Time Is Running Out

DCI Matilda Darke, Book 7

By: Michael Wood

Narrated by: Stephanie Beattie

Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

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. After all, 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.

The next chilling instalment in the DCI Matilda Darke thriller series, perfect for fans of Patricia Gibney and Angela Marsons.

©2021 Michael Wood (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

"Excellent plotting. The twists keep on coming making this an irresistible read." (Michael J. Malone, author of A Song of Isolation)

Not the best in the Matilda Darke series

How I looked forward to this book. I’ve listened to all available in Audible and thoroughly enjoyed them. This, however, does not live up to its reputation. How many mass murders have happened in our lives? I didn’t want to listen to another one in gory detail. Where is the mystery that DCI Matilda Darke solves to show off her police procedural skills? Not here, I assure you. I am happy that I did not waste a treasured credit and spent $9+ instead. I never return books I purchase. Narration, of course, is perfect by Stephanie Beatty (a waste of her pitch-perfect talents). I can’t recommend this one, but I am not giving up Michael Wood’s Matilda Darke series. I fast-forwarded through. Note: I truly was disappointed when listening to “Time Is Running Out,” there was a detailed reference to a previous audiobook that was not Audible-available in listening order. Why? Why? Why would an author give a detailed description and ending? WHY?

Don't waste you time - Very Disappointing

This is the latest book in a series that started out well. The characters were well defined and realistic and the crimes they solved were plausible. However this author has slipped into the same whirlpool that many crime writers follow - every book is more extreme than the last, the crime is more violent and the characters unrealistically heroic. The initial crime could well have been used for the entire book with the police tracking down the perpetrator and working through all the motives and the relationships between the criminals. Instead we are lead through a series of totally unrealistic horrific crimes with the police not getting back up from other area and the principles expected to pursue the gunman despite being personally involved with the victims.

Despite having enjoyed all the prior books in the series this was a waste of time and money.

Depressing and Dark

Have loved all the books up to this one. However this story was hard to get through because of all the carnage! I read to escape-this story was too close to reality! I need a break before I continue with the rest unfortunately.

I guess it’s necessary reading . . .

To follow the continuum of the series, but that was one seriously troubling book. So much carnage. Just keep telling yourself it’s just a book. It’s just a book. It’s just a book.

WARNING: This book is about mass shootings

I live in Denver and had a peripheral connection to both the Columbine and Aurora theater shooting. Had I known this book was about mass shootings, I wouldn't have picked it up. It brought back too many bad memories. Given the number of mass shootings happening almost every day, the book should have come with a warning.

VERY disappointing.

I've followed this series from the first book onward, got used to the recurring characters and generally enjoyed the books. Now that 90% of the characters
have all been killed off, I can't see the point in continuing the series! And there was just too much gore in this book - it was unpleasant and disturbing.

Very very dark

OMG! The author must have been in a very dark place when he wrote this story. I had been enjoying this series and I am a huge crime drama fan but this was way over the top sick! I hope the next in the series is toned down because I'm not sure I can take another like this one. Do yourself a favor and skip this one.

So dark & depressing!

I had really been enjoying this series! But I’m done - didn’t even get halfway through this one and I’m out. Stephanie Beattie is phenomenal, as always - I don’t know how the poor woman made it through this miserable read!

Extremely violent

Will not read another book in this series or by this author. This is not why I read British crime novels. Gratuitously violent. No plot, no mystery, no advancement of character development. Few are left standing. I stopped halfway through to listen to the ending for some redemption only to find via the epilogue there is more vengeance to come.

If there were negative stars for story I would check the box. Frankly I don’t care who narrated this book.

PLEASE don’t buy this book and trust the negative reviews no matter how you may have or do like the main character.

Shame on this author

Wow the author really blew it on this one. So many fans loving Matilda Darke yet I for one will not listen to another book by this author. Disgusting that he would constantly refer to America and “all it shootings” and that “they only happen in America” yet then used these horrible tragedies as the story lines for this book. He should be ashamed of himself.