A story set in the Lake District. Why is it that a school should have more than usual numbers of suicides among the students? Why was a teacher being set up for having paedophile stuff on his computer? Something was seriously wrong in the area and it's the job of DI Kelly Porter to sort it all out. She has to do this while her mum is suffering from terminal cancer and she (Kelly) is coming to terms with her father not actually being her biological father and having to work with the man who is.

A good look at the problems of young people - from bullying, false friends and the toughness they have to show even when they don't feel tough.

Have been waiting for this, it's the fourth book in the DI Kelly porter series, plenty of action, Kelly is dealing with normal family issues as well as dealing with current issues in her job, she's very believable, there's sadness, grief, everything you want in a police procedural book, brilliant, as usual,

And she has done it again, another cracking instalment from Rachel Lynch. The 4th book in the DI Kelly porter series is just as good as the rest, an excellent well structured police procedural story, with descriptions of the beautiful Lake District scenery, great characters, interesting and exciting storyline with unexpected twists and turns.
The book also deals with more serious and important subjects, bullying, drugs and teenage fixations, overall handled well.

5 very well earned stars.

I would like to thank the author, Canelo and Netgalley for the advanced copy in return for giving an honest review.
I cannot believe that this is the fourth instalment of the Kelly Porter series. I have been with Kelly since the beginning and I seen her evolve into the no nonsense detective she is today. In this book Kelly deals with a couple of cases which she can manage but then it just snowballs and none of it is good. Also her past is back to seek revenge. OMG so much action, tension and suspense. I could not put this book down, hence it was finished at 2am. I love this series and each time a new one lands in my inbox I know that I am in for a thrill ride. This book ticks all the boxes for me and then some. This is turning into a very addictive, sat on the edge of your seat and definitely wanting more series. An easy five stars and so Highly Recommended. If this is the first Kelly Porter book you read I can guarantee it will not be the Last.

DI Kelly Porter is back for the fourth time. When a teenage girl flings herself off a cliff it looks like suicide but Kelly is left asking why. Ruled a suicide, there’s no official reason for Kelly to chase answers, but as several of her team’s cases converge on the girl’s school, a new, darker story emerges. Mired in her pursuit of justice for the growing list of victims, Kelly finds security in Johnny, her family and the father she has only just discovered.
Another gripping read which is quite dark as deals with bullying & drugs. The story flows well & there are plenty of twists and turns. I liked that the dark aspect of the book is lightened by Kelly’s personal life which is also interesting. The characters are well portrayed & have depth. I’m thoroughly enjoying this gripping series & hope there are many more instalments to come
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

The girl had once been a promising athlete, but injury and then addiction to prescription painkillers changed her completely. Eventually she was driven to commit suicide in the most gruesome way - by throwing herself off a cliff in the Lake District. It worried DI Kelly Porter, but she had no reason to investigate, although several of her cases keep bringing her back to the girl's school and a darker story emerged. One of the pupils goes missing at the local fair: her best friend is the girl who has accused a teacher of luring her to his flat and then sexually assaulting her. It seems that the teacher also has paedophilia on his computer, but the downloading eerily coincides with the girl's visit to his flat. What is going on, but - most importantly - where is Faith?

I first met Kelly Porter when I read Dead End just a few months ago. I'd turned to it because I had nothing else to read but this time I couldn't wait to get my hands on the book. Rachel Lynch has the knack of writing crime fiction which pulls you in, keeps you reading and doesn't let you go until you've turned the last page. For the second time I finished one of her books in less than twenty-four hours. This isn't just tricksy writing, but a combination of factors.

I liked Porter the first time I met her. She has family values without necessarily wanting to have one herself. Her boyfriend, Johnny - who's in Mountain Rescue - is her rock, but she has no need to be married to him. She's developing a good relationship with his teenage daughter. Her mother has terminal cancer and she does her best to be there for her, but at least one of her sisters believes that she puts the job before the family - but that's Nikki all over. Then there's the matter of her father, well, both of them... All the characters come off the page well and live in your mind.

The Lake District comes to life too. It's winter, but not winter wonderland - it brought home to me that whilst the snow might make the scenery look quite benign it's really anything but: you'll come away with a great deal of respect for the people in Mountain Rescue. But it's the plot you want to know about, isn't it? I liked the way that it almost began in the middle and worked outwards in all directions as one fact impacted upon another and finally built into something compelling. It's not a whodunnit as such as you know about that from quite early on: it's about why and how the villains are tracked down and justice is achieved.

