The Murder House – Michael Wood

They were the perfect family. It was the perfect crime.

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…

 

I recieved a review copy from the publisher through Netgalley.

 

I have been falling behind with my reading.  I go through periods where the day job can change a couple of times in a year.  When this happens the books I want to read don’t get picked up as quickly as I would like.  This is particularly problematic when I am following a series and before I read the newest book I suddenly find there is a new “newest” book and I have slipped back and find myself two books behind where I want to be.

While Matilda Darke has been moving on with her life and getting into new scrapes I was firmly stuck at the end of the magnificent The Hangman’s Hold.  I was too far behind and I promised myself I would visit The Murder House without further delay – a good decision!  Michael Wood has an unflinching approach to his stories and The Murder House is not pulling any punches.  Matilda and her team are called upon to investigate the brutal murders of a family, slain in their home on the day of their daughter’s wedding. The murders appear frenzied, multiple stab wounds and one victim’s head has practically been severed.  Not one for the faint hearted.

Despite the carnage the police are able to find evidence which points to a suspect.  A known petty thief and burglar who appears to have gone on the run around the time the murders took place.  Matilda has her doubts that a small time crook would escalate so suddenly to multiple killer but the evidence cannot be disputed, the suspect had escaped from a jail in Barnsley and vanished.  His recapture is imperative.  For the reader we get to see the suspect’s flight from Sheffield and his attempt to reach the South Coast.  He is fleeing and he wants to make it to mainland Europe, knowing full well that the police are on his tail.

Although Matilda is the star of the show, Michael Wood makes lots of time for the rest of her team too.  The brutality of the murder they are investigating is taking its toll and Matilda will need to be the best of all bosses if she is to keep her colleagues focussed.  However, one of her most trusted colleagues has had enough and confirms his intention to resign.  Matilda is now fighting to save a promising career, keep the core of her team intact and trying to find time to catch a killer.  What she really doesn’t need is her past cases to catch up with her – of course that’s exactly what is about to happen.

Returning readers will know that Matilda is plagued by her high profile failure when she botched the handover of a ransom payment when she was meant to recover a kidnapped boy.  The boy, Carl, has haunted her since – presumed dead but the constant doubt remains that he may be out there somewhere and desperate to be reunited with his mother and father.  Now Carl’s mother has received a telephone call and the voice on the end (she is sure) is Carl’s.  There is no new evidence other than a voice on the other end of the phone but Carl’s mother wants someone to help.  Matilda has no time but reaches out to an old colleague, now retired, to spend time with Carl’s parents.

These scenes are also traumatic.  The feeling of loss and frustration for the boy’s parents are hard to enjoy. Their son is gone and their marriage is in trouble, I could not help but hope they would get some comfort and resolution or even just respite from their worry.  No spoilers but the case which has haunted Matilda for five books isn’t going to quiety slip into the background.

I have missed out a lot in my brief overview of The Murder House, there’s lots to enjoy in this book and (as I always do) I enjoyed my return to Matilda Darke’s world.  This really is one of the best new ongoing series, five books in and the stories are going from strength to strength.  A few nods to past events which may go over the head of new readers but it should not stop anyone picking up The Murder House as a stand-alone thriller and finding themself lost in a pacy page-turner.

 

The Murder House is published by One More Chapter and is available in paperback and digital format.  You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07TNPVC25/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i5