A CENSURED DETECTIVE WITH NO LEADS
DCI Matilda Darke and her team have been restricted under special measures after a series of calamitous scandals nearly brought down the South Yorkshire police force.
A BRUTAL ATTACK WITH NO WITNESSES
Now Matilda is on the trail of another murderer, an expert in avoiding detection with no obvious motive but one obvious method.
A DEPRAVED KILLER WHO LEAVES NO TRACES
When his latest victim survives the attack despite her vocal cords being severed, Matilda is more convinced than ever of the guilt of her key suspect. If only she had a way to prove it…

This is a wonderful addition to this thrilling series!
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Such a thrilling read that I couldn't put it down.
Can't wait to read more of these.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

In next to no time, we find ourselves at number 10 in the fantastic Matilda Darke series and once again, the author, Michael Wood, wrings every last drop from this poor woman.

I have to admit, if I wasn't a devoted follower of this crime fiction series, I might have considered whether or not to continue given that the book is set in 2020, otherwise known as Covid times, and the author uses the backdrop and I'd rather not be reminded, but hey! we can't ignore recent history.

The crime is abhorrent and even though one survives, this isn't without real life-changing injuries. Matilda is no longer leading the team and this episode explores how she has become a victim too, but she has enough compassion to help a young girl find her way through.

As always, a tight, and emotional plot backed up by superb characters who continue to develop.

Hands down, this is one of the best police procedural series of all time! Matilda Darke is one of the best detectives out there. It's not all about solving crimes here. We have a glimpse of the detectives' personal lives - their struggles, their happy times and everything else. It's 2020 and almost Christmas. Lockdowns and increasing Covid death toll isn't making things easy. Many from the police force have fallen sick - some with long Covid. One of Matilda's ex-colleague and friend has lost her husband of many years to Covid.

It was heart-wrenching to read about Tilly's trauma. The poor thing was in a lot of pain - physical and emotional. Her mum too was devastated. Matilda meets Tilly and Amy, and it was quite clear that the three ladies would share a bond that lasts forever.

I was hooked on to the story and could not put it down until the end. The sleuthing, finding the missing piece of the puzzle, the killer and his over-confidence at wanting to get away with committing crimes, Matilda's challenge to the killer, the detectives' personal lives and Christmas celebrations... this story was a complete package!

I couldn't identify the perp until the end. Matilda and her team profile him - trying to understand what makes him commit such horrific crimes. Given that nobody saw him near the crime scene, it is pretty clear he must be blending in - like, really well. There a couple of red herrings and honestly, I was a bit side-tracked once or twice. I had my doubts about two suspects and turns out, they weren't guilty.

I absolutely love Michael Wood's writing. Excellent character development and a mystery to keep you guessing till the end - what else does a mystery lover want? My god!! The ending was terrific. Matilda coming face-to-face with the killer and what happened next... and the story ends with a shocking and unexpected twist.

If you are looking for a dark, intense, gripping and gritty police procedural, I recommend you to give Silent Victim by Michael Wood a try.

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

Regular visitors to the blog will know that crime fiction is by far my favourite genre. I love me a police procedural series with relatable characters, gripping investigations and a few unexpected twists and turns thrown in along the way. Plus, of course, those perfectly placed red herrings to keep the reader guessing. One of the best series out there for fans of detective fiction at the moment is the DCI Matilda Darke series. Darke and her team have been through a hell of a lot in recent years. More than most, I think it would be fair to say. But still, they press on with an unfaltering determination to protect Sheffield, no matter what it takes and no matter what hurdles are put in their way. I am a HUGE fan of this series and I count down the days until the latest instalment hits the shelves. Silent Victim is the tenth book and a cracking addition to a superb, eminently readable series.

