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DI Kelly Porter #1
Karanlık Oyun
Dedektif Kelly Porter bazı insanların yükselmek için neleri göze alabileceğini iyi bilir ancak hakikat ortaya çıktığında risk alanlar için ölümcül bedeller ödenecektir.
Dedektif Kelly Porter, bir skandaldan sonra Met’ten ayrılmak zorunda kalınca doğup büyüdüğü mahallesine döner. Cumbria Emniyeti’ndeki suçlar genelde ufak tefek şeylerdir ama Kelly, zamanında yerel halkı dehşete düşüren ve çözülemeden kapatılmış bir dava üstünde çalışmaya başlar: on yaşındaki Lottie Davies’in kaçırılıp vahşice öldürülmesi.
Bu sırada Kelly görünürde net olan iki suçu da araştırmaktadır: yasadışı bir göçmeni içeren bir vaka ve bölgenin ünlü iş insanı Colin Day’in ölümünden sonra gerçekleşen bir soygun. Fakat aydınlığa kavuşan kanıtlar, Kelly’nin aklına hayaline gelmeyecek bir suç ağını açığa çıkarır. Sakin turistik kasabaların ardında karanlık ve tehlikeli bir dünya yatmaktadır. Kelly, kaybedecek çok şeyi olan isimleri keşfetmeye yaklaştıkça hakikate ulaşmak için nihai bedeli ödeme riskini de almış olur.
Dedektif Kelly Porter, bir skandaldan sonra Met’ten ayrılmak zorunda kalınca doğup büyüdüğü mahallesine döner. Cumbria Emniyeti’ndeki suçlar genelde ufak tefek şeylerdir ama Kelly, zamanında yerel halkı dehşete düşüren ve çözülemeden kapatılmış bir dava üstünde çalışmaya başlar: on yaşındaki Lottie Davies’in kaçırılıp vahşice öldürülmesi.
Bu sırada Kelly görünürde net olan iki suçu da araştırmaktadır: yasadışı bir göçmeni içeren bir vaka ve bölgenin ünlü iş insanı Colin Day’in ölümünden sonra gerçekleşen bir soygun. Fakat aydınlığa kavuşan kanıtlar, Kelly’nin aklına hayaline gelmeyecek bir suç ağını açığa çıkarır. Sakin turistik kasabaların ardında karanlık ve tehlikeli bir dünya yatmaktadır. Kelly, kaybedecek çok şeyi olan isimleri keşfetmeye yaklaştıkça hakikate ulaşmak için nihai bedeli ödeme riskini de almış olur.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 29, 2018
1816 people are currently reading
3807 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Lynch
67 books418 followersRachel Lynch grew up in Cumbria and the lakes and fells are never far away from her. London pulled her away to teach History and marry an Army Officer, whom she followed around the globe for thirteen years.
A change of career after children led to personal training and sports therapy, but writing was always the overwhelming force driving the future. The human capacity for compassion as well as its descent into the brutal and murky world of crime are fundamental to her work.
A change of career after children led to personal training and sports therapy, but writing was always the overwhelming force driving the future. The human capacity for compassion as well as its descent into the brutal and murky world of crime are fundamental to her work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 575 reviews
January 20, 2018
This is the first in a dark, gritty and twisted police procedural from Rachel Lynch featuring DI Kelly Porter, who worked at the Met in the MIT where things went belly up and her personal life experienced betrayal. She's returned home only to discover the Lake District has changed and developed a murky criminal underbelly. She is living with her mother who is hiding her serious health issues, her relationship with her sister, Nikki, is fraught and she has to a lot to live up to with her dead father's reputation as a police officer. The last thing that Kelly can expect is a quiet life as she begins to delve into a cold case where a 10 year old Lottie Davies was abducted and murdered, a crime that shocked the local community.
A local businessman, Colin, is discovered dead in a hotel room, and a child is found abandoned. A search finds the mother, an illegal immigrant, in a horrific condition, close to death. In a harrowing investigation, the multiple threads begin to slowly coalesce and connect. This is story with many echoes in our contemporary world with its focus on human trafficking, prostitution, money laundering, and criminal gangs engaged in depraved activities. I loved the main character, Kelly, a dedicated and determined police officer who finds herself facing terror and deadly danger. I know the beautiful location of the Lake District, it was quite a eyeopener to see that it harbours such deeply entrenched criminal networks. This is a great introduction to this series, I am so looking forward to the next in the series! Many thanks to Canelo for an ARC.
A local businessman, Colin, is discovered dead in a hotel room, and a child is found abandoned. A search finds the mother, an illegal immigrant, in a horrific condition, close to death. In a harrowing investigation, the multiple threads begin to slowly coalesce and connect. This is story with many echoes in our contemporary world with its focus on human trafficking, prostitution, money laundering, and criminal gangs engaged in depraved activities. I loved the main character, Kelly, a dedicated and determined police officer who finds herself facing terror and deadly danger. I know the beautiful location of the Lake District, it was quite a eyeopener to see that it harbours such deeply entrenched criminal networks. This is a great introduction to this series, I am so looking forward to the next in the series! Many thanks to Canelo for an ARC.
August 26, 2025
Trigger Warning: Scenes of sexual violence and description of animal torture
Dark Game is a police procedural set in the UK starring a female detective who is returning to her hometown after several years spent policing the streets of London. A bit of slow burn, the main protagonist, DI Kelly Porter, is given the task of looking into an old cold case that surrounds the disappearance of a ten-year-old girl. Running parallel to this is a story involving the trafficking of illegal immigrants from parts of Eastern Europe and the former Yugoslavia. Although I was a bit confused in the beginning as so many characters were introduced, eventually these stories do intertwine.
BUT I didn't think that DI Kelly Porter was given quite enough spotlight for this particular storyline, and her cold case really fizzled as the trafficking story took the reins. I think I will still give book 2 a try and see if there is more character growth.
Goodreads review published 10/06/18
Dark Game is a police procedural set in the UK starring a female detective who is returning to her hometown after several years spent policing the streets of London. A bit of slow burn, the main protagonist, DI Kelly Porter, is given the task of looking into an old cold case that surrounds the disappearance of a ten-year-old girl. Running parallel to this is a story involving the trafficking of illegal immigrants from parts of Eastern Europe and the former Yugoslavia. Although I was a bit confused in the beginning as so many characters were introduced, eventually these stories do intertwine.
