This book comes with a trigger warning – and while generally I’m not a fan of those, in this case I think it’s well merited. Michael Wood’s book is about the trauma and long term devastating impact of child abuse. It’s not for the faint-hearted and does deal with some violence as well as abuse.

D.C.I. Matilda Darke and her team at the Major Crimes Unit in South Yorkshire are still struggling after the events of the last two books. Could this be the case that finally brings them to their knees?

The Lost Children pulls no punches. It propels Matilda and her team into the depths of depravity and corruption and leads to them investigating multiple cases of historic child abuse.

It begins with a vicious murder which is sensitively portrayed but brutal nonetheless. Prominent businessman Richard Ashton has been savagely murdered and the killer has forced a pretty disgusting thing on him. But this prominent civic figure is not the beneficent figure he always presented.

Delving deeper into Ashton, Matilda and her team uncover a series of terrible stories all connected to the former children’s home, Magnolia House. Sian is still struggling so by Matilda’s side is DI Christian Brady. He is finding this case more emotionally disturbing than anyone expected.

Cold cases are always difficult and this one is proving especially so. The team’s best hope is to track down boys who were at the home before t closed and see if they can get other victims to come forward. But that’s not as easy as it should be. No-one wants to talk and at every turn, Matilda’s efforts are thwarted and diverted by her superiors who are intent on focussing her work on other matters.

But more killings take place and Matilda is not one for being cowed. Setting up camp at home she and her team take working from home during Covid to the limit. But her movements are being carefully watched and more than one warning is shot across her bows. After everything she has been through, you’d think this might be the last straw, but Matilda rises to the challenge and in so doing gets back some of her lost mojo.

These are characters that you root for and their development is critical to the success of this series. Matilda and Adele are good for each other and living on the same house is working well. Scott is beginning to find an interest in life again and Sian is considering some drastic measures to get her life back.

The killer too is sensitively portrayed and their perspective is well handled. Despite the crimes they have committed, the reader would have to be very hard-hearted not to feel sympathy for what they have undergone.

By the end of this book, it’s clear that there are many changes underway. Whether or not this is a good thing remains to be seen. But the reader’s interest never wanes and we care about what will happen to these characters.

Verdict: The Lost Children is heart-breaking and emotive. Michael Wood balances this well with some moments of laughter and some heart-racing drama as well as the more harrowing stories of abuse. Fantastic plotting and an authentic storyline make this book an unputdownable read. Never one to give his characters an easy ride, Wood nonetheless makes you care about each and every one of them. I look forward eagerly to the next installment.

Matilda Darke is on her ninth outing in this fantastic and highly addictive read.

The Lost Children opens with some particularly scenes and the book involves some very hard-hitting aspects but the author manages to stay away from this reader finding this to be purely for shock value.

The plotting of the different strands of the story were both inventive and carefully balanced alongside the ongoing delight in finding out more about life outside the 'office'

This series fast found its way into my affection and based upon this latest offering will remain there for some time into the future.

Matilda Darke is back…
APRIL 2020: LOCKDOWN
With street crime at an all-time low, Matilda and her team finally find the time to dig into their backlog of cold cases.
DI Brady has been tracing victims of systemic abuse at a local children’s home after a high-profile accusation pitched it into the spotlight – a case that couldn’t be more personal.
Nothing could have prepared them for what they uncover next…
As they piece together the disturbing picture of the history of the home, it soon becomes clear that this is much bigger than either of them ever suspected.
When they find the body of a former staff member in a supermarket car park, Matilda realises her days on the force could be numbered.

This is a wonderful addition to this thrilling series!
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Such a thrilling read that I couldn't put it down.
Can't wait to read more of these.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

ARC read: Publication 30 June 2022.
Matilda finds herself in the worst situation ever. The Magnolia House for orphaned boys was shut down years ago, but a secret looms and its bursting to be brought to light. But it looks like all the top dogs of Sheffield is involved in the most darkest secrets and will stop at nothing to make sure it never comes to light.

This is probably the hardest one I've read from this series. It is absolutely heartbreaking. The writing is so good that you can feel the pain and suffering that the boys have endured over the course of their lives. Michael is a master at character development, you truly feel that you could be part of the team as you read and immerse yourself in this story. I have high hopes for the next book and can't wait for it to come out.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for is e-ARC.

I’d like to thank HarperCollinsUK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Lost Children’, book 9 in the Detective Matilda Darke series written by Michael Wood, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

The country is in the throes of a pandemic as DCI Matilda Darke is called out to investigate the gruesome death of businessman Richard Ashton. Retired Reverend Peter Ogilvy contacts Matilda asking for her help to solve cases of historic child abuse that were committed at Magnolia House Children’s Home in 1997, naming Richard Ashton as the perpetrator, which he reported several times and were ignored. As Matilda and her team dig deep into the history of Magnolia House, disturbing facts come to light that those higher up in South Yorkshire Police turned a blind eye to and she’s now being told to drop.

