Oh, I liked this book. I liked it a lot. It's one of those books that just has a brilliant, blend of character, story and pacing which means that I just ate it up. And although I know the author has a legion of fans who demand more and more Matilda, I really thing that with Olivia Winter he has hit on another winner and I, for one, am loving it.

The Mind of a Murderer, introduces readers to Dr Olivia Winter, a Forensic Psychologist who specialises in getting into the minds of serial killers. But rather than chasing glory on the back of live cases, Olivia prefers life a step away from the limelight, researching and interviewing those already caught, looking for patterns in behaviour to help identify potential serial killers before they find their calling. At least until a childhood friend approaches her for help on an active case which turns Olivia's whole world upside down. There is a killer on the loose in London, a sadistic individual who subjects their victims to vicious and prolonged attacks before going on to murder them. With no forensic evidence, understanding the killer's psychology is the key to uncovering their identity and, unfortunately for Olivia, she is uniquely positioned to understand them.

Unfortunate for Olivia, fabulous for us as readers. Olivia has a difficult past, to say the least, one which informs the woman she has become. Somewhat of an introvert, she keeps her cards close to her chest, with a very small but trusted circle of friends. She is not a recluse, but she is as close to a loner as someone who interviews killers for a living can be. I actually liked her a lot, and Michael Wood has done a great job in establishing her history without allowing it to take over the narrative, making her sympathetic but also very determined and astute. She is troubled, and her past is set to continue to haunt her to an extent that I'm really excited to see play out over the course of the series. The characters that inhabit her world are varied and add texture and suspicion to her life. There is a lot of misdirection and perhaps even misinformation to a degree, so it is hard to know who, if anyone, to trust. With perhaps one notable exception, DI Foley, there were times when I was left questioning everyone that Olivia knew. There was only one person who really showed their true colours from the start, and even they pulled the odd trick or two along the way.

This is an intense read at times. As readers we are present as the killer meets their victim, can feel the panic and fear that grows as they begin to understand the trouble they are in. It is not necessarily gratuitous in they way it is portrayed on the page - it doesn't need to be. Fear, and the torturous wait for the inevitable is what really drives the tension in this book and whilst it is violent, it is the psychological aspects of each attack that matter more. I like the way the author subverts expectations at times, throws what people think they might know on its head, and is not afraid to throw in the odd shock or surprise in order to really make us sit up and take note. There is a constant feeling or urgency and threat that feeds through the book, that sense that things are escalating and building towards some kind of ultimate showdown, that had me turning the pages at pace.

If you like a dark, edgy thriller, with brilliant characters and more than the odd shock or surprise, then this is a book you really ought to take a look at. Fans of the author will love it as it has all of his trademark tension and willingness to take the book in directions you really rather it wouldn't go. I'm really looking forward to seeing what might come next. Knowing Mr Wood it could be absolutely anything, but I am totally here for it.

This is the first book in a new series by Michael Wood one of my favourite authors. Olivia Winter is a renowned forensic psychologist who has met and interviewed notorious serial killers but she has a secret that makes her interest in these people astonishing. One thing Olivia hadn’t been involved in before is a live case, until now. Her best friend Jessica is a detective working on a case in London and she asks for Olivia’s help. Olivia turns Jessica down as she sees involvement in live cases as that of a profiler which she is not. Olivia soon regrets her decision and is approached by DI Foley Jessica’s colleague also asking for her help. I had enormous expectations of this book and it didn’t disappoint. My heart was in my mouth at one point as I hardly dare turn the page. Thank you to net galley and One More Chapter for an advanced copy.

This is a new author for me and I was treated to a dark, suspense filled thriller. We go straight into the action with a killer striking at a 40th birthday party. It soon becomes clear that the killer has struck before and continues with their killing spree. The Metropolitan Police's DI Amyas Foley brings in the help of forensic psychologist Dr Olivia Winter, who has her own serial killer experience.

The book is fast paced and grabbed my attention right from the beginning. The plot twists and turns throughout, giving lots of dead ends and red herrings. Dr Winter is a great character with an unexpected backstory which chilled me to the bone.

