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

'A master of horror and suspense' NetGalley Reviewer

'Matilda Darke is the perfect heroine' Elly Griffiths

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...

Early readers have been blown away by Below Ground:

'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'

The BRAND NEW addictive and twisty crime thriller in the bestselling police procedural series

About the Author

Michael Wood is a freelance journalist and proofreader living in Sheffield. As a journalist he has covered many crime stories throughout Sheffield, gaining first-hand knowledge of police procedure. He also reviews books for CrimeSquad, a website dedicated to crime fiction.

Reviews

Praise for Michael Wood:

'A tense, nail-biting story with a truly twisted ending' Katerina Diamond

"An established master of the serial killer novel takes us on another dangerous journey through the streets of Sheffield. Watch out for those twists - you won't see them coming!" Stephen Booth

'A gritty and atmospheric thriller with more twists and turns than a hangman's knot. I loved it' Matt Hilton

'Solid storytelling and great unravelling of plot. Michael Wood ups the pace as the noose tightens' Rachel Sargeant

'Taut, twisting and sharp as a blade, The Hangman's Hold wrong-footed me at every, devious turn' Chris Whitaker

'Wood hit the ground running with For Reasons Unknown, first in the DCI Matilda Darke series. In the fourth instalment, The Hangman's Hold, he picks up the pace again with a twisting plot that races to a nail-biting finish' Chris Simms

'Bites into you like the rough twine of a hangman's noose and refuses to let go. Tautly plotted, brilliantly realised, this is further proof that Michael Wood is only going to get better and better. The Hangman's Hold is going to be big...' Neil Broadfoot

Praise for Michael Wood:

'You can count on Michael Wood to deliver a deliciously twisted and intriguing plot, leading to a surprise ending by a likeable and very real protagonist, Matilda Darke' Yrsa Sigurdardottir

'She is the perfect heroine' Elly Griffiths

'A pitch-black concept, tightly delivered and played at exhilarating pace' Paul Finch

'Crackling dialogue, dark wit and an exciting ending. Recommended if you liked Happy Valley' Mark Edwards

'DCI Matilda Darke is going places' James Oswald

'A compelling, addictive read, it's hard to put down. I really enjoyed getting to know DCI Matilda Darke. She's strong character with real depth' Robert Bryndza, bestselling author of THE GIRL IN THE ICE

'A beautifully written book with a dark heart and a secret that impacts on generations' Sarah Ward

Book Information
ISBN 9780008535636
Author Michael Wood
Format Paperback
Page Count 448
Imprint One More Chapter
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
Weight(grams) 300g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 32mm