A short story and prequel featuring DCI Matilda Darke, star of Michael Woodâs darkly compelling crime series. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons and Patricia Gibney.
She invited the killer into her homeâŚ
The body of a young woman is found in an apartment block in a Sheffield suburb. She was attacked at home, in a sudden moment of violence that sends shockwaves through the community.
DCI Matilda Darke has no choice but to work with her rival, DI Ben Hales, as the investigation takes them undercover into the dark world of a serial rapist targeting innocent women on the streets of the steel city.
But can Matilda and Ben finally put their grievances aside and work together? Or will this case be their last?
Reviews
Praise for Michael Wood:
âA tense, nail-biting story with a truly twisted endingâ Katerina Diamond
âAn established master of the serial killer novel takes us on another dangerous journey through the streets of Sheffield. Watch out for those twists â you won't see them coming!â Stephen Booth
âA gritty and atmospheric thriller with more twists and turns than a hangman's knot. I loved itâ Matt Hilton
âSolid storytelling and great unravelling of plot. Michael Wood ups the pace as the noose tightensâ Rachel Sargeant
âTaut, twisting and sharp as a blade, The Hangmanâs Hold wrong-footed me at every, devious turnâ 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 finishâ Chris Simms
âBites into you like the rough twine of a hangmanâs 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 Hangmanâs Hold is going to be bigâŚâ Neil Broadfoot
Praise for Michael Wood:
âYou 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 Darkeâ Yrsa Sigurdardottir
âShe is the perfect heroineâ Elly Griffiths
âA pitch-black concept, tightly delivered and played at exhilarating paceâ Paul Finch
âCrackling dialogue, dark wit and an exciting ending. Recommended if you liked Happy Valleyâ Mark Edwards
âDCI Matilda Darke is going placesâ James Oswald
âA compelling, addictive read, itâs hard to put down. I really enjoyed getting to know DCI Matilda Darke. She's strong character with real depthâ Robert Bryndza, bestselling author of THE GIRL IN THE ICE
âA beautifully written book with a dark heart and a secret that impacts on generationsâ Sarah Ward
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.
A short story and prequel featuring DCI Matilda Darke, star of Michael Woodâs darkly compelling crime series. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons and Patricia Gibney.
She invited the killer into her homeâŚ
The body of a young woman is found in an apartment block in a Sheffield suburb. She was attacked at home, in a sudden moment of violence that sends shockwaves through the community.
DCI Matilda Darke has no choice but to work with her rival, DI Ben Hales, as the investigation takes them undercover into the dark world of a serial rapist targeting innocent women on the streets of the steel city.
But can Matilda and Ben finally put their grievances aside and work together? Or will this case be their last?
Reviews
Praise for Michael Wood:
âA tense, nail-biting story with a truly twisted endingâ Katerina Diamond
âAn established master of the serial killer novel takes us on another dangerous journey through the streets of Sheffield. Watch out for those twists â you won't see them coming!â Stephen Booth
âA gritty and atmospheric thriller with more twists and turns than a hangman's knot. I loved itâ Matt Hilton
âSolid storytelling and great unravelling of plot. Michael Wood ups the pace as the noose tightensâ Rachel Sargeant
âTaut, twisting and sharp as a blade, The Hangmanâs Hold wrong-footed me at every, devious turnâ 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 finishâ Chris Simms
âBites into you like the rough twine of a hangmanâs 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 Hangmanâs Hold is going to be bigâŚâ Neil Broadfoot
Praise for Michael Wood:
âYou 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 Darkeâ Yrsa Sigurdardottir
âShe is the perfect heroineâ Elly Griffiths
âA pitch-black concept, tightly delivered and played at exhilarating paceâ Paul Finch
âCrackling dialogue, dark wit and an exciting ending. Recommended if you liked Happy Valleyâ Mark Edwards
âDCI Matilda Darke is going placesâ James Oswald
âA compelling, addictive read, itâs hard to put down. I really enjoyed getting to know DCI Matilda Darke. She's strong character with real depthâ Robert Bryndza, bestselling author of THE GIRL IN THE ICE
âA beautifully written book with a dark heart and a secret that impacts on generationsâ Sarah Ward
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.