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Beneath Her Skin: A Kes Morris File
She knew her process. Knew the itch in her nerves. The cold hardness creeping in. She was pulling on the killer’s skin too fast. Something wild flickered across her heart. When she fully donned it, there wouldn’t be room for anyone else but the killer and her.
When a small east coast town falls prey to a series of shocking murders, city homicide detective Kes Morris is called in to lead the case with the aid of the local precinct. As usual, she’s the only woman in the room, and must draw on the lessons passed down by her detective father, a furtive and dangerous practice of going deep inside a killer’s mind to put on their skin.
What Kes uncovers is a web of gruesome crimes reaching back decades, and a town that may have been complicit. With a reputation of being hard, relentless, and unbending to authority, she finds herself on the hunt for a killer seeking brutal retribution, someone who takes sadistic pleasure in death and who wants their work seen. The farther she follows the trail, the more the line blurs between guilt and innocence, predator and prey.
An atmospheric thriller with complex characters, Beneath Her Skin signals the emergence of a bold new voice in crime fiction, and a dark and thrilling new series.
When a small east coast town falls prey to a series of shocking murders, city homicide detective Kes Morris is called in to lead the case with the aid of the local precinct. As usual, she’s the only woman in the room, and must draw on the lessons passed down by her detective father, a furtive and dangerous practice of going deep inside a killer’s mind to put on their skin.
What Kes uncovers is a web of gruesome crimes reaching back decades, and a town that may have been complicit. With a reputation of being hard, relentless, and unbending to authority, she finds herself on the hunt for a killer seeking brutal retribution, someone who takes sadistic pleasure in death and who wants their work seen. The farther she follows the trail, the more the line blurs between guilt and innocence, predator and prey.
An atmospheric thriller with complex characters, Beneath Her Skin signals the emergence of a bold new voice in crime fiction, and a dark and thrilling new series.
255 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 18, 2021
5 people are currently reading
2195 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
June 17, 2025
3.5 stars rounded to 4.
I wish to thank NetGalley and Nimbus Publishing for the ARC for this intriguing mystery/police procedural. I enjoyed its setting, a previously quiet east coast province. The location is not named but appears to be a small fishing town in Nova Scotia. Detective Kes Morris is assigned from the city to investigate a diabolical murder plus a life-threatening injury. Soon a total of 5 murders have piled up, leading to fear and turmoil. The bodies have been displayed in various unique and gruesome ways.
Kes is a complicated character. She is a dedicated police officer determined to bring the perpetrators to justice. Being in control of a case is of utmost importance to her and can be insubordinate. She has anger issues and takes medication to calm herself. She manages to meld the local team into a cohesive and respected unit with her take-charge manner.
It is difficult to imagine what could motivate such horrific murders. Can there ever be a justification for such grotesque killings in the minds of the perpetrators? To solve the case and prevent further murders, the team must discover some dreadful secrets and events hidden in the past.
The story was well-structured, complicated, and heart-wrenching. I hope this is the beginning of a series featuring Detective Kes Morris, where we learn more about her past and what is troubling her.
I wish to thank NetGalley and Nimbus Publishing for the ARC for this intriguing mystery/police procedural. I enjoyed its setting, a previously quiet east coast province. The location is not named but appears to be a small fishing town in Nova Scotia. Detective Kes Morris is assigned from the city to investigate a diabolical murder plus a life-threatening injury. Soon a total of 5 murders have piled up, leading to fear and turmoil. The bodies have been displayed in various unique and gruesome ways.
Kes is a complicated character. She is a dedicated police officer determined to bring the perpetrators to justice. Being in control of a case is of utmost importance to her and can be insubordinate. She has anger issues and takes medication to calm herself. She manages to meld the local team into a cohesive and respected unit with her take-charge manner.
It is difficult to imagine what could motivate such horrific murders. Can there ever be a justification for such grotesque killings in the minds of the perpetrators? To solve the case and prevent further murders, the team must discover some dreadful secrets and events hidden in the past.
The story was well-structured, complicated, and heart-wrenching. I hope this is the beginning of a series featuring Detective Kes Morris, where we learn more about her past and what is troubling her.
February 11, 2022
When a series of gruesome murders start occurring in a small town, police detective Kes Morris is brought in to lead the investigation.
The vagueness surrounding this book struck me initially. The anonymity of the author, the lack of description of even their gender and the comment stating they may have been involved in a crime investigation piqued my interest. How could it not? The location of the story is also murky and while it is never stated, the description of the area left me to believe the book is set in eastern Canada - Nova Scotia is my guess.
