Once again, Michael Wood, delivers a rollercoaster of a read!! Full of twists and turns! Great characters especially Aiden Cullen!

All Aiden Cullen wanted from life is to be a successful crime fiction writer, but his life was turned upside down when five years previously, after celebrating his book deal with friends he is set upon and viciously attacked and left for dead. Moving to the countryside with only his trusty dog Nanook for company, he builds a fortress of security around him complete with locked gates and security cameras. Living in fear that the attackers may return, his only friend Luke comes to stay and look out for him when he can, but Aiden is mostly alone, he never goes out, and his successful writing career is all he has left.
One night when he spots the blue lights and a forensic tent near his home it can only mean one thing – a murder has been committed on his doorstep. Terrified that his security may be breached, he starts to panic, especially when DS Katherine Marshall comes knocking. How will Aiden cope with the intrusions? And why is DS Marshall so keen to speak to him?
I listened to this on Audible last year, so naturally I wanted to re-read it when it became available in eBook – and I had forgotten just how dark and creepy this book is! I absolutely loved Aiden, and this was written from his POV which just added to the story so well. As the tale unfolds, we as the reader learn more about Aiden and the effect of his attack on his mental and physical health. I felt as though I wanted to read this from behind a pillow as I didn’t know what was coming next! It’s real steady, edge of your seat tension that keeps you up all hours! It was absolutely fantastic! Loved it!

Aiden Cullen has finally achieved his goal of becoming a published writer. He gets his friends together for a surprise party to announce his news. When he leaves, Aiden is attacked and left for dead.

Six years later and Aiden lives his life as a recluse in Derbyshire. His only companions are his dog, Nanook, and his best friend, Luke, who comes and goes.
When DS Katherine Marshall interviews Aiden following some local murders, Aiden notices that there is a link to him. Living in fear, can Aiden discover what is happening and stop his life from spiralling?

Goodness me, what a clever plot this story has! I was sucked into the tale from the first page, it made for a riveting read.

I liked the characters in the story, and I had a soft spot for Nanook, who is a white German Shepherd. He helped to keep Aiden calm when he was struggling, and you could feel their love for each other.

This is a dark and gritty thriller, where we discover more about Aiden’s life from prior to his attack, and how he copes with life now.

I was surprised by the ending as I hadn’t seen that coming at all, the author weaved his magic and kept me in suspense right up to the end.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Chapter One is a thrilling standalone read. . Aidan Cullen is a successful best selling author, who lives in in isolation with his best friend, Luke, after being a victim of a knife attack several years earlier. I was engrossed in this book and couldn't fathom how it was going to turn out. A surprising finale.

We start in the past, with Aidan Cullen who has striven for years to write his first book. He has finally made it and wants to share this moment with his closest friends. I say closest, they're not actually close as we will soon find out! So he hires the upstairs room of the uni pub they all used to drink in and, eventually most of them arrive. When the last one turns up, he is just announcing his success when he is gazumped by better news and, well, loses the crowd. His "friends" all leave to celebrate the other news, leaving him to dejectedly pack up his car. An event during which he is brutally attacked. An attack which leaves him traumatised and turns him into the recluse he is today. With only Luke - the friend that came back to find him that night, and dog Nanook for company in the big house in the country they all now live in, and which he hasn't left for years...
One book became two and now he has a whole series under his belt with the newest just about to be released. But then he hears some shocking news. The death of a women in very similar circumstances to the opening chapter of one of his books. Long story short, more of his books start to yield further identical murders. All coming under the investigation of DS Katherine Marshall who kinda befriends Aiden as he is feeling vulnerable cos Luke is working away, again.
Oh My Days. This book was all things brilliant for me. Although I did guess certain things early, I was never sure. I've been duped by this author on more than one occasion before so I am never wholly sure! He do love his curve balls! But my early tentative guess did in no way spoil the "moment"! I really loved his portrayal of Aiden who was a troubled soul but one who I felt a huge connection with as he knew his shortcomings and appeared to really want to get better. Luke was a bit of a funny fish and I wasn't sure of him but then again, his heart appeared to be in the right place as far as Aiden was concerned. Nanook however really stole the show.
And the story - wow. Brilliant. Perfectly paced, tension and intrigue ramping up nicely all the way through. And the way that Aiden begins to unravel as it all descends into darkness...
I'm trying to be oblique with my review but my best advice to you. If you are still reading reviews about this book then don't. Others may not be as kind and spoilers might slip in. I said that guessing ahead didn't mar my overall enjoyment of this book, but it did soften the blow when the penny finally dropped and the whole truth came out. And I don't want that for you.
Me, I'm still working my way through the Matilda Darke series back catalogue, as well as pouncing on his stand alones and Olivia Winter books as they are published.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Chapter One tells the story of Aidan Cullen, a newly successful crime writer. When his hard work finally pays off and his first book is published, what should have been a night of celebration unravels into an evening of horror. Left for dead after a brutal attack, trauma leaves him paranoid and reclusive, and he retreats to the remote countryside with only his dog Nanook for company. With the world kept at arm’s length, he begins to feel safe. That is, until a woman is murdered at the end of his road. With the police asking questions and a stalker knocking on his door, Aidan’s peace is completely shattered. And when the murderer strikes again, he starts to see a pattern in the killings; a pattern only he can recognise. Is the killer sending him a message or is his mind playing tricks on him?

