For Reasons Unknown: A gripping crime debut that keeps you guessing until the last page
Two murders. Twenty years. Now the killer is back for more…A darkly compelling debut crime novel. The start of a brilliant series, perfect for fans of Stuart MacBride, Val McDermid, and James Oswald.DCI Matilda Darke has returned to work after a nine month absence. A shadow of her former self, she is tasked with re-opening a cold case: the terrifyingly brutal murders of Miranda and Stefan Harkness. The only witness was their eleven-year-old son, Jonathan, who was too deeply traumatized to speak a word.Then a dead body is discovered, and the investigation leads back to Matilda's case. Suddenly the past and present converge, and it seems a killer may have come back for more…
Читать For Reasons Unknown: A gripping crime debut that keeps you guessing until the last page онлайн беплатно
This is a work of fiction. Any references to real people, living or dead, real events, businesses, organizations and localities are intended only to give the fiction a sense of reality and authenticity. All names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the authorâs imagination or are used fictitiously, and their resemblance, if any, to real-life counterparts is entirely coincidental.
Killer Reads
An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF
First published by HarperCollinsPublishers 2015
Copyright © Michael Wood 2015
Michael Wood asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work
Cover layout design © HarperCollinsPublishers 2015
Cover photographs © Shutterstock.com
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books
Ebook Edition © OCTOBER 2015 ISBN: 9780008158668
Version 2018-07-11
To Mum
Thank you. For everything, thank you.
It could have been any sitting room in any house throughout the country but it wasnât. It was a room in the middle of South Yorkshire Police HQ, designed to give a relaxed, homely atmosphere. From the outside, it looked friendly and inviting, but if walls could talk they would tell a different story. Here, parentless children were comforted; victims of rape and sexual abuse were given tea and sympathy; and elderly victims of brutal crimes were consoled by fresh-faced WPCs with soothing tones and a never-ending supply of tissues.
Sitting on the floor was a blond, blue-eyed eleven-year-old boy dressed in a grey tracksuit that didnât belong to him. He was surrounded by blank sheets of paper and an array of wax crayons, coloured pencils, and felt-tip pens. Squatting next to him was a young PC, who, against orders from his superiors, had not changed out of uniform.
The door opened and in walked Dr Sally McCartney. Unlike the PC, she had softened her appearance. Gone were the severe ponytail and conservative jacket. She had removed her glasses and suffered the anxiety of touching her eyes to put in contact lenses. She shot the PC a look of indignation. He could have at least taken off his uniform jacket.
âHello Jonathan,â she said. The young boy didnât look up from his drawings. âMy name is Sally. Iâve come to have a chat with you if thatâs all right?â
He continued to scribble on the paper. Sally McCartney knelt down to his level and looked over his shoulder. He had drawn a house and was colouring in a large tree next to it.
âIs this your house?â
Jonathan nodded.
âItâs very nice. Thatâs a lovely tree too. Do you climb it?â No reply. âWhich room is yours?â
He pointed to the top right window with the blue curtains, then went back to colouring in the tree.
âIs the room next to yours your brotherâs?â
He nodded again.
âJonathan, weâve been looking for your brother but we canât seem to find him. Do you know where he might be?â
Jonathan stopped drawing and looked up as if in thought. He looked across to Dr McCartney and fixed her with an expressionless stare, then returned his attention back to his drawing.
âJonathan, we need to find your brother. Itâs very important. Do you know any of his friends?â
The door opened and Detective Sergeant Pat Campbell popped her head into the room. She looked haggard, having been on duty for more than twenty hours. She signalled for Dr McCartney to join her in the corridor.
âWhy didnât that PC change out of his bloody uniform as I told him to?â she asked before the DS could speak.
âI donât know. He should have done.â The DS sighed and looked to the ceiling. âHas the boy said anything?â
âNot yet.â
