An apple a day keeps the doctor away...but in this case...not the killer! I will never look at an apple in the same way again.

I am huge fan of Carol's crime novels so when she tweeted that a new detective was in our midst, I kept my eyes peeled for its release...or an ARC. As luck would have it, I purchased it as one of Amazon's First Reads last month but then also got it via Netgalley so as to leave a review there. Carol is one of my favourite writers. She keeps readers on their toes from start to finish...and she's a lot of fun to chat to as well!

When I came to the end of this book last night, two words entered my mind...OMG!! WOW!! And then I tweeted Carol to find out when the follow up was due out so I could continue the journey. AN EYE FOR AN EYE starts off with a bang in more ways than one before petering out to build the bigger picture...which incidentally, doesn't become clear till towards the end. But it still makes for gripping reading that I couldn't put down and read long into the night.

We meet DI Kate Young on the brink after suffering a massively traumatic incident. She is then given enforced leave on compassionate grounds despite wanting to continue to work. A determined, tough but broken woman, Kate is feisty when she needs to be but at the present time is still piecing her life back together. She introduces us to her husband Chris, a journalist, whom she met after a car accident. And it is apparent through their conversations that he is the glue that holds her together when she needs it.

Then just three months after being given leave, Kate's friend and mentor DCI William Chase knocks on her door to tell her that she has been specifically requested to head up a murder investigation by the Superintendent, with a team of her choosing. Accompanied by DS Morgan Meredith and DS Emma Donaldson, Kate and her team are tasked with investigating the murder of prominent businessman Alex Corby, who incidentally happens to be well acquainted with the Super. Leaving no stone unturned, and trusting no one but Chris and her team, Kate sets out to uncover the truth behind the grisly murder.

And then another body is discovered. This time by Kate herself! Ian Wentworth was a eminent ENT surgeon and friend of Alex Corby, and therefore Superintendent John Dickson by default. When he discovered a glass jar containing an eye at his holiday cottage in the Peak District he called the police. But it wasn't until he returned to home to his penthouse back in Staffordshire that he realised its significance...too late.

Enquiries lead Kate to the Maddox Club, an exclusive men's club, where Ian Wentworth and Alex Corby were members. But what secrets does this club hold? Or more importantly, the manager who has been with the club since it began in 2008? Kate is sure he is lying to her but has nothing but her gut instinct to prove it. As both men were known to her Super, she knew she must question him but DCI Chase was keeping him well away from the spotlight. Why is that?

Her trusted team of two, DS' Meredith and Donaldson, were tasked with tracking down a missing witness and searching Wentworth's holiday cottage respectively. But it was what they would find out from the witness and discover at the cottage that would blow everything wide open. But...they had to find a way to tell Kate.

Despite respecting their superior, Morgan and Emma were worried about Kate's mental state. She was often seen mumbling to herself and popping pills on the sly. Was Kate up to seeing this investigation through? And not only that, was she up to facing the truth that it would reveal?

WOW! The thrill ride Carol takes the reader on throughout AN EYE FOR AN EYE is adrenaline-pumping and addictive as you swipe the pages faster and faster in an attempt to get to the truth. All the while, playing detective and picking up on the subtle clues she has peppered throughout the story. I get a real satisfaction when my theory/theories are proved right and I have unmasked the killer before the team has. In this case, I'd even linked the events and certain people to prove my theory. I even tweeted Carol privately whilst reading and working it all out, detailing my entire thought process and theories to her, knowing full well she wouldn't tell me if I was right or wrong...but I was bursting with the knowledge so I told her anyway. It wasn't until I had finished that she congratulated me on picking up on all the subtle clues.

But I digress...

While AN EYE FOR AN EYE starts off with a bang, it does slow down a little as Kate wrestles with her past trauma. Excerpts from that trauma are played out throughout the story and at first I pondered their relevance, but through them it does serve as a background to Kate's story and to understand her mental state. I did find the build a little slow after the bang of the prologue, but then it all started to come together and I began playing detective to see if I couldn't get to the truth before Kate did.

I love how we're not told what really happened to Kate, allowing us as readers to form our own theories, as the pieces were slowly put together. There were times even I questioned Kate's competence! But I knew Carol would have something up her sleeve to pull out on us midway and turn everything on its head. And she did. But I'd already figured that part out long before it was presented to us.

And then when the investigation came to an end, when all was said and done, Kate had one more task left to do. And in doing so, she opens up something that she cannot unsee or believe. Carol has left readers hanging for the follow up "A Cut for a Cut" (to be published 24th June) and I cannot wait to delve into. The question is, will Kate be strong enough to face this next challenge? Because it will force her to question everything she has ever known.

