Someone in Sheffield has designated himself judge, jury, and executioner. As Michael Wood’s fourth Matilda Darke thriller, The Hangman’s Hold, begins, we see her friend, Adele Kean, having a first date with a man whom she’s met online.

Eventually, we see a man dead in his home, dangling with a hangman’s noose around his neck. Adele, a pathologist, knows this is not suicide; the man has been murdered.

This scene is repeated several times throughout the book. The victims seem to have only one thing in common: all have been guilty of killing someone, either intentionally or through negligence. Some have seen prison time; others have not. DCI Matilda Darke, her superior officer Valerie Masterson, and the team of investigating constables come to the conclusion that they are looking for a vigilante. How do they find him?

It’s bad enough that it becomes evident that they are looking for a serial killer. What makes matters worse is that someone is leaking details to the press. A young reporter, Danny Hanson, is eager to make a name for himself, and someone is anxious to help him. Apparently, too, someone is making things personal for Matilda – taunting her perhaps?

There are so very many possibilities in this story, so many red herrings. Matilda seemed clueless and at her wits end. The killer left no forensic evidence behind. The police had no idea when or where he would strike next. Who is he? He could be anyone. Could he even be one of them? With suspicions and mistrust running high, it is easy to panic and make mistakes. At this stage, any error could be tragic, even fatal.

Michael Wood does a good job building tension and weaving old, unforgotten scenarios into his plot. Ben Hale and Carl Meagan are two terrible tragedies that will forever haunt Matilda. She is still a bloody, freaking mess at times over these events, plus the death of her husband. She still struggles. We do see her slowly beginning to move on, and frankly, it’s about time. Adele, her steady, faithful friend, has battles of her own this time around, so they lean on each other. It’s a good portrayal of female friendship.

I do wish the author would develop some of the secondary recurring characters more. And while he dangled potential villains all through the book and had the killer hiding in plain sight, I felt a bit deceived by the revelation, as it wasn’t someone really obvious – which was actually the point, I guess.

Woods, of course, makes his point about vigilantism. Just because someone has done something wrong – a deed that society considers to be illegal, immoral, even evil – that should not give any person the right to take matters into his own hands, whether or not the wrongdoer has served a sentence or not. That’s what the courts are for.

While not making any excuses for his killer, he does give Matilda a few things to think about as a person in authority as well. These are things she has already questioned, as we see in other places throughout the book. Matilda Darke may have be of the more insecure, damaged protagonists I’ve read in the past few years, yet she’s really grown on me. I’m looking forward to seeing how she progresses in future books. This isn’t the best of the series, but it’s definitely worth reading. The next one promises to be a hum-dinger, at least if the final sentences of The Hangman’s Hold are an indication of what’s to come!

My thanks to NetGalley, Harper Impulse and Killer Reads, and the author for this ARC version of The Hangman’s Hold.

4 stars

Took quite a few attempts to get into the story line as this book did not grip my attention unlike the previous books by this author.

Perserverance paid off and book was read but ending was very disappointing

This is the first book in this series that I have read. I do feel like this time the fact that I had not read the prior novels did affect some of my reading experience; primarily with the characters. There was a lot of conversation happening in the first third of the book. It seemed like there was no real big hurry to solve the case and the character's carrying on conversations worked well for them. Personally for me, the characters didn't work for me including main lead, Matilda. She was not the strong female type that I enjoy.

Plus, the presence of the killer and the killer's motives went unseen and quiet within the first third of the story. You could say that I was bummed and grew bored to the point that I did skip ahead. The story does pick up the further you get into it but still nothing that could keep me reading for hours. Sadly, for me this book didn't vibe with me.

Thank you net gallery for the opportunity of reading this book. Gripping and tense thriller. Well written fully recommended

Matilda Darke and her team have a new killer on their hands. A killer who seems to know how and where to locate his victims. He's smart, he's patient and lies in wait at the victim’s home waiting to serve as their executioner. You see, he feels that his victims have not paid enough for their crimes. He is a vigilante who has sentenced those he feels have not paid enough by death by hanging. This killer leaves no forensic evidence behind. and further taunts the police by contacting DCI Matilda Darke and a local journalist, Danny Hansen, who is more than eager to write about the murders using the information given to him by the vigilante.

