The Silent Wife by Karin Slaughter (Will Trent, #10)

The Silent Wife Synopsis:

He watches.

A woman runs alone in the woods. She convinces herself she has no reason to be afraid, but she’s wrong. A predator is stalking the women of Grant County. He lingers in the shadows, until the time is just right to snatch his victim.

He waits.

A decade later, the case has been closed. The killer is behind bars. But then another young woman is brutally attacked and left for dead, and the MO is identical.

He takes.

Although the original trail has gone cold – memories have faded, witnesses have disappeared – agent Will Trent and forensic pathologist Sara Linton must re-open the cold case. But the clock is ticking, and the killer is determined to find his perfect silent wife….

My Rating: 4/5

My Review: So having caught up with Will and Sara in book 9 I went straight on to book 10 and this one was no less graphic than the last. I personally love books that are dark and gritty but some may find the subject matter uncomfortable as rape and the depravity that comes with it is not in short supply here. It seems that the GBI have an issue at hand as a convicted rapist who is serving time in prison is claiming his innocence. Not only that but he is claiming that Sara’s dead husband Jeffrey Tolliver is responsible.

In all honesty you do need to have read the other books in the series for this one to have an impact. This feels like an unravelling of things especially for Sara’s current partner Will. When another woman is raped and left for dead, everybody soon realises that this is the same MO as the man currently serving the sentance for those historic crimes. This is a no holds barred book in both description and storytelling and isn’t for the feint hearted. That’s not to say the author is at fault as she has always said she will always write honestly about violence againt women.

The storyline drills down into the personal lives of Sara and Will too as we see them both struggling with Jeffrey being brought into the forefront of their lives. This book was as usual written impecibly with that dark and edgy style that Karin Slaughter is famous for. A great read and once again getting me prepped and ready for book 11!

The Last Widow by Karin Slaughter (Will Trent, #9)

The Last Widow Synopsis: She might be the first victim, but she won’t be the last.

Three…

A woman is abducted in front of her child.

Two…

A month later, a second is taken in explosive circumstances.

One…

But the web is bigger and darker than anyone could imagine.

The clock is ticking to uncover the truth.

My Rating: 4/5

My Review: It’s been a long time since I read a Will Trent book by Karin Slaughter and was looking forward to catching up with both Will and Sara. Having read this latest book I also realised how much I love both Faith, Will’s partner and Amanda his boss. The book starts with Michelle and her daughter being snatched following a shopping trip to the mall. Following a few weeks of investigation they find nothing it’s like they have vanished off the face of the planet. A few weeks after the kidnap Will and Sarah witness an accident which quickly turns into something much worse.

When Sara is snatched Will’s world literally turns upside down and he is left feeling bereft and absolutely determined to find her. This story is gritty and fast paced with truly despicable people at the heart of the case. I realised that I was truly gripped and wouldn’t put the book down until I had finished once I got through the first half. The second half has some very nail biting moments that had me wondering just how it was going to turn out.

I absolutely loved this book and it was a great way to get back into the series. I am just glad that I have the next book ready and lined up ready to read.

A Home at Cornflower Cottage by Tilly Tennant

61047827 Synopsis: Amelie has lived in Cornflower Cottage since she was born. She did her homework at the scrubbed kitchen table and helped her mum hang washing from the line on the old oak tree in the garden. And when her beloved parents died, Cornflower Cottage became Amelie’s armour against the world.

The trouble is that Cornflower Cottage is too big for just her. With a broken boiler and a leaking roof, Amelie knows she must do something to make ends meet. When she meets Xander, a scruffy, brown-eyed nature documentary maker living out of his backpack in a nearby hotel, Amelie rents him a room, hoping a lodger will solve her problems.

She soon realises that her troubles are only just beginning. Xander’s muddy clothes all over the cottage and early morning jaunts to photograph otters are going to take some getting used to. But when an argument turns into a heart-to-heart, she finds herself confessing how lonely she has been.

Before long, laughter echoes round the cosy farmhouse kitchen once more and sparks begin to fly. But when a face from Xander’s past appears at Cornflower Cottage Amelie’s happy home is shaken once more. Xander has changed Amelie’s quiet country life forever. Should she open her heart to someone who has hidden things from her? Or let him leave, and lose the love that makes her house a home?

My Rating: 4/5

My Review: It’s been a fair while since I read a Tilly Tennant book and this one sounded up my street so I dove in. Amelie is living in her childhood home following the death of her parents. She is determined to never leave and is constantly struggling. Cornflower Cottage is her safe place and one that she is determined to keep. The problem is that the house is falling apart and her job doesn’t exactly pay tons so she decides to take drastic action.

At first Amelie decides to try the extra shifts at the local hotel she works in but it soon becomes apparent that isn’t going to cut it. That is until she meets Xander who is pretty much lodging at the hotel Amelie works in. Before she knows it she has offered Xander and his girlfriend lodging at her cottage. Her boyfriend Decker isn’t pleased to find that Amelie has rented out a room at the cottage but frankly I was glad as I couldn’t stand him. As a character he was just one big red flag!!! This was a nice feelgood and easy read which reminded me why I enjoy Tilly’s books. This was certainly a pleasure to read and I would reccomend it for sure.

