In his latest addition to the DCI Matilda Darke, head of the Homicide and Major Enquiries Team (HMET) series, Michael Wood takes no prisoners as Sheffield is traumatised and terrorised by a rampaging rogue shooter. Matilda gets a strange phone call 'You’re a survivor, aren’t you, Matilda? But what’s the point in surviving when everyone around you is dead?'. After a hoax fire alarm goes off at the police station, the world goes to hell as life as they knew it unravels in spectacular fashion for HMET. You might think things couldn't possibly get worse, but you would be wrong, there is non-stop carnage as the killer executes a well organised plan of killings, bloodbath after bloodbath, leaving a trail of a mind boggling number of dead men, women and children, keeping the police off kilter, shocked at the horror that unfolds. This is a day no-one will ever fully recover from.

This is an inquiry Matilda is not in a position to lead, and emotionally this is not a scenario that the depleted and shell shocked HMET could ever have imagined, as DI Christian Brady finds himself in the unenviable position of being in charge, as they race to identify and locate a killer being manipulated by an evil old foe from his prison cell. It crossed my mind that perhaps Wood was burning his bridges with regard to this series, but no, this does not appear to be case, no doubt he has thought through where he is taking the series in the future, including presumably the introduction of a number of new characters and the impact of the trauma for some time to come on the existing police team, including Adele Kean.

This is a chilling read, heartbreaking with its never ending grief and sorrow, but one which requires a suspension of disbelief from the reader, I cannot believe that nationally the UK police would not come together and ramp up the numbers deployed to find and locate such a killer, using all the technology and resources at their disposable. The idea that the remaining members of a small police team would be left on their own to cope with the scale of the tragedy and crisis that begins to unfold seems just laughable. This has been a favourite crime series for me, but this has been far too much of a harrowing and outlandish addition, it leaves me wondering if I really want to continue with it, I will wait and see what direction the next book takes before I decide whether I want to abandon it for good. Many thanks to HarperCollins UK and One Chapter for an ARC.

That. Was. Harrowing! Jake Harrison, 34 year old troubled son of Vivian and Malcolm Harrison, starts his last day on earth by shooting his parents dead and then going on a killing spree across Sheffield - the likes of which have never been seen before. There is no whodunit, you know from the start who the killer is and pretty much what he plans to do. What you don’t know is exactly why this happening and how many people will be killed on that one day.

After killing his parents he moves onto the South Yorkshire Police building and lays into the occupants as they are drawn outside by a fire alarm. The narrative is shocking! People that we have grown fond of over the series are dropped without mercy - and there was a lot of book still to come. I was dreading what would come next.

This was a very raw, emotional story. I have to tell you I don’t cry over stories in books, mind you I don’t torture myself with overly bleak, realistic stories very often either. I think I shed a tear over The Magdalen Laundries - a horrible story based on true events. But this book - the emotions were so raw and painful and the author described the anguish of the officers as their friends were murdered so well that, yes, I reached for the tissues!

This is not a story where you can get to the exciting bits comfortable in the knowledge that you figurative friend, the lead character, will win through and live to fight another day. There was no certainty about the outcome. What I found most disturbing was the sheer, implacable, machine like precision of the killing. The pitiless disregard for human life - man, woman or child. This guy wasn’t enjoying it, he was just doing a job and doing it very well.

I’ve read a lot of dark books but this takes dark to a new level. Michael Wood pulled fear, horror and anguish out of me as I read this story. The writing was top notch, I don’t often get ‘the feels’. I’m laying all this out because it might be too strong for some readers. And the good news is that it ended with a sort of cliffhanger so there is more to this story, but my ‘omnipotent being’ I don’t know how the survivors will come back from this disaster. Needless to say I really enjoyed the book, after a break to calm my nerves. I have no choice but to give the full five stars to such a tour-de-force. Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins, One More Chapter and particularly to Michael Wood for providing a copy to review. My opinions are my own.

