen Fields.

There’s a killer in your house.
The Hangman waits in the darkness.

He knows your darkest secrets.
He’ll make you pay for all the crimes you have tried desperately to forget.

And he is closer than you think.

DCI Matilda Darke is running out of time. Fear is spreading throughout the city. As the body count rises, Matilda is targeted and her most trusted colleagues fall under suspicion. But can she keep those closest to her from harm? Or is it already too late?

MY THOUGHTS: I have picked up this series on book #4, which has in no way diminished my enjoyment. The Hangman’s Hold can easily be read as a stand-alone, as plenty of background is supplied where needed.

How refreshing to have a lead female police officer who is not an alcoholic, into kinky sex practices, or generally screwed up. Don't get me wrong, she has issues. Her husband, James, has died and she is bereft. She also has an unsolved case that haunts her. She battles with both these things. But she has a good friend, and good relationships with her older team members. She is strong in some areas, yet vulnerable in others. An interesting character whose loyalties are tested in this book.

The plot moves at a good pace. There are plenty of twists, turns and red herrings. My suspicions veered from one character to another. There are plenty of surprises, and a few jaw-dropping OMG! moments. This is a series I am going to read more of.

😍😍😍😍.5

THE AUTHOR: Before he became an author, Michael Wood used to serve as a journalist and a proofreader. Wood resides in Sheffield, Yorkshire. For Unknown Reasons was Michael Wood’s debut novel, which was published in the year 2015. HarperCollins published the second installment, Outside Looking In in the 2016.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Impulse and Killer Reads via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Hangman’s Hold by Michael Wood for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.

This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com. https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

Having loved the three previous novels in the DCI Matilda Darke series by Michael Wood and being an ardent #TeamDarke member I couldn't wait to get stuck into book four, The Hangman's Hold. This book could be read as a standalone but personally I'd recommend you read them all - why deny yourself the pleasure of getting to know Matilda and her team?

Michael Wood has gone really dark in The Hangman's Hold and poor Matilda's fragile mental strength is certainly pushed to its limits. There is a serial killer who appears to be carrying out murders in the manner of a vigilante, unhappy with how the victims have seemingly got away with crimes they decide to deal with them in the old fashioned way of hanging. Matilda and her team are being pushed from every angle, superiors, the press and even the killer, and it's clear that not everyone disagrees with the killer's reasoning. Matilda struggles to keep her team focused at times and it was upsetting to see cracks in what has always been a great working relationship between them all.

It was interesting to see a possible love interest on the scene for Matilda, I'd like to think she deserves a little dose of happiness (especially after the events in The Hangman's Hold). I love the friendship element that has run through this series and watching the team grow closer and probably heavier after indulging in Sian's treat drawer!

There are some truly horrific scenes in this book, it's definitely not for the faint hearted! My heart rate must have been through the roof at certain points and just when you think you can't take anymore...BAM..another gut punch of a reveal. Speaking of reveals there's an absolute humdinger but I'll let you discover that for yourself.....

All the stars for The Hangman's Hold and bring on book five!!

THE HANGMAN'S HOLD (DCI Matilda Darke #4)
By Michael Wood

This was my very first time reading this engrossing and captivating series. I am not sure if these have to be read in order or not since description's of other cases are told. After I read the other three I will come back and update my review. In Sheffield there is a serial killer who targets criminals whom some have already served prison time. He is dubbed the name of Hang Man because he kills his victim's by hanging them from the neck. He is very cunning and sophisticated and at first I wasn't sure how he knew who committed what crime because they weren't all made public knowledge. He is patient and he could be waiting in a dark room of your house. This was very creepy.

DCI Matilda Dark is a completely likable character whose vulnerabilities and flaws made her all the more real. Her best friend and colleague the medical examiner goes out on a date with a man named Brian who is hiding his criminal past. It is not ruled a suicide but a murder by the serial killer. Michael Wood explores the theme of vigilante and never tells us if it is right or wrong but leaves it up to the reader to ponder. The Hangman contacts Matilda Darke and taunts her and her boss tells her not to reply. He also contacts a reporter with details that are fed to the media. The reporter is ambitious and before long everybody is a suspect.

