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DCI Matilda Darke #7
Time Is Running Out
You’re a survivor, aren’t you, Matilda? But what’s the point in surviving when everyone around you is dead?
When 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.
When 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.
469 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 26, 2021
184 people are currently reading
560 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 240 reviews
May 9, 2021
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 the 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 disposal. 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.
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 the 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 disposal. 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.
February 25, 2021
HOLY CRAP! That beginning... that end...plus everything in-between! I am in shock.
I have been on an emotional roller coaster ride Michael Wood style since the very first page of this book. Seriously, I do not think that I have read a book (and I have read a lot) that has not let up at all. From the beginning until the end, this book was nonstop! Whew! I am reeling, literally reeling. I have gasped, sat with my mouth open, felt anxiety, felt sad, and been shocked beyond belief all while reading this book.
A gun man is on a rampage. That is all you need to know. Otherwise, go in blind. The less you know the better.
Wow! Michal Wood pulled out all the stops and blew me away. Fans of this series will feel as if they are right in the action. When you are emotionally connected to a series and enjoy the characters, well...…forgive me while I dab my eyes....
Dangerous, Devastating, heartbreaking and shocking! This was one powerful installment in the series. I am wondering, where does he go from here? What will be next for this team? What will we see in the next installment?
I am usually on the edge of my seat while reading this series and Time is Running out was no exception. But I have never felt this much emotion while reading the previous books in this series. This book is full of pain, heartbreak and tears. Wood did a brilliant job of writing his characters thoughts and reactions. It was hard not to have your heart break just a little - who am I kidding, my heart broke a lot while reading this. My husband may or may not have had to pick me up off the floor and put me back in my seat while I was reading this. I cannot even count the number of times I thought "this can't be happening" while reading this book. All the while desperately hoping that it would all be a dream sequence, but no, it was in fact a nightmare instead.
Not for the weak at heart. It will, as I said, break some hearts. I am honestly sitting here trying to figure out how he will move forward. I will be there grabbing the next book to find out.
My grandmother had a saying "If this doesn't drive you to drink, I don't know what will." Well, Michael Wood you have driven me to drink tonight.
Powerful, devastating, heartbreaking and emotional.
Thank you to One More Chapter and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I am still reeling. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at
I have been on an emotional roller coaster ride Michael Wood style since the very first page of this book. Seriously, I do not think that I have read a book (and I have read a lot) that has not let up at all. From the beginning until the end, this book was nonstop! Whew! I am reeling, literally reeling. I have gasped, sat with my mouth open, felt anxiety, felt sad, and been shocked beyond belief all while reading this book.
A gun man is on a rampage. That is all you need to know. Otherwise, go in blind. The less you know the better.
Wow! Michal Wood pulled out all the stops and blew me away. Fans of this series will feel as if they are right in the action. When you are emotionally connected to a series and enjoy the characters, well...…forgive me while I dab my eyes....
Dangerous, Devastating, heartbreaking and shocking! This was one powerful installment in the series. I am wondering, where does he go from here? What will be next for this team? What will we see in the next installment?
I am usually on the edge of my seat while reading this series and Time is Running out was no exception. But I have never felt this much emotion while reading the previous books in this series. This book is full of pain, heartbreak and tears. Wood did a brilliant job of writing his characters thoughts and reactions. It was hard not to have your heart break just a little - who am I kidding, my heart broke a lot while reading this. My husband may or may not have had to pick me up off the floor and put me back in my seat while I was reading this. I cannot even count the number of times I thought "this can't be happening" while reading this book. All the while desperately hoping that it would all be a dream sequence, but no, it was in fact a nightmare instead.
Not for the weak at heart. It will, as I said, break some hearts. I am honestly sitting here trying to figure out how he will move forward. I will be there grabbing the next book to find out.
My grandmother had a saying "If this doesn't drive you to drink, I don't know what will." Well, Michael Wood you have driven me to drink tonight.
Powerful, devastating, heartbreaking and emotional.
Thank you to One More Chapter and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I am still reeling. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at
February 19, 2021
‘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.
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.
June 20, 2022
To read this book you will need the following: Tissues, a very large box of chocolates, an even larger bottle of wine and either a teddy bear or a partner for a hug when you need it.
Seriously, my heart was ripped out and trampled on. This series stays in that gripping intense hold and keeps blowing out punched.
5 chest ripping, mind-blowing deserved stars 😢
Seriously, my heart was ripped out and trampled on. This series stays in that gripping intense hold and keeps blowing out punched.
5 chest ripping, mind-blowing deserved stars 😢
February 24, 2021
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.
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.
May 9, 2021
Matilda Darke fans, book number seven is here. But is for Matilda and the HMET squad? That’s the title, and folks, I have to say that I’m having a hard time even knowing how to start this review. This is by far the most violent, bloodiest, deadliest, darkest (no pun intended) Darke book yet.
It starts with a threat, one that puzzles DCI Darke, but she shrugs it off. Big mistake. What ensues is the longest, most horrific day ever in Sheffield. A lone gunman begins his rampage, one that seems it will never end. It is a marathon, with the shooter always one step ahead of the undermanned police force.
Who is this madman? Why is he brutally killing so many innocent people? We learn quite early on who he is and what his mission is. But can the police figure it out in time to stop him from doing even more damage?
Part of what makes this so difficult is that I can’t say more without spoilers. I’ll say this: This novel is very, very violent. People die. I don’t understand why it was necessary. There are some likable characters who die. That is my chief complaint. This series will never be the same for me. The other major flaw, in my opinion, is that because gun violence, particularly on this scale, is so rare in Britain, it seems highly unlikely that HMET would be left to deal with this situation on their own. Isn’t there another agency that would have been called upon immediately to provide major assistance?
Is this book well written? Yes. It’s full, chock full of tension. There is no letup. If you love that, you will probably like this book. If you like the battle of good versus evil, you get that, too, in spades. If you love violence, well, my friends, there is a month of Sundays� worth of violence. Too much for me. Too much sadness. I shed a few tears, in fact, for beloved characters, for the direction this series has taken.
