"A dark, theatrical and gripping origin story that shows exactly why more than a million readers have become hooked on Rachel Lynch’s Detective Kelly Porter series. "
Set in 2008 London as the city prepares for the Olympics, the novel captures a capital buzzing with life. Yet hiding something deeply rotten beneath the surface.
Kelly Porter is 28 and about to begin her dream job on the Met’s murder squad, determined to prove she belongs in London despite her father’s doubts and the lingering sense that the force is still stacked against women like her.
Her first days on the job collide with horror: human remains unearthed at a building site, a mutilated body staged like grotesque theatre, and eerie clues that point toward the Museum of Childhood.
This killer isn’t just murdering, they’re directing a macabre show. The Puppeteer is on the prowl. But they hadn’t banked on Kelly’s nose, her instincts and she unearths a story steeped in abuse, neglect and the long shadows of the past.
Kelly’s fierce love for her work and her refusal to shrink herself make her an instantly compelling lead. She is hungry to prove herself and is clearly the kind of detective you want to follow into a long-running series.
Vivid, unsettling and emotionally charged, First Act is a prequel that stands confidently on its own while hinting at the darkness still to come.
For crime readers who enjoy psychologically twisted cases, strong female detectives, and investigations that blur the line between spectacle and nightmare, this is a powerful and memorable opening act.
London, 2008. Kelly Porter has been in London for six years. She's 28 years old and has passed her detective exams, working for Bethnal Green CID. Now she's landed her dream job in the Met's Major Investigation Team the murder squad. And she is immediately thrown into the deep end.
Work on the Olympic Park is underway, and human remains are found on Kelly's former patch. When a link to children's toys is found, Kelly seeks help from a curator at the Museum of Childhood.
A legacy of horror and killer with an unexpected motive are about to be revealed but can Kelly stop them?
The breathtaking, fast-paced prequel to the million-copy bestselling DI Kelly Porter series. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Patricia Gibney and LJ Ross.
First Act features in the following genres: Crime and Mystery, Thriller and Suspense, Crime and mystery: police procedural, Crime and mystery: women sleuths, Narrative theme: Death, grief, loss, Narrative theme: Politics, Narrative theme: Sense of place, Narrative theme: Social issues, Fiction, Crime and mystery: police procedural, Crime and mystery: women sleuths, Thriller and Suspense, Fiction: narrative themes, Narrative theme: Death, grief, loss, Narrative theme: Politics, Narrative theme: Sense of place, Narrative theme: Social issues
First Act is available in Paperback, Hardback
First Act was written by Rachel Lynch and published by Canelo Crime an imprint of Canelo
First Act has 294 pages
Yes it is part of Detective Kelly Porter series
£15.29
