I thoroughly enjoyed this book. In the latest addition to this gripping series, we are reacquainted with Matilda and the rest of her team.
I really love how with each book, you get to know all of the characters better and learn more about their personalities. The interactions between them is great and adds extra depth.
The storyline was intricate and full of suspenseful , and the book is detailed and well constructed.
An enjoyable read, and I am eagerly anticipating future releases by this author.

My thanks to One More Chapter for an invitation to read and review via NetGalley ‘Stolen Children’ by Michael Wood in exchange for an honest review. It was published in early October and I have since bought its ebook/audiobook combination.

This is the sixth in Wood’s DCI Matilda Darke series of police procedurals set in Sheffield. I had read ‘The Murder House’ (Book 5) in January and gave it 5 stars as it ticked every box in terms of what I look for in a good police procedural. ‘Stolen Children’ confirmed my positive opinion of this series.

In order to avoid spoilers I won’t say too much about the plot. It was clear in ‘The Murder House’ that Matilda is haunted by the botched kidnapping case that took place before the start of the series. Here in the opening chapter a young boy walks into a police station in France claiming to be Carl Meagan, the missing child from Sheffield.

Before news of this reaches Sheffield, nine-year-old Keeley Armitage vanishes without trace on her way home from the supermarket. Then her mother receives a ransom demand. As the police are discreetly called in, DCI Matilda Darke is flooded with memories of the Carl Meagan case that almost ruined her career.
 
Of course, the parents end up yelling at the police along lines of “do what you are paid to do and find her!” (with added expletives). This kind of tirade pops up regularly in police dramas and fiction as part of the ever popular ‘police are useless’ trope. I always want to push back at the page or telly when this occurs.

This was a fantastic read and I was again impressed with the balance between character development and a strong plot with both action and twists that fitted into the dynamic of the narrative.

I am now a confirmed fan of this author and have the earlier books in the series waiting for me on my Kindle and also look forward to the next case for DCI Darke and her team.

DCI Matilda Darke returns for another action packed instalment. 9 year old Keeley is reported as kidnapped, which brings back upsetting memories of failed kidnapping ransom handover of Carl Meagan 4 years earlier. It is soon revealed the kidnapping is a hoax and Keeley is now missing. Sadly, the body of Keeley is discovered in the woods. Darke and her team start looking closer at the family and all is not as it seems at first impressions. Keeley’s body show signs of abuse, they are some very big questions that need answering.
There is also an underlying story which keeps Darke in turmoil.
Fantastic book and well written. Can be read as standalone, but are references to past cases.

9 year old Keeley Armitage disappears after a trip to the local supermarket with her sister. Her family receives a ransom phone call which reminds DCI Matilda Darke of Carl Meagan abducted 4 years ago who was never found. Matilda took the failure personally and it almost destroyed her and her career .

Stolen Children is the 6th book in the DCI Matilda Darke series by author Michael Wood. It is a fast paced , police procedural , crime thriller with an exciting plot, gritty characters and so well written.I am a big fan of this series and cannot wait for the next one !

I would like to thank Harper Collins UK , One More Chapter & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

The Matilda Darke series is one that just keeps on getting better and I have them on pre-order as soon as they become available. If you haven't had the joy of these books, I strongly recommend them.

In this book we have a thread that has run through the books with a crime that has long haunted Matilda Darke and driven her to despair, the missing child Carl Meagan. And what should happen but a boy of the right age walks into a police station and states he is Carl.

But close to home a young girl has gone missing, and in a terrifying echo of the previous case a call made demanding money. The difference is these parents can't begin to raise the money needed for the ransom.

Michael Wood has mastered the intrigue expertly alongside a complex plotline and so as always given his readers a thor0ughly satisfying read. Best of all he has provided a finale that exceeds expectations.

I absolutely love this series. Matilda and her team are all such great characters and I love getting to know them more with each book. This one is book 6, and I would recommend reading them in order so that you can see the characters grow and know the baggage they all carry. In this book we get to see more of Matilda’s vulnerable side and I just want to give her a big hug.

