This story starts off with a bang! and continues on that path using characters that are well written as flawed individuals trying to do their best and make some mistakes along the way. There were plenty of twists and turns in the plot along with one surprise ending! I will be on the lookout for other books from this author.

The author wrote a thriller that started with a bang and just kept going! The twists kept coming, so I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

Ellen McClure has taken a new job with the Yorksire Series Crime Team. Ellen had given evidence against a superior in her last job making her fellow teammates not trust her. She is appointed senior SIO on a brutal murder case. A woman's severed head was found on the step of a large house.

This is quite an interesting story about corruption and historical sexual abuse. It's a very well written debut novel. It has a gripping plot line. Why was the severed head put on the step? You will need to read this police procedural to find out.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Caroline Bale for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DI Ellen McClure is a 38-year-old talented detective recently moved to York with her teenage daughter Zoe to make a fresh start, Not only has she left her husband who cheated with her best friend, she also caused outrage at her previous station by giving evidence against a corrupt senior officer when cracking open a huge case. Now posted to the North Yorkshire Serious Crime Team she is on duty as senior investigating officer based at Harrogate HQ when a particularly nasty case comes through. Connie Taylor's head has been left on the steps of a house in Heworth Green. It has been badly disfigured with acid. Connie is an ex-prostitute and some of Ellen's colleagues, including DI Matt Jackson who clearly hates her because of her whistle blowing past, believe that she must have been killed by a client. However Ellen thinks there is more to it, and when the rest of Connie turns up having been badly tortured the hunt is on for a vicious killer on a mission of his own. Some parts of the story are narrated by the killer himself, giving little insights into his twisted reasoning, but the most part follows Ellen and the rest of the team. Thankfully in this team Ellen has DC Sarika Kaur as the voice of reason who keeps her grounded to a certain extent as Ellen is very reckless as times, often acting before thinking without considering the consequences. It is admirable that she will stop at nothing to protect the innocent and get justice, but as a DI it makes her character just a little hard to credit at times, and alienates her with colleagues and senior officers. And with this killer to stop, she will need all the help she can get as the dramatic conclusion plays out. The book is well written and extremely easy to become absorbed in. I enjoyed it and am looking forward to see what this author gives us next.

Caroline Bale writes a gruesome and brutally violent crime novel, that is frenetically paced, intense, suspenseful and dark, set in York. Detective Ellen 'Ellie' McClure is a single mother with a 13 year old daughter, Zoe, and has split from her partner. She is facing hostility from her police colleagues as she has turned evidence against one of their own, a corrupt senior police officer in her previous post. In my view, she has rather troubling personality traits that inform her rather confrontational behaviour, which is rather unhelpful. DC Sanka Kaur is the polar opposite, she is thoughtful and supports Ellie. The head of ex-prostitute Connie Taylor is found in a exclusive part of York, it is virtually unrecognisable after an acid attack, and the rest of her body is found in her home. In a complex and complicated investigation, Ellie does not agree with the thinking of other police officers, and information from a journalist points in a different direction. The killer has his eyes on another target, Vicky and her daugher, Kallie, whom Ellie tries to protect, but she and Zoe find themselves in danger too. This is indeed a twisted read, and might I suggest, not for the faint hearted.

Detective Ellen McClure, along with her young teenage daughter, Zoe are starting over. At her last post, Ellen gave evidence against her superior, causing her fellow colleagues to not trust her. Admittedly, Ellen can be a little confrontational, a little in your face ... but she's got an outstanding record for taking down the bad guys.

A killer goes out of his way to meet Connie Taylor... but she is not his target. Her friend, VIcky and Vicky's young daughter are the actual targets of his rage.

Connie's head is found on the doorstep of an upscale home with her face unrecognizable after being destroyed by acid. The remainder of her body is found in her home. And she's not the only person who will wind up losing their head ... or their face.

A newspaper reporter reaches out to Ellen with a story that was told to him by Connie .... now it's up to Ellen to prove to her supervisor that one of their own is eyes and ears for a man filled with rage.

Vicky and her daughter are in hiding and the killer is turning his attention to Ellen .. and her daughter.

This is a well written debut crime thriller by an author who is a practicing Psychotherapist. She brings her experience to create believable plots and characters that are outstanding. In her words ... she deals with the psychopaths amongst us with the killer smiles.

Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Books n All Book Promotions / Netgalley for the advance digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

This book starts out like many other British crime novels with most of the suspense coming from disagreements between the police officers or within the family. This is just a part of the plot, however, and there is a lot of action and some mysteries and twists further on.
The characters, unfortunately, are rather stereotypical, and the main character is showing weakness where you would expect strength.