The killings come fast and furious and the investigation is cleverly written. I did like DI Foley and thought he worked well with Olivia - will there be a series for these two? It's an action packed, tension filled thriller which I would recommend.

Wow, Michael Wood has written a brillant physiological thriller that really gets you thinking, the characters are extremely well written and the suspense just keeps ramping up, I just could not put it down, but unfortunately work wold get in the way, and the ending definitely makes me want to read the next book.

From the first till last chapter, this was a gripping read. The author definitely knows his stuff. The story was fascinating,as were the characters, even the bad ones.Not one but two serial killers what more could you ask for in this totally exciting read.The culprit was never on my radar.The relationship between Olivia and Foley grew throughout the book and is sure to develop more in the next in the series which I'm pleased to read will be out in 2025.The ending was great promising more great things to come.
Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK One More Chapter for the ARC

What a thrilling and enticing story! Olivia Winters is a Forensic psychologist, and her job is to understand how a serial killers mind works. After all she has a very close connection to a notorious killer who nearly killed her. Now a serial killer is running rampant in London, and the police have asked for her help. Until one of the victims is someone she knows she doesn’t plan on helping them at all. Will she confront her own demons to bring her friends killer to justice?
I had no idea what to expect from this book, and it was so much more than I bargained for. I really started to feel for Olivia and lover her character. Just when I thought I may have figured out what was going on, a twist would make me rethink everything! I cannot wait to read more from Michael Wood!
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Uk and One More Chapter for the ARC.

I got this one on Netgalley and I was interested to see how it would be. It sounded interesting and that it was. I thought I had things figured out and thought for sure I was correct. I was not. I was pulled into the world trying to figure out who the serial killer was.
The twists and turns were good and I enjoyed it very much. Looking forward to reading more by this author.

I love Michael Wood and this book did not disappoint. Dr Olivia Winter is a forensic psychologist whose father is a serial killer. She is a fascinating character and I hope that this is the beginning of a series where her character will develop more and more. I thoroughly recommend this book.
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for giving me the opportunity to give my unbiased opinion.

This was a book I could not put down as the storyline was so gripping. Dr Olivia Winter reluctantly agrees to assist in an outgoing investigation into a serial killer after her best friend is murdered by him. Having been a surviving victim of a serial killer, her own father, Olivia changed her name and studied to become an esteemed Forensic Pyschologist and becomes totally immersed in this outgoing case. For those with a sensitive nature be warned the writing is graphic in its details of the murders which is necessary to show the true horror of the crimes. The story moves at pace but I had to question some of the actions of Olivia who at times seemed to knowingly put herself in danger without any sort of back up in place. Some of the scenes were a little unbelievable, especially those involving her father who appears to have very little supervision considering his history. The ending is surprising after having been thrown many red herrings along the way. A fabulous read.

I was eager to read this new series with being a massive fan of the Matilda Darke series and I was not disappointed.
The book has all the excellent trademarks of a MICHAEL WOOD book; real characters, fast plot and dark side.
The book starts interesting as we are introduced to the new characters before a shocking development takes the book on another course. The book feels familiar in some ways to the Matilda Darke series but stands on its own to develop a new excellent series. Great plot and rattles along at a great pace. Overall definitely recommended to old and new fans of MICHAEL WOOD.

It was really hard for me to put this book away. I pulled an all-nighter to finish reading it. The numerous plots and suspense left me, chapter by chapter I read with bated breath!

Starts of with a slow steady pace, picks up and doesn’t let up! I couldn’t put it down! I hear the author has wrote another series, so I’m currently hunting them down.

This was tense, dark and full of psychopaths. Definitely do not read if you're not a fan of gore. Olivia was a good character but a couple of times I did question her actions, DI Foley was great and not your usual book detective. This is the start of a new series so I'm intrigued by what case they are involved with next.