When a group attacks an innocent person and beats them in the name of make them pay who made them judge, jury and executioner? This theme is heavily explored. The heartbreaking position a family that's related to a criminal is explored. Those who love crime procedural's featuring serial killers will love this seriees.

Thank you to Net Galley, Michael Wood and Killer Read's for providing me with my digital copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book is the fourth in the DCI Matilda Darke series and was an absolute pleasure to read and review. The story features a merciless serial killer with an agenda that makes perfect sense to him but takes our detective heroine a little longer to figure out. At first it seems to be a case of vigilante revenge but then the case turns darker and becomes closer to home. The book refers to previous events and these are well explained although I always prefer to have read the books in order and got to know the characters better. There are plenty of twists in the story with several good suspects, all leading to a fast and thrilling ending which kept me totally engrossed right to the end. Loved it! Highly recommended!

Well now. If you are looking for a crime thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat and holding your breath more often than is necessarily healthy, you could do a lot worse than to grab yourself a copy of The Hangman's Hold. This is only the second book in this series I have read but I am liking it more and more with each turn of the page (or in my case, touch of the kindle). With Mathilda Darke, Michael Wood has created a protagonist who is equal parts fierce and vulnerable. One hundred percent dedicated to her job and her team, she has her own demons, some of which appear determined to come back to haunt with her a vengeance throughout her latest case. 

Now it is safe to say that this latest case facing Mathilda and Co is one which leaves somewhat mixed emotions amongst them all. On one hand they are faced with a brutal killer, one who is dispensing their own brand of justice, a kind of re-emergence of capital punishment as it were, but just who - or what - their victims are, remains to be discovered. The first victim brings the case very close to home for Mathilda, its impact felt by one of her closest friends, but as the case unfolds, the killer seems hell bent on making this even more personal, leaving Mathilda to wonder if she could be their next victim.

I thoroughly enjoyed this latest foray into Mathilda's world. She is a character I liked instantly from the first introduction in A Room Full Of Killers and reacquainting myself with the team this time around was like greeting old friends. There are some new faces amongst them, some folk who are somewhat less agreeable than Mathilda's key team, but also some old faces who come back into focus to keep the action sharp, the tension high and the list of suspects delightfully long. Michael Wood has created such a diverse and yet perfectly complimentary team, that you cannot help but like them, the camaraderie and the banter, as well as the dedication they show to their jobs. But Mathilda is without question the stand out amongst them all. She is hurt, haunted even, and she is most definitely put through the ringer on this occasion, but she is quite formidable and not to be broken, no matter how close she comes. You cannot help but like her.

As for the story - well this one will play with both your emotions and your sense of morality. Can vigilante justice ever be acceptable? Is there a line which should not be crossed or if a victim is of questionable virtue, does the end justify the means? Certainly the author has done a brilliant job of creating the victim back story to make you understand why they may have been chosen, but ultimately also showing their present reality and overwhelming humanity so that, no matter what, you cannot help but feel sympathy for them as victims. And yet there is still that element of conflict, morally speaking, which is echoed in the story and the sentiments of the Officers tasked with finding them all justice.

This is a proper cat and mouse chase, with the killer taunting the police, not just through the blatant threats to Mathilda, but also by engaging with the media to get their story out there. It raises the stakes for the police and also increases the tension, so skilfully crafted through a very tight writing style. Pacing ebbs and flows like the tide, changing as circumstance and story dictate, but all driving me as a reader towards the highly volatile and breath-stealing conclusion. But beyond the drama, the murders and the thrill of the chase, the book takes a look at not just the killer's ultimate victims, but their extended family who are victims themselves, giving it an emotional edge beyond that of simple thriller. There is also an element of Mathilda's story coming full circle in this book, with names from her past brought to the fore in a devastating clash with her present. 