BUT I didn't think that DI Kelly Porter was given quite enough spotlight for this particular storyline, and her cold case really fizzled as the trafficking story took the reins. I think I will still give book 2 a try and see if there is more character growth.
Goodreads review published 10/06/18
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September 16, 2022WARNING THIS HAS DESCRIPTIVE ANIMAL TORTURE & SEXUAL VIOLENCE.!!!!!
DI Kelly Porter. Over away after a scandal erupted in the MET in London, thinking she can get away from her past she comes across a case of a missing girl Lottie Davis five years earlier she was ten years old it was a cold case that was reopened.
The area she went missing was Hawkes water a very isolated area , Kelly decides to see Lotties. mother Jenny to see if she has any new information?
I think the author went away in another direction with the trafficking etc I skimmed through the animal cruelty description I am not going to continue this series. A big miss for me
DI Kelly Porter. Over away after a scandal erupted in the MET in London, thinking she can get away from her past she comes across a case of a missing girl Lottie Davis five years earlier she was ten years old it was a cold case that was reopened.
The area she went missing was Hawkes water a very isolated area , Kelly decides to see Lotties. mother Jenny to see if she has any new information?
I think the author went away in another direction with the trafficking etc I skimmed through the animal cruelty description I am not going to continue this series. A big miss for me
August 30, 2022
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This was a decidedly darker approach to the typical procedural and that worked for me, but the rest is kind of blah.
The main character, Kelly Porter, was likeable enough, but she’s lacking a distinct voice and sense of humour. Her sister, who is barely in the novel at all, had the biggest personality of anyone. Weird choice.
Porter’s colleagues were grey blobs, just different versions of DCI and DS and DI and DC with new last names. There was no team atmosphere, no sense of how things function. The character development was lacking. It came across as very flat. There were layers available that could have been developed to add some texture and depth to the overall sense of who Kelly is and where she works and what her life is like and what’s coming her way.
Honestly, it felt like the novel was mostly told from the perspective of the bad guys. There was an uneven plot development and limited accessibility to the main character, who should have been the most captivating touchstone for the reader.
It’s a solid 3-star novel. Nothing amazing, but not bad either. Yes, there is a plot here, one that is mostly well thought out, if not a little predictable. But it's missing vibrant characters and a more unique voice. Thrills aren’t necessarily part of the package in a procedural, but a little suspense could have gone a long way.
⭐⭐⭐ | 3 stars
book source: The publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review
This was a decidedly darker approach to the typical procedural and that worked for me, but the rest is kind of blah.
The main character, Kelly Porter, was likeable enough, but she’s lacking a distinct voice and sense of humour. Her sister, who is barely in the novel at all, had the biggest personality of anyone. Weird choice.
Porter’s colleagues were grey blobs, just different versions of DCI and DS and DI and DC with new last names. There was no team atmosphere, no sense of how things function. The character development was lacking. It came across as very flat. There were layers available that could have been developed to add some texture and depth to the overall sense of who Kelly is and where she works and what her life is like and what’s coming her way.
Honestly, it felt like the novel was mostly told from the perspective of the bad guys. There was an uneven plot development and limited accessibility to the main character, who should have been the most captivating touchstone for the reader.
It’s a solid 3-star novel. Nothing amazing, but not bad either. Yes, there is a plot here, one that is mostly well thought out, if not a little predictable. But it's missing vibrant characters and a more unique voice. Thrills aren’t necessarily part of the package in a procedural, but a little suspense could have gone a long way.
⭐⭐⭐ | 3 stars
book source: The publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review
February 11, 2018
5☆ A Gripping New Detective Thriller, You won't want to miss!
Dark Game is the first book in a new detective series and I must say it was very good for a first book.
It had everything you could want from a new detective thriller.
Fresh intriguing Characters, a kick ass main female detective.
A big Cold Case that needs to be solved!!
A criminal underworld that lays hidden from the tranquillity and beauty of the Lake District.
Prositiution, Money Laundering, Trafficking, a Child Abandoned, more cases to be solved along the way.
It was so gripping and exciting!
Detective Inspector Kelly Porter is back home and has just started her new job.
Coming from the mean streets of London Kelly thought her job was going to be nice and easy. Ha!! How wrong was she.
When Little 10 year old Lottie is found after being abducted, she has been murdered and abused.
Kelly sets out to solve the case.
Alongside this horrific case a child had been abandoned and the mother found not too far away.
Why would she abandon her child?
Kelly sets out to uncover the truth.
The Cases she has been assigned alongside Lottie's Muder, uncovers illegal immigration and the death of a local businessman which appears to be the cause of a robbery and prostitution.
Can Kelly delve deep into the underworld of the tranquil Lake District and find her answers, or does Danger await!!
Kelly is a brilliant detective, she is kick ass, and not affraid to get stuck in!
She has moved in with her Mum. But she really doesn't get on with her sister Nikki. Nikki has always been favourite and Kelly believes Nikki is minipulating her mother for her own gains. The dynamics are brilliant. Sibling rilvary at its best!
I have high hopes for this brand new series and I think the best is yet to come as Kelly Porter's character develops and goes from strength to strength.
I'm excited to see where Rachel takes the next book in the series!
If your looking for a New Detective Thriller, that has a Kick Ass Lead Detective, Gripping Storylines that draw you in, excellently researched Police Procedures that strengthen the back bone of the story making you feel a part of the team, exposing many raw subjects such as human trafficking and prostitution.
Then this is definitely the book for you!
Bring on Book 2.... I can't wait!
Thank you to Canelo for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my blog website:
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/0...
Dark Game is the first book in a new detective series and I must say it was very good for a first book.
It had everything you could want from a new detective thriller.
Fresh intriguing Characters, a kick ass main female detective.
A big Cold Case that needs to be solved!!
A criminal underworld that lays hidden from the tranquillity and beauty of the Lake District.
Prositiution, Money Laundering, Trafficking, a Child Abandoned, more cases to be solved along the way.
It was so gripping and exciting!
Detective Inspector Kelly Porter is back home and has just started her new job.
Coming from the mean streets of London Kelly thought her job was going to be nice and easy. Ha!! How wrong was she.
When Little 10 year old Lottie is found after being abducted, she has been murdered and abused.
Kelly sets out to solve the case.
Alongside this horrific case a child had been abandoned and the mother found not too far away.
Why would she abandon her child?
Kelly sets out to uncover the truth.
The Cases she has been assigned alongside Lottie's Muder, uncovers illegal immigration and the death of a local businessman which appears to be the cause of a robbery and prostitution.
