A good addition to this series. A complex mystery to be solved,lots of diverse characters and a catch up on Kelly's personal life.

I have been an avid reader of this series since it began, and I have never yet been disappointed. Each book seems better than the last and this is no exception. A thoroughly enjoyable thriller, An exciting, intriguing and gritty read.

Dark, gritty and brilliant. DI Kelly Porter is an interesting and complex character who I love reading about. The plot and characters in this book make it an excellent page turner. This is a brilliant series which I highly recommend reading.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Lost Cause by Rachel Lynch is the 8th book in the DI Kelly Porter mystery series, and my first book by this author. This book was a wild ride, so many twists and turns, that kept me reading. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Book 8 in the DI Kelly Porter series is another winner. I love the Lake District setting and the character development between Kelly, Johnny and Ted, with the introduction of Josie, Johnny's daughter from a previous marriage. Also the new character of Dan who appears to fit into the team. The plot centres round the dismembered body of a woman, found in a wheelie bin. the book starts at a fast pace and kept me enthralled to the last page. A well written and gripping series which I would recommend. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

A torturer of women haunts the 🌄 Lake District 😳 What a creepy winter!

I found the plot compelling and liked the scenes with her family and colleagues that made strong female lead DI Kelly Porter a nuanced personality, not just a heroic cop intent on getting her twisted killer. I also appreciated that author Rachel Lynch hit a happy medium in the variety and number of characters used to tell the story: enough but not too many to make for an interesting and unpredictable plot with some unexpected twists. The subplots for some of the many victims, including Kevin and Mandy, added a good measure of sadness and poignancy. The fact that the discovery of one brutally mangled body led to the uncovering of so much criminal activity in what newly-arrived officer Dan thought would be a sleepy backwater made for a thrilling puzzle, even bringing in international elements. I'm sure poor Marvin, the owner of the postal shop that so many key characters frequent, would sadly agree about surprising revelations!

On the whole, it's a good, quickly-moving, well-written page-turner and I would be inclined to look for other works by the author. The one downside for me was Lynch's frequent, detailed discussion of the geography and roads in the region. It was too much detail IMO. I've never been to the Lake District but I get that the roads are tricky, especially in bad weather, and it's a hard rural beat to police. The repeated description of its roads and countryside did not, however, add to my enjoyment of the book.

Thanks to publishers Canelo and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

This is book 8 in this excellent series and after the revelation at the end of the previous book, I was eager to get stuck in!

While still coming to terms with her personal situation and how it going to affect her career and home life, Kelly finds herself in the midst of a disturbing case after the dismembered parts of a woman are found in a wheelie bin. What she couldn't have expected was how it was going to uncover the seedy underbelly of the idyllic setting of the Lake District and introduce her to some very troubled characters.

While I do love the crime storylines, I think what keeps me eagerly coming back to this series is the characters to fin out what they are up to! Having been with this series for 8 books now, it's like catching up with long lost family with each story.
Bring on book 9!

When the body of a woman is found in a bin, DI Kelly Porter fears that they have finally located a woman who had been reported missing some time ago. After the post mortem reveals that this cannot be the missing Chinese national, but a woman who is malnourished and appears to have been kept in a cage, Kelly is immediately concerned that the missing woman could suffer the same fate. When another woman disappears, and connections begin to be made, a race against time ensues to apprehend the man responsible.

Lost Cause is the eighth book in this series, and we see a huge change in Kelly’s circumstances due to her being pregnant. As someone so committed to her job, she is struggling to come to terms with how this is going to affect her, despite having the full backing of her partner, Johnny. I liked how her family all rallied around, giving her the support she needed, and I can’t wait to see how this part of her life develops after the birth of the baby.

The plot is a particularly dark one as in addition to the main crimes,we meet a troubled character, Kevin Flint. The target for local gossip due to events in his past, he is certainly on the periphery of crime, but at the same time, as his circumstances are revealed, I had nothing but sympathy for him. This part of the plot had a shocking culmination and I liked how there was some ambiguity to it.

We also have a new addition to Kelly's team in Dan, a character who I feel fits in very well. He definitely looks as though he is from the same school of policing as Kelly and it looks as though he is going to play a vital role in future books, especially once Kelly has her baby.

Eight books in and this series is going from strength to strength. Kelly, her family and colleagues have become like old friends and I can't wait to see where Rachel Lynch takes her next.

You'll never be disappointed when you pick up a book by Rachel Lynch an authentic British Crime Drama that will has you hooked all the way though.

I have read quite a few of the DI Porter series but by no means in order or all of them and I guess to be able to follow the personal side of the story it would probably help but it has never affected my enjoyment of reading the books.

As ever the setting in which the story is told is beautiful especially as it's in the hard season of winter.

I loved the village gossip element to this novel, how it delves into the professional and personal life of the main character DI Kelly Porter.

Had me gripped a disturbing highly charged read.