2 stars
March 3, 2021
Time Is Running Out is the seventh instalment in the DCI Matilda Darke series, set in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. When DCI Darke, head of the Homicide and Major Enquiries Team (HMET), receives a strange, unsettling phone call with the message � 'You’re a survivor, aren’t you, Matilda? But what’s the point in surviving when everyone around you is dead?', she dismisses it as someone's idea of fun but this time the threat was credible. Jake Harrison the thirty four year old troubled and broken son of Vivian and Malcolm Harrison decides that on his last day alive he is determined to take as many people as possible with him. He first shoots dead his parents before embarking on a kill spree that terrifies the residents of Sheffield and beyond. The serial killer's identity is known from the very beginning, but that does not make him any easier to apprehend. The police quickly realise that they are dealing with a madman who can't be reasoned with and who feels he has nothing to lose making him incredibly dangerous and unpredictable. Identifying his motive, contemplating what his next move will be and what triggered him to carry out the murders of countless men, women and even innocent children who were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, is the name of the game. It's a bloodbath and the understandable paranoia of those in the area is increasing by the hour as is the body count. He targets South Yorkshire Police headquarters by deviously setting off a hoax fire alarm to ensure everyone is outside due to the evacuation.
Leaving a trail of complete and utter carnage in his wake and horrified and anxious cityfolk, he offs people one by one with the kind of accuracy that comes with past sniper training and a lot of practice. Taking place over the course of a twelve hour period, HMET are distraught at losing some of its people and are struggling to carry out the investigation due to absolute shell shock and disbelief. DI Christian Brady is leading the search and a race against time ensues to locate and arrest a murderer who is being manipulated and dictated to by a mysterious enemy from behind prison walls. This is a riveting and compulsive thriller that begins with a bang and ends in quite the same fashion. Wood has pulled out all the stops to weave an action-packed serial killer thriller with plenty of shocks, twists and red herrings in store and a narrative that never has a dull moment. It's chilling, grief and trauma-filled and deeply harrowing, and I would recommend it only for those not faint of heart. It's a high octane game of cat and mouse between the killer and the police with a plethora of palpably tense scenes throughout, and it manages to be both nerve-shredding and moving with the conclusion being very sad. Told from the perspective of both the detectives and the killer gives us a fully rounded and immersive experience, and I was amazed how Wood pulled off many totally unexpected twists. Those who survive struggle to understand the events of that day and Wood gets this across in a powerful, pull no punches and emotive manner. Brutal but scintillating. Highly recommended.
Leaving a trail of complete and utter carnage in his wake and horrified and anxious cityfolk, he offs people one by one with the kind of accuracy that comes with past sniper training and a lot of practice. Taking place over the course of a twelve hour period, HMET are distraught at losing some of its people and are struggling to carry out the investigation due to absolute shell shock and disbelief. DI Christian Brady is leading the search and a race against time ensues to locate and arrest a murderer who is being manipulated and dictated to by a mysterious enemy from behind prison walls. This is a riveting and compulsive thriller that begins with a bang and ends in quite the same fashion. Wood has pulled out all the stops to weave an action-packed serial killer thriller with plenty of shocks, twists and red herrings in store and a narrative that never has a dull moment. It's chilling, grief and trauma-filled and deeply harrowing, and I would recommend it only for those not faint of heart. It's a high octane game of cat and mouse between the killer and the police with a plethora of palpably tense scenes throughout, and it manages to be both nerve-shredding and moving with the conclusion being very sad. Told from the perspective of both the detectives and the killer gives us a fully rounded and immersive experience, and I was amazed how Wood pulled off many totally unexpected twists. Those who survive struggle to understand the events of that day and Wood gets this across in a powerful, pull no punches and emotive manner. Brutal but scintillating. Highly recommended.
May 27, 2021
My thanks to Harper Collins UK One More Chapter and NetGalley for an advanced copy for review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
I really don’t know how I am going to write this review. Firstly, I don’t want to give too much away and secondly to do it justice. This is book 7 in the DCI Matilda Darke series by Michael Wood and is another excellent read. Loved this series from book 1, with its great characters, intriguing plots and so well written.
DCI Matilda Darke receives a mysterious threatening telephone call, which she dismisses a prank call. That may may turn out to be her biggest ever mistake. When a lone gunman is on a deadly rampage around Sheffield a bloody trail is left, and the lives of Matilda’s team are changed forever. The killer’s identity is known early on, but that doesn’t help them apprehend him. Told from the killer’s perspective as well as the detectives, It gives you a fully rounded and immersive experience. Taking place over a 12-hour period, during which the author weaves an action packed, powerful, trauma filled disturbing, no punches pulled emotive story. Not recommended for those with faint hearts.
This is a story that plays on all your emotions, anger, fear, grief, disbelief. You are pulled along in a scintillating, adrenaline filled 400 plus pages. You will not want to put it down and find yourself sneaking a chapter or 6 in when you should be doing something else. Highly recommended
I really don’t know how I am going to write this review. Firstly, I don’t want to give too much away and secondly to do it justice. This is book 7 in the DCI Matilda Darke series by Michael Wood and is another excellent read. Loved this series from book 1, with its great characters, intriguing plots and so well written.
DCI Matilda Darke receives a mysterious threatening telephone call, which she dismisses a prank call. That may may turn out to be her biggest ever mistake. When a lone gunman is on a deadly rampage around Sheffield a bloody trail is left, and the lives of Matilda’s team are changed forever. The killer’s identity is known early on, but that doesn’t help them apprehend him. Told from the killer’s perspective as well as the detectives, It gives you a fully rounded and immersive experience. Taking place over a 12-hour period, during which the author weaves an action packed, powerful, trauma filled disturbing, no punches pulled emotive story. Not recommended for those with faint hearts.
This is a story that plays on all your emotions, anger, fear, grief, disbelief. You are pulled along in a scintillating, adrenaline filled 400 plus pages. You will not want to put it down and find yourself sneaking a chapter or 6 in when you should be doing something else. Highly recommended
March 6, 2021
This is the 7th book in the DCI Matilda Darke series by author Michael Wood is another excellent read. I really enjoyed this series from book 1, great characters, intriguing plots and so well written.
