Title: A Life For A Life
Author: Carol Wyer
Publication Date: 15th March 2022
My Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
About The Book
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?
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'A Life For A Life ' by Carol Wyer.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Carol Wyer and Thomas & Mercer publishers.
Publication date 15th March 2022.
This is the sixth book I have read by this author. It is also the third book in the 'DI Kate Young' series and although I have read the first book called 'An Eye For An Eye' and the second book called 'A Cut For A Cut' and highly recommended both, they can also be read as a standalone. I have also previously Carol's 'Detective Natalie Ward' series which I would also highly recommend.
I was originally drawn to this book by its gorgeous eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. I am also a huge fan of Carol and if this is half as good as any of her previous books it is sure to be a fantastic read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Aberration Press Books. I have yet to read a book published by Thomas & Mercer that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of a prologue and 27 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in Staffordshire, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited Staffordshire on several occasions so am looking forward to see if I recognise anywhere
This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is DI Kate Young and DS EMMA Donaldson. I enjoy books written in third person with several protagonists as it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters.
OMG!!!! ANOTHER ABSOLUTE PAGE TURNER!!! What are you doing to me!!!!! Seriously!!!!! I hope you are writing your next book as I write this!!! I'm talking to you Mrs Wyer!!!!! Right, yes, well anyway let's give you my review....
Carol Wyer does it Yet again!!! ABSOLUTELY Fantastically written as always ensuring a smooth and easy read that sucks you straight into the pages. Vivid descriptions put me in the middle of the action looking at everything going on in High definition. The cover and synopsis works perfectly with the storyline.
The storyline itself was very fast paced, rammed full of action, murder, mystery, suspense, tension and twists and turns. OMG the bombshells and unexpected twists which I was not expecting (a rarity to surprise me after the amount of crime books I've read but Carol does it without fail every time!!!) and a major cliffhanger at the end!!! I CANNOT WAIT for the next in this series. The storyline was realistic so easily imagined and the killings themselves were unique which is definitely a positive when you have read the same ones over and over again!! An absolutely addictive and compelling page turner!!! If your going to start reading this then clear your schedules because it is absolutely unputdownable!!!! It is filled with crime, loss, some romance, excitement, tension, suspense and so so much more!! You could NOT get any better than this. This is the best book I have read this year. I have loved all Carol's books but she just keeps getting better and better!! How do you do it?!?! The research Carol has put in absolutely shines through as does all her trips to the Blithfield reservoir. The descriptions are perfect as is the atmosphere. The storyline is also unique in the fact that the killer chooses at random and the why he is doing it too. It is so rare to find a unique storyline when it comes to crime as there are so many out there but yet again Carol has absolutely blown my mind and slamdunked it. The ending was just WHAT THE HELL SHUT THE THE FRONT DOOR!!! I literally shouted when I read it which earned a few strange looks from my partner lol. Seriously I NEED to know what happens next!!!!!
IF YOU LOVE A GOOD BOOK THEN THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST!!! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? GRAB YOUR COPY NOW!!!!
I absolutely loved meeting all the characters again!! Kate is just amazing, an extremely strong female lead who didn't hold back the punches while going through hell herself after the trauma she had been through. I always love it when an author brings in strong women. I also liked Kate's personality and really felt for her on several occasions. I wasn't sure about Morgan in the first two books on this epic series but he has definitely grown on me and it is nice to see how much he has developed and grown from book to book. Morgan had me on stitches laughing on several occasions and his headbutting with Jamie was certainly entertaining. Jamie is a character who I'm still not sure about even after three books, sometimes he seemed OK and then he gave me a bit of a funny feeling and not in a good way so it'll be interesting to see what he is up to. Jamie did surprise me towards the end but he hasn't gained my trust just yet so watch this space. Emma is another strong woman who I really enjoyed meeting again and getting to know more abut her. I really felt for her, especially on this book, with everything she went through with her mum. I loved watching Emma and Morgan growing closer in this book and I definitely sense a spark of, dare I say, romance. I would love to see them pair up as a couple so am looking forward to see where this is going. I'm still not sure what I thought of William either, I thought I liked him in the first bookbut I have a strange feeling about him. My feelings keep swaying with him and yet again in this book he seems to be growing on me more but, again, whether I trust him is yet to be seen. I absolutely adored Ervin who made me laugh on several occasions!!! He is such a unique character and one you won't forget for a while. I enjoyed meeting Bradley again and although he is a very secretive man I enjoy meeting him in the books and he definitely brings some dark mystery to the novel. Samuel was a new and intriguing character who was definitely unique in a strange way. I actually enjoyed watching how he worked and it will be interesting to see if we meet him again. The other main character is superintendent John Dickson. I'm not going to say much about him as not to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read any books in this amazing series but just to say that his name suits him perfectly!! Regardless of who I did or didn't like they were all very strong and well defined characters who I'm looking forward to meet in the next 'episode'. A great team who have definitely become friends that I look forward to meeting every time and have really come to life for me. I cannot wait to meet them all again.
I am really looking forward to the next book and would LOVE to see this made into a movie!!! It would definitely be a best seller along with this amazing novel which kept me up late at night (early in the morning) as I just could not put it down!!!!
Congratulations Carol on another absolutely blooming page turning success!! This is exactly why you are my favourite crime author and this is my favourite series because you lady have talent!!! Keep up the amazing work and here is to your next success 🥂
AN ABSOLUTE MUST READ!! IF YOU READ ONE BOOK THIS YEAR MAKE SURE THIS IS IT!!!
Overall a not to be missed, must read addictive, explosive page turner with a BOMBSHELL ending!!!
Genres covered in this novel include Thriller, Police Procedural and Crime Fiction amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as Angela Marsons, Tess Gerritsen, anyone looking for a good book and YOU, your friends, your neighbours, just everyone!!
363 pages.
This book is just £3.99 to purchase on kindle or free on kindle unlimited via Amazon (during time of review) which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
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About The Author
USA Today bestselling author and winner of The People’s Book Prize Award, Carol Wyer’s crime novels have sold over one million copies and been translated into nine languages. A move from humour to the ‘dark side’ in 2017, with the introduction of popular DI Robyn Carter in Little Girl Lost, proved that Carol had found her true niche. In 2021, An Eye For An Eye, the first in the DI Kate Young series, was chosen as a Kindle First Reads and became the #1 bestselling book on Amazon UK and Amazon Australia. Carol has had articles published in national magazines Woman’s Weekly, featured in Take A Break, Choice, Yours and Woman’s Own magazines, and the Huffington Post. She’s also been interviewed on numerous radio shows, and on Sky and BBC Breakfast television. She currently lives on a windy hill in rural Staffordshire with her husband, Mr Grumpy…who is very, very grumpy. To learn more, go to www.carolwyer.co.uk, subscribe to her YouTube channel, or follow her on Twitter: @carolewyer.
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