Audiobooks by Michael Wood

"'Once again, Michael Wood, the master of horror and suspense, has written a book that put me through the wringer with its taut, horrifying, dark and devious storyline.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ From the dark mind behind the DCI Matilda Darke series, comes the next novel in a gripping new series. Dr Olivia Winter is back. And she’s got a brand new case to solve. A BRUTAL MURDER When Isaac McFadden is found with the dismembered body of a young man in the boot of his car, it’s an easy conviction for the jury. But, then a notebook is discovered in Isaac’s house, and the police believe they have a serial killer on their hands. A CRYPTIC CODE Within the pages of the notebook is a chart written in a code, which DI Linus Sutton believes holds the location of more bodies. Made up of seemingly random words, numbers and symbols, and with a suspect who is refusing to talk, Sutton enlists the help of Forensic Psychologist Dr Olivia Winter. THE FINAL GIRL Having previously survived attacks from two killers, Olivia is the real life ‘final girl’. But can she unlock the code before her luck runs out? Praise for The Devil’s Code ‘The crime was brilliantly plotted. I also tried my hardest with decoding the notebook… and when it was all finally revealed, well, I sat back and applauded the author for a job well done.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Michael Wood deserves to be recognised as one of our best crime writers.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘One twisted but addictive read.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'What a read this was, it chilled me to the bone, the darkness was intense and downright scary. The code was cleverly done and I spent ages trying to figure it out myself, but to no avail.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'It's beautiful, dark but gripping and a real page turner.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Clever, heartbreaking and – in parts – very gruesome!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Hooks you from the first page and if you enjoy procedurals with dark twists, you will enjoy this.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'The Devil's Code is not for the faint hearted and is devilishly clever.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'The pace is relentless, fuelled by unexpected twists and dark revelations.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'An extremely chilling read with a twist that will blow your socks off!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'As you are reading it, you think you have it solved but you couldn’t be more wrong.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I didn’t think he could better the Matilda Darke series which I love but I think Michael Wood might have hit the jackpot again with this one.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"

Michael Wood (Author), Olivia Mace (Narrator)

Audiobook

Last One Left Alive

"DCI Matilda Darke is back. And it might be her most personal case yet. ‘Matilda Darke is the perfect heroine’ Elly Griffiths FIVE PERFECT MURDERS DCI Matilda Darke receives an anonymous email from someone claiming to have committed the perfect murder. Experience tells her this isn’t possible, but as she investigates, she discovers a killer questioning everything she’s ever known. HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT Now, Matilda is on the trail of a murderer who targets the most vulnerable people in society. Apart from ‘With Sympathy…’ cards, hand delivered to the family of his victims, he leaves no trace of his crimes. A KILLER’S DEADLY GAME As the threat escalates, and those closest to Matilda are targeted, she finds herself isolated and alone in bringing down her opponent before it’s game over. After all, there can only be one winner in this game of cat-and-mouse, and the clock is ticking… 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’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"

Michael Wood (Author), Stephanie Beattie (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Mind of a Murderer

"The best person to understand a serial killer is one of his victims. Meet Dr Olivia Winter. ‘I was hooked from the first page… mind-blowing and gripping. I am eagerly awaiting the next instalment’ Angela Marsons ‘Chilling, unnerving [and] pacey’ John Marrs ‘A searingly intense, utterly captivating character-driven thriller, and destined to be one of 2024’s most memorable pieces of crime fiction’ B P Walter ‘Perfectly paced – intriguing and relentless through to a pitch perfect conclusion’ Will Shindler A DARK PAST Dr Olivia Winter is a forensic psychologist whose job is to understand the minds of serial killers. There’s only one monster she can’t understand, her father. A NEW IDENTITY Notorious and brutal, he held a reign of terror until he was caught. His nine-year-old daughter was supposed to be his last victim, but she survived. A SERIAL KILLER WHO WILL STOP AT NOTHING Now, a serial killer is stalking the streets of London. As the body count rises, the police need Olivia’s help to profile him before he can strike again. But to do so, she will need to confront her own demons… The pulse-pounding brand new thriller from the bestselling author of the Matilda Darke series is available now! *** Are you ready to join Olivia Winter as she takes on the hunt for a serial killer? ‘A master of horror and suspense’ ‘This twisty tale of murder and mayhem is mind-blowing' ‘Outstanding’ ‘Definitely not for the faint-hearted' ‘PHENOMENAL' ‘So compulsive' ‘Full of twists you didn’t see coming' ‘The very definition of a deftly paced, high stakes thriller' ‘A must-read' ‘Excellent plotting' ‘I’ll be surprised if I read a better book this year' ‘My heart was in my mouth' ‘I could not put it down' ‘Real characters, fast plot and dark side'"

