3.5 stars rounded up.

The book opens with DC Carla Burke from the Clayton-on-Sea station off to meet an informant late one night on the Brighton pier. On the way to the meet she starts having misgivings but talks herself into continuing. She should have listened to those misgivings as she is thrown off the pier and drowns. It is assumed that she killed herself.

DCI Donovan is devastated by the news as he worked with Carla years ago. He insists that she wouldn’t have jumped, she has a family. But deep down he feels guilty as Carla had tried to ring him that night and left a message indicating her concern. Besides there has been a spate of drownings in recent weeks at seaside resorts and Donovan wonders if there is a link. So he packs up DI Amy Winter and her specialist team and they head to Clacton to dig into the case. Carla had been meeting with some young street kids so that is one of the avenues that the team explores. Young DC Molly Baxter is making progress on that front.

Soon Winter starts to have some very disturbing suspicions about what is actually going on. It also seems that the drowning victims were not so innocent after all. But who killed Carla? And where do the street kids come in? It’s a good police procedural that builds on the characters that we have come to know. Molly is particularly endearing and a cheerful counterpoint to the glaring Winter! This is book four in the series and I think it would better to read the earlier ones first (which I had done) as the background given is not complete. This is a more thoughtful entry in the series, there is less action and suspense but i suppose it reflects the reality of police work really well. After all, the author is a former detective. Rather it is more of a whodunit and I couldn’t pick it this time. The mystery aspect was very well plotted. All in all another enjoyable read. Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and Caroline Mitchell for providing a copy to review. My opinions are my own.

Flesh and Blood is the fourth in the Amy Winters series by Caroline Mitchell. Mitchell is a favorite author of mine,
This time, Winters and her team are investigating a string of suicides in seaside resorts. The latest to die was a police officer, and her death is suspicious, which brought all the deaths to their attention. A group of teenagers might hold the answers to these deaths.
Meanwhile, Amy’s sister asks for her help in tracking down her baby, who was “given up for adoption” years ago.
The book is a nice blend of Amy’s personal and professional lives. There’s a great underlying thread of how the women on the team feel additional pressure, no matter what their position on the team.
Because of Amy’s background, this is one series that needs to be read in order.
It’s a well done, police procedural with an interesting team of characters. It’s got a fabulous ending that really worked for me.
Mitchell was previously a police officer, so her stories are realistic and don’t beggar belief the way some do.
My thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advance copy of this book.

“Sometimes the worst horrors were hidden behind very regular-looking doors…”

One by one bodies are washing up along seaside resorts and being logged in as suicides. But when one of their own is now counted among them, Detective Inspector Amy Winter and her team begin an investigation into the deaths. What they uncover is a horrific crime within a crime…one that reminds DI Winter “sometimes the people you think have got your back are the ones waiting to push you off the edge…”

Flesh and Blood is the fourth installment to the DI Amy Winter series. Did you catch that, because I missed it was part of a series when I started reading. From page one, I was both captivated and a wee bit confused. You see, DI Winter’s mother is a serial killer that has been recently released, and the ongoing plot of that storyline made me want to go back and find out how a detective’s mother became a killer! Of course, I’ve already one-clicked the first book! Thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend to fans of this genre!



**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **

The DI Amy Winter is a very good series which I definitely recommend. This is book four and features more on the personal lives of the officers. There are some really good twists, an interesting plot and plenty good character development. Amy is investigating suicides, or is it murder? The setting is Clacton, which gave the book a different feel from previous ones and centres round runaway teenagers. It kept me engrossed until the end and I look forward to more adventures from this team. Thanks to Net Galley for another good read which I would recommend.

Flesh and blood is the 4th book in DI Amy Winter series and what a fantastic edition to the series.
This time the team have been sent to Clacton to help with a case of suicides, including an old police colleague Carla that was secretly undercover investigating some homeless teenagers. Amy who knew Carla and the rest of the Police team that Carla would not take her own life including the Senior officer on the case. The same night he received a voicemail from her.
This is another great episode in the series and Caroline Mitchell’s quality of her writing never falters. I have been reading her books from the start and they never disappoint. This is a gritty and realistic account on what happens to young teenagers today. Not every kid is born into a loving family unfortunately. I love the camaraderie between her team and the on and off relationship with Donovan it makes the story more personal and realistic. This is another uptown able story that everyone will enjoy. 5 stars from me.

Because the author is a former detective, her books have a very good believability. The procedurals are done right, and her sense of how a team would work a case is on point. This is the 4th book of the series, and Amy has evolved into a character we know and love. Yet it is her past that comes back to the present and influences not only how she investigates, but why she feels something is way off in the case. It's an interesting book, but feels a bit slower than the previous ones. But by midway it speeds up and it feels like the rhythm is back, and its a roller coaster of a finish. Make sure you check out this series!

An excellent fourth book, a well written read, and a fast paced thriller with a good plot and characters. It was nice to have Amy Winter back once again.

I can recommend this book and thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Good book that kept me engaged. This is the 4th book in a series. This is the first book I have read by the author. I would have preferred to read the other books first although this can be read by itself. The characters were intriguing. The plot well written and well paced.
I will look forward to reading the rest of the series.
I would recommend this book to others who enjoy a good mystery.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Amazon Publishing UK for the electronic copy.

This is a well-written thriller with a complex plot and lots of twists and surprises.

