This is a book that will really resonate with fans of the Matilda Darke series by Michael Wood. One of the key cases that has haunted Matilda throughout the course of the series is the 'one that got away', or more accurately, the one she never got back - Carl Meagan. At the start of this book we are faced with the very real prospect that Carl may have been found, something which backs up the strange calls that his mother was receiving in the previous book. But is it him, and will waiting to hear the truth distract Matilda from her very latest case, one that has eerily similar overtones to the Carl Meagan case? A young girl has gone missing, a call made to her distraught parents demanding money if they ever wish to see her again. Is history repeating itself and, if so, why choose a family who so clearly cannot afford to pay such a crippling ransom?

This book will play with your emotions. Not only because of the Carl Meagan angle, or the disappearance of the young girl, but because of all the emotional baggage that surrounds the family. With a disabled son, the parents are already stretched to the limit to ensure that he has a great life, almost to the detriment of his two sisters. Michael Wood plays this to perfection, the toll that her daughter's disappearance takes on the mother almost painful to read at times. But there is always the sense of something not being quite right in the household, a kind of edginess and undercurrent of unease that goes beyond the current circumstances. There is always a sense of mistrust between the reader and the family at the heart of the story and as much sympathy as I found being drawn out, I was wary too as were the police. In truth, this is a very dark subject matter, but expertly handled. The final reveal is gradual, the tension building all the time, and the realisation, when it comes, it is both shocking and yet also not really a surprise. I had my suspicions from the start but Michael Wood throws in a raft is suspects and possible scenarios throughout so you will probably find yourself second guessing what is really going on.

As always the character portrayal in the book was brilliant, many of them wrestling with personal circumstances and situations that take their eye off the ball a little. Matilda is especially distracted, a blossoming romance put on hold as she tries to come to terms with her emotions over the Carl Meagan case and the similarities to her new missing child case. In fact it seems like most of the team are preoccupied with affairs of the heart and that distraction puts them kind of off their game in a way that could prove deadly for more than one of them. But it is the sense of family in the books which makes them every bit as enjoyable to read as the police investigations, and at least it adds a really positive lift to a dark and fraught case. The story is packed full of emotion, both of the smiling and tear filled kind, as well as a the usual tension and action that you come to expect from the series. Although Matilda is suffering from a lot of guilt, as always, it was nice to see her finally have a few moments of happiness, even if they were only brief.

Another great case with an ending full of promise that has left me hungry for more. When's the next book due?

Oh my goodness ... that was riveting!

This is the 6th in this excellent series and although, ideally, it would be good to read them in order, this is not absolutely essential as this works as a standalone but you do miss the development of the characters and some back story relating to previous cases. However, please do not let this put you off starting the series with this one because you will so kick yourself for missing out on this excellent book and then you can go back and enjoy the rest!

This book has a strong and compelling story line BUT it's also dark and upsetting so be warned that there are some sections that are very difficult to read. The pace is perfect and I found myself racing through the chapters desperate to find out what was going to happen next. The characters are excellent and believable with DCI Darke being one of my favourite fictional characters - she is strong, sensitive, likeable, loyal but with flaws that make her sensitive and not above making mistakes; this makes her believable and plausible.

I have read some good books this year but this has got be amongst the top so far without a shadow of a doubt and I have to give a massive thank you to HarperCollinsUK / One More Chapter and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.

I cannot wait for the next one especially if that ending is anything to by!!

I would like to thank NetGallery, One More Chapter, and author Michael Wood for a free E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Before deciding on reading this book please beware of some trigger warnings: Child abuse/talk about child rape, and death of a child. While this is the sixth book in this series, it can be read as a stand alone. This was my first book that I have read in the series and I did not feel lost while reading this book. The prologue had me completely pulled into this book. This book is a well crafted thriller. The layers in which the plot was built up and revealed was well done. The pacing kept the story moving while including the key details to the mystery around the cases of both kidnappings as well as some of the ongoing investigations. This book and its characters kept my attention the entire time. The characters were solid individuals that have bonds that are deeper than just co-workers. They are caring and willing to support one another through the ups and downs of not only their professional, but also their personal lives. I appreciated the author allowing time to show these characters outside of the investigations as well as their human sides during the cases. I was really drawn to Matilda as a character. She was a strong female character that made every member of her team felt heard and important to the different cases they were working. The author did a great job of weaving some crazy twists and turns throughout this book that led the readers to a fantastic ending and screaming for more! Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be looking into reading the previous books in this series as well as looking forward to the next book.

