Carol Wyer has done it again and written another brilliant book as part of the Detective Kate Young series. This one is completely different from the others in the series but still very much a page turner!

Kate and her team are investigating a series of murders, which initially appear targeted at completely random people. I loved that element to the book and how we see Kate’s team figure it out!

As well as this, there is the ongoing story as to Kate seeking revenge for her husband’s death. I felt this took more precedence than the murder investigation at times, but it was important for comparisons to be made and for Kate to identify exactly what she needed to do.

This book has left things nicely for a follow up so I’m very excited to see what Carol has to offer us in A Truth for A Truth!

Another fantastic outing for DI Kate Young in A Life For A Life by Carol Wyer. As with the two previous in this series, Ms. Wyer has managed to continue the high octane story and advance it in truly interesting ways. I did not know where this would end, but it was a treat to read! Anxiously awaiting the next!

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

I LOVE this series! Every Kate Young book gets more bone chilling and twisted than the next. Do NOT miss this next installment!!

Nobody can get into the mind of an erratic killer—except an unpredictable detective.
When a young man is found lying on a station platform with a hole in his head, DI Kate Young is called in to investigate the grisly murder. But the killing is no one-off. As bodies start to pile up, she is faced with what might be an impossible task—to hunt down a ruthless killer on a seemingly random rampage.
Meanwhile, Kate has her own demons to battle as she struggles to come to terms with her husband’s death. And she is hell-bent on exposing corruption within the force and bringing Superintendent John Dickson to justice. But with the trail of deception running deeper—and closer to home—than she could ever have imagined, she no longer knows who she can trust.
With her grip on reality slipping, Kate realises that maybe she and the killer are not so different after all. But time is running out and Kate is low on options. Can she catch the killer before she loses everything?

This is a wonderful addition to this thrilling series!
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Such a thrilling read that I couldn't put it down.
Can't wait to read more of these.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

The third in the Detective Kate Young series. As with all these it could be read as a stand-alone but is best to be read as part of the series, as you will miss out on a lot of the backstory.

A young man is found dead on a train platform. He has been shot in the forehead with a captive bolt stun gun. There are no witnesses and no clues as to the perpetrators identity. Who would want this young man dead ?

Kate and her team are assigned the case and they soon have another dead person on their hands. Are these random attacks ? Or is there a connection between the victims ?

As well as trying to find the killer, Kate is determined to expose her boss for the calculating corrupt officer that he is. She is determined to find evidence that he had her husband killed. But time is running out and she seems to be one step behind him at every turn.

This is a great addition to the series and the return of Emma and Morgan add to the great storyline and characters. If you’ve read the previous two books then this is just what you would expect. Definitely can’t wait for the next instalment in the series !!

Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

I read this book although it is really a psychological thriller which is not really my thing, having said that it took me a while to get to grips with the storyline and the characters. Thanks to the skill of Carol Wyer and the main character DI Kate Young I started to enjoy the book,. As the story evolved and the killings grew the pressure mounted on the team to solve the murders - I found the ending leaving me with the feeling that there was more to come - perhaps a follow up in the next book? I recommend this book for you to read and enjoy.

This is the third book in the Detective Kate Young series, and I would say that you definitely need to read the previous two books first. I think the stand-alone story of the murder works alone and Carol does summarise the key events of the previous books but without the full knowledge I could imagine that this instalment could be confusing in places. Besides, you’d be missing out on a brilliant series and the character development and a second plot needs that in-depth knowledge form all the books in order.
I love Detective Kate Young but it’s becoming clear that her life is spiralling out of control. The lines between her private and professional lines are well and truly smudged all over and her mental health is not in a good place. Part of me wants to give her a big hug and wrap her in a cosy blanket, the other part wants to give her a good shake and tell her to step away from work for a while. She’s such a strong character, and amazing detective but really needs someone to take charge and look after her.
Most of her spare time is consumed with hunting down her husband’s killer but that seems to be at a dead end. So many leads and suspects leading to nothing concrete and with several colleagues on her list of people who could be involved, Kate finds herself with nobody to trust, and nobody to really ask for help.
At work Kate is hunting down the killer of a young, promising accountant with no visible motive or clues. She has a good team behind her but with her increasing paranoia, she finds it hard to allow any of them close. The procedural aspect of this book is fascinating and the way the clues are pieced together is really cleverly thought out.
The Detective Kate Young series has always been really dark and Kate never seems to catch a break. She was unhappy and troubled on the very first meeting with her and things didn’t really get any better. I found this book the darkest out of the three as Kate’s continuing decline in health and difficulty trusting anyone really tore me up inside.
An even darker foray into the life of Kate, a new case to crack and twists and turns make this detective novel a thrilling read. In true Carol style we are left with a cliff-hanger that was almost unbearable and I am now desperately awaiting the next novel in the series.

