Silent Bones by Rachel Lynch

Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Mystery/Thrill: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

I am so happy that we get so see DI Kelly Porter again and this book takes us to her past. A skeleton is found in the bottom of Thirlmere Reservoir in the Lake District where Kelly grew up for most of her young life. It just happens to be one of her classmates that went missing years ago named Brian Miller. DI Kelly Porter leads the investigation that gets even further turned upside down when a second body is found. That of Jason Cooper, who was the last person to see Brian Miller alive, was found deceased in a caravan park. Kelly is also dealing with a personal issue with the man she now knows is not her biological father John Porter. Sergeant Porter was a wonderful police officer in her eyes but turned out to be a very flawed father and husband. The two collide and Kelly must find her inner strength to determine who is lying and who, if anyone, is telling the truth.

The pace was perfect as were the characters. As usual Lynch has done an amazing job of bringing two different situations and show how turmoil affects the characters she has created. An amazing storyline that is very well written.

July 22 2023! Cannot wait.

Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book

When a skeleton is found on the edge of a reservoir detective Kelly Porter is called in to investigate. It turns out the victim is someone Kelly when to school with. When a second body is found and both victims have been Kelly and the team must investigate.

I love this series. The descriptions of the Lake District are to die for (maybe not literally!). This book was well written and blows Kelly’s world apart both past and future.

Highly recommend this whole series. Can’t wait for the next one!

DI Kelly Porter has lived her whole life in the Lake District, apart from a brief spell with the Met, so it isn't unusual for her to know some of those involved in her cases, but her latest investigation is taking this to a whole new level. In the middle of a spell of hot, dry weather local water levels are getting dangerously low with nearby Thirlmere Reservoir gradually revealing some of its secrets,

When a skeleton is found and identified memories come rushing back for Kelly as she begins looking at cold case from her schooldays. When a second body is found with similar links she finds herself speaking with peers she hasn't thought of in decades and none of them is telling everything they know. Gradually things begin to move and for Kelly everything becomes very personal indeed.

This is the eleventh in Rachel Lynch's excellent series and a brilliant addition. The case this time gives more insight into Kelly's past and how her classmates saw her. I found this a fascinating part of the storyline which made me like Kelly even more. The research undertaken by the author shone brightly throughout and added another level to this first-class read which will leave everyone desperate for book twelve.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and publishers Canelo Crime but the opinions expressed are my own. I loved this, it is excellent and easy to recommend.

I'm always excited by the thought of a new DI Kelly Porter novel! This time we are going back to Kelly's past. There's a drought in the Lake District and a skeleton is found in the bottom of Thirlmere Reservoir. It turns out to be an old classmate of Kelly's. When another body is discovered & it's someone she knew as well back then, she knows the cases are linked in some way.

She and the team throw themselves into the investigation and it's a real twisty & truly unputdownable read. I also love the snatches of home life. It's great to see Kelly back with Johnny as well as hearing about Lizzie, Josie & Ted. There is some sadness too involving one of the team.

Another 5* read here!

Silent Bones by Rachel Lynch

Another great book by the author. I really feel we've got to know the character DI Kelly Porter in both her working life as an excellent DI and the team around her , and in her private life.
Enjoyed this plot but had a major yuk factor that a body ( well skeleton ) is found in Thirlmere reservoir as those that live in in West Cumbria, as I do , will know that since very recently , that part of Cumbria is now getting it's water from the reservoir !

I really enjoy reading police procedural series and the DI Kelly Porter is one of my favourites. This is the eleventh book in the series by author Rachel Lynch and once again it is a very enjoyable read.

This another very good addition to this series and had me hooked from the very start. For me the characters are the strongest part of this series, so well described and developed that I feel like I know them and would love to watch a television series based on the books.

A skeleton is discovered in Thirlmere Reservoir leaving the local community shocked. Secrets and painful memories are about to be exposed. DI Kelly Porter is once again leading investigations but this time it threatens to be personal when the bones are revealed to be a former classmate. Brian Miller went missing over two decades ago and now the discovery of his remains makes it very difficult for Kelly to stay professional.

Rachel Lynch paces the story excellently as the case unfolds with the past and present meeting. When another body is discovered in a caravan park it is found to be Jason Cooper, a friend of Brian’s who was one of the last people to see him alive. This is too much of a coincidence for the two cases not to be linked.