The author wastes no time jumping into the crime and introducing Kes Morris, a well-known, big-city investigator known for her abruptness and skill at finding murderers. She's a complicated character who is surly, overly self-medicates and is regularly insubordinate but despite the book's brevity, Porter paints a clear picture of Kes, personally and professionally. Kes' skills as an investigator proceed her and she brings together a small team of local police officers to stop the murder toll in this small community.
This was an excellent read. Don't let the curious number of typos in the blurb on the back cover stop you from picking up this impressively well-paced debut. It is a concise, edgy, and compulsive read with an engaging (albeit gruesome) story and an interesting main character. I hope this is just the beginning of a new series from this talented and enigmatic author.
June 4, 2022
This novel was sent to me by a very nice (but very insistent) PR person who wouldn't take no for an answer. If you're interested, DM me for her identity and email.
If you look at the overall profile of reader who gave this book a high score, you'll notice that I'm not exactly a fit. There are reasons for that. Beneath Her Skin is not good, but it's not bad either. It's just a little obvious, like a television show that tries really hard to look like a television show you love and ends up not having any personality of its own. The technical elements are there: gory, spectacular crimes; a strong female lead with a debilitating flaw; an investigation that opens up the secrets of a town. It all comes off as very studied and not inspired at all. Beneath her skin is a honest novel that delivers a thoroughly unambitious story meant for as much people as possible and for no one in particular.
It was really the book I thought it was gonna be and I should've listened to my gut.
If you look at the overall profile of reader who gave this book a high score, you'll notice that I'm not exactly a fit. There are reasons for that. Beneath Her Skin is not good, but it's not bad either. It's just a little obvious, like a television show that tries really hard to look like a television show you love and ends up not having any personality of its own. The technical elements are there: gory, spectacular crimes; a strong female lead with a debilitating flaw; an investigation that opens up the secrets of a town. It all comes off as very studied and not inspired at all. Beneath her skin is a honest novel that delivers a thoroughly unambitious story meant for as much people as possible and for no one in particular.
It was really the book I thought it was gonna be and I should've listened to my gut.
June 17, 2022
Kes Morris a hardened homicide detective called to a small seaside town to investigate a disturbing murder. This a fast-paced murder mystery that hits all the right beats. It's gripping, tugging you along as the time clicks down on the clock with an underlying sense of creepiness laced in with every scene.
Kes's take on getting into the killer's head is really interesting, and the intensity increases right up to a satisfyingly finale. Although the murders are definitely disturbing, I wouldn't classify them as exceedingly gory or gritty, which is about right on my level. The descriptions, setting, and atmosphere of a small town living in the shadow of killer were vivid and drew me right in to the scenes. While I couldn't predict the plot twists, they felt really natural and were well-executed. . Kes is a smart and no-nonsense character, but I wish I'd gotten to see a little more of the side characters.
Overall, this was a quick read that I definitely enjoyed, and would totally recommend to crime thriller fans! (Content Warning: Child Abuse.) Thanks so much to the publisher for the free review copy. 4.5/5
Kes's take on getting into the killer's head is really interesting, and the intensity increases right up to a satisfyingly finale. Although the murders are definitely disturbing, I wouldn't classify them as exceedingly gory or gritty, which is about right on my level. The descriptions, setting, and atmosphere of a small town living in the shadow of killer were vivid and drew me right in to the scenes. While I couldn't predict the plot twists, they felt really natural and were well-executed. . Kes is a smart and no-nonsense character, but I wish I'd gotten to see a little more of the side characters.
Overall, this was a quick read that I definitely enjoyed, and would totally recommend to crime thriller fans! (Content Warning: Child Abuse.) Thanks so much to the publisher for the free review copy. 4.5/5
November 18, 2021
When a shockingly gruesome and grotesque murder occurs in a small fishing town, Kes Morris is called in from the big city to lead the investigation. She quickly puts together a team including one member who was witness to the murder. But even as the investigation gets underway, another murder is reported, one just as weird and terrible as the first.
Beneath Her Skin by C.S. Porter is the first in what I can only hope is the beginning of a new series with a storyline that drew me in right from the start so that I devoured in one setting. It is fast-paced and compelling. Kes is a strong female protagonist clearly beset with demons of her own but who never backs away from the investigation even after a severe injury, spurred on by her memories of her dead father’s words of encouragement. The rest of the characters are also well-written and mostly likeable - even the villain is sympathetic.In fact, it is clear that sometimes, when it comes to defining who is the victim and who the perpetrator, the law and morality don’t always match.
