Oh my, brilliant! I really have to get in the right frame of mind to read crime thrillers, just in case they don't live up to what I think a crime thriller should be.
This book does everything it should, superbly. Set in Cumbria, and it IS Cumbria. Great police procedures, and a superb insight into the minds of all the characters.
Rachel Lynch had a great way of telling a story.
A must read.

This novel is a carefully crafted blend of the crime genres whodunit and why-done-it. DI Kelly Porter returns to her native Cumbria after a stint in the London Met, and is rewarded with two investigations, a child murder cold case, and a fresh case involving human trafficking and money laundering. The reader is left in little doubt about the identities of the criminal lowlifes involved in the latter investigation. But this does not detract from the tension that builds throughout. Will Kelly solve the case before innocent East European girls — seeking nothing more than to work in the UK — pay the ultimate price? However, while tackling this investigation, the cold case involving a child abduction and murder simmers in the background. Is the culprit still lurking within the local community? And is there any connection between the two investigations? The emotional drain on DI Kelly Porter is enormous.

The challenges these investigation pose Kelly supplement the tribulations she faces in her personal life. She has returned to her childhood home and her mother is apt to treat her like a misbehaving teenager. In addition there is the discomfort of ongoing sibling rivalry involving the relationship Kelly has with her sister. Throw into the mix the presence of an ex-boyfriend and a previous uncomfortable relationship with her now deceased, ex-police officer father, and the pressures soon stack up to hinder Kelly at every turn.

With a fast paced narrative, the short punchy chapters will take you on an exhilarating ride. Readers who want the mystery of a whodunit will not be disappointed.

DI Kelly Porter has cut her teeth at the Met, so when she returns to her home turf, the Lakes, she is expecting a somewhat quieter professional life. She quickly becomes embroiled in several cases, which increasingly seem to have some connection. It is a multi layered plot, pretty fast moving, and keeps the interest throughout. It certainly paints the Lake District in a different colour from that of beautiful landscapes, with a seedy underworld you wouldn't imagine.

I really enjoyed reading this book and got through it super quickly once I had started it. The plot is multi-layered and there is lots going on. The topics covered are complex but the story never gets bogged down in the details. The different strands of the investigation come together seamlessly and never feel disjointed. I also really liked the main character. It was interesting to see the different sides of her character displayed in both her personal and professional lives. I feel like this is the start of a new series which is super exciting because I love discovering a great new series!

I was really looking forward to reading this book and had high expectations of it. I was therefore disappointed to find that the first 20% of the book relied heavily on the gratuitous detailed descriptions of the sexual exploits of various characters, which became increasingly tiresome.
Although the plot related to sex trafficking, the author seemed to revel in these descriptions and in those of extreme violence. At that point I was sorely tempted to abandon the book and I put it aside for some time. However, I am glad I persevered because the story really developed in the last half of the book and the ending was quite good.
While the author can tell a good story, I am not a fan of this particular series.

Kelly Porter is a career-driven female detective, committed to giving the best to her job, regardless of the personal cost. After a spell in the Metropolitan Police force, she returns ‘under a cloud’, to her birthplace to regroup and heal, expecting the quiet life. She finds a professional team who are willing to give her a chance and more serious crime than she ever imagined possible in such a seemingly peaceful, picturesque setting.
I have spent many happy hours in Cumbria and the Lakes, and it was pleasant to revisit some of these in the well-described settings. The plot of this novel and many of the characters are in sharp contrast to the beauty of the surroundings.
I loved the female protagonist, Kelly Porter. Living in a competitive world hasn’t made her bitter, she’s just made sure she’s better than the rest. This positive trait is easy to empathise. She cares about her mother, her friends and the victims of crime and this compassionate quality is both a plus and a risk in her job.This story has many antagonists, some you don’t expect, and they are believable and complex.
There are many explicitly written gruesome events. For me, the violence was excessive and spoilt my enjoyment of the story. I appreciate these were hardened criminals, but I’m sure most readers could imagine the outcome, without having it so graphically described.
This story is full of detail, again I think a little less would have made it more readable but I’m sure some readers will enjoy this fact-packed read, which seems well researched. The story’s pacing is excellent and the short chapters, build the suspense.
In conclusion, this a good story with an interesting female lead and I look forward to reading what DI Kelly Porter does next. I received a copy of this book from Canelo via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

