Firstly I need to give kudos where kudos are due. This novel had a great, intricate plot that was very well woven together and well delivered.

My overall enthusiasm however waned after a very eager start. My main vexation being the way conversations, which there are many of, just didn’t seem to flow. They didn’t seem natural and deterred from a pretty great story.

Regardless, there is a ton of potential here and I am intrigued to see how both Kelly Porter and Rachel Lynch go from strength to strength.

After leaving the Met, DI Kelly Porter has returned to the area of her youth – the Lake District. In a part of the world where crime tends to be minor, the detective takes on a cold case – the abduction and murder of ten-year-old Lottie Davies. Cumbria is not as quiet as it seems, however, and she soon finds herself embroiled in several cases including the death of a local businessman and human trafficking. Maybe life in the Lakes is going to prove to be just as, if not more, dangerous as London.

When I picture the Lake District, I think of beautiful landscapes, Beatrix Potter, walkers taking on the numerous mountains and a general air of peace and quiet. After reading Dark Game however, my image may just have been shattered! Who would have thought that Cumbria was such a hot bed of crime?! After returning from London, Kelly must have thought that she would have had an easier time of it, but this was definitely not to be!

Dark Game deals with some very dark subjects and, from the start, when local businessman Colin Day dies under rather bizarre circumstances, the scene is set. We soon realize that the hotel where he is staying is a front for something else and that it forms part of a much bigger criminal organisation. What follows is, at times, quite graphic but when you are dealing with prostitution, gangland crime and human trafficking, it is essential to the plot. Whilst I was reading, there were several occasions when I found myself totally despairing in how vile some humans can be, not least when illegal immigrants were being forced into fighting each other to the death.

One of the strengths of this book is the characterization. I found Kelly a likeable protagonist and felt that enough of her back story was shared to pique my interest. Like many lead detectives, she is a flawed character but I was pleased that her back story did not take precedence over the crime as this means that more can be revealed in a later book. Rachel Lynch has also done a fantastic job with how the criminals are portrayed. They were a particularly heinous lot and definitely made my skin crawl.

I really enjoyed Dark Game and think this could be the start of a fantastic new series.

This book is outstanding!
It is the first in a hopefully long series of books that centre around D.I. Kelly Porter who has relocated from the brashness of the Met and London policing to her childhood home of the Lake District and its relative quietness ( or so she thinks!!)

Firstly got to say that in some books I find the descriptions of areas and towns etc uninspiring and even boring but the author obvious love of the Lake District and Cumbria shines through and I was picturing the areas as was reading them, some from childhood memories and some just from the writing alone, wonderful scene setting, probably
some of the best I have ever read....

Onto the story itself, without giving too much away it is a very tense and action packed story about people trafficking and the horrors that go with it.....at times a scary and chilling read it brilliantly portrays the evil that this trade really is and how it affects every age group, it makes harrowing reading in places and will definitely stay with you long after you finish the book

It is very fast paced, tense, dramatic and seriously is a ‘page turner’, you wont be settled until you find out what happens to the characters in the book

The writing is flawless,seamless and flows from page one until the final word, the characters so well written that you have an immediate picture of them in your mind

I loved the little mini stories that featured as well, the rivalry between D.I. Porter and her Sister was an added bit of humour that brought a wry smile

I absolutely loved this book, it’s compelling and addictive and one of the best books I have read for a long time

I am not overly keen on series books but I am looking forward to book 2 already

10/10
5 stars and highly recommended

Tough reading in places, but this was probably down to the harrowing storyline which is frighteningly becoming a part of life, it seems, in modern Britain...people trafficking. Great read nevertheless with good characterisation throughout.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the Publishers, Canelo, for this review copy given in exchange for an honest review.

Detective Inspector Kelly Porter is forced to leave London and her job with the Metropolitan Police and returns to her home turf in the Lake District, working with the Cumbrian Police. Having to move back home with mum and having her sister going on at her all the time is not Kelly’s idea of fun. Despite crime in the Lakes only usually being the minor kind, she throws herself into her job. Kelly begins looking into a cold case of 10 year old Lottie Davies who was abducted and murdered some five years before. Meanwhile, a couple of cases come in of a robbery following the death of a local businessman who died whilst having sex with a prostitute and of an abandoned baby. On investigating these cases, Kelly discovers that they may all be connected and uncovers a web of people trafficking, prostitution and money laundering, all hidden within the sleepy towns of the Lake District.