Can Kelly delve deep into the underworld of the tranquil Lake District and find her answers, or does Danger await!!
Kelly is a brilliant detective, she is kick ass, and not affraid to get stuck in!
She has moved in with her Mum. But she really doesn't get on with her sister Nikki. Nikki has always been favourite and Kelly believes Nikki is minipulating her mother for her own gains. The dynamics are brilliant. Sibling rilvary at its best!
I have high hopes for this brand new series and I think the best is yet to come as Kelly Porter's character develops and goes from strength to strength.
I'm excited to see where Rachel takes the next book in the series!
If your looking for a New Detective Thriller, that has a Kick Ass Lead Detective, Gripping Storylines that draw you in, excellently researched Police Procedures that strengthen the back bone of the story making you feel a part of the team, exposing many raw subjects such as human trafficking and prostitution.
Then this is definitely the book for you!
Bring on Book 2.... I can't wait!
Thank you to Canelo for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my blog website:
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/0...
January 20, 2018
This is the first book in the DI Kelly Porter Series by author Rachel Lynch.
Detective Inspector Kelly Porter has recently transferred back to her home town in the Lake District. She is living with her widowed Mother and this increases the daily pressures and stress she is currently enduring. Kelly is working on a cold case, the abduction and brutal murder of ten-year-old Lottie Davies that shook the local community. At the same time Kelly is also investigating two seemingly straightforward crimes, a case involving an illegal immigrant, and a robbery following the death of local businessman Colin Day. But evidence comes to light that reveals a web of criminal activity beyond anything Kelly imagined. Behind the veneer of sleepy, touristy towns lies a dark and dangerous underworld.
This is a gritty detective novel, with a good lead character that has plenty of opportunities to develop further in future novels. A very good read and I would recommend it.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Canelo for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Detective Inspector Kelly Porter has recently transferred back to her home town in the Lake District. She is living with her widowed Mother and this increases the daily pressures and stress she is currently enduring. Kelly is working on a cold case, the abduction and brutal murder of ten-year-old Lottie Davies that shook the local community. At the same time Kelly is also investigating two seemingly straightforward crimes, a case involving an illegal immigrant, and a robbery following the death of local businessman Colin Day. But evidence comes to light that reveals a web of criminal activity beyond anything Kelly imagined. Behind the veneer of sleepy, touristy towns lies a dark and dangerous underworld.
This is a gritty detective novel, with a good lead character that has plenty of opportunities to develop further in future novels. A very good read and I would recommend it.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Canelo for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
February 9, 2018
Book Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
After working in London as a detective for the last few years, DI Kelly Porter has returned home to Cumbria amid a scandal. Now working in an area with less crime, Kelly sets about working a five year old cold case of ten-year-old Lottie Davies, who went missing on a family day out. Her body was eventually found brutally murdered, but no-one had been charged with her death.
Not long after beginning her investigation, Kelly is called to the Thwaite Hotel where a local prominent figure has been found dead in bed. Whilst there were no suspicious circumstances, it would seem that he had been enjoying the company of a young lady before his death, and video evidence shows that she robbed him before leaving.
Whilst simultaneously running the two cases, Kelly is shocked when the same name appears in both. Could there possibly be a connection between the two?
Dark Game is a real page turner. The book had me hooked straight away with its two plots that intermingled. I couldn’t, for around half the story, work out how the two were connected. It was an eye opener when the dots were finally joined.
This is a real dark thriller containing scenes of a sexual nature, violence and plenty of bad language, some not easy to digest. If you are sensitive to any of these then this may not be the book for you. However, with the gritty, hard-hitting plot, these scenes are perfectly justified and the book wouldn’t work without them. They have been done with expertise and the author has clearly done her research.
The vast array of characters are all well formed and have all been cast in their roles perfectly. They are exceptionally realistic, which is also quite scary to think about.
The twists in the plot came thick and fast, and there were plenty of surprises along the way. I found it completely unputdownable and although I had to once, the second time I picked it up I read for a few hours straight, right until the early hours of the morning. I needed to know where the story ended.
I was left satisfied with the closure, then, the author added the epilogue which left me open mouthed. Looks like we have a contender for who is going to show up in book two. Fair play to you Ms. Lynch I really didn’t see that coming, even-though looking back there had been a few hints along the way.
This is a thriller that has been well written, full of surprises, has hard to swallow scenes and one I couldn’t put down. Now bring on book two, I can’t wait.
After working in London as a detective for the last few years, DI Kelly Porter has returned home to Cumbria amid a scandal. Now working in an area with less crime, Kelly sets about working a five year old cold case of ten-year-old Lottie Davies, who went missing on a family day out. Her body was eventually found brutally murdered, but no-one had been charged with her death.
Not long after beginning her investigation, Kelly is called to the Thwaite Hotel where a local prominent figure has been found dead in bed. Whilst there were no suspicious circumstances, it would seem that he had been enjoying the company of a young lady before his death, and video evidence shows that she robbed him before leaving.
Whilst simultaneously running the two cases, Kelly is shocked when the same name appears in both. Could there possibly be a connection between the two?
Dark Game is a real page turner. The book had me hooked straight away with its two plots that intermingled. I couldn’t, for around half the story, work out how the two were connected. It was an eye opener when the dots were finally joined.
This is a real dark thriller containing scenes of a sexual nature, violence and plenty of bad language, some not easy to digest. If you are sensitive to any of these then this may not be the book for you. However, with the gritty, hard-hitting plot, these scenes are perfectly justified and the book wouldn’t work without them. They have been done with expertise and the author has clearly done her research.
The vast array of characters are all well formed and have all been cast in their roles perfectly. They are exceptionally realistic, which is also quite scary to think about.
The twists in the plot came thick and fast, and there were plenty of surprises along the way. I found it completely unputdownable and although I had to once, the second time I picked it up I read for a few hours straight, right until the early hours of the morning. I needed to know where the story ended.
I was left satisfied with the closure, then, the author added the epilogue which left me open mouthed. Looks like we have a contender for who is going to show up in book two. Fair play to you Ms. Lynch I really didn’t see that coming, even-though looking back there had been a few hints along the way.
This is a thriller that has been well written, full of surprises, has hard to swallow scenes and one I couldn’t put down. Now bring on book two, I can’t wait.
January 8, 2018
There were a number of reasons I wanted to read this....
