I’d like to thank Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘A Soul For A Soul’, book five in the Detective Kate Young series written by Carol Wyer, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Following her shooting of Superintendent John Dickson, a member of a criminal syndicate that infiltrated the police force and who she was trying to bring to justice, and the killing of her friend and mentor DCI William Chase, DCI Kate Young is searching for a document giving the names of the syndicate’s members, but she doesn’t know where it is or if it even exists. Meanwhile, Acting DI Emma Donaldson is heading a team to find the person responsible for the death of Leah Fairbrother and attacks on several other women by drugging them with the lethal narcotic known as Devil’s Breath.

‘A Soul For A Soul’ is in my opinion the most brilliant and gripping book of the series and so exciting I couldn’t help myself but continue reading well into the early hours. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed involving myself with Kate, Emma, Scott and Morgan, whose individual characters gel making them an exceptionally strong team with the ability to catch the villains, albeit risking their own lives in the process. There’s a huge amount of suspense, intrigue and nail-biting twists and turns with the tension increasing the further I’ve got into the story, and a conclusion that was so unexpected it made me gasp with surprise. This is a totally addictive thriller that ends on a cliffhanger – will it be the final book in the series? I hope not but I’ll have to wait for the next wonderful book by this very talented author to find out.

A Soul for a Soul is the fifth book in the Detective Kate Young series by Carol Wyer. In this book, Kate Young is haunted by the voices of the dead, especially her mentor William and her nemesis Dickson, who plays an active interest in her ongoing life, the voices playing on her good and bad consciousness.

Detective Kate has to relook at her earlier cased close and find out if the rest of the syndicate members are still around, as been brought to her notice, or is it a case of trying to shift blame onto others.

The book is fast-paced and full of interesting. The character of Kate Young is a complex and compelling protagonist, who struggles with her guilt, trauma, and anger, but also shows courage, compassion, and resilience.

I enjoyed reading A Soul for a Soul and I recommend this book to fans of crime thrillers, police procedurals, and Carol Wyer's previous works.

Another brilliant crime thriller from Carol Wyer.
I couldn’t wait to read this book to find out what happened next to Kate after the photos were left on her desk.
We start the book with Kate being promoted and Emma taking over her old role. Kate still wants to be involved so joins Emma when a dead woman’s body is found at a building site.
Kate lets Emma lead on the case as she’s tied up trying to find the identities of those in the syndicate and comes across a few surprises.
This is a great read and I’d highly recommend this series.
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this book.

A Soul for a Soul is a good continuation of the Detective Kate Young Series. Kate is dealing with her inner demons stemming from the events in the last book. In this story, she's caught up with in finding answers about her investigation into former Superintendent John Dickson and therefore is distracted with the current murder investigation that is now being headed by DI Emma Donaldson. While I didn't mind that Emma and her team make up more than half of this new installment in the series, I really missed the connection Kate made me with as a reader and it felt a little disappointed. Carol Wyer's writing is exceptional as ever and I hope continuing forward, we get back to making Kate the center of the investigations.

Book 5 in the Detective Kate Young series and whilst it could be read as a stand-alone there are a number of ongoing threads and I would recommend reading the series from the start. Kate is still up against the syndicate; after killing one of the top cops and disposing of the body, her godfather, and also a syndicate member (although he told her he had joined to expose the group members) was murdered. As always this is a well written fast paced novel with a number of threads which all tie up nicely.

Briefly, Kate is investigating the syndicate on the quiet when the officer awaiting trial for killing her godfather contacts her and says she was framed. Although sceptical Kate agrees to look into her claims. Meanwhile her mentee DI Emma Donaldson and her team are investigating two murders that Emma thinks may be connected unaware that the killer is taking a keen interest in her! Emma’s partner DI Morgan Meredith, is part of Operation Moonbeam, an investigation into a people trafficking ring. However, things aren’t going well and it’s affecting their relationship.

