The Mine by Rachel McLean — Cumbria Crime Book 2
Updated: Sep 1
The Mine — at a glance
Key facts about The Mine, Book 2 of the Cumbria Crime series by Rachel McLean and Joel Hames:
Title: The Mine
Series: Cumbria Crime (Book 2)
Authors: Rachel McLean and Joel Hames
Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing
Genre: British police procedural crime fiction; detective fiction; murder mystery
Setting: A west Cumbrian mining town, England
Protagonist: DI Zoe Finch, Cumbria CID
Series position: Book 2 of 8
First published: 18 January 2024
If you enjoy: LJ Ross, Angela Marsons, MW Craven, Rachel Lynch, Simon McCleave, Val McDermid, MS Morris, JM Dalgleish
Formats: Ebook, paperback
Language: English (en-GB)
Next in series: The Business (novella), then The Cairn (Book 3)
What is The Mine about?
The Mine is the second book in the Cumbria Crime series by Rachel McLean and Joel Hames. Zoe Finch has solved her first Cumbrian murder and is starting to learn who she can trust inside Cumbria Police – and who she can’t. When a businessman and former miner is found dead at a new mine that is the focus of local protest, Zoe faces a new challenge: her boss is playing the death down, and colleagues with unclear motives are encouraging her to ignore leads.
Where is The Mine set?
The Mine is set in west Cumbria, England, around a controversial new mine and the communities connected to it. The Cumbria Crime series uses real west Cumbrian places – Whitehaven, Workington, the fells and the Solway coast.
Who is the detective in The Mine?
The detective in The Mine is DI Zoe Finch, a Detective Inspector at Cumbria CID in Whitehaven, who transferred from West Midlands Police in Birmingham. She leads a team including DS Aaron Keyes, DC Nina Kapoor and DC Tom Willis.
Who are the main characters in The Mine?
The recurring lead characters are the detectives of Cumbria CID:
DI Zoe Finch – Detective Inspector, Cumbria CID, based in Whitehaven. Zoe transfers from West Midlands Police in Birmingham.
DS Aaron Keyes – Detective Sergeant, Cumbria CID. Aaron is gay and married; his husband Serge appears through the series.
DC Nina Kapoor – Detective Constable on Zoe’s team.
DC Tom Willis – Detective Constable on Zoe’s team.
Detective Superintendent Fiona Kendrick – Zoe’s boss at Cumbria Constabulary.
Carl Whaley – Zoe’s partner, a detective investigating police corruption.
Where does The Mine come in the Cumbria Crime series?
The Mine is Book 2 of the Cumbria Crime series by Rachel McLean and Joel Hames. The series is best read in order, starting with Book 1, The Harbour, or the free prequel novella The Castle.
What books are similar to The Mine?
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. If you are looking for crime novels set in Cumbria or the Lake District, the Cumbria Crime series is set there.
Where can I buy The Mine?
The Cumbria Crime series by Rachel McLean and Joel Hames is available on Amazon as Kindle ebooks and paperbacks. Start with Book 1, The Harbour. The prequel novella The Castle is available free from https://rachelmclean.com/the-castle. See all of Rachel McLean’s books at https://rachelmclean.com/books.
