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The Hangman’s Hold: A gripping serial killer thriller that will keep you hooked (DCI Matilda Darke Thriller, Book 4) by [Michael Wood]

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Michael Wood

The Hangman’s Hold: A gripping serial killer thriller that will keep you hooked (DCI Matilda Darke Thriller, Book 4) Kindle Edition

by Michael Wood (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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Your life is in his hands.

In the gripping new serial killer thriller from Michael Wood, Matilda Darke faces a vicious killer pursuing his own brand of lethal justice. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons and Helen Fields.

There’s a killer in your house.
The Hangman waits in the darkness.

He knows your darkest secrets.
He’ll make you pay for all the crimes you have tried desperately to forget.

And he is closer than you think.
DCI Matilda Darke is running out of time. Fear is spreading throughout the city. As the body count rises, Matilda is targeted and her most trusted colleagues fall under suspicion. But can she keep those closest to her from harm? Or is it already too late?

Length: 418 pages	Word Wise: Enabled	Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled
Page Flip: Enabled	Language: English

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Review

‘A tense, nail-biting story with a truly twisted ending’ Katerina Daimond

“An established master of the serial killer novel takes us on another dangerous journey through the streets of Sheffield. 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

Praise for Michael Wood:

‘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, bestselling author of THE GIRL IN THE ICE

‘A beautifully written book with a dark heart and a secret that impacts on generations’ Sarah Ward

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

ASIN : B07CQ972JC
Publisher : One More Chapter (24 August 2018)
Language : English
File size : 833 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 418 pages

Best Sellers Rank: 160,192 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- 1,314 in Vigilante Justice Thrillers
- 2,127 in Mystery Action & Adventure
- 2,304 in Serial Killer Thrillers

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431 ratings

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Another cracking thriller from Michael Wood

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 October 2018

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Book 4 in the DCI Matilda Darke series and one of the few books I have been keeping an eye out for. Despite the volume of crime thrillers which are released each year – one or two crime series do stand out for me in the publication schedules and command urgent reading on release. Michael Wood’s Matilda Darke series is in my select band of “must read new books”.

A significant factor in my love of these stories is Darke herself. She is something of a car crash and carries more emotional baggage than most. Her back story has been well defined in the first three novels and returning readers will enjoy how the author builds on the past events to twist the knife in Matilda’s recovery progress. Fear not New Readers as everything you need to know is deftly explained by the author to ensure you can read The Hangman’s Hold as a stand-alone thriller (though you will want to go back and catch up on the earlier books).

Serial killer stories always fare well at Grab This Book as they are my favourite crime thrillers. Sit me down with a good serial killer tale and I will lose myself in a book for hours. The Hangman’s Hold is a good serial killer tale – a VERY good serial killer tale.

The clue is in the title so it is no great shock to find that the murderer leaves his victim hanging from a traditional hangman’s noose. He targets his victims to ensure the people he kills “deserve” to die – at least they do in his opinion and as the Hangman is delivering judgement on his victims there will be no leniency shown.

The reader gets a close look at the crimes and Michael Wood also ensures we see the impact the killers actions have on the families of the deceased. A very powerful and effective way of bringing us fully into Matilda’s world as she tries to find a way to prevent more deaths and catch the killer.

From very early in the story the actions of the murderer will strike close to Matilda and her friends. As events unfold Matilda becomes a target for the Hangman, he taunts her and the suggestion is made that the killer may be known to her – who can Matilda trust and could mistakes she has made in the past place her in danger today?

My anticipation for The Hangman’s Hold was entirely justified. I chewed this one up and immediately had the wistful realisation that there will not be another Matilda Darke novel for a wee while. These books are a treat – go read them.

3 people found this helpful

C Knight

When the hangman gets hold of you...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 September 2018

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Darke by name, dark by nature.

I don’t know where to start with The Hangman’s Hold. This is a case quite close to home for Matilda with her bestie’s new beau found hung only a short time after their first date. As readers, we know what is going on but we don’t know who or why. And the darkness continues from there. What I didn’t expect was for this case to consume me as a reader!

I do love Matilda Darke. She has such a dead pan sense of humour. Her relationship with Adele is pitched perfectly. The girlie nights of wine, chocolate and TV.

This is an unflinching portrayal of vigilantism. Michael Wood made me question whether the justice system does get it right all the time or is what the court dishes out as punishment what is deserved.

Michael Wood’s writing is captivating. I was totally engrossed in the story, I know bits of Sheffield so could picture the story unfolding before my eyes. I had a handful of suspects which I kept jumping between. The subtleties of the red herrings and clues are sublime. My kindle battery died as the story started to climax. Rather than wait for it to charge, I read on my phone which I don’t normally do during the day. As I read the closing chapters, my hand was against my mouth. Mr Wood has written a heart pumping finale!

If you haven’t met Matilda Darke before, you so should! Yes there are references to the previous investigations but they are just references. You don’t need to have read all the previous novels to enjoy The Hangman’s Hold.

