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DI Kelly Porter #7
Little Doubt
Some places make their own laws…
When Ella Watson, a woman of wealth and status, is brutally stabbed to death in broad daylight it sends a shockwave through the Lake District community. Later that day, Keira Bradley meets the same fate. But whereas Ella’s murder is a tragedy, Keira’s death on the notorious Beacon Estate is just another statistic in a dangerous place.
DI Kelly Porter has the unenviable job of running simultaneous investigations. Her efforts aren’t helped by a boss driven by protecting his reputation and a housing estate where fear rules and no one dare speak out. Kelly knows the answers can only be found by winning the trust of the residents at Beacon Estate. A task so hard it may be impossible.
Kelly puts everything she has into finding justice for both victims. The only thing she hadn’t anticipated was a traitor in the ranks. When the evidence points to someone in her team, Kelly has to put feelings aside and work the case – no matter where it leads. By the time it is over, nothing in her world will ever be the same…
A dark and gripping police procedural for fans of Patricia Gibney and D. S. Hood.
364 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2020
473 people are currently reading
741 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Lynch
82 books413 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 156 reviews
February 22, 2020
This is a smashing addition to Rachel Lynch's great series featuring DI Kelly Porter, set in the Lake District but don't expect it to be the beautiful parts of the area, it is far more gritty, focusing on the notorious Beacon Estate. It is run by the Cotton brothers with their county line drugs operations, with a community that does not report crime or grass on others, it is far too dangerous. For the police, it is a no go area and the establishment have given up on the lawless enclave of illicit trades and delinquency. The author focuses on the rise of knife crime, with London the prime focus in the media, but its rise in other towns and cities has largely been ignored. Two women get stabbed to death, the wealthy Ella Watson whilst she is jogging in a park, and Keira Bradley on the Beacon Estate, it is Ella's death that gets the media focus and treated seriously by Superintendent Neil Ormond, who knew the Watson family.
Kelly is unhappy that the murder of Keira is not receiving equal attention, and uncomfortable with Ormond ignoring the conflict of interest that should have meant he could not interfere in her investigations. However, rank is everything with Ormond rampaging like a crazed bull in a china shop, feeling free to threaten Kelly and order a police operation on the estate that turns out to be a spectacular failure. The Watson family, Thomas Watson and his teenage children, Jordan and Millie, are drowning in grief and rage at the loss of Ella. Sharon Bradley, mother of Keira, is not going to let the loss of Keira go without challenging the grip of the Cotton brothers, and the estate culture of not talking to the police. She wants justice for Keira and nothing is going to stop her. With the Watsons and Sharon, two distinctly different social and economic worlds surprisingly begin to connect, is it possible sparks of hope can arise from the ashes of tragedy?
Lynch writes a well plotted and intense crime story, with a charismatic protagonist in DI Kelly Porter, with her supportive partner, Johnny, and his daughter, Josie, and she has developed a close and richly rewarding close relationship with her real father, Ted, a coroner. She has a great police team that she is justifiably proud of, with the likes of DS Kate Umshaw, DS Will Phillips, and DCs Rob Shawcross and Emma Hide, but in a case where police corruption rears its ugly head, can she trust everyone on her team? This is a brilliant crime read, and I have no hesitation in recommending this addition to what is a fabulous series. Many thanks to Canelo for an ARC.
Kelly is unhappy that the murder of Keira is not receiving equal attention, and uncomfortable with Ormond ignoring the conflict of interest that should have meant he could not interfere in her investigations. However, rank is everything with Ormond rampaging like a crazed bull in a china shop, feeling free to threaten Kelly and order a police operation on the estate that turns out to be a spectacular failure. The Watson family, Thomas Watson and his teenage children, Jordan and Millie, are drowning in grief and rage at the loss of Ella. Sharon Bradley, mother of Keira, is not going to let the loss of Keira go without challenging the grip of the Cotton brothers, and the estate culture of not talking to the police. She wants justice for Keira and nothing is going to stop her. With the Watsons and Sharon, two distinctly different social and economic worlds surprisingly begin to connect, is it possible sparks of hope can arise from the ashes of tragedy?
Lynch writes a well plotted and intense crime story, with a charismatic protagonist in DI Kelly Porter, with her supportive partner, Johnny, and his daughter, Josie, and she has developed a close and richly rewarding close relationship with her real father, Ted, a coroner. She has a great police team that she is justifiably proud of, with the likes of DS Kate Umshaw, DS Will Phillips, and DCs Rob Shawcross and Emma Hide, but in a case where police corruption rears its ugly head, can she trust everyone on her team? This is a brilliant crime read, and I have no hesitation in recommending this addition to what is a fabulous series. Many thanks to Canelo for an ARC.
April 17, 2020
Little Doubt by Rachel Lynch is the seventh in the DI Kelly Porter series but it reads well as a standalone. However, this is such an excellent series that I would like to read the previous books as well. While Ella Watson is jogging, she is attacked and stabbed to death. She was a wife and devoted mother and appears to have been targeted at random. Within one day, Keira Bradley is knifed to death close by, on Benson Estate, where lawlessness rules. In less than 24 hours, these two women from opposite ends of society, were killed and DI Porter is tasked with both investigations. She will deal with uncooperative witnesses, a senior officer who is interfering with her work, someone on her staff who may be working both sides of the fence, etc. This police procedural is so well-written that the reader can visualize the action, as if being there. Highly recommended. Thank you to Canelo and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 20, 2020
The 7th book in the DI Kelly Porter series by author Rachel Lynch.