What I will say is that this is a series best read in order as so much has happened to the team in the last three or four books that to appreciate the long-running storylines (and there are several) it is best to start with an earlier book. Perhaps book six, or why not go the whole hog and start with the first book. By starting with an earlier book, it gives the reader a chance to fully understand and witness the growth of these characters. There's a familiarity and closeness between certain members of the cast and it's a joy to experience their quiet moments. There's also a lot of humour and warmth, which by starting the series with a later book, I think the reader can easily miss or gloss over. Anyway, enough of the light and fluffy. This is not a light and fluffy book, but I do think it's important to appreciate the long journey these characters have been on together.

A serial killer and rapist is targeting women in Sheffield. His latest victim is 14-year-old Tilly Hall who miraculously survives the attack, although not in one piece. The killer cuts her throat (no light and fluffy here, no siree!) severing her vocal cords. Tilly wakes in hospital with no voice and hazy memories of what happened to her. DCI Matilda Darke is called back to work following the events of the last book to hunt down the sadistic killer and make sure his reign of terror comes to an abrupt end. With no clues, no discernible motive and very little support from the top, Matilda and her diminished team are in a race against time to find a killer who is escalating with each new attack. Silent Victim is a gripping, compelling read full of everything I love about Michael Wood's books and I thoroughly enjoyed every single moment of it. The plot is well paced, the characters are perfection, there are lighter moments to counteract the darkness and I was on the edge of my seat as the unnerving finale played out before my eyes.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Silent Victim is a thrilling addition to a superb series and I cannot wait to return to Sheffield next year when the 11th book, Below Ground, is published. The author is never afraid to put his characters through the wringer and from the way Silent Victim ended, there may be trouble ahead for Matilda and the team. I will reiterate though that this is a series best read and enjoyed in order. Get to know the characters, the relationships and what motivates them as individuals as well as a team. It's a series very much worth investing in. There are always unexpected twists and turns along the way and as a crime fiction fan, these books tick all the boxes for me. Read them. You won't regret it. Highly recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Silent Victim. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

I really enjoyed this book. Excellent read with great characters and a really good storyline. I would recommend this book.

It's always a pleasure reading a new book in Matilda Darke series and this one didn't disappoint.
Well plotted, tensed, and entertaining. The solid mystery kept me guessing and I was glad to catch up with the characters.
NOTE: even if could be read as a stand alone there's plenty of references to previous cases that could be spoilers.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Matilda is no longer working for the police, but gets dragged in to solve one more case. Someone is killing women and there seems to be no logic to it. One survives the attack, but will never be able to speak. It is deep into Covid-19 times, and now there is a killer on the lose as well.

Another very enjoyable book in the fantastic Matilda Darke series set in south Yorkshire. Matilda is done with the police, so is Sian, but once back Matilda is suspicious of the people who were so close to her before. She does not think she has been told the truth.

Matilda has a good rapport with the girl who survived, because Matilda has also been through hell. But the girl is not telling Matilda everything. Matilda puts her closest ones in danger due to her being obsessed with catching the killer.

Where Matilda is, there is trouble. I love how devoted she is to the job that she already left. She was born to be a detective. Sadly, it is not easy to have someone like that in your life, because when she is on a case it seems like nothing else matters.

Well-written, well-plotted, well done! 4,5 stars

On her way home from school fourteen year old Tilly is brutally raped & left for dead with her throat cut. By some miracle she is found alive although she will never be able to speak & naturally traumatised, as is her mother- Tilly is all she has. DCI Matilda Darke's department is still in Special Measures after some horrifying events. However with a reduced team & still constrained by Covid restrictions they look into Tilly's attack. She is not the first victim, but she is the first one to survive, but she will not be the last. Somehow she has to try to get Tilly to help find a clever killer who seems to leave no clue.

This is the tenth in a terrific series. Over the books I have really grown to know & love this team. The stories always keep you guessing. Michael Wood always keeps the reader shouting for more- particularly after that ending! Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

Michael Wood has done it again.
Matilda is back on the hunt for a rapist and murderer , who made a mistake and left one of his victims alive , will this be his downfall?
she is back with most of the team and it’s like meeting up with old friends.
The character of Matilda has her flaws and insecurities like all of us do , but she makes an excellent DCI and a perfect protagonist.
I enjoy Wood’s writing it’s easy to read and moves at a fair pace , and he always leaves the reader with a cliff hanger , and he certainly does at the end of this book.
Can’t wait for the next in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter.