As stated before the strength of this series are the characters who are flawed and relatable and make a very entertaining read. Kelly Porter is a great character but she is well supported by her family members. This is a very good crime series that I would recommend starting from book one to get the full package.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Canelo books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I love this series! I think I've read all the books in it by now so am invested in the lives of 'the team '. Saying that, they could probably be read as standalone books. The characters are believable and likeable. The plots different each time. I have to admit shedding a few tears at one stage of this book, but I won't say why and risk spoilers. Even the scenery is described so you can almost imagine the settings. My only problem with the book? It's I've finished it and have to wait for the next installment!!!

Excellent story. Lots of action and twists and turns. Well worth reading.

Set in the Lake district this series of books is amazing.

Looking forward to more from Rachel Lynch
Many thanks to the author and publisher for the ARC and opportunity to enjoy this wonderful book

It's very hot and dry in the Lake District. The water level in Thirlmere reservoir has dropped alarmingly, yielding a skeleton.

The another body is found in a caravan park.

It's funny how the past comes back to haunt.

DI Kelly Porter thinks the two are linked. And what's worse, she know them.

Utterly amazing, brilliant addition to an excellent series

"Each time she absorbed the impact of a murder - of seeing somebody who was once alive and vibrant, like her own family, on the mortuary slab; of seeing the pain and mess they left behind - it carved off a little piece of her."

tw: light spoilers, murder, crime, death

To be totally honest, this book intimidated me at first.

Though I can get down for a good mystery, it's not my first go-to genre when picking a new book to read. Not only that, but this is a part of an ongoing series, and I have yet to check out any of the earlier volumes. I was diving headfirst into this dark pool of a murder mystery with unfamiliar characters and preestablished information that I couldn't even hope to guess. Because of that, I was floundering a bit, lost in the words as they jumbled in my head for the first fifty pages or so. But then, it was like something snapped-suddenly, I knew I was hooked, and I was unable to put the book down until I finished it, well past two in the morning.

DI Kelly Porter was certainly a character-one that I could get behind supporting. She's a highly successful career woman who balances work and home, but not so much that readers are unable to relate to her. Even though I knew nothing about her beforehand, it was just so easy to start to root for her. I was surprised at my strong feelings towards the story once I finished the book. Similarly, the other characters were easy to remember and understand; there was not a single character that I felt disconnected to. There was just enough context to flesh out each character that appeared, whether they were a new character or one that appeared in past volumes. In Kelly's case, the parts of the novel that took a break from the case, like when she went out with her family, for example, really helped humanize Kelly in my mind. She appears as much more than just a detective, she is a mother, a friend, a childhood acquaintance turned local celebrity...

Because of this effect that Lynch's characterization has, I also found myself getting genuinely emotional when it came to the unfortunate demise of a character, though they were not of the (assumed) main cast. I also couldn't help but feel as though this was a big contribution to Kelly's breakdown that happens later in the novel. This had a big impact; it was why I chose the quote at the top of the review. It stuck out to me, and really reminded me that people who seem untouchable-celebrities, police, parents, etc.-are all human too. They all have feelings too. Kelly is a likable character because she has "weak" moments like this.

Something else that helped bring this book to life was the actual loose plot. The idea of an impromptu high school reunion, of students brought back together over the deaths of two of their peers. It's even more interesting because of their ages, and how much things have changed since their younger years. Lynch does a wonderful job painting that awkward feeling between old friends who have long since lost communication, and of making their past realistic. The descriptions of how their physical bodies have changed was a wonderful touch; it really helps separate the picture of the characters when they were in high school in comparison to modern day. It's a clear parallel, between Brian and Jason, and it is quite well done.

I do have some light criticism, but this is purely me nitpicking and also perhaps just not fully understanding stylistic choices in writing. The similar introduction that appears three or so times throughout the book, introducing new characters by name then going task by task and describing what they are doing. Is there a deeper meaning here? I understand that they were meant to be formatted the same on purpose, but I don't understand why that is. It did not do anything for me and actually just felt repetitive and unnecessary, though it was purposely repetitive to call attention to it.