Beneath Her Skin is a real page turner and I recommend it highly with one caveat - it deals with child abuse in a school setting, a subject matter some readers may find difficult.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
Beneath Her Skin by C.S. Porter is the first in what I can only hope is the beginning of a new series with a storyline that drew me in right from the start so that I devoured in one setting. It is fast-paced and compelling. Kes is a strong female protagonist clearly beset with demons of her own but who never backs away from the investigation even after a severe injury, spurred on by her memories of her dead father’s words of encouragement. The rest of the characters are also well-written and mostly likeable - even the villain is sympathetic.In fact, it is clear that sometimes, when it comes to defining who is the victim and who the perpetrator, the law and morality don’t always match.
Beneath Her Skin is a real page turner and I recommend it highly with one caveat - it deals with child abuse in a school setting, a subject matter some readers may find difficult.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
November 29, 2021
Thank you NetGalley and Nimbus Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Beneath Her Skin. For a relatively short book, I was impressed with the character development of Detective Kes and who she and her team hunted. I look forward to learning more of her story in subsequent books. The crime scenes were unique and well-plotted and the backstory interesting. The setting served as an additional character, and I could smell the sea and woods and taste the local fare woven into the storyline. I don't think I've read another book set on the east coast of Canada and found the locale interesting. Lastly, I am always intrigued by writers who are their own mystery. Just who is C S. Porter???? Maybe time and future books will tell?
October 26, 2021
4.5 rounded up!
First of all, huge thanks to Nimbus publishing for the ARC of this book. This was the first work from this author I’ve read. I have a tendency to like mysterious and reclusive authors.
Ok, the book. It’s an extremely fast-paced read that did not disappoint. This was one I was able to finish in one sitting with minimal points of boredom, if any at all.
Kes Morris, our lead detective and MC is easily like able. Kes is investigating a gruesome murder, all the while more bodies keep piling up and suspects come out of the woodwork.
Honestly, the book read like a good criminal minds episode. The plot was polished, and the ending satisfying.
First of all, huge thanks to Nimbus publishing for the ARC of this book. This was the first work from this author I’ve read. I have a tendency to like mysterious and reclusive authors.
Ok, the book. It’s an extremely fast-paced read that did not disappoint. This was one I was able to finish in one sitting with minimal points of boredom, if any at all.
Kes Morris, our lead detective and MC is easily like able. Kes is investigating a gruesome murder, all the while more bodies keep piling up and suspects come out of the woodwork.
Honestly, the book read like a good criminal minds episode. The plot was polished, and the ending satisfying.
April 29, 2024
Fantastic debut novel from C. S. Porter!
The writing in this one felt very experienced; conversations felt organic, and the imagery for a small east coast town in the midst of a killing spree seemed very realistic. At points, it had me questioning what defined good morals/justice.
This would make a great movie!
The writing in this one felt very experienced; conversations felt organic, and the imagery for a small east coast town in the midst of a killing spree seemed very realistic. At points, it had me questioning what defined good morals/justice.
This would make a great movie!
September 18, 2024
a couple horrific murders have been committed. Kes Morris a detective from the city has been assigned the case, in the small rural town from which our minds will explore. We read the story from the POV Of Kes, how she gets into the mind of the murderers. What she does to help get into their minds. As we find out what the killers went through as children as their childhood traumas unfolds to us. As does your opinion on the killers.
How many years did this go on? Who knew & didn't tell? Are there more victims from the past? How many more will be punished before the killers are caught? Do you want to stop them?
How many years did this go on? Who knew & didn't tell? Are there more victims from the past? How many more will be punished before the killers are caught? Do you want to stop them?
April 18, 2022
Disturbing but gripping story
Detective Kes Morris is sent to a small town to help the local police force solve a murder, only while she is there, additional murders occur.
Recommend this if you like murder mysteries / detective stories
Detective Kes Morris is sent to a small town to help the local police force solve a murder, only while she is there, additional murders occur.
Recommend this if you like murder mysteries / detective stories
September 26, 2025
Excellent detective novel, especially for the first in a series.
October 25, 2025
Tight and original mystery if a bit macabre
November 17, 2025
An interesting introduction to a new series - Kes clearly has some demons, and her back story is not really revealed, which leaves some room for development. Enjoyable enough that I will read the next one.
November 19, 2021
I have so many things to say about this book!
I am not happy with this cover! I get why it is relevant, but I think it's really off-putting and needs to immediately receive a cover worthy of the story it contains!
Kes is a riveting character and I feel like this story just scratched the surface of the multiple layers that Porter can uncover for the readers with this new Detective. I am glad to see this is a new series and excited to get more of her history and watch her develop over time. I'm a real fan!
