‘A Cut for a Cut’ is all that you expect a book from Carol to be - fast-paced, superbly plotted, great characters and extremely chilling at times. Throughout the second half of the book, I was mentally screaming at the main character to work out what was happening in time! This was a great follow up to the start of the series and I'm already hungry for more!

In this outing DI Kate Young finds herself having to solve a series of murders where the victim has been raped and then strangled. If that isn't enough the perpetrator is carving into the women the word ‘MINE’. There aren't a lot of leads and when one of the civilian staff members ends up being a victim the pressure reals piles onto Kate. Her mental health is still in a precarious position since the death of her husband Chris and she is still obsessed in obtaining evidence to take her boss Dickson down for his role in that.

What I particularly enjoyed in this book was the character development of Kate. Yes, we still see a grieving woman who is struggling to deal with the loss of her husband, but you can still see a marked improvement in her mental health as her strength begins to recover. She is determined to help uncover what happened to Chris but she is also more willing to accept a little help and I can't wait to see how that pans out. I also liked the partition of her two cases as it shows that she is less bound up in her grief. As much as I want to find out what dirty Dickson got up to I also enjoyed the introduction of the new set of crimes. It gives a very solid base to the series as you know once that is resolved that the books can continue onwards.

‘A Cut for a Cut’ was a gritty, chilling and horrifyingly delicious outing for Kate and Im already hungry for more!

I was excited to read the latest newest thriller by Carol Wyer and her latest DI Kate Young book. This is the second installment of the series and is just as good as all her other books. Richly embroidered with memorable characters and twist and turns aplenty. There is a lot to digest here as it is sensitively written but not hidden as her heroine races to find a killer and chase the person who ordered the murder of her husband. This is a series which will remain high on my list!

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

This is book #2 of the DI Kate Young series. Whilst it can be read as a standalone book, I would recommend reading the series in order for better understanding of the characters back stories. Kate is on the case of a serial killer with a disturbing calling card. She’s also still trying to find a way to expose police corruption within her team but is finding it difficult to know who she can trust. I love Kate’s character but she still seems the troubled woman that we knew in the first book. Kate’s husband, Chris still features hugely in this storyline and Kate uses her gritty determined attitude that we’ve already seen to try and get justice for him.

The storyline itself is dark, disturbing and brutal. The serial killer storyline had me hooked and try as I did I just couldn’t connect the dots before Kate did. There are several plots running alongside each other both in Kate’s personal and professional life, but it was great to see some sense of normality for her when her sister returns after years away. Of course, I’ve read too many of this author’s books to think there wouldn’t be a twist in the tale somewhere and she certainly doesn’t let us down with red herrings, dead ends and complete shockers at every turn of the page!

Whilst its most definitely a gripping thriller of a read which had me hooked from page one, I also found Kate’s personal storyline so sad and I think this book broke my heart just as much as the first book. The book is filled, not just with the horrors of the killings but with the realities of grief and mental health issues which Kate is trying to deal with. There are some trigger points in the story but these are dealt as sensitively as they can be. I loved the corruption part of the storyline and this, along with trying to work everything out, kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. I have to admit I did wonder on more than one occasion whether we would see Hastings and the rest of AC12 coming to deal with the ‘bent coppers’ that Kate was trying to expose!

We are again treated to one hell of a book from one of my favourite authors. From turning the first page I knew I wouldn’t be able to put the book down until I’d finished it, and I was definitely right! It had my heart beating faster, my stomach churning and sent shivers down my spine throughout. Will Kate ever get the closure she so desperately needs? Will her team work out who the killer is? Will the network of police corruption be exposed? This is turning out to be an amazing series and I can’t wait for book #3 to carry on Kate’s story. If you’re looking for a fantastic police procedural thriller with a little bit of something different then look no further! Would highly recommend!