My second note simply says that the "plot twists" were a bit easy to guess, which is true. Once I understood what was going on, I knew who the killer was right away. I did not guess all of the details, but it was more than enough for me to pick out the culprit. I also predicted some of the other smaller events that happened over the course of the book.

Lastly, this is once again a pure stylistic thing, but I missed some imagery in this book. Sure, the descriptions of the crime scenes and especially the forensics behind it was really helpful. Especially for someone like me, who is not familiar with such topics at all. But I truly wished there was more imagery, so that I could really paint a picture of Kelly in my mind. The descriptions of the visuals were weak and quick, too bland for me to really do much other than sketch out a basic picture in my head before moving on. It's not something that everyone enjoys; in fact many people criticize writers for being "too flowery" but I have always loved imagery, as much of it as I can get.

Honestly, if there were an option for a 0.5 star, I would have rated this a 3.5 star read rather than just three stars. It falls in between my personal criteria for rating books, something that has not really happened before. I really enjoyed this book even though it was a step outside of my comfort zone, and I am so glad that I did. DI Kelly might have singlehandedly convinced me to read more mystery and crime books!

A huge thank you to Netgalley and to Rachel Lynch for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A severe drought uncovers bones in Thirlmere reservoir in the Lake District.
DI Kelly Porter investigates.
Then there is a murder of Jason who was one of her classmates at school.
The skeleton is identified as Brian, former classmate as well. Kelly's father - or the man she thought was her biological father, had investigated the disappearance of Brian, and never solved it. Kelly discovers that her hero had feet of clay, and it devastated her.

Kelly and her team find that there is a link between the killings, not only the way they were killed, but the company they kept.

I loved this police procedural. I was gripped from start to finish. The clues that pull the investigators in one direction, then a better clue to another.
The team is close knit, and I like the way their personal lives are part of the story. It makes the characters more human.
I definitely want to read more by this author. Very enjoyable novel!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Rachel and NetGalley for allowing me to read Silent Bones before the publication date.
The DI Kelly Porter series is set against the beautiful backdrop of the North Lakes in Cumbria, but the story itself is far from the gift shops and ice cream parlours frequented by the tourists.

The identification of the skeletal remains found in the Thirlmere Reservoir brings back memories of Kelly’s teenage years. The investigation takes her into contact with a group of her school peers, a group who were considered the ‘cool’ kids, a group that Kelly was never a part of.
She finds herself doubting her own abilities to determine who is telling the truth.

Kelly had always believed that the man she now knows was not her biological father, Sergeant John Porter, had been a good police officer albeit a man who was sadly lacking as a husband and father.
Now as she investigates the circumstances surrounding the victim’s death, Kelly begins to question her own view of John Porter.

Everything about this case will impact on Kelly’s personal life.
Can she convince Supt. Harris not to replace her and that she can investigate without bias?

Long held secrets, lies and half truths will be revealed with devastating effect.

Rachel has included lots of details about the technical aspects of the forensic examination whilst adding a
little bit of humour to lighten the mood. This is probably the best book in the series so far.

This is a fantastic read. I absolutely loved very minute of this.
Its a favourite series of mine and as soon as I received this it jumped straight to the top of my tbr pile.
Firstly its lovely to be back in Kelly's world. The writing is so easy to get into you jumpt right back where you left the characters the last time, like it was yesterday.
An excellent main plot that crosses into Kelly's childhood bringing up some very difficult to swallow facts about people whom she respected and admired. A rollacoaster ride which may result in catching the guilty but willl have far reaching effects for all of her team.
I'd give it 10 stars if I could.

Silent Bones by Rachel Lynch appears to be book 11 in the DI Kelly Porter series.

Drought hits the Lake District, uncovering a skeleton at the bottom of Thirlmere reservoir. The case quickly becomes personal for DI Kelly Porter when she discovers it’s the remains of an old classmate, missing for over twenty years.

While the story and premise were good, and the book started okay, it then felt stilted with too many irrelevant details.

The culprit definitely had some issues, and they were believable. The characters were likable for the most part. I do like DI Kelly Porter. I would read more in this series. I felt this particular book didn't hit all the marks for me. I give this a 3.75 out of 5 stars (rounded to 4).

#SilentBones #NetGalley