‘She is the perfect heroine’ Elly Griffiths
The addictive new crime thriller featuring DCI Matilda Darke. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons.
‘DCI Matilda Darke is going places’ James Oswald
Some cases won’t die.A young boy walks into a police station in France. He claims to be Carl Meagan – a missing child from Sheffield whose name is still whispered as a warning to kids who stay out after … whose name is still whispered as a warning to kids who stay out after dark.
Some children won’t be found.
On her way home from the supermarket, nine-year-old Keeley Armitage vanishes without trace. Her family is overcome with shock and DCI Matilda Darke can’t help but focus on memories of the Carl Meagan case that almost ruined her career.
Some killers won’t be stopped.
As Matilda investigates, she peels back the layers of grief and sadness that surround Keeley’s family. Until she is left with an unimaginable choice: betray those closest to her or let a violent killer walk free…
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Can’t wait for the next installment.
I plan to read the next book in the series.
In DCI Matilda Darke’s sixth outing, she faces yet another intense, emotional investigation when a young girl goes missing. It brings back memories of Carl Meagan, a child who was kidnapped years before. His disappearance has haunted her ever since.
But something isn’t quite right about the latest kidnap and it isn’t long before Darke and her team are on the right track.
The emotional stress of a missing child is vividly portrayed and dominates the first part of the story. Once the truth is uncovered, the story changes direction and gathers momentum. All the elements from the previous stories are here – the mix of personal and professional relationships, the characters in the team, references to past cases, and all the usual problems of public spending cuts and restrictions. There’s even room for a few social and political comments along the way.
Stolen Children maintains the themes, characters and relationships of the previous books in the series, which should keep fans happy and keen for the next instalment.
Really enjoyed it!
4.5stars
Although I had guessed who had orchestrated the young victim’s disappearance way before the book’s climax I still enjoyed the journey there. This was my first time reading a DCI Mathilda Darke mystery and I liked her character, the interplay with her colleagues and the way the plot unfolded. I also liked the thread of extra suspense provided by the still open case of disappeared Carl, whose story actually started before the first book in the series.
There’s a “police are prone to personal and professional mistakes too” realism as lines of inquiry are overlooked, reasonable caution gets overlooked and an officer tries to hide a major screw-up that endangers his family and the successful prosecution of a major case. And these officers really do throw themselves into danger for each other and successful resolution of a case! The whole plot only takes less than two weeks but with lots of twists and red herrings enough to keep up the tension and suspense. And I liked the light touches, like the playful fights over the sweet snacks cache.
I will be looking for more from this series because DCI Darke and her team are a likable ensemble and the author knows how to weave a good crime yarn.
Thanks to publisher Harper Collins One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
Michael Wood you have outdone yourself on Stolen Children!
I could not turn the pages fast enough, had to remind myself to keep breathing as I rushed to the ending as the tension kept increasing.
Matlida Darke is one of my favourite series, she is so compassionate and almost nothing stops her and her team.
This time they are trying to find one child who is missing, one who was missing has reappeared .
Just the tip of the iceberg.
I trusted many , suspicious of a few and yet I was wrong.
Thanks to NetGalley , Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for a captivating read!
4 Stars
DS Sian Mills and DC Finn Cotton were the first to respond to an hysterical mother who is reporting that her daughter has been kidnapped.
Amanda is the name of the distraught neighbor of Linda and Craig Armitage whose nine-year old daughter Keeley has been taken. Their other two children Riley and Jodie are at home. Riley is wearing a helmet and mittens. He is severely disabled.
Something is not right; something coincidental…Enter DCI Matilda Darke. When the FLO visits the home, she gets the same sense of something odd, something off.
The book harkens back in time to the abduction of Carl Megan. His mother has spiraled downward ever since his disappearance. DCI Matilda was essentially blamed for his not being found, and now she is sure he is dead.
Four years later, and contemporary with Keeley’s story, a young boy, eleven-years old, presents himself to the local gendarmerie in France and says he is Carl Meagan. Is it really him? DNA tests are on the way.
A ransom demand is made that is way beyond the family’s means. Matilda immediately believes this to be a hoax. When the kidnapper does not call back, the team suspects that Keeley is dead.
This book presumes too much in spots. I had the same reaction that another reviewer had in that how did the do-er of the crime(s) know that Matilda would be assigned to the case? Some illogical leaps were made. The writing, however is very fine and the plotting is well done. I was glad to meet with some of my old “friends” on the detective squad. It’s nice to catch up. The plots of this series of book are very closely tied together. Although they may be read as stand alone novels, I think it would be better to read them in sequence. More please, Mr. Wood.
I want to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins UK/One More Chapter for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review. t