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2021/06/29/%f0%9f%8e%a7-a-cut-for-a-cut-by-carol-wyer/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

I continued with the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/290914-detective-kate-young" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><strong>Detective Kate Young</strong></em></a> series.  Kate is smart but still burdened by the death of her husband and a lack of any friends or support.  Now her sister, Tilly is back in England, the sister who stole her fiance.  She has her son with her and their marriage is having problems.

The groundwork of Kate's close relationship with her husband and his death is laid well in  <strong>An Eye for an Eye,</strong> and is not repeated here.  She still connects with him but only briefly here and there.  She still believes he was murdered, as he was investigating corruption in the force.

Here we have a story of a rapist who is after women who look like Kate's sister, who was raped at 14.  Now that the sister is back in town, there is a rape and often murder, of women looking like her, almost daily.  I twigged to this faster than Kate. But Kate was also investigating facets of her husband's death.

Kate collects evidence on both cases.  She eventually solves her rapist case.  The cases are dark and gritty and twisted in with the police corruption which continues, including those Kate knows well and expects to be on her side.  I can't wait to see how she brings them down in some future book.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Carol Wyer for the eARC, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

I’m a sucker for a good, gritty, gripping, police procedural and A Cut for a Cut certainly didn’t disappoint.

This is the second book in the DI Kate Young series; it can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the prequel (An Eye for an Eye) first, just to get a better grip on the backstory - it’s also an excellent read).

Carol Wyer is an exceptional author; her descriptive, detailed prose skilfully sets the scene and creates a real sense of atmosphere. The story is well paced throughout, with just enough twists, turns and fishy red herrings to send you sniffing up many a wrong garden path.

DI Kate Young and her likeable colleagues are relatable, well developed characters; there’s a genuine feeling of respect and camaraderie between the team, with authentically written dialogue and realistic, good-natured banter.

Police procedurals often feature a multitude of characters, too many (for my sieve-like memory) to keep track of; I usually find myself recapping and trying to remember names, but happily that’s not the case here; the pages aren’t cluttered with characters, so it’s very easy to navigate.

Overall, an excellent, read. I can’t wait for the next instalment!

A CUT FOR A CUT - CAROL WYER
PUBLISHED BY AMAZON PUBLISHING UK THOMAS AND MERCER
PLOT - DI Kate Young is back with her team to solve another case where the victims body is a found in a dumpster.
Kate's step sister spills a long buried secret which could help Kate solve the cases esp when more such bodies are found.
Kate is battling her own internal demons to get justice for her dead husband...
But can she and her team catch the killer before it's too late!!
MY THOUGHTS -
The 1st book An Eye for an eye is just excellent..though this can be read as a standalone.. highly recommend reading the 1st book before this one!
Carols procedural description her prose is amazing!! She has handled the effects of rape very delicately without any graphic details.
I kinda figured the killer..but the final twist which leads to the 3rd book in the series was totally unexpected and am betting that the last one will be excellent too!!
Thank you Netgalley and publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the second book in the series featuring DI Kate Young.

Kate and her team are called in when a female body is discovered in an industrial bin in the quiet village of Abbots Bromley. The victim has been raped and left with the word “MINE” carved into her flesh. The case quickly escalates into the hunt for a serial killer as more victims are discovered.

If dealing with such a heavy case load isn’t enough, Kate is also desperately trying to uncover the police corruption that she suspects is taking place within her own team. This leaves her in the difficult position of not knowing who to trust but Kate is such a strong character and determined to find out the truth.

The inclusion of chapters written from the POV of the killer – a feature often excluded from crime fiction - was an excellent addition.

The intertwined storylines made this a gripping read and one where I really didn’t know what was going to happen next.

I highly recommend this book to fans of the crime fiction genre.

A Cut For A Cut is a gritty and pacy detective thriller that vastly improves upon its predecessor.

I read the first book in the series, An Eye For An Eye, recently, but I didn’t enjoy this new detective series as much as I hoped. It was heavy with police strategy and planning and I struggled to connect to the characters. However, this second instalment much better balances the in-depth police procedural with its characters and I enjoyed both the investigation and the team’s dynamic much more.

