It has been a while since I read and reviewed the first novel in this series which I thoroughly enjoyed. This second instalment was just as compelling as the first, so already I know this is a series I will follow avidly.

This police procedural features a strong policewoman, yet one with overflowing baggage and personal demons. These factors make her interesting and I enjoyed how her colleagues viewed her, some with caring concern, others with suspicion.

Yet again, Kate is trying her best to catch the perpetrator with a shockingly small team and very limited resources. In addition, Kate is unofficially conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her husband's death. Still grieving for Chris, Kate finds herself having conversations with him.

"She ought not to keep talking aloud to her imagined dead husband. It was bordering on madness..."

In this novel, Kate's estranged stepsister Tilly has returned from Australia with her young son, Daniel. Tilly's marriage has broken up and she has plans to move back home to England permanently. Years ago Tilly was brutally raped. Kate wants to reconnect with Tilly without dredging up her past trauma, but with Kate's current investigation, that is a tall order indeed.

The serial murders within the novel involved rape and torture, yet the scenes were not that uncomfortable to read due to Wyer's deft writing. With little to link the victims, the frustrations of the police team were palpable. The plotting was very clever and included great characterization. Misdirection and red-herrings slowed the narrative, much as a real-life police investigation would evolve.

Throughout the novel, Kate is battling her own demons, trying to solve a high-profile case, and wondering which of her superiors are trustworthy.

"A dirty copper had to be caught using dirty methods. She'd made her decision and would breach the rules and do whatever was necessary to punish Dickson, even though it meant she'd be abandoning the moral code she'd followed all her career."

This is a gritty police procedural series that I highly recommend reading in order, mostly because the corruption investigation in carried on from book to book.

The ending of this novel satisfactorily sewed up the investigation into the brutal rapes and murders, but again, the corruption investigation will be continued in the next book. I already have the third book in this series loaded on my Kindle. "A Cut for a Cut" was another brilliant crime thriller from the pen of Carol Wyer.

Highly recommended!

4.5 stars

DI Kate and her team investigate a series of gruesome murder - women are getting killed and the killer is leaving a message on their bodies!!
In parallel Kate is also working on the 1st case of sex workers and human trafficking that led to her husband Chris's death in the 1st installment of this series.

This is book 2 in the DI Kate Young series by Carol Wyer and to be honest you'd be better reading the first one before this, there's some important details within those pages. As always with a book by this author I struggled to put it down and in this case ended up with a very late night but it was worth it.

Kate is grieving the loss of her husband and is determined to find out why and as if that wasn't enough she was trying to investigate the murders of women. Her and the team were struggling till they have caught a much needed break.

Thanks to the author Ms Wyer, Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for this copy'

Apologies for the very late review.

I love a good gritty fast paced police procedural. I love this authors writing style. This book has the perfect amount of twists and turns.
An excellent read. Can’t wait for the next instalment

Book two in the DI Kate Young series. A good read even though there wasn’t much of a storyline. One thing I did find frustrating was Chris’s ‘Voice’ that Kate kept talking too, just felt it wasn’t really needed so it ruined it a bit for me. Saying that, I’m looking forward to the next one to hopefully find out the outcome of the Dickson storyline!!

I hesitate to give a review for books I can’t finish. This was sent to me by Netgalley on a kindle for review. It is character driven and difficult to read at times. Others might enjoy it, bit it is not for me.

This was a brilliantly gripping read. A fantastic sequel from the first book. The only minor issue I had is that the killers point of view gave the killer away far too early, I think eliminating the killers point of view would have made the reveal a lot more surprising. Looking forward to reading book 3!

DI Kate Young is back on the case in Carol Wyer’s dark, gritty and heart-clenching new thriller, A Cut for a Cut.

A serial murderer and rapist is wreaking havoc around Blithfield Reservoir and leaving a trail of mayhem and destruction in his wake. His calling card the word ‘MINE’ brutally carved into each one of his victims. DI Kate Young is tasked with catching this ruthless criminal, but it is an investigation that is going to be anything but easy. As Kate finds herself trying to do the impossible, she has to cope with the murder of one of her team who is found dead in a dumpster and her own personal demons. With corruption rampant in the force and Superintendent John Dickson a thorn in her side she is desperate to avenge, the odds are stacked against Kate at every turn.