In Clacton, Detective Carla Burke has been working a case in her own time - a case which may well send shockwaves through the community. Expecting to meet a teenaged informant on the pier at 11pm, she leaves a message for her ex-DCI, Donovan, asking for advice. When Carla is pulled from the sea her death is assumed to be a suicide but Donovan is convinced otherwise. He takes himself and his team, including DI Amy Winter, from Southend to Clacton to investigate further.
The investigation delves into a spate of male suicides at holiday resorts - Brighton and Blackpool - is there any connection to Carla? Is there an on-line suicide group or are these actually murders being covered up? What's the connection between a group of teenagers in the town and graffiti tags left close by the scenes of suicide?

Someone has a secret worth killing for..............

An intriguing read which takes us into the world of teenage street gangs, and trafficking. Throughout we follow Amy's horrendous back-story where her serial-killer mother is released from prison, and intermittent narrative from Mo as she explores her past with her therapist.
Good characters and team interactions.

Flesh and blood by Caroline Mitchell

DC Carla Burke is the latest in a series of suicides. But, DC Donovan doesn't believe it when he realizes he received a voice mail from Carla shortly before her apparent suicide. DC Amy hits a brick wall every time she starts searching for the truth; but, she won't be giving up.

The 4th book in the series, and the author did a good job of providing me enough background. Like Amy's parents are serial killers?! That may have been explored more in the earlier books.

I love a strong female lead and Amy did not disappoint. I'll be looking for the earlier books in the series.

Recommend!

This book will keep you hooked from the beginning till the end. It has a good plot, it´s well written and the story could have happened anywhere. There´s quite a few female characters that are easy to relate to as they have to deal with very down to earth problems, and the story also covers a very destructive and disheartening issue which is children trafficking. As a police procedural it also shows all the appropriate procedures that should be taken in an investigation, especially when involving minor and police officers. Really thrilling and entertaining! Looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

A good read as always from author Caroline Mitchell.
I didn't think it was as gripping as the previous DI Amy Winter books but good none the less.

This is a great series that I have really enjoyed reading. Caroline Mitchell really knows how to suck me into the story needing to know how it's going to end.

Flesh and Bllod is book number 4 in the DI Amy Winter series and once again Caroline Mitchell has delivered a well paced and every entertaining read.

Without giving away any spoilers the backstories of a number of characters are moved along without distracting from the main storyline and at times dovetailing.

This series is now well established and one that I thoroughly enjoy. Definitely recommended

Simply put amazing. I love this series and find that it keeps my attention and it makes me really love the fact that this character for me feels like a close friend

In the fourth book in the DI Amy Winter series, the author takes us to the seaside where crime it seems is just as rife.

Caroline Mitchell is without a doubt one of my go to authors when it comes to crime thrillers. I am loving this series and yet again she delivers a must read story with a case that had me going through an array of emotions. The characterisation is brilliant with some characters I began to care about whilst others I didn’t trust and some I ended up taking a great dislike to!

I loved the setting of the seaside and at first the story has an almost relaxed feel to it until things take a sterner course and got a lot darker. I liked getting to know Molly better who is part of Amy’s team. She has some demons of her own to face and seems to be in a constant battle with herself in trying to prove herself to her boss.

Flesh and Blood is another brilliant read that I dived into and didn’t come up for air until I turned the last page. It is a tense and gritty read that in part is quite harrowing due to the nature of the story. It had me eager for the case to be solved before anyone else got hurt and I wasn’t prepared for the shocking revelations that came thick and fast. When a story has you going WTAF! and has your jaw dropping in shock, well in my eyes it deserves five shiny gold stars if not more.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and the author for the ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

This is the fourth in the DI Amy Winter series, and after having loved the previous 3 books, I had high hopes for this one. However I was disappointed, with this one. For some reason it just didn’t grab me and pull me like the previous books, there was just something missing.

Part of the problem was I felt that the investigation was secondary to the team’s personal lives. Quite a few reviewers have said there wasn’t as much of Lillian, in this, but I felt there was too much of her. Amy seemed to spend a lot of time with her sister or in coffee shops, rather than investigating.

The pace of this was a lot slower than before and I just wasn’t gripped by the story, until almost the end, when things picked up. But even then, it felt like where on earth had that come from, almost as if there were a lot of chapters cut out at the final editing and no rewrites to put relevant information forward.

Overall it wasn’t a bad book, and if this was your first one you read, would be acceptable. If it was read the first 3 then you are in for a treat. I am hoping this was just a blip and I would give book 5 a chance, if there is one.

Absolutely brilliant with some real jaw dropping moments. Amy, Donovan and the team are called to Clacton to investigate a spate of suicides in suspicious circumstances but they have no idea of the horror they will uncover. Highly recommended.

Great, riveting book. Kept me in suspense. 🌟🌟🌟🌟 star book. Thank you Amazon Publishing, Netgalley, and Caroline Mitchell for this book in exchange for an honest review.

DI Amy Winter is back and I so happy! I love Caroline Mitchell's police procedurals and have been eagerly awaiting this one. As a former police officer, Caroline knows her stuff, and her stories are always so exciting, dark and surprising. Flesh and Blood was no different and as always the last few pages left me wanting more already.

This is book 4 in this series and the books are just so binge worthy. Strongly suggest reading these ones in order as the character development is so important to really understand Amy and her background. DI Amy Winter is the daughter of a serial killer, a serial killer who has just been released from prison. On top of that, her team have just been the subject of a fly on the wall documentary making them somewhat famous and recognisable. She is a character like no other and you need to meet her.

This time the team move away from their area and move down to Clacton, DCI Donovan's old stomping ground. A former colleague has just been found dead of a apparent suicide. But Donovan knows that she wouldn't do it, and there has been a spate of these deaths made to look like suicide in the area. This time it is personal, and nothing can get in the way of the teams pursuit to find the killer.

A big thank you to Amazon Publishing and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.