I must first thank both NetGalley as well as the publisher for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.
A much needed slow start that was full of detail, then Wow! The twists begin. A wonderful read built on vengeance. The mystery is in the details, and time may have helped bury the truth. Michael Wood writes another great stand alone thriller.

Thanks to Michael and NetGalley for allowing me to read Vengeance is Mine before the publication date.
I became a fan of the author at the start of 2023 and enjoyed the 9 books which I have since read.

Vengeance is Mine was an easy read with plenty of red herrings.
However the gripping tension, which made the previous books page turners, was missing.
The frequent references to Dawn’s weight and diet added nothing to the storyline.
I did like the pathologist’s humour.
When I read that this book was written 20 years ago, it explained a lot.

*4.5 stars*

Wow! What a dilemma the investigating officer is faced with as this excellent novel draws to its conclusion. But forgive me, I’m getting ahead of myself, because there’s a terrific read to come before we reach said conclusion.

Dawn Shepherd was raised by her mum in Newcastle in the North East of England. She’d never met her father, but had been told she was the result of a one night stand. However, after twenty years Dawn’s mother finally reveals the truth - her father, Dominic Griffiths, is serving a prison sentence for the abduction and murder of thirteen year old Stephanie White in 1999. That’s not all though, because he’s about to be released.

His early release is due to a recently discovered technicality. Griffiths has always maintained he’s innocent and has no recollection of the murder. Naturally Dawn is in shock and has conflicting emotions, but ultimately decides to discover as much as she can about the father whose life she had no knowledge of. She needs answers, and if that means meeting Dominic Griffiths, then that’s what she’ll do.

Gosh, this was a compelling storyline with many twists, turns, and outright shocks that had me gripped throughout. Highly recommended.

You are plunged immediately into the dark and twisted world of Vengeance Is Mine, you'll find yourself drawn into a complex web of secrets and lies. The intricate plot, full of twists and turns, will keep you on the edge of your seat, full of family loyalty and the search for truth this book is a gripping and emotional ride that will keep you guessing until the very end. Fantastic read.

Having read everything Michael Wood has written, I was keen to get my hands on Vengeance is Mine, his new standalone thriller. The tale is told in two parts, the first details Dawn’s discovery of her father – Dominic’s, identity, and his murderous history, and culminates with his release from prison. Part two is the following year and we establish how the characters have coped with Dominic’s release. For me, the first part of the story runs at a steady pace, which borders on slow in places, but the second part of the tale gathers pace, and the plot goes off in a somewhat surprising, and pleasing direction. I struggled with the frequent references to Dawn’s weight and personal style, as I failed to see why it was necessary to keep referencing it. All in all, I enjoyed this book, but I didn’t love it - there was a distinct lack of suspense, and I found the ending less satisfying than anticipated given the aforementioned plot twist.

This book was written twenty years ago, and I assume it was Michael's first attempt at a novel, only now seeing publication. If it had been released as his debut, I would have rated it five stars, considering it an exceptional start for a budding author. However, having read Wood's subsequent works and with high expectations set by his exceptional writing, I rate Vengeance is Mine four stars.

The narrative is divided into two parts. The first part chronicles Dawn’s discovery of her father's identity and ends with his release from prison. The second part takes place a year later, exploring how Dawn and the other characters move forward after the murderer’s release.

While the first part lays a solid foundation, the second part feels shorter—perhaps it was so engrossing that I didn't realize how quickly I read through it! This section leaves readers with a moral dilemma: How far would one go to seek justice? And, if justice seems elusive, how far would one defy the law to achieve it?

I loved the story. The first part kept me on edge, eagerly anticipating Dawn's every move. The second part left me pondering what went wrong. The murderer had always proclaimed his innocence; how would this unfold after his release? Would Dawn prove his innocence, or would she uncover something more sinister?

Despite my overall enjoyment, I found the conclusion somewhat unsatisfying. This dissatisfaction stems not from the story’s resolution but from the ethical questions it raises - was this truly justice? Each reader must decide for themselves. Personally, I found the ending less gratifying than expected.

Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for my copy of Vengeance is Mine by Michael Wood.
I read this in one sitting, I just couldn’t put it down until I knew the truth.
Dawn never knew her dad, but at 20 years old her mother finally told her.
Her father had been in prison for the last twenty years and now he was being released.
Was he the evil man she was reading about in every newspaper?
Or were they wrong?