This is a great crime thriller.
I’ve not read the whole series but have read a few of them and will aim to catch up on the ones I’ve missed.
Matilda is asked to help after a woman is found barely alive with her throat cut.
Other women have been killed in previous weeks but Tilly was lucky to survive. Matilda is determined to find the killer but with Tilly not able to speak due to her injury, it’s hard to find a lead.
This is a clever crime thriller that I really enjoyed.
Thanks to One More Chapter and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I'd like to thank Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter and NetGalley for the ARC

DCI Matilda Darke and her team have been sidelined by a series of missteps. scandals, and outright violence that have almost brought about the demise of the South Yorkshire Police service. Covid has taken hold and the police ranks have been decimated. Into this perfect storm comes a killer who preys on young teen girls, raping and killing them. His last victim survived and time is of the essence before he strikes again. On enforced leave, Matilda is debating her career within the force, when her Chief begs her to return. He knows she's the perfect detective to solve this case. And she does but at what personal cost?

I'm a huge fan of the author Michael Wood and Matilda Darke. The writing is solid, enjoy the raport and tension within her team, but I'm not such a huge fan of his cliffhanger endings. I'd just like one book where the killer is caught, team are happy, and there's no personal cost to the regular cast of characters. These books are best read in order.

EXCERPT: He needed to kill again. Tomorrow night, he would go out, find someone, anyone, and inhale their screams, feel the warmth of their blood on his cold skin, listen as their heart beat one last time and savour the presence of death.

ABOUT 'SILENT VICTIM': A CENSURED DETECTIVE WITH NO LEADS

DCI Matilda Darke and her team have been restricted under special measures after a series of calamitous scandals nearly brought down the South Yorkshire police force.

A BRUTAL ATTACK WITH NO WITNESSES

Now Matilda is on the trail of another murderer, an expert in avoiding detection with no obvious motive but one obvious method.

A DEPRAVED KILLER WHO LEAVES NO TRACES

When his latest victim survives the attack despite her vocal cords being severed, Matilda is more convinced than ever of the guilt of her key suspect. If only she had a way to prove it…

MY THOUGHTS: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ bright and shining, slightly blood-stained stars for Michael Wood's latest offering in the DI Matilda Darke series. It was a one sitting read for me that I simply could not put down, and ignored all my other reads in favour of. There is one particular scene in this book which is not going to leave me for a very long time!

Silent Victim is a relentlessly heart pounding, compelling read that ends with a real cliffhanger! I'll be chewing my nails until #11 is released in March 2023.

Wood's clever writing had me suspecting several people of these heinous crimes, one correctly, but he wasn't my top pick. Michael Wood 10, Sandy 0.

Matilda grows a lot as a person in Silent Victim when the value of friendship is brought home to her as a result of her own actions. She is also incredibly nurturing towards Tilly, the only victim of the sadistic rapist to survive, sharing her own struggles during her recovery from the brutal attack she herself survived.

Even though Sian is no longer a member of the team, she and her family still feature in the storyline. Everyone is missing her snack drawer! And Sian is facing struggles of her own.

I love the way Michael Wood weaves a little humour in to relieve the darkness of his storyline. The Christmas turkey episode had me hooting with laughter.

Twisty, fast-paced, compelling, sinister and clever. I loved Silent Victim just as much as, if not more than, the previous nine books and I am counting down the days until the release of book #11.

Although this is a series, Michael Wood gives enough background information to enable Silent Victim to be read as a stand-alone. However, in order to fully understand the relationships between the characters, I recommend that you start from book #1. You won't regret it.