Kate is a great character, a great police officer and very dedicated. However, traumatised by her husband’s murder, then killing a corrupt officer and now her godfather being murdered has seriously affected her mental health. She no longer hears her husbands voice but both the murdered officer and her godfather ‘speak’ to her all the time and now she is talking back to them, and has nearly been caught out a few times. With all the red herrings it’s really difficult to know just who you can trust, I kept switching my chief suspects! A very enjoyable read and I wonder where Kate will go next, she’s a wonderful character and it would be sad to say goodbye forever.

4.5⭐️

DCI Kate Young has long been on the trail of discovering her husband Chris’s murderer, but now she is avidly covering up the death of Superintendent John Dickson. While it is true that she shot Dickson but has reasons for covering it up. His voice is constantly ringing in her ears. Meanwhile, Kate has a new promotion due to the death of DCI William Chase. Losing William has left a huge void in Kate’s life. Feeling bereft, her workplace brings her great sadness. His voice is also in her head, leading her to imagined conversations.

Operation Moonbeam is afoot. Can Kate and her team expose the corruption in the police force, while also trying to stop a group of human traffickers? With DI Harriet Khartri having been charged with William’s murder, Kate could possibly move on. Awaiting trial for those charges, Harriet appeals to Kate for help. Kate doesn’t like or even trust Harriet much, her rival, but she digs deep into the case.

Beyond helping Harriet, Kate’s real goal to go expose the corrupt syndicate in the police department. Kate is desperate to find the ever elusive Digger, a man who witnessed Dickson’s death. With everything going on, Kate hardly knows who to trust she knows that someone who works with her is part of the syndicate. Could it be someone closer than she imagined?

One of Kate’s team members, Emma, is experiencing her own drama. Aside from being in a relationship with Morgan, a fellow police officer, she is on the hunt for a double murderer. For Emma and Morgan, there is trouble in their relationship. Then, the killer has a perspective in this novel, someone who is driven by emotional blindness.

With intense drama, palpable tension, and an intriguing storyline, this latest book in the Detective Kate Young series was yet another compelling read by Carol Wyer. Every book is just as good as the all the others, and Ms. Wyer’s writing shows incredible talent. But...the cliffhanger?! I certainly hope we have not seen the last of Kate.

Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

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

Kate Young is now DCI after her mentor and father-figure William Chase was killed. She misses him greatly as she does her murdered husband, Chris. Kate is also full of guilt over a death she played a role in, that of Superintendent John Dickson. DI Harriet Khatri, who is awaiting trial for William's murder, contacts Kate proclaiming her innocence. She believes evidence was tampered with and begs Kate to look into it. Kate is also doing her own separate investigation after receiving anonymous photographic evidence implicating her. She is determined to take the syndicate down and stop them once and for all.

Now Emma Donaldson is promoted to DI and takes on the investigation after a woman's body is found on the site of a new housing development. The case becomes that of a serial murderer/robber who incapacitates his victims with a powerful narcotic called Devil’s Breath and then robs them. The investigation is complicated by people withholding the truth from her. Emma's life partner, DI, Morgan Meredith, is involved with Operation Moonbeam into people trafficking. Their relationship is under a lot of stress because they are both so busy.

There are two complicated investigations being conducted in this well-paced procedural. Following Emma as she takes on the position of Acting DI is very compelling and satisfying. Although I have read one previous book in the series, it is clear that following the entire series in the order which it is written would be preferable for those interested in it.

What pulled this novel down for me were the two voices talking to Kate in her head, William and Dickson, and her replying to them. This was overdone, distracting, and quit frankly, a bit disturbing. Think about it, she is hearing voices in her head frequently and sometimes replies to them verbally. The plot device of her auditory hallucinations is likely being used to show how she has been traumatized and is under great stress, but it felt way too overused to me and became disconcerting.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
he review will be published on Edelweiss, X, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

A Soul for A Soul is the latest instalment in the Detective Kate Young series. As well as the ongoing ‘syndicate’ plot line, there’s also a spate of attacks on women as Kate’s colleague Emma is chasing down a double murderer. The two plots work well alongside each other and certainly keep you guessing. This is a fast paced novel that had me hooked from the start. Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer and the author for the chance to review.

A Soul for a Soul is book 5 in the Detective Kate Young Series. I have read the previous books and enjoyed them all. This one is fast paced and twisty and in my opinion the best book of the series yet.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my ARC.