This is one of those books once you start you can't put down. Ellen a detective who has left her old team amongst controversy with a corrupt colleague walks straight into more controversy. Added to a colleague she feels is corrupt she is trying to deal with a murder that takes on a personal effect when her own daughter is embroiled. Can she save her daughter and find the killer before he takes the victim he is ultimately after. I did guess towards the end who it was but still enjoyed Ellen finding out!
I'd love more books involving Ellen

Caroline Bale is talented- seriously, undeniably talented- and she'll get you hooked from the first page.

I WILL MAKE YOU PAY is a fast-paced read that detective crime lovers will devour. It follows Ellen McClure, a 38-year-old detective taking on a new job within the North Yorkshire Serious Crimes Team. Due to her super-impressive track record, she's appointed SIO (senior investigating officer) on a brutal murder, which leads her into a chaotic and dangerous game with the murderer, who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

When Connie Taylor's decapitated head shows up on a couple's doorstep, Ellen's colleagues are quick to blame her old sex-work job, but Ellen's not quite sure an old john is the culprit. That leads her to Vicky and Kallie, a mother and young daughter on the run for their lives. Will she be able to save them?

Unlike most of the detective crime books I've read, we get to hear the killer's POV in this one. This glimpse- this opportunity to see what makes him tick and knowing just how apathetic he is towards other people- is absolutely chilling. The majority of the book, however, is written from Ellen's perspective.

I enjoyed the characters, although I found some far too naive, and others far too bold. There are a few parts that are just unbelievable, and that might make it feel a tad cheesy to some.

Overall, this is a solid read, and one that I recommend! If you love hard-working, clever detective novels, you'll eat this one right up.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest opinion. This book held my interest very well. There were so many twists and turns, the suspense stayed high . When I first saw the cover of this book I knew that I had to read it and upon reading the synopsis it had me completely invested. The action was never ending and the guessing never stopped. I found myself thinking about the characters while doing other things anxiously awaiting to pick this book up again and flip those pages . I tried to go slow and savor every word but I found myself rushing through those pages because I had to know more and more. I am looking forward to reading more from this author. All thriller and suspense readers this is a must read. I recommend this book for sure. #Netgalley

This is the first time that i have read a book by Caroline Bale and now i cannot wait to read more. Absolutely enjoyed 'I will make you pay' from from beginning to end. So many twists and turns which kept me turning the pages. I rarely write what a story is about as i prefer one to read the book for themselves, but i do recommend.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review, freely given.

When a decapitated head is found on the steps of an imposing house, Detective Ellen McClure who has been recently transferred to this patch is made Senior Investigating Officer. Her appointment is not particularly welcomed by her senior officers, or in fact the rest of the team, as she had previously been involved as a whistle-blower in her previous position. The only exception if Sarika who is very supportive of Ellen. Ellen has a daughter, Zoe and she relies on her father’s friend and her sister, to help with childcare arrangements: she is particularly aware of her ex’s criticism of her care of Zoe.

Very much a police procedural but as with most books of this type, Ellen must battle against prejudice against her within the police force, corruption and the attempts of her senior officers and colleagues to hamper her investigation. Like many fictional detectives, Ellen is a rogue – she follows her own path, ignoring commands of her superior officer and acts on a higher moral imperative to resolve the case – a brutal murder of a vulnerable, ex-sexworker and the threat of even more violence to come.

In a way, this is a bit predictable but only inasmuch as it has to be. I was engrossed in the book and in the characters and all in all, I particularly liked Ellen and her side-kick Sarika. I shall look forward to more of Ellen’s antics.

Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of I Will Make You Pay, a thriller featuring DI Ellen McClure set in York.

When Connie Taylor is murdered and her head left on the doorstep of a posh house DI Ellen McClure is made SIO but only as long as she sticks to procedure. Her hunt for Connie’s killer soon takes her in unsanctioned directions and into personal danger.

I Will Make You Pay is a solid thriller with plenty of twists and turns. Mostly it is told from Ellen’s point of view with the odd excursion into the almost obligatory italicised thoughts and history of the unnamed killer. I will admit that his motive is more unusual than normal and that his character is well portrayed in its anger and twisted thought process but it didn’t hold my attention as I’m not particularly interested in fictional killers’ psychology. I’d rather read about the efforts to catch them. The author is not particularly interested in this either, preferring to write a thriller with several big action set pieces leading up to a tense denouement.

Unfortunately the novel did not capture my attention and it took me days to finish. There was just too much unlikeliness in it for me to take it seriously. The murder, the murderer and his motive are outlandish but believable and that’s about it. There is nothing about DI Ellen McClure or her investigation that I could believe. She charges around without putting any thought into her actions and justifies it by her need for justice and fairness. Detective Inspector is a senior post and you don’t get there without the ability to see clearly and evaluate the consequences of your actions but she seems incapable of either.