Silent Victim is due for publication 28 October 2022

#SilentVictimMichaelWood #NetGalley

I: @michaelwoodbooks @onemorechapter

T: @MichaelHWood @OneMoreChapter

#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #mystery #policeprocedural #suspense #thriller

THE AUTHOR: Michael Wood is a freelance journalist and proofreader living in Sheffield. As a journalist he has covered many crime stories throughout Sheffield, gaining first-hand knowledge of police procedure. He also reviews books for CrimeSquad, a website dedicated to crime fiction.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Silent Victim by Michael Wood for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

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

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

Dear Micheal Wood, I have really enjoyed all the Matilda Darke books but the last two have been harrowing - and now you give us another harrowing book with a cliff hanger ending? Please have some pity on your readers. Just kidding, I enjoyed every minute of it although it may not be for those who are squeamish!

DCI Matilda Darke, who has been off from her job for a long time following a shooting and it’s aftermath, is lured back because the South Yorkshire constabulary is so short staffed due to being Ill with covid and the Assistant Commissioner desperately needs her skill set.

They have a very evil killer to catch - one who simply doesn’t leave any clues, forensic or otherwise. He has already r@ped and killed three young women and r@ped a fourth but she survived. Just. Although she will never speak again because her voice box is so damaged.

This was yet another edge of your seat, nail biting story. Everybody knew the killer would strike again - but when and how and who are all unknown. The victims so far have absolutely nothing in common, except that they’re all women. Matilda’s tiny team, which includes the luscious looking, motorbike riding new DC, Tom, give this investigation their all even though Christmas is nearly upon them.

Sure enough they get another body. But this one is slightly different. Everyone was a suspect until they were cleared. But things were not as they seemed and the red herrings came into play. There were a couple of other new characters including the previously mentioned Tom and Donal, the mortuary assistant who Is smitten with Chris. I think in this book Matilda seems to ‘soften’ a bit more as she clearly identifies the distress that young Tilly (the victim who survived) is going through and she becomes a much needed crutch for Tilly whose mother is too weepy to be much help to her.

I will leave it there as I don’t want to ruin the plot for others. Suffice it to say this is a very thrilling thriller, but, probably not best read as a stand alone. I know I often jump into a series midway. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

Just when you think that Mr Wood cannot possibly go any darker ... Well, yeah. Like we'd actually fall for that one, right? Michael Wood specialises in putting his characters through the ringer, and it's safe to say that Silent Victim is no different. A complex and very violent case draws Mathilda back into the fold, but with half of her team gone, does she have everything she needs, including the steely determination, to catch herself a killer?

Well, if you want to know that then you're going to need to read the book. Suffice to say that if you read the ending of the previous book, The Lost Children, then that sense of threat, that Matilda is in very real danger, continues to pervade Matilda's thoughts and nightmares right into this latest novel. Partly because she is still receiving direct threats against her and her loved ones but, mostly, because she knows the man who wants his revenge against Matilda the most is not the kind to ever give up. It's that which perhaps clouds Matilda's judgment throughout the course of this investigation, which makes her act out of type and take risks which go beyond anything we may have seen from her before. It's that sense of resignation, the lack of self preservation which adds a real tension to the story and kept me completely gripped.

I didn't know what to expect, or who to suspect if I am honest. Michael Wood has done an excellent job of shielding the killer and even though one of his victims survives the abhorrent attack, her survival is not without it's complications. I liked how this has been used in the book, not necessarily slowing the investigation, but allowing time for the author to explore Matilda's role as a victim, whilst coaxing the awful truths out of the teenage victim, tilly. It's sensitively explored but creates a real tight emotional bond between Matilda and Tilly and really heightens the emotions for the reader. I was completely invested in Tilly, in how she would cope with her trauma and the ultimate guilt felt by her mother, Amy, for not being able to protect her daughter. It takes the book beyond being another slice and dice thriller which I really appreciated.