Matilda is deeply drawn into the case as her best friend, Adele, had just gone on a date with the first victim of the Vigilante killer. Adele had a lovely time on her date and was shocked to learn that the man she had dinner with was a criminal who was found murdered in his home after their date. As the body count rises, Matilda struggles not only with solving the case but with a growing attraction to the expert hired to help provide a profile of the killer.

This book does have a lot of characters ranging from the many victims and their family members to new members on Matilda's team. I found it easy to keep track of them and did not feel that they bogged down the story. I found this to be very realistic. With any investigation, the police are going to need to speak to many people, so this rang very true and felt authentic.

When the profiler mentions that the killer may be someone that Matilda knows, the tension mounts. I liked how the detectives were torn with looking at their fellow officers with doubt and distrust. I like how they want to trust and believe in each other. They need to, they are each other's backup and trusting each other may make the difference between life and death.

I also liked the character development of Matilda as she struggles with feeling attracted to someone since the death of her husband and her inner turmoil over what that might mean. Her struggles over moving on and perhaps dating again.

Another thing I appreciated about this book was how it showed the dangers of vigilante justice. How people can get caught up in seeing people "get what they deserve". How quickly people will react especially in a group with the group mentality of "get him" I am specifically talking about a scene in the book where a crowd of people attack someone they are told is a killer who is in fact not a killer but they choose to believe a stranger and attack and beat without giving any second thought. What happens when you are wrong? What happens if innocent people get hurt? What gives someone the right to act as judge, jury and executioner?

This book also examines public opinion and how people can turn on those in their lives just for being associated with a criminal. A relative may be a heinous criminal but that does not make you one but now you have become a pariah when your connection to someone becomes known. This book shows the sad and heartbreaking ways, people treat others and the impact such treatment can have on an individual’s life.

I thought this book was a nice addition to the series, but it did lack a little bit of the page turning appeal of the previous books. There was just that little bit of magic missing that the previous books had. Usually while reading this series I-am-on-the-edge-of-my-seat-in-a-I-can't-put-this-book-down mode. While this book started and ended very strong, it did lag a little in the middle. I teetered between a 3.5 and 4-star rating but pushed my rating up to a 4 as I appreciate how Michael Wood tackled so many subjects - vigilante justice, judging others, police brotherhood, friendship, moving on after the loss of a loved one, friendship, etc.

Plus, that last sentence in the book!!!!! I can’t wait for the next book in the series, again that last sentence........WHAT!?!

Thank you to Harper Impulse and Killer Reads and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

How the hell have I never read this series before, this is the fourth book in the DCI Matilda Darke series and what a whopper!!! The Hangman’s Hold reels you in from the very beginning, talk about edge of your seat breath holding thriller.

DCI Matilda Darke is on the hunt for a serial killer who is hanging people in their homes as he believes these people have not paid for their crimes, he is the executioner!!! With no trace evidence or DNA, they have nothing to go on and with the killer communicating with local media Danny Hanson, the pressure is mounting from the public as fear takes hold, can Darke figure out who the serial killer is before the body counts rises!!!

The serial killer is making it personal for DCI Darke a woman plagued by the grief of losing her husband, James, and the guilt she holds for not finding Carl Meagan in a past case, she feels responsible and this is consuming her. He is taunting her directly, what is his motive?

I am a sucker for detective series and am absolutely delighted to have stumbled upon this one, I will definitely be going back to read this series from the beginning. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Impulse and Killer Reads for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I would like to thank Harper Impulse/Killer Reads and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Hangman’s Hold’ by Michael Wood in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
‘The Hangman’ chooses his victims, people he feels haven’t suffered enough for the wrongs they’ve committed, puts a noose around their necks and hangs them, telling them that he’s their executioner. DCI Matilda Darke has her own demons and when the number of bodies increase and she personally becomes a target of the Hangman she’s even more determined to discover his identity. Matilda’s determined to track down the killer before she’s removed from the investigation.
This novel was amazing, I started reading late last night and continued all through today. Michael Wood is an exceptional writer and I can’t understand how I’ve not heard of him or the previous three novels in the DCI Matilda Darke series. The plot is complex and well-written, it’s spine-tingling, suspenseful, intriguing, riveting, I’m running out of superlatives! I was completely gripped from page one, through each twist and turn, trying to guess the killer but unable to, until the climax which was shocking, totally unexpected, and left me open-mouthed in horror. Thank you, Michael Wood, for this fantastic thriller and I’m now going to look for the previous three. The final page ends on a cliffhanger so I’m hoping this won’t be the last of Matilda Darke.

