“A FAMILY SLAIN

When Detective Inspector Foley is called out to a crime scene, nothing could have prepared him for the level of brutality inflicted on the victims. And with terrifying similarities to another recent murder case, he fears there might be a serial killer running loose in London.

A PATTERN OF MURDER

With no suspects and no DNA at the crime scenes, Foley enlists the help of Forensic Psychologist Dr Olivia Winter to catch the killer before they strike again.

AN UNSTOPPABLE KILLER

As the killings become more frequent Olivia and Foley must focus on what could drive the killer to murder entire families. With his job and reputation on the line, is Foley risking everything by putting his trust in Olivia, a woman whose own past echoes an eerie similarity to the investigation?”

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of Evil in the Family by Michael Wood. Evil in the Family was published by One More Chapter on 9th April 2026 and is available in paperback, audio and digital formats. I chose to read a free eARC of Evil in the Family but that has in no way influenced my review.

Michael Wood’s DCI Matilda Darke series is one of my all-time favourite crime series. The books are dark (Darke by name, dark by nature!), shocking and always riveting. Wood is an author who is not afraid to put his characters, be they main or supporting, through the wringer. So I was excited when a new series featuring forensic psychologist Dr Olivia Winter was announced. Evil in the Family is the third book in this series. And I have a confession. Due to one thing or another, I’ve read the first book but not the second. When I realised how far behind I had fallen, I made a point of downloading the audiobook to try and get it listened to before starting Evil in the Family. My plan failed because I am terrible with audiobooks, nothing to do with the content, or the narrator (whose range of convincing north east accents blows my mind!). All to do with my ineptitude. To cut to the point, there are spoilers relating to book two in this latest instalment. So if you are planning on working your way through the series in order (and who wouldn’t do that?!) then make sure you’ve read The Devil’s Code first. From what I’ve heard so far, it’s superb!

Anyhoo, we’re here to talk about book three, Evil in the Family. When DI Amyas Foley is called to the scene of a brutal murder, what awaits him will stay forever seared into his mind. A young family brutalised. There are no clues as to who carried out the atrocious act; no DNA, no evidence, full stop. When similarities are drawn between this latest bloodbath and the horrific deaths of another young family elsewhere in London, Foley realises that he may be dealing with a deranged serial killer. But with nothing to go on, where does he even start? Dr Olivia Winter, that’s where. But even with Olivia’s in-depth knowledge of how serial killers operate, the team are still at a loss. With the body count rising, can DI Foley and Dr Winter stop the killer before more young families are torn apart…?

Evil in the Family is a darkly intense and thoroughly compelling crime novel. A perfect addition to what is turning out to be a cracking series. If you haven’t picked up any of these books yet, then allow me to fill you in on the making of Olivia Winter. Olivia’s father is a convicted serial killer. He murdered Olivia’s mother and sister, made a start on doing the same to Olivia, but she survived. He was caught and has spent years tormenting her from his cosy jail cell. The trauma of the past and the ever-present threat of what her father will do next have undoubtedly shaped Olivia into the woman she is today. She is a trauma survivor and has the scars, both figuratively and literally, to prove it. I’m just not sure if her chosen profession, talking to serial killers all day, every day, helps that trauma. But that’s nothing to do with me. It’s an interesting take, and I do enjoy what the author is doing with the character. I find myself feeling empathy for Olivia, but I’m just not sure I like her. I like Wood’s other main protagonist (DCI Darke) partly because of her flaws. Because she’s strong and bossy and gets the job done no matter what the cost. Perhaps that will grow with time. I do, however, like the Detective Inspector who features regularly in these books, DI Amyas Foley. He’s at a complete loss as to the motivation of their killer, and his frustrations grow over the course of the investigation. Maybe I just like bolshy detectives (although Foley isn’t really that bolshy, just exasperated!). Did I sense a little chemistry between him and Olivia? I’ll be interested to see if that develops in the future.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. 100%. Evil in the Family is a gripping, engaging and highly readable crime thriller. I’m already looking forward to book four, and I don’t think it’s even been confirmed or announced yet! It better happen, grr. In the meantime, I will console myself with MW’s latest standalone novel due to be released in the Summer. And then DCI Matilda Darke #14 is set for publication in the Autumn. Evil in the Family is a tense, emotional and nerve-shredding book. It made me check the locks just one more time at night. My heart was racing during some of the scenes, wonderfully intense and unsettling, just how I like my crime thrillers. The murder scenes are described in some detail with a lot of blood spilt, so if you’re not a fan of gruesome, then this may not be the book for you. As I said earlier, there are some fairly major spoilers for book two in this latest instalment, so if you plan to read them all, then please make sure you’ve read The Devil’s Code first. I was able to guess partway through whodunit. Although the author made me question my choice on multiple occasions. It certainly did not spoil my enjoyment of the book. All in all, Evil in the Family is another five-star read from an author who never disappoints. Superb characters, a riveting plot with plenty of bloodshed, and an intriguing mystery with plenty of red herrings along the way. A crime fiction gem. Highly recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Evil in the Family. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

Evil in the Family by Michael Wood was published in the UK by One More Chapter on 9th April 2026 and is available in paperback, audio and digital formats (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 | bookshop.org | Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop | damppebbles amazon.co.uk shop | damppebbles amazon.com shop |

Michael Wood is a Sheffield-based thriller writer. HarperCollins have now published thirteen novels and a short story in his hugely successful DCI Matilda Darke series, with global sales of more than 500,000 copies, and three books in his new Olivia Winter series. Further books in both series will follow soon. Michael is also the author of four Audible Original thrillers including the bestselling Maybe Tomorrow, with a further three to come.