This is an excellent series and well worth reading from the very start, now on book seven with book 8 already due in August 2020. The series is full of interesting believable characters and if you enjoy good plots accompanied by excellent characters then is for you.
The novel begins with a wealthy woman named Ella brutally stabbed while out running. Shortly after Ella's murder a young woman with a completely different background is also stabbed to death on a nearby estate known with a bad reputation. Are the two cases linked or is it just co-incidence?
DI Kelly Porter is given the investigation and is desperately trying to give the same amount of effort to both cases. Superintendent Ormond is pressurising Kelly to get a quick arrest but she is troubled by his methods and motives.
Like most good series the characters are very important and this one is the same. Great characters with interesting back stories that add to the interest and entertainment.
Another excellent novel by Rachel Lynch and I am so looking forward to the next one.
This is an excellent series and well worth reading from the very start, now on book seven with book 8 already due in August 2020. The series is full of interesting believable characters and if you enjoy good plots accompanied by excellent characters then is for you.
The novel begins with a wealthy woman named Ella brutally stabbed while out running. Shortly after Ella's murder a young woman with a completely different background is also stabbed to death on a nearby estate known with a bad reputation. Are the two cases linked or is it just co-incidence?
DI Kelly Porter is given the investigation and is desperately trying to give the same amount of effort to both cases. Superintendent Ormond is pressurising Kelly to get a quick arrest but she is troubled by his methods and motives.
Like most good series the characters are very important and this one is the same. Great characters with interesting back stories that add to the interest and entertainment.
Another excellent novel by Rachel Lynch and I am so looking forward to the next one.
December 27, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley and Francesca Riccardi of Canelo Publishing for a widget in exchange for an honest review.
As great as her personal life is going at the moment, DI Kelly Porter definitely has some issues at work in the series latest installment. Upon her return from an amazing trip to Florida with Johnny, the death of a middle class woman and mother of two has Kelly's boss breathing down her neck and threatening Kelly with termination. But as another woman is found murdered, tensions mount between the citizens and the police, Kelly is forced to confront secrets on her own team? Are these murders gang related or is Kelly close to a massive cover up?
I read this one much like the others-in one sitting. I was pretty satisfied with the overall storyline and appreciated the cliffhanger that Kelly is given. I am very interested in how everything is going to turn out for Kelly, Johnny, Ted, and Josie. Perhaps Kelly will finally reunite with her sister?
Goodreads review published 03/03/20
Expected publication 05 /03/20
As great as her personal life is going at the moment, DI Kelly Porter definitely has some issues at work in the series latest installment. Upon her return from an amazing trip to Florida with Johnny, the death of a middle class woman and mother of two has Kelly's boss breathing down her neck and threatening Kelly with termination. But as another woman is found murdered, tensions mount between the citizens and the police, Kelly is forced to confront secrets on her own team? Are these murders gang related or is Kelly close to a massive cover up?
I read this one much like the others-in one sitting. I was pretty satisfied with the overall storyline and appreciated the cliffhanger that Kelly is given. I am very interested in how everything is going to turn out for Kelly, Johnny, Ted, and Josie. Perhaps Kelly will finally reunite with her sister?
Goodreads review published 03/03/20
Expected publication 05 /03/20
March 5, 2020
This is the 7th book in a series that I've followed from the beginning. It features DI Kelly Porter and her division -- Serious Crime in Cumbria's Lake District. The cases are usually quite complicated and the setting is spotlighted in most of the books although not so much in this one. It's always nice to revisit characters that you've come to know from previous installments.
In this police procedural/crime thriller, Kelly and her team are focused on solving two fatal knife attacks. The first victim, Ella Watson (married to Thomas with 2 teenage children) was an upper middle class homemaker out on a run in the park when she was attacked. The second murder was Keira Bradley, from a lawless area known as Beacon Estate. The two murders committed in the same 24-hour time period couldn't possibly be related, could they? The first issue for Kelly is that one of the deaths is considered a higher priority than the other. NO SPOILERS.
The main themes here are class differences and the rising problem of knife violence. These topics were extensively explored in the narrative and at times I felt that the underlying message overpowered the story line. I really have liked DI Kelly Porter and most of her team members in previous books, but in this one she comes off as almost too perfect -- as a cop, as a woman, as a human being -- and I guess I like my characters with a few flaws and not someone who everyone just adores. I don't need head cases here, but just a little bit less than Wonder Woman would be more believable?! I wasn't all that engaged with this plot as much as the others probably because it didn't seem as much about police work as it was about the social message and corruption in the police department there. I'm sure I'll still want to follow this crime thriller series and definitely will read the next one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for this e-book ARC to read and review.
In this police procedural/crime thriller, Kelly and her team are focused on solving two fatal knife attacks. The first victim, Ella Watson (married to Thomas with 2 teenage children) was an upper middle class homemaker out on a run in the park when she was attacked. The second murder was Keira Bradley, from a lawless area known as Beacon Estate. The two murders committed in the same 24-hour time period couldn't possibly be related, could they? The first issue for Kelly is that one of the deaths is considered a higher priority than the other. NO SPOILERS.