The books in Carol Wyer's Kate Young series are always entertaining and well written, and A Soul For A Soul is no exception. There are two main plot strands here, one involving Kate herself and involving past events in which she was closely involved, and a current crime which is investigated by her second in command and the team. The personal lives of all the principal characters are interesting and involving, but I find the technique of Kate being spoken to by her late husband, her previous boss and a bent cop, both now deceased, frankly irritating.

Number 5 in the Kate Young series and probably the best. I say probably because, with an author like Carol Wyer, there is always scope for an even better read next time around. This is a truly excellent read. There is a lot going on and while possibly not essential, you will get so much more out of this if you have read the previous books in the series. Kate still reeling from the death of her mentor William really does not know where to turn and the internal dialogues in her head with Chris, Dickson and now William too, are taking their toll, as is adjusting to her new role.
Alongside we follow the main plot where newly promoted Emma is in charge of her first case as an acting DI, that of the murder of a young woman, who on first inspection has no obvious injuries such is the clever and unusual cause of her demise. I read a lot of murder mysteries and I've never come across this cause of death before, it's a credit to the author for finding something so original.
The plots brilliantly collide, the subplot is, again very cleverly, wrapped up, and everyone walks off into the sunset, or do they?……..
Can't wait to see what happens next to Kate

A Soul for a Soul by Carol Wyer, purportedly the final instalment in the series, attempts to tie up the elusive syndicate storyline that has lingered throughout the preceding books. While there are moments of intrigue and resolution, the overall execution left me somewhat unsatisfied.
The narrative predominantly revolves around Kate's relentless pursuit of answers, notably regarding the mysterious figure, Digger, and a search of Williams's house. Unfortunately, the plot seemed to meander in repetitive circles, with Kate engaging in similar actions without significant progress. This repetitive structure created a sense of frustration, making the reading experience less engaging than anticipated.
A noteworthy subplot involves Emma's investigation, which held promise but concluded with a rather underwhelming outcome—a damp squib, to be precise. The lacklustre resolution to this side story contributed to my disappointment with the overall narrative.
The conclusion to the syndicate storyline, which I had eagerly anticipated, also failed to deliver the anticipated impact. Instead of going out all guns blazing, the ending felt subdued and left me yearning for a more dynamic and compelling resolution.
As the supposed final chapter in Kate's journey, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief upon finishing the book. The lingering question now is whether Kate has genuinely fulfilled her purpose and whether there is anything more she could bring to the table in future instalments. I hope that, if there are to be further developments, a fresh perspective and renewed vigour be brought to the series.

I missed the beginning of the series but this book does ok as a stand alone. This book kept me up at night reading so I could find out what happened next. I love these type of books and the authors way of keeping you gripped on the pages is amazing to the very end

I think I've skipped a book in this series, but it apparently didn't matter. I found this book to be a page turner in that it stopped me being annoyed at the all night racket next door as I was so involved in the plot (so must be good!). The characters are easy to like and believable. I had my suspicions about certain people which proved correct, but there were still plenty of twists. The ending has me wanting the next book to see what Kate decided.

This is book 5 in the series and is best read in order.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC

I have absolutely loved this series from the beginning and A Soul For A Soul does nothing to change that. In this novel, Kate Young is now a Detective Chief Inspector, and whilst that means she's not at the coal face of the juicy investigations so much, it does give her the opportunity to focus on the investigation that's been running through the whole series, and that's arguably more tense and exciting than the murder investigation in this novel. However, this means that this novel is unsuitable to be read as a standalone, but you should absolutely go back and start the series from the beginning because it's fantastic.

The detectives who were previously members of her team, Emma Donaldson and Morgan Meredith, are now acting Detective Inspectors and I loved the opportunity to see how they managed their own team and flourished as a result of being mentored by Kate. Emma and Morgan's relationship has also developed over the series and I was interested to see how this would work out too.