Being a massive Matilda Darke fan, I jumped at the chance to read something new from Michael Wood. Like Matilda, Olivia is another strong female lead that can look after herself. The supporting characters are believable and likeable and I look forward to seeing their relationships develop. Overall this was a dark, sometimes gruesome, thriller that had me guessing until the end. I’ll eagerly await more Olivia and Foley..and who knows, maybe a Matilda crossover!
Thank you Netgalley, Michael Wood and Harper Collins for this ARC.

Having read all of Michael’s books and being a big fan of his Matilda Darke series, I was keen to get my hands on this first book in a new series, and I think ‘The Mind of a Murderer’ is a good start. The tale is very dark and disturbing, and I found the psychological element, incredibly fascinating, in fact, more than one chapter reminded me of the brilliant Netflix series – Mindhunter. I’ll be honest, I struggled to connect with Dr Olivia Winter and found some of her responses a tad unbelievable, for example her apathetic reaction to finding out a very close friend has been brutally murdered. Thankfully, I did warm to DI Foley as the tale went on, and hope that he will feature in the next books too. For me, the best character was Richard Button – a historic serial killer and father of Dr Winter… He was wonderfully abhorrent and self-centred, all the things you want from a fictional bad guy. All in all, I found this to be well thought out, exciting and more than a little grisly in places. If you like a good serial killer thriller give this one a go.

MICHAEL WOOD – MIND OF A MURDERER ****

Olivia Winter is a world-renowned expert of serial killers with a massive secret herself: her father is a serial killer who killed her family and attempted to kill her too.

When her best friend, policewoman Jessica Sheffield, is killed, her boss DI Foley asks for help. Which sets into motion a deadly game of cat and mouse, between her incarcerated father and a young pretender who worships him. But who is he? Is he watching Olivia? Is she on his list of potential victims?

This is a tense and highly readable thriller, slightly repetitive, expertly crafted. Could be serialised on Netflix.

I've read most of the authors previous books, and I always say that the current read is the best one yet. This is no exception. His books just get better and better as he raises that bar higher and higher.

It's a gritty, gruesome read that leaves you feeling emotionally exhausted, but I loved everything about it. A fast-paced read with lots of twists and keeps you guessing throughout the book.

As part of her job, the daughter of a serial killer, who has done her best to hide her identity, visits serial killers to find out why they kill.

I'm so looking forward to reading more from this series.

Michael Wood introduces a new character, Dr Olivia Winter, who is the daughter of an infamous serial killer, but does all she can to keep that secret. Especially as her job is to study their behaviour. When best friend and detective, calls upon her services, knowing Olivia doesn’t work on live cases, her arm is twisted when someone close becomes the latest victim. At the same time, she is persuaded to visit her sick father in hospital despite never wanting to see him after her tried to kill her as a child. However, she needs to understand the mind of this latest killer, and her father knows this detail best of all.
A very powerful read which you will want to devour in one sitting. Completely compelling. This introduction will hopefully be the start to another gripping series.

I have previously enjoyed the Matilda Darke series and wondered if Michael Wood could produce another leading character we would love: He did! Olivia is a complex character and she is introduced to us slowly, along with Amyas and Sebastian, all three living with ghosts of the past. I thoroughly enjoyed this first instalment and look forward to reading more about Olivia.

A fast paced, easy read crime thriller, with twists and turns that make it a gripping read. Dr Olivia Winter offers her services to the police to help catch a suspected serial killer after her best friend becomes one of his victims.
Olivia is a survivor, having survived an attempt on her life from her father, who did kill her mother and sister. So she has her own dark memories to sort out at the same time as trying to find the depraved killer who is out there on the London streets.
In places the book is quite graphic in its violence but that does help ratchet up the tension. These scenes are well balanced by some lighter moments.
Mr Wood manages to create well rounded characters in Olivia and Foley and Sebastian, all of them have flaws as well as good points. The interaction and development of their relationships helps drive the narrative forward.
We are promised more from Dr Olivia Winter and I, for one, will look forward to it.
With thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollinsPublishers for an early copy in return for an honest review.