There are just so many things I want to say about this book but some of them fall into spoiler territory, if not for this book then its predecessors, so really you are going to have to read it for yourselves and then we can talk. Trust me when I say that you really want to. From the very beginning this book drew me in, kept me focused on nothing but the story, and held me in its thrall until I turned that very last page. And what a very last page it was too. Seriously. Always a bitter sweet experience when you have really enjoyed a book, the best thing about that last page is that it promises more to come and I, for one, cannot wait.

ISBN: 978-0008311629



Published by: Killer Reads (24th August 2018)



Rating: 5*



Synopsis:



There’s a killer in your house.
The Hangman waits in the darkness of your living room. As soon as you get home, he will kill you – hang you by the neck – and make you pay for all the crimes you have tried desperately to forget.



He knows your darkest secrets.
The police are running out of time. DCI Matilda Darke is facing her worst nightmare: a serial killer pursuing his own brand of lethal justice, whose campaign of violence is spreading fear throughout the city.



And he is closer than you think.
As the body count rises, Matilda is personally targeted and even her most trusted colleagues fall under suspicion. But can she keep those closest to her from harm? Or is it already too late?



Review:

DCI Matilda Darke is such a beautifully written character. She's strong - capable of barking out orders with a ferocity that demands results, yet has a beguiling fragility as a result of the most unimaginable emotional trauma. In The Hangman's Hold, Matilda faces losing her very sanity as she and her team hunt down a vigilante serial killer who has decided to take matters into their own hands.



This is an intriguing book that grabbed my attention from the outset. The Hangman character is utterly creepy and made me feel uneasy enough to look over my shoulder as I read, but at the same time I felt compelled to keep reading to find out what they would do next! There are many personal and professional relationships within the police team that get tested to the max when the elusive killer seems to be out of their grasp. With more twists and turns than a hangman's noose, this novel also really made me think. When is a crime paid for?



Michael Wood has managed to squeeze all the elements needed for a brilliant crime novel into a truly engrossing read. DCI Matilda Darke is fast becoming one of my favourite characters because she is just so real. I'd like to thank the author, Harper Impulse, Killer Reads and Netgalley for providing an ARC. This is my unbiased review.

You’re all reading this series, right? If not, you should be! It’s one of the best ones out there and it deserves a lot more attention than it’s getting!

The Hangman’s Hold is the fourth instalment in the DCI Matilda Darke series, a series which is going from strength to strength and I have no qualms whatsoever in saying this is the best one yet. Quite frankly, I didn’t expect that because the previous book, A Room Full of Killers was so utterly mind-blowing that I didn’t think Michael Wood could top that. I apologise for underestimating you, sir.

So, we meet the Hangman. He’s a vigilante serial killer with an ax to grind and the race is on to catch him from selecting another victim. The victims have been chosen for a reason and are hanged by the neck to pay for crimes they’ve committed in the past. This is where I found myself in the very strange position of almost sympathising with the killer’s reasoning. Because really, does the punishment always fit the crime? I think not.

Busy as the killer may be, they do also find the time to taunt Matilda along the way. This causes Matilda to think they’re quite close and just like her, I couldn’t at all figure out who to trust anymore on this team I’ve grown so fond of. A team that’s struggling to sink their teeth into the investigation due to a fierce case of victim apathy and yet, again, I could sympathise with that as well as it’s all too easy to imagine. I also thoroughly enjoyed how the focus shifted away from the case and delved into the impact the crimes have on family members who are left to deal with the aftermath.

It took me a while to figure out who the hangman was as Michael Wood deftly led me in the wrong direction. This is one gripping and tense story and I was hooked from the first page to the last. On top of that, this fantastic addition to the series ends on a massive cliffhanger that is sure to have readers coming back for more! I know I am!

Hangman’s Hold is a servicable British police procedural.