Exciting but horribly depressing😨

Michael Wood knows how to write a gripping story that you can't put down. Time is Running Out really did keep me turning the pages and there were loads of poignant. emotional moments. But the story was too bloody and depressing for me and the end's menace just made me feel even worse.

I had no idea how brutal this story would be. The world is upsetting enough in these days of pandemic without reading a book that turns the world on its head in one bloodbath after another, eliminates some favorite characters in a particularly brutal manner and sidelines the heroine almost from start to finish. I picked up this book because I enjoyed Stolen Children, the previous story in the DCI Matilda Darke series. This had a totally different vibe - unsettling, dark and devoid of hope.

If this is the direction the author has turned I don't think I will be joining him in future. No matter how unrealistic it might be, I want the bad guys to lose and the world set right.

Thanks to publishers Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

My thoughts about Michael Wood's brilliant fast tensed gripping police  procedural revenge thriller,in the DCI Matilda Darke series, Time Is Running Out, had blown me away with its powerful story and characters, that truly was remarkable. Talented Author Michael Wood not only does it again with its amazing unique story, but he also brings one of most hated villains you will wish you never saw him again,The Hangman is back to take his revenge and make DCI Matilda Darke's life a misery, what happened in The Hangmans Hold, was just the beginning this is going to have shivers down your spine. In Time Is Running Out we see are brilliant brave DCI Matilda Darke receives a mysterious telephone call, she immediately dismisses the threat. Afterall the Homicide and Major Enquiries team are a regular target for prank calls.But ignoring this warning might soon be the biggest regret of Matilda Darke’s life. A lone gunman is on a deadly rampage around Sheffield, leaving a bloody trail in his wake. Taking his shots with a sickening precision, he’s about to leave his mark on the world and change Matilda and her team’s lives forever which was just what can I say brilliant. Michael Wood is one of the best crime thriller writers, we have today, not only he proves with his powerful writing style, but the suspense and tension he creates is truly unbelievable and magnificent. Take a bow Michael Wood, Time Is Running Out is not only well written and well crafted, but it's one of the best police procedural thrillers out this year, that deserves appreciation and success. what a rollocoster ride. Michael Wood takes his series to a next level, which makes Time Is Running Out worth reading. Highly recommended. I would like to say thank you to author Michael Wood Publishers One More Chapter, and Netgalley for giving me a chance to read and review this outstanding thriller.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐💥💥💥💥💥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for an advance copy of Time is Running Out, the seventh novel to feature DCI Matilda Darke of the South Yorkshire Police.

There is a spree killer on the loose in Sheffield and it is up to the team to follow his trail of devastation and catch him before he destroys them all.

Wow! This is a high octane thriller that runs the gamut of emotions, from heartbreak to bravery and all points in between. It starts with carnage and ends in sadness. I found it both exciting and extremely moving, as well as tense and nerve wracking. And it all takes place in about 12 hours.

There is a dual point of view with the reader seeing both the investigative side and the killer’s. He is identified to the reader early on, but his motive is teased out over the course of the novel and it’s maybe not what you would expect, in fact there’s a sadness to it. The investigation focuses on identifying the killer then trying to work out his next moves, but it’s not straightforward and most of the twists caught me by surprise. There is a third voice in the novel, namely glory hunting reporter Danny Hanson, who paints the press in a bad light.

Throughout the novel the author portrays the shock, fear and disbelief of the survivors. It is powerful writing and had me living every minute of their experience. It should be noted that this is a brutal novel full of senseless but not gratuitous violence and cruelty. It will not be for all readers, especially the faint of heart, but if you have the stomach it is well worth a read.

Horrible, absolutely horrible! What happened in the book that is. The book is fantastic though, just don't read it right before you go to bed, because you'll have nightmares. This is the seventh book in the Matilda Darke series, but interestingly enough Matilda is not the lead in this book, but the rest of her team and colleagues are instead.

It is hard to restrain from giving away the plot while reviewing, but I'll just stick to saying be prepared for the worst, and when you think it can't get worse, it will. Everyone is under attack, no one is safe, because there's a crazy gunman on the lose, and he aims to kill.