With every novel Carol Wyer writes, the plotting becomes more complex and intelligent, and although it keeps me on my toes, I absolutely love it as I try and work out the answers before the detectives. The investigation in A Soul For A Soul showcases a particularly unusual method and I was really gripped by it. The underlying plot is also complex, especially as Carol Wyer includes the voices in Kate's head as part of the narrative, more so in this instalment than previous ones, and I really hoped that Kate would be able to resolve this.

If you read my blog regularly, you will know that I absolutely love a twist and A Soul For A Soul has one that made my head spin!

Okay. Before we begin, I will just clear one thing up. There is often a debate about series books and whether you need to start from the beginning. For this series, absolutely. The previous two books at the very least as there is a wapping great spoiler for them at the very heart of this book (and in the blurb to be fair) and as this book kind of brings an end, more or less, to the series story arc, even I - the great shirker of tradition and series etiquette - say start from book one. You'll appreciate the whole story more if you do. Right. That's the housekeeping done with.

Well, what a book. Carol Wyer has pulled another blinder with A Soul for a Soul, keeping the team, and readers, on their toes with a very complex case, and Kate Young more than a touch distracted in her quest to find the sender of a mystery message before it derails her career and her freedom. The murder investigation actually allows acting Emma Donaldson a chance to take centre stage in her first real case as Acting DI. The body of a woman is found buried in at new building site, someone who was reported missing just three weeks earlier. There are some very obvious suspects in the case, her husband for one, but, as always, we, the reader, know better. Maybe.

What I like about this series is the way that the author intersperses the main investigation with scenes from the perpetrators point of view. In this case it is some who has a very personal connection to one of the team, and a total lack of remorse for what they have done. We do get some insight into their personality, although their identity is kept very carefully hidden until near the end of the book. Knowing that we are watching them, watching their future victims adds a real chill to the narrative and increases the jeopardy that is felt as their make their approach. We may not always get the opportunity to know the victims in this case, with one notable exception, but there is something so very clinical about the act that it makes its mark regardless.

I do really like Kate Young as a character. She is more than a little broken - I'm being nice here - and the events of the past four books really do take their toll this time around. She is a woman under pressure which manifests itself in rather worrying ways, but Carol Wyer has managed to make this part of her character so natural, so part of her identity, that her slip into melancholy and nostalgia are seamless. In fact, there is a lot of transition between present day and the memories of a number of characters, sometimes used to fill in gaps in our knowledge, sometimes to mislead, but the transition between the scenes works well and movers the story onward. As for the sider team, it is great to see Emma in a starring role as she is a very capable and positive character. I liked her pairing with her new DS, Scott Hart, and they really worked well as a team. it's not easy seeing a new work dynamic part way through a series but this pairing works well, a testament to the authors skill that I was so quickly invested in this new partnership.

Her partner in life, and former partner in crime fighting, Morgan, is one a team trying to crack a trafficking ring and this does lead to some friction between the pair. It was interesting to see how the author played this, especially with how much was at stake for them for differing reasons. Jamie Webster is still on the scene as well, working along side Morgan on Operation Moonbeam. This is a less harmonious pairing, but reflective of the ongoing tension and division at the heart of the series.

the book is split between the murder investigation and Kate's ongoing quest to end the corruption within the Force. That comes to a head in this book, exposing the final secrets and with some shocking revelations to boot. What that means for the future, especially for Kate given everything she has done to find the truth, remains to be seen. With the final quarter of the book a mixture of tension, apprehension and surprises, it fairly powers along to a finale which is not quite as cut and dried as you might expect. I'm not sure what comes next, but A Soul For A Soul is another cracker of a read that brings closure to certain elements of the story arc, whilst leaving questions in others. Prepare to be kept on edge, prepare to be shocked. Most of all, prepare to be thoroughly entertained. Definitely recommended for fans of the series.

I find it more and more difficult to immerse into the world of Kate Young and her hearing voices thingy. I understand she went through a lot of trauma, but the constant paranoia isn't relatable anymore, not much makes sense and it was quite hard to get to the end of this book.

I've somehow missed this series- and likely would have enjoyed this more had I read the earlier books. That said, it's a fast paced and twisty tale of secrets, corruption, and determination. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

This was a good story which kept me turning the pages throughout the night. Great mystery, writing and plotting will recommend to all my friends who love this genre.