I feel like I came late to the party this being a series of books and I had not read the others. This still was a great read and having not read the previous books was not an issue - though some of the backstories have now been slightly ruined when I go back to read the others (which after this book I certainly will).
The book is centred around a Hangman who is punishing those that he/she thinks have not had justice served against them.
The characters are well rounded and the team of detectives work well together each with their own quirks - this would make for a great TV series.
I can not say too much as it would give the game away but this is a book that will grip you from the start to finish - a must read of 2018 and if you haven't read a book by Michael Wood yet (like I hadn't ) where have you been!

Let me start off by saying what a HUGE fan I have been of the Matilda Darke series. I loved the previous three books!

I struggled with rating this one due to loving the first three books in this series but unfortunately this one was a tad disappointing compared to Wood's previous books.

First off, there was a huge mix of characters in this one and wow what a hot mess they all were. I think the author could have taken out a HUGE chunk of this book and it would have been a lot better. Oh my goodness did I feel like it dragged on... too many descriptions/unnecessary extra fillings to the book. This definitely could have been a 5 star read for me but it was way too long!

Additionally, the typical scene of the detective being hunted down by the serial killer was play by play here. Ugh... major disappointment. And... what I didn't particularly enjoy... you pretty much "knew" who the killer was early on. Author gave too many details/clues that gave you a snap shot of who it was but not necessarily why yet.

Overall, I will definitely continue to check more out from this author. But, this one just didn't do it for me :(.

3 stars for me on this one.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Harper Impluse and Killer Reads for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my thoughts.

Publication date: 8/24/18
Published to GR: 8/3/18

Michael Woods continues this scintillating crime series featuring DCI Matilda Darke, a woman plagued by the grief of losing her soul mate and husband, James, and the never ending guilt for her errors in the past concerning the Carl Meagan case. Set in Sheffield, Matilda and her South Yorkshire Police team are to be tested to their limits by a serial killer operating as a vigilante in the city. The killer is several steps ahead of the police, leaving no trace at the crime scenes, whilst publicising his actions by communicating directly with local media, and it does not take long before he is making national news. Matilda's fragile mental health is at risk from several quarters, not just with the fact that the serial killer is taking a special interest in her and communicating directly with her. It all begins with Adele Kean, Matilda's best friend, going on a internet dating site, which results in her first date with Brian Appleby, a man she is taken with and looking forward to seeing again.

After returning from the date, Brian Appleby is confronted by an intruder who hangs him, using a proper hangman's noose, in his home. It transpires that Appleby has a hidden history, listed on the sex offender's register having served a prison sentence, supposedly being monitored by the police. He had not longed moved to Sheffield, so how did the killer have this information when the local police did not? Adele is a confused mess, knowing she really liked Brian, yet horrified by his past. Matilda struggles to adjust to the new members of her police team and is put under severe pressure by the intense media focus on the case. The young and inexperienced local crime reporter on The Star, Danny Hansen, is highly ambitious and making the most of the serial killer's connection with him to earn several front page exclusives, but fear, stress and pressure make him a nervous wreck as he wonders whether the killer will come for him. As further vigilante murders take place, and the psychological profiler's ideas leads Matilda to suspect that the killer is someone far closer than she could have imagined.

When I finished this, I felt this was a 4 star read, but as I thought deeper, I found that I was seriously impressed with how Michael Wood explored the issues and repercussions surrounding the issue of vigilantism which moved this novel to 5 stars. I thought Wood explores and exposes the inability of people to allow offenders to have a fresh start and a real future with real skill through the characters we have got to know well. These issues even infect Matilda's team with people less willing to put in the determined effort to find the killer, there is a sneaking feeling that the victims got exactly what they deserved in a world where judicial justice is perceived as no justice at all, even when the victim is deemed to paid for their crimes. The police team are merely an echo chamber for the outside world and the court of public opinion. However, the horrendous ramifications of this support of vigilantism is highlighted in the narrative in several ways, including the unacceptable behaviour of the public with a police officer.

Matilda is an unusual central character, she is endowed with more than her share of frailties and some may perhaps see as her too human, and with insufficient mental strength to cut an efficient path through her cases. For me, it is this very humanity and flaws that make this series, it also gives a more realistic balance by giving a greater focus on teamwork, which is how cases are usually cracked. A fantastic series by an author who has grown in stature with every new additional novel. Just brilliant! Many thanks to Harper Impulse and Killer Reads for an ARC.