It was a good read and I'd like to thank the publishers for making a copy available to the Bookbag.

I love a detective novel and Rachel Lynch has created a terrific one with DI Kate Porter. The characters are believable and the story was (sadly) and all to accurate. In today's world. The story had me hooked and every twist and turn racked up the tension, right to the end. Now I need to read the other 3 previous books in the series.

If, like me, this is the first book you've read by this author I would suggest starting with the first book in the series. Although some books in a series can be read out of sequence this isn't one of them. There was various references to events I assume was major storylines in the previous books.

On the whole I enjoyed this book although the ending with one particular character seemed a bit rushed.

I will add the first book to my TBR pile as I think this has the makings of a good series if read in order.

Thank you Canelo and NetGalley for my ARC.

This is the fourth book in the series featuring DI Kelly Porter. Although I have read one of the previous books, I think this could be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel.

It's winter in the Lake District and a girl goes missing from a fairground. With the snow closing in, her survival is looking unlikely. A girl commits suicide on one of the peaks, her body full of illegal drugs. A boy is taken from a supermarket car park. A teacher is accused of assaulting a pupil. Could there be a link between these things? Kelly Porter and her team are called in to investigate and start to uncover the grim truth.

This is an engaging and fast-paced read. I found Kelly Porter a likeable heroine and the investigations interesting. The crimes themselves are quite gritty - this isn't 'cosy crime' - but it's well written and tense. The setting of the Lake District in the inhospitable winter really does add to the menace of the situations. Recommended for anyone who enjoys police procedurals.

Police thriller which moved along at a fast pace. Good characters who interact well,with lots going on in their lives. Twists and turns along the way,sadness and happiness, a good read.

I recieved this arc from NetGalley. At the time when I made the request I didn't realize Bitter Edge was part of a series. I'm so glad I made the decision to go ahead and read it anyways and will definitely go back and read the previous three DI Kelly Porter books. This book was great, solid storyline that 100% not only tugs on your heartstrings but also creates moments of anger and frustration for the reader in regards to so many of the characters. Very well written! Looking forward to the next one. Thank you NetGalley!

This is the fourth book that I have read by Rachel Lynch and I certainly hope that there are more to come. As I live in the
Lake District it opened my eyes to what goes on behind the reports of drug dealers from other areas of the country whose trails are reported by the Westmoreland Gazette. Like many other series there are two aspects to the story . Firstly the continuing life story of the main characters and the details of the crimes which are featured in this book. As an ex teacher I wondered how realistic the school storyline was and as an ex Inspector wondered why the headteacher had been allowed to run a school whilst seemingly having no knowledge of the drugs agenda in her school?

Thank you net galley for an ARC of this book

I couldn't put it down and read it long into the night.

If you are new to this series do start with the earlier books and work through the series to get the most out of the charcters and story line. Waiting now for No 5.

I loved the descriptions of the Lake District in winter so much different from the side that tourist see in the summer months. The characters were well defined. I didn't find the subject matter of child abduction and drugs easy to read about. The side story about Kelly's relationships was intertwined and gave more interest.

Thank you to Netgalley, Canelo and author Rachel Lynch for sending me the digital ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

Here comes the blurb as they say it better than I ever could!

DI Kelly Porter is back, but so is an old foe and this time he won’t back down...
When a teenage girl flings herself off a cliff in pursuit of a gruesome death, DI Kelly Porter is left asking why. Ruled a suicide, there’s no official reason for Kelly to chase answers, but as several of her team’s cases converge on the girl’s school, a new, darker story emerges. One which will bring Kelly face-to-face with an old foe determined to take back what is rightfully his – no matter the cost.
Mired in her pursuit of justice for the growing list of victims, Kelly finds security in Johnny, her family and the father she has only just discovered. But just as she draws close to unearthing the dark truth at the heart of her investigation, a single moment on a cold winter’s night shatters the notion that anything in Kelly’s world can ever truly be safe.


I did enjoy this book just wish I had realised that it was book 4 of the series at times I felt like I would know the characters so much better reading in order, though the book worked well as a stand alone, even though I haven’t read the others in the series I plan too! I just really liked the character of DI Kelly Porter she was just very real and believable.

The setting and description of the lakes was really lovely. Very much enjoyed!

This is my first book by Rachel Lynch - but I have since downloaded number 3 and will be reading more in the future. I loved the setting - the Lake District is one of my favourite places. I liked the characters in her team and enjoyed Kelly Porter as a character.