‘The Lost Children’ is one of those thrillers that I start reading and get so involved with it’s impossible to stop. This is the fourth I’ve read in the DCI Matilda Darke series and each time I don’t think it can be improved on but this must be the best one yet. Although disturbing and upsetting at times, the story is strong and credible with a plot that’s full of heart-stopping action, drama, suspense and unexpected twists and turns. The characters are so believable it’s easy to forget they’re fictional, and not only Matilda but Sian, Christian and Finn are my heroes for endeavouring to get to the truth. I’m full of admiration for an author who can put together such an exceptional story with such a staggering ending and thoroughly recommend this explosive thriller. The tension builds until it ends with such a cliffhanger that I can’t wait to read the next one.

DCI Matilda Darke attends the scene of a brutal death, local businessman Richard Ashton has been murdered in his own home. The murder looks personal to Matilda and DI Brady is quick to point out that it could be to do with historical child abuse which he feels Ashcroft was involved in.
As Matilda and her team begin to dig into Ashcroft's past, they start to uncover something far worse than they expected but it quickly becomes clear that someone higher up doesn't want them investigating. Determined to get to the truth Matilda refuses to be warned off but not knowing who she can trust increases her paranoia. Constantly looking over her shoulder is exhausting and she will need the support of those close to her more than ever.
Brilliantly written, this is a very dark and intense book on a subject some will find hard to read. It is a difficult subject to tackle but Michael Wood writes both sensitively and realistically.
There is the odd touch of humour to lighten things up and if you are a fan of Matilda Darke then it's definitely one not to miss.

Fifteen months on from the devastating events in Time Is Running Out and the shocking discovery that followed in Survivor's Guilt. DCI Matilda Darke is back about to investigate the most harrowing and for somebody on the team personal case yet.

As the Homicide and Major Crimes Unit are called to the sprawling home of Richard Ashton O.B.E. Who's been found murdered in the most macabre way imaginable and soon after news of his death is made public, the team are told a heart wrenching story that sheds light on their victim and exposes a trail of child abuse dating back to the late 1990s

But not everyone inside South Yorkshire's Police Headquarters are keen to hear this and with the country on the verge of lockdown and very few people willing to talk an edgy and once again depleted HMCU struggle to ID a killer who's made it clear they will not stop killing.

And with the strain of the unknown. A harrowing storyline and the shocks and twists, which are as ever brutal and plentiful. This is an utterly compelling read. That I just couldn't put down and with everybody's futures in the balance and a dramatic ending. Michael Wood has once again knocked it out of the park, and I can't wait to see where this series goes next.

I would highly recommend the DCI Matilda Darke series and The Lost Children to all.

I used to adore this series and then I hated the last two books. So much so, that I nearly didn’t read this one. However, I am pleased to say that the storytelling I fell in love with is back. Now, this is an extremely heavy topic and a tough read at times but it is written sensitively and is a powerful story of fighting against abuse and corruption. I also really appreciate that Michael Wood starts the book with a trigger warning for child abuse.

Matilda is back to working with her team and the lovable bunch work well together. After the last two books, it was nice to see my favourite characters healing. The tension builds as you try and work out who can be trusted and how they will ever get the evidence needed for a historic case. With the victim being an evil person, you kind of forget they’re supposed to be hunting a killer too.

My only issue with this book is the fatphobia. They constantly talk about how hideous the villain was because he’s fat and how he was an abuser because no one wanted to have sex with him or would ever love him because he was so fat.

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

I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins, One More Chapter for an advance copy of The Lost Children, the ninth novel to feature DCI Matilda Darke of the Sheffield Homicide and Major Crimes Unit.

The brutal murder of a local property developer leads Matilda and her team into an investigation of historical abuse at a local children’s home. The opposition they meet is unprecedented and puts them in jeopardy.

I have read and enjoyed all the previous novels in the series, but The Lost Children didn’t grip me or call me back when I put it down. This is not because of the subject matter, which I found to be sensitively handled, but because I found it hard to believe the cover up and the threats to the team (and I can believe plenty if required). This is not a workable scenario nowadays, given the country’s addiction to enquiries and condemnation of poor policing in such cases.

For those prepared to believe it is a well paced novel with reveals in most chapters, several twists and an inexorable march towards justice, although that seems a rather ambiguous concept in light of the abuse. The novel is mostly told from Matilda and her team’s point of view with the unnamed killer contributing from time to time. This latter point of view is there, in my opinion, to try and describe the anguish of an abuse survivor rather than gratuitously describe the violent killings.

The Lost Children is not one of the best novels in the series, but it still has plenty to offer, even if it is of a difficult nature.