I love it that the book tackles one of Matilda's previous cases, and takes the case to today, and makes it absolutely twisted in so many ways. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the lives of Matilda's colleagues, and the way the react and are involved in the crises.

Have to say I was a bit shocked in the beginning when it stared with a massive bang. I think why I was so overwhelmed was that, not that the previous books in the series have been about sweet and innocent petty thieves, but the madness and violence in this one took immediately my mind to the United States, not England. Sadly, I do however believe this could happen anywhere, and we can't keep on thinking 'bad things can't happen here'. Hopefully nothing of this sort will happen. When it's fiction it's fine to read, although once you've gotten attached to the characters you somehow take it personally anyway.

The writing, as always, is excellent. It flows so well, and together with how the story unfolds, it is simply impossible to stop reading. The story grabs you and keeps you hooked, and when you feel like you're done with it, it just won't let you go. Gritty, harrowing, and unforgettable. Chills to the core. The ending still haunts me.

Having not read any of the previous installments in the Matilda Darke series, all the characters were new to me. And the first pages invest you in them, bring you in and make you wonder…I am a bit relieved, now that I’ve finished the book, that I hadn’t read the previous installments. Because it’s a painful story, made more so if you are attached to Matilda and her crew. Wow, this was a tough book to read even not having those attachments. Nevertheless, I was invested in the story and could not put it down. You’ll feel so many emotions, not all of them happy and light. But, the ride is worth it. If you’re a fan of mystery/thrillers, this is a winner. It’s intense, and emotional, and fast-paced – totally worth the read! That said, not for the faint of heart though.

As a DCI, Matilda Drake gets plenty of threats, so many, she’s written most of them off. This time however, the threat is credible. An assassin is prowling the streets of Sheffield, leaving a pile of bodies in his wake. For the killer, this is personal, so what does this all have to do with Matilda and her team? This is a well written, well, researched police procedural

I love Michael Wood's Matilda Darke series so was very excited to read this, the seventh book . A lone gunman is on the rampage in Sheffield and this has huge consequences for Matilda and her team. Michael Wood gets better with each instalment in this series and this is a gripping, fast paced, rollercoaster ride of a book that I could not put down over 24 hours. I love this series for the characterisation, the interaction between characters that you really care about and the Sheffield setting. It could be read as a standalone but I'd recommend reading the rest of the series first.
Highly recommended.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.

A fast paced compelling read!
DCI Matilda Darke arrives at work and little does she know that her life will change forever. A rogue gunman is on the loose and leaving terror and carnage in his wake.

The characters are authentic , and the writing is addictive I need to continue to the next chapter to learn the next piece in this drama. At times the story is emotive , shocking and graphic in its nature.

The characters have a great dynamic and this book really highlights Michael wood at his best , he shows the vulnerable side of his characters which we rarely see. The characters are such that I want to invest in them and find out how they recover in the next in the series. Although I seriously wonder how Michael Wood can improve on this instalment .

A rollercoaster of a read that kept me in suspense.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK , One More Chapter for this arc copy.

Time Is Running Out by Michael Wood is Book 7 in the DI Matilda Dark police crime series and it was outstanding.
It was fast paced, dark, violent and incredibly moving in parts. It is a day that the police murder team will never forget., those that are left after a rouge gunman starts shooting his way around Sheffield. Who will be left standing at the end of the day?
Highly recommended.

5 stars is simply not enough.

Michael, Michael, Michael you have outdone yourself on Time is Running Out. ( loved your dedication and I can only imagine those text messages)

I am a huge fan of Matilda and when I saw the opportunity to read this book I jumped at it even though my pre order has been in for a long time.

This book is a roller coaster of a ride: I yelled at some look out, I cheered some on and I certainly snarled at a few .

Not saying another thing so I don't give anything away.

Just turn off your phone, hide if you must because you won't want to book this book down.

Thanks to NetGalley , Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for a book I hated to end .