This is book one of the DI Kelly Porter series. This is also my first Rachel Lynch book. On first sights, this book looks a lot like many of the other female detective books that are out at the moment, and the blurb sounded similar to many others also. But do not judge a book by its cover, as I found this book fantastic! It grabbed me from the first word and I was instantly transported to the quiet little villages and towns in the Lake District where DI Kelly Porter is rattling around following her transfer from the Met, dealing with petty crimes and arguing with her sister. I absolutely loved Kelly’s character! She’s risen through the ranks to DI obviously through hard work and I kind of felt sorry for her now that she’s back at home ‘licking her wounds’ as such. She’s obviously struggling being back and is trying to fit in with the slower pace of life, feeling guilty for having a ‘flashy’ car and nice clothes. Taking a leaf out of her late father’s book, who was also a policeman, Kelly not only comes across as a ballsy and gritty character who won’t let anything go once she’s got her teeth into something but also shows her sensitive side with her handling of the victims.

The book may not be an easy read for some and there may be some taboo subjects which may offend. It is about people trafficking and prostitution, so bear that in mind if that’s something you don’t like to read about. It also has some graphic descriptions of sex, violence and bad language. Personally, it didn’t bother me! I think it needed to be raw and descriptive to make the story what it was and for it to be as believable as it could be. I won’t tell you too much about the story as I wouldn’t want to spoil it. There are no big major plot twists, as you sort of know who is involved all the way through. The research that has gone into the book is immense, with very detailed descriptions about police procedures, drug use and human trafficking – well about everything really! It really made me feel that I was reading about a real life crime as opposed to a story!

I loved everything about this book and was genuinely disappointed to have finished it. I would highly recommend this one!! I cannot wait until the next book in the series comes out and I can catch up with what’s going on in the Lakes!

This is the first book i’ve read by this author and i have to say i loved it. I’ve since discovered that there will be two more books in this series which,if they are as good as this one, I can’t wait to read.

DCI Kelly Porter has transferred back to her quiet hometown in Cumbria from London Met. A cold case she is reviewing bears evidence tying in with recent crimes being committed in the area that leads her to believe her hometown is a cover for more sinister international crimes on a grand scale.

There is so much going on in this book - illegal workers, human trafficking, organised prostitution, child abduction and murder not to mention the sibling rivalry between Porter and her sister, Nikki the reader is kept entertained. The story is very much police procedural but very well written.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this amazing book

this book touches on every depravity known to man and then some, child abduction, abuse, prostitution, trafficking, drugs, dog baiting, bare fist fighting you name it, it was in this book

but the way the author wrote you just had to keep reading as you wanted and needed the good guys to come out on top

and it all starts with a biggie/major from town getting his leg over with a young girl whilst on the job he has a heart attack and dies and from this event the world of marco who had built his empire came crashing down..though along the way there was plenty of action

could the police unravel it quickly before more bodies pile up and along the way childhood romances that had ended bittersweet are crushed into oblivion

what a book and will be keeping an eye out for more books from this author

Very gory. Gratuitous violence. Good strong female lead. Nicely descriptive of its Cumbrian setting.

This book is definitely worth reading. The characterisations are excellent and the book succeeds in getting you to have a better understanding of immigrant female slavery from all sides. I did think in one or two sections early in the book that I was reading ' 50 shades of dark game' but it did fit with the story line. .So don;t miss this book. My only slight negative is the story left open another possible book on eastern European immigrants and I very much hope that Rachel produces a different theme for the next book in the series.

Wow - this one's certainly a winner! This book has it all: great plot, superb characterisation, genuine suspense and gritty realism. "Dark Game" revolves around 36-year old DI Kelly Porter, recently transferred to Cumbria from the Met in London, with a chequered career history which has gone unexpectedly awry through no fault of her own. She is landed with three cases - two current and one a 5-year old cold case. The investigations soon reveal some common threads as the same names keep cropping up, revealing Cumbria's seedy underbelly of illegal immigrants, cash-in-hand employment, gambling and prostitution.

Here's what I loved about this book:
Characterisation - a wide cast of interesting and well-developed characters, ranging from nice and well-meaning to downright evil and sinister. Some of the minor characters - Kelly's mum and sister for example - provide welcome light relief.

