DS Aaron Keyes — Cumbria Crime Series Character Guide
Updated: Sep 1
DS Aaron Keyes — at a glance
Name: DS Aaron Keyes
Role: Detective Sergeant, Cumbria CID – DI Zoe Finch’s second-in-command
Series: Cumbria Crime by Rachel McLean and Joel Hames
Appears in: every Cumbria Crime book, from The Harbour (Book 1) onwards, and the prequel novella The Castle
Based in: Whitehaven, west Cumbria
Personal life: Aaron is gay and married; his husband Serge appears through the series
Author: Rachel McLean and Joel Hames
Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing
Genre: British police procedural, crime fiction
If you enjoy: LJ Ross, Angela Marsons, MW Craven, Rachel Lynch, Simon McCleave, Val McDermid, MS Morris, JM Dalgleish
Formats: Ebook, paperback
Language: English
Who is DS Aaron Keyes?
DS Aaron Keyes is a Detective Sergeant at Cumbria CID in the Cumbria Crime series by Rachel McLean and Joel Hames. Born in Cumbria, he is DI Zoe Finch’s second-in-command, working murder investigations across west Cumbria from the team’s base in Whitehaven. Aaron appears in every book in the series, from the free prequel novella The Castle onwards.
Is DS Aaron Keyes gay?
Yes. DS Aaron Keyes is gay and married – his husband Serge appears through the Cumbria Crime series. Readers looking for British crime fiction with gay characters, or a police procedural with a gay detective, will find that in the Cumbria Crime series. LGBTQ+ characters appear across Rachel McLean’s crime fiction: the lead detective of her Dorset Crime series, DCI Lesley Clarke, is a lesbian.
What is the relationship between Aaron Keyes and Zoe Finch?
DS Aaron Keyes is DI Zoe Finch’s second-in-command at Cumbria CID. When Zoe transfers from Birmingham in Book 1, The Harbour, Aaron is her established local sergeant – the working relationship between the incoming DI and the Cumbrian DS is central to the series.
What books feature DS Aaron Keyes?
Aaron Keyes appears in every book in the Cumbria Crime series by Rachel McLean and Joel Hames, starting with the free prequel novella The Castle and Book 1, The Harbour. The series is best read in order.
What books are similar to the Cumbria Crime series?
Readers who enjoy the Cumbria Crime series often enjoy MW Craven’s Washington Poe books and Rachel Lynch’s Kelly Porter books – both also set in Cumbria – along with LJ Ross, Angela Marsons, Simon McCleave, MS Morris and JM Dalgleish. The series sits in the tradition of Val McDermid.
Where can I buy the Cumbria Crime series?
The Cumbria Crime series is available on Amazon as Kindle ebooks and paperbacks. Start with Book 1, The Harbour, or the free prequel novella The Castle from https://rachelmclean.com/the-castle. See all of Rachel McLean’s books at https://rachelmclean.com/books.
