Another riveting read in the Kate Young series! Imo Carol can write no wrong. As always you are gripped from page one and will find yourself flying through the book. Can't wait to see what's to come.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Is this the end of an era.
This book draws a line under the ongoing story that has run through the previous 4 books, but leaves the door open form more of Kate Young.
Like the others it is seat of your pants reading and absolutely compulsive.

A SOUL FOR A SOUL is the fifth book in the Detective Kate Young Series by award-winning author of mystery and romance novels, Carol Wyer. Having enjoyed reading some of her other series; Detective Robyn Carter and Detective Natalie Ward, I was looking forward to continuing with this new detective series. This book can be read as a standalone, but these books are better read in order for clarity in the storyline of the continuing personal investigation by Kate into her investigative journalist husband, Chris’ murder.

The novels in the Detective Kate Young Series Include:
Book 1-An Eye For An Eye (2021)
Book 2-A Cut For A Cut (2021)
Book 3-A Life For A Life (2022)
Book 4-A Truth For A Truth (2023)
Book 5-A Soul For A Soul (2024)

This is my review of A Soul For A Soul.

In Book 1 DI Kate Young had been on leave after suffering a traumatic experience. She’s the force’s best detective, but suffered from nightmares and her bosses knew she was under pressure, on medication and booze to overcome the trauma. Kate was still grieving the loss of her husband, Chris, who was murdered by a hitman. Her boss, Superintendent John Dickson placed her on mandatory sick leave, after a breakdown on a train.

A few months later, Kate’s friend and friend of her late father, DCI William Chase comes to tell her that her boss wants her back at work, to hunt down a serial killer. Kate accepted the offer and chose two of her fellow officers from her old team, DS Morgan Meredith (dedicated worker that had worked closely on several tough cases in the past) and DS Emma Donaldson (an expert in marital arts).

Then in Book 2, A Cut For A Cut, DI Kate Young and her team are called to a crime scene where a woman had been brutally raped, and dumped. There are few clues and no suspects.

Then in Book 3, A Life For A Life, DI Kate Young is still grieving the death of her husband and running the major crimes department. All the while she is trying to finish the work that her husband was doing to take down corruption in the force. Kate believes that her corrupt boss, superintendent John Dickson, was behind the murder of her husband, Chris, and is gathering evidence to bring down her boss.

Then in Book 4, A Truth For A Truth DI Kate Young. Kate confronts her evil boss
Superintendent John Dickson, and accidentally shoots and kills him. Now she must cover her tracks to avoid arrest. Dickson is reported missing and Kate is assigned to the case to investigate possible corruption.

Now in Book 5, things have changed since the last book and Kate is now. DCI after her boss, mentor and friend William is murdered. Kate must take down the syndicate. Even though DCI Kate Young never meant to shoot Superintendent John Dickson at the reservoir…it was no loss as he was a corrupt cop and head of the syndicate.

Kate must expose the rest of the corrupt officers. DI Harriet Khatri, awaiting trial for the murder William, Kate’s mentor, claims she was framed by Dickson’s syndicate.

Meanwhile, DI Emma Donaldson finds herself on the hunt for a double murderer―a man who incapacitates his victims with a powerful narcotic called Devil’s Breath.

This was a fast paced, well-written police procedural novel, full of action, mystery and suspense.

Many thanks to the author, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for my digital copy.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

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

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Carol Wyer, Thomas & Mercer publishers and Zooloos Book Tours.

Publication date 30th January 2024

This is the eighth book I have read by this author. It is also the fourth book in the 'DI Kate Young' series and although I have read the first book called 'An Eye For An Eye', the second book called 'A Cut For A Cut', the third book 'A Life For A Life' and the fourth book called 'A Truth For A Truth'. I would highly recommended them all, they can also be read as a standalone but I would recommend reading them in order to get the most of the storyline and the characters. I have also previously Carol's 'Detective Natalie Ward' series which I would also highly recommend.


This novel consists of 26 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!


OMG!!!! YET 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.


Carol, Carol, Carol!!! What on Earth are you doing to me woman!!! I mean, seriously, with this being your 30TH BOOK (CONGRATULATIONS) you'd think I would start to suspect your bombshells, twists and work everything out by now but you just keep bringing more and more amazing, unique and addictive storylines out over and over again!!! How?!?! You are a crime queen!!!


