by Michael Wood
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?
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Acknowledgements
The Murder House is a work of fiction. However, those readers who know Sheffield and its history will know the plot is taken from a real-life murder which took place in the city in 1983. This book is not a reworking of the case, but entirely from my own imagination.
In the writing of this book I had help from a number of sources. A huge thank you to Philip Lumb for post-mortem procedure and Claire Green for information regarding digital autopsies. Simon Browes answered my gruesome questions about stab wounds in glorious detail for which I am grateful, and slightly disturbed. For forensic advice, I have fellow crime writer and forensic officer Andy Barrett to thank. As ever, I am indebted to ‘Mr Tidd’ for his help regarding police procedure. Any technical information within this book that is incorrect is all my fault. Please do not blame the experts mentioned above.
Once a novel is written, the hard work really begins. A huge thank you to my agent, Tom Witcomb, at Blake Friedmann, who offers wonderful advice on tightening up a story and whose knowledge of Latin is incredibly impressive. I also have one of the best editors in the business working on my books – Finn Cotton at HarperCollins. His comments and suggestions are invaluable, and this book wouldn’t be in the shape it’s in without him. A special thank you to the eagle-eyed Janette Currie and to everyone else at One More Chapter, Killer Reads and HarperCollins who has had an input in the creation of this novel.
I would like to thank my mum for listening to my ramblings when I need to iron out a plot difficulty. She also makes the best cakes ever which is what a writer needs to keep going. Thank you to Chris and Kevin for taking me out of Sheffield when I’ve needed a break, and Maxwell, for simply being there. A thank you also goes to my good friend Jonas for keeping me on the cusp of sanity with his … erm … unique texts.
Finally, there is a group of people who have helped me to get five books published and that is the bloggers and readers who’ve read my books and shared their reviews on social media. Thank you for taking my books, and Matilda, into your hearts and long may our journeys together continue.
Michael Wood. January 2020.
Also by Michael Wood
The Fallen
Outside Looking In
For Reasons Unknown
A Room Full of Killers
The Hangman’s Hold
Victim of Innocence
The Murder House
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. The Murder House is his fifth novel.
@MichaelHWood
/MichaelWoodBooks
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