The latest in the Detective Kate Young series set in Stoke on Trent - a new case for Kate and her team.
Someone is shooting people with a slaughterer’s gun. The team cannot work out the connection between the victims or the reason behind them.
Alongside this Kate is still trying to prove her boss Dickson is corrupt and was involved in her husband Chris’s murder - this proves a big distraction for Kate - verging on illegal and extremely dangerous to her and those helping her.
Enjoyable read although the Dickson story takes up too much of the book.
Enjoyed the ending and excited to read the next instalment.
Recommended reading for anyone interested in police procedurals.
4 Stars ⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for a fair review.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'A Life For A Life ' by Carol Wyer.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Carol Wyer and Thomas & Mercer publishers.

Publication date 15th March 2022.

This is the sixth book I have read by this author. It is also the third book in the 'DI Kate Young' series and although I have read the first book called 'An Eye For An Eye' and the second book called 'A Cut For A Cut' and highly recommended both, they can also be read as a standalone. I have also previously Carol's 'Detective Natalie Ward' series which I would also highly recommend.

I was originally drawn to this book by its gorgeous eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. I am also a huge fan of Carol and if this is half as good as any of her previous books it is sure to be a fantastic read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Aberration Press Books. I have yet to read a book published by Thomas & Mercer that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue and 27 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!


This book is based in Staffordshire, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited Staffordshire on several occasions so am looking forward to see if I recognise anywhere

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is DI Kate Young and DS EMMA Donaldson. I enjoy books written in third person with several protagonists as it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters.

OMG!!!! ANOTHER ABSOLUTE PAGE TURNER!!! What are you doing to me!!!!! Seriously!!!!! I hope you are writing your next book as I write this!!! I'm talking to you Mrs Wyer!!!!! Right, yes, well anyway let's give you my review....


Carol Wyer does it Yet again!!! ABSOLUTELY Fantastically written as always ensuring a smooth and easy read that sucks you straight into the pages. Vivid descriptions put me in the middle of the action looking at everything going on in High definition. The cover and synopsis works perfectly with the storyline.


The storyline itself was very fast paced, rammed full of action, murder, mystery, suspense, tension and twists and turns. OMG the bombshells and unexpected twists which I was not expecting (a rarity to surprise me after the amount of crime books I've read but Carol does it without fail every time!!!) and a major cliffhanger at the end!!! I CANNOT WAIT for the next in this series. The storyline was realistic so easily imagined and the killings themselves were unique which is definitely a positive when you have read the same ones over and over again!! An absolutely addictive and compelling page turner!!! If your going to start reading this then clear your schedules because it is absolutely unputdownable!!!! It is filled with crime, loss, some romance, excitement, tension, suspense and so so much more!! You could NOT get any better than this. This is the best book I have read this year. I have loved all Carol's books but she just keeps getting better and better!! How do you do it?!?! The research Carol has put in absolutely shines through as does all her trips to the Blithfield reservoir. The descriptions are perfect as is the atmosphere. The storyline is also unique in the fact that the killer chooses at random and the why he is doing it too. It is so rare to find a unique storyline when it comes to crime as there are so many out there but yet again Carol has absolutely blown my mind and slamdunked it. The ending was just WHAT THE HELL SHUT THE THE FRONT DOOR!!! I literally shouted when I read it which earned a few strange looks from my partner lol. Seriously I NEED to know what happens next!!!!!

IF YOU LOVE A GOOD BOOK THEN THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST!!! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? GRAB YOUR COPY NOW!!!!

