absolutely loved this book. I love how all the side stories and characters tied into it.

not only did you have a case to investigate but Kelly was also showing us her personal worries and family problems and it was wonderful to read.

author has hooked me on these books

Set in my favourite place- the Lake District- with a strong female detective and a bunch of deaths and inter relationships this ticks all the boxes. It doesn't fail to thrill. Got to read the rest now!

Although this has a lot of characters which at times made the story difficult to follow, it slowly pulled me in and by the end I did not want it to finish.
All the characters were so well developed and the background of the Lake District made it refreshingly different.

Bitter Edge is the 4th book featuring DI Kelly Porter and while i was a bit apprehensive to start reading so far into an established series I really needn't have been.


There were mentions of previous storylines but they didn't seem to overwhelm the current story and they were vague enough to still leave me wanting to catch up on previous books without having the whole storylines completely spoiled.


This story centres around a series of teenage suicides which seem to have been written off by local police. The storyline is at times heart breaking and that is down to Abbott's great characterisation throughout the book. The central character of DI Porter is extremely likeable, even though she isn't a people pleaser, and you can't help but find yourself rooting for her to find peace and happiness in her private life.


The descriptions of the Lake District were brilliant, and brought the place vividly to life. I am delighted to have discovered this series and I look forward to catching up with previous DI kelly Porter storylines.


Thank you Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book to review.

The fourth DI Kelly Porter novel and another fantastic story. 
When a teenage athlete commits suicide, DI Porter has to solve the case of why a popular girl kills herself for no apparent reason. But when another teenage girl goes missing, and she discovers 2 recent suicides of other students, it become clear someone is lying. 
Kelly soon discovers a web of drug taking and bullying, with the relationships and misplaced loyalty wrecking havoc on the school.

I haven't read the previous books in this series but this one is a police  procedural, crime thriller. A D.Is' instincts has her being suspicious of the supposed suicide of a teenager.  There are lots of themes in the story which is a challenging read.

A shocking tale of suicide, drugs and very unsavoury characters.   It is all the more shocking given the beauty of the location, the Lake District is somewhere I have always thought of as peaceful but there is even danger in the landscape.  DI Kelly Porter previously worked for the Met and is well equipped for the task of unraveling the various crimes that have surfaced in her new domain.  A thought provoking book.

My first book by this author and I really enjoyed it  A  crime novel with lots of interesting characters Set in the lake district a perfect winter setting for this interesting and page turning book loved it

Rachel Lynch is slowly working her way up my list of favorite authors. This is the 4th book in the Kelly Porter series, the 4th one I've read, and the 4th one I've reviewed! I'll link to the others either during or after my review.

Once again, several seemingly separate strands are woven together, forming one fantastically written story. Bitter Edge opens with Kelly living in her new home, her relationship with Johnny from Mountain rescue progressing well (even with the addition of his teenage daughter), her sister has taken a back seat despite all her issues, and Kelly's mother is desperately ill but doing her best to hide it. Certain revelations were made at the end of the last book, Dead End, which Kelly is still unsure how to deal with. As it involves someone she works with she's finding it harder than usual to keep her personal and work relationships separate.

The story starts with a teenage runner committing suicide, Kelly is not convinced and wants it to be murder but the postmortem conclusively proves it was suicide. There's also a situation with a teacher at the dead girl's former school, another missing pupil whose friends may or may not be more involved than they're willing to admit to, and the unwelcome reappearance of a character from a previous story.

As always, the spectre of the Lakes is always hanging over everything and everyone, it may be a delightful place in summer and a fabulous place to visit, but it has its dark side as Kelly and her team know all too well. The fact that it's Christmas and it's snowing adds to the urgency to find the missing girl, time is really running short and it's up to the team at Eden House to solve the all the strands of this once simple case. Thanks to DI Porter's tenacity she doesn't give up on the fact there were also two other suicides at the Derwent Academy and pushes hard to uncover just exactly is going on with the teenagers involved in the case of missing Faith, the connection to the teacher currently suspended and under investigation for child pornography, the kidnapping of a toddler, and the return of a very unpleasant chap who everyone thought had disappeared for good.

Bitter Edge makes excellent use of the very current cyber-bullying of young people and the pressure to conform thanks to sites like Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook. It's more hard-hitting than the previous books but no less readable. In fact, it was harder to put down than my previous favorite in the series, Deep End, and I was absorbed from start to finish. I had no clue how things tied together until an extremely large hint was dropped and from then on it was so easy to see how it worked. Well done to Rachel for writing another fabulous page-turner and I'm now sitting here (im)patiently waiting for the next installment!!!

This is the fourth book in Rachel Lynch's crime series featuring DI Kelly Porter. Set in the Lake District, this was a wonderfully dark and bleak story. 