I absolutely love Michael Wood's books and this is no exception. Chapter One is an excellently written, fast past psychological thriller and I loved every minute of it.

I couldn't get through it quick enough and loved all of the twists and turns that kept me wanting more. I can't wait to see what Michael Wood writes next!

My thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

After 10 years of struggle Aidan Cullen has become a published author. A celebration with friends turns to a nightmare when he is attacked, stabbed and left for dead in the pub car park. Told mainly from Aidan’s perspective, in dual timeline, this is a perturbing and claustrophobic story and I felt a lot of empathy for Aiden and his suffering with what is appears to be PTSD from his horrific near death experience.

Briefly, six years after the attack Aiden is living a reclusive existence in the countryside of Derbyshire. He hasn’t left the house and lives with his best friend Luke, who job often means he has to be away from home, and dog Nanook, in a beautiful property with high levels of security. He has now written 6 successful crime novels and on the point of publishing his seventh. However, his solitary life is interrupted when a series of murders occur locally. But only Aiden realises that there is a link between the murders.

It seems like Aiden was right to be paranoid about his safety. The tension in this book is palpable, I was feeling just as stressed as Aiden! A dark thriller with a startling twist and whilst I guessed who the killer was it didn’t deter in any way from the enjoyment of the book. Fast paced and compulsive psychological thriller.

Wood continues to prove why he's one of my all-time favorite authors. Chapter One is yet another testament to his gift for tight plotting and compelling storytelling. This time, we’re pulled into the claustrophobic world of Aidan Cullen, a reclusive crime writer who hasn’t left his home in five years after surviving a brutal attack. Isolated and gripped by paranoia, Aidan becomes an unlikely figure at the center of a murder investigation when a killing happens disturbingly close to his rural home.

The story is intense, atmospheric, and laced with psychological depth. I really enjoyed the book — the writing, pacing, and structure are as excellent as ever. However, I did find that I figured out the central twist fairly early on. That said, it didn’t take away from the experience, because Wood’s strength lies not only in surprise but in how he builds tension and explores character.

What stood out to me most in this novel was how it gave space to different kinds of voices. Aidan’s mental state, his trauma, and the way he navigates the world (or doesn’t) are portrayed with empathy and nuance. Stories like this make it easier for readers to understand how life might feel for someone dealing with fear, isolation, and a past that won’t let go. It’s a powerful reminder of how fiction can foster connection and empathy.

In short: gripping, thoughtful, and expertly written. If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers that go beyond the surface, this one is definitely worth picking up.

A dark disturbing tale of a successful author who was attacked when his first novel was published. It leads him to living a hermit like life in the countryside with his dog and at times his best friend staying from time to time. Then a series of murders in his area mirror the plot lines of his novels so things become very dark. A female police detective is assigned to the case and she gradually comes close to him until the shock truth emerges.

📚All the suspense I anticipated!😧

Michael Wood has done it again, with a suspenseful murder mystery that had me captivated from the first chapter (of many first chapters)! I thought I had guessed the serial killer early on and, with a major twist, I was right. But it's that twist that gave the story its edge.

An author recluse with his faithful canine companion, living on an isolated estate and almost totally cut off from society with gates, multiple locks and security cameras to keep outsiders away. For six years, since a brutal knifing in a pub parking lot, Aidan Cullen has sought refuge from the world and kept churning out bestsellers. Until a series of murders, uncannily similar to those described in his novels, bring the police to his gate and disturb his solitary world.

As with other books, and I've read more than a few by this author, the prose just drew me along at a clipped pace and I found it hard to put it down. Brilliant suspense in an eminently readable package.

Thanks to HarperCollins UK/One More Chapter and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Review shared on 7/14/25 on Waterstones, Goodreads and Bookbub, and with Barnes & Noble. To be shared with kobo and Google Play upon publication.

