Kelly Porter is one of my favorite DI's! She comes off very natural and I want to know more about her. The story was thrilling and captivating and I really enjoyed it

I would like to thank Netgalley and Canelo for an advance copy of Deep Fear, the second novel set in the Lake District to feature DI Kelly Porter.

When Moira Tate's naked body is found in a country graveyard the ritual aspects of the murder make DI Kelly Porter suspect that there is a potential serial killer in the area. This is confirmed as more bodies are discovered.

I thoroughly enjoyed Deep Fear which is the straightforward hunt for a serial killer. Obviously the hunt is anything but simple with few forensics and a puzzling motive so straightforward refers to the purpose of the novel, a hunt with few distractions or sidesteps. I like this kind of novel with an almost limitless cast of suspects which gets slowly whittled down as more information becomes available. I also like a novel, like this one, with a well concealed perpetrator and this one is a real puzzle as I was clueless until the reveal. It makes for an absorbing read as the reader tries to work out what is going on an why. It makes a pleasant change nowadays to be able to live the investigation with the police without any extra information.

Kelly Porter is a good protagonist, smart, capable and intuitive. To make her more than just a cardboard cutout Ms Lynch has given her a troubled relationship with her sister and her mother cancer. I find all this strife wearing but her sister, Nikki, is not particularly likeable although there are hints that there is more to her story than simple disagreeability.

Deep Fear is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.