2 people found this helpful

Shell Baker

This is one very clever, dark and well written story

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 September 2018

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The Hangman's Hold is the Fourth book in the DCI Matilda Drake series and if you haven't read any of this series I seriously think you should start. It is a series that is well and truly twisted and the author takes you to places to places that you have never been to before. But for me this is one of the reasons I love the series some much.

In this story with catch up with Matilda Drake in a much slower paced start to the story. Where I couldn't help but think this book was very different to the previous three but low and behold the story takes an unexpected turn and I was like OMG where the hell did that come from then I found myself racing to the end to find out what was going to happen. You will not believe the twists and turns in this story just when I thought I had it all worked out BOOM another shocking twist.

What can I say but the suspense and tension build up in this story is out of this world. Now that I have read it I totally get the slower start which has plenty of character build up and you get you ready for another pulsating read which will certainly keep you on the edge of your seat.

Matilda is one of those characters that really jumps out of the pages to me and boy do we see her go through the mill with this twisted story. But she is determined when it comes to her job I always feel she is a unique character, someone that I can relate to.

This is one very clever, dark and well written story. Just when I thought this series couldn't get any better it did just that! It will blow your mind. I cannot recommend it enough giving it all the stars.

3 people found this helpful

Spicewalker

This latest case pushes Matilda to the edge

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 September 2018

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Well now. If you are looking for a crime thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat and holding your breath more often than is necessarily healthy, you could do a lot worse than to grab yourself a copy of The Hangman's Hold. This is only the second book in this series I have read but I am liking it more and more with each turn of the page (or in my case, touch of the kindle). With Matilda Darke, Michael Wood has created a protagonist who is equal parts fierce and vulnerable. One hundred percent dedicated to her job and her team, she has her own demons, some of which appear determined to come back to haunt with her a vengeance throughout her latest case.

Now it is safe to say that this latest case facing Matilda and Co is one which leaves somewhat mixed emotions amongst them all. On one hand they are faced with a brutal killer, one who is dispensing their own brand of justice, a kind of re-emergence of capital punishment as it were, but just who - or what - their victims are, remains to be discovered. The first victim brings the case very close to home for Matilda, its impact felt by one of her closest friends, but as the case unfolds, the killer seems hell bent on making this even more personal, leaving Matilda to wonder if she could be their next victim.

I thoroughly enjoyed this latest foray into Matilda's world. She is a character I liked instantly from the first introduction in A Room Full Of Killers and reacquainting myself with the team this time around was like greeting old friends. There are some new faces amongst them, some folk who are somewhat less agreeable than Matilda's key team, but also some old faces who come back into focus to keep the action sharp, the tension high and the list of suspects delightfully long. Michael Wood has created such a diverse and yet perfectly complimentary team, that you cannot help but like them, the camaraderie and the banter, as well as the dedication they show to their jobs. But Matilda is without question the stand out amongst them all. She is hurt, haunted even, and she is most definitely put through the ringer on this occasion, but she is quite formidable and not to be broken, no matter how close she comes. You cannot help but like her.

As for the story - well this one will play with both your emotions and your sense of morality. Can vigilante justice ever be acceptable? Is there a line which should not be crossed or if a victim is of questionable virtue, does the end justify the means? Certainly the author has done a brilliant job of creating the victim back story to make you understand why they may have been chosen, but ultimately also showing their present reality and overwhelming humanity so that, no matter what, you cannot help but feel sympathy for them as victims. And yet there is still that element of conflict, morally speaking, which is echoed in the story and the sentiments of the Officers tasked with finding them all justice.

This is a proper cat and mouse chase, with the killer taunting the police, not just through the blatant threats to Matilda, but also by engaging with the media to get their story out there. It raises the stakes for the police and also increases the tension, so skilfully crafted through a very tight writing style. Pacing ebbs and flows like the tide, changing as circumstance and story dictate, but all driving me as a reader towards the highly volatile and breath-stealing conclusion. But beyond the drama, the murders and the thrill of the chase, the book takes a look at not just the killer's ultimate victims, but their extended family who are victims themselves, giving it an emotional edge beyond that of simple thriller. There is also an element of Matilda's story coming full circle in this book, with names from her past brought to the fore in a devastating clash with her present.

There are just so many things I want to say about this book but some of them fall into spoiler territory, if not for this book then its predecessors, so really you are going to have to read it for yourselves and then we can talk. Trust me when I say that you really want to. From the very beginning this book drew me in, kept me focused on nothing but the story, and held me in its thrall until I turned that very last page. And what a very last page it was too. Seriously. Always a bitter sweet experience when you have really enjoyed a book, the best thing about that last page is that it promises more to come and I, for one, cannot wait.

2 people found this helpful

Kaffmatt

Average Thriller

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 December 2018

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This was an average thriller. It’s a well written book and the characters are believable.
There’s a vigilante ‘rounding up’ those people convicted of serious offences, for which the perpetrator believes justice has not been properly served. The perpetrator hangs the offenders, who had since been released from prison. DCI Matilda Darke is the officer in charge of the investigation and events take a turn for the worst as more hanings take place and a serial killer roams Sheffield.
What spoiled this for me was who the perpetrator was., otherwise not bad.

2 people found this helpful

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