"Bitter Edge" was incredibly compelling and this story was gripping, heartbreaking and twisted. The characterisation was brilliant and the multiple threads eventually connected well. I really took a liking Kelly who was so determined in her pursuit of truth and justice. I'm so pleased I gave "Bitter Edge" a try as I have discovered another truly wonderful crime thriller series worth reading. 

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Canelo via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

This book sums up for me all that I have gained from having a book blog. Before I started Books, Life and Everything, I wouldn't have even thought of reading this genre. But how I would have missed out on some wonderful writing with an intricate plot and superb characters. DI Kelly Porter is such a great character. She is doggedly determined and has a real forensic approach to detection. However there is more to her than that. I loved her back story and the family dynamics which continue to unfold in this fourth book.

The setting in Cumbria is stunning but also forms part of the plot. It is not there as a pretty background. The story lives and breathes within the environment and the weather. It is perfectly captured in the cover. At first, it seems initially confusing as the various characters are introduced but then the links between them become clearer, There are some heart-breaking moments as the lives of the young people come into focus and in parts, the story is a shocking indictment of our social media dominated society.

In short: A police procedural set firmly in the 21st century.
Thanks to the author for a copy of the book.

Having read a few other books in this series, I was delighted to read another one.  I love the Lakeland setting and can imagine where she is, which always helps to understand a story.  This one has the added delight of snowy Christmas scenes.
It was a good book, if a little sad in parts, but I did enjoy it and will look forward to more.
Excellent

This book was a very busy book but in a good way.  The characters were all a little unique, I thought.  The story line for me kept me reading more to find out what would happen next.  I like that the author made it makes sense in the end by tying everything up.  I have not read any of the other books in this series so I think I should go back and catch up but I didn't really lost reading this book.  "This book was given to me for free at my request from NetGalley and I provided this voluntary review."

A great read. Highly enjoyable with well developed character.
 Would highly recommend reading this bopk

A great read, well recommended.  I like Kelly Porter as a character, she is easy to identify with.  In this thriller you will find yourself empathising with her, and yet at times screaming at her inside your head.

This is another real treat for fans of Ms Lynch’s heroine, Kelly Porter. As ever, the stories are set in the real world, complete with the dirty side of life associated with criminality. The writing is fluent, with a pace that draws the reader into a whole series of  ‘just one more chapter tonight’ moments. If you share Ms Lynch’s obvious love for the Lakes - as this reader does - the evocative descriptions of the settings for the various events add a further layer of reading pleasure. If you haven’t yet been hooked on the Lakes this book offers another reason to invest in some waterproofs and stout walking shoes. Highly recommended and a real pleasure to read.

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

what a book what an author..this book covers some pretty horrendous topics of drug taking, suicide, disappearances, bullying at schools

the storyline though hard hitting and at times sad to read  is an phenomenal book that grips you to the very end and that is why this author is fast becoming one of my all time favourites...

not wanting to give to much away but after that first chapter you are hooked and the book keeps you hooked so much that you want to see how it ends...brilliant

Another thrilling instalment from Rachel Lynch, dealing with a suicide, a missing teen, & following Kelly's personal life in dealing with her own life/family problems. Book four was a more insight look in to Kelly as a human first and foremost and had me really connecting with her. 

As gripping as ever, from start to finish, Kelly will always be an idol to me.

Book four of the series, & a great installment. Kelly finds herself looking for a missing teen, trying to understand why another girl suddenly committed suicide, & dealing with personal family problems. I think this entry humanized Kelly a little more and made me like her better. I think maybe because she wasn’t fighting with her sister, who I can’t stand, was a relief. The mystery  was solid, too. This one is probably my favorite so far. 

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

A Great Thriller from a talented author:
The character of Kelly Porter is one of the best of all fictional British Detectives and in "Bitter Edge", the fourth novel in the DI Kelly Porter series, the reader enjoys Rachel Lynch writing at her very best.
The thriller commences with an apparent suicide: one which makes no sense to Kelly Porter. The post mortem result is suicide nonetheless. The details are absolutely gruesome!
The suicide victim attended Derwent Academy and it is not long before Kelly Porter is to find the school the centre of several investigations. Staff and pupils. Tony Blackman, a teacher at the school, is suspended whilst sexual allegations are investigated. Is there a connection between all these investigations? Or is it just coincidence.
Be prepared for twists and turns as Rachel Lynch weaves an exceptional thriller which kept me guessing right to the end. The novel features the appearance of an old enemy of Kelly Porter which provides even more suspense. 
A great thriller by a great writer: "Bitter Edge" is one of those must read 2019 thrillers. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.