The main themes here are class differences and the rising problem of knife violence. These topics were extensively explored in the narrative and at times I felt that the underlying message overpowered the story line. I really have liked DI Kelly Porter and most of her team members in previous books, but in this one she comes off as almost too perfect -- as a cop, as a woman, as a human being -- and I guess I like my characters with a few flaws and not someone who everyone just adores. I don't need head cases here, but just a little bit less than Wonder Woman would be more believable?! I wasn't all that engaged with this plot as much as the others probably because it didn't seem as much about police work as it was about the social message and corruption in the police department there. I'm sure I'll still want to follow this crime thriller series and definitely will read the next one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for this e-book ARC to read and review.
August 12, 2022
This was a disappointing book. I have read other books by Rachel and enjoyed them but, this one started off well and really slowed down. It dragged along for the rest of the book and I was glad to reach the end. It’s a shame I really thought this one would be good.
February 20, 2025
I've got to say I'm slightly obsessed with that series. There's such good quality of writing here, the stories are interesting and varied, characters well fleshed out. Rachel Lynch sure knows how to write a great story.
The case in this story is so relevant nowadays. Knife crime, social injustice, the societal issues that arise from the less priviliged groups that are so often forgotten and left to fend for themselves. Rachel Lynch tackles a lot in Little Doubt and I feel she does a grand job here.
Overall a really intense brilliant story with a fantastic lead character that had me racing through the pages. Loved it!
The case in this story is so relevant nowadays. Knife crime, social injustice, the societal issues that arise from the less priviliged groups that are so often forgotten and left to fend for themselves. Rachel Lynch tackles a lot in Little Doubt and I feel she does a grand job here.
Overall a really intense brilliant story with a fantastic lead character that had me racing through the pages. Loved it!
February 12, 2020
Ella Watson. Wealthy middle-class woman and wife to Thomas and mother to two children goes jogging in the middle of the afternoon in a chilly November day in Potton Park in Penrith. But she never returns home because she is randomly stabbed to death. There is no motive for her death. Then just a mile away on a rundown housing estate called Beacon Estate, full of gangs, hooded hoodlums and drugs. A young girl Keira Bradley is also stabbed and left to die on the estate. Was this gang related?
Feeling refreshed after returning from Florida Keys DI Kelly Porter is the SIO on the case. With her loyal team she starts to investigate the two murders. Are they linked in some way? But during the investigation there are problems with some members of her team and her boss Superintendent Ormond keeps pressure on Kelly. He doesn’t like her and just wants to hurry her up and close the case. So, Kelly doesn’t know what really is going on, on the Beacon Estate. What is he hiding?
Dam Rachel Lynch has done it again. Little doubt is the 7th book in the D.I. Kelly Porter series and with each book the series gets better and better. This is another brilliant instalment in the series. I like how the author is current to today society and highlights the problems in her work. This had a great storyline and characters and I liked the little cliff-hanger at the end. I can’t wait for the next instalment.
Feeling refreshed after returning from Florida Keys DI Kelly Porter is the SIO on the case. With her loyal team she starts to investigate the two murders. Are they linked in some way? But during the investigation there are problems with some members of her team and her boss Superintendent Ormond keeps pressure on Kelly. He doesn’t like her and just wants to hurry her up and close the case. So, Kelly doesn’t know what really is going on, on the Beacon Estate. What is he hiding?
Dam Rachel Lynch has done it again. Little doubt is the 7th book in the D.I. Kelly Porter series and with each book the series gets better and better. This is another brilliant instalment in the series. I like how the author is current to today society and highlights the problems in her work. This had a great storyline and characters and I liked the little cliff-hanger at the end. I can’t wait for the next instalment.
November 29, 2024
A very good addition to the DI Kelly Porter series.
April 12, 2020
An otherwise strong installment in the DI Kelly Porter series I was, nonetheless, taken aback by the ending in which a major character suddenly decided to become a RAPPER (Lots of interests but no hint he had any affinity [or talent] for any kind of music... Where did THAT come from?!). What a cop-out. I had felt that the young man who thought longingly of the nearby peaks and who we're told had wondered about the mountain rescue would mention his interest to Kelly Porter, who would say "You know... my boyfriend runs the mountain rescue..." How great would it have been for the young man to take THAT route, using it (instead of rap, which only a handful will ever truly succeed at and which is such a clichéd career choice for poor kids) to take kids from the estates and show them the world of nature that is so close but which they never feel is as much for them as anyone else(!). He could have been their guide to something truly spiritual and life changing. I think Lynch rushed the ending for every character but Kelly (she had a nice ending in this book), with one paticularly wasted opportunity. I hope Lynch reverses course in the next DI Porter book and Akers becomes a redeemed regular in the mountain rescue.
Also, I think it's long overdue for Porter and the sister she was raised with to start TRYING. I recall Porter hugging Ted in a prior book in this series, noticing the confused look on her sister's face, thinking she looked sad at being excluded. That is not right or fair. Her sister is a lost soul. Anyone can see she acts out because she knows she's been lied to and she's the only one who doesn't know about WHAT! It's time for Kelly to look back and remember that she once loved her sister and that maybe she and her late mother are largely to blame for how she became so negative. It isn't fair for Kelly Porter to shut out the sister with whom she grew up. That girl is hurting. Being forgotten by the author who created her isn't helping...