DCI Matilda Darke is haunted by the unresolved Carl Meagan kidnap case, she still sees his face in her dreams and knows what happened is her fault. The youngster disappeared during an impossibly difficult time in her life, her focus was off and her inability to delegate a deciding factor in what happened.

Three years have passed when nine-year-old Keeley doesn't come home from school and when a ransom demand is made the memories come hurtling back for all members of her team. With two girls and a severely disabled son Keeley’s parents are stressed and overwhelmed most of the time but their world implodes when their daughter disappears.

At the same time a child walks into a police station in France saying he is the missing boy everyone's been searching for. With tension increasing, the pressure on Matilda's team becomes all encompassing and the danger to those involved in searching for Keeley becomes deadly. Can she find the little girl alive as well as keep up to date on what is happening in France and ensure her colleagues safely? With her confidence deserting her for the first time she begins to doubt she can.

Once again Michael Wood has written an excellent, tension filled novel which is both exciting and breathtaking. Matilda is a sympathetically written main protagonist and those that work with her compliment this. The story reaches a conclusion with no one spared from the fast paced rush toward a denouement which I found to be wholly satisfying.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it as a worthy addition to a first class series which can be read as a standaone. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Another Matilda Drake masterpiece. House of Corrections was well written and the characters were thoroughly believable. There were so many twists and turns that I didn't want to put it down.
Well done Michael Wood, I am looking forward to the next in the series.
Thank you Michael Wood, Netgalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for giving me the opportunity to give my unbiased opinion.

I am back in Sheffield for the next in the DI Matilda Darke series and in my opinion the best one yet. The Armatige family are the focus. Nine year olds Keely is missing. The mother gets a phone call demanding a ransom for the return of her daughter. When the arranged time for the handover has been and gone Matilda realises it was a hoax, so where is Keely? I thought I knew what to expect when I started reading. But nothing prepared me for what unfolds. Once I started reading this book it was very hard to put down, just another chapter then I will get up. It didn't happen. Yes this book is that good. A real page turner and at times I could not believe what I was reading. As for the ending well I just need the next book now !!!!!
Thanks to Harper Collins UK and One More Chapter and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

Wow, a brilliant 5⭐️ Read from Michael Wood. Matilda Darke is back in book 6 of this brilliant series set in Sheffield. A young boy turns up at a police station in France claiming to be Carl Meagan a boy who had gone missing four years earlier. Matilda had worked that case, she felt she had failed the family and blamed herself that he was still missing. So when the information comes through that this could be Carl she is at first elated but then worried in case it’s not him. But then a 9 year old Keeley Armitage goes missing whilst out shopping after school with her sister, when the family get a phone call asking for £50,000 in exchange for Keeley everyone who knows the Meagan case can’t help but think of similarities.

Matilda is determined to solve this one though, she can’t face going through the same thing again. So many memories are brought back from that first case, putting added pressure on Matilda, which isn’t helped by a local newspaper reporter who enjoys raking up the past in the hope of getting a story that will help him make it in the reporting world.

But are the two cases linked? Who would ask a family who are struggling financially to pay out that sort of money? As the team investigates the tension builds. This is a brilliantly written, suspenseful read, fast paced, with lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. I started this in the morning and could not put it down until I had finished it. The characters are believable, relatable and three dimensional.

I would highly recommend this book, even if you haven’t read any of the earlier books in this series this is easily readable as a stand-alone novel. I can’t wait for book 7 in the series.

I would like to thank #netgalley and #HarperCollinsUK for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

This is an awesome series and I was so happy to get my hands on this latest instalment. DCI Matilda Darke has to battle her personal demons when 9 year old Keeley Armitage goes missing. Four years earlier a bungled ransom drop resulted in another kidnapped child, Carl Meagan, not being returned to his family. Matilda still feels incredible guilt over this and vows to find Keeley. It doesn’t help that the media crucified her over the previous case and comparisons will inevitably be drawn.

