Not going to lie…it was with some trepidation that I picked up the 8th book in this brilliant series. Michael Wood had left his characters and me, traumatised by the events of Book 7. Now we are back, picking up the pieces and looking around to see what’s left.

Lives have been ended. Mental and physical wounds are in some cases beginning to heal; in others there’s a long way to go yet. Friendships have been fractured, and D.CI. Matilda Darke is full of grief, guilt and is unable to express how she is feeling to anyone.

Her team are in sore need of uniting under her leadership and yet as she returns to work, in many ways she is as absent as when she was on recuperative leave. The reader needs that sense of things getting back to normal, too, but Michael Wood isn’t one the kind of author who sees it as his job to make the reader feel better.

Matilda may be back at work, but she’s not herself. Nowhere near it, in fact. Her brain injury may be healing, but she’s not cleared to drive yet and things are about as far from normal as they could be. Matilda’s sister and her children are staying with her for the moment and her mother is close by, but she can’t speak to either of them about what’s she’s going through.

An old case, one that has haunted Matilda for years, looks to be resolved, but Matilda is still beating herself up for a lapse that occurred on the day her husband died and she’s not getting much joy from that resolution. Not only that but the annoying local journalist, Danny is still on her case, hounding her for that elusive interview; wanting to poke and pry into her innermost grief.

When it seems that the team have a serial killer on their hands, there’s concern that Matilda may not be up to the stress and challenges that such a big case brings. The team feels unsettled, missing their former colleagues, still haunted by the shootings they witnessed and not anywhere near ready to move on. They need leadership, but can Matilda provide it?

Verdict: Michael Wood reflects the restlessness and unsettled nature of this team so well. Refusing to reassure our anxious hearts, he creates more tension and strife within the team as we watch, heartbroken to see the fault lines that have developed between them. The tensions of this case are brittle and for the reader there is the sense that something might snap really soon. When it comes, the crisis point is sharp and brutal. Wood gives no quarter to his characters and the shocks keep coming, thick and fast. It seems that this team have a lot to go through before they can expect to have earned some respite.

As a reader that makes for a tense, exciting novel, full of danger and ratcheted up with edge of the seat tension and heightened emotion. It seems we’re in for a bumpy ride. But I would not have it any other way.

‘What’s the point in surviving if everyone you care about is dead?’ - cover tag line.

My thanks to One More Chapter for an invitation via NetGalley to read and review ‘Survivor’s Guilt’ by Michael Wood in exchange for an honest review.

This is Book 8 in his DCI Matilda Darke series of police procedurals set in Sheffield. Unfortunately although I had read earlier books in the series, I had missed Book 7, ‘Time is Running Out’ published in February. It became quickly obvious that the outcome of that novel was relevant to this one, including Matilda only now returning to work with a reduced team.

To his credit, Wood does provide enough background that I was able to understand the progression of events as well as more details about the botched kidnapping case from 2015 that has been haunting DCI Darke.

This takes place nine months after the events of ‘Time is Running Out’. The body of a woman is found with wounds that look eerily similar to several cold cases. Could a stealthy serial killer be preying on the street workers of Sheffield?

This was quite a ride! A very fast-paced twisty plot that had me completely hooked. I am planning to fill in the missing book before the next case for DCI Darke and her team.

Definitely one of my favourite series of police procedurals.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #OneMoreChapter for the advance copy of #Survivor’sGuilt by #MichaelWood.
This is the 8th book in the DCI Martha Darke series and they just keep getting better.
Less than a year ago Martha was shot in the head and friends and colleagues killed. After extensive therapy and learning to talk and walk again Martha is back at work but is it to soon. Someone is killing women in Sheffield and it has gone unnoticed for 3 years. As the bodies mount up Martha seems to be struggling, can her colleagues rely on her to make the right decisions. The pace builds throughout the book and will keep you glued to your seat.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is an emotional rollercoaster and a gripping thriller.
The human side, the relationships are as important as the mystery part and the author did an excellent job in describing the grief and the strain as well as keeping me focus on the mystery.
Excellent storytelling and character development, a riveting plot that kept me reading.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I’d like to thank HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Survivor’s Guilt’, book eight in the DCI Matilda Wood series written by Michael Wood, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

As DCI Matilda Darke is struggling to recover from the near-fatal injuries that cost the lives of other members of her team, she’s called on to investigates the disappearance and murder of street girls in Sheffield who appear to be the victims of a serial killer.

