A superb novel from my favourite author featuring DI Porter. This is the fourth in the series and can be read as a stand alone. The story set in the Lake District at Christmas time is about teenagers, drugs, bullying and suicide. Someone is targeting teens at the local school, peddling drugs that makes you suicidal. Also the story of baby Dale who was abandoned and fostered ties into the story. Brilliantly told against the backdrop of Cumbria, this story tugs at the heartstrings. I love Rachel Lynch's writing style and this is a must read.

Having read all of the Kelly Porter series so far, I was eagerly anticipating this latest book. It certainly didn't disappoint. Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Lake District in winter, this story deals with drug addiction among young people. With all the talk of 'county lines' currently in the news, the plot is very topical. A teacher is accused of possessing child pornography, and then a 14 year old pupil from the same school goes missing. Her friends are known to use drugs. Time is running out for Kelly and her team to find the girl alive in freezing temperatures. In the meantime, Kelly is coming to terms with finding her biological father, and the terminal illness of her mother. I really loved this book, though it's not for the faint hearted! Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
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Thank you NetGalley and publishers Canelo for the ARC.
I am loving Rachel Lynch's writing style. There's no pointless passages of irrelevant narrative - if it's on the page then it's all relevant to the story. A really good read.
We are once again treated to the atmosphere of the Cumbrian mountains and fells with the added bonus of our story playing-out during Winter where the blanketing, peaceful snow-scenes are starkly contrasted with the apparent suicide of a teenager. DI Kelly Porter's investigation unearths two previous teenage suicides over the past few years, all from the same Academy and needs to understand how that could happen. At the same time there is an open investigation for sexual assault and possession of computer images involving a well-liked and respected teacher at the same Academy. Very shortly another teenager goes missing when visiting the local fair with friends and a major search is instigated.
A story which really sets one thinking about the role of social media in teenagers' lives, alongside the availability of drugs and the networks which supply them. There are some surprising twists - just when you think you might have worked it all out - well, perhaps not.
Supported once again by her team and boyfriend, DI Porter weaves us through a fascinating investigation and police procedural.

This is the fourth in Rachel Lynch's great crime series featuring DI Kelly Porter set in the fabulous setting of the Lake District. The location may be wonderful but this is a dark and bleak story that begins with teenager Jenna Fraser throwing herself of a cliff edge to her death. Her suicide does not entail further investigation but Kelly is disturbed, so much so that she begins to look into it, she just cannot help herself. Other issues and connections lead Kelly to Jenna's school, the Derwent Academy. In a narrative that features multiple perspectives, Kelly is thrown into the unsettling world of teenagers. So a number of issues emerge, bullying, sexual assault, drugs, drug dealing, and celebrity obsessions. Kelly's personal affairs are a more pleasant contrast, her relationship with boyfriend, Jonny, and daughter, Josie is more settled, the recent entry of her father, Ted, causes few ripples, she is closer to her dying mother although things with her sister remain spiky.

Lynch's series is compelling and this addition is a gripping, heartbreaking and twisted intense book with the multiple threads eventually connecting well. The characterisation is great, I really like Kelly, a dedicated and determined police officer, unrelenting in her pursuit of the truth and justice. Definitely a crime thriller series worth reading. Many thanks to Canelo for an ARC.

Loved this book it was an absolutely fantastic piece of writing. It was fast paced, full of tension and twists. It was hard hitting and made you think and hold your breath in places. Couldn’t get enough, I had a hard time putting the book down it had me up late into the night madly turning pages, muttering to myself “just one more chapter”!

This is such a great series and this book didn’t disappoint, in fact I think the series gets stronger with every book that is released. I don’t hesitate in giving this 5 stars, I loved reading this book, it really was an excellent read and a wonderful start to the new year.

Rachel Lynch delivers another riveting crime novel which is addictive, highly topical and infused with real characters.
DI Kelly Porter is once again thrown into an investigation. What at first is deemed a suicide soon starts alarm bells ringing and we are drawn into a case of bullying, drug addiction together with the local dealers and suppliers.
Hooked from the start i highly recommend this book.

