Cover Image: Dead End

Dead End

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Member Reviews

Ah, "Dead End" takes us up to the wild north of England, where DI Kelly Porter is juggling not one but two cases - two missing young women and a local earl found hanging in his study. Now, that's what I call multitasking!

The book had me intrigued and thoroughly entertained. The characters were all well-rounded, striking that perfect balance between interesting and overwhelming. No information overload here, folks!

And let's talk about Porter herself - not only is she out there cracking cases like a boss, but she's also got her own share of drama. From her blossoming relationship with Johnny to the sisterly squabbles and worries about her dear old mother's health, she's got her hands full. Oh, and did I mention the whole "who's my daddy" revelation? Talk about a rollercoaster!

Amidst all this personal drama, Porter is hot on the trail of clues and murderers. The story keeps you guessing with a bunch of potential suspects, and it moves at a pace that'll make your head spin.

Now, here's where it gets interesting - the love angle. While it added an extra kick to the tale, I couldn't help but feel it needed a bit more oomph. Maybe a little more romance or a few private moments, you know? It's like the author was stuck between mystery/detective and romance genres, and things got a tad confusing. Not quite enough for the romance enthusiasts, but a smidge too much for the mystery buffs.

But hey, let me tell you, it was still a damn good book! I had a blast with it and would highly recommend it to all you mystery/whodunit detective story lovers out there. "Dead End" won't disappoint - it's a thrilling ride with twists and turns that'll keep you hooked till the very last page!

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I love DI Kelly porter and can’t wait to read more stories including her, all the characters were well written though and the plot was fast paced and suspenseful.
A good crime thriller with a hint of mystery, an everyday setting fraught with danger and a storyline full of suspicion, definitely worth a read.

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I read book 1 in this series, skipped book 2 (only because someone from the US on Amazon gave the killer away without saying ‘spoiler alert’ 🙄) so found myself here with book 3. It was an easy read full of family secrets from the main character as well as the introduced ones for the story but nothing special. There was a choice of killers which kept me guessing and some good descriptions of the Lake District. I thought the ending was very rushed but everything was tied up. I haven’t decided yet whether I will carry on with this series or not. Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for letting me read and review this book.

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Like all the other Rachel Lynch books I’ve read this did not disappoint.
Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Lake District this was quite a gritty tale made all the better because of the unveiling of more details of Kelly’s personal life.
I’ve already ordered the next in the series.
4.5 stars

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I struggled with this book. Getting into it was difficult. Just didn’t grab my attention. I realize this doesn’t provide much of a review, as what draws one in does not necessarily draw in another. Providing a further review is not possible. My apologies.

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This is the third book in the DI Kelly Porter series, and she feels like part of my home already. I just love her attitude, dedication and tenacity in solving a case that seems straightforward but really isn't. I can't wait to read the next offering by this very talented author. Highly recommended.

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I really enjoyed the latest in the Kelly Porter series. Dead End is set in the Lake District. where Detective Kelly Porter grew up. Rachel Lynch describes the beauty of the area so well; you can actually picture it in your mind.
This is the third in the Detective Kelly Porter series. There’s a few references to the previous books but you don’t have to have read them for this to make sense. Kelly and her team are investigating the disappearance of two young girls and a murder of a local earl that was staged to look like a suicide. There’s no reason to think that they are linked and Kelly knows she’s not being told the truth so will she find the girls alive and solve the murder?
You’ll have to read it to find out.

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I just finished Dead End by Rachel Lynch. It is the third book in the DI Kelly Porter series and I have not read the others but that did not detract from my enjoyment of this one and I look forward to reading the others.

Kelly has returned from London to once again live and work in the Lakes but she's not sure if she fits in! With a suspected suicide to investigate and two girls missing without a trace Kelly and her team are desperate to find some leads. A story full of twists, lies and secrets. Great read!

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This is the third book in the DI Kelly Porter series. I have not read either of the earlier books and did not feel that this impeded my enjoyment in any way. Having said that, the book is ‘police procedural’ lite and Kelly’s personal life heavy. There is not enough investigating going on, heck, there isn’t really enough of a mystery going on to investigate I’m afraid. All in all an ok read, wonderful to have a strong female lead, but there are much better examples out there.