I absolutely loved meeting all the characters again!! Kate is just amazing, an extremely strong female lead who didn't hold back the punches while going through hell herself after the trauma she had been through. I always love it when an author brings in strong women. I also liked Kate's personality and really felt for her on several occasions. I wasn't sure about Morgan in the first two books on this epic series but he has definitely grown on me and it is nice to see how much he has developed and grown from book to book. Morgan had me on stitches laughing on several occasions and his headbutting with Jamie was certainly entertaining. Jamie is a character who I'm still not sure about even after three books, sometimes he seemed OK and then he gave me a bit of a funny feeling and not in a good way so it'll be interesting to see what he is up to. Jamie did surprise me towards the end but he hasn't gained my trust just yet so watch this space. Emma is another strong woman who I really enjoyed meeting again and getting to know more abut her. I really felt for her, especially on this book, with everything she went through with her mum. I loved watching Emma and Morgan growing closer in this book and I definitely sense a spark of, dare I say, romance. I would love to see them pair up as a couple so am looking forward to see where this is going. I'm still not sure what I thought of William either, I thought I liked him in the first bookbut I have a strange feeling about him. My feelings keep swaying with him and yet again in this book he seems to be growing on me more but, again, whether I trust him is yet to be seen. I absolutely adored Ervin who made me laugh on several occasions!!! He is such a unique character and one you won't forget for a while. I enjoyed meeting Bradley again and although he is a very secretive man I enjoy meeting him in the books and he definitely brings some dark mystery to the novel. Samuel was a new and intriguing character who was definitely unique in a strange way. I actually enjoyed watching how he worked and it will be interesting to see if we meet him again. The other main character is superintendent John Dickson. I'm not going to say much about him as not to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read any books in this amazing series but just to say that his name suits him perfectly!! Regardless of who I did or didn't like they were all very strong and well defined characters who I'm looking forward to meet in the next 'episode'. A great team who have definitely become friends that I look forward to meeting every time and have really come to life for me. I cannot wait to meet them all again.


I am really looking forward to the next book and would LOVE to see this made into a movie!!! It would definitely be a best seller along with this amazing novel which kept me up late at night (early in the morning) as I just could not put it down!!!!

Congratulations Carol on another absolutely blooming page turning success!! This is exactly why you are my favourite crime author and this is my favourite series because you lady have talent!!! Keep up the amazing work and here is to your next success 🥂

Overall a not to be missed, must read addictive, explosive page turner with a BOMBSHELL ending!!!

Genres covered in this novel include Thriller, Police Procedural and Crime Fiction amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as Angela Marsons, Tess Gerritsen, anyone looking for a good book and YOU, your friends, your neighbours, just everyone!!


363 pages.

This book is just £3.99 to purchase on kindle or free on kindle unlimited via Amazon (during time of review) which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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A Life for a Life by Carol Wyer is a highly recommended procedural/crime thriller.

The novel opens with a family group heading to the airport when a horrible accident occurs, which will immediately capture your attention. Then we switch to DI Kate Young who is in the midst of an investigation into the death of Tobias Abrahams who was shot in the head at the train station. While she and her team are investigating this murder and other connected murders, she is also trying to bring a case against corrupt superintendent John Dickson for the death of her husband Chris, who was working a case against Dickson. As the murders increase, the pressure is on the team to solve the murders.

This is book three in the Kate Young series and it is set in the Stoke-on Trent area and also on Blithfield reservoir. It is an exciting thriller and an engaging investigation as the tension rises as does the concern and dread, however, you need to know that there is a rather slow start before things really take off. Although it works as a stand alone, I feel like it might have been best if I read the first two books before book three. I felt like I had been left out of receiving some important information that I needed to know to fully appreciate the novel. Nevertheless, it is a page turner with excellent writing that will hold your attention throughout. The ending is a cliff hanger which will have you waiting for the next installment.

Kate is a flawed character which makes her very relatable and sympathetic, but she is also an intelligent, determined, and astute woman. You know she is dedicated to her job in spite of her obsessions and mourning the death of her husband but to counter that she is also smart and clever. Emma and Morgan add to the story. They work well together and are loyal to Kate.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley.



The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Edelweiss, Google Books, and Amazon.

I started off confused by this book. It look me until about a third of the way to realize what was really going on. I did find out that this is the third book so there is info that I don’t have. This book is slow until about half way and then I couldn’t put it down. I really love murder mystery type books. I will say I loved the connection between Kate and Ben. They seem to be going through the same thing but handling it in different ways. The ending does leave a huge cliffhanger so I’m excited to see where the next book leads off.

