‘The Poole Harbour Murders’ by Rachel McLean

Published by Canelo Hera,
3 July 2025.
ISBN: 978-1-83598199-3 (PB)

While dredging silt from Upton Lake, an area of Poole Harbour the remains of a female body is discovered.

DCI Lesley Clarke is pondering on bring in charge of a new Cold Case team in addition to her own Major Crime Investigations Team, hence two DI’s to Manage, one with whom she has clashed with in the past, when DI Hannah Patterson tells her that they have a had a call from Uniform regarding a body found in Poole Harbour.

Initial thoughts turn to Jackie Kendall who disappeared a year ago, but forensics are sure that the body has been in the water a long time, as it is in a bad state. DI Jill Scott, reckons it could point to a cold case, even that of Rowena Sharp who mysteriously vanished after leaving her baby alone in a Sandbanks hotel in 1973?

This is the 10^th book the series, and I found it good to catch up with the characters. Lesley is now living with her partner Elsa, who is a lawyer, and in earlier books was handling the business of the crime boss of the Kelvin family but has managed to extricate herself from that. Although now retired Ex-DS Dennis Frampton is sill in touch with Lesley and can still be useful.  But it is clear from the start that Lesley's will require all her managerial skills, tact and diplomacy to handle the two DI’s, Jill Scott and Hannah Patterson.  Also, a further headache for Lesley, is young DC Johnny C who made some bad decisions and had moved to London to escape the tentacles of the Kelvin family. Now he is applying to rejoin the team which could be bad news for Lesley.

A terrific read, cleverly plotted with many twists and turns. A real page turner.  Highly recommended.
-----
Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett

Rachel McLean writes thrillers that make your pulse race and your brain tick. Originally a self-publishing sensation, she has sold millions of copies digitally, with massive success in the UK, and a growing reach internationally too. She is also the author of the Detective Zoe Finch series, which precedes the Dorset Crime novels, and the spin-off McBride & Tanner series and Cumbria Crime series. In 2021 she won the Kindle Storyteller Award with The Corfe Castle Murders and her last five books have all hit No1 in the Bookstat ebook chart on launch.