Firstly, it sounded exciting and the synopsis really made me hit that download button rapidly! Secondly, the setting is pretty close to where I live -just across the border in Northumberland so this appealed to me a lot. Some of the best series' are those that are set in places I know well and love. E.g. The Scottish Highlands, Outer Hebrides. Thirdly, I KNOW WHERE SHE IS by S.B. CAVES, my first ever Canelo novel impressed me so much that I have been keeping my eyes open for another great sounding thriller from them and here it is.
Let me say, this hit the mark exceptionally well for me. It has everything you want or need in a thriller - fab setting, plenty of twists in the tale and well structured and written. I throroughly enjoyed this ride and I hope there are many more to come like this from Canelo in the future, I have high expectations due to these two amazing thrillers that have definitely blown my mind. Also, consider I KNOW WHERE SHE IS if you love dark, disturbing crime novels.
Highly recommended.
Thank you Canelo for the ARC, this is my honest opinion.
Firstly, it sounded exciting and the synopsis really made me hit that download button rapidly! Secondly, the setting is pretty close to where I live -just across the border in Northumberland so this appealed to me a lot. Some of the best series' are those that are set in places I know well and love. E.g. The Scottish Highlands, Outer Hebrides. Thirdly, I KNOW WHERE SHE IS by S.B. CAVES, my first ever Canelo novel impressed me so much that I have been keeping my eyes open for another great sounding thriller from them and here it is.
Let me say, this hit the mark exceptionally well for me. It has everything you want or need in a thriller - fab setting, plenty of twists in the tale and well structured and written. I throroughly enjoyed this ride and I hope there are many more to come like this from Canelo in the future, I have high expectations due to these two amazing thrillers that have definitely blown my mind. Also, consider I KNOW WHERE SHE IS if you love dark, disturbing crime novels.
Highly recommended.
Thank you Canelo for the ARC, this is my honest opinion.
April 16, 2020
Loved this book!!! Yes, it was violent and yes, it was graphic in places but, it was a very good quick paced read. It was set in the Lake District, a place I know very well and so I could picture the places mentioned in the book. I haven’t read any of Rachel Lynch’s books before and I see there are many of them so I’ll definitely be finding more preferably the second one in the series.
January 29, 2018
After a scandal forces D.I. Kelly Porter out of the Met, she returns to her home turf in the Lake District. Crimes in the Cumbrian constabulary tend to be the minor sort, but Kelly begins work on a cold case that schocked the local community- the abduction and brutal murder of ten year old Lottie Davis. Kelly is also investigating two seemingly straightforward crimes: a case involving an illegal immigrant, and a robbery following the death of local business man, Colin Day. But evidence shows a web of criminal activity beyond anything Kelly imagined.
Right from the beginning this is a gripping read. Kelly is a dedicated policewoman who wants to arrest all the bad guys to protect the innocent. There is a lot of characters to remember in the book. The pace is fast and dramatic. This is a well written book and a promising start to a new series.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Canelo and the author Rachel Lynch for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Right from the beginning this is a gripping read. Kelly is a dedicated policewoman who wants to arrest all the bad guys to protect the innocent. There is a lot of characters to remember in the book. The pace is fast and dramatic. This is a well written book and a promising start to a new series.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Canelo and the author Rachel Lynch for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 14, 2018
DI Kelly Porter has returned to her childhood home in the Lake District after a scandal forced her out of the Met in London. She begins to work on 3 seemingly different cases but as she investigates further oils they be linked in someway? These people are dangerous and will stop at nothing to get what they want.
This is the start of a new series featuring a tough female cop. She is somebody who won't let things go, and is not afraid to push the boundaries. A great character and makes for a fast read. This story is dark and intriguing.
Thanks to Canelo via NetGalley for a copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest opinions.
This is the start of a new series featuring a tough female cop. She is somebody who won't let things go, and is not afraid to push the boundaries. A great character and makes for a fast read. This story is dark and intriguing.
Thanks to Canelo via NetGalley for a copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest opinions.
March 3, 2018
There is nothing quite so satisfying to me as reading a British police procedural crime thriller. When it has an engaging protagonist, a Lake District setting, and a compelling and well rendered plot, then it is for me, reading bliss.
DI Kelly Porter grew up in the Lake District, though for the past decade she has policed in London, honing her trade - until a personal betrayal by a co-worker convinced her that it was time to 'up-sticks' and move back to her roots. We meet her as she is settling into her position as Detective Inspector for the Cumbria Constabulary. She is trying to make the most of this opportunity, make a good impression on her new team, and make a place for herself. Her personal situation is tenuous, as for the time-being she is back living with her widowed mother until she finds a place of her own. At thirty-six years of age, this is less than an ideal situation. Also, being the daughter of John Porter, a 'legend on the force' muddies her way further.
"Detective work was liable to put one off people generally; it was the nature of the job."
I'm not going into detail of Kelly's first cases on the Cumbrian force. Suffice it to say that her keen eye and thorough work ethic connects a five-year-old cold case with a current murder of a prominent businessman in a seedy hotel. To say more would ruin it for anyone who hasn't read it yet. The characterization is skillfully done, making the police, the criminals, and the victims all very real. The story shows how even a place as idyllic and beautiful as the Lake District can have a sordid, and brutal underbelly that is thankfully seldom witnessed by the average resident or tourist. Part of the action takes place in hotels and guest houses in the quaint village of Ambleside.
I warn you that this novel is not without its seamy and graphically violent scenes. If you are put off by that type of thing, then steer clear. This is a crime novel with brutal crimes perpetrated upon innocent victims. The criminals put the 'vile' in the word villains. Their scorn for the English justice system and way of life is evident as well.
The story of illegal immigrants and sex-trafficking is not a new one, but Rachel Lynch executes her story so well that this novel stands apart from novels using a similar premise. Also included are descriptions of the appalling and heinous deeds committed by some members of an organized crime syndicate.
A quality series debut like this one ensures that I will be avidly waiting for the next installment in the DI Kelly Porter series. A must-read for those who enjoy well-written, grittily realistic crime novels. Highly recommended!
I received a digital ARC of this novel, FREE at my request, from the publisher Canelo via NetGalley. In return I have written this candid review.
I was happy to read that Canelo signed the first three books in the DI Kelly Porter series and Rachel is currently writing the fourth.