This book (well every book in this amazing series really) is extremely fast paced and absolutely 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, shocks, excitement, tension, suspense and so so much more!! You could NOT get any better than this. As always with Carol's fantastic books I just could not put it down!! There was no point lying to myself and saying one more chapter as there was no chance at all and I completely devoured it in one sitting!! I mean a bomb could have gone off and I probably wouldn't have noticed I was so absorbed in the storyline!! 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 always. Carol's writing and descriptions are so evocative I really felt I was right next to Kate throughout. Reading this book really does make you feel that you are standing with her and going through her stress, panic, struggles and so much more. The descriptions are perfect as is the atmosphere. Carol's fantastic and evocative writing skills makes everything and everyone come to life in front of your eyes ensuring you see and feel everything the characters are and THAT is what a truly talented author does!! Carol has absolutely blown my mind and slam dunked it. Again, as always with Carol the ending is epic but it makes me sad to think that this is possible the last we will see of Kate but I know even if it is that Carol will come out with more characters that we love or love to hate in her next books, bit hopefully it isn't lol! I just can't wait to read whatever comes out of this amazing woman's imagination!!! Absolutely loved it!!

Although this is the fifth book in the series I would have had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader. However, I would recommend that you read these amazing books in order to get the most of the storylines and characters.

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 along with new ones!! 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 especially with her now not only putting up with hearing deceased Dickinson's voice but she has started imitating it herself involuntarily, alongside deceased Williams on top of it like an angel and demon. Emma is another strong woman who I really enjoyed meeting again and getting to know more abut her. I am absolutely landed to see her moving up to acting DI, along with Morgan, and getting to see them both playing larger roles and seeing more of them as they are both fantastic characters. I have always hated superintendent John Dickson and even dead he is still driving me mad by hearing his sneering antagonistic voice in Kates and unfortunately (and thanks to Carol's amazing writing skills) in my head too!! I've said it before and I'll say it again, 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 I am devastated that this may have been the last time but I am holding out a sliver of hope that it won't be, only time and Carol's talent will tell!!! I am meant to be shortening my reviews which I have failed at here but it's entirely Carol's fault as her books are so amazing I could go on and on about them but I will leave this here and let you grab a copy and meet her amazing characters yourself!!


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 as I just could not put it down!!!!

Congratulations Carol on yet 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!!!


381 pages.

This book is just £3.99 to purchase on kindle, free with kindle unlimited and £6.99 in paperback via Amazon (during time of review) which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

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The latest episode in the series about Kate Young. After the deaths of high ranking officers Kate and her team, Emma and Morgan have been promoted. In this book all three are following different avenues of enquiry , the main crime detailed is the deaths of women who are found without their valuables.
Kate is involved with a couple of different investigations, searching for members of a corrupt syndicate within the force, helping a colleague who believes she has been framed for the murder of William and covering her own tracks after what happened in the previous episode.
I liked the multiple points of view and investigations. The tension builds up between Emma and Morgan . Kate seems to be unravelling a little though and her investgation dragged on a little too much for me . The "voices" do add to the idea that she is becoming unwell and mixed up about what happened but I thought that they were a little too much at times in the book. You do need to have read the previous episode to be able to put this storyline into context . A good read, is this the end of Kate's police career ?
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchgange for an honest review

This is another excellent read in the Detective Kate Young series. The parallel story lines worked really well and the developing characterisation is excellent. I do feel Kate needs some time off though before she has a breakdown! I would recommend beginning with the first book in the series for background information. There are plenty twists and turns, lots of action and the ending is a cliffhanger This is a 5* read which left me wanting more and I do hope I don't have long to wait until book 6! Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Another riveting read in the Kate Young series! This fifth installment keeps up the pace with some interesting revelations. Bring on #6!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC!

Really enjoyed this series with DCI Kate Young and this final book did not disappoint. Had me gripped until the last page. Highly recommend this series.

This is the fifth book in the Kate Young series and it is not a stand alone. However, it is such a brilliant series starting from book one is not a problem. I am in fact quite sad to have finished what may be the final book in the series. Or will it? Carol Wyer strikes again with another epic finale.