Also, I think it's long overdue for Porter and the sister she was raised with to start TRYING. I recall Porter hugging Ted in a prior book in this series, noticing the confused look on her sister's face, thinking she looked sad at being excluded. That is not right or fair. Her sister is a lost soul. Anyone can see she acts out because she knows she's been lied to and she's the only one who doesn't know about WHAT! It's time for Kelly to look back and remember that she once loved her sister and that maybe she and her late mother are largely to blame for how she became so negative. It isn't fair for Kelly Porter to shut out the sister with whom she grew up. That girl is hurting. Being forgotten by the author who created her isn't helping...
March 14, 2020
368 pages
4 stars
When rich, white Ella Watson is fatally stabbed while out jogging, the community is in an uproar. DI Kelly Porter is not as sure as her colleagues that a gang from the local Beacon Estates is responsible. However, when Keira Bradley is similarly killed on the Estate, it barely causes a ripple with the public.
Kelly's boss is a golfing buddy of Ella's husband, so he sticks his considerable nose into the case. This causes tension and problems for Kelly and her team.
This book is a very good police procedural. It illustrates all the problems and triumphs of an investigation. Kelly tries very hard to get information out of the people living on the Beacon Estate. It's like pulling teeth, so to speak. The book is well written and plotted and while the reader learns early who did the killings, it was interesting to read about their background and just why they felt they were obliged to commit the murders. I will continue to read the DI Kelly Porter series. I think they are very good.
I want to thank NetGalley and Canelo for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review.
4 stars
When rich, white Ella Watson is fatally stabbed while out jogging, the community is in an uproar. DI Kelly Porter is not as sure as her colleagues that a gang from the local Beacon Estates is responsible. However, when Keira Bradley is similarly killed on the Estate, it barely causes a ripple with the public.
Kelly's boss is a golfing buddy of Ella's husband, so he sticks his considerable nose into the case. This causes tension and problems for Kelly and her team.
This book is a very good police procedural. It illustrates all the problems and triumphs of an investigation. Kelly tries very hard to get information out of the people living on the Beacon Estate. It's like pulling teeth, so to speak. The book is well written and plotted and while the reader learns early who did the killings, it was interesting to read about their background and just why they felt they were obliged to commit the murders. I will continue to read the DI Kelly Porter series. I think they are very good.
I want to thank NetGalley and Canelo for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review.
February 16, 2020
I would like to thank Netgalley and Canelo for an advance copy of Little Doubt, the seventh novel to feature DI Kelly Porter of the Cumbrian Police.
When Ella Watson is stabbed to death while jogging in a Penrith park. DI Kelly Porter and her team are baffled. There is no robbery and it looks like gang activity but why would they want to kill the rich Ella? The a second woman, Keira Bradley is stabbed to death on the nearby Beacon Estate. Are they linked? Kelly’s keeping an open mind but her boss, Superintendent Neil Ormond has his own fully formed theory.
I thoroughly enjoyed Little Doubt which is an action packed read with several strands extrapolated from the original premise of the stabbings. These strands are explored through the eyes of various characters so the novel has multiple points of view. This is a good thing in such a multi faceted novel and does not detract from the main thrust, the hunt for the perpetrator. It is apparent to the reader early on who did what so we follow the team as they catch up. This might sound boring but the author has more than a few twists up her sleeve to surprise the reader. It’s exciting stuff.
I must admit that I am too old and rural to have much interest in gang culture so much of that side of the novel passed me by, fam (is that the correct usage?). I was much more interested in the other side of the coin, the community outrage at Keira’s stabbing and the ambivalence of some characters to the gang culture. I thought it was hopeful and provided some statistics to back it up but perhaps a touch naive. I really don’t know. I also liked the way the different characters dealt with their grief as everyone had a different reaction.
The plot of the novel is fairly wide ranging but it never seems disorganised or rambling as it all ties together tightly. It holds the attention throughout and gives the reader plenty of food for thought. I don’t think there was ever a dull moment.
DI Kelly Porter is an every woman, smart, capable and honest, who has the same worries as the rest of us, fear of being thought incompetent and losing her job as she is threatened with or wanting a warm, loving family. She is very likeable. I am very interested to read the next instalment of the series as there are strong winds of change in this novel and, no, I’m not going to say anything more.
Little Doubt is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
When Ella Watson is stabbed to death while jogging in a Penrith park. DI Kelly Porter and her team are baffled. There is no robbery and it looks like gang activity but why would they want to kill the rich Ella? The a second woman, Keira Bradley is stabbed to death on the nearby Beacon Estate. Are they linked? Kelly’s keeping an open mind but her boss, Superintendent Neil Ormond has his own fully formed theory.
I thoroughly enjoyed Little Doubt which is an action packed read with several strands extrapolated from the original premise of the stabbings. These strands are explored through the eyes of various characters so the novel has multiple points of view. This is a good thing in such a multi faceted novel and does not detract from the main thrust, the hunt for the perpetrator. It is apparent to the reader early on who did what so we follow the team as they catch up. This might sound boring but the author has more than a few twists up her sleeve to surprise the reader. It’s exciting stuff.