‘Survivor’s Guilt’ is one of the most exciting thrillers I’ve had the pleasure to read and it’s had me gripped from page one. The plot is complex and full of action, drama, suspense and twists and turns that’s made me carry on reading late into the night unable to stop. Matilda Darke and her team are so perfectly described it’s easy to forget they’re fictional characters. I’ve been so involved in the story that I’ve been glued to the edge of my seat, open-mouthed in amazement that an author can write a novel with such a heart-stopping and shocking conclusion. This thriller is amazing, it deserves far more than five stars and I thoroughly recommend it.

Love the Matilda Darke series, and this book is an excellent addition to the series. Telling the aftermath of the shooting and Matilda’s return to work and struggle therein to return to a normal life.

Thoroughly enjoyable and looking forward to the next in the series

I highly recommend reading Time's Running Out before reading this one. After the drama and events of the previous book, I was quite nervous reading this one.

Matilda and the team are trying to come to terms with what happened 9 months previously while trying to catch a killer.

The emotions running through this book was heartbreaking at times. I just wanted to hug them all.

The plot built quite slowly to a nerve-wracking, thrilling OMG finale. I did not see that coming!

Absolutely brilliant book in one of the best series around.

"The problem with surviving was that you ended up with the ghosts with everyone you ever left behind riding on your shoulders." - Paolo Bacigalupi

It's been nine months.

Nine months since the brutal attacked claimed so many lives. Nine months since Matilda Darke was shot in the head. The Nightmares have not ended, lives have been changed, that pain never leaves, and friendships have been altered.

But there is a job to do. Murdered women are being found and the team, already strained from that tragic day nine months ago, are investigating. Matilda has returned to work, and she is trying wear many hats. A case from the past, which haunted, her has been solved, but this new case is hitting close to home....

The last book Time Is Running Out gutted me. I could not believe what I was reading. It had me on the edge of my seat, heart pounding, tears spilling, and I worried that the series was going to end. But it has gone on and readers get to be spectators watching this team still crippled with grief, PTSD, and nightmares, pick themselves up and attempt to move on. Their pain is raw and palpable. They dive into this new case, investigating the murders of prostitutes, while their killer always seems to be one step ahead of the team.

This book kept me on my toes, doing my own detective work, trying to figure out the identity of the killer. I didn't even come close and was just as blindsided as the team. HOLY MOLY! What a shocker that was!!! I needed to pick my jaw up off the floor (well, really my kindle).

Michael Wood always has a few aces up his sleeve, and he didn't hold back with this book either. I thought he did a tremendous job showing how trauma and loss affects people. He was able to draw me in, toy with my emotions and blow me away.

Another solid installment in the Matilda Drake Series and I can't wait for the next book in the series.

Powerful, shocking, and intense!


Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Michael Wood is a master of the crime thriller! This book is set 9 months after the tragic events of the previous book where Jake Harrison went on a killing spree that ended the lives of many police and other people including some we have grown fond of throughout this series.

DCI Matilda Darke has finally returned after being horrifically injured in the previous story. While her body might have recovered there is some doubt about whether she is mentally fit to return to her job and lead the team again. The team is short staffed although there is one new member - DC Zofia Nowak. They are thrown in at the deep end as a series of prostitutes are killed. Everybody’s favourite journalist (not) Danny Hanson points them towards some missing women and the numbers are climbing alarmingly.

There is one bright spot though as a child kidnapped 4 years is returned home unharmed - but is he really unharmed? Matilda finds herself torn between the cases and her desperate sadness and is struggling to lead her team effectively. Her best friend, Adele, who lost a son in the shooting rampage, blames Matilda and has cut her out of her life. This is particularly hurtful for Matilda. Thank goodness her sister is staying with her for the time being.