A Life for a Life by Carol Wyer is the third book in the Detective Kate Young series. I have read the first two in the series and enjoyed reading the series.
A life for a life is a fitting finale to Kate’s investigation into her husband’s murder and may be her ready to move on and investigate Serious Crime in another in another police region.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this series.
Highly recommended

Carol has done it again, what a fabulous book, it just shows what an excellent writer Carol is. As I’m a massive fan of Natalie (another series) I did wonder how this series would be, but I have to say, it is gripping. Kate is suffering (as one would) with the loss of her husband, and she is sure that his death was murder, but cannot seem get to the bottom of what happened. With the pressures of work, members of the police whom she doesn’t know if she can trust, she feels she’s losing her grip on her sanity.

The murder of a young man, and more murders are piling up, but there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason why random people are targeted, poor Kate is against the clock with the pressure from her superiors, and she’s still trying to find out who ordered the hit on her husband, although she has a good idea, but trying to prove it is another thing!

It is an absolutely fantastic read with a wonderful twist.

My thanks to Carol, and the publishers for the ARC.

DI Kate Young and her small team chase a serial killer. There is no apparent link between the victims and no obvious way to stop them. A profiler is brought in to help but his insights don't initially add much. So how do Kate and co figure out just what is behind the murders?

Meanwhile Kate continues to investigate the corrupt Superintendent Dickson. She knows he was behind at least one murder, and suspects his involvement in the killing of her journalist husband. This underlying story has run through the series and it seems Kate is getting closer to the truth as she searches for missing witnesses.

As a lead detective, DI Young is a fascinating character. She has come through trauma, although by no means unscathed. She retains a suspicion that one of her team is secretly working for Dickson, or is that just paranoia? She has to balance a very difficult case with her quest to bring Dickson down, while also dealing with revelations from her family's past. And there's a DCI post coming up that she could be a candidate for too. No wonder she is stressed!

The cast of supporting characters is excellent too. We get to know more about the members of Kate's small team, adding to the overall cohesiveness of the series. This is a complex novel, with several story arcs on different timelines, and this makes for a compelling read.

This is a cleverly devised story of a serial killer being sought by DI Kate Young who has other personal issues to contend with. Her husband was pursuing DS Dickson as a suspect in underage sex trafficking. As he became close to revealing what he knew, he was killed. Kate is living with her personal grief as well as wanting revenge on her senior officer. She needs proof and that is the sub story of this book. It turns out that the serial killer has issues not dissimilar to Kate’s. The two strands are excitingly developed in this well written book. There is a caste of well drawn characters too. The plot is based in Lancashire. I recommend this book very highly.

Another fantastic episode in the life of DI Kate Young. Still grieving for her murdered husband, Kate now investigates a series of murders relating to another grieving widow. I can't wait for the next instalment.

This was my first outing with DI Kate Young, not realising this is book three in a series. Having said that, this book reads well as a standalone, with flashbacks to the important parts of previous books. The main thing - the murder of Kate’s husband, Chris.

His murder leads to Kate running an unofficial investigation into Superintendent Dickson whom she believes to be responsible, oh, and we also have a spate of seemingly random, current murders for her to investigate too! As the bodies stack up but the investigation stalls, Kate brings in a profiler, Samuel. I felt he was an odd addition to an already offbeat team, but I did warm to his quirkiness. Samuel’s profile helps Kate to understand that she and the killer are battling similar demons. Personally, I enjoyed the official investigation storyline more than the subplot, but they do come to intertwine successfully.

I really like how the author writes and will read more of her books, which is good, as the ending is quite the cliff-hanger, and I am keen to see what Kate does next.

I have not read the previous two books so found it confusing at the beginning. The main character obsessing about talking to her dead husband was very annoying throughout the book. As story picked up pace I began to enjoy it more. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Another great book in the DI Kate Young series. Gripped from the first page with plenty of twists and turns but a tad confusing in places as seemed to jump about a bit. Still thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to the next instalment.