DCI Matilda Darke has a problem. Someone is killing ex-convicts on her patch. Adele, Sheffield’s pathologist and Matilda’s best friend, has a worse problem. She had her first date in 20 years with the first victim, Brian, the night he was murdered. Matilda’s worst problem is someone is leaking confidential police information to a local reporter.

Although back stories from previous books in this series are alluded to within this book, the reader can start the series here. The main characters, Matilda and Adele, are convincingly portrayed as lonely middle-aged women. Most of the other detectives are not fully fleshed. This allows them to be suspects in the leaking mystery but it also makes it difficult to see their point of view.

For those looking for a good police procedural about a serial killer, Hangman’s Hold is recommended for an evening’s entertainment. 3 stars.

Thanks to the publisher, Killer Reads, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Michael Wood instantly has become one of my newly discovered favourite authors. He captured me immediately and I soon was enthralled in this book with its very likable cast of characters.
A serial killer is loose in Sheffield he is targeting individuals who he deems not sufficiently punished for their earlier crimes. He enters the victims homes when they are alone, subdues them then he hangs them execution style.
DCI Matilda Darke is the officer in charge of the inquiry and along with her team of detectives is baffled with the lack of any forensic evidence. As the body count increases the pressure from her superiors and the public is mounting.
"The Hangman" as he has been dubbed by the press uses a young journalist as his mouthpiece ensuring his crimes are well documented increasing his notoriety.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book.

This is the first book I’ve read in this series and I really enjoyed it.
DCI Matilda Darke is called when a man is found hanging in his home. Spotted by his neighbour, Matilda and her team think it’s suicide at first, but soon realise it was murder.
Not long after another person is found hanged in their home and it’s clear someone is trying to make a point as both victims had a criminal past.
Matilda soon feels threatened as the killer starts to contact her directly.
Her boss tells her to keep her distance and not reply but soon it goes beyond that.
This is a gripping read and the identity of the killer was a real surprise.
Thanks to Killer Reads and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

'The Hangman's Hold' is the fourth book in Michael Wood's highly acclaimed DCI Matilda Darke series set in the city of Sheffield. Each book in this series outdoes the last, and the overall standard just continues to get higher and higher. This one is no exception. Having read the previous installments, I would say that it is almost imperative to read them in chronological order as there is a lot of talk about past cases and references to past happenings in relation to the characters. It may well be rather perplexing otherwise.

Here, our delightful serial killer is a devious and dangerous man who expertly locates his victims and doles out his version of justice by hanging them in their own homes for crimes from their past that he believes they've not sufficiently paid for. He tells them he's their executioner but really he's more like judge, jury and executioner. He's highly intelligent and leaves no forensic evidence making him difficult to catch. How many more times will he be able to kill before they discover his identity?

Man, the premise here is spectacular, it took me literally a second of reading the synopsis before I went ahead to grab a copy! I adore thrillers such as this, those that aren't apprehensive about challenging our mindset, morals and that expertly blur the line between what is and isn't acceptable. Here, Wood not only creates an exhilarating and enthralling crime read, but tackles many deeper topics, the main one being vigilantism. You certainly get the feeling that Matilda Darke and her team aren't in any rush to find this guy. I know others got the exact same impression as I did on this topic. Could it be because they believe that the victims deserved to be punished or is the lack of desire to solve the case down to the fact that the killer so expertly walks in the shadows?

This is perfectly constructed, with flowing prose, and lots of unexpected surprises. I come across scintillating blurbs all the time, but what is different here is that Wood executes the story well. The pace starts off fairly steady with not a great deal going on, but boy do you get the shock of your life when the pace lifts, and the action becomes non-stop. I appreciated each one of the characters, most of them were likeable and affable people which worked really well against the ungodly deeds of the killer. This is devious and dark and we all know my favourite thrillers are those that are gritty. This was, to use an ol' reviewer trope we all know and love, unputdownable! I cannot wait for the next book, and will be keeping an eye out for it.

Many thanks to Harper Impulse and Killer Reads for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Thrilling plot! Kept me on the edge of my seat. This was a great story and high on my list of must reads! Highly recommend to others.