While the killings are one focus of this book, the other major focus is on the various ways the team is coping or not coping after the tragedy. It was hard to read about the mighty warrior for justice (Matilda) almost broken by events.

The cases are quite interesting and you wonder how this killer will ever be caught. When he is, it’s a twist of Herculean proportions. My jaw nearly hit the floor. But my lips are sealed. As with the previous book, this one ends with a cliffhanger, also jaw dropping, and I can’t wait to see what the author has in store for us next. Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK, One more Chapter for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

I have followed and loved these characters from the beginning and feel like I know them personally, they are real to me and I go through everything with them. I could literally shout and screen how good these books are. Already longing for the next one. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for an advance copy.

Matilda Darke is back , after what happened in the last instalment Matilda is not feeling back to her best . She is acting out of sorts and ruffling a few feathers within her team.
The team are investigating the murders of a number of Sheffield prostitutes , and Matilda is reunited with Carl Meagan , he was kidnapped over four years ago , and life back home is not as easy as everyone thought it would be.
Michael Wood’s writing gets better with each new book , there are twists and turns that left me urging Matilda on.
I loved the ending , and cannot wait for the next book in the series. This book is definitely a rollercoaster of a read I didn’t think the last one could be surpassed , but I was wrong ( pleasantly so!)

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter.

“You’re a survivor aren’t you, Matilda? But what’s the point of surviving, when everyone around you is dead?”

These are the words haunting DCI Matilda Darke as she returns to begin her eighth investigation with the Homicide and Major Crime Unit based in Sheffield. A case that has blighted the DCI’s career for the past four years, that of the kidnap of Carl Meagan, is about to be happily concluded with his long awaited return home. For Matilda, finally back to work following her near death experience which cost a number of her team members their lives, she’s keen to focus on this unexpected positive outcome whilst battling her survivor’s guilt and processing all the conflicting emotions associated with so much tragedy and loss. Elsewhere in Sheffield the focus is on the red light district and the disappearance and/or murder of a growing tally of prostitutes.

Even though I confess to not having read every single book in the series I was eager to catch up with Matilda and her colleagues, previously finding them to be a thoroughly likeable, down to earth bunch, with well developed backstories, and an often entertaining group dynamic. Plus the author more or less guarantees his readers a well paced juicy storyline to sink their teeth into alongside whatever the team’s current personal issues happen to be. It soon becomes clear that a great deal has been happening in Sheffield since I was last in the company of these dedicated, hard working individuals and I regretted the fact I’d somehow missed out on book number 7. However Michael Wood does a great job in bringing those readers lagging behind up to speed, frequently alluding to the past and the shocking, devastating circumstances surrounding Matilda’s protracted absence from her job but I still wasn’t fully prepared for the fact so many of the regulars have been brutally killed off!! I thought I’d misread the situation but no, this is the reality the now depleted team face, their colleagues sorely missed but not forgotten. Thus the mood is sombre and reflective as we rejoin them for another investigation but you cannot fault their professionalism. The easy going straight talking banter and camaraderie may be diluted for the time being but there are glimpses of it peeking through the storyline and with new recruit Zofia joining the ranks, keen to make a good impression, you like to think in time these colleagues will find their way towards a new normal. Much of that depends upon a visibly altered Matilda and whether she still warrants her place in the hot seat. She seems incapable of preventing the cracks that are dividing her off from the rest of her colleagues especially DC Christian Brady, DS Siân Mills and best friend Adele from deepening further. Up until now they’ve remained fiercely loyal and protective of their leader but they’re beginning to lose patience and faith in her ability to conduct this investigation and bring it to a successful conclusion. Distracted by Carl’s homecoming and suffering horrendous flashbacks of the attack that put her in a coma Matilda is definitely on the edge, permanently stuck in fight or flight mode, pushing everyone away with her sharp tongue and erratic behaviour. She’s sadly morphed into a Jekyll and Hyde figure, wary, mistrustful with an air of the green eyed monster about her. Definitely nothing like the Matilda fans of the series will know and love and I found myself losing a certain amount of respect for her.