‘A Life For A Life’ is the third instalment in the Detective Kate Young series as she seeks the person who’s randomly picking victims and killing them with a humane bolt pistol. While this is happening, Kate is searching for evidence against a senior police officer who she believed to be responsible for her husband Chris’s death and other matters relating to corruption.
With the number of bodies increasing daily, Kate knows that until she and her team can find a connection between the victims they can’t begin to guess who the killer is going to target next and brings in a profiler, Samuel Links, to assist them.
I’ve been fortunate to have read the previous two books in the series so I’ve had good background knowledge and understanding of what’s happened previously, and as this latest instalment continues Kate leads her reduced team second-guessing who the killer is going to choose as his next victim.
This is an exceptionally exciting thriller that’s kept me totally engrossed from page one. It’s superbly written with a plot full of drama, tension, suspense and so many nail-biting twists and turns that I seriously doubted Kate’s ability to solve it. I love reading about Kate and her team of Emma, Morgan and Jamie, and with such a cliffhanger of an ending I can’t wait until I have the chance to read the next in the series to see where Kate’s job leads her. My thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to give my honest and unbiased review of this amazing thriller.

The next thrilling instalment of the Kate Young series and OMG WHAT A PAGE TURNER!!!!
Sat on the edge of my seat and tapping my kindle like a demented wood pecker. What a story I literally have no nails left and a pile of ironing. What the Heck. This book is that good . Packed to the rafters with tension and suspense and a story that blew me away. This series keeps going from strength to strength and I can't the next in this gripping and very addictive series. Loved loved it and another MUST READ!!!!
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

I’m sorry but I wasn’t keen on this book. The beginning was confusing and it took me a while to work out what was going on. The writing was good, but the plot was too implausible and the long ‘conversations’ with the dead husband really got on my nerves. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC and apologies for not being more positive.

Loved it!!! I would give it 4.5 stars. Hopefully it's not the final book in the series. The ending left me with so many questions. What happens to Kate after the encounter in the park? Did the truth about Dickson finally get released? I had no clue why the killer was murdering people at random. I completely forgot about the tragic accident in the beginning of the book and never put two and two together. The death of family members can affect people in many ways, unfortunately in this case it lead to murder. Kate was very tenacious in her pursuit to bring down Superintendent Dickson. Dickson has always been shady and a horrible person/police officer. He doesn't let anything/anyone stand in his way. Loved getting to know Morgan, Emma and Jamie better. Samuel the profiler was one strange guy. There's definitely a story there. Hopefully Kate can remember the happier times with her husband and realize that she doesn't have to keep imagining his voice to keep the memories alive. She has definitely come far since the first book.

Definitely recommend the book and the previous ones in the series. It was a great mystery/thriller. Loved the characters, story and writing style. I hope that's not the last we see of Detective Kate Young. Look forward to reading more books by the author. Loved the cover of the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Amazon Publishing UK through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I love this series, great addition to the DI kate young set. Kate is called to a murder scene where a man has been shot in the head.. The bodies keep coming, someone is on a murder spree, its up to kate and the team to find who it is. Kate is still coming to terms with losing her husband chris and is convinced superintendent John Dickson is corrupt and knows exactly what happened to chris. Can she finally prove it or has she got it totally wrong? Highley recommend

It took me a while to get back into this series, as it has been over a year since book two was released (maybe I would have been better off rereading the first two books as a refresher?). This picks up pretty much straight away, with Kate still trying to find justice for her husband’s death. You are reminded about what has happened before, but it’s not all in one lump sum; it’s spread out as and when is needed. This made it a little harder to remember everything but for new readers picking this up as their first read probably made it flow more fluidly.
The investigation was relatively tame for what I know this author is capable of. I did find the motives and reasons behind all that happened to be quite weak. I felt it was more a wake-up call for Kate about how she could have been rather than it being based on anything realistic. However, it did have an air of unjust throughout; the lives taken were such a waste.
Kate was quite frustrating throughout the book; instead of her complete focus being on getting the victim’s justice and finding the killer, she was preoccupied with her own troubles. She then threw in the mix applying for promotion; I didn’t feel like this was the right headspace for her to be in. It was just adding more into her troubled mind making her incompetent at her job. So I was finding her behaviour quite exasperating. Her constant need to reconnect and speak to Chris was too repetitive throughout the book.
Overall, it wasn’t a bad read, but I did take a while to get through it as there was just something missing from it to keep me hooked. Something was stopping me from picking it up and devouring it.