The crime scenes were....horrific! Well, some of them were. To be fair, I guess any crime scene can be described that way but Porter came up with a couple of new scenes that I would NEVER have thought of in my life. They had me talking out loud to an empty room or to my husband, where he promptly replied, "WHAT are you reading?" Ha!
Since this is a fair review - I will say that there were a few drawbacks, the police work, forensic evidence descriptions seemed a bit inaccurate. I don't think a crime scene is left to the next day to be worked... maybe because this is a small town, that's how it works? I don't know but that doesn't sound accurate. Also, some of the detective work that needed to be researched didn't seem to be focused on in a timely manner. At least for me some of that seemed a little bit off, but I'm no expert. I do think that some of this focus could be a little tighter and a little more accurate overall. However, this didn't even take away from the story for me.
The book is really short, less than 250 pages, but Porter did an amazing job with her characters. I felt like they were well described and I could easily picture them in my mind. Really well done!
It's such a fast paced read, it grabbed me from page 1 and I read it within 24 hours. Once the story broke open, it's just gut-wrenching! This one is going to stick with me for awhile! I had some tears in a couple of places during this read.
It appears that Porter is a relatively new author - this may be their 2nd published book per Goodreads. I'm a fan! I can't wait for Porter's next work! I love when I find a new(ish) author with such a great book - what else is in store for us as readers with their upcoming work? I wonder!
If you are a fan of Detective books, Crime Thrillers (somewhat graphic), Murder Mysteries (not cozy), I urge you to pick this one up!
I am not happy with this cover! I get why it is relevant, but I think it's really off-putting and needs to immediately receive a cover worthy of the story it contains!
Kes is a riveting character and I feel like this story just scratched the surface of the multiple layers that Porter can uncover for the readers with this new Detective. I am glad to see this is a new series and excited to get more of her history and watch her develop over time. I'm a real fan!
The crime scenes were....horrific! Well, some of them were. To be fair, I guess any crime scene can be described that way but Porter came up with a couple of new scenes that I would NEVER have thought of in my life. They had me talking out loud to an empty room or to my husband, where he promptly replied, "WHAT are you reading?" Ha!
Since this is a fair review - I will say that there were a few drawbacks, the police work, forensic evidence descriptions seemed a bit inaccurate. I don't think a crime scene is left to the next day to be worked... maybe because this is a small town, that's how it works? I don't know but that doesn't sound accurate. Also, some of the detective work that needed to be researched didn't seem to be focused on in a timely manner. At least for me some of that seemed a little bit off, but I'm no expert. I do think that some of this focus could be a little tighter and a little more accurate overall. However, this didn't even take away from the story for me.
The book is really short, less than 250 pages, but Porter did an amazing job with her characters. I felt like they were well described and I could easily picture them in my mind. Really well done!
It's such a fast paced read, it grabbed me from page 1 and I read it within 24 hours. Once the story broke open, it's just gut-wrenching! This one is going to stick with me for awhile! I had some tears in a couple of places during this read.
It appears that Porter is a relatively new author - this may be their 2nd published book per Goodreads. I'm a fan! I can't wait for Porter's next work! I love when I find a new(ish) author with such a great book - what else is in store for us as readers with their upcoming work? I wonder!
If you are a fan of Detective books, Crime Thrillers (somewhat graphic), Murder Mysteries (not cozy), I urge you to pick this one up!
November 6, 2021
Special thanks to Numb us Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
Oooh I really liked this book. It has a tough woman detective, who has some anger issues and problems of her own, but she comes into this town determined to solve a murder, and then the murders keep piling up.
I love a strong female character and this is a disturbing book. I just wish we had a little more knowledge of the main character, Detective Kes Morris, and the reasons she is the way she is. Hopefully we will learn more about her because this book is slated to be a series. I would absolutely recommend this book.
Oooh I really liked this book. It has a tough woman detective, who has some anger issues and problems of her own, but she comes into this town determined to solve a murder, and then the murders keep piling up.
I love a strong female character and this is a disturbing book. I just wish we had a little more knowledge of the main character, Detective Kes Morris, and the reasons she is the way she is. Hopefully we will learn more about her because this book is slated to be a series. I would absolutely recommend this book.
November 3, 2021
Special thanks to Nimbus Publishing and Netgalley for the e-arc of this novel.
If you like mystery/thriller/detective novels, this one is for you.
It's fast-paced. Grabs you on the first page. A can't put down mystery.
The writing and the character development are great. This appears to be the first in a series and I can't wait for the next novel.
There is graphic violence, its not a "cozy mystery" by any means.