Loved the story of DI Kate Young who is trying to find a serial killer who strikes at random for no reason., but she is also trying to deal with the death of her husband who she believes was killed by Superintendent John Dickson and is hell bent on revenge.
This is a fast paced murder mystery which has lots of twists and turns.
Can't wait for a follow up book and would highly recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a advanced copy.

Carol Wyer is one of my fave authors.
i love Kate Young she is a great DI, she fights for justice for those that have died and she gives it her all.
This book has some strong emotions, grieving, anger, murder and determination make this fast paced plot worth reading.
This is book 3 but if you have not already you need to start this series.

Book 3 in the Detective Kate Young Series and whilst it can be read as a stand-alone part of the story is a thread that has been running through the series, reading the other books will provide additional background. I am loving this series and relish the suspense of the ongoing story. This is a real police procedural; the reader gets to see the motivation and the killer in the first chapter but then we watch the team trying to understand the dreadful killings. I love how this author writes this series and I find them a really good easy read, hits the spot for me.

Briefly, Kate and her team are investigating a spate of murders where the victims are shot with a captive bolt gun. With there seemingly no connection between the victims, and no leads, the team are floundering. Alongside this Kate is still secretly investigating the death of her husband and the corruption within the police force, in particular her boss Superintendent John Dickson. Can Kate keep the two things separate and prevent further murders?

Kate is still battling her grief over her husbands death and the portrayal of the effect of loss on those left behind is dealt with really well. In this case Kate is still a good determined police officer but she can’t hide her grief from those who know her best. The characterisation is excellent, as it is with the other main characters. I particularly liked Morgan, a strong and reliable officer but with a great sense of humour and a caring side. I enjoyed this so much I read it in a day, in two sittings, and oh that shocking ending and the cliffhanger! I can’t say more without spoilers other than I hope book four is out soon! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

With an initially confusing prologue this soon settles into being a great mystery- I did work out the killer very early on (I suspect the author intended that) but the continued killings and seeming randomness of the attacks left the motive muddy for some time.
Some great investigative work from Kate but her preoccupation with also bringing down her boss and exposing him as crooked and implicated in underage sex trafficking and the death of her husband did make the story a bit disjointed and harder to follow.

Another great read from Carol. Really enjoying the DI Kate Young series and looking forward to where it takes her.

Can DI Kate and her small team investigate seemingly random murders while at the same time as Kate continues her personal quest to take down corrupt officers and come to term with her husbands death.

I enjoyed the writing and the character development. However on this occasion I did feel that I skimmed a couple of pages as it was slightly repetitive and very close to DI Kate demons.

I read it as part of a series but it could be read as a stand alone as there is quiet a bit of back story detail in it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an Arc in exchange for an honest opinion

I'm a huge fan of Carol Wyer having read her DC Robyn Carter series in part, most of her DI Natalie Ward series and now following DI Kate Young on her quest for justice whilst simultaneously fighting crime on a daily basis. While every book follows a standalone investigation, each one follows on from the previous outlining a much bigger picture. Therefore it is highly recommended that readers begin the journey with Kate from the beginning in "An Eye for an Eye" and then "A Cut for a Cut" , as each book is another important piece of the puzzle that Kate is piecing together. Without them, I fear the reader will flounder for the most part.