I found the plot interesting to follow with all its twists, as well as Kate's struggle with the many troublesome issues she faces. It's a fast paced novel that I thought was going to have a satisfying ending but I was a puzzled how it closed - or didn't, as far as I was concerned. Is that the author's abrupt way of signalling a sequel?
I love the cover design, especially with the lone swan on it.
Many thanks for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

Kate Young is a very complex and troubled character and for very good reason. And it's fair to say that this is perhaps her most complicated case to date, which, given her current state of mind makes for one hell of an electrifying combination. If you are a fan of the series, then you are going to love this as it sees one element of Kate's very dark story brought to a rather dramatic head, whilst still giving all the twisted mystery and tension that we've come to expect from author Carol Wyer. If you are new to the series, this may not be the best place to start if you like to uncover every part of a character's history for yourself, but the case itself, the perplexing and seemingly unconnected murders that plague Kate and her team, are most definitely a standalone story that can be read in isolation.

Now the opening of this book is quite dramatic. It sets the scene for what comes to pass and it is fair to say that, once you have read it, you will automatically be on high alert. The killer in this case is no surprise to us as readers, the full circumstances of why they choose to do what they are doing may be. Although It's true that I've come to expect the unexpected in this series, and given Kate's own past, it is actually a very fitting way to take the series to the next level. It's tragic and emotional, but no excuse for what happens, and not something that the team are easily able to connect to the vicious, seemingly unconnected and almost clinical nature of the killings they are asked to investigate. It puts Kate and the team very much in the spotlight, and potentially gives those who want to see Kate's downfall, the ammunition they need to end her once and for all.

I really like Kate as a character. Yes she's a woman who is really on the edge, often battling with her conscience in pursuit of the truth, and there are many quirks to her character which give us, as readers, and her colleagues, pause for thought, but she is very likeable in spite of this. Her dedication to her job is never in question, although her private obsessions do prove to be often distracting and there is an element of her character which is in absentia this time around and it is really making a mark. That whole question over who she can trust, who is for or against her, is really brought front and centre over the course of the case, with surprising revelations throughout the book, If you know, you know. If you don't ... well start at book one and it will all be clear.

The book is packed with tension and emotion. There are scenes which are borderline uncomfortable, when you wonder if the author really has the darkness within to take the story where it appears to be heading. Whether she does, whether Carol Wyer is that twisted, you'll have to read to find out, but there were many moments when I felt my heart rate increase and I had that edge of the seat tension that I love in her books. Perhaps it is that question of 'can I really do this' that is reflected in the perpetrator of the crimes, that inner conflict and turmoil that prevents them from becoming a completely irredeemable character and amplifies the emotional impact of the crimes that are committed.

I have loved getting to know Kate and the team over the course of the three books, and seeing the development of Emma and Morgan, getting to know a bit more about each of them, has really added to the story. I like the camaraderie, and perhaps more, between the pair. They complement each other and they are fiercely loyal to Kate, even in her most abstract moments. Even Jamie shows another side to his character this time around which will only serve to make the next in the series an even more interesting prospect. And then there is profiler Samuel. It's fair to say he's a somewhat unusual character, although perhaps exactly what I'd expect in this particular team. Even by their standards though he's kind of out there and gives more reason than most for us to cast a sceptical and perhaps accusing eye his way.

This is another great addition to the series with an absolutely dynamite ending. Quite where Carol Wyer is likely to take us all next I do not know, but I'm damned sure I'll be going along for the ride.