Brilliant British Police Procedural

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins Impulse and Killer Reads for giving me a chance to read THE HANGMAN’S HOLD by Michael Wood in exchange for a review.
Detective Chief Inspector Matilda Darke is still dealing with the death of her husband when she is thrown into an extremely difficult case. Brian Appleby is found hung in his home and it is not suicide. What makes it even more strange is Matilda’s best friend, Adele, had just gone on a date with Brian the night before. Adele thought Brian was a “lovely” man, but it turns out he has a very dark past that he has tried to keep secret. Who would want Brian dead?
After another hanging death, it seems that Matilda and her team have a serial killer who is dubbed the “Hangman”. The people of Sheffield are becoming very scared and those above Matilda are getting angry. The person who seems to be getting the most information is young reporter Danny Hanson thanks to the killer calling him.
Author Michael Wood does a skillful job of developing both the main and secondary characters. A light touch was added in describing Sian’s “snack drawer” that helped the team carry on with their challenging case.
There is a good bit of graphic description used, but that is to be expected with a serial killer story. Many TV series show much more these days.
The author has done a fine job of capturing the voice of the female characters. It is encouraging to see more female protagonists in police procedural tales both in novels and on TV. Although this book takes place in the UK, it is relevant to detective stories everywhere.
THE HANGMAN’S HOLD is the fourth in a series, but I had no trouble following the plot. The author provided just the right amount of back story. The novel ends on a note that seems to promise a fifth book.