Really the storyline is tragic on so many levels, from the four years Sally and Philip have lived without their son, to the decimation of the unit, the relationships that lay in tatters, to the growing number of prostitutes targeted by a ruthless, audacious killer committing these crimes without fear of detection. I loved the focus on the plight of sex workers plying their trade on the streets of Sheffield, a plot which is executed well with an enormous amount of compassion shown towards these vulnerable women who for varying reasons have found themselves selling their bodies and their souls just to survive. The bravery, desperation and hopelessness of these women facing danger on a frequent basis is keenly felt. Bev is a superb character. Her hyper vigilance is an added bonus to this investigation whilst her natural air of protectiveness towards her fellow workers, in particular Sarah who is well and truly nestled under her wing is quite touching. For shock value alone this novel is brilliant. It’s dark, dangerous, tense and twisty and the manner in which the culprit is identified and apprehended terrifyingly risky, dramatic, shocking and tragic. My eyes were popping out of their sockets! The author has played an ace card with this out of the blue twist and although I thought I was on the right track I couldn’t quite make the final connection, possibly because it’s SO mind boggling. I must admit I struggled to believe the amount of trust placed in Matilda by certain characters; a fear borne out when part of her plans end up going awry, the result of which have a lasting and devastating impact on those involved. It’s as if she feels she has a point to prove and prove it she will no matter the cost! I felt that some of Matilda’s personal issues are too easily resolved and I was relieved that the Carl Meagan thread has been satisfactorily tied up, having been dragged out long enough. Personally I thought it was an unnecessary distraction from the main plot even if it does show Matilda in a sympathetic light and allows her to shed her guilt over her role in Carl’s disappearance. Except in truth she’s simply swapping one bucketload of guilt for another! These criticisms (almost) pale into insignificance thanks to an absolute corker of a cliffhanger. With a few carefully chosen words to pique your interest and arouse your curiosity Michael Wood ensures his readers will remain on tenterhooks, desperate for the arrival of book 9!

On reflection this is a good, enjoyable instalment in a series I’m happy to recommend.

My thanks as always to the publisher OMC and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the book but you really need to read all of them in order to get to know the team better, then you understand the heartbreak they are all going through.

Matilda and her team have to investigate a serial killer who targets prostitutes it’s a real page turner and gripping and the twist at the end was fantastic.

I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy,

I am one of the readers who struggled with the previous book despite having been a huge fan of everything that came before. So much so that I was doubtful that I'd read on, but then, I couldn't resist! I'm so glad I did, having put aside my feeling of betrayal about the loss of so many great characters I was able to admire this author's instinctive ability to tell a great story, and to tell it well.

In Survivor's Guilt the title says it all. Poor Matilda Darke is coming to terms with the loss of friends as are the rest of her former team. That only spurs her on to find the potential killer of prostitutes in the area.

All I can say is if you thought the last book had some unwelcome surprises, what's revealed in this book may be less showy but no less shocking!

A great read and I'm back on side once more.

DCI Matilda Darke #8

Nine months ago DCI Matilda Darke survived a bullet to the head. The brutal attack claimed dozens of lives including those she loved the most. Now she's ready to get back on the job. But a new terror awaits. A woman is found murdered and her wounds look eerily similar to several cold cases. DCI Darke and her team must face the terrifying truth: a serial killer is on the loose in Sheffield.

Matilda is still suffering after being shot nine months ago. Her team question her her fitness and ability in being able to do the job satisfactorily. The body of a woman has been found with wounds similar to some cold cases.

This is a gripping read. It's chilling and emotional. The ending is a jaw dropper and totally unexpected. I was convinced I knew who the killer was, but I was wrong. I have only read a couple of books in this series and I really should start at the first book and read them all in order. I wish I had read Time Is Running Out #7 before I started this book as I feel I've missed out on a lot of the background story.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK and the author #MichaelWood for my ARC of #SurvivorsGuilt in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for an advance copy of Survivor’s Guilt, the eighth novel to feature DCI Matilda Darke of the Sheffield Police.