I must admit that I am too old and rural to have much interest in gang culture so much of that side of the novel passed me by, fam (is that the correct usage?). I was much more interested in the other side of the coin, the community outrage at Keira’s stabbing and the ambivalence of some characters to the gang culture. I thought it was hopeful and provided some statistics to back it up but perhaps a touch naive. I really don’t know. I also liked the way the different characters dealt with their grief as everyone had a different reaction.
The plot of the novel is fairly wide ranging but it never seems disorganised or rambling as it all ties together tightly. It holds the attention throughout and gives the reader plenty of food for thought. I don’t think there was ever a dull moment.
DI Kelly Porter is an every woman, smart, capable and honest, who has the same worries as the rest of us, fear of being thought incompetent and losing her job as she is threatened with or wanting a warm, loving family. She is very likeable. I am very interested to read the next instalment of the series as there are strong winds of change in this novel and, no, I’m not going to say anything more.
Little Doubt is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
February 6, 2020
Wonderful, fantastic and heaps of praise i just loved this book !!
Yayyyy here we are back again with book 7 of the wonderful Kelly Porter series and each and every one of these books has been amazing and of course this one is no exception.
It’s starts with a random stabbing in broad daylight in a park in Penrith and seems that there is no motive, this was a well to do mother of two out for a jog who seems to have been killed for no reason. Kelly is quickly on the case when later in the day another fatal stabbing occurs this time a young woman from a well known housing estate and these two victims couldn’t be more different.
With Kelly then dealing with both these crimes amidst much discontent on the housing estate and what seems to be someone on her team who is not to be trusted she really has her work cut and from then on we are treated to an absolutely excellent police procedural that rips along with a gripping storyline.
As always I can’t fault anything that Rachel Lynch writes she has this wonderful ability to keep you hooked from the start and the character of Kelly Porter is one of my favourites and what a damn ending this book has leaving me desperately impatient for book 8, many thanks Rachel for a fabulous read.
So 5+ big fat stars and highly recommended both this book and the whole series.
My thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Yayyyy here we are back again with book 7 of the wonderful Kelly Porter series and each and every one of these books has been amazing and of course this one is no exception.
It’s starts with a random stabbing in broad daylight in a park in Penrith and seems that there is no motive, this was a well to do mother of two out for a jog who seems to have been killed for no reason. Kelly is quickly on the case when later in the day another fatal stabbing occurs this time a young woman from a well known housing estate and these two victims couldn’t be more different.
With Kelly then dealing with both these crimes amidst much discontent on the housing estate and what seems to be someone on her team who is not to be trusted she really has her work cut and from then on we are treated to an absolutely excellent police procedural that rips along with a gripping storyline.
As always I can’t fault anything that Rachel Lynch writes she has this wonderful ability to keep you hooked from the start and the character of Kelly Porter is one of my favourites and what a damn ending this book has leaving me desperately impatient for book 8, many thanks Rachel for a fabulous read.
So 5+ big fat stars and highly recommended both this book and the whole series.
My thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
April 9, 2021
Another good one this time all the action is around Penrith and a fictional rough estate called beacon estate. Gangs run the estate and the cotton brothers run the gang. Kelly has to solve two standings near the estate. The book paints Penrith in a bad light or at least a part of it but most cities have rough parts and some there’s some corrupt police in this one. All gets resolved and ends well.
September 6, 2020
Little Doubt
is a cracking addition to
Rachel Lynch's
series featuring DI Kelly Porter, set in the Lake District, on the notorious Beacon Estate.
When Ella Watson is stabbed to death whilst out jogging in a Penrith park, DI Kelly Porter and her team are perplexed as there appears to be no motive. Later the same day, Keira Bradley is also stabbed, though this time the crime takes place on the Beacon Estate. Kelly is put in charge of both investigations. These cases are made more complicated by her boss, who is friendly with the Watsons and is at pains to protect his own reputation. The Beacon Estate is dominated by gangs who are naturally feared by the residents. There is also a long standing mistrust of the police. Kelly has the unenviable task of attempting to win over their trust in order to uncover the truth, a task that may well prove insurmountable.
This is a series where the subplot concerning Kelly's personal life is equally as compelling as the ongoing investigations, and although it isn't essential to have read all of the previous books, it helps to get a better feel for the characters and their motivations.
Rachel Lynch masterfully adds depth to the story by exploring a variety of themes that often heavily affect teenagers: the need to belong, drugs, alcohol, bullying, obsessions. Kelly is smart, capable and honest, with the same worries that plague many of us: fear of being thought incompetent, and losing her job. Kelly is a tireless and determined investigator who puts everything she has in her mission to get justice for the victims.
Little Doubt is a gripping, page-turning story of the highest quality. The tension increases steadily and though many things are intentionally revealed throughout, the final chapters are still filled with plenty of excitement and danger. The familiar protagonists are present but there is greater involvement from the new and secondary characters that are integral to the current investigations. I am looking forward to reading book #8, Lost Cause as there are some indications of change in Little Doubt.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my request, from Canelo via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
When Ella Watson is stabbed to death whilst out jogging in a Penrith park, DI Kelly Porter and her team are perplexed as there appears to be no motive. Later the same day, Keira Bradley is also stabbed, though this time the crime takes place on the Beacon Estate. Kelly is put in charge of both investigations. These cases are made more complicated by her boss, who is friendly with the Watsons and is at pains to protect his own reputation. The Beacon Estate is dominated by gangs who are naturally feared by the residents. There is also a long standing mistrust of the police. Kelly has the unenviable task of attempting to win over their trust in order to uncover the truth, a task that may well prove insurmountable.