Although a good read, I believe it could have been better. For one, there was too many characters and stories happening all at once and it made the first quarter of the book difficult to read. But after it all started to (finally) come together, it was a brilliantly twisted book, I ended up loving the storyline, the characters and really appreciated the level of research that must have gone into writing this story.

I know nothing of the Lake District so at first I was unsure where this story was set (country or county) until the writer finally wrote 'Lake District', so it probably would have saved a headache if it was mentioned at the beginning, but that's just me, because I have knowledge of there; have never been.

The final outcome of this story was surprisingly intense, passionate yet heartbreaking and emotional all wrapped into one. It was a brilliant, perfect ending, to a tense story.

Although I recommend this book, I would advise persevering through the first quarter so you can see it all come together. Don't give up on the book, because it does get a LOT better.

Bitter Edge is the fourth in the DI Kelly Porter series and what a fantastic read it is. The series gets better and better.
Young Jenna Frazer kills herself after an overdose. For Kelly there is nothing to investigate. Her parents don’t want to press to know about her death and the case is close. But events in the nearby school Derwent Academy, where Jenna went to school, starts and investigation that involves and drugs and pupils at the school. The story also continues about DI Kelly and her personal life between herself and Jonny and his daughter and the relationship she has with her mother.
This is another gripping read from Rachel Lynch. Set in the beautiful Lake district. The premise is original, has great plot lines and the author keeps the subject current and realistic. I highly recommend.
Thank you Canelo and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

Having previously read Dead End by the same author, I was delighted to receive this advance copy of the latest in the DI Kelly Porter series. Already knowing the characters certainly gives an advantage and I quickly settled into this latest crime thriller. A young girl has committed suicide and while horrific and dreadfully sad there is surely no crime. Just a promising athlete who had her career cut short which leads to her absolute devastation. Soon after, a girl from the same school goes missing and Kelly begins to believe that maybe all is not as clear cut as it first appeared. A journey into a dark underworld unravels much more than Kelly bargained for but she would leave no stone unturned until she got the answers that explained the terrible events that blighted this beautiful part of the world. Meanwhile, turmoil and change in her personal life left her no time for relaxation. A sad story that has no winners.

I love this series and this did not disappoint. My only criticism is that the descriptions of the area are a little OTT and superfluous/aggravating if you don't know that area. This particular story looks at teenage drug culture and links back beautifully with the preceding books.

This was another great read in the Kelly Porter series , as usual the descriptions of the scenery in the lake district really bring the book to life . In this book we have drugs , teenagers complicated lives , bullying and a face from Kelly's past . When a young girl is ruled to have committed suicide they find a disturbing pattern of similar deaths and start to investigate . I really like Kelly who is coming to terms with a few surprises in her own life .
A brilliant read and I would certainly recommend them all . 5 stars from e

A very enjoyable read! I was very interested in getting my hands on this one after I read the blurb and I am pleased to say that I was not let down.

The story is written very well and the characters are interesting and jump off the page. I would recommend this read!

A teenage girl commits suicide while seemingly high on drugs. The verdict is suicide but something niggles and keeps niggling DI Kelly Porter regarding this verdict, she just doesn't feel it's right.

She's very happy in her relationship with Johnny even though his daughter, Josie can be a pain in the neck and she's making tentative first steps in her relationship with Ted. She's also getting on much better with her dying mum since finding out the truth but of course things are still as they were with her argumentative sister.

There seems to be a lot of drug taking along with bullying in the local school. A teacher has been accused of sexual assault and when a teenage girl goes missing at the fair, Kelly and the Team need to find her before it's too late. There is also a missing child, his father being an old enemy of Kelly's and this storyline is cleverly woven together with the other cases.

A brilliant 4th book - I just love this series and Kelly Porter. Fast, twisty and brilliant with love and some sadness in the mix too.