DCI Matilda Darke dismisses a mysterious threatening telephone call that may turn out to be a big mistake. When a lone gunman is on a deadly rampage around Sheffield a bloody trail is left and the lives of Matilda’s team are changed forever.
It is difficult to review this book without giving away spoilers, but the lives of many well known characters are to be indelibly changed. The novel is full of action, suspense and murders and is guaranteed to keep the reader on the edge of their seats. Michael Wood fills his books with exciting storylines but this one is something else. Be prepared to be shocked and entertained by this excellent crime novel.
DCI Matilda Darke dismisses a mysterious threatening telephone call that may turn out to be a big mistake. When a lone gunman is on a deadly rampage around Sheffield a bloody trail is left and the lives of Matilda’s team are changed forever.
It is difficult to review this book without giving away spoilers, but the lives of many well known characters are to be indelibly changed. The novel is full of action, suspense and murders and is guaranteed to keep the reader on the edge of their seats. Michael Wood fills his books with exciting storylines but this one is something else. Be prepared to be shocked and entertained by this excellent crime novel.
November 7, 2021
WOW WOW WOW,This book starts and finishes with a bang.I cant give away the plot as it would spoil it for others to read.I would recommend anyone who wants to read this book to start with book one.As you need to get to know the characters and then you feel the intensity of this book.I had so many different emotions reading this as there was hatred for the person behind this,To the shock of what happened.even tears for certain characters, that's how much this book made me feel.and friendship most of all.Jake on a rampage but the question is why?Is there someone behind it.This is one of my favourite authors every book I've read a five star review so I highly recommend for crime readers.looking forward to reading his next book..
February 28, 2021
Gruesome!
I'm not sure what the author's intent was but killing main characters after showing how happy they were pages earlier makes NO sense. This was just senseless murders. After I read the chapter of the slaughter at the police station I thought it was someone's dream. After reading further I discovered it wasn't. Couldn't even finish it. I have read and bought all this author's work but I'm done.
I'm not sure what the author's intent was but killing main characters after showing how happy they were pages earlier makes NO sense. This was just senseless murders. After I read the chapter of the slaughter at the police station I thought it was someone's dream. After reading further I discovered it wasn't. Couldn't even finish it. I have read and bought all this author's work but I'm done.
July 16, 2022
This instalment just went ‘over the top everything� and even if I ‘had to� keep on reading, I realised immediately on finishing that I did not enjoy much of it at all. Even if I’m interested to see where this goes, I really need a break from the world of DCI Darke now.
September 19, 2022
I need much time to process and think
RTC
RTC
August 16, 2021
The absolute most disgusting, unrealistic, horrible and just plain stupid book I’ve read in a very, very long time. How did a very good series turn so ridiculously sour in one book? About halfway through I started to just skip pages to see which of the main characters would be finished off next. There was no story whatsoever, no mystery to unravel, nothing. Just one long line of shooting, blood and more blood and oh yeah, some blood, interrupted by nonsensical dialogue. That’s all there is to this book: a lunatic on a killing spree. And forget about Matilda Darke. She is absent from this entire rag.
It gives the impression of being sloppily, hastily written almost as if the writer had a deadline and/or was in dire need of cash from his publisher. What a waste of words.
Give this book a miss. It’s not worth the paper it was written on.
It gives the impression of being sloppily, hastily written almost as if the writer had a deadline and/or was in dire need of cash from his publisher. What a waste of words.
Give this book a miss. It’s not worth the paper it was written on.
May 18, 2021
Goodness me. I’m not entirely sure how to feel after reading this seventh instalment in the DCI Matilda Darke series. I’ve been with this series from the very beginning but I think maybe our time hasn’t just run out, it has come to an abrupt end.
I won’t be telling you anything about the plot. There is a certain amount of shock value that will have the most impact if you go in blind. This deadly rampage the lone gunman is on is brutal. There is a lot, A LOT, of violence. In fact, at times I felt there was too much of it and I doubted its necessity. Some of it felt remarkably senseless and the shock value was diminished along the way. The gunman’s motivations never really managed to convince me either. Nor did the intervention from law and order, or lack thereof, seem plausible.
There is tension a-plenty throughout. By the end, I was in serious need of a stiff drink and possibly an oxygen tank. Michael Wood seems to have left little space for the reader to actually catch their breath. Most of this comes from not knowing which step the unpredictable gunman will be taking next and the realisation that there will be many more victims before he’s done. Nobody is safe. Seriously. N-o-b-o-d-y.
As it says in the book description, these events will change the lives of Matilda and her team forever. And therein lies the issue I had with Time is Running Out. I’ve loved this series from the start and I love this team and their extended families. I understand the need to shake things up. In fact, I’m all for it. A long-running series must never grow stale and I will always appreciate an author who has no qualms about putting their main characters in harm’s way. But � well, let’s just say I think there is a line and that line may have been crossed.
You can’t help but wonder where the author will go next. If anywhere. Because it definitely feels as if he’s backed himself into a corner here. Time is Running Out is extremely shocking and upsetting, in more ways than one. Personally, I feel it went off the rails and the changes do not sit well with me. So for the first time in this series I’m saying that if there is more, I’m not sure I’ll be back for it.
I won’t be telling you anything about the plot. There is a certain amount of shock value that will have the most impact if you go in blind. This deadly rampage the lone gunman is on is brutal. There is a lot, A LOT, of violence. In fact, at times I felt there was too much of it and I doubted its necessity. Some of it felt remarkably senseless and the shock value was diminished along the way. The gunman’s motivations never really managed to convince me either. Nor did the intervention from law and order, or lack thereof, seem plausible.
There is tension a-plenty throughout. By the end, I was in serious need of a stiff drink and possibly an oxygen tank. Michael Wood seems to have left little space for the reader to actually catch their breath. Most of this comes from not knowing which step the unpredictable gunman will be taking next and the realisation that there will be many more victims before he’s done. Nobody is safe. Seriously. N-o-b-o-d-y.