DI Kelly Porter grew up in the Lake District, though for the past decade she has policed in London, honing her trade - until a personal betrayal by a co-worker convinced her that it was time to 'up-sticks' and move back to her roots. We meet her as she is settling into her position as Detective Inspector for the Cumbria Constabulary. She is trying to make the most of this opportunity, make a good impression on her new team, and make a place for herself. Her personal situation is tenuous, as for the time-being she is back living with her widowed mother until she finds a place of her own. At thirty-six years of age, this is less than an ideal situation. Also, being the daughter of John Porter, a 'legend on the force' muddies her way further.
"Detective work was liable to put one off people generally; it was the nature of the job."
I'm not going into detail of Kelly's first cases on the Cumbrian force. Suffice it to say that her keen eye and thorough work ethic connects a five-year-old cold case with a current murder of a prominent businessman in a seedy hotel. To say more would ruin it for anyone who hasn't read it yet. The characterization is skillfully done, making the police, the criminals, and the victims all very real. The story shows how even a place as idyllic and beautiful as the Lake District can have a sordid, and brutal underbelly that is thankfully seldom witnessed by the average resident or tourist. Part of the action takes place in hotels and guest houses in the quaint village of Ambleside.
I warn you that this novel is not without its seamy and graphically violent scenes. If you are put off by that type of thing, then steer clear. This is a crime novel with brutal crimes perpetrated upon innocent victims. The criminals put the 'vile' in the word villains. Their scorn for the English justice system and way of life is evident as well.
The story of illegal immigrants and sex-trafficking is not a new one, but Rachel Lynch executes her story so well that this novel stands apart from novels using a similar premise. Also included are descriptions of the appalling and heinous deeds committed by some members of an organized crime syndicate.
A quality series debut like this one ensures that I will be avidly waiting for the next installment in the DI Kelly Porter series. A must-read for those who enjoy well-written, grittily realistic crime novels. Highly recommended!
I received a digital ARC of this novel, FREE at my request, from the publisher Canelo via NetGalley. In return I have written this candid review.
I was happy to read that Canelo signed the first three books in the DI Kelly Porter series and Rachel is currently writing the fourth.
February 13, 2020
Yazarın kalemi, çok polisiye okuyunca bazı yerlerde acemi gibi dursa da kurguyu, ördüğü ağı çok sevdim. Nereye elini atsa bir suç çıkması ve olayları bağlama şekli güzeldi. Bazı yerler ileri sarılan kaset gibi oldu, çok hızlı geçti ama yine de genel hatlarıyla güzel bir kitaptı. Umarım devamı yakın zamanda çıkar.
February 25, 2021
4 solid brilliant stars!
What a great start to a series!
The writing style is excellent!
The storyline is great and very well developed.
I could feel how careful the author was while writing. The development is slow but skillfully written and good enough to keep you (me) engaged.
The topic is horrific. Human trafficking and sexual abuse is beyond disturbing.
There are some gruesome or gory details and a good level of violence, but nothing too hard to digest. A reviewer mentioned animal cruelty, but in my edition there was none (and I’m so grateful!), only twice there was a mention of dog fighting.
My only complaint is that there were too many characters.
I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series (I have seven books sitting on my shelves!).
What a great start to a series!
The writing style is excellent!
The storyline is great and very well developed.
I could feel how careful the author was while writing. The development is slow but skillfully written and good enough to keep you (me) engaged.
The topic is horrific. Human trafficking and sexual abuse is beyond disturbing.
There are some gruesome or gory details and a good level of violence, but nothing too hard to digest. A reviewer mentioned animal cruelty, but in my edition there was none (and I’m so grateful!), only twice there was a mention of dog fighting.
My only complaint is that there were too many characters.
I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series (I have seven books sitting on my shelves!).
February 7, 2018
Dark Game from Rachel Lynch is her first Crime Novel and I enjoyed it very much.
D I Kelly Porter after leaving the Met, transferred back to her old home town in Cumbria. Where her father served in the force all his life. So, she has a lot to live up too. She returns, to live temporarily with her Mother and also to support her after her dad passing. And back to her sister Nikki.
She is first given a cold case of a child abducted and murdered years ago. When a new case comes in that has some connections to the cold case that she is working on. Where a child is abandoned in the Dales. They eventually find the mother and it turns out that she is an illegal immigrant. The case develops into one of people trafficking, money laundering and prostitution.
This story gripped me from the start, starting from a simmer to a boil. I thought that the characters in the story where very well developed. Not only how she described the traffickers Marko and Curtis and Darren well but, the characters of her Mother and her sister Nikki and the sibling rivalry between them. I thought the police procedures was well researched too. I will be looking forward to see what Rachel Lynch as next in store.
Thank you Netgalley and Canelo for a copy of this book.
D I Kelly Porter after leaving the Met, transferred back to her old home town in Cumbria. Where her father served in the force all his life. So, she has a lot to live up too. She returns, to live temporarily with her Mother and also to support her after her dad passing. And back to her sister Nikki.
She is first given a cold case of a child abducted and murdered years ago. When a new case comes in that has some connections to the cold case that she is working on. Where a child is abandoned in the Dales. They eventually find the mother and it turns out that she is an illegal immigrant. The case develops into one of people trafficking, money laundering and prostitution.
This story gripped me from the start, starting from a simmer to a boil. I thought that the characters in the story where very well developed. Not only how she described the traffickers Marko and Curtis and Darren well but, the characters of her Mother and her sister Nikki and the sibling rivalry between them. I thought the police procedures was well researched too. I will be looking forward to see what Rachel Lynch as next in store.
Thank you Netgalley and Canelo for a copy of this book.
June 10, 2020
Dark Game
Just wow! I loved the fast pace of this book. A first for me reading anything by Rachel Lynch, but I know it won't be the last seeing as this is the first in many more books in the Detective Kelly Porter series. And this is a series I can't wait to get my teeth into.
A well deserved five stars from me
Just wow! I loved the fast pace of this book. A first for me reading anything by Rachel Lynch, but I know it won't be the last seeing as this is the first in many more books in the Detective Kelly Porter series. And this is a series I can't wait to get my teeth into.
A well deserved five stars from me
November 4, 2022
What a fantastic start to a series!
Kelly Porter is woman you can relate to on so many levels, unlike some characters you read and think that wouldn’t happen in real life.
The story had so many twists and turns that I loved and the plot was unbelievable, I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Kelly Porter is woman you can relate to on so many levels, unlike some characters you read and think that wouldn’t happen in real life.
The story had so many twists and turns that I loved and the plot was unbelievable, I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
July 8, 2025
Detective Inspector Kelly Porter has been required to leave the Metropolitan Police in London under a cloud and has returned to her native patch in Cumbria (northwest England) and the local police force. I am not sure if the Lakelanders welcomed her arrival. It is not long before she is uncovering all forms of heinous crime among the tourist villages, lakes and fells.