Another easy entry to my top read of 2020

Listen it would be a bit of a cheek to give this book anything less than 5 stars! I've been on the Detective Inspector Kelly Porter rollercoaster ride from the beginning and I honestly don't want it to end.. I always feel a pang of disappointment when I come to the adrenalin filled ending that we have come to expect from Ms Lynch and this was no different. I know we are at number 8 in the series but it certainly seems as if it still has more to reveal in the future (here's hoping that wasn't the kiss of death).

DI Kelly Porter is written as a no nonsense, tough individual who has been through the wringer over the years but in this she seems to have reaches her happy place and I for one am pleased. Although due to a specific part of the plot we learn what those a great deal younger than me would call TMI about her internal workings but hey it happens at least it's keeping it real so to speak. Following the clues takes us through some of the seedier sides of life child abuse and prostitution for a kick off, all of these subjects are well researched well written but seem much darker of late.

You just know that whenever a book is set in the depths of winter that whatever is between the pages means some poor sod is getting a rather gruesome surprise. #LostCause is exactly that and this time it's a poor binman that has his day, his week, his month or even his year ruined by what he finds in and amongst the dirty nappies. Follow that up with further disappearances of vulnerable women we have DI Porter doing her best to juggle all her balls in the air, she desperately wants to solve this for herself as much as the families.

The mention of the Chinese diplomat and the whole immunity thing did made me think of a case that had been in the news a lot earlier this year. It also made think about just how wrong that system is, no-one should be above the law no matter who they are or where they come from, if they did wrong or made a mistake tough doo doo they should be made to face the consequences. Kelly doesn't like the way that this one is being played out as it goes against the very core of her beliefs and being thwarted at every turn just makes her more determined to make sure the right person pays.

There's something special about DI Porters 'blended' family when you consider where they've all come from to be where they are now. It has been somewhat heart warming watching them grow together, soon to be expanded a little more in the most surprising of ways. In #LostCause we see Kelly take another massive step into the unknown and relinquishes a little control. I'm really looking forward to seeing where they go from here, hopefully on to bigger and better things no heartbreak as yet for this wee family please..

New characters are always a bit of an anomaly and in #LostCause we have a couple of newbies first off DS Dan Houghton from Glasgow and also working with a DI from Barrow a DI Craig Lockwood. We are never quite sure if they are going to fit and find their wee niche or be a round peg in a square hole, luckily enough DS Houghton manages this quite well it will be nice to see how he turns out,.

I have no problem in recommending this to any who likes a British Police Procedural. I seem to enjoy this genre more than any other at the minute (I'm not sure if that's because I'm trying to work out how to get away with the perfect murder or not).

Read for an honest review. Thank you Ms Lynch, #Netgalley and Canelo

Rachel Lynch's last novel, Little Doubt, went down quite a different path from the rest of the series and was a triumph. Lost Cause returns to a more standard approach but there is nothing standard about the crimes that DI Porter and her team have to investigate. At times, the story is particularly uncomfortable to read, especially when you contemplate that that level of abuse happens in homes up and down the country.

It is this that sets Rachel Lynch novels apart from others, although the premise is a crime thriller, the underlying commentary on society makes you question a lot. With many crime novels it can be easy to imagine that such a level of incident could never happen in your neighbourhood, but not so with the DI Porter series. Despite being set in the Lake District, you can never tell what's behind closed doors in any street.

Lost Cause also gave some (somewhat oddly) escapism from the current climate; although there are very slight mentions of illness in China, there's no social distancing or facemasks just yet.

One icy cold morning, the remains of a woman are discovered. She has been abused, then butchered. DI Kelly Porter knows this is the work of a monster. One who has killed before and will do so again. Kevin Flint is a young man with no friends and a reputation for being odd. He explores the hidden corners of the Lake District, and likes to creep, and watch. He witnesses depravity and it excites him. Despite her personal life taking unexpected turns, Kelly’s detective instincts tell her that the answers lie with Kevin.
This is the eighth book in the series & another page turner. I’m loving this series which goes from strength to strength & each new story is as fresh as the first. I love Kelly & the insights we have into her personal life especially as she’s now pregnant. Once again there are twists and turns as Kelly & her team work to solve the case. An engrossing read, which I read in two sittings & I look forward to many more in the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I started salivating when I saw this book on the request page, and I couldn't wait to get stuck into it. DI Porter has become a friend, and the reader gets involved in her life and the investigation, and is secretly sharing a secret she is hiding. I love this series, and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book! Highly recommended.
TB

We are so far into this series now that it really is like catching up with old friends. DI Kelly Porter and the team have a complicated case here with several strands and a truckload of characters. I like to think the author had a cork board full of post it notes linked by string to keep track of it all, but probably not. I was reading this in short bursts over a longer time than usual for me and I think it would have read better if I’d read it in larger sections. It definitely shows a darker side to the Lake District than I ever imagined on day trips there. I like this series and I hope there are plenty more books to come.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Canelo for an advance copy of Lost Cause, the eighth novel to feature DI Kelly Porter, set in the Lake District.

