Worse Than Murder (DCI Matilda Darke Thriller, Book 13)

Name: Worse Than Murder (DCI Matilda Darke Thriller, Book 13)
Rating: 4.745098114013672 (51 reviews)

Michael Wood

Sep 2025 · DCI Matilda Darke Thriller Book 13 · Sold by HarperCollins UK

51 reviews

Ebook

448

Pages

Eligible

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About this ebook

Thirty years of silence. A detective with nothing left to lose. Someone will do anything to keep it that way...

‘Matilda Darke is the perfect heroine’ Elly Griffiths

RUNNING FROM HER PAST

Leaving behind Sheffield, her friends and her job, a grieving DCI Matilda Darke finds solace in the wild, untamed beauty of the Lake District. But she can’t outrun her reputation.

A COLD CASE

PC Alison Pemberton is living in the shadow of her twin sisters, who were abducted thirty years ago. As the only witness, Alison has spent her life trying to remember the details of that fateful summer day and discover the truth about what happened to her sisters and why, a few months later, her father also disappeared.

A TRUTH THAT SHOULD HAVE STAYED BURIED

Matilda finds herself agreeing to try and unearth the truth about the Pemberton twins. With nothing left to lose, Matilda throws herself into the cold case, but someone doesn’t want her digging up the past and will do anything to keep the truth hidden...

Praise for Michael Wood

‘A master of horror and suspense’ ★★★★★

'One of the best books ever, in one of the best series ever! It is THAT good!’ ★★★★★

‘Wow what a book... I adore this series and every book is better and better’ ★★★★★

‘This book sets off at a hundred miles an hour and never lets off... this is my favourite detective series’ ★★★★★

‘Exciting, tense and compelling... shocking and brilliant’ ★★★★★

‘Wow! Wow! Wow! The twists keep on coming to the last page’ ★★★★★

‘I don’t have words! Wow just wow! This blew me away. DCI Matilda Darke and her team are my favourite detectives’ ★★★★★

‘This book had a bit of everything... some crazy twists and turns’ ★★★★★

‘Another cracking, nail-biting read’ ★★★★★

Thirty years of silence. A detective with nothing left to lose. Someone will do anything to keep it that way... ‘Matilda Darke is the perfect heroine’ Elly Griffiths RUNNING FROM HER PAST Leaving behind Sheffield, her friends and her job, a grieving DCI Matilda Darke finds solace in the wild, u...

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Ratings and reviews

51 reviews

Yelena Voyin

October 4, 2025

I'm wondering, is this a book from the same writer as the previous from the brilliant DCI Mathilda Darke series? Or is this a finalized book? Because it reads to me rather like a draft. Quite disappointing.

Linda Brown

September 30, 2025

Broken Matilda: can a cold case repair her?😰Another brilliant mystery with DCI Matilda Darke dedicated to finding the truth. Michael Wood is really stellar at mapping out the mind & feelings of this strong but flawed character & designing a complex & fast-paced story full of surprises. Matilda's will to continue as a police officer has been brutally tested by tragedy in her family that she believes should be laid at her doorstep. But a young policewoman draws her into a cold case: loved it!👍👍

Liza Reitsma

February 22, 2026

I have loved this series of Matilda Darke since the first book. This book reinforces an exceptional writer. It amazes me the nuanses of the characters and storylines that are woven together. Please keep this series continuing but don't remove any of the main characters. Exceptionally done!

About the author

Michael Wood is a CWA shortlisted author of more than twenty crime fiction novels including the bestselling DCI Matilda Darke series, the Dr Olivia Winter psychological thriller series, and several standalone novels. Born and raised in Sheffield, Michael now lives in Newcastle where he writes full time.

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