Alright, let's get straight to it—Michael Wood has done it again! He’s firmly in my top 10 favorite authors, and I dive into his books without a second thought. Vengeance is Mine not only lived up to my expectations but exceeded them in every way.

The story kicks off with a gripping mystery: 13-year-old Stephanie is kidnapped and brutally murdered. Michael Wood, in his usual masterful style, keeps us guessing about the identity of the kidnapper and murderer keeping the suspense going.

Enter Dominique, who gets arrested, charged, and sentenced to life in prison for the crime. Years pass, and we meet Darcy, a young woman whose world is about to be turned upside down. Darcy’s mom drops a bombshell: Dominique is her father. With Dominique’s release from prison on the horizon, claiming that the medication he was on made him violent and not himself, Darcy is left reeling. She’s determined to uncover the truth about her father’s guilt or innocence.

The twists and turns in this book are jaw-dropping. Just when you think you've figured it out, Wood throws another curveball. The characters are well-drawn and compelling, the pacing is perfect, and the plot unfolds like a tightly wound thriller should.

Michael, keep 'em coming! This book was a rollercoaster from start to finish, and I enjoyed every moment.

Big thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, for the chance to read and review this ARC. If you’re into suspenseful thrillers with a killer twist, grab this book now!

I love this author and yet again he has delivered another great read. It is full of twists and turns and thoroughly engaging. Thanks to Net Galley for ARC.

Big fan of this author and this another great read.

Pacing is great and is a good read about the impact of serious crime on families even long after it happened.

Twenty-years ago, Stephanie White was murdered in Northumberland, she had just turned thirteen-years-old.

Dominic Griffiths was tried and found guilty of her murder.

Twenty-one-year old, Dawn Shephard, has always believed her father was a one night stand that her mum, Rita had. When Rita has no choice but to tell her daughter that she has lied all these years, and that her father is a convicted murderer - Dominic Griffiths, Dawn’s life is thrown into disarray.

Dawn starts to find out more information about her father, as well as the murder he supposedly committed. Dawn becomes close to Barbara and Harry White, Stephanie’s parents, as well as Anthony, Dominic’s father.

Wow! What an amazing story this is, I was gripped from the first page.

This is storytelling at its absolute best. I never knew what was coming next, and the author kept me on my toes from the very start.

The characters were believable, and I loved the relationship between Dawn and her mum, who, in spite of all the lies told over the years, still managed to have a great relationship after the initial shock.

This is a story that will be playing on my mind for some time yet.

My thanks to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Anyone looking for a quick summer read should take a look at this standalone thriller by the author of the popular Matilda Darke novels. Dawn is a young woman beginning working life in a solicitor's office when her single mother drops the bombshell that her father is a man currently serving a prison sentence for the disappearance and murder of a young girl twenty years before, a sentence he is now looking to have dismissed as an unsafe conviction. Dawn is left to decide whether to meet and get to know him and whether she should believe his claims of innocence and look further into the case herself.

The story was pacey and full of twists and turns although it took me a while to get really involved in the story. I found the writing of the main character a little unconvincing, though, with the author struggling a bit to give voice to a woman in her early 20s and spending a bit too much time talking about her weight and appearance (something I've also found in his descriptions of Matilda Darke).

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Michael wood is an author I have no need to read a synopsis to know I want to read the next book and this is no exception. It gets off to a slow start but builds into a fast paced intelligent thriller. Dawn Shepherd always thought she was the result of a one night stand but finds out from her mother that her father has been in prison for murdering a young girl and is soon to be released. She is driven to investigate her father to find out if there was a miscarriage of justice as has been put forward or whether he is an unreformed killer. How such a crime affects the families of both victim and perpetrator years down the line is sympathetically explored. Believable characters and a surprising ending make this an excellent read.