A ransom demand of £50,000 is made but this is very strange as the family does not have any spare funds. What they have is spent on care and equipment for their severely disabled 4 year old son. Meanwhile the police tear apart the lives of the Armitage family and look for suspects among known paedophiles. Everyone who knows the family is questioned but nothing seems to stick. Still, there is a strange, fishy vibe about the whole case. I did have an inkling but Mr Wood paced this story perfectly. And the pace picked up inexorably as it approached the shocking and harrowing ending. There is little satisfaction in solving this crime as so many lives are destroyed in the process.

Aside from the gut-wrenching case, Matilda’s team continues to delight the reader as the characters grow and develop. Matilda herself has a chance at happiness again as she finally moves on from the death of her husband 4 year earlier. Will there be another episode? I certainly hope so as these books are so wonderfully dark and compelling. Many thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins UK and Michael Wood for providing a copy. My opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary advance reader copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This is the sixth book in the DCI Matilda Darke series, you wouldn’t need to read them all to enjoy this one but they are pretty darn good so I would recommend it. I love this character more every book I read and I cannot wait for the best book what a teaser at the end. Matilda is haunted by the disappearance of a young boy from years ago, a ransom drop gone wrong at the most difficult time of her life; when another child goes missing and a ransom call is made, is history repeating itself. As Matilda and her team try to solve the case, will all of them make it out alive?

It was such a good book; lots of twists and turns, I was on the edge of my seat as the team closed in on the guilty party. And that last chapter .... I cannot wait for the next book.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Stolen Children but that has in no way influenced my review.

Stolen Children is the sixth book in the DCI Matilda Darke series and it's an absolute cracker! I love this series and always look forward to the next book (although, confession time, I haven't read the first book yet! 🤦). Wood is an accomplished writer, his stories are always gripping and engaging and I'm a little bit in love with Matilda.

DCI Matilda Darke and her team are called to investigate the case of a missing child. Nine-year-old Keeley Armitage vanished from outside the local shop and hasn't been seen since. Her mother is frantic with worry. Then the call comes demanding £50,000 for Keeley's safe return. The thought of another missing child case sends chills down Matilda's spine, following the Carl Meagan case several years before, which nearly destroyed Matilda and her career. Keeley even looks a little like Carl with her blonde hair and blue eyes. Can the two kidnappings be connected? The more the team dig, the more secrets they discover. Can Matilda keep a clear head and find Keeley before it's too late...?

If you're already a fan of this series the prologue will have your jaw hitting the floor. I won't go into detail - it's already in the blurb - but what a great way to start the book. The thread of that particular storyline has been running through all of the books in this series and it just goes to show how fallible Darke is. Will she ever escape the hold that particular case has over her?

There are two storylines running through Stolen Children. The one I was trying to be vague about up there ⬆️ and the investigation into Keeley Armitage's disappearance, which creates the bones of the book. It's another thrilling, shock-filled investigation which kept me turning the pages from start to finish. I adore these characters and feel as though I could meet them all down the pub for an orange juice and a catch-up. They're all so brilliantly human and stand tall from the page. Even the lesser characters are well written and wonderful examples of how to create engaging, believable characters. I feel very invested in them and their futures. And I love the way the author isn't scared to put them through the wringer. More than other authors, I believe. He pushes them further and harder, sometimes with no return...

This is a terrific book and I will be awarding it five stars but I do want to add that I struggled a little with the storyline at times. This is the first book in a long time that really got to me. It affected me quite deeply and some of the scenes and descriptions made me feel uncomfortable (as scenes and descriptions of that nature should). I think I'm just feeling a little oversensitive at the moment because I love my fiction dark and I feel really strange adding this to the review, but I wanted to share my honest thoughts with you. You may not feel the same, of course. Any book involving bad things happening to kids (particularly kids the same age as mine) has always been and will always be an uncomfortable read for me.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. I would recommend the entire series. I think it's worth starting at the beginning though with book one as you'll get the whole picture and see the team develop and grow. As I mentioned, I haven't read the first book which I believe laid the building blocks for the rest of the series but I've been able to piece together what I think I need to know from that first investigation. I hope there are many, many more Matilda Darke books to come.

I chose to read and review an eARC of Stolen Children. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

Even though I am writing my review the day after I finished this book, my heart is still racing.

Without a doubt this is a series that just gets better and better. How the author does it, I really do not know but I can not get enough of them. The pacing started off steady and then went off the scale. At least half of this book I was on the edge of my sit and I could not rest for one minute. The build up of tension and emotions was just phenomenal and it kept me awake most of the night trying to let everything sink in at what I had read. It’s a storyline that really grabs hold of you.