Michael Wood (Author), Olivia Mace (Narrator)

Audiobook

In the Footsteps of Du Fu

"A beautifully illustrated travelogue, chronicling the life and work of one of the world greatest poets. Du Fu (712-70) is one of China's greatest poets. His career coincided with periods of famine, war and huge upheaval, yet his secular philosophical vision, combined with his empathy for the common folk of his nation, ensured that he soon became revered. Like Shakespeare or Dante, his poetry resonates in a timeless manner that ensures it is always relevant and offers something new to the modern generation. Now, in this beautifully illustrated book, broadcaster and historian Michael Wood follows in his footsteps to try to understand the places that inspired Du Fu to write some of the most famous and best-loved poetry the world has known. The themes he wrote about - friendship, family, human suffering - are universal and in our troubled times are just as relevant as they were almost 1,300 years ago. "

Michael Wood (Author), Michael Wood (Narrator)

Audiobook

Below Ground

"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ '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’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"

Michael Wood (Author), Stephanie Beattie (Narrator)

Audiobook

Silent Victim

"He took her voice She took it back Don’t miss the next nerve-shredding instalment in the DCI Matilda Darke Thriller series… 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… Silent Victim is an unputdownable crime thriller with twists that will make your jaw drop – perfect for fans of Kathy Reichs and Ann Cleeves. Praise for the DCI Matilda Darke Series: ‘Tense, twisty, emotional and gripping. Will definitely be reading more from Matilda Darke and this gets a huge 5 stars from me!’ Angela Marsons ‘Matilda Darke is an excellent character’ BA Paris ‘This explosive novel is already making a bang – with reviewers comparing Michael’s work to that of his heroes Val McDermid and James Oswald’ Sheffield Star ‘DCI Matilda Darke is going places’ James Oswald ‘Crackling dialogue, dark wit and an exciting ending. Recommended if you liked Happy Valley’ Mark Edwards ‘Budge up Jed Mercurio … when you are done working on Line of Duty I think it is time for you to meet Matilda’ LJ, Read and Rated Book Review Blog ‘Excellent plotting. The twists keep on coming making this an irresistible read’ Michael J. Malone ‘I really enjoyed getting to know DCI Matilda Darke’ Robert Bryndza ‘DCI Matilda Darke is the perfect heroine’ Elly Griffiths"

Michael Wood (Author), Stephanie Beattie (Narrator)

Audiobook

In Search of the Dark Ages

"Brought to you by Penguin. In Search of the Dark Ages is an unrivalled exploration of the origins of English identity, and the bestselling book that established Michael Wood as one of Britain's leading historians. Now, on the book's 40th anniversary, this fully revised and expanded edition illuminates further the fascinating and mysterious centuries between the Romans and the Norman Conquest. Alongside portraits of Boadicea, King Arthur, Alfred the Great, Athelstan, and William the Conqueror, the story of England is expanded further to include new voices, with all-new chapters on fascinating characters such as Penda of Mercia, Aethelflaed Lady of the Mercians, Hadrian the African, Eadgyth of England, and Wynflaed. It's an altogether richer, more varied, and inclusive study on the creation of Britain. Just as it did when it first published 40 years ago, In Search of the Dark Ages overturns preconceptions of the Early Middle Ages as a shadowy and brutal era, showing them to be a richly exciting and formative period in the history of Britain. © Michael Wood 2001 (P) Penguin Audio 2022"