Dawn Shepherd was raised by her mother, not knowing who her father was until the day she is called to come and get her mother who has been behaving oddly. Her mother confesses that her father is Dominic Griffiths, a convicted killer, who is going to be released soon. Dawn is conflicted. Does she visit the father she has always longed to know or does she, as her mother suggests, put it all behind her and get on with her life without knowing him.
I have to say I didn't enjoy this as much as the author's DCI Matilda Darke novels. The plot wasn't as gripping and the book not as suspenseful. However, the story moves along and has a couple of twists and surprises towards the end. The relationship between Dawn and her mother and Barbara, her old teacher are well done and I ended up being convinced by Dawn's character, even if the ending stretches the imagination a little.
With thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins Fiction for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

Fascinating plot, full of surprises😲

What a riveting story that carries the question of what really happened to a murdered thirteen year-old and why right through to the climax. My sympathies pivoted from character to character as Dawn, daughter of a convicted killer who has consistently denied his guilt, finds her life totally upended upon the reveal of her dad's identity before his early release from prison.

This is not along the lines of the author's Matilda Darke series but it's just as good, both the writing and the plot. Here, the lines blur between good, upstanding citizen and the dark sides of character drawn out by grief and a need to wreak vengeance for the lives ruined by the cruel death of an innocent. I loved the surprise ending and the way the author keeps the uncertainty going throughout the story.

Thanks to Harper Collins/One More Chapter and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

I struggled to get invested. Really wanted to enjoy this one more than I did. I found myself not wanting to really pick it up. I still recommend this author. This was just not my favourite.

Dawn Shepherd lives in the Newcastle on Tyne area near her mother Rita. Dawn has never known who her father is. Rita brought her up as a single parent. Dawn is in for a terrible shock. She learns from her mother that the man who murdered a teenage girl in 1999 - Dominic Griffiths is her father. Apparently her mother had a brief affair before Dominic was arrested.
Dominic is about to be released from prison early. He has been imprisoned for 20 years. A drug he was prescribed has been identified as being able to change a person's mood. In the USA convictions have been overturned and compensation paid. Dominic's solicitor believes that he will get a substantial sum of money.
Rita owns a flower shop and Dawn is training to be a legal professional.
Stephanie the young girl that Dominic killed was the daughter of Harry and Barbara White. Harry was a police detective and Barbara was one of Dawn's favourite school teachers. Dawn searches for Dominic's parents. She finds that his mother Carole committed suicide, but Anthony his father still lives quietly alone. She is given Carole's diaries by Anthony which suggest that Dominic was poorly treated by his mother. His father was away for most of the time.
Dawn slowly gets to know her father Dominic. He is no longer the curly haired good looking boy that he once was. Can Dominic with Dawn's help get accepted back into society or is there a killer still waiting in the shadows?
Another brilliant book from this excellent author. Very much recommended.

This is only my second book by Michael Wood my first being The Mind of a Murder, which I picked up after hearing many positive things about his Matilda Darke series, and no wanting to commit to such long series. Vengence is Mine is a great stand-alone thriller.
Stephanie White was kindapped and killed on her 13th birthday, with Dominic Griffiths convicted of her murder. He continues to maintain his innocence. Twenty years later, due to a shark of a lawyer, Dominic has been given early release and Dawn finds out Dominic is her father. This causes quite a bit of stress for Dawn as she decides whether she wants to know her father and she tries to determine what actually happened and if he is is guilty or innocent. In the second half of the story there are some crimes committed and we follow the detectives trying to solve the case. There are plenty of connections between the characters as we get to know Stephanie's parents, the detectives both from the original murder and the current crime, Dawn and her Mum, and Dominic and his father (Dawn's grandfather).
There were lost of twists, turns and surprises along the way. I found the second half more engaging when we followed the detectives trying to solve the case, and didn't want to put it down at this stage.

I had such high hopes for this book.
unfortunately this did not live up to expectations for me and felt quite flat
the author has really set the bar high with the Matilda Darke series. Throughout the first part of the book, I found myself wondering where the book was going and struggled with wanting to pick it up to read. The author had a bit of an obsession with the main characters weight that had nothing to do with the story and was quite repetitive.
the ending was predictable. Although I didn’t guess some of the involvement, I did guess the main killer.

At this point, I'll read anything Michael Wood writes. He is just that good.

What do you do when you find out your father is a murderer? What do you do when you find out he is about to be released early from prison?

Vengeance Is Mine is about a 20-year-old murder that changed the lives of several families in a small English town. Dawn Shepard gets a call one morning that changes the course of her life and brings tragedy back to so many others. As she discovers who her father is she will discover more about what it means to be a victim and how justice is served.