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For Reasons Unknown

DCI Matilda Darke, Book 1

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For Reasons Unknown

By: Michael Wood
Narrated by: Stephanie Beattie
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Two murders. Twenty years. Now the killer is back for more…

A darkly compelling debut crime novel. The start of a brilliant series, perfect for fans of Stuart MacBride, Val McDermid, and James Oswald.

DCI Matilda Darke has returned to work after a nine month absence. A shadow of her former self, she is tasked with re-opening a cold case: the terrifyingly brutal murders of Miranda and Stefan Harkness. The only witness was their eleven-year-old son, Jonathan, who was too deeply traumatized to speak a word.

Then a dead body is discovered, and the investigation leads back to Matilda's case. Suddenly the past and present converge, and it seems a killer may have come back for more…

 Crime Crime Thrillers Detective Fiction Genre Fiction Modern Detectives Mystery Police Procedural Thriller Thriller & Suspense Urban Women Sleuths Women's Fiction Exciting
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Critic reviews

Praise for OUTSIDE LOOKING IN:
‘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
Praise for FOR REASONS UNKNOWN:
‘A beautifully written book with a dark heart and a secret that impacts on generations’ Sarah Ward
‘A skilfully crafted and compelling debut that hooks from the off and will keep you guessing until the final page. I can’t wait for Michael Wood’s next one’ M.R. Hall
‘Gripping, sad and unexpected – this is a terrific debut. Wood writes with the confidence and flair of an old hand’ Alex Marwood
‘A strong debut with an intriguing mystery at its heart. The first thing that strikes me is how well he writes female characters. The novel is packed full of strong women’ Ben Cheetham
‘An appealing – and refreshingly human – lead character is swept along in this ingeniously plotted, fast paced debut’ Chris Simms
'This explosive novel is already making a bang – with reviewers comparing Michael’s work to that of his heroes Val McDermid and James Oswald' Sheffield Star
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I love finding a new Author with a series. And what a cracker there is here. Matilda Darke is a damaged soul from the outset of the book, battling with her own issues, coming back to work. It doesn't take long to be totally rooting for her though. She's not a down-trodden went blanket, though: Michael Wood gives us just enough back story, and more "show" than "tell" to really shape he genuine struggles. These run parallel to the cold case she is given, reluctantly, at the start. Restrictions on her working conditions posing a hurdle to navigate. The story moves quickly, and the web of possibilities complicates. New bits of info pop up throughout the book making each red herring go a little purple, then blue, the red again. Satellite characters feed into the major plotline, all with just enough description to move the story forward. I'd say if you like your McDermid, you'll love these - there are nods to other crime writers in the book itself... Matilda Darke even gets compared to Vera Stanhope, and to be fair, I can see that. But only a nod. I like Matilda Darke and I want to follow her. A cracking first series that I will be following up on.

Credit should also go to the narration by Stephanie Beattie - excellent pace, clear voice, great characterisation.

Fantastic Characterisation

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Narration was good and with accents that you would believe. Story was interesting and kept me gripped until the end.

Very enjoyable to listen to in the car to and from work!

Excellent book. Thoroughly enjoyed it

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A great start to a crime series - glad I found this and will definitely get book 2.

Good listen

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A character based crime thriller, I have read so many I’ve lost count. Holmes, Poirot, Morse, Wexford, Vera - this one sits amongst the best. Excellent, richly drawn believable characters and a cracking mystery.

I will be checking out the rest of this series and others by the author.

Up there with best

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Most books are just "okay" or slightly better - I found this book very easy to get in to, to keep me interested and isn't too far fetched or silly! I was highly impressed as you never really know what you're going to get when you purchase a new author but I shall be continuing this series for sure! 🙌🙌
Highly recommended if you are a crime fan!

Great story and narration

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