Michael Wood (Author), Marston York (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Lost Children

"Matilda Darke is back… 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. Praise for the DCI Matilda Darke Series: ‘Tense, twisty, emotional and gripping. Will definitely be reading more from Matilda Darke and this gets a huge 5 stars from me!’ Angela Marsons ‘Matilda Darke is an excellent character’ BA Paris ‘This explosive novel is already making a bang – with reviewers comparing Michael’s work to that of his heroes Val McDermid and James Oswald’ Sheffield Star ‘DCI Matilda Darke is going places’ James Oswald ‘Crackling dialogue, dark wit and an exciting ending. Recommended if you liked Happy Valley’ Mark Edwards ‘Budge up Jed Mercurio … when you are done working on Line of Duty I think it is time for you to meet Matilda’ LJ, Read and Rated Book Review Blog ‘Excellent plotting. The twists keep on coming making this an irresistible read’ Michael J. Malone ‘I really enjoyed getting to know DCI Matilda Darke’ Robert Bryndza ‘DCI Matilda Darke is the perfect heroine’ Elly Griffiths"

Michael Wood (Author), Stephanie Beattie (Narrator)

Audiobook

Survivor’s Guilt

"‘Tense, twisty, emotional and gripping. Will definitely be reading more from Matilda Darke and this gets a huge 5 stars from me!’ Angela Marsons ‘Matilda Darke is an excellent character’ BA Paris 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. The brand new instalment in the DCI Matilda Darke series will leave you on the edge of your seat. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Kathy Reichs and Peter James. ‘Had me in tears at one point. Brilliant, non-stop stuff. Feel like I’ve been through some sort of psychological bombardment. Exhausted. Terrific’ John Barlow, author of Right to Kill"

Michael Wood (Author), Stephanie Beattie (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Hangman’s Hold

"Your life is in his hands. In the gripping new serial killer thriller from Michael Wood, Matilda Darke faces a vicious killer pursuing his own brand of lethal justice. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons and Helen Fields. There’s a killer in your house. The Hangman waits in the darkness. He knows your darkest secrets. He’ll make you pay for all the crimes you have tried desperately to forget. And he is closer than you think. DCI Matilda Darke is running out of time. Fear is spreading throughout the city. As the body count rises, Matilda is targeted and her most trusted colleagues fall under suspicion. But can she keep those closest to her from harm? Or is it already too late?"

Michael Wood (Author), Stephanie Beattie (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Murder House

"‘Gory, brutal, devastating, utterly addictive and yet so finely written. This deserves to be huge – and I think it will be. His best yet’ Louise Beech They were the perfect family. It was the perfect crime. The new gripping DCI Matilda Darke crime thriller about the dark secrets that lie within a perfect family. For fans of Patricia Gibney and Angela Marsons. It’s the most disturbing crime scene DCI Matilda Darke has ever seen… The morning after a wedding reception at a beautiful suburban home in Sheffield, the bride’s entire family are stabbed to death – in a frenzied attack more violent than anything DCI Matilda Darke could have imagined. Forensics point to a burglar on the run across the country. But cracks are starting to appear in Matilda’s team, someone is playing games with the evidence – and the killer might be closer to home than they thought… Praise for The Murder House: ‘Matilda Darke is Sheffield’s answer to Northumberland’s Vera and Wood’s stories are up there with the best. Fast-paced, crisp writing and a thoroughly enjoyable read’ David Young, bestselling author of Stasi Child"

Michael Wood (Author), Stephanie Beattie (Narrator)

Audiobook

Time Is Running Out

"‘This is a total BOOM BOOM POW! of a book…Budge up Jed Mercurio when you are done working on Line of Duty I think it is time for you to meet Matilda’ LJ, Read and Rated Book Review Blog ‘Excellent plotting. The twists keep on coming making this an irresistible read’ Michael J. Malone, author of A Song of Isolation 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. The next chilling instalment in the DCI Matilda Darke thriller series, perfect for fans of Patricia Gibney and Angela Marsons."

Michael Wood (Author), Stephanie Beattie (Narrator)

Audiobook