Below Ground

DCI Matilda Darke, Book 11

By: Michael Wood

Narrated by: Stephanie Beattie

‘Matilda Darke is the perfect heroine’ Elly Griffiths

A MISSING DETECTIVE

DCI Matilda Darke has been kidnapped and her nemesis, Steve Harrison appears to be behind it. He’s currently residing in the supermax of Wakefield Prison and spends twenty-three hours a day in his cell, so how could he possibly be responsible?

A SERIAL KILLER WITH A VENGEANCE

As Matilda’s team race to find her, they’re alerted to a body found in an abandoned car on the outskirts of Sheffield. With forensics scouring the woodland for clues, the last thing they expect is for the body count to rise.

A RACE AGAINST TIME

Meanwhile the search intensifies for the DCI when a video of her kidnapping is leaked to the media. And as she desperately tries to uncover what has led to her being held captive in an underground cell, she’s about to find out how much danger she’s truly in.

If Matilda’s team don’t find her soon, they might not find her at all…

©2023 Michael Wood (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

Praise for Michael Wood:

‘A tense, nail-biting story with a truly twisted ending’ Katerina Diamond

“An established master of the serial killer novel takes us on another dangerous journey through the streets of Sheffield. Watch out for those twists – you won't see them coming!” Stephen Booth

‘A gritty and atmospheric thriller with more twists and turns than a hangman's knot. I loved it’ Matt Hilton

‘Solid storytelling and great unravelling of plot. Michael Wood ups the pace as the noose tightens’ Rachel Sargeant

‘Taut, twisting and sharp as a blade, The Hangman’s Hold wrong-footed me at every, devious turn’ Chris Whitaker

'Wood hit the ground running with For Reasons Unknown, first in the DCI Matilda Darke series. In the fourth instalment, The Hangman's Hold, he picks up the pace again with a twisting plot that races to a nail-biting finish’ Chris Simms

‘Bites into you like the rough twine of a hangman’s noose and refuses to let go. Tautly plotted, brilliantly realised, this is further proof that Michael Wood is only going to get better and better. The Hangman’s Hold is going to be big…’ Neil Broadfoot

Praise for Michael Wood:

‘You can count on Michael Wood to deliver a deliciously twisted and intriguing plot, leading to a surprise ending by a likeable and very real protagonist, Matilda Darke’ Yrsa Sigurdardottir

‘She is the perfect heroine’ Elly Griffiths

‘A pitch-black concept, tightly delivered and played at exhilarating pace’ Paul Finch

‘Crackling dialogue, dark wit and an exciting ending. Recommended if you liked Happy Valley’ Mark Edwards

‘DCI Matilda Darke is going places’ James Oswald

‘A compelling, addictive read, it’s hard to put down. I really enjoyed getting to know DCI Matilda Darke. She's strong character with real depth’ Robert Bryndza, bestselling author of THE GIRL IN THE ICE

‘A beautifully written book with a dark heart and a secret that impacts on generations’ Sarah Ward

Amazing as usual

I love the Matilda Darke series and couldn’t wait to get into this one following the cliffhanger ending in the previous novel. The story didn’t disappoint. The characters were great as usual and twists and turns abound. I highly recommend Below Ground as well as the entire series, which I think is best read in order!

Kept me interested from 1st page to last

The book was compelling with constant action/suspense. If I had one small complaint, it would be that too many of the main characters became the targets/victims of the suspense. Stretched the imagination a bit and I found myself rolling my eyes at times. Otherwise very good and I look forward to the next in the series. Narration was excellent and characters well developed.

More Please!

I love this series. Action from the very first second to the very last. Characters are developed so well, you are invested in their individual stories as well as the over arching storyline. Look forward to the next.

An excellent bittersweet addition to the Darke anthology

There is something very special about the way Mr. Wood combines the hearfelt humanity of his characters with the darkest aspects of human nature in the subject matter of his stories. Excellent… can’t wait to see what the next edition has in store… and always impeccable narration by Stephanie Beattie.

same old same old

Ok, it's book 11 and I think while it is still gripping and thrilling, the drama around Matilda and her team is also very exhausting. The plot is looping; either it's someone close to her or there's a bad apple in the inner circle, I'm exasperating with this kind of twist I almost swear I won't pick the next book....until, yeah the cliff hanger. Damn.

Cliff hanger

Suspenseful keeps you on the edge of your seat. But the ending wow leaves you like omg there is more to come.

Another winner from Wood and Beattie

I was thrilled to dive back into the world of DCI Matilda Darke with Michael Wood’s latest, “Below Ground” (Book 11). Wood's masterful storytelling and Stephanie Beattie’s expert narration did not disappoint. While I missed Matilda's presence, the author skillfully crafted a gripping narrative that kept me engaged. The twisty plot had me guessing, and the surprise ending left me stunned. With a serial killer on the loose and Matilda’s life hanging in the balance, the race against time to find her is intense. I’m eagerly awaiting the next installment, due in October. Wood has once again delivered a gripping and audictive thriller that kept my attention. That ending, wow! Epic, indeed!

👏✍️🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟👏✍️

Disappointed

Didn’t care for the story. I’ve read all of Matilda Darke novels and this story and characters felt far less compelling.

Wish the books were getting better not worse

Tired of the characters confronting killers without backup and the bad guy being someone we know. The author needs some new material. He seems to continue to try to outdo the last book with more violence and silly plots. The first few books were well done but Michael Woods is reaching and clearly does not have the talent or genuine interest to continue a series without gimmicks and sensationalism. I really like the characters so I have listened to a lot of the books but it’s not enough. And he keeps killing them off which is quite unrealistic. I know it’s fiction but it’s gone beyond that.