You don’t need to read the first book before this one as the events of it are rounded up early on, but they are linked and I would recommend that you do so that you know the significance of what is going on in Kate’s life.

I saw the “missing link” from the beginning but there was still plenty to try and piece together as Kate tries to get ahead of the killer. The crimes themselves are brutal but the descriptions aren’t too graphic, as Wyer deals with the emotions of the victim’s of rape in a sensitive and insightful way.

Fast-paced and with plenty of action, it’s an exciting case to follow and I’m definitely looking forward to Book 3 to hopefully see Kate Young finally get some answers!

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

"You're mine...forever!"

I'm always excited when Carol has a new book in the midst and eagerly await getting my hands on it ready to devour. Having followed DI Natalie Ward's story, I was thrilled to meet DI Kate Young in the first book back in January and while Carol left us dangling with a very alluring tidbit, I couldn't wait to rejoin Kate in her quest to bring down those responsible for the death of her beloved husband Chris and the corruption in the force linked to his murder.

However, while "An Eye for An Eye" was more ambiguous in that we were still getting to know Kate's story, sifting through events and all had transpired to lead her to the point we met her at, A CUT FOR A CUT is a little more transparent in that we know who she's hunting in her personal quest for justice. Not knowing who to trust, Kate relies on her wits and her fading memory of Chris to keep her focussed.

A word of advice for those wanting to jump in, you really need to read the first book "An Eye for An Eye" before delving into this one. Although the primary investigation is self-contained, the sub-plot is a recurring one carried over from the previous book and, while they are briefly referenced with enough information to keep the reader up to date, the get the full picture and background you really need to start from the beginning with the first book.

The prologue opens with Kate in a clandestine meeting with pimp Farai who supplied the underage sex workers to the Maddox club in the first book, in an attempt to garner whatever knowledge he had on her boss Superintendent John Dickson who she is sure is, not only corrupt, but behind her husband Chris's murder. Although Farai checks her over for a wire, Kate managed to secrete a tiny wireless tap in her bra to record their meeting, wanting a record of what took place should she need it.

Kate is enjoying having her once estranged step-sister back in her life having returned from Australia with young son Daniel in tow after the collapse of her marriage to Jordan, Kate's ex-fiance with home Tilly ran off with two decades ago. The sisters have plans to entertain Daniel by taking him to a theme park when Kate is summoned back to work to investigate the death of young woman found half naked in a restaurant dumpster and no ID on her. Her prints taken at the scene reveal her to be Laura Dean who lived alone in the village of Abbots Bromley with her adopted rescue cat Charcoal. She had been raped with the word "MINE" carved into her right shoulder before being strangled to death.

Enquiries lead her to one of the solicitors at the firm she had recently resigned from in Stafford before moving to the quiet village in which she died. The team also delve into the background of Laura's father's partner Steve after learning that the couple had been seeing each other prior to Laura's mother's death from cancer. With no other leads forthcoming, these are their only suspects thus far.

Then another woman is found nearby the following morning and is immediately recognised as one of their own, Heather Gault - a civilian investigator tasked with investigating cases alongside police. The MO is identical and Kate fears the killer will strike again if they can't identify him quickly. Then when Kate discovers that Heather's computer has been sent directly to technicians with strict instructions not to reveal its contents unless there is anything pertaining to her investigation, she begins to suspect something else is going on. Had Dickson gone over her head and issued this order? What was he afraid of Kate and her team discovering on there? Was Heather looking into the very thing that Kate was "unofficially" investigating? Is that what lead to her death? Surely not. The MO from Laura's murder was identical to Heather's and Laura had nothing to do with police corruption or underage sex workers. Could this just be a coincidence?

