“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…”

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of Below Ground by Michael Wood. Below Ground will be published by One More Chapter in audio and digital format tomorrow (that’s Saturday 30th September 2023) with the paperback to follow on 12th October 2023. I chose to read a free eARC of Below Ground but that has in no way influenced my review.

I am a HUGE fan of the DCI Matilda Darke series by Michael Wood. Below Ground is the eleventh book and things just don’t seem to be getting any better for the beleaguered South Yorkshire Homicide and Major Crime Unit (HMCU). But where would be the fun in that anyway? One of the things I love the most about this series (apart from the fact that the core cast of characters feel like old friends) is that  the author has no fear in pushing his characters to their absolute limit (and sometimes beyond!). This latest instalment is no different.

DCI Matilda Darke is missing. Her long standing nemesis, Steve Harrison, looks to be behind the kidnapping but he’d rather die than help the rest of the HMCU find her. He’ll just enjoy taunting the team from the supermax wing of Wakefield Prison instead. Elsewhere, a body is found in the boot of a car on the outskirts of Sheffield. Shortly after the team discover who the remains belong to, a second body is found. Then a third. Stretched to the limit and without their leader, it’s down to HMCU to solve the murders which all seem strangely linked, and find Matilda before it’s too late…

Below Ground is a thrilling race against time novel with clever plotting and twists and turns galore. DCI Matilda Darke is pretty much absent from proceedings this time around. We do get to see things from her point of view and watch as the situation she’s in becomes frighteningly clear to her. But these chapters are few and far between which I thought added to the tension. Below Ground focuses more on the secondary supporting cast of characters with DI Christian Brady taking the lead in the investigation and the return to the force of favourite, DS Sian Robinson. There is a lot going on with DS Scott Andrews, and DCs Zofia Nowak, Tom Simpson and Finn Cotton too. As well as the smaller side characters such as Donal Youngblood. I felt all of the characters, main or supporting, evolved in this latest book and I enjoyed seeing their stories develop.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Below Ground was a gripping, tense race against time to save Matilda Darke and I was fully immersed in the story from the get-go. I really like Wood’s characters but I’m always nervous about getting too attached to any of them as you never know how long they’ll be part of the series! The Sheffield setting once again was vivid and came to life on the page. The menace and threat brought to proceedings by the return of Steve Harrison was wonderful and I loved how he played the team from behind bars. He’s a truly horrible, despicable character and he’s brought to life so well by the author. I thoroughly enjoyed the book from start to finish but the ending was superb and I was teetering on the edge of my seat. It felt like a movie was playing out before my eyes with the author cutting from one tense scene to the next, each situation intensifying a little more every time. This is the eleventh book in the series and I want to say you could read it as a standalone because the author provides a lot of background information (which I found useful myself and I’ve read all but one of the series!) but I think it’s better read in order. A great addition to a favourite series and I am very much looking forward to seeing what befalls the HMCU next (after seeing a recent comment from the author on Facebook, I have to admit I’m nervous for them!). Tense, gripping and eminently readable. Recommended.

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

My reviews of other books in the DCI Matilda Darke Series:
| (2) Outside Looking In | (3) A Room Full of Killers | (4) The Hangman’s Hold | (5) The Murder House | (6) Stolen Children | (7) Time is Running Out | (8) Survivor’s Guilt | (9) The Lost Children | (10) Silent Victim |

Below Ground by Michael Wood was published in the UK by One More Chapter on 30th September 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 |