There can be no case more harrowing for the police than that of a missing child. They know they are working against the clock and have to treat everyone as a suspect even the increasingly desperate parents. DCI Miranda Darke's team manage to do this sensitively while investigating thoroughly. I was gripped from the first page and read the book in one sitting. Although it is the 6th book in the series this was my 1st Michael Wood novel, so did I enjoy it? Suffice to say that I had no sooner finished this read than I had bought his back catalogue. I would  probably have preferred to start with book 1 but there is nothing in this book that will spoil the earlier work for the reader. There is however a tantalising peek at a future case that has well and truly whetted my appetite for the next story.

After reading and loving the murder house i was expecting to enjoy this book and omg i was not dissapointed superb writing
I was gripped from the beginning and could not put it down there was so much happening that just made me want to read and find out more the relationship between the characters is fab one minute i was laughing out loud at the banter then the next i was crying because something was uncovered thats sad.
Really dont know how to feel for the killer either kinda want to feel sorry for them after everything they have been through but at the same time theres just something unsure about them and feel so sorry for matilda but you know she'll be ok she has her team around her.
It actually shows how great the writing is its like your watching the scenes unfold in front of you and these characters are real people you actually care about how they feel and want to shake them shout at them or give them a big hug.
and that end had me crying it makes you happy but sad at the same time because of whats happening in this book you are sure how its going to pan out in the next one - omg the next one  i really cant wait for it i want to know what happens now! and really need to find and buy the others in the series to catch up.

I was hooked from the first page and I couldn't read it fast enough.  As usual, The DCI Matilda Darke series is set in and around Sheffield, Matilda is still unable to come to terms with the fact that she wasn't able to rescue a young boy who had been abducted and held for ransom. It was only natural that her mind wasn't completely on the job as her beloved husband was dying and she made an error that to her was unforgivable and almost finished her career. When she is called on to lead an investigation into another kidnapping and ransom demand for the safe return of a young girl. she is determined to pull out all the stops and get the girl back to her family. There are a few end of paragraph cliff hangers but that made me want to push on with the story which is packed full of suspense and is a thrilling read. I can highly recommend this book, it is a fantastic addition to the series.

4 Stars

DS Sian Mills and DC Finn Cotton were the first to respond to an hysterical mother who is reporting that her daughter has been kidnapped. 

Amanda is the name of the distraught neighbor of Linda and Craig Armitage whose nine-year old daughter Keeley has been taken. Their other two children Riley and Jodie are at home. Riley is wearing a helmet and mittens. He is severely disabled.

Something is not right; something coincidental...Enter DCI Matilda Darke. When the FLO visits the home, she gets  the same sense of something odd, something off. 

The book harkens back in time to the abduction of Carl Megan. His mother has spiraled downward ever since his disappearance. DCI Matilda was essentially blamed for his not being found, and now she is sure he is dead. 

Four years later, and contemporary with Keeley's story, a young boy, eleven-years old, presents himself to the local gendarmerie in France and says he is Carl Meagan. Is it really him? DNA tests are on the way. 

A ransom demand is made that is way beyond the family's means. Matilda immediately believes this to be a hoax. When the kidnapper does not call back, the team suspects that Keeley is dead. 

This book presumes too much in spots. I had the same reaction that another reviewer had in that how did the do-er of the crime(s) know that Matilda would be assigned to the case? Some illogical leaps were made. The writing, however is very fine and the plotting is well done. I was glad to meet with some of my old “friends” on  the detective squad. It's nice to catch up. The plots of this series of book are very closely tied together. Although they may be read as stand alone novels, I think it would be better to read them in sequence. More please, Mr. Wood.

I want to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins UK/One More Chapter for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review.

Matilda Darke and her team are a force to be reckoned with! I started this book minutes after receiving the email invite and I’ve just finished it, only putting it down to sleep! Loved it. The book is full of twists and turns, so many layers to the storyline. Can’t wait for the next one in the series!

This is the 6th book in the DCI Matilda Darke Thriller series. The plot here concerns the disappearance of nine year-old Keeley, for whom a ransom demand is soon made, despite the fact that the family don't have any real money. I really enjoyed reading it.

spoiler alert ** For anyone who's been following this series,this book opens with a shock... and to be fair,it carries on as it begins.
Despite having a fair idea of who and why Keeley went missing,I still felt like things were being thrown at me left right and centre.
There were times I worried for nearly all of the team.
Brilliantly paced and packed with tension.
This book thrills right up to the last page.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

I have read each of the novels in the series and am sad to report that the on-going Carl Meghan storyline (the details of which have to be rehearsed at the beginning of every single book) is still going strong. Actually, at times in this one it was more interesting than the main story. The plot here concerns the disappearance of nine year-old Keeley, for whom a ransom demand is soon made, despite the fact that the family don't have any real money. Matilda immediately deduces that the demand was a hoax and that the girl is already dead. This seemed a bit of a leap to me, but not such a leap as the perpetrator knowing (how?) that the case will inevitably be allocated to Matilda and that it will bring back memories for her and for the press of the missing Carl.

There is a fair amount of description of the various detectives' personal lives, most of which added to the story by rounding out their characters (I particularly enjoyed Matilda's friendship with Adele, and Chris' relationship with Scott) but the Aaron strand required knowledge of the previous book in the series and drew me out of the story - it didn't really add anything except perhaps being as reminder of how long it takes for cases to reach court. 

I found this a page-turner until near the end, where there was a prolonged river rescue scene which was dull and which I skimmed. There were a lot of deaths towards the end and a number of extremely gruesome and unsavoury revelations, with the family in question proving 'dysfunctional' in more or less every way possible. You'll have to read it yourself to see if Carl made it home.

#StolenChildren #NetGalley 
A good read. 
A young boy walks into a police station in France. He claims to be Carl Meagan – a missing child from Sheffield whose name is still whispered as a warning to kids who stay out after dark.
Some children won’t be found. On her way home from the supermarket, nine-year-old Keeley Armitage vanishes without trace. Her family is overcome with shock and DCI Matilda Darke can’t help but focus on memories of the Carl Meagan case that almost ruined her career. 
I loved the way the characters are made. It's narration is superb. 
Thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for giving me an advance copy.