After a scandal forces D.I. Kelly Porter out of the Met, she returns to her roots in the Lake District. After a long time in the Met, her new job in the Cumbrian constabulary should be fairly calm but as Kelly begins work on a cold case that rocked the community years ago: the abduction and brutal murder of ten year old Lottie Davis, things get interesting. In Parallel, Kelly is investigating what appear to be straightforward crimes: a case involving an illegal immigrant, and a robbery following the death of local business man, Colin Day. But evidence shows a web of criminal activity beyond anything Kelly expected and the book takes a dramatic twist.

This is a great fast paced read. At first, I didn't take to kelly - one of the first scenes is her leaving a strange man in her bed and although not a prude, I felt the writing was quite cold. However, as the book progressed, I slowly grew to like her, her complicated family and interesting backstory. There is a huge cast of characters that are well developed and the narrative is easy to read. This book is perfect for a book club favourite and if you like crime or crime procedural novels, I would recommend this book.

It's a promising start to a new series and I look forward to the next. Thanks to Canelo and NetGalley for my advanced copy.

I read some amazing thrillers last year featuring female detectives/leads and it looks like 2018 is going to be the same. Rachel Lynch has created a fantastic character in Kelly Porter, struggling to adjust living in her childhood home after leaving London under somewhat of a cloud.

Moving back in with her mother and dealing with her older, bitter sister Kelly is also looking into a cold case that turns out to be linked to her current case involving one of the area's most prominent businessmen, found dead in one of his hotels. The cold case involved a ten-year-old girl who was brutally murdered and her father was the only suspect at the time. Now, Kelly is determined to bring the child's mother some peace but doesn't realize just exactly what she's about to become involved in.

In the beautiful and seemingly quiet surroundings of the Lake District, you certainly don't expect to find drug running, illegal fights, people trafficking, and crime bosses, but this is what Kelly uncovers and somehow it all ties into Lottie's disappearance and death.

It was, quite literally, a case of 'up all night' for me when reading Dark Game. I picked it up before bed expecting to read a couple of chapters but four hours later I was turning the last page, having become completely immersed in Rachel Lynch's wonderful writing and gripping plot. Kelly Porter is not without her fault. She left London after being accused of being too reckless but this is exactly what these two cases need to get to the bottom of them both, to find justice for one and hopefully save lives. You get to see the darker side of one of the most beautiful places in the UK, where nothing is as it seems and if you scratch the surface, don't be surprised at what you find underneath. Rachel Lynch has created a compelling and engrossing main character and I can't wait to see what DI Kelly Porter gets up to next!

First book by this author for me, and it's the first in a series featuring DI Kelly Porter.

I found the character of DI Kelly Porter very believable, and the author is clearly well-versed in family dynamics.

Good plot, good descriptive prose, but a little too much detailed sex and violence for my taste (I skipped over) several sections.

All in all a good read. I will probably read more in this series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for my honest review.

Just loved this debut novel......I hope it is the first of many. I loved the central character Kelly Porter and the story moved on a cracking pace. Just perfect for curling up on a winter's day or taking away for an uninterrupted holiday read because you will not be able to put this down !
Well done and already looking forward to the next one.

WOW WOW WOW
What an enthralling intriguing novel this is , absolutely bloody brilliant ,I can’t get over it.
This books pulls you into an all consuming police drama that doesn’t want to let you go I had to read it in one sitting it’s a proper page turner.
Such brilliant and vibrant writing makes you feel like you are there at the centre of all this drama unfolding before your eyes.
I certainly hope this is one in a long line of novels involving this character DI Kelly Porter as she is kickass and I love her.
I can’t praise or recommend this book enough 5* read.

Dark Game

Rachel Lynch has delivered an accomplished debut in Dark Game. Fast paced and full of surprises, this is an exciting read.