Set in the early days of the Covid 19 pandemic, The Lost Children by Michael Wood is the ninth in the Matilda Darke series. It actually begins with a flashback to 1997, when a priest tries in vain to alert police of abuse occurring in a children’s home. A content warning: as some readers may find the graphic victim accounts triggering. Matilda Darke and her team are called to a bloody murder scene which kicks off an investigation into historic abuse in the murder victim’s past. Yet there are numerous obstacles and limits placed on the team as the cover-up of the crimes continues with interference from police command. Whilst there are mentions of events in earlier books, such as a 2019 shooting, it does make for a credible standalone story. With believable characters, an intriguing narrative, covid references, humorous dog puns, and historic figures like Jimmy Savile named, this is a quality police procedural that sensitively portrays a horrendously disturbing theme, all too real for some. As crime fiction, it makes for a four star read rating. With thanks to Harper Collins UK and the author, for an uncorrected advanced reader copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.

I must start as always by thanking NetGalley as well as the publisher for my eARC in exchange of my honest review. The ninth book of the DI Matilda Darke series does not disappoint. Though l found this the most upsetting of the series yet, that may be a personal view. I will say the ongoing deeply moving sorrow within the series has understandably built but l now keep reading partially in the hope of more uplifting outcomes, and l do find glimmers of this.

Somehow this series just gets better and better. This one deals with a very dark and disturbing subject in a very sensitive way. I had to put the book down a few times as it had me in tears. I was equally outraged and heartbroken.

When Matilda and her team find evidence of historical child abuse at a children's home their investigation is hindered every step of the way. Which obviously just makes her more determined than ever to bring the perpetrators to justice.

This book turns your feeling upside down and inside out.

A fantastic page turner that keeps you reading late into the night.

And THAT cliff hanger.......wow!

Wow! Michael Wood does it again!
Matilda Darke is back in another expertly written book.
The subject matter is disturbing and at times a hard read ,however the calibre of the writing made it a book that I could have read in one sitting if life didn’t get in the way!
A man is found murdered with his genitals in his mouth , and Darke and her team immediately get to work investigating the case with the back drop of the Covid pandemic and lockdowns.
Reading about Matilda and the team is like reuniting with old friends and the cliffhanger at the end leaves me yearning for the next in the series.
A must read , highly recommended!
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter.

The second book in the DCI Darke series that I have read. Set during the Covid 19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. Explores historic sexual abuse in the care system and police corruption. Links in with previous books. Interesting read but lacks something, given the horror it uncovers.

✂Gruesome vigilante justice: do they have a choice?🚨

The Lost Children was another winner Matilda Darke police procedural for me. I love DCI Darke and her team. As in real life, their lives are changing, their priorities not always staying in sync. Repeated twists keeping me guessing just how Matilda will cope. I think the mix of the investigation with the team's personal life is just right.

This story centers on the revelation of a disturbing history of systematic abuse of young, vulnerable boys at Magnolia House Children's Home in Sheffield. The ringleader influential local businessman ends up dead and horribly mutilated; Matilda's team is looking for a murderer exacting his own personal revenge while trying to bring the abuse to light and find some justice for the young men broken by their experience. Plenty of complications and influential attempts to shut down the abuse side of the investigation. Fascinating, well paced and all set in the early days of the British pandemic lockdown in 2020.

I don't want this series to end! I hope Michael Wood has lots more adventures for Matilda & co. in store.

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

This is a really good series with DCI Matilda Darke I enjoy every one of them this starts with abuse to children in a care home that happened a long time ago the priest Peter who was in charge reported the abuse to the young boys to the Police but nothing was done about it consequently there is a murder and DCI Matilda Darke is on a mission to find out who murdered Richard Ashcroft who actually funded the Care home. It’s a real page turner definitely recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an ARC

When I requested this book, I did not realize that it was a part of the series, and when I did, I hesitated to read it because it is number 8. With that being said, I am so glad that I read it, and am planning on going back and reading the first 7 in the series. I normally do not like thrillers that follow a police team, but I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked this book.

This was a really difficult book as it was about child abuse and Covid so two depressing subjects but it was really well written, you could empathise with the characters and overall I really enjoyed it. Michael’s books are always action packed with plenty of suspense and twists, I would definitely recommend the Matilda Darke series.

Thank you to NetGalley and One more chapter for my advanced reading copy.

Another fraught episode in the Matilda Darke series this time a gruesome murder is revealed as the revenge motive for horrendous child abuse some 20 years ago. A murder of a child reported to the police but no investigation shows the level of coverups throughout and Darke’s attempts are blocked from on high. The investigation continues in secret and with more deaths and press reports by her previous enemy in print and on TV the shocking truth is finally revealed in a blood soaked denouement and as is usual with this series it ends with a storyline set up for the next tale.

In 1997, Reverend Peter Ogilvy notifies the Chief Constable of the police of a murder of a boy from the children’s home he runs. The situation is never investigated. Now, in 2020, just as covid is emerging, a wealthy property developer is found mutilated and murdered at his home. The injuries imply a very personal motive. DCI Matilda Darke and her team are led to Reverend Peter and the abuse which took place at the children’s home he ran in the 1990/2000s. Reverend Peter hopes this time he will be listened to and justice will be upheld.
It is amazing to have DCI Darke back, although out of sequence from the last book. Matilda and her team have such a established bond, which helps them through this raw and gritty case. Desperate for book 10 already!