Title: Time is Running Out (DCI Matilda Darke #7)
Author: Michael Wood
Published on: 26 Feb 2021
Genre: Mystery and Thrillers | Police Procedural
Time is Running Out is the seventh book in DCI Matilda Darke series by Michael Wood.
You’re a survivor, aren’t you, Matilda? But what’s the point in surviving when everyone around you is dead?
It is just another normal morning at the Sheffield Police station. DCI Matilda Darke receives a mysterious phone call which she dismisses as a prank. Minutes later, the fire alarm begins to ring and the building is evacuated. Suddenly, one of the policewoman screams and the woman in front of her is shot dead. Soon, bullets start to hit other officers and the policemen scurry to the building for cover. Matilda is shot in the head. Before collapsing, she tells her officer ‘He’s back.’
The news of an attack at the Sheffield station grips the city with terror. The commissioner wants to catch the killer before it is too late. An hour or so later, there is an attack on the highway – many are shot dead by an unknown shooter.
Time is Running Out is a spine-chilling, engrossing and irresistible thriller. A little high on the gore and violence – lots of blood shed and ‘killing in cold blood’ – you might not want to keep this book as your bed time read. I usually do not read books that scream horror or are violent but I am glad I picked up this book. Absolutely mind-blowing thriller!
I have hardly read a handful of thrillers where the suspense and tension are at an all-time high until the end. Since this book is a part of a series, the ending seemed a little cliffhanger-ish. The perp is caught but the mystery behind the ‘mysterious man who helped the perp’ remains unknown even as the story ends.
The character development is excellent – including that of the perp. A lot of characters and at times, it was hard to remember who’s who – SPOILER: a handful of them die as the story ends. The storytelling is excellent. I was hooked on to the story until the end. Creepy-ish (the perp goes on a killing spree!!) but worth a read.
If you do not mind the triggers (gore and violence), do give Time is Running Out by Michael Wood a read. This book is the perfect example of suspense and mystery at its best.
I received an ARC from One More Chapter and NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
The Book Decoder 
I haven’t read the earlier books hence I have not picked this up. Can it be read as a standalone?
Yes. Even I didn’t read the previous books. This one is complete nail biter! Don’t read at night unless you want nightmares.😱