At the back of her mind, Kate wonders what else she has to lose having already lost so much, but it is only when her stepsister reveals a shocking secret that she realises she might just have found the missing link she had been searching for. Desperate to find the necessary proof to close this case and put this mercenary murderer and rapist behind bars, Kate finds herself in a race against time where she will find herself battling not just dangerous criminals and police corruption, but something far more threatening: her own past.

With enemies round every corner and nobody to rely on, Kate will be pushed to her very limits. But will she triumph against all the adversity standing in her way? Or will she sink like a stone into the abyss and crumble under pressure?

Carol Wyer certainly knows how to pen a shocking and disturbing crime thriller that will have readers cowering under the bed covers and with A Cut for A Cut, she has penned a creepy chiller full of heart-stopping suspense and nerve-shredding tension packed with dizzying twists and turns guaranteed to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

In Kate Young, Carol Wyer has created a detective who is courageous, resilient and flawed. Her past, her worries and her insecurities are brilliantly woven into the plot making her seem very real to the reader.

Readers who like their crime thrillers fast-paced, hard-hitting and brilliantly plotted will love Carol Wyer’s latest, A Cut for A Cut.

I liked that the story remained fluid and stayed relatively fast moving.
Concerned that Kate Young will be still chasing her nemesis for too long.
Looking forward to the next one.

A Cut For A Cut starts quite swiftly after the conclusion of the first book in the series, An Eye For An Eye. Kate, DI Young is still clearly pursuing a case that she feels isn’t closed. The gist of this case is explained, so you will be able to read this book as a standalone, though reading the first book gives the reader deeper insight of this very personal mission.

Kate’s small team has increased by one new officer, a young DC called Jamie. They have a new case, a very disturbing rape and murder case.

The book is a reasonable police procedural, though I did solve the case extremely early in the story. I was really hoping there would be a twist that would prove me wrong, but sadly, there wasn’t.
I do read a lot of books within this genre, but I can’t be alone in guessing the plot, and spending the rest of the book being frustrated why the characters couldn’t see it. I’m afraid I won’t be reading any more in this series, due to the frustration in the ongoing back story case; and the cases being very transparent. I also feel that issues with regards to mental health are not handled sensitively, which really grated on me. Just 2⭐️⭐️ from me.

I can’t believe that I’ve forgotten to review this book even if I’ve read it almost a year ago. I’m really sorry. I loved every second of it. From start to finish I was enraptured by the plot and crimes and wanted to find out how it will be solved.
A must read series

Thank you so much to Emma at damppebbles and the author for a copy of the book with a request for an honest review.

A Cut for a Cut is the second book in the DI Young series. I hadn’t read the first instalment An Eye For An Eye before I got a place on the tour, but I did buy and read it prior to this book. A Cut For A Cut can certainly be read as a stand alone for the main crime, but there are recurring characters and references to the events in the first novel, so I would recommend reading the first book beforehand, just so you get the full experience and appreciate how fantastic the overarching storyline of this novel is.

A Cut For A Cut sees DI Kate Young investigate a series of rapes and murders in Staffordshire, while she also tries to investigate the corruption at the heart of the police force.

Most of the novel is from Kate’s POV, but there are other chapters which are flashbacks for multiple characters and also real-time events for other characters, particularly the perpetrator. I loved this style of plot as you were certainly the omniscient viewer to the events which made the whole book really exciting. I read it in about 36 hours – it was that engrossing!

Kate is an amazing character; I absolutely love her. She is bold, flawed, and incredibly talented. I have no idea how the police survive on so little sleep! I thought that her character was exceptionally well written.

The book had plenty of action but it never felt overwhelming and the pace was excellent. The climactic ending rounded the book off really well but leaves the events open for more drama. This series reminds me of great crime TV like Line of Duty and Unforgotten. I could definitely see it being adapted by Jed Mercurio for the BBC!

It’s been a long time since I read a crime novel this brilliant and I cannot wait for the next book!