I wasn't sure if I liked Kate in the beginning, probably because I loved DI Natalie Ward so much in Carol's previous series. But Kate is a lot different to Natalie, who was resolutely tough. Kate is tough too but she is also incredibly fragile. And I think her mental health issues helped make her a more sympathetic character. She could have been an obnoxious bitch alienating her colleagues, but despite her problems she was always professional and treated everyone - colleagues and witnesses, even suspects - with respect. I think I am going to like Kate and look forward to getting to know her and her team better.

A fast paced story once it got going, AN EYE FOR AN EYE is compelling, addictive and will keep you glued to the pages until you have it figured out. A fantastic start to what promised to be an exciting new series.

I don't generally like cliffhangers, but the one we are given at the end this book promises more intriguing tales to come for Kate and her team.

A well worth 5 star read. Recommended for fans of crime fiction with an edge.

I would like to thank #CarolWyer, #NetGalley, #AmazonPub and #ThomasAndMercer for an ARC of #AnEyeForAnEye in exchange for an honest review.

DI Kate Young has been on leave from her job after experiencing a horrific trauma but is personally asked to come back to help with a murder case. She is clearly suffering from PTSD and has to work thru all this while continuing to solve the case.
This is a great new series from Carol Wyer and I loved it! Thrilling and fast paced, she takes you on two different stories; the traumatic experience that forced DI Young to step away from her job and the horrific murders that's now forcing her to return. This is a complex story line that keeps you guessing and glued to the edge of your seat! Great characters too.. can't wait to see what's next!!

I usually love this author's books but I wasn't able to really get into this one. The pacing is slow and the story often felt disjointed. I figured out the stuff with Chris very early in the book. The case was interesting but it didn't hold my attention. The best part of the book was the very end. I would probably give the next one a try just because I like the author.

This book took me far longer to read than it should have and that to me suggests I didn’t enjoy it as much as I should have.

Plot wise, this book started out with great promise. There’s no denying that Wyer is an impressive wordsmith (I found myself using the dictionary function in practically ever chapter!) but it was questionable at times as to whether these impressive words added anything to the narrative or simply over complicated and restricted the natural flow.

There’s a quite a few twists and turns in this book but sadly I found them a bit too obvious. Firstly through the way in which they were set up and secondly because there are the most common in this genre.

I never felt like I truly connected with Kate. So much of her recent history dictates her current personality and choices that she felt a little diluted.

Overall it’s an enjoyable read but nothing groundbreaking or remarkable. I’d certainly try another of this authors books but this one wasn’t my favourite.

Thanks to NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

DI Kate Young is called back into work even though she is on leave due to a horrible event occurred a few months earlier. Now she has to investigates about a murderer who tortures and kills his victims following a unique pattern.
The victims are all related to each other, but how?
I loved this book! Got me hooked from the beginning and, although I could guess both the killer and the 'husband's thing' quite early, it didn't make the read less enjoyable. The writing is exceptionally good, the plot is very catching, a great read!
The open ending left me eager to read more about DI Young and what is going to happen next and I'll definitely have a look at other Carol Wyer's books in the meantime, since this was my first one.
I need more Carol Wyer in my life!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

thanks to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.
ended completely different to what I thought. A surprisingly good read,

!

This is an excellent thriller by Carol Wyer featuring D.I. Kate Young who is investigating the murder of a tortured man. She has been off work following the killing of many people in a carriage on a train when her husband was shot. This put is one that you cannot put down, and I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who loves a good thriller that keeps you enthralled until the last pages.

I've read and loved both of this author's other series so was slightly disappointed with this offering. Maybe it's simply due to building new characters but I found the plot rather weak and predictable. The husband storyline was obvious from the outset and the constant flashbacks became quite tedious. I hope to see this new series evolve to be as good as the others

I very much enjoyed this book. It has a good story and excellent main characters. I would definately recommend this book.

An interesting premise - a police detective dealing with PTSD while trying to work, but I had too many issues with the book to give it more stars.

The book is supposed to be set in 2021, but the dates don't align. The 2nd of January was not a Tuesday this year and other dates don't work with this year. Also, if it's this year why is there zero mention of Covid?

Kate gets rid of her medication in one scene - she hates her dependency on it, but she has zero withdrawal symptoms and no regrets. Seems unrealistic to me.

But unrealistic is the centerpiece of much of this novel. Two DS who are in their early 20s? Sure it happens, but seems unlikely especially when our DI is also young.

I did get at times get really caught up in the story, but I'd say skip this one. There are others that are far better written and much more realistic.

Full disclosure - the publisher provided me with a free copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was my first time reading one of Carol Wyer’s books which I found on NetGallery. Let me tell you,
I was not disappointed at all. This story had multiple turns and multiple different leads. It kept me guessing throughout and I loved having different parts and flashbacks in it to make you get a real perspective of Kate, the female police officer. This differs from the other crime and mystery books I’ve read as it followers the detectives point and I absolutely loved it!! I can’t wait to for a follow on book from this. Straight up 5/5!!