This is a series where the subplot concerning Kelly's personal life is equally as compelling as the ongoing investigations, and although it isn't essential to have read all of the previous books, it helps to get a better feel for the characters and their motivations.
Rachel Lynch masterfully adds depth to the story by exploring a variety of themes that often heavily affect teenagers: the need to belong, drugs, alcohol, bullying, obsessions. Kelly is smart, capable and honest, with the same worries that plague many of us: fear of being thought incompetent, and losing her job. Kelly is a tireless and determined investigator who puts everything she has in her mission to get justice for the victims.
Little Doubt is a gripping, page-turning story of the highest quality. The tension increases steadily and though many things are intentionally revealed throughout, the final chapters are still filled with plenty of excitement and danger. The familiar protagonists are present but there is greater involvement from the new and secondary characters that are integral to the current investigations. I am looking forward to reading book #8, Lost Cause as there are some indications of change in Little Doubt.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my request, from Canelo via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
February 16, 2020
#7 in the DI Kelly Porter series by Rachel Lynch, but can also be read as a stand-alone.
This starts with the murder of Ella, a wealthy, middle-class woman, while out for a run.
Then a young woman, from a very different background is stabbed to death on a nearby rundown estate.
Are these two deaths related?
DI Kelly Porter begins her investigation, treating each case with the same determination to find the killers and the truth. Her boss, the truly reprehensible Superintendent Ormond knew Ella begins interfering with Kelly’s investigation. He wants a quick result, but at what cost?
Kelly is concerned with his methods and feels there is something else going on….just who can she trust?
So well plotted, this is so topical too, with the current prevalence of knife crime it feels very close to home. Kelly is a great character, with her determination and lighter moments with family make her well rounded.
There’s also police corruption, secrets and of course murder in this gripping and tense police procedural. Another great read from Rachel Lynch and I’m already looking forward to Book #8.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC for free. This is my honest and unbiased review.
Merged review:
7 in the DI Kelly Porter series by Rachel Lynch, but can also be read as a stand-alone.
This starts with the murder of Ella, a wealthy, middle-class woman, while out for a run.
Then a young woman, from a very different background is stabbed to death on a nearby rundown estate.
Are these two deaths related?
DI Kelly Porter begins her investigation, treating each case with the same determination to find the killers and the truth. Her boss, the truly reprehensible Superintendent Ormond knew Ella and begins interfering with Kelly’s investigation. He wants a quick result, but at what cost?
Kelly is concerned with his methods and feels there is something else going on….just who can she trust?
So well plotted, this is so topical too, with the current prevalence of knife crime it feels very close to home. Kelly is a great character, with her determination and lighter moments with family make her well rounded.
There’s also police corruption, secrets and of course murder in this gripping and tense police procedural. Another great read from Rachel Lynch and I’m already looking forward to Book #8.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC for free. This is my honest and unbiased review.
This starts with the murder of Ella, a wealthy, middle-class woman, while out for a run.
Then a young woman, from a very different background is stabbed to death on a nearby rundown estate.
Are these two deaths related?
DI Kelly Porter begins her investigation, treating each case with the same determination to find the killers and the truth. Her boss, the truly reprehensible Superintendent Ormond knew Ella begins interfering with Kelly’s investigation. He wants a quick result, but at what cost?
Kelly is concerned with his methods and feels there is something else going on….just who can she trust?
So well plotted, this is so topical too, with the current prevalence of knife crime it feels very close to home. Kelly is a great character, with her determination and lighter moments with family make her well rounded.
There’s also police corruption, secrets and of course murder in this gripping and tense police procedural. Another great read from Rachel Lynch and I’m already looking forward to Book #8.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC for free. This is my honest and unbiased review.
Merged review:
7 in the DI Kelly Porter series by Rachel Lynch, but can also be read as a stand-alone.
This starts with the murder of Ella, a wealthy, middle-class woman, while out for a run.
Then a young woman, from a very different background is stabbed to death on a nearby rundown estate.
Are these two deaths related?
DI Kelly Porter begins her investigation, treating each case with the same determination to find the killers and the truth. Her boss, the truly reprehensible Superintendent Ormond knew Ella and begins interfering with Kelly’s investigation. He wants a quick result, but at what cost?
Kelly is concerned with his methods and feels there is something else going on….just who can she trust?
So well plotted, this is so topical too, with the current prevalence of knife crime it feels very close to home. Kelly is a great character, with her determination and lighter moments with family make her well rounded.
There’s also police corruption, secrets and of course murder in this gripping and tense police procedural. Another great read from Rachel Lynch and I’m already looking forward to Book #8.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC for free. This is my honest and unbiased review.
March 3, 2020
When two women are stabbed to death DI Kelly Porter has two cases to deal with but the women come from different backgrounds & whilst she fights to treat each case equally she comes across prejudice within the force. Ella Watson was a woman of wealth and status whereas Keira Bradley lived on the notorious Beacon Estate.