This third book continues to pack a punch in conjunction with the first two as it opens with a devastating prologue with only one possible outcome. The result is crime that falls on DI Kate Young's patch as she juggles her personal and professional investigations. This time, to the reader, the crime is not really a whodunnit as it is pretty obvious from early on who is behind the random attacks. The question is WHY? I mean really WHY?!

Kate is heading the investigation into what appears to be random attacks on random people at random places, killing them with a captive bolt gun (the kind of stun gun that is often used in abattoirs). The deaths have nothing in common, the victims have nothing in common leaving Kate and her team stumped. The only commonality is that the killer strikes in the early evening during the same window of time in public places that are winding down for the day, leaving them virtually empty and ripe for the picking.

Then a witness comes forward from the site of the third murder, little realising how narrowly she herself escaped the attentions of the killer, with her observations of someone she thought was the victim. Kate's antennae went up. Could this be their killer? Or could it be another witness? Either way, the team needed to track them down...and fast, before anymore innocent people died. But when a profiler is called in sharing his thoughts on the perpetrator, Kate starts to realise that she might have something in common with this killer, uniting them grief.

It's been over a year since Kate's husband Chris was killed and ever since she has been determined to seek justice for him and the many others who have died as a result of this domino effect. Her determination to unmask those behind the underage sex ring, and the deaths that followed, lead her to a corruption that extended high into a senior officer under whom she works - Superintendent John Dickson, who she believes was behind the death of her husband as well as many others. But if the corruption has gone that high, who knows how much higher is has reached...and will Kate be safe to go after those responsible? She must tread carefully and proceed with the utmost caution if she is to come out of this unscathed.

Parallel to her day job at hand, Kate has also been stealthily collating information to unmask Dickson and the corruption that has followed him. Her secret investigations have alienated her from everyone as she is unable to know who she trust. To date, her only ally upon whom she relies for the covert operation is a former SAS officer who has his own axe to grind in seeking justice for his friend who was murdered upon orders from Dickson. But is this a step too far for Kate? Has she crossed a line in taking the law into her own hands to garner information and find the witnesses she needs before it's too late? Is this why she no longer hears Chris' soothing voice? For so long he has been her voice of reason, her conscience, but for months now he has grown silent and Kate yearns to hear his voice once again.

Kate's behaviour has not gone unnoticed by her team. DS Emma Donaldson, who has her own demons to battle, watches her and understands her grief but is concerned she may be in over her head. DS Morgan Meredith follows her lead but is quietly observant. Young DC Jamie Webster, the newest member of her small team, sees and hears all and Kate suspects that he is a mole planted by Dickson and reporting back to her senior officer, therefore she watches everything she says and does around him ensuring nothing untoward could be communicated in any event. But is it enough? Dickson has eyes and ears everywhere...therefore, Kate can trust no one.

The case at hand challenges the team as they try to figure out who is killing innocent people and why. It is clear to the reader his identity but is there something else we're missing? This riveting installment delivers plenty of shocks and a few twists along the way filled with just the right amount of tension. But it's the ending that delivers the final shock...which I certainly did not see coming! And I eagerly await the fourth book to see what happens next.

While I had barely begun the Robyn Carter series and grew to enjoy Natalie Ward, Kate Young is a different kettle of fish altogether and the issues she finds herself up against are a whole other ball game. I can't compare this book to the previous two as they each offer something different to the story and give us yet another piece of the puzzle that Kate has worked hard to piece together. I barely have the words to express the flood of emotions I feel when reading Kate's journey. But I do know each story, as well as A LIFE FOR A LIFE, is addictive reading from beginning to end.

Carol Wyer's expert writing and skillful storytelling weaves together a tale that draws us in from the beginning and leaves us wanting more by the end. It's engaging, enthralling and completely absorbing. Bring on book 4!

I would like to thank #CarolWyer, #Netgalley, #AmazonPublishingUK and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #ALifeForALife in exchange for an honest review.

