“On a cold February afternoon in 1990, seven-year-old Danny Redpath disappeared from his home. Four months later, his body was found in the nearby forest, wrapped in a sheet and washed clean of all evidence.

Apprehended while attempting to abduct another child, Jonathan Egan-Walsh was charged with the murders of more than a dozen boys. Convicted on all counts, he received life in prison and went unrepentant, still refusing to reveal the whereabouts of one of his victims, Zachery Marshall.

Twenty-five years later, Zachery’s mother Diane is still searching for his body. When Jonathan dies in custody, she realises she will never know its location – until she receives a letter he left in his cell, in which he admits he was guilty of all the crimes of which he was accused, except the murder of her son…”

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of The Seventh Victim by Michael Wood. The Seventh Victim was published by One More Chapter in digital format earlier this week (that’s Tuesday 30th May 2023) with the paperback to follow on 8th June.  I chose to read a free eARC of The Seventh Victim but that has in no way influenced my review.

Michael Wood’s DCI Matilda Darke series is one of my favourite ‘must read’ crime series. Darke and her team have really been put through the wringer over the years. And by sounds of it there’s a lot more to come in the next instalment, due for publication later this year. So when The Seventh Victim, a standalone serial killer thriller, landed on my radar I knew I had to read it. Firstly, because I know with Michael Wood at the helm it’s going to be a thoroughly gripping, twisty story. And secondly, because I can’t refuse the lure of a serial killer thriller!

In 1996 Jonathan Egan-Walsh was sentenced to life in prison for the abduction and murder of thirteen young boys. He openly confessed to the murders he was charged with. Except for one. Zachery Marshall’s mother, Diane, never gave up on the search for her son, desperate for answers and some form of closure. Diane wrote to Egan-Walsh regularly seeking the location of Zachery’s body. But Egan-Walsh remained tight lipped. Until the day he died twenty-five years after his arrest when a letter, addressed to Diane, was found in his cell. Finally Diane has the answers she’s been seeking all these years. But the letter isn’t a confession, it’s a bombshell. Egan-Walsh admits he was guilty of many murders over the years, but not Zachery’s. Prolific serial killer Jonathan Egan-Walsh did not kill Zachery Marshall…

The Seventh Victim is a compelling, character-driven tale of loss, grief and a mother’s desire for the truth. Diane is consumed by her grief, ignoring everything else – including her young son, Marcus – around her. Her marriage falls apart as she seeks the truth, desperate for closure and the return of her son’s body. Following the arrival of the letter she turns to a woman who was more familiar than most with Egan-Walsh, former DI Caroline Turner. Using the information Turner gleaned when investigating the murders twenty-five years ago, coupled with help from true crime writer Alex Frost, the three of them, Diane, Caroline and Alex, attempt to try and uncover the truth. If Egan-Walsh wasn’t responsible for Zachery’s death then who was? Or is Egan-Walsh playing his last hateful hand and lying to a grief-stricken mother?

The three main characters are all fascinating and really bring the story to life. I wanted so desperately to like Diane but throughout, there was something stopping me. And even now, seeing the story play out from start to finish, I’m surprised I don’t like her more than I do. Caroline Turner on the other hand was a delight to read about. I liked her from the moment she was introduced and I would like to see more of her in the future (a spin off series perhaps?).

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Seventh Victim is an emotional, dark, unsettling read which fans of slow burn mysteries will enjoy. The characters are well-written and play their parts well, the plot is compelling from start to finish and the setting of Skegness made an interesting change. I did find the subject matter a little hard going at times and I don’t think this book will appeal to everyone because of that. I was able to guess the main reveal from fairly early on in the book but it didn’t spoil the story for me. Particularly as the author twisted the twist in a way that made for a satisfying conclusion. All in all, this is another cracking book from one of my favourite authors which I found full of suspense and intrigue. Recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Seventh Victim. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

The Seventh Victim by Michael Wood was published in the UK by One More Chapter on 30th May 2023 and is available in audio and digital formats with the paperback to follow (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | Foyles | bookshop.org | Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop | damppebbles amazon.co.uk shop | damppebbles amazon.com shop |