DCI Kate Young is still on her quest to track down the members of a corrupt, murderous syndicate, acting within the police force. As she struggles with her mental health she still manages to edge closer to finding out who is involved and bring them to justice. I love the voices that Kate hears. The vicious, undermining voice of Superintendant John Dickson, the man she accidently killed and then covered up his death. Her conscience certainly won’t let her escape from his voice. Then there is the calm, reasoned voice of her murdered mentor and surrogate father DCI William Chase, who is encouraging her from beyond the grave. She depended on him during his life and still depends on him after his death. Both of them feeding her very different stories and advice. Will she ever hear the voice of her dead husband Chris again? Running parallel to this, Acting DI Emma Donaldson is trying to bring a cunning killer to justice. This is Emma’s first case so she is determined to do well and not get distracted by problems in her new relationship with Morgan Meredith, who is struggling with his first big case and worries that not everyone on his team can be trusted. Will Emma succeed in tracking down her killer before he strikes again, maybe this time closer to home? Will Morgan finally bring the people traffickers to justice or will the traitor in his team sabotage his efforts?

This is another winner from Carol Wyer. It’s wonderful catching up with some old faces, wondering who can be trusted, will Kate succeed or die? Alongside is a bit of romance and a solid who dunnit.

A Soul for a Soul (Detective Kate Young book 5) by Carol Wyer is a very good book and addition to the series.

The story's premise is that DCI Kate Young never meant to shoot Superintendent John Dickson at the reservoir that night. But now Kate has photographic evidence that someone else knows her terrible secret.

Tormented by guilt and the voices of the dead, Kate is desperate to unmask the rest of the corrupt officers before her own sins catch up with her. When DI Harriet Khatri, awaiting trial for the murder of Kate's mentor, claims she was framed by Dickson's syndicate, Kate reluctantly agrees to help find answers.

Meanwhile, DI Emma Donaldson finds herself hunting for a double murderer.

First, I really like Kate and that she is determined, demands justice at any price, and is driven. She's a bit of a loner and doesn't have many friends. Emma is a great character, and I would love to see more of her in future books or even a spinoff to her own series. I liked her determination and how she thought about her cases. At first, I was pretty skeptical about her boyfriend, fellow detective Morgan, but it made sense once information was unraveled throughout the storyline.

I love the line in the book about "curtain twitchers," those lookie-loos that watch a crime scene from their home.

I enjoyed A Soul for a Soul and this author's writing style; it was crisp and not too much detail to bog down the story. The only negative was Kate second-guessing herself or continually talking about who she could trust and where she would find the sheet of information William left. That got to be a bit too much.

The person who turned out to be the culprit was not even on my radar. Now, I have to wait for the next book, as the story left a bit of a cliffhanger. I am looking forward to seeing what will happen with Kate and the rest of the team.

I would recommend this book, this series, and this author.

#ASoulforaSoul #NetGalley @AmazonPub

The fourth book in the Detective Kate Young series ended with a dramatic cliffhanger which saw Kate’s freedom hanging in the balance, and book five picks up right where it left off. Her confrontation with Superintendent John Dickson didn’t go as planned and she is now left trying to keep her part in his death a secret while also trying to track down the person who witnessed it. Unable to turn to her mentor, William, after he was also killed, Kate feels more alone than ever, is struggling with her guilt, and tormented by the voices of the dead. But she is determined to finally expose the corrupt syndicate once and for all. Meanwhile, DI Emma Donaldson is on the hunt for a killer. Two women have been incapacitated and killed by the powerful drug Devil’s Breath and Emma must find their killer before they strike again.

This book was one wild ride! Showcasing Carol Wyer’s masterful storytelling, cunning plotting, surprising twists, and compelling characters, the parallel storylines don’t give us a moment to catch our breath. There’s a pervading sense of mistrust and unease and like the characters I had no idea who was friend and who was foe, leaving me suspicious of everyone, while the familiarity and connection that comes with reading a series helped raise the tension as I tried to predict if a much-loved character really was part of the corrupt syndicate. The murder investigation did feel secondary to the corruption investigation at times but that didn’t make it any less intricate or fascinating. In fact, this is one of my favourite methods of murder Carol has written yet. Then there’s the chapters written from the killer’s perspective. These were chilling, sending shivers down my spine as he hunted his victims. And as he puts a member of the team in his crosshairs the stakes get higher, keeping me on the edge of my seat until the dramatic finale.