Kelly puts everything she has into finding justice for both victims. The only thing she hadn’t anticipated was a traitor in the ranks. When the evidence points to someone in her team, Kelly has to put feelings aside and work the case no matter where it leads.
This is the seventh book in this brilliant series & is another engrossing, compelling read. I love Kelly & eagerly await each new book & I'm not disappointed. Well researched, well written, strong characters & a storyline that keeps you on the edge of your seat. There are plenty of twists as Kelly & her team track down the murderer.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Kelly puts everything she has into finding justice for both victims. The only thing she hadn’t anticipated was a traitor in the ranks. When the evidence points to someone in her team, Kelly has to put feelings aside and work the case no matter where it leads.
This is the seventh book in this brilliant series & is another engrossing, compelling read. I love Kelly & eagerly await each new book & I'm not disappointed. Well researched, well written, strong characters & a storyline that keeps you on the edge of your seat. There are plenty of twists as Kelly & her team track down the murderer.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
February 15, 2020
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this excellent book
a nail biter of a book that rachel lynch has written that will keep you on the edge of your seats and will keep you up at night to finish
a fatal stabbing of a runner
knife crimes abound and kelly porter and her team are up against the clock trying to find the perps that committed this crime
only there is another stabbing and the repercussions keep coming...
with her chief on her back kelly is faced with impossible odds and can there really be a traitor on her team, its all hands on deck for this one
what a book...could not fault it at all one of the best ones yet...roll on the next one in this series as its getting better each time
a nail biter of a book that rachel lynch has written that will keep you on the edge of your seats and will keep you up at night to finish
a fatal stabbing of a runner
knife crimes abound and kelly porter and her team are up against the clock trying to find the perps that committed this crime
only there is another stabbing and the repercussions keep coming...
with her chief on her back kelly is faced with impossible odds and can there really be a traitor on her team, its all hands on deck for this one
what a book...could not fault it at all one of the best ones yet...roll on the next one in this series as its getting better each time
March 2, 2020
I have followed this series and each one has had its action and story that entices you to continue.
I think that this one has been more about the social impact of youth crime and how it can spiral out of control and the effects on people's lives.
An excellent read with heart stopping moments and gasps of surprise as the story goes deeper and deeper into the depths of depravity and corruption.
A brilliant read!
I think that this one has been more about the social impact of youth crime and how it can spiral out of control and the effects on people's lives.
An excellent read with heart stopping moments and gasps of surprise as the story goes deeper and deeper into the depths of depravity and corruption.
A brilliant read!
April 12, 2021
A truly dreadful and boring novel. I gave up after reading 40% wondering why anyone would want to read on. It seemed to reach a plateau and never moved from there....just endless detail about gangs. Who cares.
April 14, 2020
4-4.5*
Another really good read from Rachel Lynch’s D I Kelly Porter series.
Now back from their long holiday in Florida Kelly and Johnny are settling back into life in Cumbria.
When two deaths happen in a short space of time and are both knife crimes Kelly is brought in to investigation.
It soon shows her that there are those in the Force who are still driven by what appears, at first, to be akin to an ‘old boy’s network’ to gain/wield personal power. She soon realises that it goes far beyond that and into much murkier depths.
This is set not in the beautiful landscape of the Lake District that Lynch so lovingly describes in previous books but in a much more urban setting. In particular that of the Beacon Estate which has become a virtual no-go area for the Police.
There is perhaps more sociopolitical commentary in this book but it certainly is a very good police procedural, investigation and interesting storyline.
We still have the ongoing story of Kelly’s relationships – both personal and working – which, certainly for me, make you more invested in the storyline. It was therefore as shocking to me, the reader, as to Kelly to find that one of her team appears to have been planted and has other loyalties.
All these threads come together and place Kelly in a very difficult position. Still she is determined to not only solve both these appalling murders but to seek out the treachery within her team and to clear out the evil influence behind it.
I certainly enjoyed this latest book by Rachel Lynch and would most definitely recommend it.
Thanks
With thanks to Ellie at Canelo for the invite to read and to Canelo via NetGalley for an eCopy of Little Doubt. I also purchased this book. These are purely my own thoughts, for which I have received no payment.
Another really good read from Rachel Lynch’s D I Kelly Porter series.
Now back from their long holiday in Florida Kelly and Johnny are settling back into life in Cumbria.
When two deaths happen in a short space of time and are both knife crimes Kelly is brought in to investigation.
It soon shows her that there are those in the Force who are still driven by what appears, at first, to be akin to an ‘old boy’s network’ to gain/wield personal power. She soon realises that it goes far beyond that and into much murkier depths.
This is set not in the beautiful landscape of the Lake District that Lynch so lovingly describes in previous books but in a much more urban setting. In particular that of the Beacon Estate which has become a virtual no-go area for the Police.
There is perhaps more sociopolitical commentary in this book but it certainly is a very good police procedural, investigation and interesting storyline.
We still have the ongoing story of Kelly’s relationships – both personal and working – which, certainly for me, make you more invested in the storyline. It was therefore as shocking to me, the reader, as to Kelly to find that one of her team appears to have been planted and has other loyalties.
All these threads come together and place Kelly in a very difficult position. Still she is determined to not only solve both these appalling murders but to seek out the treachery within her team and to clear out the evil influence behind it.
I certainly enjoyed this latest book by Rachel Lynch and would most definitely recommend it.
