The Murder House
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4.5 • 222 Ratings
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- £1.99
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- £1.99
Publisher Description
‘Gory, brutal, devastating, utterly addictive and yet so finely written. This deserves to be huge – and I think it will be. His best yet’ Louise Beech
They were the perfect family. It was the perfect crime.
The new gripping DCI Matilda Darke crime thriller about the dark secrets that lie within a perfect family. For fans of Patricia Gibney and Angela Marsons.
It’s the most disturbing crime scene DCI Matilda Darke has ever seen…
The morning after a wedding reception at a beautiful suburban home in Sheffield, the bride’s entire family are stabbed to death – in a frenzied attack more violent than anything DCI Matilda Darke could have imagined.
Forensics point to a burglar on the run across the country. But cracks are starting to appear in Matilda’s team, someone is playing games with the evidence – and the killer might be closer to home than they thought…
Praise for The Murder House:
‘Matilda Darke is Sheffield’s answer to Northumberland’s Vera and Wood’s stories are up there with the best. Fast-paced, crisp writing and a thoroughly enjoyable read’ David Young, bestselling author of Stasi Child
Reviews
Praise for The Murder House:
‘Wood has created a fantastic lead character for his gritty South Yorkshire police procedurals. Matilda Darke is Sheffield’s answer to Northumberland’s Vera and Wood’s stories are up there with the best. Fast-paced, crisp writing and a thoroughly enjoyable read’ David Young
Praise for Michael Wood:
‘A tense, nail-biting story with a truly twisted ending’ Katerina Diamond
‘Watch out for those twists – you won't see them coming!’ Stephen Booth
‘A gritty and atmospheric thriller with more twists and turns than a hangman's knot. I loved it’ Matt Hilton
‘Solid storytelling and great unravelling of plot. Michael Wood ups the pace as the noose tightens’ Rachel Sargeant
‘Taut, twisting and sharp as a blade, The Hangman’s Hold wrong-footed me at every, devious turn’ Chris Whitaker
'Wood hit the ground running with For Reasons Unknown, first in the DCI Matilda Darke series. In the fourth instalment, The Hangman's Hold, he picks up the pace again with a twisting plot that races to a nail-biting finish’ Chris Simms
‘Bites into you like the rough twine of a hangman’s noose and refuses to let go. Tautly plotted, brilliantly realised, this is further proof that Michael Wood is only going to get better and better. The Hangman’s Hold is going to be big…’ Neil Broadfoot
‘You can count on Michael Wood to deliver a deliciously twisted and intriguing plot, leading to a surprise ending by a likeable and very real protagonist, Matilda Darke’ Yrsa Sigurdardottir
‘She is the perfect heroine’ Elly Griffiths
‘A pitch-black concept, tightly delivered and played at exhilarating pace’ Paul Finch
‘Crackling dialogue, dark wit and an exciting ending. Recommended if you liked Happy Valley’ Mark Edwards
‘DCI Matilda Darke is going places’ James Oswald
‘A compelling, addictive read, it’s hard to put down. I really enjoyed getting to know DCI Matilda Darke. She's strong character with real depth’ Robert Bryndza
About 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.
Customer Reviews
Very good series
This is the sixth book by Michael Wood that I have read and they’re consistently very good.
I have a few little niggles.
Plot wise, it’s another story that leaves me asking why on Earth anyone would become a police officer and why would anyone in their right mind do a certain thing. I can’t say more without spoiling the book. The story would have been weakened without these actions.
Writing wise, a plea to all writers - please use past participles the traditional way. Most do but an increasing number don’t. eg ‘He was sitting’ and not ‘he was sat’. He should have been ‘sitting’, I think, four times in the whole book rather than ‘sat’. Petty? Maybe but it really annoys me.
Don’t let my niggles put you off. These are cracking books and this one is no different. I recommend it.
Gripping, engrossing read
DCI Matilde Darke is back in this the 5th book in the series, and they just keep getting better and better. Hooking you from the start to the finish. Michael Wood certainly knows how to keep his readers engaged. Set in and around Sheffield.
Leah and Oliver Ridgeway have just had their wedding day, leaving Leah’s parents home to go on their honeymoon. Unfortunately it’s the last time Leah will see her parents alive. One of the wedding guests arrives at the house to collect some personal bits and finds Serena, Clive and son Jeremy Mercer brutally murdered, but one girl is tied to the chair. The Homicide and Major Enquiry team find the scene to be one of the most horrific they have ever seen. With mutilated features, near decapitation even the most seasoned detectives struggle. Darke has to keep the team focused
The crime scene looks frenzied and personal but on investigation the police are finding it difficult to find anyone who didn’t like the family! So why? And who would want this family dead?
This is a highly engrossing read, gripping the reader from start to finish as you are trying to work out who could have done this. There are red herring’s aplenty cleverly placed throwing you off the scent brilliantly. Loved the character’s, loved the banter, roll on the next book.
I would like to than #netgalley and #OneMoreChapter for an eARC of this in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.