My thanks to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Chapter One’ written by Michael Wood in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Aiden Cullen is a popular author whose crime fiction novels are best-sellers. He’s lived as a recluse in Gallowsfield, Derbyshire, since being stabbed six years outside a public house in Liverpool, with his German Shepherd Nanook for company and his best friend Luke Jackson turning up when he’s not working. Late one night Aiden sees flashing blue lights nearby and learns that a woman’s body has been found left on a road, and he’s shocked that the circumstances of her murder mirror the plot and characters from one of his books.

‘Chapter One’ is a dark and compulsive standalone thriller that’s had me gripped from the moment I opened my Kindle. The plot is so frighteningly intense that it’s made my spine tingle as the killer moves on from one victim to another, each time copying the plots from Aiden’s books. This is an exceptionally disturbing thriller that has twists, suspense and tension that’s gradually building to a crescendo, and final chapters so shocking that I was unable to stop reading even if I wanted to. I’m open-mouthed in admiration for an author who can create a plot of such magnitude that it had me cringing in shock and horror while dreading what was going to happen next, with a plot that’s realistic and characters who were perfectly described. It gets a huge five stars from me although I’d give more if I could!

Aiden Lives as a recluse with his dog Nanook and his friend Luke in Gallows View House in Derbyshire. He is a well renown Crime thriller writer and he has lived there for several years. He has top security in his home as he still suffers from the aftereffects what happened to him six years ago. When his first novel Out of Darkness was just about to be released, he was stabbed and left for dead by three thugs outside in the car park of ‘The bucket of blood pub in Liverpool. He only survived because of Luke who rescued him all of them years ago.
When Luke is away, he spends evenings with his dog Nanook looking out his window to the surrounding fields. Aiden has agoraphobia and too scared to venture out from the borders of his garden. One evening he sees blue lights of a Police car. When DS Katherine Marshall arrives. At first, he doesn’t trust her to let her in but when he does, he finds out there is a copy kat killer that is killing someone in the same way as one of his books and not far from where he lives. What will he do? Will he be next?
I always love a Micheal Wood book, and he never disappoints and Chapter one is another fabulous book from the author.
I don’t usually go for a slow burn of a storyline but, but I found this to be compelling read. The way the author has portrayed Aiden with his Paranoia and agoraphobia, it gave me a closed in feeling that I felt I wanted to get out. I thought I had this story all figured out at the end but, yet again Mr Wood to have surprised me again with the ending I did;t see this coming. 5 stars from me.

I always know I’m in great hands with a Michael Wood book! This one did not disappoint! It hooked me from the beginning, was dark and twisty - with hints of the psychological in there! I listened to the audio version and had to source the book and I’m glad I did! A definite favourite author!

After what was supposed to be a night of celebration went badly wrong author Aiden Cullen sought refuge in a new home, turning it into a fortress that he didn’t want to leave. Then a body is found close to his home and suddenly his sanctuary doesn’t feel so safe anymore.
The murder has a chilling similarity to the plot in one of his books. Then he hears about another killing and knows that someone is acting out his plots. DS Katherine Marshall is in charge of the investigation into the killings and the more questions she asks the more Aiden is convinced someone is coming for him.
He survived one attack, will he survive another?
This intense, pacy thriller will have you on the edge of your seat. It’s so well written that at times I felt like I was locked in the house with Aiden, I felt the claustrophobia. It’s a masterclass of thriller writing.
I have read most of Michael Woods books, this one is now my favourite.

A short synopsis about Chapter One, The main character is reclusive & agoraphobic crime writer Aidan Cullen, he lives secluded in his home since being stabbed years before and all he has for company is his dog Nanook and his old friend Luke, Then he hears about a murder not far from him and it is a murder that is exactly like one he has written about in one of his books, paranoia quickly sets in as Aidan tries to make sense of who could be doing such a heinous thing and why is he being targeted?
Michael Wood has a fabulous dark mind and his writing quickly drags you in until you race to the final page. Definitely worth reading.

What a great read. I had forgotten that I enjoyed the author's earlier books. So who was out to catch him and why? I was really engaged and I did not see the ending coming. I will have to catch up on some of Mr.Wood's earlier books. Thanks to Net Galley for an ARC.

Oh, oh, oh. He has only gone and done it again. Just when you think Michael Wood cannot get any more tricksy, he goes and one ups himself with a book that is gripping, entertaining, mysterious and overall just fluffing marvellous. And, if I can be honest here, leaves me just a little concerned about the prospect of ever meeting him in real life. I will not say why, not even for the review, but he knows and anyone who reads this book will understand too ...