There is a good amount of humour into the book to counter the darkness. The scenes in which Pat moves in with Matilda and Adele, and their attempts to secure a christmas turkey are enough to make anyone smile. And seeing Sian in her new career was another moment of pause, a chance to relax, before the author hits us with the next series of shocks. There are some moments of reflection for the team as well, some home truths spoken that are well needed to clear the dank air that has been hanging around them all since the conclusion of the last case.

But speaking of conclusions, that ending! What are you doing to us Mr Wood? If that doesn't make you hungry for the next instalment (already out for pre-order by the way). I don't know what will. Fans of the series are going to love this. Definitely recommended.

... aaaannnnd breathe!!!!

What can I say ... wow ... another absolute belter to add to this truly excellent series with the only complaint I have is that we have to wait until March for the next instalment ... March?!? ... I have to wait until March?!?!? Oh Mr Wood you are wicked 😀

I don't even know where to begin on just how good this book, and the rest of series, is but once again, we are treated to outstanding characters, a dark and gritty storyline all wrapped up in an tense plot with twists and turns that had me swiping my Kindle so fast I got friction burns!

Highly recommended book to read as a standalone but, to get the best out of it, I would suggest you read the whole series; you won't be disappointed and DCI Darke, her friends and colleagues will become like old friends you will laugh and cry with.

A huge thanks must go to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of the excellent Silent Victim.

DCI Matilda Darke is back with a bang! Just when you think there are no more cliffs to hang off, this instalment leaves you dangling right there!
14 year old Tilly Hall is brutally raped and left for dead after the attacker slashes her throat and throws her from the van. But Tilly isn’t the first victim, three women have been attacked and killed by this monster. DCI Darke is brought back from retirement by the Chief Constable Ridley and gathers together most of the team from the recently disbanded specialist unit.
The killer is meticulous and has carefully not left any trace of DNA in all the attacks. DCI Darke has little to go on but she is determined to bring justice to Tilly and the other victims. DCI Darke bonds with Tilly as both survivors of brutal, life defying attacks.
You can easily read this book in one sitting as you won’t want to put it down. Fast paced, gritty and horrifically detailed, this tension-filled story will leave you on tenterhooks, waiting for book #11!

How much more can Matilda Darke endure? Michael Wood is unrelenting in his determination to make sure that D.C.I Matilda Darke never, for a moment, gets any peace. In Silent Victim, Matilda is whiling her time away at home following the events which led to the dismantling of her Homicide and Major Crime Unit and the placing of the South Yorkshire Force on special measures.

It’s coming up to Christmas 2020 and CoVid socialising regulations are in full force. Adele has moved in with Matilda on a permanent basis and the two women are getting on well together. But you just know this peace and goodwill isn’t going to last. Someone is out there and they are killing women in the most brutal of ways.

The Chief is at his wits end and so he invites Matilda back, but she has conditions of her own that he has to meet before she agrees. You can’t help but love Matilda. Her empathy for the victims shines out and her compassion is what keeps her from losing her need to see justice done. She also cares deeply for her team. They have been forged in fire and when they hurt she feels their pain acutely.

In the face of a deeply misogynistic killer who is making no mistakes, Matilda really has her work cut out. The team can find no motive, nor any forensic clues to help them identify the barbaric killer. It’s one of Matilda’s most difficult cases and so she does exactly what you’d expect her to do and puts her neck on the line.

Michael Wood’s book is tension fuelled and I read it at a break-neck pace. He really makes you care about his characters and my heart was in my mouth more than once as various members of the team stood in the face of danger.

It is so good to be spending time with the team again and seeing how they are managing after all that has happened. Not all are still in the police force, and one or two new faces have come in, but they are all still very much in support of Matilda and care about her as much as she cares about them.

I had no idea who the killer was, but I was really caught up in the characters and their lives as well as needing to see justice done. As ever with Michael Wood’s series, there is a good amount of light to accompany the shade and the unrelenting pace and the terror that strikes in the heart of this story does not fade away as the denouement comes into focus.