If you like mystery/thriller/detective novels, this one is for you.
It's fast-paced. Grabs you on the first page. A can't put down mystery.
The writing and the character development are great. This appears to be the first in a series and I can't wait for the next novel.
There is graphic violence, its not a "cozy mystery" by any means.
February 24, 2024
When Kes Morris is called in to investigate a grisly murder, she soon finds herself on the trail of a serial killer.
This book was written in a way that held my attention. It was an easy read, although the subject matter was gritty and disturbing.
Nothing too special, but a good Sunday afternoon read if what you want on a Sunday afternoon is to be disturbed.
This book was written in a way that held my attention. It was an easy read, although the subject matter was gritty and disturbing.
Nothing too special, but a good Sunday afternoon read if what you want on a Sunday afternoon is to be disturbed.
April 11, 2022
Kes Morris. A detective -female, tough, experienced, who has learned from her father secrets about how to come close to understanding the criminal mind. "Teammate, leader, woman, detective. This is how they saw her. But she thought of herself more like an animal hunting its prey. When she finally got inside the skin - could see thgrough their eyes and feel their pulse in hers - there wasn't room for anyone but the killer and her." (133). Kes is a city detective, which of course, in Nova Scotia, means Halifax. We already have an interesting contrast between city and country as she's called to investigate murders in a fishing village where this is most unusual.
The Nova Scotia flavor is what guided me to this novel - I am a great reader of mysteries and most happen elsewhere, so something set here is exciting. C.S. Porter is quite skilful in her treatment of the characters and places, and we even discover with Kes Morris the pure joy of the ocean, at the very end, when Kes has solved the murders. Because, of course, in detective fiction - as opposed to "real" life - murders are always solved. This novel is very realistic, and gives a good idea of what life and an investigation in a small rural seaside community may be. It also offers a look at some parts of our society that we may not always want to look into.
Disclosing what happens is not the aim of a review, and I won't. Let me just say that I had to readprobably one-third before I gathered what the plot might lead us to, which only, of course, led me to turn more pages. This is a remarkable novel in many ways, quite expertly written, and which .offers not only some insight into the horrific cases detectives may have to face, but also what they may face when the killers turn out to be possibly victims themselves - what is "justice"?
In many detective novels, however skilfully started and expertly written, with enough technical jargon and a dash of poetry, with some grim and some light moments, with unexpected murders and strange happenings, the ending is often a problem. I am not certain that I don't find, in some ways, the ending a little too artificial for my taste. It makes sense, but this is always a difficult moment for any writer, especially in a debut novel, and some may find that the "tricks" resorted to are not quite up to what precedes, which is both shocking and thrilling in its violence and its strangeness.
This is why I give this novel only 4 stars instead of 5. It is original, skilful, exciting, but I have some doubts about the ending. I'll go have a clam chowder with Kes Morris anytime, though. And two beers. There's plenty of room in that woman detective, who is also a mother (with probably a strange and tragic story there) for further developments and more novels. The solitary novelist, who doesn't like to be interviewed, is certainly already working at further Nova Scotia investigations, and they'll be very welcome.
The Nova Scotia flavor is what guided me to this novel - I am a great reader of mysteries and most happen elsewhere, so something set here is exciting. C.S. Porter is quite skilful in her treatment of the characters and places, and we even discover with Kes Morris the pure joy of the ocean, at the very end, when Kes has solved the murders. Because, of course, in detective fiction - as opposed to "real" life - murders are always solved. This novel is very realistic, and gives a good idea of what life and an investigation in a small rural seaside community may be. It also offers a look at some parts of our society that we may not always want to look into.
Disclosing what happens is not the aim of a review, and I won't. Let me just say that I had to readprobably one-third before I gathered what the plot might lead us to, which only, of course, led me to turn more pages. This is a remarkable novel in many ways, quite expertly written, and which .offers not only some insight into the horrific cases detectives may have to face, but also what they may face when the killers turn out to be possibly victims themselves - what is "justice"?
In many detective novels, however skilfully started and expertly written, with enough technical jargon and a dash of poetry, with some grim and some light moments, with unexpected murders and strange happenings, the ending is often a problem. I am not certain that I don't find, in some ways, the ending a little too artificial for my taste. It makes sense, but this is always a difficult moment for any writer, especially in a debut novel, and some may find that the "tricks" resorted to are not quite up to what precedes, which is both shocking and thrilling in its violence and its strangeness.