As it says in the book description, these events will change the lives of Matilda and her team forever. And therein lies the issue I had with Time is Running Out. I’ve loved this series from the start and I love this team and their extended families. I understand the need to shake things up. In fact, I’m all for it. A long-running series must never grow stale and I will always appreciate an author who has no qualms about putting their main characters in harm’s way. But � well, let’s just say I think there is a line and that line may have been crossed.
You can’t help but wonder where the author will go next. If anywhere. Because it definitely feels as if he’s backed himself into a corner here. Time is Running Out is extremely shocking and upsetting, in more ways than one. Personally, I feel it went off the rails and the changes do not sit well with me. So for the first time in this series I’m saying that if there is more, I’m not sure I’ll be back for it.
September 29, 2023
Wow! What a fantastic series and set of characters Michael Wood has created. This book knocked me out! I read it in record time and am glad I have the next book Survivor's Guilt, to look forward to. I don't know what I'll do when I've caught up to the series; this is book seven and book eleven is coming out tomorrow, September 30, 2023. I can't imagine having to wait a year for another installment.
Matilda Darke receives an ominous phone call saying she is a survivor, "...But what's the point in surviving when everyone around you is dead?" The next thing she knows, a gunman is firing at her as well as members of the South Yorkshire Police when they are lured out of headquarters by a false fire alarm. Caught out in the open, the gunman begins to pick them off. Little do they know that this is the start of his bloody rampage around Sheffield. Always one step ahead of them, the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team race to discover the gunman's identity, his next target, and what set him off.
This book starts out with a bang (pun intended) and doesn't let up. The body count mounts with each location the gunman targets and it seems as though no character is safe from Wood's bloody pen. I won't say more lest I spoil it for anyone who hasn't read this book. If you haven't yet started the series, I highly recommend it if you like a dark, superbly plotted police procedural. The characters are well-developed, the writing excellent, and the pacing breakneck. Thank you to my bookish Twitter friends for alerting me to this series and author--it's a gem.
More of my reviews can be found here:
Matilda Darke receives an ominous phone call saying she is a survivor, "...But what's the point in surviving when everyone around you is dead?" The next thing she knows, a gunman is firing at her as well as members of the South Yorkshire Police when they are lured out of headquarters by a false fire alarm. Caught out in the open, the gunman begins to pick them off. Little do they know that this is the start of his bloody rampage around Sheffield. Always one step ahead of them, the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team race to discover the gunman's identity, his next target, and what set him off.
This book starts out with a bang (pun intended) and doesn't let up. The body count mounts with each location the gunman targets and it seems as though no character is safe from Wood's bloody pen. I won't say more lest I spoil it for anyone who hasn't read this book. If you haven't yet started the series, I highly recommend it if you like a dark, superbly plotted police procedural. The characters are well-developed, the writing excellent, and the pacing breakneck. Thank you to my bookish Twitter friends for alerting me to this series and author--it's a gem.
More of my reviews can be found here:
February 27, 2021
When DCI Matilda Darke comes to the station one morning, she receives a strange phonecall: “You’re a survivor, aren’t you Matilda? But what’s the point of surviving when everyone around you is dead?� She assumes it’s a prank call. Not much later, the fire alarm in the station goes off. When they gather in the car park, someone starts shooting at them. 6 officers die, one of them the ACC, others include Ranjeet and Natasha. Matilda is also shot, once in her shoulder but a once in the back of her head. She’s rushed to the hospital and receives emergency surgery, but it’s not clear if she’ll survive and if so how. It will be up to DI Christian Brady to catch the shooter. But the killer has only just begun his reign of terror. There’s a mad mass-Shooter loose on the streets of Sheffield. The reader does know very early on who the madman is and what his motivation is but the police has not a clue. It’s harrowing to follow this shooter on his rampage. Little hours later, another even deadlier mass shooting takes place on the motorway.
This book takes place in 2019 when Theresa May is PM of Britain.
You can see and feel that this is a longstanding series from the bonding of the main and minor characters and all the relationships between them.
While the books starts in a classical manner with the introduction of the main characters and their complex relationships this changes within the second chapter when some of the people we’ve been only just introduced to die violently. Boom, that was something else to take in, like a cannonball in the gut!
At some point, one of the police officers thinks that he hopes never to see the day when UK police are armed. This does raise the issue though. While I have huge admiration for the British police force and their tradition of policing by consent, what if a lonely constable happens to come across violent criminals? But as long as the majority of them are against them being armed, I think they know best. Don’t be fooled into thinking that they’re defenceless though. They do have pepper spray and tasers!
I do agree with my GR friend Paromjit that the police reaction in the reality would be a lot stronger and tougher than in this book. Both detectives and other personnel would be dispatched from other stations around the country, although they have to travel there first! A station that's already understaffed and looses 2 mayor officers and 4 others will be in deep mourning and won’t be able to function properly. I doubt if they would be allowed to work on this case themselves. They make references to Adele helping with the Manchester Arena and London Bridge casualties. It’s only logical that now Sheffield receives support from other towns and cities.
The heroism of Ruth is sheer madness though. And WTF will 2 unarmed detectives do against an armed killer on a spree? This isn’t plausible. It looks as if some people are eager to get killed.
As to the brain surgery that Matilda undergoes. I’ve had a similar injury 20 years ago, not by a bullet but by an axe. The surgeon was hesitant to remove the last splinters that are still locked inside my brain tissue today because he thought that he might cause me more damage than I suffered at the time. And who am I to question his expert opinion? Luckily, apart from an impaired vision in my left eye, I’m still relatively healthy and otherwise sane (although, some may differ from opinion) but I’ve lived with this time bomb ever since.
I might be new to the series but I asked myself while reading if this is an elegant(?) way out of the series for the author. By killing so many of the original (and no doubt beloved) characters and leaving it a cliffhanger if Matilda will return to work, there are certainly major changes ahead. At the end of the book, it says to wait for more books but I have my doubts. It would be a shame if the series ends here but I can understand it because he has to juggle a huge cast of characters every time. If there is a new book in this series, the author has to find a whole new line-up. But I would hate it if this is the final book as I just started liking the characters!
I was invited by One More Chapter to read this book and this is my honest and unbiased review of it
This book takes place in 2019 when Theresa May is PM of Britain.