In the midst of two investigations, albeit one unofficially, Kate learns of a third victim. But this one is still alive. Olivia Sandman was found in the construction site across the road from the new-build house in which she lived with her mother and when she hadn't turned up for work, her mother began ringing around friends and the police in an effort to find her missing daughter. Now she is hospital in and out of consciousness and Kate needs to speak with her as soon as possible. Olivia may have key information regarding the perpetrator. But with a third victim there's even more questions. How were these three women linked? And why did she survive? Had he been interrupted and had to make a quick exit before ensuring she was dead? Is this his first mistake?

Alongside her investigation into these brutal rapes and two murders, Kate continues to delve deeper into the police corruption Chris had been investigating and which had ultimately got him killed. When she receives word that the man who had helped bury the body of an underage boy in the previous book wants to speak with her, Kate makes every effort to arrange a visit at the prison in which he is incarcerated. But before she can see him the prison governor calls her with the news that the man, Cooper, took his own life that morning. But Kate refuses to believe it and is sure that someone knew she was going to visit him and had him killed before he could pass on whatever information he had to give her.

On top of all this Kate is still processing the various stages of grief, determined to remain in the anger stage until she can avenge her husband. She continues to talk to him with his words of wisdom she imagines he imparts helping her to remain focussed. And then there is Tilly. She hasn't seen her step-sister in two decades and the two women are finally putting the past behind them to move forward together as a family. After all, Tilly is all she has now.

As Kate and her team unearth clues to bring them closer to identifying the killer, Kate unwittingly discovers a shocking link closer to home that leaves her reeling as time seems to be running out fast. All the while, someone in her unofficial investigation seems to be one step ahead of her while others in the force are out to undermine her and her ability to lead a team. Will she catch a killer and get the evidence she needs to bring down Dickson at the same time?

I thoroughly enjoyed A CUT FOR A CUT which is an excellent addition to this new series. It is a good solid police procedural with clever insights into the killer's mind at the same time. Although the story is predominantly from Kate's perspective, I love how there are excerpts in the killer's narrative also, providing insight into the delusions that drive him.

Admittedly, I identified the link to the killer and figured out who he was quite early on in the story. I also suspected another aspect about halfway through - one which came as a final twist at the end and possibly shocked many but instead of being surprise I felt vindicated as guessing correctly. It was a twist that was never even alluded to but I suspected it when there wasn't anything to suspect. Maybe I just have a suspicious mind. lol

I love Carol, her wit and her storytelling. And I love the undercurrent that simmers beneath the surface threatening to derail everything should Kate not succeed in bringing down Dickson and the underbelly of corruption within the force. The way Carol has left a breadcrumb trail throughout both books as we follow Kate in her quest for justice.

A rather compelling read, A CUT FOR A CUT is gritty and even brutal in parts, though not graphic in detail. Kate is incredibly flawed as she struggles with her grief and her mental health whilst trying to seek justice for her husband and bring down corruption within the force. Maybe she should call on AC-12.

Again, I cannot stress enough that the first book "An Eye for An Eye" is best read before this one or it could be a struggle to tie events and piece the puzzle together. The sub-plot of corruption, underage sex workers, paedophile rings and the death of her husband Chris all began in the first book and will continue to run in the background of each subsequent book until either Kate catches them or it runs its course. Who knows where it will end? Or how?

What I do know is that Kate is just getting started. So bring on book 3!!

Perfect for fans of gritty crime fiction.

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

A Cut For a Cut is the second instalment in the Detective Inspector Kate Young series and is an even better police procedural than its predecessor. Kate is still grieving the loss of her husband, Chris, who was murdered by the gunman or hired hitman Kate believes was under the control of Superintendant John Dickson, who she is now conducting a clandestine investigation on in order to expose his involvement, corruption and to seek revenge for Chris’ tragic killing. Dickson has been associated with those providing underage sex workers/child exploitation, sex trafficking and has admitted to sleeping with a minor himself; Kate is busy collecting evidence to put him away for good. But, as always when a new case comes in, she must rearrange her priorities especially when there is a deranged and psychotic serial rapist and killer on the loose in the local triangle of Abbots Bromley, Uttoxeter and Blithfield. Legal secretary Laura Dean had moved to Abbots Bromley from Stafford and was a yoga teacher living at Bluebell cottage. She had stayed later than usual after teaching her Bikram hot yoga class to talk and on her way home, a man had grabbed her. The word MINE had been carved into her flesh and she had been unceremoniously dumped in an industrial bin. It becomes clear that the perpetrator stalks his victims beforehand so he knows their schedule prior to attacking them.