A great story line with brilliant main characters.. I read this book in one sitting as I couldn't put it down.

DI Kelly Porter is not looking forward to Christmas there is a missing teenage girl Faith Shaw and a two year old boy who has been abducted from his foster parents. The weather is turning colder and the snow has started making the search harder. Then Kelly realises that over a number of years several teenagers from the same school have committed suicide is there a link?
This book not only has the twists of a good murder mystery but keeps you turning the pages until the end.

What can I say, this series of books are a joy to read.

Great concepts and believable story lines.

What I really like is that throughout each book the protagonist has her own personal story running alongside the main focus which is the crime which have occurred.

I like that Rachel Lynch has kept up her writing style. It's become familiar and I really look forward to each new book and Bitter Edge is no exception.

And as always this book could easily be read as a stand alone although I would recommend reading the whole series from start to finish.

Very happy to receive an advanced copy of this thanks!

I absolutely love the Kelly Porter series. I live in Cumbria so with it being based here it’s even better. Kelly is one of my favourite detectives.

This story is based around drugs. A young girl kills herself while on drugs and then another goes missing...... Kelly has to try and unravel what’s going on.

I literally didn’t put this down until the end! Brilliant.

Thank you NetGalley and Canelo for this arc.

Bitter Edge is the 4th DI Kelly Porter book and I still need to read the first 2 books (but I've got them on my kindle now!) I tore through Bitter Edge in just a few hours. Kelly starts off juggling a couple of cases and somehow ends up dealing with a whole lot more that once again turns into a gigantic Gordian Knot of a mess.
With the help of other neighboring police forces they somehow manage to cut the head(s) off the hydra and tie most of the mess up in a fairly satisfactory manner. Kelly's personal relationships run through the background of the story and also continue to progress in a natural manner.

The book's blurb promises this is perfect for fans of Angela Marsons and Robert Bryndza. And it delivers on that promise.

This series just keeps getting better and better. Love this series. Love the progression of Kelly, both professionally and personally, and interwoven with an excellent multi layered who dun it.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Canelo for an advance copy of Bitter Edge, the fourth novel to feature DCI Kelly Porter of the Cumbrian police.

Teenager Jenna Fraser commits suicide and Kelly finds it difficult to accept. She wants to find a reason but has no power to investigate until events take a turn and she finds herself at Jenna’s school, Derwent Academy, investigating other crimes. What she finds gives her a crash course in teenage behaviour.

I enjoyed Bitter Edge which is a clever mystery with several twists and turns. I found the novel initially difficult to grab hold of as it is all over the place, narratively speaking. It opens with the tragedy of Jenna’s death and then switches point of view through various characters whom the reader has to assume will be relevant later in the novel. In an investigative sense, therefore, the novel is slow to ramp up but as it continues I came to value this early scene setting as it gives the reader a good sense of character and places later actions in context. I soon found myself hooked by the various angles and possibilities. I liked the way Ms Lynch pulls all these various strands together into a cohesive and plausible whole. The resolution is clever and satisfying and while it makes sense I wonder if it’s legally possible.

I can’t say that I enjoyed the rather bleak picture it paints of modern teenage life with bullying, drugs and celebrity fixation rife. I’m not one to get nostalgic about my schooldays and I fully understand that Ms Lynch is describing the extreme end of that life but it seems extremely shallow and nihilistic and doesn’t exactly chime, apart from the selfies and celebrity doings, with the teenagers I know. I think what I’m trying to ask is where’s the optimism and joy in their lives?

Ms Lynch reserves that for the adults. Kelly is in a happy place with her relationship which is going from strength to strength, her acceptance of Ted as her father and her new understanding with her dying mother. She is even keeping her fractious sister at arm’s length. I particularly enjoyed her interactions with Josie, her boyfriend’s teenage daughter, Josie as they seem natural and realistic. On the work front she is a tenacious investigator who invests personally in her hunt for justice.

Bitter Edge is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.