I Will Make You Pay is a solid read, just not to my taste.

I WILL MAKE YOU PAY
By : CAROLINE BALE

The first thing that drew me to pick this novel up was the title, and then I read the blurb and was intrigued. I’m really glad I read it because now I have a new author to follow.
Detective Ellen McClure takes on a vicious killer who loves playing games.
First Connie Taylor’s head is found on the doorstep of a house . Vicky is on the run with her five-year-old daughter, Kallie. Her life is in danger. The killer takes Ellen,s 13 year old daughter Zoe and says I will give your child back if you give me Vickys daughter. Then A RACE AGAINST TIME TO STOP A PSYCHOPATH ON A MISSION begins. Bodies start dropping and there is alot of gore !!! Can Ellen figure out who the killer is in time to save her daughter ? Or after finding 2 more bodies with missing heads and intestines hanging will she cave and give another woman's child up to save her own ?
Have i Caught your attention yet ?
This was so good with just the right amount of gore! Wow , what an amazing very well written story. I loved it so much that i honestly never wanted it to end. Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down. I will make you pay is an expertly crafted story .The plot is suspenseful and thrilling at all times. It really is a roller coaster of a ride.All of the characters were very well developed, and done in such a way you really care about most of them. Bale’s writing style is engaging and fearless .It blew me away that this was the authors first book.There is alot of twist and turns, and it kept me interested from the first page til the last. I want to read all the books she writes. I look forward to reading more of her work.Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for the e ARC.

4.5 stars
A very fast paced read, with a great female character that won't step back from finding the truth and solve the case even if her superiors are trying to make her quite the loose ends that she is following, a crime investigation very well written with enough twists and turns to keep you wanting to find out the truth and what happens next.
There are many things happening that probably won’t be for everyone to read as it treats children abuse of all kind and a gruesome death but it’s so worthy of your time.
Really enjoyed it and looking forward to more stories from the author.

I very much enjoyed this book! It was a suspenseful police procedural, in very good taste. The main character was a strong, no nonsense, straight forward female detective who stands her ground and keeps her morals high.
I am delighted that this is the first book in a series, I will be eagerly awaiting the next installment. Caroline Bell has great potential, and I loved her writing style.
The plot was unpredictable and I was caught off guard when the whodunit was answered. Lots of twists and turns, and flow of the story was super smooth.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of the book.
#netgalley
#iwillmakeyoupay

This is a debut by a new author to me but I do love to find new authors there is always a bitter sweet moment: 'will I like it or not?'

The book begins steadily but it is worth bearing with it as we learn the background to a very complex story.

Ellie is a feisty character willing to be outcast by her colleagues in her quest to see justice done. She has moved to York and is trying to put the pieces of her life back together after the breakdown of her marriage and the aftermath of a very difficult case. She is trying to juggle a demanding job with being a single parent when the call comes in that makes her life a whole lot worse.

Although there are several other characters it is Ellie that the story focuses on as the reader is taken on a journey through a story with corruption, abuse, psychopaths, lies, jealousy and murder that is not for the faint hearted. This is an intriguing story that builds in pace gradually all the way to an ending I certainly didn't see coming.

The story begins way back with 2 girls who are groomed by a rich businessman. This sets in motion a string of events that sees a woman running for her life and begs the question: 'what wouldn't you do to save your child?'

I am looking forward to more from Caroline.

Thank you to Joffe Books & Netgalley for the digital ARC. These are my own, unbiased thoughts and opinions.

My first encounter with Ellen McClure. A very interesting story about whistle blowing corruption and historical sexual abuse. As the story unfolds it has a particularly personal effect on Ellen which fortunately leads to a small satisfactory ending will this be the end of her career or will we hear more from her in future stories?

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Detective Ellen has just started her new job when her boss Morgan made her lead SIO of case of woman who head was found on the step of large house that use to be called Lockton House.

When they learn the identity of the woman they learn her name is Connie and that she was killed to get her best friend Vicky out of hiding because when they were young children they were force into doing sexual activity by a powerful man name Gascoyne.

I like Ellen I think she a strong character with flaws she does everything in her power to bring justice even when she was at her old job she had turn in a fellow officer and because of this at her new job some doesn't trust her the only who she seem to trust is Sarika who gives her benefit of doubt. Even though I like her she did seem a bit reckless when it came to her and her daughter Zoe that she have to fight for custody of her daughter with her ex who cheated on her with her best friend.

The book was good and I get that the doctor can't tell you much but if Ellen had all the facts and her boss listen to her I believe the case would've solve without anyone else getting hurt.

I hope this is a series because I will love to follow Ellen and her team as they solve crimes.

I Will Make You Pay is a great thriller with interesting characters and storyline. Well written and I hope to read more from this author.