She finds significant leads investigating a cold case involving the abduction, rape and murder of a young girl and, following the death of a prominent local businessman whilst enjoying the lubricating ministrations of a young woman, she finds evidence of corruption, drugs, money laundering, people smuggling, slavery and sexual exploitation. All of it very - and I mean very - violent. It makes one wonder what the local police force had been doing before she got there. Behind it all is British ill-gotten wealth and criminality and a nasty piece of work from either Bosnia or Serbia. That gentleman provides the perversity, the muscle, and the ruthless bloodlust.
As long as one enjoys, or can mentally absorb, extreme violence without squeamishness, the book is for you. There are innumerable beatings, shootings, stabbings, rapes, random cruelties, dog fights, even naked male wrestling to the death. I found it too much and longed for the end which, after all the high-powered villainy before it, was a little melodramatic. There was a considerable amount of xenophobia too. Sometimes it was as if the author's message was that, if only we could get rid of the foreigners then Britain would be a land of milk and honey once more. Of course Britain has never had need to import evil-doers, we have always produced enough of our own.
Not an enjoyable book for me with its emphasis on very violent crime, and D.I. Porter came across as an infallible supercop who brought her London superpowers of solving crime to enlighten the Northern yokels. I only gave it three stars because I was in an unusually benevolent mood.
She finds significant leads investigating a cold case involving the abduction, rape and murder of a young girl and, following the death of a prominent local businessman whilst enjoying the lubricating ministrations of a young woman, she finds evidence of corruption, drugs, money laundering, people smuggling, slavery and sexual exploitation. All of it very - and I mean very - violent. It makes one wonder what the local police force had been doing before she got there. Behind it all is British ill-gotten wealth and criminality and a nasty piece of work from either Bosnia or Serbia. That gentleman provides the perversity, the muscle, and the ruthless bloodlust.
As long as one enjoys, or can mentally absorb, extreme violence without squeamishness, the book is for you. There are innumerable beatings, shootings, stabbings, rapes, random cruelties, dog fights, even naked male wrestling to the death. I found it too much and longed for the end which, after all the high-powered villainy before it, was a little melodramatic. There was a considerable amount of xenophobia too. Sometimes it was as if the author's message was that, if only we could get rid of the foreigners then Britain would be a land of milk and honey once more. Of course Britain has never had need to import evil-doers, we have always produced enough of our own.
Not an enjoyable book for me with its emphasis on very violent crime, and D.I. Porter came across as an infallible supercop who brought her London superpowers of solving crime to enlighten the Northern yokels. I only gave it three stars because I was in an unusually benevolent mood.
January 16, 2018
With thanks to Netgalley and Canelo for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.
Kelly has recently returned to her childhood home in the Lake District. She worked for The Met Police but transferred home when she was blamed after a high profile investigation went wrong.
To ease herself into back into the area Kelly is given two cases to look at. Ten year old Lottie Davies who was murdered five years earlier and the case of an illegal immigrant found in a wood along with her new born son.
Then businessman and local dignitary Colin Day is found in a dead in a hotel room of a suspected heart attack. However the police find a video camera in the room showing Colin having sex with a prostitute when he died. After he died the girl made a phone call then took his laptop and a substantial amount of money.
When Kelly tries to track down the girl she has disappeared When Kelly and her team start investigating they uncover a seedy under belly in the supposedly quaint touristy area.
I enjoyed the Kelly's family dynamic. Kelly is not close to her family and ran away to London when her father an ex policeman passed away. In the past Kelly has always felt that her mother thinks Nikki is the perfect daughter. Nikki and Kelly cannot be in the same room without arguing. Nikki chose to stay in her hometown and married young, I suspect she is jealous of Kelly. Their mother obviously has a terminal illness which she has not disclosed to Kelly or Nikki. I hope Kelly and Nikki will be able to put aside their long held animosity to care for her.
This was an intriguing if at times dark plot. I enjoyed how the author managed to weave the three different storylines into a satisfying finale. I think Kelly could become one of my favourite female detectives, I look forward to book 2.
Kelly has recently returned to her childhood home in the Lake District. She worked for The Met Police but transferred home when she was blamed after a high profile investigation went wrong.
To ease herself into back into the area Kelly is given two cases to look at. Ten year old Lottie Davies who was murdered five years earlier and the case of an illegal immigrant found in a wood along with her new born son.
Then businessman and local dignitary Colin Day is found in a dead in a hotel room of a suspected heart attack. However the police find a video camera in the room showing Colin having sex with a prostitute when he died. After he died the girl made a phone call then took his laptop and a substantial amount of money.
When Kelly tries to track down the girl she has disappeared When Kelly and her team start investigating they uncover a seedy under belly in the supposedly quaint touristy area.
I enjoyed the Kelly's family dynamic. Kelly is not close to her family and ran away to London when her father an ex policeman passed away. In the past Kelly has always felt that her mother thinks Nikki is the perfect daughter. Nikki and Kelly cannot be in the same room without arguing. Nikki chose to stay in her hometown and married young, I suspect she is jealous of Kelly. Their mother obviously has a terminal illness which she has not disclosed to Kelly or Nikki. I hope Kelly and Nikki will be able to put aside their long held animosity to care for her.
This was an intriguing if at times dark plot. I enjoyed how the author managed to weave the three different storylines into a satisfying finale. I think Kelly could become one of my favourite female detectives, I look forward to book 2.
January 18, 2018
A DI sent back to Cumbria. Who would have thought that Cumbria could be even more deadly than London? There are several cases linked here including the case from the past which starts it all off. I suppose tit’s a coincidence that one police officer would come across all of these cases but do you know what? it didn’t spoil anything of the story as the threads were so interesting.
A case of a murdered child, a case of a woman close to death and the death of a local figure....three cases which dictate and shape the rest of the novel. Three chunks of meat if you will to get your teeth into.
I think the setting really shone here as the rural countryside is not where you would expect such linked cases to happen. And it’s when the DI in question is trying to remain anonymous when this kind of spotlight is put on her.
Interesting cases, perfect setting and some very complex characters. Yup, a solid read this one.
August 30, 2024
Although I liked the lead female detective, and the narrator, this book didn’t stand out in any way.