Verdict: Another cracker of a fast-paced, tense and chilling police procedural. As ever Michael Wood leaves his readers wrung out from tension and with jangling nerves, yet still wanting more. A remarkable feat!

🗡Loved this dark thriller...and then there was Gwyneth😀🦃

As gripping as I'd hoped it would be.

Be prepared for a grisly set of attacks and murders of young women and a whole quiver of men behaving strangely. I kept guessing and changing my hunch about the culprit's identity thanks to the author's excellent way of keeping the suspense going. This one's gripping, especially because so many of the key characters are survivors dealing with PTSD, injuries and grief.

DCI Matilda Darke is a fighter and, despite having seen horrible results of criminal attacks throughout her career, she maintains a soft center. She's a mentor and confidante to her young crime fighting team and teenager Tilly, the killer's only surviving victim, finds a supportive friend in Matilda; their connection, one survivor to another, was touching.

Usually I am not a fan of murder mysteries that put too much focus on the personal lives of the detectives but this series is an exception. I find the continuing stories of the detectives and their families, still recovering from a horrendous day of casualties in the seventh book in the series, really give this story extra depth. Poor Scott who lost his perfect man; poor Adele who lost her son. The list goes on and Matilda's colleagues and friends who saw their friends and loved ones snuffed out seem to have formed a tight team that gives this series that special something extra.

But perhaps the best scene and definitely a moment of lightness in a dark tale was the entrance and exit of Gwyneth the turkey. Loved that Christmas spent in Coronavirus lockdown with Gwyneth!

The serial killer case is wrapped up nicely by book's end but the last pages are a cliffhanger teaser for the series' continuation. I would have come back for the next book in the series anyway!

Thanks to Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

5 Stars from me

In book 10 of the sensational DCI Matilda Darke series we find Matilda somehow more vulnerable and yet also the strongest she's ever been as her grit and determination drive her relentless pursuit of a killer.

The timing of the publication day is rather fitting as at times Silent Victim had echoes of an old school slasher movie - perfect to read at Halloween!

Another homage to the classic Scream styley was the sheer number of dead ends and red herrings. If, like me, you read a lot of crime thrillers you accept that most of the time you can guess at 'whodunnit', well not when you are pitted against the mastermind of Michael Wood. My advice, give up guessing and enjoy the ride.

I don't like to give spoilers so I'll just add that the key witness central to this story was a superb character, who was flawlessly delivered. And the fact that she was named after my cat was an added bonus...

Matilda's empathy and selfless interactions with Tilly brought a much needed warmth and humanity to this depraved tale. Yet, on the flipside, Matilda seemed to flirt around the edges of fully unhinged at times and her sheer blinkered approach to catching the killer drove her to make some reckless and down right dangerous decisions.

As for that ending, well... As ever, I can’t wait for the next one!

There are a few sensational crime thriller series out there right now and Michael Wood’s Matilda Darke series is right up there – I know that I will see these books televised. I know it. A series this good, this brutal, this exciting, must surely come alive, Matilda simply cannot hide in the pages of a book forever…

DCI Matilda Drake #10

DCI Matilda Drake and her team have been restricted under special measures after a series of calamitous scandals nearly brought down the South Yorkshire police force. Now Matilda is on the trail of another murderer, an expert in avoiding detection with no obvious motive, but one obvious method. When his latest Matilda is more convinced than ever of the guilt of her key suspect. If only she had a way to prove it....

What a fantastic, edge of your seat read this book was. I could not put this book down. The opening scene is quite horrific - a fourteen-year-old girl left for dead after being kidnapped. This story is action packed and I was quickly pulled in. The pace is fast, and I was kept guessing. My heart was racing as I sat gripped on the edge of my seat. The murders are savage and graphic. and it can be disturbing to read about. There are some great twists. There are some laugh out loud moments to lighten up some of the darker moments. With a great cliffhanger ending, I can't wait to read the next installment to this series.

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