You can see and feel that this is a longstanding series from the bonding of the main and minor characters and all the relationships between them.
While the books starts in a classical manner with the introduction of the main characters and their complex relationships this changes within the second chapter when some of the people we’ve been only just introduced to die violently. Boom, that was something else to take in, like a cannonball in the gut!
At some point, one of the police officers thinks that he hopes never to see the day when UK police are armed. This does raise the issue though. While I have huge admiration for the British police force and their tradition of policing by consent, what if a lonely constable happens to come across violent criminals? But as long as the majority of them are against them being armed, I think they know best. Don’t be fooled into thinking that they’re defenceless though. They do have pepper spray and tasers!
I do agree with my GR friend Paromjit that the police reaction in the reality would be a lot stronger and tougher than in this book. Both detectives and other personnel would be dispatched from other stations around the country, although they have to travel there first! A station that's already understaffed and looses 2 mayor officers and 4 others will be in deep mourning and won’t be able to function properly. I doubt if they would be allowed to work on this case themselves. They make references to Adele helping with the Manchester Arena and London Bridge casualties. It’s only logical that now Sheffield receives support from other towns and cities.
The heroism of Ruth is sheer madness though. And WTF will 2 unarmed detectives do against an armed killer on a spree? This isn’t plausible. It looks as if some people are eager to get killed.
As to the brain surgery that Matilda undergoes. I’ve had a similar injury 20 years ago, not by a bullet but by an axe. The surgeon was hesitant to remove the last splinters that are still locked inside my brain tissue today because he thought that he might cause me more damage than I suffered at the time. And who am I to question his expert opinion? Luckily, apart from an impaired vision in my left eye, I’m still relatively healthy and otherwise sane (although, some may differ from opinion) but I’ve lived with this time bomb ever since.
I might be new to the series but I asked myself while reading if this is an elegant(?) way out of the series for the author. By killing so many of the original (and no doubt beloved) characters and leaving it a cliffhanger if Matilda will return to work, there are certainly major changes ahead. At the end of the book, it says to wait for more books but I have my doubts. It would be a shame if the series ends here but I can understand it because he has to juggle a huge cast of characters every time. If there is a new book in this series, the author has to find a whole new line-up. But I would hate it if this is the final book as I just started liking the characters!
I was invited by One More Chapter to read this book and this is my honest and unbiased review of it
February 1, 2024
Too harrowing, too chilling, too gruelling... Not my cup of tea at all, and I struggled to get to the end.
I think we have enough in the news and, for a retired teacher like me, the last one was simply unbearable.
I think we have enough in the news and, for a retired teacher like me, the last one was simply unbearable.
August 18, 2022
I have to say this was the most gut-wrenching and heartbreaking novel I have ever read. From the very beginning to the very end, the intensity of the events is relentless. At times, I cried. At other times, I found myself talking to the book, begging for it all to stop.
Having read the Matilda Darke series from the beginning, I have grown to love so many of the characters, so to experience with them all the horrors within the pages of this book was utterly gut-wrenching.
I give the author, Michael Wood, a standing ovation and all the stars I can give, but please don't ever do this to me again. There is a note from the author that states he wrote this book during the first Covid lockdown. Let's pray to all gods he's never put in lockdown again as, obviously, his imagination runs far too wild when he's stuck in one place for too long.
Having read the Matilda Darke series from the beginning, I have grown to love so many of the characters, so to experience with them all the horrors within the pages of this book was utterly gut-wrenching.
I give the author, Michael Wood, a standing ovation and all the stars I can give, but please don't ever do this to me again. There is a note from the author that states he wrote this book during the first Covid lockdown. Let's pray to all gods he's never put in lockdown again as, obviously, his imagination runs far too wild when he's stuck in one place for too long.
February 23, 2021
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.
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.
November 22, 2023
I have been on a reading binge of this series and absolutely love all the team involved in this storyline. Following this book I really wasn't sure how I felt. A part of me wanted to give this 2 stars for what the author had chosen to do, and on the other hand gove it 5 stars because it was so intense. Instead I have settled on a solid 4 stars but have my reservations.
Matilda runs the Homicide and Major Enquiries and she is used to people making threats and ridiculous prank calls. When she receives a call one morning she puts it down to a prank call, sadly for Matilda that isn't the case and a lone gunman is about to start terrorising Sheffield. This particular book is difficult to talk about because inevitably to disuss it would spoil it for other people.
What I will say is that there is a lot of action, it's incredibly tense and things happen which I'm not entirely sure I am happy about with regards to certain characters. The other thing I was slightly concerned about was the fact the author chose to involve a School shooting. As much as I am all for fiction, I think for a UK based storyline it maybe moves too far into the unreal for my liking. This book is certainly a shake up for the whole series. In all honesty I am not entirely sure how I feel about it, but ultimately Michael Wood is a fantastic author who has again created another great book. The fact I may not like what he has chosen for characters shouldn't affect how I rate the book. I am very intrigued how this will all have a knock on effect with the team and can't wait to read the next book
Matilda runs the Homicide and Major Enquiries and she is used to people making threats and ridiculous prank calls. When she receives a call one morning she puts it down to a prank call, sadly for Matilda that isn't the case and a lone gunman is about to start terrorising Sheffield. This particular book is difficult to talk about because inevitably to disuss it would spoil it for other people.
What I will say is that there is a lot of action, it's incredibly tense and things happen which I'm not entirely sure I am happy about with regards to certain characters. The other thing I was slightly concerned about was the fact the author chose to involve a School shooting. As much as I am all for fiction, I think for a UK based storyline it maybe moves too far into the unreal for my liking. This book is certainly a shake up for the whole series. In all honesty I am not entirely sure how I feel about it, but ultimately Michael Wood is a fantastic author who has again created another great book. The fact I may not like what he has chosen for characters shouldn't affect how I rate the book. I am very intrigued how this will all have a knock on effect with the team and can't wait to read the next book
February 20, 2021
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.
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.
