The Rift: A nail-biting and compulsive crime thriller (Helen Scott Royal Military Police Thrillers Book 1)

Fast moving and thrilling. Read over 2 days and found it hard to put down. Rachel Lynch at her best!

Another good novel from author combining crime, politics and personal vendettas. Story moved at a good speed. I did get slightly confused at times due to the Arabic names of 2 principles and sometimes had to think who was who, but that's probably just me.

Major Helen Scott is very good at what she does and her reputation usually precedes her. A serving officer in the Royal Military Police, when she is assigned a case her superiors, whatever they think of her, know she will get the job done.As the lead security expert for the forthcoming NATO summit in Paris, Helen has no doubt she can do the job even if the city holds painful memories for her of a life almost lived. Before she has even had time to unpack however, she is sent to Lyon to liaise with Interpol after the kidnapping of the son of Kahlil Dalmani, a vitally important and exceptionally wealthy player in the trade between Europe and North Africa.Grant Tennyson is ex-military and has recently been hired as head of security for all of Dalmani's business interests and it falls to him to try to locate Hakim before the unthinkable happens. With time against him, Grant finds himself working in unwilling tandem with the Interpol investigators trying to locate witnesses or those close to his number one suspect, Kahlil’s childhood friend, but present day enemy, Fawaz bin Nabil before the local authorities close in on them.With the clock ticking Grant and Helen find themselves chasing down the same leads from different angles until a devastating piece of information changes their focus completely as they realise just what they are up against.This is a standalone from the author of the excellent DI Kelly Porter series and although totally different is every bit as captivating as her previous books. I don't usually read thrillers but as with Helen, Rachel Lynch's reputation precedes her and I loved it. The amount of research undertaken must have been staggering because this novel moves through so many different scenarios and never feels wrong or factually weak. I don't know if there will be any future outings for Helen or Grant but I will definitely be looking out for them, just in case.Helen and Grant are great protagonists and although I wasn't sure if this book, being so different to Ms Lynch's previous series, was my kind of read I was totally hooked very early on. The gradual discovery of what happened to Hakim was only one part of a mystery which didn't become clear until the finale took my breath away with its complexity and audacity.I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller even though it was outside my comfort zone.  I am delighted I took the chance on it.

This book is the best book I've read this year . It has plenty of action twists and turns its a really good written book I couldn't put it down.

I have really enjoyed the Kelly Porter series - good plots, nice reflections of the Lake District that I also love, and generally well written. This novel though, although it has a fairly good plot, niggles at me not only because of a number of unexpected typos, but also the incorrect use of words. For instance, Lynch uses ‘nonplussed’ in a way that means exactly the opposite of what it really means. The same with ‘belies’. It’s like it’s trying too hard and either the writer is not the same or the editor is not doing their job. I am very puzzled and somewhat disappointed.

Royal Military Police Major Helen Scott is posted to Paris to oversee security arrangements for a political summit, but when the son of an oil magnate is kidnapped, she finds herself working with Interpol. Tracking down the kidnappers puts her allegiances to the test, and not knowing who to trust, Helen must use all her skills to work out what it is the kidnappers want and where the real threat lies.Moving across a truly international landscape, the plot of this intricate thriller begins by setting out the various agencies, villains and intelligence organizations involved, throwing up lots of questions for the reader to think about. And as if that wasn’t enough, the heroine has her own issues to deal with as she tries to put the pieces of this complicated plot together. Although there’s not a lot of actual ‘action’ in the storyline, the high level of detail gives the book an exciting level of realism that made me wonder where Rachel Lynch gets her information about the intelligence services. The detail itself is nicely integrated into the storyline and (unlike some thrillers) never gets in the way. However, the best part for me was the final section as everything comes together in a high-speed rollercoaster of non-stop action that had me glued to my Kindle like the very best action movies.An exciting and thought-provoking read.

Good read but very different from her usual style

A brilliant book by Rachel lynch . When I started to read it I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy reading it but I soon changed my mind . Brilliantly written kept u on the edge of ur seat ,the thrilling exciting chases through the street s of France .. well worth the perseverance..

I am a Kelly Porter fan. The books are always engaging. However, Helen Scott is a whole different matter. Rachel Lynch is one of my favorite authors. She makes my top twenty easily. This book has rocketed Ms. Lynch into Vince Flynn territory. The arc of Helen Scott’s character is one of many hooks the author has woven seamlessly into the story. Where Mitch Rapp has aged into a role overseeing operations, Helen Scott is a young, dynamic, hands on badass who, in my opinion, could keep us entertained for a very long time. If you happen to read your reviews Ms Lynch, bravo! Keep ‘em coming!

Book was alright. It has its moments and would have got 4 stars if the author had not forced her political ideologies on me.

Love the series

I love a good thriller with an international setting, and this first Helen Scott Royal Military Police book definitely delivers on that front with not only a French setting, but also visits to both Morroco and Algeria. On top of this, the story also uses a multiple POV structure... Switching not only between countries, but also between characters on high speed. This might be a tad confusing initially, but once you get the hang of things the story becomes more entertaining. The Rift almost reads like a Hollywood action movie with the potential international treat, kidnapping and high dose of action scenes and dangerous situations. Helen Scott makes for an interesting main character and I liked what her profession brought to the plot. I would have loved to have more background on her though, and character development is a bit lacking in general as the story seems to be focused more on the now and the action. Nothing wrong with that, but it made the story seem less balanced... There was also something about the writing style and tone that didn't convince me completely, although I can't put my finger exactly on the why. I'm still looking forward to book two though, and The Rift makes for an engaging and high-speed action thriller with international setting.

Surprisingly well written!I was not impressed in the beginning of the novel,but the more I got to know the characters involved, the more I wanted to know the end of their adventures! I'm fact, I want to read more by this author!