I'm a huge fan of a lead female detective series, which is why I was drawn to this title and this author from the get-go. This book did not disappoint. While I did read it without having read An Eye for an Eye, it stood strongly alone as well. I do plan to continue reading the remainder of the trilogy!

All I can really say about this book is that it truly left me on the edge of my seat, unsure as to what the next page would bring. I'd highly recommend it for fans of a mysterious whodunit-style novel!

#ACutforaCut #NetGalley Another superb book in this DI Kate Young series which is no more than I've come to expect from this author! Plenty of action from the start with many twists and turns to keep me guessing until the end. I like the fact that running alongside the murder case that Kate and her team are trying to solve, Kate has her own personal issues that she is trying to resolve concerning the death of her late husband. I am a bit late to the party to be reading this installment in the Kate Young series but i have now moved on to the next one - A life for a Life. Excellently written and a well deserved 5 stars!

While I hadn't realized this was a second book in a continuing series, I still enjoyed the twisty plot, the MC, and the rising tension. I always love it when heroines start out the book in a huge bind, at their lowest, and rise above it. Something about that troupe humanizes them for me, versus the frequent FBI thrillers where the female detectives are nothing but badasses cut from stone.

This book, delightfully, wasn't like that at all. As a lover of crime fiction and true crime, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves the genre, even not having read the first one.

*4 Stars*

Copy kindly received via NetGalley for an honest review.

This was another good instalment in this series. I did work out some of the connections earlier than I expected, but I liked following Kate and her team on this journey and piecing everything together in its entirety. Look forward to reading more from this series and author.

A CUT FOR A CUT is the second 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 (June 2021)
Book 3-A Life For A Life (Expected publication: March 15th 2022)

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 Chase comes to tell her that her boss wants her back at work, to hunt down a serial killer. Case 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).

Now 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.

A serial murderer and rapist leaves his calling card: the word ‘MINE’ carved into each of his victims.

DI Kate Young struggles to get the case moving—even when one of the team’s own investigators is found dead in a dumpster. At the same time, Kate is also privately learning more about the murder of her husband, Chris. Kate is obsessed with exposing Superintendent John Dickson and convinced there’s a conspiracy running deep in the force, that are behind her husband’s murder involved around underage sex trafficking. Who can she trust?

When Kate’s stepsister finally shares a long-buried secret, she realizes her stepsister is the missing link in her case—now she must prove it before the killer strikes again. With enemies closing in on all sides, and the clock ticking…Kate must do whatever it takes to bring them down.

This proves to be a complex case and the team works meticulously to track down the brutal killer who tortures his victims, leaving clues for the police.

I was glued to this fast-paced crime/mystery with its intriguing plot, well-developed characters and lots of twists and turns and ample red herrings. I loved this book and can’t wait for book 3 to continue the series. Highly recommended!

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

DI Kate Young can’t trust anybody. Not even herself.

In the bleak countryside around Blithfield Reservoir, a serial murderer and rapist is leaving a trail of bloodshed. His savage calling card: the word ‘MINE’ carved into each of his victims.

DI Kate Young struggles to get the case moving—even when one of the team’s own investigators is found dead in a dumpster. But Kate is battling her own demons. Obsessed with exposing Superintendent John Dickson and convinced there’s a conspiracy running deep in the force, she no longer knows who to trust. Kate’s crusade has already cost her dearly. What will she lose next?

When her stepsister spills a long-buried secret, Kate realises she’s found the missing link—now she must prove it before the killer strikes again. With enemies closing in on all sides, she’s prepared to do whatever it takes to bring them down. But time is running out, and Kate's past has pushed her to the very edge. Can she stop herself from falling?


It's the second book within the series and holy shit it's as good as the first book. I can't put it down and keep wondering who is the culprit....damn, just damn good!
Thanks for the copy!
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher!

I found this story to be boring, predictable and absolutely frustrating. The two different plots throughout were unnecessary, and the ending left me feeling unsatisfied. Not a fan and would not recommend.

I added this second book to my TBR list just to be on the safe side. Such a nonchalant yet impulsive move turned out to be one of the best decisions that I've made where books and reading are concerned because I've just discovered another new favorite author! I like the her writing style and her stories have good structure. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series!