March 28, 2021
I don't think I've ever read a book like this. It was dark and shocking but I couldn't put it down and I had to keep telling anyone who would listen what was happening in my book. It was like the scene from GoT where Sean Bean dies but over and over!
March 3, 2021
All of my reviews can be found at
This book is incredible and all kinds of insane! I'm a little awestruck but in the best way possible. Flipping heck! I have been reading the DCI Darke series for a while now. Although, I have to admit, I haven't read the first two books but that's not hampered my enjoyment of the series at any point. My advice to you, before reading this latest instalment (which coincidentally is book seven), is to get to know the recurring characters a little first. Become familiar with and invested in this fantastic team. So then, when you get round to reading Time Is Running Out, the events and the outcome of this brilliant book will smack you about the head and leave you utterly dazed with your jaw on the floor. I ADORED this book!
It's a normal day at South Yorkshire Police HQ when DCI Matilda Darke receives a strange phone call. She dismisses it, not giving it much thought and starts the morning briefing. But the phone call marks the start of an unforgettable day in the lives of those in and around the Sheffield area. The day a gunman terrorised their city, killing numerous people. The devastation and the grief is far reaching. Will life ever be the same again for the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team. And in particular, for DCI Darke...?
Holy moly, what a book! I've always said in my reviews for this author's novels that he is not afraid to put his characters through the wringer and oh boy, I think Time Is Running Out proves that. What a brave, unflinching piece of absolutely gut-wrenching and gripping fiction. Fans of the series are either gonna love it or need counselling. I devoured this book and I loved every single bloodied second of it.
Now all I need to do is work out how to talk about the book without spoilers, which will be a challenge. We join the team on a normal day at the start of January and very early on the author gives readers a piece of good news - something to celebrate and warm the cockles. And then it all goes horribly, horribly wrong for the people of Sheffield. The initial scene, where we discover a gunman is on the loose, is utterly shocking. The pacing is perfect and I was holding my breath throughout. I kept muttering to myself under my breath - 'surely, he won't... oh, he has!!!'. It was jaw dropping and so brilliantly done. From there, things actually get a whole lot worse. If I said I was on the edge of my seat that would be an understatement. I had goosebumps, I had chills, I had palpitations.
The action doesn't really stop from that point forward. Despite their best intentions and all resources being put into the investigation, the team falter. They struggle to find out the identity of the gunman or his reason for carrying out the devastating carnage. Time Is Running Out is so cleverly written, so very immersive and it was a dream of a novel to read. I am a little peeved at the author for a couple of things but hey, I can understand why he did what he did. I just wish other authors were as brave.
Would I recommend this book? I would recommend Time Is Running Out whole heartedly but only after you've read a couple of earlier DCI Darke novels. I think you need a good understanding of the team and what makes them tick to get the best out of the book. It's a truly epic piece of crime fiction and I loved it. The best police procedural I've read in a long time, no doubt about it. Life will never be the same again. However, I will say it's probably not for the faint hearted and contains some distressing scenes that not everyone will be comfortable with, but I devoured this book with glee. I cannot wait to see what the author comes up with next. Brave, bold and completely hypnotic. I struggled to put this one down. Highly recommended.
This book is incredible and all kinds of insane! I'm a little awestruck but in the best way possible. Flipping heck! I have been reading the DCI Darke series for a while now. Although, I have to admit, I haven't read the first two books but that's not hampered my enjoyment of the series at any point. My advice to you, before reading this latest instalment (which coincidentally is book seven), is to get to know the recurring characters a little first. Become familiar with and invested in this fantastic team. So then, when you get round to reading Time Is Running Out, the events and the outcome of this brilliant book will smack you about the head and leave you utterly dazed with your jaw on the floor. I ADORED this book!
It's a normal day at South Yorkshire Police HQ when DCI Matilda Darke receives a strange phone call. She dismisses it, not giving it much thought and starts the morning briefing. But the phone call marks the start of an unforgettable day in the lives of those in and around the Sheffield area. The day a gunman terrorised their city, killing numerous people. The devastation and the grief is far reaching. Will life ever be the same again for the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team. And in particular, for DCI Darke...?
Holy moly, what a book! I've always said in my reviews for this author's novels that he is not afraid to put his characters through the wringer and oh boy, I think Time Is Running Out proves that. What a brave, unflinching piece of absolutely gut-wrenching and gripping fiction. Fans of the series are either gonna love it or need counselling. I devoured this book and I loved every single bloodied second of it.
Now all I need to do is work out how to talk about the book without spoilers, which will be a challenge. We join the team on a normal day at the start of January and very early on the author gives readers a piece of good news - something to celebrate and warm the cockles. And then it all goes horribly, horribly wrong for the people of Sheffield. The initial scene, where we discover a gunman is on the loose, is utterly shocking. The pacing is perfect and I was holding my breath throughout. I kept muttering to myself under my breath - 'surely, he won't... oh, he has!!!'. It was jaw dropping and so brilliantly done. From there, things actually get a whole lot worse. If I said I was on the edge of my seat that would be an understatement. I had goosebumps, I had chills, I had palpitations.
The action doesn't really stop from that point forward. Despite their best intentions and all resources being put into the investigation, the team falter. They struggle to find out the identity of the gunman or his reason for carrying out the devastating carnage. Time Is Running Out is so cleverly written, so very immersive and it was a dream of a novel to read. I am a little peeved at the author for a couple of things but hey, I can understand why he did what he did. I just wish other authors were as brave.
Would I recommend this book? I would recommend Time Is Running Out whole heartedly but only after you've read a couple of earlier DCI Darke novels. I think you need a good understanding of the team and what makes them tick to get the best out of the book. It's a truly epic piece of crime fiction and I loved it. The best police procedural I've read in a long time, no doubt about it. Life will never be the same again. However, I will say it's probably not for the faint hearted and contains some distressing scenes that not everyone will be comfortable with, but I devoured this book with glee. I cannot wait to see what the author comes up with next. Brave, bold and completely hypnotic. I struggled to put this one down. Highly recommended.