With regards to the case, I did guess who the culprit was and why but it wasn’t until a bit later on and it didn’t ruin it for me. It actually just made me constantly second guess myself. I was hooked until the very end and was praying for a certain character. I have never been so tense in my life. Also I need book 7 asap.

I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

When nine year old Keeley disappears without a trace and a ransom demand is made, Matilda can’t help but be overwhelmed by the memories of the Carl Meagan case. A case that went horribly wrong and almost ruined her career, as any long-time reader of this series knows very well. Matilda is determined that won’t happen again. But will she be able to stay focused when she hears that a young boy has walked into a police station in France claiming he is the missing Carl?

The Stolen Children is the sixth book in the DCI Matilda Darke series and it goes without saying that you should of course read them all in order from the very beginning. Not only because of the Carl Meagan arc, not only because of the team dynamics, not only because each and every book in this series is brilliant, but also because it’ll give you the opportunity to see how Matilda has evolved. She has always been fierce and determined but also really vulnerable. Partly due to the case of the missing Carl Meagan that’s been haunting her for years, made worse by the fact it coincided with one of the worst events of her personal life. Could it be the time to heal and move on has finally come?

The prologue alone already made me sit up and pay attention, especially because lucky me didn’t read the book blurb beforehand so I had no idea what was coming. From then on, it felt as if I barely managed to take a breath. The pace of this story seemed almost relentless with things happening left, right and centre. Every time I thought I had it all figured out, something would throw me off and make me doubt my theory. I wasn’t at all prepared for how dark and disturbing this tale would turn out to be. It sometimes made for some uncomfortable reading and each shocking revelation felt like a punch to the gut. By the end, I couldn’t quite decide if I should have been feeling angry or devastated or both.

Luckily, there are some lighter moments throughout. This is where the fantastic team dynamics Michael Wood has set up throughout the years really come into play. Just like the team needs to be able to joke around for a bit in the midst of all the ugliness they deal with it, the reader too needs that teensie-weensie moment to have a wee chuckle. But if you’ve been following this series, then you also know this is an author who has no qualms whatsoever putting these beloved characters in danger.

With lots of questions that need answers, tension and suspense, a gripping plot and great characters, The Stolen Children is another fantastic addition to the DCI Matilda Darke series. Deeply addictive, it provided me with the perfect escape during a week that seemed filled with truckloads of craziness and Michael Wood has once again made sure I will definitely be back for more from Matilda and her team.

A young boy comes into a police station in France declaring that his name is Carl & he was kidnapped in England three years ago. This is a case that has haunted Matilda Darke since it happened. At the time of his kidnap she was going through awful personal trauma & blames herself that she couldn't bring him home. The disappearance of nine year old Keeley Armitage on her way home from school brings that back to the forefront of her mind.

The Armitage family have a rough time even before this. Craig, the father works two jobs trying to provide for the things needed for their seriously handicapped four year old son Riley. They are not a family that can pay a ransom & Linda falls apart leaving fourteen year old Jodie trying to hold things together. As time goes on the FLO becomes more & more concerned & she passes this on to Matilda & her team.

This book is the sixth in the series- How on earth did miss the first five? I loved Matilda & the various characters on her team. Although I didn't know anything that came before, but this was still among the best police procedurals I've read for a while. The identity of the kidnapper completely floored me. I may have missed the earlier ones but I'm hoping to read the next! Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this great book.

WOW what a cracking read and fantastic addition to an already amazing series! This book starts on a cliffhanger and also ends on one ! It has you guessing throughout and has a great twist at the end. Highly recommend this book and this author

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. Stolen Children is the sixth instalment and my third in the series so far, having previously only read book one, For Reasons Unknown and book five, The Murder House. 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 Stolen Children, a young girl, Keeley Armitage, disappears from outside a supermarket and a young boy walks into a police station in France, claiming to be Carl Meagan, who went missing in Sheffield four years ago. Matilda can’t help but focus on memories of the Carl Meagan case that almost ruined her career. In Keeley's case, a ransom call is placed but will Matilda and the HMET team be able to find her?

