The blog and reading in general has fallen a bit to the wayside over the past couple of years so I’m starting off 2024 afresh. The blog is going to stay quiet for now but I’m going to attempt to remember to share my reviews here on Instagram for now and see how that goes!
To get myself back into reading this year I decided to pick up a backlist read – Lying Ways by Rachel Lynch. Her DI Kelly Porter series was always a go to read for me and I’m a couple of books behind now, so I picked up where I left off with book nine.
I loved diving back into another case with Kelly. It was brutal make no mistake, but it raised some interesting questions about the state of prisons in the UK and the concept of retribution or rehabilitation and what the prison system is trying to achieve, and how much it can achieve with the current estate and budget restraints.
As always, I really enjoyed the personal elements that weaved throughout the plot. I must admit I saw the development in Kelly’s personal life coming but I’m intrigued to see how the situation continues to develop in the coming books.

Another cracking read in the Kelly Porter series. An interesting case with the usual twists and turns. Looking forward to reading more.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Book 9 in the DI Kelly Porter series. A great read that had you gripped with a clever storyline that had you on the edge of your seat.

I am a big fan of the Detective Kelly Porter series and was delighted to get the opportunity to read the newest book in the series. I can happily say I was not disappointed! Lying Ways is another fantastic offering from the author and I was gripped from start to finish!

Great book, by an author I will read more of! Thrilling plot, great writing and brilliant characters. Highly recommend to others.

This was fun with one glaring issue which really undermined the story for me. DI Porter is now a mother, apparently to a two month old. Yet the baby is acting more like a child coming up to one (and I have five children, so I'm very conscious of developmental stages!). Such a major inaccuracy made it difficult for me to accept anything else about the tale - if Lynch's research was so flawed in something which was so easily discovered, what other mistakes has she made?

It's a shame because I've generally enjoyed the series and felt really let down by this detail. It might be minor to some, but it really pulled me out of the story, making it difficult to get into it.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

Wow. This was just such a rollercoaster of emotions. I loved the introduction of new characters and new relationships. It’s been a while since a book made me really cry but one particular scene with Kate and Kelly truly got me! I thoroughly enjoyed this. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the ninth book in the series featuring Detective Kelly Porter. Kelly is back at work after her maternity leave. Johnny, her partner, is looking after the baby and he is missing his work with the mountain rescue which is putting a strain on their relation.ship. Her first case is the discovery of the body of a badly mutilated man, tied to a chair in an abandoned warehouse, Kelly realises that they have a serial killer on their hands when another mutilated body is found. On investigation she realises that both the men have recently been released from a local prison. We soon discover that the prison is having problems with overcrowding and corruption between staff and inmates. There are also possible links to army veterans suffering from PSTD. This leads to further tension for Kelly with Johnny as she questions him on his army days and his counselling work. As Kelly starts asking questions at the prison a full scale riot erupts with one of her officers being taken as a hostage. This is another gripping story, full of twists and turns and I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and Canelo Crime for giving me the opportunity to read and review.

Really enjoyed all books in this series and this latest one did not disappoint. Brilliant story, definitely worth reading

Another gripping read! When a body is found horrifically mutilated tied to a chair in an abandoned warehouse. Kelly is first on the scene. She has never seen anything like it and the body is so bad that at first is hard to identify. But when another body turns up with the same afflictions but, in a different location Kelly knows that it is the same killer, and she has a big task on her hands to find the killer.

With 2 dead ex-cons, DI Kelly Porter and team are brought into investigate and interview staff and prisoners of Highton prison. She finds more questions than answers and fears corruption is at play.
I have not read all of the DI Porter series, but you can easily step in it without feeling you have missed out on any background. An enjoyable, easy read.

Gritty thriller which combines Kellys professional life with her private struggles. Fast paced and exciting ,keeps the suspense going to the end.

I greatly enjoy the DI Kelly Porter series and as well as being engaged by the murder mystery, I particularly enjoyed the continuing story of Kelly's personal life and the challenges of being a new mother and balancing the demands of a relationship. Great read!

I love reading the Kelly Porter series. A great story with believable characters. I look forward to reading more

Love this series….. love the characters and the author obviously knows the Lake District very well! This book didn’t disappoint and another fast paced, page turner that had me guessing right until the end! Can’t wait for the next one

Wow! This book kept me up! What a fantastic story!
It has suspense, intrigue, crime, depravity, the lot.
I have followed this series from the beginning and what an enthralling episode this one is!
Strongly recommended.

As usual in my reviews I will not rehash the plot (there are reviews like that out there if that's what you're looking for!)

I've read all the previous novels in this series, and thoroughly enjoyed them, so was delighted when this book became available! If you haven't read any of the previous books, there is enough background information to make it work as a standalone read though.

The tone of this novel was subtly different from the previous books - largely because Kelly now has a baby daughter in her life, which obviously changes both her life and attitude, as well as her relationships - both personal and professional. Work is still a vital part of her makeup though, and she's determined to show that she's still on top of her game.

The plot is interesting, and the book felt darker to me than previous novels in the series. This book is set largely in a prison, so has a brooding and claustrophobic feel at times.

I was completely gripped (as usual) and stayed up until the early hours to finish it. I always end up doing that with this series , even though I know I'll have a long wait until the next book!! So I'm now eagerly awaiting the next in this excellent series...

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

Another gripping book in the DI Kelly Porter series. This had me hooked from the outset.
As always I loved the Lake District setting and the ongoing storyline of Kelly, her family and team.
Set amongst prisoners this had some dark, gritty moments that added to the overall tale.
Looking forward to the next instalment.

A highly entertaining read as I have come to expect from Rachel Lynch, I have dipped in and out of this series since reading book four, and this one, Lying Ways, is a cracking addition, featuring DI Kelly Porter, and set in the Lake District. This is a series where the subplot concerning Kelly's personal life is equally as compelling as the ongoing investigations, and it isn't essential to have read all of the previous books. In the opening chapters, Kelly is feeding breakfast to her two-month-old daughter Lizzie and wondering how she will be able to devote time to spend with her partner and ex-soldier, Johnny. She is called to HMP Highton to attend following the occurrence of two grisly murders.

Kelly is smart, capable and honest, and a tireless and determined investigator who puts everything she has in her mission to get justice for the victims. Some familiar protagonists are present and there are secondary characters that are integral to the current investigations. Lying Ways is a gripping story of the highest quality and the tension increases steadily all spiralling into a dramatic ending. Wonderfully pacy, dark, rife with corruption, and with never a dull moment, this is a contender for the most chilling and gripping of the series so far, but all of the instalments I've read are incredibly good. I am already looking forward to book #10, as well as catching up on those books I've missed.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Canelo via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.