Thanks
With thanks to Ellie at Canelo for the invite to read and to Canelo via NetGalley for an eCopy of Little Doubt. I also purchased this book. These are purely my own thoughts, for which I have received no payment.
April 13, 2020
DI Kelly Porter is in urban Cumbria for this story, a stark contrast to The Lake District's beauty and wealth. Two motiveless murder require Kelly's urban detection skills, from her time at the Met. Knife crime, urban deprivation and the culture of fear, are explored in a knowledgable and sensitive way. The strong team dynamics are threatened, ramping up the investigation's complexity and the story's suspense.
The relatable characters and plots twists make this immersive and intriguing crime fiction.
I received a copy of this book from Canelo via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The relatable characters and plots twists make this immersive and intriguing crime fiction.
I received a copy of this book from Canelo via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
April 7, 2020
I have never read any of the other books in this series but now I am going to have to go back and read them all as this was so good!
DI Kelly Porter as a character is intriguing and I want to know so much more about her back story and what brought her to the Lake District. She is surrounded by other fantastic characters. One of my favourites was the mother of Keira Bradley, the young stabbing victim from the poorer estate, as she is so realistic, authentic and likeable. I kind of want to meet her in real life!
The plot is well thought out and intelligent. As a reader you know not to trust Superintendent Neil Ormond as he has close connection to the family of the other, wealthy, victim but you are never quite sure what his ulterior motive is.
The unravelling of the plot is slow but in a good way - it keeps you turning the pages as each little bit of information leads you further towards the truth. I did not expect the way the plot went and I love when that happens.
I highly recommend this book and will be going back to earlier titles in the series.
Thanks to Canelo, Netgalley and the author for the chance to read this ARC.
DI Kelly Porter as a character is intriguing and I want to know so much more about her back story and what brought her to the Lake District. She is surrounded by other fantastic characters. One of my favourites was the mother of Keira Bradley, the young stabbing victim from the poorer estate, as she is so realistic, authentic and likeable. I kind of want to meet her in real life!
The plot is well thought out and intelligent. As a reader you know not to trust Superintendent Neil Ormond as he has close connection to the family of the other, wealthy, victim but you are never quite sure what his ulterior motive is.
The unravelling of the plot is slow but in a good way - it keeps you turning the pages as each little bit of information leads you further towards the truth. I did not expect the way the plot went and I love when that happens.
I highly recommend this book and will be going back to earlier titles in the series.
Thanks to Canelo, Netgalley and the author for the chance to read this ARC.
April 12, 2020
Ella Watson a wife and mother is stabbed to death while jogging on a November afternoon in Penrith . A mile away Kiera Bradley a young girl is stabbed and left to die. Could the two murders be related?
DI Kelly Porter on her return from the Florida Keys starts to investigate both murders. Her boss Superintendent Ormond keeps up the pressure to solve the case quickly.
I have loved all the books in the series and this one is equally good. I was gripped throughout and picked up at every opportunity. I enjoyed the twists turns and cliff hanger. I hope there will be a new book soon. I would highly recommend.
DI Kelly Porter on her return from the Florida Keys starts to investigate both murders. Her boss Superintendent Ormond keeps up the pressure to solve the case quickly.
I have loved all the books in the series and this one is equally good. I was gripped throughout and picked up at every opportunity. I enjoyed the twists turns and cliff hanger. I hope there will be a new book soon. I would highly recommend.
February 25, 2021
Audio version of this book 📚- Another cracking read in a great series, looking forward to the next one
March 22, 2022
Another amazing 🤩 book 👌👌👌
April 5, 2020
I have read and enjoyed most of Rachel Lynch's DI Kelly Porter series. Once again I like the use of real geographical locations in the Lake District. I also like the sensitive way the back-stories of the police characters, is interwoven into a fast moving crime thriller.
If you can, try to read the books in order. However this book also stands out well on its own merits.
This story is based around two brutal murders by stabbing, one of a well off woman in a park in Penrith, the other of a young woman from a crime-ridden Penrith housing estate.
The quality of the characters is once again excellent. I particularly like the way the Sharon, the mother of one of the victims is developed.
There are plenty of twists and turns in the plot before the identity of the murderers is revealed. Is that the whole story? Well you'll have to read the book to find out.
It is difficult to separate out just one book in this series, but I think that this is the best so far.
I give my thanks to Netgalley and Canelo for a copy in exchange for this review.
If you can, try to read the books in order. However this book also stands out well on its own merits.
This story is based around two brutal murders by stabbing, one of a well off woman in a park in Penrith, the other of a young woman from a crime-ridden Penrith housing estate.
The quality of the characters is once again excellent. I particularly like the way the Sharon, the mother of one of the victims is developed.
There are plenty of twists and turns in the plot before the identity of the murderers is revealed. Is that the whole story? Well you'll have to read the book to find out.
It is difficult to separate out just one book in this series, but I think that this is the best so far.
I give my thanks to Netgalley and Canelo for a copy in exchange for this review.
July 29, 2020
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
The characters are realistic, although the story is far fetched in places spoiling the story slightly.
Yet another good read from the author Rachel Lynch.
The characters are realistic, although the story is far fetched in places spoiling the story slightly.
Yet another good read from the author Rachel Lynch.
November 24, 2022
Book seven in the series, more of the same
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