I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. I have been a fan of Carol Wyer’s work for some time now and this book didn’t disappoint. With lots of plot twists and turns, it will keep you on the edge of your seat till the very end, can’t wait for the next one.

An Eye for an Eye is the first book in the Detective Kate Young series. Overall I enjoyed the book. The plot itself was compelling and kept my interest throughout. However, I was able to guess the killer early on in the book, and from reading reviews, others did too. I did have a couple of other issues with the book. I did not feel any chemistry between Detective Kate Young and her team members (which was only two other people). Half the time they couldn't even reach each other on the phone or they were talking about another behind their back. But my biggest gripe was the Chris twist. Yeah I was able to figure it out before the reveal but it sure was confusing in the beginning.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Carol Wyer for a copy of "An Eye for an Eye" in exchange of an honest review.

This book is everything you look for in a murder mystery. It is full of intrigue and multiple twists and weaves several events into one story. The main character Kate is multifaceted and extremely likeable. The author did a wonderful job of creating her and I felt deeply for Kate. Kate is a DI with the British police and is off on mental leave when she is asked to come back and work on the murder of a rich businessman. She is struggling to cope with life while trying to her job and she feels that she is being tested by her superiors and that they are holding back on her. What ensues is a lot of investigation with only two others on her team. As the case builds we learn more about why Kate was off on leave and it only made me feel for her more. I like the supporting characters and the author created a cast that seemed believable and realistic.

I love a police book and this is one of the best I have read in a while. I did figure out some of the story but it didn’t detract from the book and in fact it made me want to read even quicker to see if I was right. While the case was solved the book ended in a manner that allows for more books to follow featuring Kate. I can’t wait to read them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the opportunity to read this book.

Another brilliant book from Carol
The start of a new detective series.
D.I. Kate Young has suffered a traumatic incident and is on leave.
While on leave her friend and fellow officer D.C.I Chase comes and asks Kate to come back as this case is a bad one and the superintendent wants Kate on this case.
While trying to solve the case we are taken back to why Kate is on leave.
There is definitely quite a few twists in this story.
Is everyone on her side or not?
Can’t wait for the next book
Thanks NetGalley

An Eye for and Eye -. A Detective trying to solve a case with a murderer running rings around everyone, while battling her own issues made for a great read. I must admit, I did cotton on to one twist pretty early on,, which made for predictable reading, however the actual murder itself remained unsolved for me up until the very end. I loved (if that is the right way to describe it!) the murder method, something very left field and not like any I have come across before.

The book was real written and fast moving , with the introduction of many characters to throw the reader off the scent and a great marriage of two story lines. I found Kate to be fabulous, and really doing the best she can with her mental state, something that was sympathetically written, without making her out to be achieving more than someone realistically could in her state. I felt for her, trying to keep her head above water and I found her to be relatable.

I look forward to reading more about Detective Kate and would love to see her developed into a TV show.

This isn’t my first book by this author and I loved her last one so couldn’t resist this one. Great promise in the blurb and I’m a sucker for any police procedural storylines. I also love a strong female character which DI Kate Young is. I also loved the dynamic within the investigative team. I’m fairly good for guessing aspects of a storyline or being able to predict the conclusion but this one was a little different as from a quarter way in I knew what was coming and not in the way of some details but everything. It was such a pity as it really had such potential for the suspense and shock factor but unfortunately it was hard not to predict as it was so obvious. Having said that I continued as I did want to see was I right in my predictions and maybe I was in for a shock. It won’t stop me reading the next in the series as it’s really been left open and has caught my interest but I just hope it won’t be written in the same way. Good read just very predictable.

Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the opportunity to read and review this ARC that was published on the 1st of Feb.

As a huge Forensic Files fan, I was curious to see if this one would live up to explain and it did not let me down! The murders were told vividly but not so graphic that you can’t keep reading. Well done!
Kate is an investigator in England who was been called back to duty after some family issues have forced her to take leave. She comes back at the request of the Superintendent of Police, who wants her to work the case, but doesn’t want to work with her or give her any more information than he has to. A serial killer is taking down people one by one and unless Kate can put the past behind her and focus on the case at hand, the killer may go free.
Really enjoyed this! Can’t wait for the next book in the series. Thanks to netgalley, and the author, Carol Wyer for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Having enjoyed previous series by this excellent writer, I was looking forward to this new strand and what a start! It features DI Kate Young, a very troubled cop following her involvement in a particularly shocking crime and only just returning to work. The case assigned to her is fascinating and she is tasked with working out what links a series of victims and trying to prevent future atrocities. An engrossing start to this series and I look forward eagerly to number 2.

What a cliff hanger... I’ve literally just finished this book and gasped so so loud! I’ve just started Carol Wyers other series of books so was pleased to try the first one of a new series!

A great story line. I enjoyed Kate and her back story and the other people working with her! I guessed the culprit at 83% but really wasn’t expecting the cliff hanger.... roll on book two... I can’t wait!!!!!!!