After working in London as a detective for the last few years, DI Kelly Porter has returned home to Cumbria amid a scandal. Now working in an area with less crime, Kelly sets about working a five year old cold case of ten-year-old Lottie Davies, who went missing on a family day out. Her body was eventually found brutally murdered, but no-one had been charged with her death.

Not long after beginning her investigation, Kelly is called to the Thwaite Hotel where a local prominent figure has been found dead in bed. Whilst there were no suspicious circumstances, it would seem that he had been enjoying the company of a young lady before his death, and video evidence shows that she robbed him before leaving.

Whilst simultaneously running the two cases, Kelly is shocked when the same name appears in both. Could there possibly be a connection between the two?

Dark Game is a real page turner. The book had me hooked straight away with its two plots that intermingled. I couldn’t, for around half the story, work out how the two were connected. It was an eye opener when the dots were finally joined.

This is a real dark thriller containing scenes of a sexual nature, violence and plenty of bad language, some not easy to digest. If you are sensitive to any of these then this may not be the book for you. However, with the gritty, hard-hitting plot, these scenes are perfectly justified and the book wouldn’t work without them. They have been done with expertise and the author has clearly done her research.

The vast array of characters are all well formed and have all been cast in their roles perfectly. They are exceptionally realistic, which is also quite scary to think about.

The twists in the plot came thick and fast, and there were plenty of surprises along the way. I found it completely unputdownable and although I had to once, the second time I picked it up I read for a few hours straight, right until the early hours of the morning. I needed to know where the story ended.

I was left satisfied with the closure, then, the author added the epilogue which left me open mouthed. Looks like we have a contender for who is going to show up in book two. Fair play to you Ms. Lynch I really didn’t see that coming, even-though looking back there had been a few hints along the way.

This is a thriller that has been well written, full of surprises, has hard to swallow scenes and one I couldn’t put down. Now bring on book two, I can’t wait.

About the Author

Rachel Lynch grew up in Cumbria and the lakes and fells are never far away from her. London pulled her away to teach History and marry an Army Officer, whom she followed around the globe for thirteen years.

A change of career after children led to personal training and sports therapy, but writing was always the overwhelming force driving the future. The human capacity for compassion as well as its descent into the brutal and murky world of crime are fundamental to her work.