Dead End (D I Kelly Porter) by Rachel Lynch

Dead End (D I Kelly Porter) by Rachel Lynch
Buy Dead End (D I Kelly Porter) by Rachel Lynch at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: Crime
Reviewer: Sue Magee
Summary: It's number three in the series, but reads perfectly well as a standalone although I suspect that there's a mild spoiler for book 2. Dead End is a good, engaging read: I finished it in twenty-four hours.
Buy? Maybe	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 299	Date: October 2018
Publisher: Canelo
External links: Author's website
ISBN:
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The seventh earl of Lowesdale was found hanging in his study by his teenage grandson, Zachary. Initially everyone assumed that the nonagenarian, hard-partying aristocrat had finally realised that the glories of his youth were long past and had decided to take the quick way out. When forensics discovered signs of foul play DI Kelly Porter was called in. It's not the only problem she has though: two young hikers have gone missing on the fells near Ullswater and she is in charge of the search. When they're not found within a couple of days her team uncover links to two other unsolved disappearances - and the girls all look startlingly similar.

I don't normally like joining a series when there are already a few books under its belt, but in this case the fact that I had nothing to read, it was raining like it was going out of fashion and we were only onto book three of a police procedural series set in the lake district convinced me that I needn't be quite so choosy and I'm glad that I wasn't. I warmed to Kelly Porter straight away: she was born in the lake district, spent some time in London and then came 'home'. Only it doesn't feel like home. She doesn't feel that she belongs and some of her family and an old school friend are prepared to confirm her suspicions. There's a thought-provoking theme of 'family' running through the story, which ties it altogether very neatly.

Porter's fortunate in her boyfriend: he's a bit of an outsider too, despite being in mountain rescue and his skills are to the fore in the search for the missing girls. This part of the story really brought the area alive for me: it's a very realistic mix of the tourist locations and the parts the locals know about. So - engaging characters and well-evoked location, but you want to know about the plot, don't you? It's good, if not great. I decided on who the perpetrator was pretty early on in the book and I was right, but there were enough red herrings to make me doubt my judgement. Even when I was proved right it didn't spoil my enjoyment: it was a good story, well told. It's certainly a series I'll be happy to follow.

For another book which brings the real Lake District to life we can recommend Just What Kind of Mother Are You? by Paula Daly

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You can read more book reviews or buy Dead End (D I Kelly Porter) by Rachel Lynch at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Dead End (D I Kelly Porter) by Rachel Lynch at Amazon.com.

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