Kate Young is a brilliant character and I have enjoyed seeing her mental health struggle portrayed in such a realistic way. Her grief has also been authentic and we’ve seen her go through the various stages that come with losing someone we love. She’s been through more in a few years than some experience in a lifetime, so her PTSD and mental health issues are to be expected. Though I will admit to being surprised and torn as she shifted to being the kind of person she’s always despised in the last book and her battle between those two sides of herself is fascinating to read. In this book she continues to unravel as the guilt eats at her and her grip on reality becomes increasingly tenuous as the voices of the dead refuse to leave her in peace. What was once the comforting voice of her late husband has now become an angel and demon on her shoulders that leave her torn between covering her tracks and delivering the justice she still believes in.

While I found it strange at first that Kate’s promotion means she’s not as involved in the investigations, I did come to appreciate that this allowed other characters the chance to shine. DI Emma Donaldson and her boyfriend, DI Morgan Meredith feature more prominently in this instalment and I really enjoyed seeing more of them. The couple have recently moved in together and both been promoted, with Emma leading the double murder investigation. Their relationship is impacted by these changes and they face a number of personal and professional challenges and dilemmas over the course of the book that felt relatable and real.

Gritty, sinister, and suspenseful, A Soul For A Soul is an adrenaline-filled thriller that I highly recommend.

A Soul For A Soul is the fifth and final? installment in the Detective Kate Young series, and it proves once again why Carol Wyer is a master at the police procedural genre. Book four ended with a shocking death and a huge cliffhanger that threatened Kate’s freedom, and this one picks right after, with Kate at her breaking point under the weight of all her past actions.

After the murder of her mentor, Kate Young, now promoted to DCI, receives a plea of help from his alleged killer, DI Harriet Khatri, claiming she was framed by the syndicate Kate’s being trying to uncover since her husband’s murder. Reluctantly she agrees to help in the hope of finding answers. Meanwhile DI Emma Donaldson is on the hunt of a killer that incapacitates women with a powerful narcotic. Trying to prove herself to her boss, she’ll catch up the killer’s attention, putting her own life in danger.

Kate’s journey all throughout the series has been full of ups and downs, and the way her mental health has been portrayed has been pretty realistic, going through all the different grief stages. She’s such a complex character. The downward spiral she has gone through in the last couple of installments turned her into a pretty unreliable character. Not only she doubted herself and her own sanity, but it comes a point where the reader doesn’t know either if they can really trust her. It was so interesting seeing her deal with her guilt while trying to do justice at the same time.

The voices in her head contribute to create this climate of distrustfulness, with Dickson and Chase’s voices acting like an angel and a demon sitting on her shoulders but, in my opinion, it all became a bit too much, with several similar scenes that turned out a bit repetitive.

DI Emma Donaldson and DI Morgan Meredith stepped up to the plate this time, gaining a greater prominence in the story, leading their own investigations and coming into their own. Their new roles will also have an impact into their personal relationship, raising some interesting questions about the strain in the couple when their professional roles change.

The case Emma investigates was quite intriguing, although I guessed the culprit right from the start. The way this case runs parallel to Kate’s own search of the officers implicated in the corrupt syndicate, gave the story a nice pace, not allowing for a single dull moment, with plenty of twists and turns.

Kate’s long journey into the dismantling of the syndicate that turned her life upside down seems to have come to an end but… has it? The last line leaves a door open so only time will tell if we’ve seen the last of DCI Kate Young.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I've read in this series and the part of the storyline regarding Kate and the syndicate was a little confusing until further into the story. The other part of the storyline centered around a couple women having been killed and the usage of a drug called Devil's Breath. I loved how there were sections from the point of view of the killer, the interactions between Emma's team members, and detailing of the police procedures. While there were a large number of side characters, I felt the author did a good job of giving enough detail so I didn't feel lost as to who they were. I understand the part that the "voices" played in Kate's action/decisions, but after a while it got to feeling a bit tedious. I was kept guessing to a certain degree to the end as to the mole.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

#ASoulforaSoul #NetGalley This is the 5th in the DI (DCI) Kate Young series and it really does help to have the background to the main characters and the events that happened although Carol does give a brief synopsis of events. There were lots of side plots to this story that kept me interested and engaged and I really enjoyed the twists and turns. Although I guessed early on who the killer was, the identity of Iota came as a complete shock. Another great read with a little bit of an unanswered question at the end as to what exactly Kate does next. I don't know if there are other books planned in this series but it would seem a good place to end it as I guess there are limits to how long Kate could "get away" with her previous actions.