Thankyou to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and the author, Michael Wood, for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of Time Is Running Out in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
OMG!!! NO!!!
This book was brilliant. Such a roller coaster ride of action, devastation and emotion.
This book was impossible to put down so I suggest you get comfortable. Definitely not a train ride to work kind of book. You may just miss your stop.
Definitely worth reading.

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

I have enjoyed all the previous instalments in this series, but this was something else. It opens with scenes of such carnage that I thought it was going to be one of those cases when the character wakes up and it all turns out to have been a nightmare - but no. Then the colleagues and partners of the victims, amidst detailed descriptions of their grief, set to to investigate the crime, which must surely be against all protocol, apart from being appallingly cruel. Then the author reveals exactly who the perpetrator is and why he has done what he has done. Finally (before I threw in the towel) there is a gratuitously violent scene set in a prison.

This is not what I signed up for.

* spoiler alert ** SPOILERS

Oh my.
This is the best yet.
A book that leaves you wondering who you can trust and who,if anyone,is going to make it out alive.
The body count seems massive,the tension off the scale,emotions were sky high,for me at least.
It's going to take a while to get my head around where we are left now.
Book 8 asap please.

DCI Matilda Darke is about to face the hardest fight of her life. Arriving at work she takes a call that is about to change her life and that of her team in the worst way.
I am a massive fan of these books and love the characters and their banter and dynamics and I am broken after reading this. Michael had written the best book in this series without a doubt! This is one series I want to last forever!
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

‘What’s the point of surviving when everyone around you is dead’. This phone message is the starting point of an apocalyptic day for the HMET team led by DCI Mathilda Drake in Sheffield.

Wowza. This book feels as if you are a passenger strapped into a Lewis Hamilton’s Formula One car being driven at mind blowing speed around the Nurburgring. I love this series but this one has the works. You can apply every cliche used to describe a thriller. It’s high octane, gritty, jaw dropping, eye popping, mind blowing and breathtakingly chilling to the bone. The tension is heart stopping but it’s also heart breaking. The storyline is deeply shocking with the author conveying the trauma and personalising the devastation making it feel real, allowing you to appreciate the depth of the impact on those affected. The pace alters appropriately according to the events, at times it’s so fast you almost stop breathing and then slows so you can catch your breath and allow your brain to process what you have just read. It’s extremely good on the emotional side of a major incident and you feel the pressure, anger, helplessness and sense of loss as pandemonium rages. The perpetrator plays a sick, evil and deadly cat and mouse game with devastating and calculating accuracy. The action occurs at intense and electrifying internals throughout the book and builds to an intense and bloodcurdling finale and yet another cliffhanger. Count me in for the next instalment and make it soon please!

Overall, this is an exceptionally good series with fantastic characters who you invest in, in this one Michael Wood has knocked it so far out of the park I’m not sure how he’ll follow it! I have very confidence he will astound us again in the next one.

With thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins, One More Chapter for the much appreciated arc for an honest review.

#TimeIsRunningOut #NetGalley
A good read.
DCI Matilda Darke receives a mysterious telephone call, she immediately dismisses the threat. Afterall the Homicide and Major Enquiries team are a regular target for prank calls.But ignoring this warning might soon be the biggest regret of Matilda Darke’s life.A lone gunman is on a deadly rampage around Sheffield, leaving a bloody trail in his wake. Taking his shots with a sickening precision, he’s about to leave his mark on the world and change Matilda and her team’s lives forever.
Thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for giving me an advanced copy.

I’m writing this at 4am and I’ve just finished this incredible book. I couldn’t stop reading for anything, not snacks, drinks or sleep. This might be the most intense, action packed story I’ve ever read. I feel like I didn’t take a breath for almost 400 pages. This was a different kind of Team Darke story but I loved every tension filled part of it. We get to see more of Christian, Sian and Scott which is always a plus and I enjoyed getting to learn more about Matilda’s parents. This was a brutal but brilliant book, Line of Duty meets Game of Thrones. I can’t wait for the next one.