Below Ground by Michael Wood (Matilda Darke 11)

Below Ground

Synopsis: 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…

My Rating: 4/5

My Review: I’m now up to date with the books in this series and as much as I enjoyed this I’m still wondering where the series will go from here. This latest instalment sees Matilda in the thick of it as she is snatched. This means the team are doing their utmost to find her without alerting the media.

In addition they get a case when a body is found which as usual is never just one thing…that one body turns to two and then three. There is plenty going on to keep the reader interested and it made a pleasant change to read about Matilda being on the other side of the fence and seeing what she does to utilise her survival instinct.

Overall another good read I’m just confused about where this series will go. Sometimes I think some storylines are better off wrapped up and finished with as there are only so many times it can be reused.

Silent Victim by Michael Wood (Matilda Darke 10)

Silent Victim

Synopsis: A CENSURED DETECTIVE WITH NO LEADS

DCI Matilda Darke and her team have been restricted under special measures after a series of calamitous scandals nearly brought down the South Yorkshire police force.

A BRUTAL ATTACK WITH NO WITNESSES

Now Matilda is on the trail of another murderer, an expert in avoiding detection with no obvious motive but one obvious method.

A DEPRAVED KILLER WHO LEAVES NO TRACES

When his latest victim survives the attack despite her vocal cords being severed, Matilda is more convinced than ever of the guilt of her key suspect. If only she had a way to prove it…

My Rating: 4/5

Following the last book this one felt much more like the older ones and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sadly, the team are still struggling and as suich Matilda isn’t even working any more which is an odd start to the book. However with a serial rapist on the loose and a victim who survived the attach she is asked to come back to help with the case. Matilda is joined by some of the old team and together they begin to work towards finding this killer.

The storyline was actually pretty decent but once again things from Matilda’s past are still haunting her and she is certainly not safe for the forseable future. This element of the storyline is wearing a little and I am hoping in the coming books there will be some sort of a conclusion to it all. That aside this case was worked like normal with the team giving their all! This was a really good read and then as usual Wood throws in a banger of a cliffhanger ending. Thankfully I have the next book ready to go as if I didn’t I’m not entirely sure I would have been happy!

Publication List – Michael Wood


   1. For Reasons Unknown (2015) Matilda Darke 1
   2. Outside Looking In (2016) Matilda Darke 2
   3. A Room Full of Killers (2017) Matilda Darke 3
   4. The Hangman’s Hold (2018) Matilda Darke 4
   4.5. Victim of Innocence (2019) Matilda Darke 4.5
   5. The Murder House (2020) Matilda Darke 5
   6. Stolen Children (2020) Matilda Darke 6
   7. Time Is Running Out (2021) Matilda Darke 7
   8. Survivor’s Guilt (2021) Matilda Darke 8
   9. The Lost Children (2022) Matilda Darke 9
   10. Silent Victim (2022) Matilda Darke 10
   11. Making of a Murderer (2023) Matilda Darke 11
   11. Below Ground (2023) Matilda Darke 12
   12. Untitled Matilda Darke 12 (2024) Matilda Darke 13

13. The Mind of a Murderer Dr Olivia Winter 1

The Lost Children by Michael Wood (Matilda Darke 9)

The Lost ChildrenSynopsis: APRIL 2020: LOCKDOWN

DI Brady has been tracing victims of systemic abuse at a local children’s home after a high-profile accusation pitched it into the spotlight – a case that couldn’t be more personal.

As Matilda and her team piece together the disturbing picture of the history of the home, it soon becomes clear that this is much bigger than they ever suspected.

But nothing prepares them for what they uncover next…

The Lost Children is an utterly gripping crime thriller weaving a breakneck tale of a vast network of secrets and lies, a relentless detective determined to sabotage it, and a murder that shatters two decades of silence.

My Rating: 3/5

** WARNING** If you plan on reading the series in order and are not yet at this stage in the series please do not read the review as it will inevitably contain spoliers

I have been binge reading and enjoying the Matilda Darke series and although this book was no different, in one respect I feel like the disbelief is just getting worse. This team has been to hell and back and it seems like they are continuing to be the unluckiest people in Sheffield.

The storyline does feature historical sexual abuse of children but I think it was handled as best as it could be. The writing was, as ever, extremely good and the story flowed well. However, for me I just want the team to get their teeth into a juicy case and work the case as they normally do without somebody within the team either being killed off or being the victim of something horrific. Like I said I am really enjoying the books and the series but I feel like it either needs to be wrapped up and ended or continued in the most normal way and let the team work a case without being on the receiving end.

Survivor’s Guilt by Michael Wood (Matilda Darke 8)

Survivor's Guilt Synopsis: A TEAM TORN APART

Nine months ago DCI Matilda Darke survived a bullet to the head. The brutal attack claimed dozens of lives, including those she loved most, and the nightmares still plague her every waking thought.