The story was fast paced and dealt with some very current issues - drug abuse and teenage suicide.

The characters around Kelly - her family and Johnny added depth to the story and drew you in.

Definitely an author I will be watching out for in future.

Another great episode for DI Kelly Porter. As well as a well-structured and well-paced read, it covers the heart rending reality that drugs "aren't just for losers". So many young victims - even the child dealers evoke sympathy for how they've made bad choices along the way and ended up where they are in a life where they should never be.

I loved this book! I haven’t read the others in the series, yet, but I didn’t need to. It worked well as a stand alone book and I can’t wait to see how it fits into the series. The characters were believable, so much so it made me worry if this actually happens in places like the Lakes. Having spent a lot of time in the Lake District I could picture where things were happening, it was as if this was a true crime. I will be recommending this to my friends, family and colleagues, with a view to it relating to child subcultures. An excellent read!

I had seen this series mentioned and was intrigued by the setting - the glorious Lakes - and the premise of a Met inspector returning home, so when this book showed up on Netgalley I bit. What I hadn't realised was this was book 4 and I Cannot Read A Series Out Of Order. Now, if I had read the first one before seeing this on Netgalley the I might not be writing this review. The editing was sloppy, the writing overwrought and full of head hopping, the main character Too Good to be True and the book was full of really gratuitous torture and sexual violence plus the most inept villains who ever built an empire. But I had three more books to read, so a little wearily I embarked on book 2. The copy editing was still a little off (looking at the pub dates there seems to be a quick turnaround which might account for that), loose ends remained flapping and DI Kelly Porter still remains frustratingly gorgeous and brilliant with added fell running skills and a house overlooking a lake and a hot boyfriend, but despite the macabre murders the gratuity was dialled down and secondary characters and sub plots all added a layer of depth which meant I enjoyed it much more. book 3 was better still.

So here we are, Book 4. DI Kelly Porter, still gorgeous, brilliant, fit, respected by her team, working out her family issues, driving a cool car etc etc is hosting Christmas for her family so she isn't altogether displeased when work comes calling. Only a teenage girl is missing, a toddler has been kidnapped, and a fairground worker has been pursuing young girls. At the same time she's investigating allegations against a once-popular teacher and looking into another teenager's suicide. Most of the leads lead back to the local secondary school where bullying and drug taking are rife.

This was a fast paced and enjoyable read, with the development of Porter's wider family and their issues, and increasing focus on her team providing continuity and depth. The plots all weaved together nicely with a good layer of suspense and some really well executed twists. It was almost a 4 star read, but the depressing view of teen life, their seemingly ubiquitous access to and consumption of drugs, state education and cliched characterisation left me a little cold, hence the 3 stars.

So will I continue with the series? Despite some reservations there are things I really like about these books. The sense of place is absolutely superb, and despite the many murderers etc prowling the lakes in these books it makes me want to head over there right now. I like her wider team, her family and the plotting improves book by book. So yes, I will read on. And I will recommend the series. Only I would say start with book 2.

Bitter Edge is the fourth in the series featuring DI Kelly Porter. Set in the beautiful landscape of the Lake District this book can be read as a stand alone.

I love finding new crime writers to read and I've certainly found one here. Kelly Porter is a sympathetic and likeable protagonist, dedicated to her job and refreshingly without the idiosyncratic tendencies that so many fictional detectives have. She's got issues, of course she has, she's human after all but she doesn't stroppily continue to investigate cases after being suspended as so many of them do.

This novel shows an underside of Cumbria which you'd never guess at as a visitor to the Lake District. A teenager is found dead having jumped off a mountain. Kelly is reluctant to see it as suicide, it just seems such a waste. The girl had been a promising athlete and now her battered body has been found half way up a tree. Reluctantly she accepts it is suicide but continues to interview teenagers uncovering two suicides within the past two years. Are they linked? And how does the teacher accused of molesting another teenage come into it? When another young girl goes missing, Kelly pulls out all the stops to try to find her.

The plot is complicated with many twists and turns and makes for a very satisfying read. I enjoyed it very much though I did feel that the view of teenage life it presented was perhaps unduly pessimistic. I've bought the first in the series - no better recommendation. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I've read all three previous books in this series, and of them all I would say this has been my favourite. Although saying that I do think that about each one. I great thriller that kept me wanting to keep on reading to find out what happens next. I love Johnny and am so pleased that he's featured so much more in the past two books.