A Soul for a Soul is book 5 in the Detective Kate Young series by Carol Wyer.
A great police procedural that I’ve enjoyed since the very beginning.
The plot was enthralling and as the story progressed the tension levels climbed and I was kept guessing till the fabulous ending.
The characters are complex but entertaining and I’ve grown to really love DI Kate Young.
A compelling and interesting story full of action, mystery and suspense.

Thank You NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Another fantastic instalment in the Detective Kate Young series. I have followed Kate’s story with my heart in mouth through many of the books and this was no exception.
The twists in this book were completely unexpected and so well planned out. It all fell into place in such a way that I couldn’t understand how I hadn’t foreseen the twists that occurred!

Highly recommended.

3.5 stars

A Soul for a Soul by Carol Wyer  is the fifth in the Detective Kate Young series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Thomas & Mercer, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


Series Background:    (Warning – Contains spoilers from previous books)
DI Kate Young witnessed the aftermath of a massive shooting on a train, which included her husband’s body. He was a journalist, hot on the trail of corruption.  Her boss, DCI William Case, was more of a father-figure and mentor, and he has recently been murdered.  They were both trying to figure out who in the police department are corrupt.   Kate accidentally killed Superintendent John Dickson, who was definitely corrupt, and actually confessed his part in the death of her husband.  Kate has hidden her crime,  but she thinks someone knows. She  had been hearing voices of her dead husband Chris, and now Case and Dickson have both added their voices.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Kate has recently been promoted to DCI, and she's not sure that she likes taking a backseat to crime, but it does give her more time to try and figure out who among her fellow police officers are part of the syndicate.   She also needs to find out who knows that she is the one who killed Dickson.

DI Emma Donaldson is searching for a man who is incapacitating his victims with a deadly narcotic.  So far two women have been found dead, but they start to wonder if there may be more.  It's Emma's first stab at being a DI, and she wants to prove herself to Kate,  but she may become reckless. She has recently moved in with her boyfriend,  fellow officer Morgan Meredith, who is running his own case against the human traffickers.  The pair are having issues.

When DI Harriet Khatri approaches Kate for help, Kate wants to say no.  Harriet is awaiting trial for the murder of Kate's mentor William Case, but she is insisting she is innocent.

Meanwhile, the voices in Kate's head are getting more vocal, and Kate is starting to fear for her sanity.


My Opinions:
Well, another police procedural series about corruption.  That's all I'm saying about the topic - which I hate.

This, however, really concentrated a lot on side-plots, and I definitely enjoyed them.  I didn't particularly like Emma and her relationship with Morgan.  She blamed him for everything.

At points I found myself skimming, as it was somewhat overly descriptive and repetitive. However, it had a major twist as to the identity of one of the syndicate, which I definitely did not see coming....I loved that!

Overall, it wasn't a bad book, but again, it had an ending which I didn't like.   The other thing that this series has going for it, is that they are relatively easy reads.   It looks like the next book will be more corruption, so I may not be quite as quick to pick it up.  But I've said that before...

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from . This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Detective Kate Young series really takes off at a furious pace, with plenty of emotional angst if you are rooting for Kate. I would definitely read this series in order. Kate has been working on investigating her husband's death and department corruption. Her mentor, William Chase was helping her but in the previous book he was murdered.

She has to be careful to keep investigating privately or the corrupt syndicate will try to murder her also. It takes her over the fine line of the law. She knows the corrupt are stacked against her and it takes all she has to combat them. Kate is guilty about things she has done to keep working on the investigation. She and her teams have constantly been thwarted in some investigations by a mole or moles.

Kate still struggles with her grief over losing her husband and now losing William. She hears voices in her head; infrequently her husband, more often the corrupt John Dickson or William Chase, as she investigates. I get tired of these internal conversations. The pacing seemed a bit slow at times.

She was promoted to William's position of DCI. She spends a lot of time tediously tracking down people who are hiding who have the information she needs or working with a technical friend on results to unmask who the mole and corrupt are.

Her two protégées Emma and Morgan have both been promoted to acting DIs. Emma is working on investigating a case of murders of women found without their jewelry, phones or purses which may all be related. Morgan is on the task force still trying to bring down the traffickers. Emma and Morgan are also in a personal relationship and are struggling to balance between the demanding job and personal time. We get some of Emma's point of view and also the killer.