This author just gets better and better. Having read all the books that this author has written in this series this one is the best yet.
Would highly recommend this book. 5 stars

Thank you NetGalley, Michael Wood and Harper Impulse and Killer Reads for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

DCI Matilda Darke is faced with a serial killer who is hanging people in their own homes and these victims have all committed crimes in their past. The detectives wonder if they have a vigilante on their hands who is spreading fear throughout the city. The more this vigilante kills, the more they become fixated on Matilda and her co-workers fall under suspicion. Can she keep everyone she loves safe?

This book starts off with a bang and I was interested in the characters because this is the first DCI Matilda novel that I have read. I fell in love instantly with the Matilda character and her team of detectives. I read a lot of detective mysteries and I love them, and this one was no different. I sat down and read this book in two sittings because I always thought I knew who was going around hanging these victims and that ending shocked me!

This novel is mostly about Matilda and her best friend Adele and I loved their relationship and how they worked together in this novel. I love seeing women supporting women in these novels when it’s a male dominated career. I am definitely going to have to go back and read the books preceding this one because there were lots of cases they talked about that seem very interesting! I loved the writing and that the chapters were on the shorter side. This book was on the longer side, but I liked it! I enjoyed that there were more complexities to the case that they were working! You can definitely read this book as a stand-alone novel and I would recommend picking up any of the DCI Matilda novels!

Pick it up August 24th!

The Hangman's Hold is the fourth book in the DCI Matilda Darke series. What a series it is to. Whilst the author does give enough back ground, I would still insist that people read the others in the series as they really are at the top of their genre and I literally can not get enough of them.

As usual the author had me from the very first few pages. I was well and truly held prisoner not being able to go anywhere even if I wanted to as I was so enthralled by what I was reading. This has everything I would expect from a crime thriller and so much more.

The murders are horrific. Not that the author goes into any great detail, just the thought of what was happening had me putting my hands to my neck and sending shivers down my spine. Even though I was horrified at what was happening, obviously being a true crime junkie, I had to keep going absorbing every little detail, leaving me desperate for more.

I love Matilda and the relationship she has with her team and her good friend Adele. It makes the case that they are working on feel that bit more personal and you find yourself really caring for these characters.

The pace is just electrifying. You can feel the build of tension mounting throughout so much so that my heart was racing. This really is a spell binding read that I couldn't get enough of having to shut out the real world so I could get to the end to see if Matilda and her team get their villain. This is pure adrenaline fuelled crime writing at it's best.

The Hangman's Hold has to be one of the most thrilling and gripping reads that I've read this year. An absolute nail biter of a read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins Impulse and Killer Reads for giving me a chance to read THE HANGMAN'S HOLD by Michael Wood in exchange for a review.
Detective Chief Inspector Matilda Darke is still dealing with the death of her husband when she is thrown into an extremely difficult case. Brian Appleby is found hung in his home and it is not suicide. What makes it even more strange is Matilda's best friend, Adele, had just gone on a date with Brian the night before. Adele thought Brian was a "lovely" man, but it turns out he has a very dark past that he has tried to keep secret. Who would want Brian dead?
After another hanging death, it seems that Matilda and her team have a serial killer who is dubbed the "Hangman". The people of Sheffield are becoming very scared and those above Matilda are getting angry. The person who seems to be getting the most information is young reporter Danny Hanson thanks to the killer calling him.
Author Michael Wood does a skillful job of developing both the main and secondary characters. A light touch was added in describing Sian's "snack drawer" that helped the team carry on with their challenging case.
There is a good bit of graphic description used, but that is to be expected with a serial killer story. Many TV series show much more these days.
The author has done a fine job of capturing the voice of the female characters. It is encouraging to see more female protagonists in police procedural tales both in novels and on TV. Although this book takes place in the UK, it is relevant to detective stories everywhere.
THE HANGMAN'S HOLD is the fourth in a series, but I had no trouble following the plot. The author provided just the right amount of back story. The novel ends on a note that seems to promise a fifth book.

Well, I'm kind of shocked into "almost" silence here! I have just finished The Hangman's Hold, the latest Matilda Darke novel from Michael Wood! You know when you read a book that you don't want to put down but it is also one you don't want to end! This was that book!