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D.I Kelly Porter and her team are working 2 cases. The first is the death of Earl Xavier of Wasdale Hall which at first appears to be suicide but looks suspiciously like he was murdered. Who would have killed the elderly Earl and what secrets was he and his family keeping?

The second case is 2 missing women Hannah and Sophie who had been camping in the Lake District. They discover links between the missing women and another missing woman which wasn’t solved a year ago. They soon realise that something sinister is going on, and come to realise that they may have been kidnapped!!

I have to admit I have not read the first two books in this series but was so hooked by this story that I will read them. The main character D.I Kelly Porter is fastidious and has her own family problems,but she comes across as someone you would want on you’re side!!

A gripping book that not only had a great plot, intriguing characters and had the added bonus of being set at the Lake District, the place that’s on my to go to list!!!

Looking forward to catching up on this great series in time for the fourth book to be published.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

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DI Kelly Porter has demons of her own but is dedicated to her job, often neglecting her personal life to solve a crime. Young girls are missing in the picturesque backcloth of the Lake District. Can Kelly find them dead or alive? Can she find the perpetrator? At the big house with the lake, there's a suicide of an old man but there's also suspicion. Zac, the grandson is piggy-in-the-middle of the strange family set-up. I enjoy reading about forensics, DNA analysis and details of autopsies once the investigation starts. The characters are so real they jump out of the book. So well fleshed out and genuine. The body language Kelly uses to determine suspects' guilt fascinated me. Nothing gets past her. Johnny has convinced me that romance is not dead after all. I recommend this author and her latest novel. Never disappoints. Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo.

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This is the first DI Kelly Porter book that I have read and it didn't matter that I hadn't read any of the others in the series prior to this. I loved that she was working on dual cases and it wasn't just focused on the cases, we found out more about Kelly also. It had me wanting to read more to find out what happened. I'm looking forward to reading the next one in the series and also feel that I want to go back and read the first ones too!

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I have read all books in the DI Porter series. They are well written, researched and executed with precision and enthusiasm. I just felt that the plot line for this was a little too easy to guess. I love the way you are normally kept on tenterhooks until the end before finding out who the real culprit is. That said I still read the entire book in just five hours and couldn’t put it down.

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Royalty is still in full force in today's day and age, and DI Kelly Porter is on the case of trying to discover why the seventh Earl of Lowesdale has been found dead in his palatial home. While at the same time, Kelly is charged with finding the location of two missing hikers.

What Kelly and her team soon realize is that there were very deep secrets hidden and what is worse, there are other disappearance from years past that are apparently connected.

There is definitely a personal edge in this story. First, with the earl and his grandson. Also, the grandson's relationship with the staff is compelling. As regards this murder, there were revelations revealed that were truly shocking. Then, when it came to the missing hikers, two girls, as well as the past case, it was also very shocking to discover the facts.

While reading the third in the exciting DI Kelly Porter series by Rachel Lynch, be prepared to turn the pages quickly to see how Kelly works while at the same time balancing her private life. It has been several months since I had the opportunity to read the first two books in this series, but it remained completely compelling.

The other books in this series, are Dark Game, Deep Fear, Bitter Edge and Bold Lies.

Many thanks to Canelo and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

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What I Thought:
DI Kelly Porter is back to solve a new crime in the picturesque Lake District. Having already solved to major murder investigations since her return from London Kelly finds herself leading the search for two missing girls as well as investigating an apparent suicide, that local pathologist Ted Wallis isn’t convinced about. As the days pass and two bodies are discovered Kelly faces a race against time to try and find the missing girls and discovers there’s much more to her suspicious suicide than first thought.

Once again I found myself flying through Kelly’s case, unable to put the book down until I had discovered exactly what had happened, I began to pull the pieces together but I was still incredibly satisfied by the ending.

One thing I particularly enjoy about Rachel’s DI Porter series is while each could be quite easily read as a stand-alone there are still details throughout the story that throwback to previous books. I really enjoy seeing the development of Kelly’s relationship with Johnny throughout the series.

