Loved the story and the ending was good but I can't stand 'DCI Matilda Darke'. I hope the next book stops making her appear so mentally unstable.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the book in exchange for an honest review.
I have read all of the other books in the Matilda Darke series and was pleased when Netgalley allowed me to have a copy of book 4 in the series. I thoroughly enjoyed this latest book in the series, particularly because it is based in Sheffield and mentions areas that I have driven through.
The story about a killer who hangs his victims using a particular knot. It is only after victim number 5 is killed that Matilda finally knows who the killer is.
Highly Recommended.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Harper Impulse and Killer Reads for an advance copy of The Hangman's Hold, the fourth novel to feature DCI Matilda Darke of the Sheffield police.

When Brian Appleby is found hanged in his living room Matilda and the team are stumped until they realise that Appleby is a convicted paedophile. Further killings confirm that they are hunting a clever vigilante who leaves no clues and is fixating on Matilda.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Hangman's Hold which is an engrossing read with an intriguing premise, when is a crime paid for? Mr Wood manages to cover all sides of the argument from the rights and wrongs of vigilantism to the grief and suffering of the relatives. He draws no conclusions but I really like the way he shows that there is no correct answer, just a mess of suffering. The novel centres partly on Matilda's investigation and, at times, it is a frustrating read because there are no clues and it goes round in reactive circles. I even guessed the killer's identity about halfway through and long before the team. The other part centres on the killer's contact with Matilda and young journalist, Danny Hanson. Their sense of fear and tension is palpable and much more interesting than the investigation.

Matilda is very much at the heart of the novel. A widow, she still grieves for her husband and this grief colours her life and personality. Her team is very loyal to her but she seems to collect enemies effortlessly, not through anything she does but simply by being a successful woman. I find it strange and unpalatable but I've been out of the workplace for so long it might well be a reality faced by women every day.

The Hangman's Hold is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

Firstly, I would like to thank NetGalley, Harper Impulse and Killer Reads, and the author Michael Wood for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of The Hangman's Hold.
I really enjoyed the storyline. It was well plotted out and keeps you guessing on the identity of the Hangman.
The Hangman's Hold is definitely a book to read for fans of the genre.

3.5
The concept and writing was very good. The characters were interesting as well. That being said, there were too many characters (became hard to keep them straight), too many descriptions, which created too many chapters. This could have been a 5 star from me had it been condensed to a much shorter story.

I liked the story and I loved the ending note which leads me to believe this story will continue. I would check it out. Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and HarperImpulse for a copy in exchange for a review.

I have read this series from the beginning and feel like I know Matilda personally.. These books just keep getting better, they are fast paced with ‘real’ characters that keep you eagerly turning the pages to find out what’s going to happen. A great ending with a fantastic cliffhanger.
To be reviewed on Amazon when released.

By the time chapter one ended, I simply didn’t want to stop reading.

I loved this book.

Our killer kept me on my toes, guessing this person and that, but never guessing who they really were!

I won’t tell you the reason behind everything, of course. I’ll simply say that it had me looking at my own behavior and interactions a little more carefully.

Expect some gruesome and creepy crimes, some heartbreaking scenes, and a cat-and-mouse chase to the end that will leave you breathless.

I’ll happily read the author again (and again and again and again).

*ARC Provided via Net Galley