There is pressure to find the perpetrator from the offset, but when civilian investigation officer Heather Gault, who the police and Kate often worked intimately with, vanishes after leaving work at Trentham House one evening, the pressure rises substantially. She had been jumped from the bushes and her body found in a skip by a couple flytipping a sofa. Can Kate and her team collar the culprit before they can strike again? This is a compelling, absorbing and complex procedural with plenty of action, drama and happenings throughout the three strands of the plot; there’s the killer and rapist offing vulnerable women, the unofficial investigation into Chris’ murder and Kate’s private life. Kate’s stepsister, Tilly, who has recently split with her cheating husband, Jordan, and their nephew, Daniel, have moved back home from Australia. The sisters’ relationship has been slightly rocky as Jordan had once been Kate’s fiance and Tilly choosing him placed a huge strain on their relationship. But blood is thicker than water and she is hoping they can get it back on track. Kate is a realistic but damaged character and her constant talking to her late husband does bring into question her mental health when in such an important role. Told primarily from Kate’s perspective with scattered thoughts throughout from the unnamed perpetrator, this is an engrossing, twisted and compulsively readable thrill ride.

This is the second book in the Detective Kate Young series. I really enjoyed this and can't wait for the next one as there is an underlying story that is rolling across these books. It can be read as a stand alone but I highly recommend you reading an Eye for Eye first as this too is a really good book.

A Cut for a Cut is the second book in the Detective Kate Young series. I have read the previous book in the series and I feel this one can be read as a stand alone book but there is a backstory so it may be more helpful to read them in order.
I enjoyed this one, although the subject matter is a difficult subject to read about and I look forward to reading future books in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

This is the second book in the DI Kate Young series.

This can be read as a stand-alone however I feel you will get much more out of the book by reading an Eye for an Eye the first in the series to begin with.

This is a dark, gritty police procedural and if anyone knows how to write this genre it’s Carol Wyer.

Kate is still dealing with her past and her stepsister is back in the uk so she wants to find time for her and her nephew Daniel but bodies of women with MINE scratched into them have been appearing and she needs to find the killer and stop anyone else coming to harm.

This series has strong characters that work well, you want Kate to do well and find the killer but it’s not always that easy.

The chapters are quite long however I’m left at the end of each page wanting to know what’s happening next so still fast paced.

A great read

I loved the first book in this series - 'An Eye for an Eye' - and so jumped at the chance to join the blog tour for the second book. It was an absolute pleasure to be back in the world of DI Kate Young and her (familiar to me) Staffordshire stomping ground. Many thanks to Damp Pebbles and NetGalley for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In this instalment, DI Kate Young is still trying to prove her competency at work after the events leading up to and included in the first novel. She has been side-lined professionally and is working with a limited team when they are called in to investigate a brutal rape and murder. As the body count rises, she is forced to confront her past and the fact that someone within Staffordshire Police seems to be trying to undermine her.

Although this would work as a stand alone novel, I think it would be best enjoyed after 'An Eye for an Eye'. This gives so much background to Kate's personal situation and the reasons she is struggling at work - most of which isn't her own fault and is more down to the secret investigations she is undertaking away from the main case.

This is a deeply satisfying police procedural - although Kate's investigative tactics are often unconventional! The crimes in this case are horrifying - rape, murder and disfigurement - and the brutality can be hard to read about, but Wyer keeps the pace moving quickly and it doesn't feel unnecessarily voyeuristic (as is often the case with crime novels that focus on young women as the victims). Indeed, the pacing is well-judged and the crimes stack up quickly, giving Kate and her team a lot to do - and giving Wyer the chance to feed the reader lots of red herrings!