Another thing I was really interested to see was the fallout from Nikki’s ordeal in the previous book, although a fair period of time has passed she was still struggling to cope with what had happened and I think it certainly added an additional layer of realism to the novel, it’s often so easy to leave the action of one story in that book with no further consequences, so this made for a really interesting read. Although maybe it’s just the Psychology graduate in me that thinks that!

There was also a fairly major development in Kelly’s personal life that I’m really excited to see followed through in the next novel.

Would I Recommend?
Absolutely – I’ve loved every one of my trips to the Lake District with Kelly Porter. A wonderful combination of police procedural and insight into Kelly’s life set in the beautiful northern countryside. I can’t wait for more!

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Having never read any of the other books in this series I shall have to go back to the beginning and read the two previous ones, however this was a brilliant read and was amazed that I haven't come across this author previously. outstanding writing.

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Kelly Porter is back to work dealing with her mum’s illness, her sister’s recovery from her kidnap and the subsequent ptsd she is struggling with and then a case comes in. Missing girls, the suicide of the local dignitary and Kelly’s mixed feelings about being back and her romance with Johnny.

I have such a girl crush on Kelly Porter she is a badass police officer and like the previous two books this was well written and gripping! Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review:

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DI Kelly Porter returns in the third instalment of the series, investigating the disappearance of two young women from a camp site. Does their disappearance have any connection to two similar cases? Kelly also investigates the possible suicide of the seventh Earl of Lowesdale found hanged at his home, Wasdale Hall.

The two case plots were OK, but again I felt there was a bit too much focus on Kelly, her family problems, and her relationship with Johnny. Other police characters were pretty much cardboard cut outs in this book and Kelly and her sister constantly sniping at each other is trying my patience, I don't know about their mother's. It was also far too easy to work out who the culprit was. Overall it was an average crime fiction read.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Canelo, for the opportunity to review an ARC.

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I was part of the Blog Tour for Dead End (this link will give you all the information on Rachel and her books) last October when I was delighted to contribute with a terrific extract from the book. Rachel Lynch is fast becoming a firm favourite of mine, and many other readers, with the DI Kelly Porter series and I’m thrilled that I will be on the Blog Tour for book four Bitter Edge in a few days – do come back then it’s on 5th March. Anyway, I thought it was a good time to say a few words about Dead End.

Rachel Lynch is building up Kelly’s character, background and life as we read and yet this in no way distracts from the plot of the missing hickers or the investigation into the suspicious death at Wasdale Hall. Everything is weaved together so well and moves at such a good pace that you never feel bogged down it just flows.

The setting of the Lake District, an area I know a little and love, is wonderful and Rachel Lynch portrays it so well you feel as if you are there walking the fells, ambling around the various lakes and even driving around the area. For you or I that will be to enjoy some sightseeing, beautiful views and interesting spots. For D I Kelly Porter whilst it may be clearing her head when she runs mostly it’s in the line of duty chasing down evidence to, in this book, find out what happened at Wasdale Hall or find the missing hikers. You become immersed in the story.

Every word of these books are necessary Rachel Lynch’s book is tightly written and yet you get a wealth of information, description and a story with a terrific plot, wonderful characters – I’m sure there will be more on Kellys team through the series as well as her family – and the ‘goodies’ and ‘baddies’ that make for compelling reading in a mystery-thriller crime story.

It is this incredible ability to write so compactly, sometimes using short chapters, which builds the tension and keeps you gripped. With enough possible suspects to keep you guessing, plenty of insight into the workings of a case – or two, in this instance – the life of a police officer, the characters and setting all combines to give a very realistic portrayal of a police investigation.

So a tense, atmospheric book with a great setting and characters and a series which just keeps getting better I am so looking forward to Bitter Edge.

With thanks to Ellie at Canelo for the Blog Tour invite and to Canelo via NetGalley for an eCopy of Dead End. These are purely my own thoughts, for which I have received no payment.

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I have read all the books in this series and could not wait for the next instalment. It did not disappoint! A brilliant thriller, with the plot keeping the reader hanging on right to the end. I loved it. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Rachel Lynch for the copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

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