It's the first in a series featuring DI Kelly Porter, who's relocated to Cumbria after a scandal in the Met. She's a strong and plausible lead and sets about a cold case review involving child abduction. Links to a current major case are soon established and the action ratchets up with money laundering, people trafficking and prostitution coming under investigation. This is a first rate police procedural; gritty, realistic with plausible characters, a Lake District setting which adds to the realism and intricate plotting. Rachel Lynch is an author to watch and I'm dying to read the next in the series.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

Dark and gritty, this book exposes the seedy underbelly of rural life, and shines a light on the horrors of human trafficking. Kelly Porter is the (new to the area) DI charged with re-opening a cold case as well as investigating the death of a local business man and the discovery of a foreign woman and abandoned baby. She also needs to navigate moving back to her childhood home and living with her mother in her mid-thirties.
It's a great, if sometimes gruesome, start to a new series and I'm hoping that I don't have to wait too long for the next book.
Thanks to the publishers and net galley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Wow! What a great fast paced, gruesome, stomach turning, gritty, sometimes alarming crime drama! Definitely not a quiet relaxing read. I read it in a day, just couldn't put it down!
I like Kelly, the main protagonist very much. She's incredibly feisty and has great morals, even when it's painful for her.
I had to agree with some of the underlying social issues that were mentioned in the context.
Absolutely brilliant! Look forward to reading more of Rachel Lynch's work.
Thanks to NetGalley, and the publisher Canelo for the opportunity to read and review this book..

This is the first in a series set in the Lake District. Kelly Porter has left the Met and moved back to her childhood home in the Lakes. Her first major case starts when a local dignitary is found dead in a hotel room. A camera in the room shows that he died of a heart attack while having sex with a prostitute. Kelly is also opening up a cold case where a 10 year old girl was abducted, raped and murdered. This is certainly not for the faint hearted, involving people trafficking, dog fighting and other unsavoury themes. However, it is a great read, and I look forward to the next in the series.
Copied to Goodreads

DI Kelly Porter is back in her hometown after having to leave the Met. Looking to start again she finds herself investigating a cold case and a couple of simple crimes but it's never that simple. Kelly soon realizes it's much bigger than she could possibly imagine and much more dangerous.

This was a really good read. I love these sorts of books especially when the lead is a strong woman. The plot was good with lots of drama to keep me turning the pages desperate to know more.

I really liked Kelly. She's strong and passionate but a clever thinker too. You learn she's been through the ringer but it doesn't stop her doing her job. I love the back story of her family and I'm hoping to see more of that in future books.

I'm hoping this is the first of many books and will certainly be on the lookout for more.

An unusual and interesting tale which is very topical. Good lead character,also topical making her female. Won't look at the lake district in the same way again.

After a scandal forces D.I. Kelly Porter out of the Met, she returns to her home turf in the Lake District. Crimes in the Cumbrian constabulary tend to be the minor sort, but Kelly begins work on a cold case that schocked the local community- the abduction and brutal murder of ten year old Lottie Davis. Kelly is also investigating two seemingly straightforward crimes: a case involving an illegal immigrant, and a robbery following the death of local business man, Colin Day. But evidence shows a web of criminal activity beyond anything Kelly imagined.

Right from the beginning this is a gripping read. Kelly is a dedicated policewoman who wants to arrest all the bad guys to protect the innocent. There is a lot of characters to remember in the book. The pace is fast and dramatic. This is a well written book and a promising start to a new series.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Canelo and the author Rachel Lynch for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

While the main premise seemed intriguing, I had a hard time coping with the reams of info on the main character, her mother, and her (quite frankly, super loathsome) sister.

While I understand the need for a back story, it was actually just plain boring – and I found it hard to summon up any interest in Kelly, or even what she was doing in this book.

The overly graphic violence and excessive sexual scenes detracted somewhat from my enjoyment – and while I did plough on to the final end, it is not a book that I can recommend at all.

Really enjoyed this, lots of twists and turns in it. One that maintains your interest all the way through so leave time to read it reasonably quickly :-)