Many of the story arcs from the beginning of the series are concluded in A Soul for a Soul. Kate is an excellent investigator and manager of teams. She needs to take a break to finally grieve after solving these cases. But is this the end of Kate's police career? And will there be more to the series?

A Soul for a Soul is the 5th book in the Detective Kate Young crime fiction series from Carol Wyer.

"DCI Kate Young is still reeling from her involvement with the death of Superintendent Dickson. Now she's hearing Dickson's voice and William's voice as she tries to bring down the Syndicate. And after a body was found buried at a new housing development, she's got her DC's trying to find the killer. Can she balance it all without losing her mind?"

Wyer finally gives us some final answers (sort of) after five books. Kate is still unsure of who she can trust. And Wyer keeps it ambiguous do the reader doesn't know either. There is a final reckoning with the Syndicate so we find out some of the missing identities.
I like that Kate is not really involved in the case that her DC is working on. It works as a parallel story. DC Emma Donaldson is driven to be as meticulous as Kate had been. And is constantly trying to find balance in her time spent solving the case and her partner at home. Lots of tension there.
Wyer keeps you guessing all the way to the end and beyond. It'll be interesting to see what she has in mind for Future Kate. More good crime fiction from Wyer.

Where to even begin?

I have followed this series from the start so I'm familiar with Kate's flaws and foibles. Does she get on my nerves? A little. Especially with the constant monologuing with the dead William and Dickson. Chris' dialogue was enough but now we have her mentor and her nemesis to battle it out in her head!

OK, so if you haven't read any of the previous books, don't start this one until you have done so as the culmination of events and everything that went beforehand will make absolutely no sense. Some series you can pick up here and there and read without missing out on anything else. But this series is not one of them. In fact, the entire series hinges on Kate's relentless investigating into a corrupt syndicate involved in sex trafficking, drugs and murder - and that of the murder of her husband Chris. A syndicate compromised of corrupt police officers, some of whom were at senior level. It's like a series of "Line of Duty"...lol

Since the previous book, Kate has been promoted to DCI and taking the place of her mentor and friend William Chase who was brutally murdered by one of the syndicate, DI Harriet Khatri. Harriet, however, is protesting her innocence loudly though no one is listening. Least of all Kate who was not her biggest fan in the first place. But Harriet calls on Kate with a special request...but how will Kate react?

Since Kate's promotion, it has left room for her previous position as DI open as well as Harriet's also, since she now sits under house arrest with strict bail conditions awaiting trial for William's murder. And so Kate handpicks her two DS's, Emma and Morgan, to step into the Acting DI role until they can take their Inspector's exams.

Emma's first big case comes along investigating a killer who maims his victims with a psychoactive drug, leaving no trace in their systems. Or so he thought. It seems he is cockier than he is clever. But will he outsmart Emma before she can uncover the truth?

Meanwhile, Morgan has been tasked to Operation Moonbeam who are investigating the people trafficking and with a mole in their midst, Morgan is feeling frustrated with the slow progress, despite months of work. And it's affecting his home life with Emma.

On top of it all, Kate must maintain a professional integrity in overseeing her teams but she misses being in the thick of the investigation. But under the mantle of DCI she is also able to continue looking further into the syndicate and its remaining members, and attempt to bring it all down once and for all.

Then just when you think that's the end of it...Wyer delivers those final lines. Is this the end? Or is it not?

I admit to having further suspicions but in hindsight, I'd like this to be the end for Kate. To sit back and relax and just let it all go. To remain and continue digging would just be tempting fate.

The twists are delivered with fervour in this story but alas, I could not be hoodwinked. I correctly figured two out of three. That last one had me surprised. But the identity of the killer nor the first of the remaining syndicate members revealed were not. Sorry (not sorry!).

This series is so different from Carol Wyer's others and I could see how it could be so all-encompassing, when she locks herself away in her office for hours on end leaving Mr Grumpy to fend for himself. I think I'd be exhausted with navigating all this!

Overall, an entertaining taut crime thriller that will have you turning the pages until the very end, and then leaving you scratching your head.

I would like to thank #CarolWyer, #Netgalley and #AmazonPub for an ARC of #ASoulForASoul in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.