I love how we get the mix of the Carl Meagan case, which like Matilda, I won’t rest until I find out the truth and a new case of a missing girl. Keeley’s family members had me going through so many emotions and what they were having to deal with as well as already dealing with. I loved the character Ellen Devonport who is the family liaison officer for the family. It was great to get a better insight as to what their job entails and how they go about doing their job whilst offering support.

What I particularly enjoyed was that even though Matilda is very much the lead character, her team play such a pivotal role in the story and I enjoyed that they all had their part to play of which tied in nicely with the cases. Their is a strong bond between these team members and I like that we get to see a bigger cast of team members which is a lot more true to life than the usual lead detective and their side kick.

Stolen Children is a crime novel that will seriously mess with your head. It is so compulsive. I put it down with the intention of going to sleep as it was past my bedtime but had to pick it back up again to finish it. The need to know was so strong and my mind was going into overdrive at what was being revealed to us. This was such an incredible read that has clung to me and got the adrenaline going. There were so many shocks that it should probably come with a warning. Brilliant! Can’t wait for the next one.

DCI Matilda Darke is still haunted by the Carl Meagan case, a young boy who was kidnapped 5 years ago and never found. Matilda blames herself for Carl so when 9 year old Keely Armitage goes missing and her parents receive a ransom demand Matilda can’t help thinking about Carl. Keely’s mum is distraught, her dad is being strong for the family, her older sister Jodie is spending all her time looking after her 4 year old severely disabled brother Riley.
Despite the appearance of the perfect family Matilda knows that every family has secrets and it’s her job to dig deep and find them. She is determined to find out what happened to Keely but as the team investigates they uncover things far more disturbing than they expected.
This book takes you to places you might not want to go but it tackles uncomfortable subjects well and keeps you gripped until the last page.

Stolen Children is the sixth book in the DCI Matilda Darke series. I was drawn to this book as I knew from the synopsis that it would be right up my street. It’s also set in Sheffield which is close to where I grew up so I knew many of the places mentioned. Although I haven’t read the previous books, I didn’t feel that detracted from this novel in any way, however after enjoying this one so much, I will certainly go back and read the others.

This book starts with a young boy walking into a police station in France claiming to be Carl Meaghan. A boy who went missing from Sheffield who still hasn’t been found. On the way home from the supermarket, nine year old Keeley Armitage goes missing and it’s down to DCI Darke and her team to find her. However Darke is struggling as she was unable to find Carl and is scared of letting another family down.

This book quickly gathers pace. It’s gritty, tense and thrilling and draws you in with each turn of the page. I would rate this book 5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and the author for the chance to review.

We return to Sheffield for the latest instalment of the excellent DCI Mathilda Darke series. In this one the investigation centres on the Armitage family - parents Linda and Craig, daughters Jodie and Kelly and disabled son Riley. Linda receives a £50,000 ransom phone call for nine year old Keeley who goes missing after a trip to the shops with her older sister. What transpires is a harrowing tale which tests the team to their limits and places several in extreme danger. In the background is the ongoing mystery of the disappearance of Carl Meagan, now in its fourth year which continues to haunt his parents and Mathilda.

This is yet another gripping storyline in what is becoming one of my favourite crime series and which draws you in from the start. The police team are so good, their characters feel authentic and real and I love the dark humour between them which not only releases their tension but that of the reader! Mathilda is an excellent character and she is now taking baby steps to move on from the tragic death of her much loved husband James. The Armitage household is an intriguing focus for the unfolding drama as it’s a strange, tense and unsettling home. The further the case progresses it hits brick walls and becomes ever more compelling reading and very dark. There’s a good amount of tension, the atmosphere builds, the mystery deepens, there are shocks aplenty as it reaches a high octane conclusion. It’s seat of your pants, take a deep breath as for some of the events you’ll need extra oxygen. As the truth emerges it reveals a calculating psychopath which is mind numbing.

Overall, another engrossing instalment and naughty Mr Wood, you sure know how to entice readers to want to dive into the next one! I can’t wait!!

With thanks to NetGalley and Harper Fiction, One More Chapter and Michael Wood for the much appreciated ARC.