February 28, 2021
It’s not often my heart races from the first chapter of a book, but Time Is Running Out opens with a shocker of a chapter that left me stunned, after reading the second chapter which I have renamed ‘OMFGâ€� I think my heart literally stopped! and the shocks kept on coming from there on in. Michael woods has written a blinder of a book and it’s the BEST and the most shocking book in the Matilda Darke series YET. This book literally broke me and left me an emotional, snotty mess, something I definitely wasn’t expecting! And that’s a testament to the authorsâ€� incredible writing skills. He has created characters that you have come to love, you feel their pain, bewilderment, and fear.Ìý
Without giving too much away, a lone gunman goes on a deadly rampage around Sheffield, leaving a trail of death and destruction in his wake. Carefully planned, meticulous, ever detail of his plan carefully scrutinised. The gunman has a heart of granite, he’s about to leave his mark on the world and change Matilda and her team’s lives forever. This is the case that pushes Matilda’s team to the brink, every case previous to this now seems like foreplay. It was distressing to see the investigation team in a different light, gone is the bravado, and the self-confidence, each officer is at breaking point, the descriptions of their personal turmoil and their mental health as they deal with the case is desperately sad.
I got so caught up in the storyline I found myself in tears numerous times, it’s such an emotional read, something you wouldn’t expect from a crime thriller. It’s clear the author has put his heart and soul in to writing this book, the scenes, the emotions, the violence, I’m not normally a ‘nervousâ€� reader but bang went my resolution to stop biting my nails! Yes, the plot really is that intense! The author has created the most horrifying plot, but it also feels credible, especially considering how many times you hear reports of a sniper going on the rampage in the name of religion or revenge. I became more anxious for the investigation team as the plot played out. Michael Wood has created a story that’s thick with tension, riveting, heartbreaking, and disturbing,Ìýbut my god it’s a hell of a read and thanks to the author it’s my ‘first book hangover of the yearâ€�. Michael Wood has a lot to answer for, as I’m not sure I’m ready to pick up another book yet! Highly, highly recommendedÌý
Without giving too much away, a lone gunman goes on a deadly rampage around Sheffield, leaving a trail of death and destruction in his wake. Carefully planned, meticulous, ever detail of his plan carefully scrutinised. The gunman has a heart of granite, he’s about to leave his mark on the world and change Matilda and her team’s lives forever. This is the case that pushes Matilda’s team to the brink, every case previous to this now seems like foreplay. It was distressing to see the investigation team in a different light, gone is the bravado, and the self-confidence, each officer is at breaking point, the descriptions of their personal turmoil and their mental health as they deal with the case is desperately sad.
I got so caught up in the storyline I found myself in tears numerous times, it’s such an emotional read, something you wouldn’t expect from a crime thriller. It’s clear the author has put his heart and soul in to writing this book, the scenes, the emotions, the violence, I’m not normally a ‘nervousâ€� reader but bang went my resolution to stop biting my nails! Yes, the plot really is that intense! The author has created the most horrifying plot, but it also feels credible, especially considering how many times you hear reports of a sniper going on the rampage in the name of religion or revenge. I became more anxious for the investigation team as the plot played out. Michael Wood has created a story that’s thick with tension, riveting, heartbreaking, and disturbing,Ìýbut my god it’s a hell of a read and thanks to the author it’s my ‘first book hangover of the yearâ€�. Michael Wood has a lot to answer for, as I’m not sure I’m ready to pick up another book yet! Highly, highly recommendedÌý
April 10, 2021
This addition to Michael Wood's brilliant Sheffield based crime series, featuring DCI Matilda Darke and her Homicide and Major Enquiry Team (HMET), was a magnificent read. Time Is Running Out is the seventh instalment and my fourth in the series so far, having previously only read book one, For Reasons Unknown and books five and six, The Murder House and Stolen Children. Having missed the books in between I'm sure to have lost out on some back story, though I didn't feel it detracted from my enjoyment of this book, as for me, it worked well as an individual read.
In Time Is Running Out, Matilda makes the mistake of dismissing a threatening phone call, believing it to be a hoax caller or a prankster. Jake Harrison is the thirty-four-year-old troubled and broken son of Vivian and Malcolm Harrison who decides that on his last day alive he will take as many people as possible with him. Matilda is not in a position to lead this time so DI Christian Brady finds himself in charge, as HMET race to locate the serial killer, contemplate their next move, and identify the motive.
Matilda makes a great fictional detective and I love that she’s feisty and determined and has a strong sense of justice, yet she has an air of vulnerability. A major highlight of this crime series has been the focus on the HMET police team, their relationships, and their support for each other, although they bring along their fair share of problems too. The plot in In Time Is Running Out is horrifying and disturbing with a massive shock factor and vast amounts of high octane action. With twists, turns and red herrings in abundance this tale certainly held my devoted attention from the first page to the finish and didn't disappoint.
I thoroughly relished Time Is Running Out and I'm counting down the days until the next book in the series is released, though it is difficult at this point to envisage where Michael Wood will take the remaining characters. In the meantime, I have books two to four to look forward to! A truly terrific read.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from One More Chapter via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
In Time Is Running Out, Matilda makes the mistake of dismissing a threatening phone call, believing it to be a hoax caller or a prankster. Jake Harrison is the thirty-four-year-old troubled and broken son of Vivian and Malcolm Harrison who decides that on his last day alive he will take as many people as possible with him. Matilda is not in a position to lead this time so DI Christian Brady finds himself in charge, as HMET race to locate the serial killer, contemplate their next move, and identify the motive.
Matilda makes a great fictional detective and I love that she’s feisty and determined and has a strong sense of justice, yet she has an air of vulnerability. A major highlight of this crime series has been the focus on the HMET police team, their relationships, and their support for each other, although they bring along their fair share of problems too. The plot in In Time Is Running Out is horrifying and disturbing with a massive shock factor and vast amounts of high octane action. With twists, turns and red herrings in abundance this tale certainly held my devoted attention from the first page to the finish and didn't disappoint.
I thoroughly relished Time Is Running Out and I'm counting down the days until the next book in the series is released, though it is difficult at this point to envisage where Michael Wood will take the remaining characters. In the meantime, I have books two to four to look forward to! A truly terrific read.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from One More Chapter via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
October 2, 2021
Maybe more like 3.5, but I liked it.