This is Aidan's story. Aidan is a writer of crime fiction. In the lead up to the publication of his first novel Aidan is subjected to a violent attack and left for dead. The attack changes his whole life, understandably, turning him into somewhat of a recluse. He goes onto write a series of highly successful books, living in relative, if not a touch isolated, luxury in rural Derbyshire, shunning publicity for the quiet life with his dog Nanook and best friend, Luke. Quiet that is until a series of murders start happening close by to his home, plunging Aidan into unfamiliar territory and into the spotlight in a way he does not enjoy at all. Or maybe it's not so unfamiliar as Aidan has a niggling feeling that the murders are uncomfortably close to home. And I am not just talking literally here.

This is somewhat of a strange reading experience for me. Strange in that I was completely and utterly engrossed in this story, in the mystery, the suspense and the all too tangled web Michael Wood has woven. But, as a principal protagonist, Aidan is a hard character to like. I was completely invested in his narrative, in the detail and the complexities of the murders and the skilful and funway in which Michael Wood has dispatched his victims this time around, if fun is ever really the right word for a series of murders. Aidan is hard work and it's no wonder that Luke and Nanook are his only real friends. The author has done a brilliant job of highlighting his neuroses, understandable to a degree following such an attack, but lordy you'd need the patience of a saint to put up with him. And yet, I was completely intrigued and wanted to see which way this story would turn.

The author employs careful misdirection to try keep the relevant clues in the book hidden until the perfect moment for a reveal. There are a number of ways this could have gone, and with Aidan's paranoia making it hard to always tell fact from fiction, it would be natural for suspicions to hone in on one particular party. With obsessive fans, critics (used in the loosest sense of the word) of Aidan's stories, and an escalation of random acts that seem designed to unsettle Aidan, the mystery around what is really happening is maintained until the end, with a satisfying and smile inducing reveal after what can only be described as quite a shocking escalation of the campaign of terror against Aidan.

What I really liked, and you can tell from the acknowledgements the author really enjoyed writing, were the various first chapters from Aidan's novels that were fed into the main narrative. They go some way to explaining what is happening with the key investigation, without having to push the police outside of the realms of probability by declaring to a civilian the ins and outs of each crime. And as a house bound recluse, there was no cause for our narrator to know what was happening, so this was an ingenious way of bringing context to the mystery. And if Michael Wood ever felt like expanding on those stories himself, I reckon he'd have one or two winners on his hands there. It would be the world's weirdest twist of metafiction if he got sued by Aidan for plagiarism after all ...

If you love Michael Wood's Matilda Darke series and have been enjoying his stand alone thrillers, you will love this one too. If you've already listened to the audiobook, you know what I'm talking about and why this very clever book is one I am most definitely recommending. Suckered in from the very first chapter, I devoured it in record time. I cannot wait to see what this wonderful author's twisted mind cooks up next.

One of my favourite authors and what a read this was, tense, spooky, dark just brilliant as always. It was certainly a fast paced thriller of a read with this storyline and I was drawn in from the very beginning.

I was on the edge of my seat throughout and what can I say about the ending only mind blowing with everything brought to a satisfactory and dark ending.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins OMC for this fantastic ARC which I have no hesitation in recommending.

Another stunning novel from the brilliant Michael Wood. Every one of his Matilda Darke novels is a must-read, the Dr Olivia Winter series is fascinating, and this standalone is gripping. It tells the story of a reclusive crime writer who never leaves his home following an attack, and only has his dog for company. However, when a number of crimes happen in the vicinity of his house, Aidan Cullen cannot keep the outside world away. Superb.

In "Chapter One," Michael Wood expertly blurs the lines between thriller and horror, crafting a gripping narrative that had me hooked from the first page. As a fan of Wood's work, I’ve always admired his ability to create an atmosphere thick with tension and dread, and this novel does not disappoint.

The story centers on Aidan Cullen, a once-successful crime writer who has become a prisoner in his own home after surviving a brutal attack. It's a chilling premise that immediately draws you into Aidan’s world of paranoia and solitude.

When a murder occurs nearby, the well-crafted tension escalates. I felt Aidan’s anxiety and fear as the flashing police lights illuminated his surroundings, pulling him back into a reality he thought he had escaped. It raises uncomfortable questions about our perceptions and the psychological toll of trauma.

The sense of dread builds beautifully, making it impossible to put the book down. The interplay between Aidan's mental state and the very real danger lurking just beyond his gates creates a captivating tension that pulses through the story.

With his trademark style of weaving together suspense, psychological depth, and a chilling atmosphere, this book is a must-read for fans of thrillers that dig into the darkest corners of the human psyche. If you're looking for a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat, questioning what’s real and what’s not, then I highly recommend diving into Aidan Cullen’s harrowing tale. Just be prepared to stay up late—this is one of those books that demands your full attention!