It’s set in Ireland and all the minor characters are either Irish or Eastern European thugs who traffic young females entering the county often illegally. They set them up as prostitutes and rape them, beat them, treat them horribly. They also enjoy dog fights and kidnapping adult males to fight each other for survival.
I would have preferred more time on Kelly, the lead, her background and the other cold case, or just about police procedurals.
This was my first audio by the author, it has a terrific narrator and I was excited to begin with. Because it was another story about human trafficking, I was disappointed. It was too graphic and the characters, except one young woman, weren't anyone you care about or want to know more about.
I will try another of this series.
It’s set in Ireland and all the minor characters are either Irish or Eastern European thugs who traffic young females entering the county often illegally. They set them up as prostitutes and rape them, beat them, treat them horribly. They also enjoy dog fights and kidnapping adult males to fight each other for survival.
I would have preferred more time on Kelly, the lead, her background and the other cold case, or just about police procedurals.
This was my first audio by the author, it has a terrific narrator and I was excited to begin with. Because it was another story about human trafficking, I was disappointed. It was too graphic and the characters, except one young woman, weren't anyone you care about or want to know more about.
I will try another of this series.
February 7, 2018
I would like to thank the author Rachel Lynch, Netgalley and Canelo.
DI Kelly Porter has come home from London to the Lake District. She takes on a cold case and then she gets another case to do with people trafficking, illegal immigrants and a prominent local businessman who died? What are they all hiding and who is behind this terrible murder of a 10 year old little girl. You have GOT to read this author's 1st book in a series that looks to be really good.
I read this within 24 hours. I couldn't put it down. It had me engrossed from beginning to end.
DI Kelly Porter has come home from London to the Lake District. She takes on a cold case and then she gets another case to do with people trafficking, illegal immigrants and a prominent local businessman who died? What are they all hiding and who is behind this terrible murder of a 10 year old little girl. You have GOT to read this author's 1st book in a series that looks to be really good.
I read this within 24 hours. I couldn't put it down. It had me engrossed from beginning to end.
May 4, 2020
3,5 / 5
Read
January 26, 2018DI Kelly Porter has her hands full in this first book in a new police procedural series where she is working for the Cumbria Constabulary. She'd been reprimanded for being too much of a risk-taker while working in London at the Met and had come back to her childhood home feeling like a failure.
There are, at her initial examination, 3 separate cases. A cold case involving a kidnapped and murdered 10-year old girl that she's asked to reopen. An abandoned baby whose hospitalized mother can't speak a word of English. And a well-known, wealthy civic leader found dead in a bed in a hotel room.
Porter has a lot to prove to her new team and she leads the investigation using the skills she learned from her mentor and partner at the Met -- patience, memory, order and time. The information gleaned by Porter makes her start to believe that the cases are related as the same names keep coming up. What she uncovers through this complex police operation is an illegal prostitution and slavery ring, global money-laundering and murder.
The book is very well-written and moves along quickly. The main character, Kelly Porter, is 36 years old and quite passionate about her work. She's the most fully developed as the story is told mainly from her point of view, but the secondary characters will likely be more fleshed out as the series develops. I'm eager to see what's next for her and the Constabulary team. The only thing that would have been helpful to me is a map -- as I am totally unfamiliar with the area and layout where Porter works! Seems like she had to do A LOT of driving from one place to another and the scenes were nicely described. Something that irritated me, but that is in essentially every book of this genre, is when the female detective goes in alone to a critical situation when she shouldn't and thus requires "rescue" from either a male partner or an entire police department. She should be smarter than that! But then, there wouldn't be the dramatic climax would there?! But it would be more realistic.
Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo Publishers for the e-book ARC to read and review. Definitely can't wait for the second book in this series and recommend it to anyone looking for a strong female protagonist in a police procedural.
There are, at her initial examination, 3 separate cases. A cold case involving a kidnapped and murdered 10-year old girl that she's asked to reopen. An abandoned baby whose hospitalized mother can't speak a word of English. And a well-known, wealthy civic leader found dead in a bed in a hotel room.
Porter has a lot to prove to her new team and she leads the investigation using the skills she learned from her mentor and partner at the Met -- patience, memory, order and time. The information gleaned by Porter makes her start to believe that the cases are related as the same names keep coming up. What she uncovers through this complex police operation is an illegal prostitution and slavery ring, global money-laundering and murder.
The book is very well-written and moves along quickly. The main character, Kelly Porter, is 36 years old and quite passionate about her work. She's the most fully developed as the story is told mainly from her point of view, but the secondary characters will likely be more fleshed out as the series develops. I'm eager to see what's next for her and the Constabulary team. The only thing that would have been helpful to me is a map -- as I am totally unfamiliar with the area and layout where Porter works! Seems like she had to do A LOT of driving from one place to another and the scenes were nicely described. Something that irritated me, but that is in essentially every book of this genre, is when the female detective goes in alone to a critical situation when she shouldn't and thus requires "rescue" from either a male partner or an entire police department. She should be smarter than that! But then, there wouldn't be the dramatic climax would there?! But it would be more realistic.
Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo Publishers for the e-book ARC to read and review. Definitely can't wait for the second book in this series and recommend it to anyone looking for a strong female protagonist in a police procedural.
August 22, 2020
I’m annoyed that a published author didn’t do her research - the book features multiple Polish characters whose - apart from one - all names and surnames are actually Russian, OR the declension of the surname is wrong. The book was a bit too fast-paced to my liking and focused on too much detail in certain aspects instead of giving me a bit more suspense, which I like when reading crime, but still, what really irked me was the names. If you’re going to write about foreign characters and make them all illegal sex workers at that, can you at least research if their names actually make sense in the country they’re from? Just gives me a very bad taste that the author puts all Eastern European people in one bag and as long as it sounds broadly ~Slavic~, it’s “ok”.
January 24, 2018
Crime thriller set in an idyllic part of the lakes alternates between a fairly pedestrian crime novel and a brutally violent thriller with lots of tedious descriptions of sex. I was plodding through it intending to finish it, but gave up at the point where the inept druggie was coerced into “making sure” the kidnapped middle-aged men took part in the illegal naked fight. No doubt designed to titillate the punters who didn’t find the illegal pit bull fighting enough to sate their desires. I had a terrible feeling the poor mens’ “flopping dicks and balls” wouldn’t last the round. Not my kind of book!
February 6, 2025
What a cracking read Dark Game is! It introduces us to DI Kelly Porter, a smart, hard-working, seasoned if slightly jaded detective with a complicated home situation.
Gritty, well written with well conceived intriguing case, Dark Game is a brilliant start to a new series and I can't wait to read more.