This is why I give this novel only 4 stars instead of 5. It is original, skilful, exciting, but I have some doubts about the ending. I'll go have a clam chowder with Kes Morris anytime, though. And two beers. There's plenty of room in that woman detective, who is also a mother (with probably a strange and tragic story there) for further developments and more novels. The solitary novelist, who doesn't like to be interviewed, is certainly already working at further Nova Scotia investigations, and they'll be very welcome.
October 14, 2025
This gripping and gruesome mystery was so good. This Canadian author is new to me, but now I’m a fan.
The novel opens with a shooting competition for teens at a gun range, and the horrifying discovery of bodies wedged into the target hay bales. This prompts Captain of the local police force, Puck, to put in a call to the city, sends Detective Kes Morris. She arrives at the gun range, annoyed when she sees a huddle of men with a local cop, Brownley. She quickly gets him moving on a number of questions she has, and heads to the station, to meet with Puck.
Kes forms a team, including middle-aged Brownley, IT guy and excellent researcher Chester, and Harrison, whose son was at the gun range competition.
Kes gets the men working hard, following numerous leads. When Kes decides to investigate the home of one of the murdered, she sets off a bomb that the murderer left for investigators. She’s hurt, and helped away by Harrison, who’s deeply upset about how his son was at a crime scene. Though hampered by her injuries, she keeps pushing the men to keep working.
And then there’s another body. It’s also bizarrely staged, and brutal in its method, and expands the scope of the murder investigation. When yet another horrific scene awaits the detectives following a lead, it’s clear that the deceased are all tied by their time at a government-funded school for orphans and troubled kids.
I was sucked into this mystery immediately at the open. It's horrifying, and only followed by more horrible, staged murders.
Kess Morris has an unusual approach to her investigations: she does her best to get into the mind and skin of the murderer (hence the title). She's driven almost to a fault, her personal life is a mess, and she self medicates to enhance her focus. She's also good at keeping her team motivated and on task.
I had a horrible suspicion about the motivation for the murders, and was sadly right.
The story was heartbreaking, and compelling, and I am so going to read the next book.
The novel opens with a shooting competition for teens at a gun range, and the horrifying discovery of bodies wedged into the target hay bales. This prompts Captain of the local police force, Puck, to put in a call to the city, sends Detective Kes Morris. She arrives at the gun range, annoyed when she sees a huddle of men with a local cop, Brownley. She quickly gets him moving on a number of questions she has, and heads to the station, to meet with Puck.
Kes forms a team, including middle-aged Brownley, IT guy and excellent researcher Chester, and Harrison, whose son was at the gun range competition.
Kes gets the men working hard, following numerous leads. When Kes decides to investigate the home of one of the murdered, she sets off a bomb that the murderer left for investigators. She’s hurt, and helped away by Harrison, who’s deeply upset about how his son was at a crime scene. Though hampered by her injuries, she keeps pushing the men to keep working.
And then there’s another body. It’s also bizarrely staged, and brutal in its method, and expands the scope of the murder investigation. When yet another horrific scene awaits the detectives following a lead, it’s clear that the deceased are all tied by their time at a government-funded school for orphans and troubled kids.
I was sucked into this mystery immediately at the open. It's horrifying, and only followed by more horrible, staged murders.
Kess Morris has an unusual approach to her investigations: she does her best to get into the mind and skin of the murderer (hence the title). She's driven almost to a fault, her personal life is a mess, and she self medicates to enhance her focus. She's also good at keeping her team motivated and on task.
I had a horrible suspicion about the motivation for the murders, and was sadly right.
The story was heartbreaking, and compelling, and I am so going to read the next book.
November 16, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and Nimbus Publishing for the opportunity to read and review the new book from C.S. Porter - "Beneath Her Skin".
"Beneath Her Skin" is the first in what should be a great new series featuring Detective Kes Morris, Detective Morris, like so many other fictional detectives, has some demons that chase her (but she keeps them in check for the most part), as well as the 'ghost' of her Detective-father whose words of support help keep her on track.
When a small fishing town is rocked by a particularly gruesome and extremely weird murder, Detective Kes Morris is called in from the big city. (Note, the locale of this novel is not really explained, but most of us figure it's on the East Coast of Canada - the author is Canadian.)
Detective Morris quickly gathers a team to her from the available police force, a team that includes one member who was eyewitness to the first of the killings, and has a personal reason for wanting to find the perpetrators.
What they are not prepared for are the next killings, and the fact that the killers manage to get in and out without leaving a trace, and the murders look to be very, very personal.
As clues begin to build up, and Det. Morris begins to build a reputation locally {"Crusher"), everything begins to centre around a defunct religious-run school that burned down some time ago - yet there are signs that someone has been around leaving memorials - are they for the previous residents or the current victims? And are they really victims?