A MEMORY SHE’D RATHER FORGET

Now, she’s ready to get back on the job. But a new terror awaits. A woman is found murdered and her wounds look eerily similar to several cold cases. Desperate to find a lead, DCI Darke and her team must face a terrifying truth: a serial killer is on the loose in Sheffield.

A THREAT CLOSE TO HOME

Matilda has led countless murder investigations before but the lingering emotional scars from her ordeal and the uneasiness within her once-tight team have left tensions high. As the body count rises, Matilda realises that this might just be where it all ends.

My Rating: 3/5

** WARNING** If you plan on reading the series in order and are not yet at this stage in the series please do not read the review as it will inevitably contain spoliers

My Review: Okay, I am in a quandry here. I am binge reading this series and think the author is extremely talented and has created a series full of characters that I love. I am invested as a reader and of course as an avid reader I am able to put aside those times when storylines go a little outside the realms of belief. However….this time I just can’t put that aside for this latest book.

The last book was a huge shock to the system and with the devastation that happened to the team following the last case I was already reeling. So when we are brought a new storyline with prostitutes being murdered it gives the team (what’s left of them) the chance to get their teeth back onto something. I like the fact that the characters that I love didn’t just fall right back into their normal ways and are all struggling to get back on an even keel. Nearly all the remaining characters have their own battles following the shootings nine months earlier.

The storyline was written well as ever and I enjoyed the book immensley until the killer was revealed. I mean look, I like it when author’s aren’t afraid to do things that aren’t necessarily fan favourites as they normally have good reasoning for it, but this time I think it suspends belief a little too much for my liking. I mean how much bad luck can one team have? That alone was a shocker but this latest storyline just felt too contrived. I am really hoping that the next book takes us back to a new level of normal (at least as far as this particular team and set of characters goes).

Time Is Running Out by Michael Wood (Matilda Darke 7)

Time is running out Synopsis:

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. Afterall 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.

My Rating: 4/5

My Review: I have been on a reading binge of this series and absolutely love all the team involved in this storyline. Following this book I really wasn’t sure how I felt. A part of me wanted to give this 2 stars for what the author had chosen to do, and on the other hand gove it 5 stars because it was so intense. Instead I have settled on a solid 4 stars but have my reservations.

Matilda runs the Homicide and Major Enquiries and she is used to people making threats and ridiculous prank calls. When she receives a call one morning she puts it down to a prank call, sadly for Matilda that isn’t the case and a lone gunman is about to start terrorising Sheffield. This particular book is difficult to talk about because inevitably to disuss it would spoil it for other people.

What I will say is that there is a lot of action, it’s incredibly tense and things happen which I’m not entirely sure I am happy about with regards to certain characters. The other thing I was slightly concerned about was the fact the author chose to involve a School shooting. As much as I am all for fiction, I think for a UK based storyline it maybe moves too far into the unreal for my liking. This book is certainly a shake up for the whole series. In all honesty I am not entirely sure how I feel about it, but ultimately Michael Wood is a fantastic author who has again created another great book. The fact I may not like what he has chosen for characters shouldn’t affect how I rate the book. I am very intrigued how this will all have a knock on effect with the team and can’t wait to read the next book

The Mother of All Christmases by Milly Johnson

The Mother of All Christmase Synopsis: Eve Glace – co-owner of the theme park Winterworld – is having a baby and her due date is a perfectly timed 25th December. And she’s decided that she and her husband Jacques should renew their wedding vows with all the pomp that was missing the first time. But growing problems at Winterworld keep distracting them …

Annie Pandoro and her husband Joe own a small Christmas cracker factory, and are well set up and happy together despite life never blessing them with a much-wanted child. But when Annie finds that the changes happening to her body aren’t typical of the menopause but pregnancy, her joy is uncontainable.

Palma Collins has agreed to act as a surrogate, hoping the money will get her out of the gutter in which she finds herself. But when the couple she is helping split up, is she going to be left carrying a baby she never intended to keep?

Annie, Palma and Eve all meet at the ‘Christmas Pudding Club’, a new directive started by a forward-thinking young doctor to help mums-to-be mingle and share their pregnancy journeys. Will this group help each other to find love, contentment and peace as Christmas approaches?

My Rating: 3/5

My Review: It’s been quite some time since I have read a Milly Johnson book and needed a break from the crime so picked this one up and was looking forward to it. I have to be completely honest and say I wasn’t blown away by this particular book which is a shame as I have absolutely loved some of her other books.

This book is based on three women brought together by their membership of the Christmas Pudding Club (a club for women expecting a baby around Christmas). Eve Glace, Annie Pandoro and Palma Collins are the three characters who we get meet and delve into their lives. The first few chpaters for some reason felt a little hard going with the introduction of the people in these womens lives. Once I got to grips with everybody the story certainly flowed but I couldn’t really get into the storyline and I actually don’t know why.

The story overall was okay but for some reason I couldn’t quite gel with it and didn’t much care what happened to the characters. I think I may well have dulled certain senses in my brain by reading too much crime fiction. I will no doubt return to this author at a later date….