Stolen Children is the sixth book in the DCI Matilda Darke series and I begin this review with a warning…start reading it late at night at your peril…this is one which will definitely have you reading way past your bedtime!
It will have all Matilda Darke fans hyperventilating, but even those coming to this new will find themselves sucked in. I’m giving away no spoilers when I say this, it’s all in the blurb, but when a young boy walks into a French police station and announces he is missing Carl Meagan then a whole realm of conflict and emotions are created for Matilda. Carl’s case is the one that haunts her as she blames herself for his kidnapping going wrong all those years ago. The case has also fascinated and engaged readers of the series so this addition to Stolen Children is going to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Any book featuring missing children is going to be emotive and as another child goes missing, Matilda is determined to do all that she can to ensure her safe return. However, the spectre of Carl Meagan always hangs over her and she is constantly questioning her own abilities and actions. Michael Wood is a master of character development and throughout this series, we have seen Matilda get dragged through an emotional wringer both in her personal and professional life. He has brought her, and her team to life throughout this series and I feel as though I have grown alongside them all. When I picked up this book, I immediately felt a part of the story, of the investigation. I felt the frustrations of a team who go above and beyond, not only to bring perpetrators to justice but also to support one another throughout the process. And definitely without giving any spoilers away, there are a few occasions in this book where, as a reader, I found myself on an emotional cliff edge as I became caught up in the lives of Matilda Darke and her team.
The plot is emotive, it leaves you questioning everyone and sometimes believing nobody. The family of the most recent missing child bring out a tension which seeps through the pages and I found myself caught up in all the emotions of this case. Michael Wood keeps the story topical with frustrations around budget cuts in the police force and passing reference to current political issues but never getting bogged down in the mundane and miserable; he brings the story alive with humour, humanity and hope. He laces every chapter with a tension that drips away leaving the reader on the edge of their seat at the end of each chapter, ensuring they are going to be turning the page, for “just one more chapter”.
And as you reach the end, well be warned, Michael Wood plays your emotions like a fiddle as he leaves you on the brink so many times, pulling you back and then dangling you over again and again. Stolen Children is a MUST for fans of this series, it’s a MUST for those who have never read any of the books, pick it up, go on, you know you want to!


Review will appear on my blog closer to publication date

When i see a new Michael Wood book is available to request on here it's like Christmas for me. It must have been the complete opposite of how Matilda Darke felt when she heard a child had gone missing. Nine year old Keeley has been taken and the kidnappers want money. From the start you are there with the family facing their worst nightmare but this is Matilda's worst nightmare too. Another child missing and she has to find the answers. Wood's writing is so emotive and compelling i feel like i know Matilda, and her team, so i knew before starting this story was going to be a battle for her. Everything about this was superb. The writing, the characters and their development and by the last few chapters i was on the edge of my seat. I don't think i'd ever been so tense.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

I’m a big fan of Michael Woods Matilda Darke series and his latest book, in my opinion, is the best in the series so far. I love Matilda as a character, she is determined, feisty and has really grown on me over time, she has a great working relationship and rapport with her colleagues who have become her friends. Matilda investigates a missing girl, and an old case from the past returns to haunt her. I read this book in just over a day and it kept me up into the early hours to finish it. I thought it was a thrilling read with lots of suspense. There are many twists and turns that race towards an ending I did not see coming. I was hooked from the first to last page, I love the authors writing style and look forward to the next book. Overall, a cracker of a read.

Stolen Children written by Michael Wood, the 6th in the DCI Matilda Darke series is yet another fantastic dark twisty addition. The story begins in France, where a young boy is desperately trying to find a police station in the early morning hours. He claims to be kidnapped child, Carl Meagan, a character that was introduced in previous books in this series. It is DCI Matilda Darke’s most troubling case. Now enter Keeley Armitage, nine years old, waiting outside a store for her older sister. Until she vanishes without a trace. A phone call is made demanding ransom, and the likeness’ to the Carl Meagan case are brought front and center again. Could this really be happening all these years later? DCI Matilda Clarke is determined to find Keeley, she will not rest until she is found safe and she redeems herself from the case of Carl that almost destroyed her career.