Matilda has just returned to work after being shot when it is discovered that a serial killer is killing local prostitutes. Matilda is not the woman she was and with a reduced team tensions are running high. Is she still capable?

I quite enjoyed Survivor’s Guilt, which, as the title suggests, is as much about Matilda’s recovery and feelings as it is about the hunt for a serial killer. It is powerful reading, examining loss and guilt and the ensuing conflict that the uncertainty they engender brings. I also think the author is good on the life of prostitution and the feelings it evokes, portraying the sex workers as real, exploited people.

I feel, however, that the investigation into the murders is shoehorned into the novel as an added extra to all the emotional drama surrounding Matilda and is perfunctory in its execution. This provokes mixed feelings in me as I’m all about the investigation rather than emotions. I would have preferred more emphasis on it, but what there is is clever. The killer is well disguised and his identity is a real shocker when revealed and some of the twists along the way are unexpected. Then there is the ongoing thread about the kidnapped Carl Meagan, more guilt for Matilda. This takes a turn in this novel and ends in another cliffhanger. I’m not a fan of ongoing plot lines and I think this is getting tiresome. It’s past time for Matilda to seriously investigate it.

The characterisation is strong in this series and this novel reinforces this with its concentration on Matilda and her emotions and the conflict in the team. Matilda is struggling with what amounts to PTSD, so she’s not particularly pleasant and that’s putting mildly. I would imagine that readers new to the series will hate her, because this old hand found it hard to be sympathetic.

Survivor’s Guilt is an interesting read that I can recommend.

This series is one of my top favourites. I have been with Detective Matilda Darke since the beginning and for me they have all been 5star reads. I thought the last book Time is Running Out was my favourite and the storyline just blew me away. Then his latest lands in my inbox WOW WOW WOW what an explosive read. I read this tour de force of a crime thriller in one sitting, sat on the edge of my seat and constantly holding my breath. I really thought I knew what to expect from this author but he has definitely excelled himself with this book. Emotional, chilling, heartbraking and with an explosive ending I never saw coming. I need the next in this gripping and very addictive series Now !!! Another MUST READ from this author.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

9 months after almost losing her life in a shooting massacre that cost the lives of her father and some of her team, DCI Matilda Darke is ready to return to work. Her first day back and her first case is the murder of a street worker which is being linked to a number of cold cases some going back a few years.
With a list of missing women who also fit the victim profile could Matilda be looking for a serial killer. Flashbacks and sleepless nights aren’t helping her and although her team wants to support her, some of them are starting to wonder if she has come back too early.
As the body count rises Matilda struggles to keep the team onside and work out how to catch a seemingly invisible killer.
Brilliantly written, shocking but with lighter moments that made you laugh.

The eighth book in the Matilda Darke series is every bit as good as the previous seven. After the finale in the previous book, I wondered how the author would continue the series. it's cleverly executed, full of tension and the characters are well developed. The ending left me wanting more and I look forward to the next installment. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins UK / One More Chapter for the much-anticipated sequel to Time is Running out.

I had anticipated the follow up to book 7, so much that there was an element of trepidation. How could the author follow that? Having book 8, all I can say is that wow, the author has excelled themselves and somehow produced what I personally feel is another superb book.

How do you follow a stellar book, with another one of course! This one deals with how the team and especially Mathilda deal with the aftermath of the previous book’s events. Which as always hits the target spot on with breath taking storytelling, that grips you on page one and doesn’t let go till the last. With an extremely well written core story about prostitute’s, being murdered. I especially liked the way the prostitutes were portrayed.
Among the various other backdrop narratives going on is an old favourite that helps to fill in a few gaps. But the main one is the raw grief and emotions, the team and anew members go through.

Michael Wood is a master at pulling you in making you an emotional wreck, and chucking you out at the end wanting much more having had a rollercoaster of a ride and waiting in huge anticipation for book 9