As the detectives begin to put local lore and current events together, a picture of absolute horror begins to emerge, and this will lead to the capture of the present-day killers as well as lift the veil on what occurred all those years ago.
As I said in the beginning, I hope this is the start of a great new series. Recommended.
"Beneath Her Skin" is the first in what should be a great new series featuring Detective Kes Morris, Detective Morris, like so many other fictional detectives, has some demons that chase her (but she keeps them in check for the most part), as well as the 'ghost' of her Detective-father whose words of support help keep her on track.
When a small fishing town is rocked by a particularly gruesome and extremely weird murder, Detective Kes Morris is called in from the big city. (Note, the locale of this novel is not really explained, but most of us figure it's on the East Coast of Canada - the author is Canadian.)
Detective Morris quickly gathers a team to her from the available police force, a team that includes one member who was eyewitness to the first of the killings, and has a personal reason for wanting to find the perpetrators.
What they are not prepared for are the next killings, and the fact that the killers manage to get in and out without leaving a trace, and the murders look to be very, very personal.
As clues begin to build up, and Det. Morris begins to build a reputation locally {"Crusher"), everything begins to centre around a defunct religious-run school that burned down some time ago - yet there are signs that someone has been around leaving memorials - are they for the previous residents or the current victims? And are they really victims?
As the detectives begin to put local lore and current events together, a picture of absolute horror begins to emerge, and this will lead to the capture of the present-day killers as well as lift the veil on what occurred all those years ago.
As I said in the beginning, I hope this is the start of a great new series. Recommended.
March 18, 2022
Excellent book, supposedly a debut novel, but seems to be that of a very skilled writer. I suspect we will come to know that C.S. Porter is a pseudonym for well known author, perhaps of non-fiction. The book is a combination of mystery/thriller/police procedural, taking place in a smaller community somewhere along the east coast of Canada (or possibly the US north east). The action flowed well & was compelling, with every word and sentence thoughtfully contributing to the narrative, which probably demonstrates the writer's skill as well as excellent editing. I appreciate a novel that isn't bloated by superfluous and bloated descriptions ad nauseum, adding pages but no significance to the story, even getting in the way of the reader.
I made the mistake of starting this book in the evening, and was very quickly caught up in the action, narrative, & character development, so I read until finished after midnight. Although the murders in the book are of adults, the underlying motivations involve issues such as foster care, pedophilia, & child pornography. However, these are sensitively handled by the writer.
It will be interesting to see where the next Kes Morris file book ventures, since she seems to be sent to various places, possibly as part of a provincial or metropolitan police force.
I made the mistake of starting this book in the evening, and was very quickly caught up in the action, narrative, & character development, so I read until finished after midnight. Although the murders in the book are of adults, the underlying motivations involve issues such as foster care, pedophilia, & child pornography. However, these are sensitively handled by the writer.
It will be interesting to see where the next Kes Morris file book ventures, since she seems to be sent to various places, possibly as part of a provincial or metropolitan police force.
June 1, 2025
I read this 2021 book as a prelude to the author's upcoming second Kes Morris book although I believe they could be standalone reads. The information about the author is fascinating ("A solitary writer who lives near the Atlantic Ocean, it is rumoured he or she was once involved in crime investigation; that Porter suffered an immense personal loss; that they came from the US or the UK, or grew up in these parts. Age unknown" < if you look him up, you now can see interviews where he reveals more about his life) and the book is set *somewhere* in eastern Canada but it's not stated where.
"When a small east coast town falls prey to a series of shocking murders, city homicide detective Kes Morris is called in to lead the case with the aid of the local precinct. As usual, she's the only woman in the room, and must draw on the lessons passed down by her detective father, a furtive and dangerous practice of going deep inside a killer's mind to put on their skin."
This is an intriguing (and gruesome!) read. It's short (just over 200 pages) and a fast read. The characters are well-developed (despite the brevity of the book) and the plot feels solid. This would make a great mini series!
TW: child abuse (some graphic descriptions)
"When a small east coast town falls prey to a series of shocking murders, city homicide detective Kes Morris is called in to lead the case with the aid of the local precinct. As usual, she's the only woman in the room, and must draw on the lessons passed down by her detective father, a furtive and dangerous practice of going deep inside a killer's mind to put on their skin."
This is an intriguing (and gruesome!) read. It's short (just over 200 pages) and a fast read. The characters are well-developed (despite the brevity of the book) and the plot feels solid. This would make a great mini series!