As Matilda begins her investigation, she realizes things are not adding up. There are secrets being kept not only within the family of the victim, but neighbors have their own dark opinions as well. The Armitage family does not have the ransom money, or any money for that matter. They are a family of five, father Craig, works two jobs just to make ends meet, children Jodie, the 14 year old that has taken over as caretaker of the family, 9 year old missing Keeley...who loves princesses and is waiting for her Prince Charming, brother Riley, severely disabled due to a history of epileptic seizures and needing 24 hour care by their mother Linda. They are a close knit, loving family, and Family Liaison Officer Ellen Devonport is their on duty contact during this tragic time. Everything seems perfectly normal in the beginning, until looking for Keeley starts to unravel the tangled creepy web the family is wrapped in. When the investigation gets deeper, everyone, including DCI Darke realizes the suspect is closer than anyone realizes.

The Homicide and Major Enquiry Team (HMET) in charge of heading this case is a strong one. With Matilda as the leader, she is lucky to have many qualified detectives at her side through supporting each other, going above and beyond the constraints of the job, especially when one of their own is in trouble. As the story unravels, and the truths come out, we see the dark intensity behind the crime. It is intense, the characters are twisted, troubled, but so well defined. DCI Darke and her team are so good at what they do, regardless of the difficulties they face.

This is only the 2nd book I have read in this series, I read book #5 as well. I am an absolute fan! It’s easy to follow along, even as snippets of previous books are mentioned. The author does a nice job of explaining just enough so you are not lost. I’ve said before, I need to read the previous books in the series, and I’m going to hold myself to it. As I mentioned, this is a tough one to get through because of the crimes against children, but if that doesn’t bother you I highly recommend reading this book, as well as others in the series.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Harper Collins, One More Chapter and Michael Wood for an advanced reader copy of this dark gripping book.

I love the Matilda Darke series (it’s one of a very few series where I’ve been there from the start and stayed with it) but I have to say that Michael Wood has surpassed my expectations this time as Stolen Children is the best book in the series so far! If you’ve not read any of the series before then I do think you need to and you need to NOW! You’ll certainly get more out of Stolen Children if you know the backstory of Matilda, her team and, ofcourse, the kidnapping of Carl Meagan. We have all been kept on tenterhooks awaiting the outcome of this heinous crime so it looks like, finally, answers are on their way but at what cost and is there a connection with the recent disappearance of a young girl? The answers shocked the hell out of me and gave me goosebumps!

One of the things I love about this series is how Matilda’s team are brought to life with their personal lives taking centre stage as much as the crimes being solved. And the last 20% of this book especially had me on the edge of my seat as more than one of the team members fought for survival! But it was the disappearance of Keeley Armitage, a truly sickening crime, that gripped me from the start and there were some rather difficult to read scenes as Matilda sought to bring justice for Keeley’s family. I honestly struggled to put this book down as all these threads started to knit together but I was NOT expecting that ending!

Matilda is a wonderful character creation and I’ve loved watching her grow and develop throughout the series. And I have a real soft spot for Sian and her “there for everyone” snack drawer (mines a Twirl please Sian) which does come dangerously close to empty this time. I also spotted a very familiar name in there that made me chuckle although the character herself didn’t have much to smile about!

I loved loved LOVED this book and as soon as I finished it I wanted to go back and read the whole thing again! It’s a compelling crime thriller with a dark storyline that will blow your socks off! Absolutely brilliant!

I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, one More Chapter for an advance copy of Stolen Children, the sixth novel to feature Sheffield based DCI Matilda Darke.

When 9 year old Keeley Armitage disappears on her way home from the supermarket and her mother receives a ransom call Matilda is thrown back into her worst nightmare, the case she botched badly three years earlier, the kidnap of Karl Meagan.

I enjoyed Stolen Children which pits Matilda and her determination to get this case right against a volatile family dynamic where nothing is clear cut. I like the novel for its readable style and strong characterisation. It also has unexpected events that jolt the reader out of complacency. Having said that, I was very disappointed in the transparency of the plot. I had the perpetrator and the motive worked out before I was half way through so my main interest after that was how it would play out and I can’t help but think that Matilda and the team were a bit thick on that one.

I like this series for the characters and the sense of practicality in the investigation. I thought Keeley’s mother, Linda, was well drawn in her hysteria and illogicality. It added to the urgency of the investigation and the read. I like Matilda Darke as she is a woman with real world, identifiable problems, be it a misbehaving member of her team or her mortification over the mishandling of Karl Meagan’s abduction. This is a recurring thread in the series and perhaps it’s time to allow her to move on as she is in other areas of her life.

Stolen Children is a good read for the characters and their interactions but let down by over obvious plotting.