Gritty, well written with well conceived intriguing case, Dark Game is a brilliant start to a new series and I can't wait to read more.
February 25, 2018
After leaving The Met under a dark cloud when a high profile investigation goes wrong, Kelly Porter returns to the Lake District where she grew up.
She is given two cases to look at. One is an old one. A ten year old girl, Lottie Davies was murdered five years ago and a more recent one which involves an illegal immigrant with a newborn child.
When a local and well respected businessman is found dead in a hotel room it is thought that it’s just a straight forward heart attack. Then the police find a recording which shows Colin having sex with a prostitute. The video shows that the prostitute makes a phone call and then disappears. Kelly tries to find the prostitute and this is where Kelly and her team begin to uncover how all three of these cases are linked with human trafficking, drugs, money laundering, prostitution and murder.
Kelly’s mother and sister still live in the Lake District and Kelly has thought that her sister, Nikki, was the preferred “perfect” daughter. She stayed close to her parents and settled down while Kelly ran away to London when her father, an ex-policeman, passed away. The relationship between the sisters is fantastically written and I’m sure will strike a chord with many readers.
I really like Kelly. She’s a strong woman who knows her own mind and won’t take any crap. She’s nice though. She doesn’t throw her weight around and she values her colleagues and their strengths.
The author has done her research too. She knows the correct procedures that the police have to use which is a massive bonus in my eye. I’m sick of reading a great story that is let down by lack of research.
I really enjoyed reading this book, even though parts were difficult to read due to the subject matter.
I can’t wait to read the next in the series.
Thank you to NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
She is given two cases to look at. One is an old one. A ten year old girl, Lottie Davies was murdered five years ago and a more recent one which involves an illegal immigrant with a newborn child.
When a local and well respected businessman is found dead in a hotel room it is thought that it’s just a straight forward heart attack. Then the police find a recording which shows Colin having sex with a prostitute. The video shows that the prostitute makes a phone call and then disappears. Kelly tries to find the prostitute and this is where Kelly and her team begin to uncover how all three of these cases are linked with human trafficking, drugs, money laundering, prostitution and murder.
Kelly’s mother and sister still live in the Lake District and Kelly has thought that her sister, Nikki, was the preferred “perfect” daughter. She stayed close to her parents and settled down while Kelly ran away to London when her father, an ex-policeman, passed away. The relationship between the sisters is fantastically written and I’m sure will strike a chord with many readers.
I really like Kelly. She’s a strong woman who knows her own mind and won’t take any crap. She’s nice though. She doesn’t throw her weight around and she values her colleagues and their strengths.
The author has done her research too. She knows the correct procedures that the police have to use which is a massive bonus in my eye. I’m sick of reading a great story that is let down by lack of research.
I really enjoyed reading this book, even though parts were difficult to read due to the subject matter.
I can’t wait to read the next in the series.
Thank you to NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 8, 2018
4.5 stars. This book epitomises the term 'dark, twisty thriller.' Rachel Lynch is a new author for me and I was pleasantly surprised by the clever writing.
DI Kelly Porter returns to her home in the Lake District after a scandal in the Met. She takes up a position in the Cumbria force, its supposed to be quieter than London but Kelly soon sets in motion a twisty inquiry that reveals a shocking underbelly in this rural corner.
Firstly she re-opens a cold case from years ago where 10 year old Lottie Davies was abducted and brutally murdered. Then an abandoned baby is found and the mother is located, although she is in a bad way and is an illegal immigrant. She is hiding something. Then a well regarded businessman dies in a hotel and the circumstances are a little murky. How do these events connect together? Do they even connect? Kelly digs away and eventually uncovers a staggering web of prostitution, human trafficking and money laundering. She is determined to shut this all down but puts herself in grave danger along the way.
There were lots of threads to this story and the author did a great job in pulling them all together. Kelly is a fantastic character, she doesn't have a substance abuse problem, she isn't haunted by her past, she is just a competent and dedicated police officer. Very nice for a change, although her family is a bit wickety wack. The pacing of the book was great too, it was quite violent in parts and towards the end it got very suspenseful. I'm pretty keen to get into book 2.
DI Kelly Porter returns to her home in the Lake District after a scandal in the Met. She takes up a position in the Cumbria force, its supposed to be quieter than London but Kelly soon sets in motion a twisty inquiry that reveals a shocking underbelly in this rural corner.
Firstly she re-opens a cold case from years ago where 10 year old Lottie Davies was abducted and brutally murdered. Then an abandoned baby is found and the mother is located, although she is in a bad way and is an illegal immigrant. She is hiding something. Then a well regarded businessman dies in a hotel and the circumstances are a little murky. How do these events connect together? Do they even connect? Kelly digs away and eventually uncovers a staggering web of prostitution, human trafficking and money laundering. She is determined to shut this all down but puts herself in grave danger along the way.
There were lots of threads to this story and the author did a great job in pulling them all together. Kelly is a fantastic character, she doesn't have a substance abuse problem, she isn't haunted by her past, she is just a competent and dedicated police officer. Very nice for a change, although her family is a bit wickety wack. The pacing of the book was great too, it was quite violent in parts and towards the end it got very suspenseful. I'm pretty keen to get into book 2.
September 2, 2018
After a falling out with her partner and losing the energy to continue working for the London Metropolitan Police, Detective Inspector Kelly Porter moves home to the Lake District.
For a small community with hardly any crime, Kelly immediately takes on 3 cases in order to prove herself a useful part of the department.
The description of the book leads with an intriguing cold case of an abduction and murder of a 10 year old girl. Her story is the focus of the beginning of the book, but the plot splits off to the real time perspective of an illegal immigrant woman. Suddenly the book is about human trafficking and becomes rather graphic sexually.
Kelly becomes a secondary character in her own book and just happens to be investigating 3 "unrelated" crimes.
The plot is overwhelming and way too convenient. I won't be reading any other books.
For a small community with hardly any crime, Kelly immediately takes on 3 cases in order to prove herself a useful part of the department.
The description of the book leads with an intriguing cold case of an abduction and murder of a 10 year old girl. Her story is the focus of the beginning of the book, but the plot splits off to the real time perspective of an illegal immigrant woman. Suddenly the book is about human trafficking and becomes rather graphic sexually.
Kelly becomes a secondary character in her own book and just happens to be investigating 3 "unrelated" crimes.
The plot is overwhelming and way too convenient. I won't be reading any other books.
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