Plot - it's a great plot, hard-hitting with 'true to life' crimes. There are no punches pulled when it comes to the violence, or the bleak situation of the trafficked victims and I admit I did squirm on a few occasions. There is just the right blend of police procedure and action, and back-story for the characters.

The writing: the writing is engaging, intense and interesting with just the right amount of dialogue. The characters talk like real people, have doubts and make mistakes, just like in real life. The point-of-view does change to follow several characters and sometimes the reader knows more than Kelly Porter, which makes it a very suspenseful read.

So would I recommend this book? You bet! And I'll be watching out for the next in the series.

What a brilliant story, well worth 5 stars and will keep you up all night reading this. So many things going on but D.I. Kelly Porter will keep digging to find the answers even though she will be put off many times. Moving back home to the Lake District she has something to prove and when she is assigned a couple of cases she dives straight in while also looking at a cold case. can they all be linked? Will she come out of this alive? This is a must read book.

Wow! What a brilliant start to a new series. I highly recommend Dark Game to anyone who enjoys thrillers. Great plot and characters. Very well written, fast paced and a real page turner. I look forward to more from this promising series.
Many thanks to Canelo via NetGalley for a copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest review.

This is a terrific first in a series of at least four books, see information below, and Rachel Lynch’s second book to be published.

It is a gritty police procedure, well written, structured and very believable. Rachel Lynch brings together three threads from the seedy underbelly of a Cumbria she describes with a certainty which comes from knowing the area so well and builds up the tension to deliver a book which is a gripping read right to the end.

With thanks to Canelo via NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in return for an honest review.

Rating: 4.5* Recommended

Not only is DI Kelly Porter dealing with a new job, she has to deal with rumors about what happened to her in 'the big city', as her new turf is the one she grew up in, with all that entails. Add to that some family dysfunction, and you've got a British police procedural with a female lead character that is so relatable, you feel like you already know her! It's hard to believe this is the first book of this new series! It feels like there have been multiple books already- that's how 'cozy' it is! Add to that a very decent murder mystery that unlocks a cold case mystery, and you have a 2-for-1 read that is a true page turner! Can't wait to read the next 2 books in the series (both to be out later this year), and you won't want to miss them wither, once you read this book!

From the get go I was enthralled in this taught, gripping crime thriller that had some amazing and deep characters and a solid, bloodthirsty plot, from the old case involving poor Lottie Davies to the new cases that are suddenly closer to home than she thought.
The writing and the language kept me interested and informed throughout and Kelly was a dark but determined heroine, whose antics had me on the edge of my seat.
This fast paced and exciting rollercoaster of a novel is definitely worth a read and I’m looking forward to more from this author.

Not a book for the faint hearted but if you are after a gritty, hard hitting action packed up tempo book don't look.any further. Thoroughly enjoyed.

DI Kelly Porter has returned to her childhood home in the Lake District after a scandal forced her out of the Met in London. She begins to work on 3 seemingly different cases but as she investigates further oils they be linked in someway? These people are dangerous and will stop at nothing to get what they want.

This is the start of a new series featuring a tough female cop. She is somebody who won't let things go, and is not afraid to push the boundaries. A great character and makes for a fast read. This story is dark and intriguing.

Thanks to Canelo via NetGalley for a copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest opinions.

The first book in a new police procedural series and very enjoyable it is too! DI Kelly Porter has left the Met after a bad experience and has returned to her native Cumbria. Her first case involves people trafficking, the sex trade, money laundering and quite an array of unsavoury characters. Well-written and involving, I look forward to more from this promising series.

I was intrigued by the cover and blurb for this book, although the author was not a name that I recognised.

I was completely drawn into this book from the first chapter. The main character, Kelly, has a convincing back story and it feels as if there have been previous books featuring her, which I shall go hunting for.

In this novel, Ms Lynch portrays a world that one has heard about sufficiently that the story has a ring of truth about it and is set in a countryside environment where it feels all the more shocking.

The criminals were identified due to good police work and a dollop of luck and no artistic license was used to help out, so at no stage did the story line not compromised. The story developed at a reasonable pace and made putting it down at night a hard job to do.

The good guys did not get it all their own way and it feels like there are enough loose ends that at least one more book will follow.

With this novel, Ms Rachel Lynch has earned herself another reader. Treat yourself and join us.