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 that haunts her. The other characters are interesting, likeable (mostly) and believable, and I quickly became invested in them and their lives. I respected DS Sian Mills, a supporting character who very much has her own style and is definitely not a stereotypical detective! A major highlight of this crime series is 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 is complex with a high shock factor and varying lines of enquiry. With twists, turns and red herrings in abundance, Stolen Children certainly held my devoted attention from the first page to the finish and didn't disappoint.

I thoroughly enjoyed Stolen Children and I'm counting down the days until the next book in the series is released. 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.

What a twisted family, my god, I figure it out a bit, but not all. Great thriller, thank you Netgalley for this fast pacing story.
A nine-year-old girl disappeared and detective Matilda Dark and her team is going to figure it out.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollinsUK One More Chapter for the arc of this book by Michael Wood,


4 star read for me- this was an unstoppable great read for me- read within 1 day, a great book, well written and great structuring and it had me hooked from start to finish so thank you Michael Wood,

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the sixth book in the DCI Matilda Darke series. With the unresolved case of Carl Meagan still haunting Darke, her next case drags up memories/fears of her failure to help him and return him to his family, 9 year Keeley Armitage is reported missing by her mother, what strikes a cord with Darke is, Keeley’s mother receives a ransom call, is it the same perpetrators that took Carl Meagan years previous? Matilda will stop at nothing to help the Armitage family and bring Keeley home unharmed, she cannot fail again.

What she uncovers will send shockwaves through the heart of anyone reading this, the story and plotline are harrowing, its hard to say much without giving away spoilers but suffice to say, you will not want to put this one down, it draws you in and you feel everything the family are feeling. An emotional gripping case with some shocking twists!! Cannot wait for the next instalment!

Thank you NetGalley, Harper Collins UK and One More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is book #6 in the DCI Matlida Darke series. I had not heard of this series, but I will most certainly seek out the other books now.

Matlida Darke is called to work on the case of missing child, Keely, who has disappeared in the same town as another child whose case Darke feels she. flubbed. This book focuses mainly on the case of Keely, who vanished after her sister asked her to wait outside a grocery store for her. This story took many twists and turns, and I thought I had considered all characters as potential suspects, but I was wrong on all of them!
While the author tells the story of Keely, Darke continues to be haunted by the disappearance of the other child several years previously. She then gets news that a child has walked into a police station in France claiming to be him. Throughout the book we are waiting to find out if this missing child is the one lost years ago, AND what happened to Keely.

This book kept me guessing! Although

The stolen children is sadly a-lot of truth what really happens in our countries. I could not put this book down. Once you start reading you can't finish until late, late in the night. Keep tissues handy you will need them. I can't wait for the next book by this author.

Thanks so mich for early access this was a tremendous read. An author that beings so much of modern living into the most compelling of stories. Highly recommend this book and will be watching for more thanks

I really enjoyed this book all the way through. It had a really good plot, great main characters and really keeps you hooked on the plot. I would highly recommend this book.

Like the other books in the DCI Matilda Darke series this did not disappoint.

I was engrossed from the outset.

A dark, harrowing storyline together with the opportunity to learn more about Matilda and her team made this unmissable.

5 stars

Omg what a brilliant read love love this series, if you haven't already started this series go buy and read it now you want be disappointed absolutely amazingly fantastic.

Stolen Children by Michael Wood is a mystery crime thriller that is a part of a series. Now I did not know this when I decided to read this book. There are so many “series” type books where you don’t really need to know prior events, however, I think for this one it would have been helpful since there are so many characters. Some characters were short mentions whereas others played a larger role, but I could not keep them straight and almost found myself skimming through some of lesser important interactions.

The book is about a young girl Keeley going missing and DCI Matilda Darke desperate to solve this case. Matilda was on a case for a missing child, Carl, years ago and was unable to solve his disappearance. Not all children will be found but she has trouble letting go. Perhaps, this was a case in Wood’s previous novels, which would have been an interesting tie in.

I have to admit, I kept turning the pages to get to the end which was sick but unexpected. It’s a quick mystery thriller to immerse yourself in but for me there was too much going on. Too many smaller scenes with too many characters. The storyline itself was entertaining and I do think it’s worth the read, especially if you have read other books from this series.

Thank you net galley and HarperCollinsPublishers for allowing me to read and review this book in exchange for my honest review.

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