Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Preview
  • For Reasons Unknown

  • DCI Matilda Darke, Book 1
  • By: Michael Wood
  • Narrated by: Stephanie Beattie
  • Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (714 ratings)

£0.00 for first 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

For Reasons Unknown

By: Michael Wood
Narrated by: Stephanie Beattie
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Summary

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…

©2019 Michael Wood (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers Limited
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2
activate_samplebutton_t1

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Fallen cover art
Chapter One cover art
Detective Sebastian Clifford, Books 1-3 cover art
The Murderer's Son cover art
Vengeance Is Mine cover art
The Seventh Victim cover art
A Litter of Bones: A Scottish Crime Thriller cover art
First Blood cover art
The Hope That Kills cover art
The Lost Girls of Penzance cover art
The Bonnie Dead cover art
The Missing Ones cover art
A Long Time Dead cover art
The Turning of Our Bones cover art
Silent Tide cover art
The Dentist cover art

What listeners say about For Reasons Unknown

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    457
  • 4 Stars
    173
  • 3 Stars
    47
  • 2 Stars
    24
  • 1 Stars
    13
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    439
  • 4 Stars
    151
  • 3 Stars
    47
  • 2 Stars
    17
  • 1 Stars
    10
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    411
  • 4 Stars
    159
  • 3 Stars
    54
  • 2 Stars
    21
  • 1 Stars
    16

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Up there with best

A character based crime thriller, I have read so many I’ve lost count. Holmes, Poirot, Morse, Wexford, Vera - this one sits amongst the best. Excellent, richly drawn believable characters and a cracking mystery.

I will be checking out the rest of this series and others by the author.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story and narration

Most books are just "okay" or slightly better - I found this book very easy to get in to, to keep me interested and isn't too far fetched or silly! I was highly impressed as you never really know what you're going to get when you purchase a new author but I shall be continuing this series for sure! 🙌🙌
Highly recommended if you are a crime fan!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I loved this

I thoroughly enjoyed this audio book. The story kept me guessing throughout. Just brilliant.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Good character let down by story.

Character was interesting and engaging. However this story led you to believe the outcome from the start.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good first book in the series

I enjoyed the characters and book overall and look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

This was excellent

I couldn’t put this down such a great story with really authentic surprises. Keeps you guessing all through to the end. Will definitely be going to the next in series.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic Characterisation

I love finding a new Author with a series. And what a cracker there is here. Matilda Darke is a damaged soul from the outset of the book, battling with her own issues, coming back to work. It doesn't take long to be totally rooting for her though. She's not a down-trodden went blanket, though: Michael Wood gives us just enough back story, and more "show" than "tell" to really shape he genuine struggles. These run parallel to the cold case she is given, reluctantly, at the start. Restrictions on her working conditions posing a hurdle to navigate. The story moves quickly, and the web of possibilities complicates. New bits of info pop up throughout the book making each red herring go a little purple, then blue, the red again. Satellite characters feed into the major plotline, all with just enough description to move the story forward. I'd say if you like your McDermid, you'll love these - there are nods to other crime writers in the book itself... Matilda Darke even gets compared to Vera Stanhope, and to be fair, I can see that. But only a nod. I like Matilda Darke and I want to follow her. A cracking first series that I will be following up on.

Credit should also go to the narration by Stephanie Beattie - excellent pace, clear voice, great characterisation.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Far Fetched But Good!

This I suppose a police procedural. I'm no expert, but I think it highly unlikely most events or relationships are ever going on in a police station. Or at least I hope not!

But having said that It is an easy listen with a fairly simple storyline ( I'm no good following complicated plots!). It has some surprises and twists and turns. Matilda the main character is likeable and flawed.

So do download and enjoy if you like an easy listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A solid bit of crime fiction.

I enjoyed this book, the first in a new series for me. I will be purchasing the next book and expect to listen to the whole series.

The characters are believable and the story is clever enough that it is not obvious at any point. The personal story of DCI Matilda Dark, the main character, is at times given excessive prominence in my view. However, this does detract from the quality of the book and the author, Michael Wood, is clearly excellent and skilled in his craft.

I have not given it five stars as it is not m exceptional crime fiction novel. But it is excellent and I happily recommend it to others.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Gripping

I binged listened to this over 3 days..just discovered this author and so far loving his books..now I’m going to buy some extra credits to continue the Matilda Darke series!
Wonderfully read too.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!