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

This book is in a series. I read it as a standalone and could keep up but I think reading the rest of the series would have helped. I love the writing style and the non stop action. Something was always happening in the book as the police chased the killer.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

as victims of a bolt gun are found there seems to be no rhyme or reason for the why these victims were shot, so DI kate young and her small team have their work cut out for them to find this murderer

but kate is also struggling with the loss of her husband murdered by who she suspects is high up in the police, and one she has been trying to bring down since...

i found this one a bit of a struggle to get into and it wasnt till i was half way through that i found the rhythm that i liked

So this is book three in the Detective Kate Young series and the drama just keeps on coming.

Kate continues to battle with her personal demons after the loss of her husband, add to that her suspicions about corruption within the force and the cherry on the cake a murderer is on the loss killing victims with no fathomable motive.

Carol always writes with great attention to detail and it's as if you are there living the experience with the characters in the book.

And the ending OMG! talk about cliffhanger had me reeling and looking in hope for another chapter so my verdict another fantastic instalment that didn't disappoint.

Kate is investigating two different crimes. One is linked to the previous book, her husband’s death and corruption in the force. The other is the random killings happening locally. There are parallels drawn between he response to trauma and its effect on her behaviour and that of the killer. I did find how far she was willing to go really disturbing and it spoiled my enjoyment of the book. The police work is described well and at pace but not my favourite. Thanks to Netgalley fir an ARC.

A Life for a Life is the 3rd book in the DI Kate Young book from Carol Wyer.

"Kate and her team are called out to a grisly murder on a rail station platform. As the bodies start piling up Kate realizes they are faced with an impossible task - hunting down a killer on a random rampage.

Kate is still struggling with her husband's death. She is determined to expose the corruption in the police department. She is worried about who she can trust and just what line she is willing to cross to find justice."

Wyer pushes Kate to the limit here. Kate is dealing with pressure from all sides - dealing with her grief, trying to find the evidence she needs to prove corruption and trying to find a killer. It's amazing she can function at all. (Carol - please give Kate a holiday) Wyer explores the limits of just how far good, moral people are willing to go for justice.

A very unusual weapon is used by the killer - not sure I've seen that in any crime fiction before.

There is some resolution to part of the corruption case but we are left with the aftermath for the next book. Hopefully the final answers are coming then.

Fans of crime fiction procedurals will enjoy this, especially if you're looking for a strong female lead.

Superintendent John Dickson, superintendent is corrupt. Detective Inspector Kate Young finally has just enough proof. Just a little bit more and Kate is certain she will prove just who Dickson is. More importantly, Kate is convinced that he is responsible for the murder of her husband. She will not rest until justice is served.

Despite her determination when it comes to Dickson, Kate has another case. When a body is found on a train flatform, after evidently being shot, Kate has to find focus in order to find his killer. Before long, however, even more murders occur, and the clock is ticking. Kate must find a way to stop this killeer.

Meanwhile, Kate begins missing something, the husband the voice of her deceased husband has quieted. He had been with her since his passing keeping her strong in her endeavors. However, the closer she gets to finding out what happened to him the less she hears his voice. There is no doubt that her personal investigation is at conflict with the murder investigation. Kate becomes more and more distant from her team, and at least a few of them begin to get worried.

What a riveting story! From beginning to end the tension never once let up. Compassion and concern for Kate equalled pride her determination shone through time and again. She is a fabulous protagonist and Carol Wyer has developed her character just right - no doubt leaving every reader in her corner. A Life for a Life ended with a bang, leaving me more than eager to read the next book in this series.

Many thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

DI Kate Young is back and this is probably her most important case .
Just to prove to everyone that she is coping with the death of her husband Chris.
She is still struggling to cope and she is still convinced that Superintendent Dickson had ordered the hit on her journalist husband when he got to close to finding out what happened to the underage sex traffic ring.
But when a new case comes along Kate has a difficult time trying to juggle the two investigations, especially when she believes that Dickson has put a mole into her very small crime investigation unit.

There is a random killer on the loose, he kills them with a captive bolt pistol.
And always at point blank range .
There is no connection to the murders and no rhyme or to reason why the people are being targeted.
As Kate slips in and out of reality to try and connect to her dead husband and try and solve this case. She even stats to doubt her own team and sanity.

Can she find a way out? And come back from the brink?