In this fourth book of the series, DCI Matilda Darke is on the hunt for a killer who is acting as judge, jury and executioner as he delivers his own sentence on those he believes have not paid for their crimes. For Matilda, this case is personal, the killer has made it so and she is facing a race against time to bring him to justice.

Right from the very beginning, Michael Wood builds the tension and he had me in the palm of his hand right up until the very last page! Kicking off with Matilda's best friend, Pathologist, Adele Keane, going on a date with a man she met online and from there, my spidey senses were on red alert and they were tingling all the way through the read! Seriously tense I could almost hear the movie soundtrack playing in the background!

DCI Matilda Darke is a complex character, she is not without her dark side and her own personal demons. In this book, we watch her almost unravel as the killer plays with her mind. She is clearly still mourning her husband, James, however, there is a sense that she is taking tentative steps to move on and I'm looking forward to seeing how her character further develops as the series goes on. She lets very few people into her inner circle and in this novel, she is struggling with the changes to her team; her mistrust is palpable and it is quite heart wrenching to listen to her self-recrimination. Matilda's past comes back to haunt her a number of times throughout this book with previous cases and her personal life spilling over into the current investigation. She is a woman conflicted but I do think she is way more than the typical "damaged" detective. Michael Wood has created characters that have an authenticity about them; they are multi-layered and each book just exposes a little more about them.

Another character that engaged me was journalist Danny Hanson. Now, for fans of this series, you will know the press and Matilda are not bosom buddies, they have made plenty of attacks on her in the past and this time round-up and coming crime reporter Danny seems to be up to his neck in this investigation. I loved the way his character was written into this storyline, there was a real sense of conflict for me as a reader as to how I felt about him and his actions but they certainly had an impact on me. It is so hard to keep my lips sealed here, so much I want to say but you are getting no spoilers at all!

The Hangman's Hold is a brilliantly crafted novel. A police procedural that reads authentically without being pedantic, it kept me guessing all the way through to the point I felt that I was a part of the investigation;  I was seriously living and breathing this book as I read it. Exploring the whole idea of victim apathy when victims are those who have committed heinous crimes; it really made me stop and think about the attitudes we have towards justice and how police and others deal with those very human feelings. How difficult must it be to close down your own feelings and give your all to investigate a crime where part of you thinks they deserved it. This plot certainly gives food for thought!

Michael Wood has got magical fingertips as he weaved a perfect storyline with a cast of authentic characters. His narrative and pacing are spot on, perfect balance of twists, turns, red herrings and reveals. He has nailed the whole "show don't tell" concept and delivers a novel that ticked all of my boxes and more!  The Hangman's Hold was a full-on, tension-laden, satisfying twisted read all wrapped up into one criminally awesome package! Once again he has proven to me that he is worthy of a place in the top crime writers list! If you haven't read this series then I'd highly recommend you remedy this now!

this will be on my blog as part of the blog tour

This is an absolutely superb novel. Michael Wood's DCI Matilda Darke series has always been excellent but this takes it to a new level. Well-written, gripping from the start and breath-takingly audacious at times, the twists and turns keep one enthralled throughout. When a serial killer starts meting out justice on criminals who were not adequately punished, Matilda and her impressive team are presented with a seemingly insoluble case which rapidly turns personal. I loved it!

Omg, I love the Matilda Darke series, this one didn't disappoint, loved it, if you are looking for a heart in your mouth series then this series is the one for you,

Fast paced, dark and twisted with a good cast of characters and just the right amount of humour. The cliffhanger conclusion is a perfect twist for the next book in the series to begin

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Impulse for this arc.

I had seen good reviews for this book on Goodreads and was excited to receive and read it.
I don't understand all the good reviews. Granted, I've not read the three previous books in this series, but what a mess of characters! The story was okay, I did finish the book..... But it seemed like Matilda -- main protagonist and every member of her police team spent more time breaking down/ falling apart/ having hysterics/ going catatonic when they weren't busy drinking, getting coffee and snarfing up chocolate Going from blubbering mess to blubbering mess and then going through it all over again and again really stretched this book at least 60% longer than it needed to be. What an ineffective team! And then Matilda gets promoted! I'm just glad I don't have to depend on the Sheffield Police.

A great story and ending but I can't help but detest the character Matilda. How can someone so mentally unstable be a DCI? I hope the next book focuses more on the development of other characters.