Book 4 in the Matilda Darke series and I enjoyed it very much. The action never let up from beginning to the last page. So many subjects covered in this book from friendship and death to judging others and public opinion. it packed a punch and I award it 4 stars. The last page left me desperate to read the next book in the series. This is a really good crime series from Michael Wood. Thank you Net Galley for my copy. Reviews on Goodreads and Facebook with Amazon to follow.

This is the first Matilda Drake I have read. I feel as though I should of read the other books first. The first half of the book kept mentioning past cases.
At times I was frustrated as no one seemed to be chasing down the killer. Also the main character Matilda Drake was not believable, as I am sure in the real world if any of what happened to Matilda they would definitely be taken off the case.
I have read plenty of books with the premise of a vigilante. The reasons that this killer gave for going on a murder spree in my mind were not justified. I really wanted to give this book four stars unfortunately if I had I would not be giving an honest review.
I would like to thank the author Michael Wood, Harper Impulse and Killer Reads and Net.galley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for giving an honest review.

While I liked the story I was bummed that it was the 4th one in the series. I still thought it was well written and enjoyed it immensely.

Someone in Sheffield has designated himself judge, jury, and executioner. As Michael Wood’s fourth Matilda Darke thriller, The Hangman’s Hold, begins, we see her friend, Adele Kean, having a first date with a man whom she’s met online.

Eventually, we see a man dead in his home, dangling with a hangman’s noose around his neck. Adele, a pathologist, knows this is not suicide; the man has been murdered.

This scene is repeated several times throughout the book. The victims seem to have only one thing in common: all have been guilty of killing someone, either intentionally or through negligence. Some have seen prison time; others have not. DCI Matilda Darke, her superior officer Valerie Masterson, and the team of investigating constables come to the conclusion that they are looking for a vigilante. How do they find him?

It’s bad enough that it becomes evident that they are looking for a serial killer. What makes matters worse is that someone is leaking details to the press. A young reporter, Danny Hanson, is eager to make a name for himself, and someone is anxious to help him. Apparently, too, someone is making things personal for Matilda – taunting her perhaps?

There are so very many possibilities in this story, so many red herrings. Matilda seemed clueless and at her wits end. The killer left no forensic evidence behind. The police had no idea when or where he would strike next. Who is he? He could be anyone. Could he even be one of them? With suspicions and mistrust running high, it is easy to panic and make mistakes. At this stage, any error could be tragic, even fatal.

Michael Wood does a good job building tension and weaving old, unforgotten scenarios into his plot. Ben Hale and Carl Meagan are two terrible tragedies that will forever haunt Matilda. She is still a bloody, freaking mess at times over these events, plus the death of her husband. She still struggles. We do see her slowly beginning to move on, and frankly, it’s about time. Adele, her steady, faithful friend, has battles of her own this time around, so they lean on each other. It’s a good portrayal of female friendship.

I do wish the author would develop some of the secondary recurring characters more. And while he dangled potential villains all through the book and had the killer hiding in plain sight, I felt a bit deceived by the revelation, as it wasn’t someone really obvious – which was actually the point, I guess.

Woods, of course, makes his point about vigilantism. Just because someone has done something wrong – a deed that society considers to be illegal, immoral, even evil – that should not give any person the right to take matters into his own hands, whether or not the wrongdoer has served a sentence or not. That’s what the courts are for.

While not making any excuses for his killer, he does give Matilda a few things to think about as a person in authority as well. These are things she has already questioned, as we see in other places throughout the book. Matilda Darke may have be of the more insecure, damaged protagonists I’ve read in the past few years, yet she’s really grown on me. I’m looking forward to seeing how she progresses in future books. This isn’t the best of the series, but it’s definitely worth reading. The next one promises to be a hum-dinger, at least if the final sentences of The Hangman’s Hold are an indication of what’s to come!

My thanks to NetGalley, Harper Impulse and Killer Reads, and the author for this ARC version of The Hangman’s Hold.

4 stars