When the dismembered body of a young woman is found in a wheelie bin Kelly is disturbed at such cruelty and is determined to find the killer. Local gossip points her in the direction of Kevin Flint, a disturbed young man who roams the countryside but she feels there’s more to it.

I have loved this series over its course but this novel seems weak in comparison and really didn’t hold my attention. The novel is mainly told from Kelly and Kevin’s points of view with other characters occasionally chipping in. There is a lot of attention paid to Kevin, his situation and doings. There is nothing new in it, I found his wandering boring and slow and his metamorphosis unconvincing. There is much I would like to say to justify this latter opinion but it would involve major spoilers. As a result Kelly’s investigation doesn’t get the time or depth I would have liked to see. It basically consists of issue an instruction to the team and get a positive result a few hours later, including deep dive TOR searches and sealed court documents. It pushes the novel forward but it’s all very superficial.

Kelly is 8 weeks pregnant in this novel so there is fair amount of angst about that. It’s heartwarming for her as a character and moves her to a different place but I don’t, personally, need any more descriptions of her cravings, aversions and dietary habits.

Lost Cause was not for me but that’s probably due to my likes and dislikes rather than any fault in the novel so I’m sure other readers will enjoy it. It won’t stop me from reading any future novels in the series.

Another brilliant instalment in the Kelly Porter series by Rachel Lynch. I was gripped from the first page and couldn’t put it down. Fast paced storyline with a few twists that I love in this series. The characters are great together and interesting in this book with Kelly’s other personal dilemma, can’t wait to see how it all plays out. Although it can be read as a stand-alone I would recommend reading from the beginning to get all the backstory of the characters and it’s also such a brilliant series, you won’t be disappointed. Can’t wait for the next instalment, hope we don’t have to wait for too long!!

I’d like to thank Canelo and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Lost Cause’, the eighth in the DI Kelly Porter series written by Rachel Lynch, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

In adverse weather conditions the dismembered body of a woman is found in a wheely bin during the weekly refuse collection. Soon after, two more women known to be working in the sex industry are reported missing. As DI Kelly Porter investigates, helped by a new recruit to her team from Glasgow, DS Dan Houghton, she keeps hearing about Kevin Flint a young man with learning difficulties who lives with a cruel and dominating mother and a father who’s permanently in a state of intoxication. She’s convinced Kevin isn’t involved but is positive he knows more than he’s telling her.

‘Lost Cause’ is another exciting police thriller based in the beautiful yet snowbound Lake District. The story has a number of dubious characters and a crime that’s difficult to solve, and although some people think that as the women are sex-workers they’ve brought it on themselves Kelly doesn’t agree as they’re still human beings with families who deserve who know the truth. Kelly has created a team around her who are dedicated and never let her down, and her personal relationships with Johnny and his daughter Josie are going from strength to strength. I’ve enjoyed reading this thriller which I found easy to read and is definitely worth recommending.

8th in the DI Kelly Porter series and as good as the previous 7

When the remains of a woman butchered and left in a bin DI Kelly Porter knows they have a brutal and disturbed killer to find

Another highly charged and tense race to locate the killer ensues

A thrilling read and recommended for all fans old and new

Absolutely loved this book it is such a great series. It was nice to see some more of Kelly’s personal life in this book, it made me like it even more. The story was thrilling and kept me interested the whole way through. It got my attention from page one and kept me entertained right until the last page. A really great read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Having read all of Rachel Lynch’s Kelly Porter novels set in the beautiful English Lake District I regret to confirm that this latest offering continues a disturbing trend established in the last two or three. I refer to the increasing use of gratuitous and sexually explicit violence perpetrated against an implausibly large number of local women. The USP of the series used to be a careful and engaging fusion of: warm and fond references to the fantastic Lake District environment; careful and reasonably plausible police procedural themes; and a natural and well- constructed narrative around Kelly’s personal life and career development. For reasons that aren’t clear, Ms Lynch seems to have tired of this plot evolution and has chosen to write more in the style of Patricia Cornwall or Karin Slaughter.
Nothing wrong with that, you may say: these are two successful authors in their own right, and I have enjoyed both, albeit with some reservations from time to time. But the question that needs asking in relation to this development in Ms Lynch’s writing is simple: does the use of such explicit and gratuitous - almost pornographic- violence contribute significantly to the development of the plot? For this reader, the answer is a resounding ‘NO’. Ms Lynch may care to reflect on how the best authors leave more to be developed in the mind of the reader.

For readers unfamiliar with the English Lake District it might be helpful to explain that, whilst there are areas of significant deprivation in peripheral large towns and the inevitable criminality common to tourist hotspots, it is not the epicentre of violent and depraved crime portrayed in the recent Kelly Porter books!