TW: child abuse (some graphic descriptions)
March 19, 2022
📚 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 📚
Beneath Her Skin by C.S. Porter
This is the first book I have read from this author. I love the cover.
This book is about a small east coast town that falls prey to a series of murders. For a book that comes in at only 223 pages, this book did pack a punch. I felt like I was a member of the small down witnessing every grueling detail of the story.
The author did a great job of writing a story that had me emotionally invested from start to finish. There were some subtle points that the author included throughout that caught me by surprise, peaking my interest leading up to the end. If you are a fan of small town investigative thrillers, be sure to pick up a copy today!!!
📕📕📕📕 Rating for me
Beneath Her Skin by C.S. Porter
This is the first book I have read from this author. I love the cover.
This book is about a small east coast town that falls prey to a series of murders. For a book that comes in at only 223 pages, this book did pack a punch. I felt like I was a member of the small down witnessing every grueling detail of the story.
The author did a great job of writing a story that had me emotionally invested from start to finish. There were some subtle points that the author included throughout that caught me by surprise, peaking my interest leading up to the end. If you are a fan of small town investigative thrillers, be sure to pick up a copy today!!!
📕📕📕📕 Rating for me
August 2, 2022
I just finished reading "Beneath Her Skin" and wanted to let everyone know how much I enjoyed it. The writing was so clean, the word choices so exact, I felt this story in my gut. I love Kes Morris. Strong and broken, confident and vulnerable. I love that the author focused on the story with no additional story lines to follow or cloud the impact of the horror of the human experience. Congratulations on creating such a compelling read that in my mind equal any novels by Nelson Demille, Tess Garritsen and Linwood Barclay! I bought your book at Open Book coffee in Halifax. I hope one day to have it signed by the author!
June 6, 2024
I'll be welcoming future books from this author, they had my attention from the beginning through the end. Believable characters, skillful rendering of the secondary characters. I found the writing sparse in detail and yet able to convey a strong sense of place and person. The mystery was packed with tension (and gruesome detail) and had a strong thread of morality. It felt like it provided a more realistic view of crime investigation - not that I know what realistic is - and conveyed the impact of exposure to crimes on officers. Additionally, I love the mystery surrounding the author.
August 30, 2025
This is a generous three stars from me.
The actual procedural mystery here was relatively enjoyable. But all of the characters were boring, and the whole "she lives in the skin of the killer" aspect of this was like barely formed. Also the ending was unsatisfying, and the weird nods to her life outside of her work were a bizarre inclusion.
I bought this book while I was in Lunenburg, which is ostensibly where it's set, and that was fun. I'm not sure it's fantastic book on its own merits... But it's totally fine.
The actual procedural mystery here was relatively enjoyable. But all of the characters were boring, and the whole "she lives in the skin of the killer" aspect of this was like barely formed. Also the ending was unsatisfying, and the weird nods to her life outside of her work were a bizarre inclusion.
I bought this book while I was in Lunenburg, which is ostensibly where it's set, and that was fun. I'm not sure it's fantastic book on its own merits... But it's totally fine.
September 4, 2023
I picked up this book when I was visiting the east coast of Canada. I like to pick up books when I’m travelling written by authors who live in the area. I am really happy I picked this one!
I read a lot of mysteries/thrillers and this was a great read. Well-written. The characters were intriguing and I do hope more books come out with the lead, Kes, as I want to know more of her backstory.
I am hoping this author writes more books. I will be keeping my eye out for them!
I read a lot of mysteries/thrillers and this was a great read. Well-written. The characters were intriguing and I do hope more books come out with the lead, Kes, as I want to know more of her backstory.
I am hoping this author writes more books. I will be keeping my eye out for them!
November 26, 2021
A fast paced and highly entertaining book, the first in a series.
It's gripping, well developed and the plot kept me hooked. The characters are fleshed out and interesting.
I hope to read another book in this series soon.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
It's gripping, well developed and the plot kept me hooked. The characters are fleshed out and interesting.
I hope to read another book in this series soon.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
February 16, 2022
Homicide detective Kes Morris is called to a small Atlantic town which has been shocked by a series of violent murders. Using the skill her father taught her to get into the mind of the killer, Kes realizes these are personal crimes dating back decades and that the role of victim and criminal is not always clear. An interesting new voice in Canadian crime fiction.
May 11, 2022
A five star. Kes carried this story to an ending that kept this reader engaged. The conclusion was going to end in the only way that it did. Caleb and Mason were scarred by bad peoples that were enshrined by an unaware public. This tale gets to the point right off the hop and does not waver from the investigation and its' succinct style. More of this, please. Later. Keep Reading.
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