Oh, boy... I didn't really know what to expect here, but I had an inkling. I thought it was going to be absolutely horrible, but in spite of everything I found myself really into how the book had been constructed.
Your emotional response to this book is probably directly and exponentially dependent on how much you've grown to like certain characters - or/and what they represent.
I seldom connect with characters in such a way that I actually mourn if/when they are killed and even if I think of this series as one of my favourite ones, I can't say it moved me all that much.
And that's probably a "me" thing.
I mean... It was gruesome. It was beyond elaborately planned and executed. But it was also so over the top that I eventually was more or less laughing at how exceptionally horrible and evil the whole thing was.
HUGE spoilers below:
It was like murder bingo.
I almost guessed them all right based upon foreshadowing and knowledge about tropes alone.
So to sum things up: I liked this book a lot better than I thought I would.
I was afraid it would be too dark for me, but instead I had a very different sort of experience and I enjoyed it as someone who really likes picking works of fiction apart into little bits and pieces to see what makes them tick.
I'm pretty sure that wasn't how the book was supposed to be read/listened to/consumed, but hey... Each to their own.
It was impossible to not suspect the terror attack in Oslo and Utøya wasn't a big inspiration here. Certain things seemed so familiar. But the motivations were thankfully something completely else. Something perhaps far more far-fetched, but that makes for good fiction.
I'm wondering how the next book will make some sort of sense out of the characters that are left alive. It feels like it will be interesting, but maybe just as dark and gruesome - only in another way.
I'm looking forward to knowing what happens.
Oh, boy... I didn't really know what to expect here, but I had an inkling. I thought it was going to be absolutely horrible, but in spite of everything I found myself really into how the book had been constructed.
Your emotional response to this book is probably directly and exponentially dependent on how much you've grown to like certain characters - or/and what they represent.
I seldom connect with characters in such a way that I actually mourn if/when they are killed and even if I think of this series as one of my favourite ones, I can't say it moved me all that much.
And that's probably a "me" thing.
I mean... It was gruesome. It was beyond elaborately planned and executed. But it was also so over the top that I eventually was more or less laughing at how exceptionally horrible and evil the whole thing was.
HUGE spoilers below:
It was like murder bingo.
I almost guessed them all right based upon foreshadowing and knowledge about tropes alone.
So to sum things up: I liked this book a lot better than I thought I would.
I was afraid it would be too dark for me, but instead I had a very different sort of experience and I enjoyed it as someone who really likes picking works of fiction apart into little bits and pieces to see what makes them tick.
I'm pretty sure that wasn't how the book was supposed to be read/listened to/consumed, but hey... Each to their own.
It was impossible to not suspect the terror attack in Oslo and Utøya wasn't a big inspiration here. Certain things seemed so familiar. But the motivations were thankfully something completely else. Something perhaps far more far-fetched, but that makes for good fiction.
I'm wondering how the next book will make some sort of sense out of the characters that are left alive. It feels like it will be interesting, but maybe just as dark and gruesome - only in another way.
I'm looking forward to knowing what happens.
June 24, 2022
"You're a survivor, aren't you, Matilda? But what's the point in surviving when everyone around you is dead?"
Minutes later a gunman opens fire on police outside their South Yorkshire Headquarters and life for the people of Sheffield and the Homicide and Major Enquiry team is never going to be the same again.
And just when the HMET think they've seen all the death and destruction possible more calls comes in. As this gunman is far from done and will ruthlessly kill any man, woman or child who gets in his way.
But will he really succeed? Or will a depleted and shell-shocked team be able to stop him?
And with my heart in my mouth from the very first chapter. This is a story that never lets up and one where the hits just keep on coming and I don't believe I've ever encountered an author so brutal and yet so utterly brilliant. As no matter how devastating and horrible things got I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and never has the phrase roller coaster of a story been more apt, and I know I've said this about every book so far but they've truly got better and I've no idea where these characters and the story can go next or how this can be topped. But OMG I can't wait to find out.
I would highly recommend this book and series to others.
Minutes later a gunman opens fire on police outside their South Yorkshire Headquarters and life for the people of Sheffield and the Homicide and Major Enquiry team is never going to be the same again.
And just when the HMET think they've seen all the death and destruction possible more calls comes in. As this gunman is far from done and will ruthlessly kill any man, woman or child who gets in his way.
But will he really succeed? Or will a depleted and shell-shocked team be able to stop him?
And with my heart in my mouth from the very first chapter. This is a story that never lets up and one where the hits just keep on coming and I don't believe I've ever encountered an author so brutal and yet so utterly brilliant. As no matter how devastating and horrible things got I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and never has the phrase roller coaster of a story been more apt, and I know I've said this about every book so far but they've truly got better and I've no idea where these characters and the story can go next or how this can be topped. But OMG I can't wait to find out.
I would highly recommend this book and series to others.
February 28, 2021
Dear Reader,
I’m an emotional wreck having just finished reading this book. Totally bereft,shocked and in need of a strong cuppa and some luxurious chocolate treats!!
What a journey I’ve been through with Matilda, Sian, Rory,Scott, Adele and the myriad other beloved characters whom I’ve come to regard as real people.
How does one pick oneself up and go on?
Honestly,I’ve no idea but I do sincerely look forward to discovering what Michael Wood has in store and hope that a somewhat ‘happy� ending is found on the meandering paths these characters stumble upon.
Highly recommended to all readers seeking a non-stop rollercoaster ride but these a little squeamish may need to think twice. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I’m an emotional wreck having just finished reading this book. Totally bereft,shocked and in need of a strong cuppa and some luxurious chocolate treats!!
What a journey I’ve been through with Matilda, Sian, Rory,Scott, Adele and the myriad other beloved characters whom I’ve come to regard as real people.
How does one pick oneself up and go on?
Honestly,I’ve no idea but I do sincerely look forward to discovering what Michael Wood has in store and hope that a somewhat ‘happy� ending is found on the meandering paths these characters stumble upon.
Highly recommended to all readers seeking a non-stop rollercoaster ride but these a little squeamish may need to think twice. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
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