Although I did see the final denouement coming (only slightly ahead of the end), I loved that the tension continued to mount with a kind of inevitability about the events to come. As it became clear who the final victim was intended to be, I was rooting for Kate to work it out too! I also liked the fact that there is a thread from the first novel still not resolved (despite Kate's ongoing investigations) so that leads us - hopefully - into book three.

DI Kate Young is a compelling character and it is impossible to read this without wanting her to succeed - she has faced considerable personal trauma and seems to have the odds stacked against her professionally, yet on she goes. The only thing I'm not wholly sold on is the 'conversations' she has with a dead figure in the novel - although this is posited as part of the grieving process, it feels a bit strange at times.

Overall, I'd thoroughly recommend this book to lovers of good quality, well-plotted crime fiction. This is even better if you have read the first book in this series - but, either way, it's time you picked up a DI Kate Young book!

Another amazing addition to the detective Kate Young series. Well written, great plot and characters. I really like Kate herself more with every book as more of her past trauma is revealed.
Excellent read.

Is Carol Wyer the Queen of Police Procedurals? I say YES!

DI Kate Young is back, summoned to investigate the rape an murder of a young woman in Abbots Bromley while trying to prove the corruption in the police force that ended with her husband’s life.

Once you start a Carol Wyer book you know you won’t be able to stop until you’ve reached the end. This time she delivers another gripping read putting the reader in the midst of the investigation right from the start.

DI Young is such an interesting character. She’s still grieving her husband’s death and dealing with all the revelations she discovered at the end of “An eye for an eye” when she’s thrown into another stressful case, being not only against a killer but against her own boss who keeps trying to destabilize her. Her mental health issues are really well portrayed and although they could make her unreliable I think they actually humanize her.

Although it deals with an issue as sensitive as rape and the scars it leaves on its victims, it’s done in a respectful way with no graphic descriptions.

The corruption case is getting really interesting and I just hope she can find the proof she needs to nail those bastards on book 3. Once again, read book 1 first to really appreciate and understand all the details and subplots here (and because is one hell of a good book!).

The only reason this was not a 5 ⭐️ read was that it was quite clear from the start who the killer was (even though we don’t know its name) and I was kinda hoping for a final twist.

That final twist came in the very last page and now I’m dying to read book 3.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Okay so it may have helped to have read the first book but it didnt matter that much and I now will read it. It was very fast paced and I wanted to know who the rapist was. It was setting itself up for the next installment. I especially liked the location settings - remember driving past the JCB place on the way to Alton Towers as well as the other locations mentioned. Very descriptive and this also applied to the characters.

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own

I’d like to thank Amazon Publishing UK, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘A Cut For A Cut’, the second in the Detective Kate Young series written by Carol Wyer, in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Women are being assaulted and left for dead but before their assailant finishes with the bodies he cuts the word ‘Mine’ into their flesh. DI Kate Young has to dig deep while searching for the killer as she also unofficially seeks evidence to prove police corruption, but who can she trust?

There are two themes running through ‘A Cut For A Cut’, the first where Kate wants to solve the murder of the women and secondly where she searches for the person responsible for killing her husband Chris when the train he was in was attacked. Kate’s step-sister Tilly and her son Daniel also appear in the story causing Kate to worry about their safety. I’ve enjoyed reading about Kate as she divides her time between work and family showing her strength and determination to solve the case but also investigate those police officers she doesn’t trust. This is a story for those readers who are addicted to exciting and action-packed police thrillers and don’t mind staying up half the night because once started it’s impossible to put the book down.

I loved the first book in this series and while I also enjoyed this one, it took me a little longer to get into. I had forgotten a lot of details about the previous book but still managed to follow and I think it could definitely be read as a stand alone. Will definitely continue reading this series and I look forward to the next installment.

I loved this story. The second installment is great . Already looking forward to the next one. This series is amazing