An education inspector is not the protagonist I have come to expect in my thrillers/mysteries but this guy works. Somehow the author has created a period setting which makes sense to the modern reader, with characters, settings and issues which are all eminently relatable. Very interesting plot and there is something out of the ordinary in how the tale is told.

The blurb makes this an intriguing book to read. An eco thriller set in the late 60's. A story that promised glimpses into another world. A new writer to read. Yep sounds like my sort of thing. Would the book live up to the hype of the blurb? Well almost. Apart from a few reservations, it was a good read. I'd definitely recommend it.

The story follows an education inspector, with a difference. Jack Sangster is a likeable character. He's sent by the mysterious Granville Institute to investigate why a boy at a minor public school is constantly playing truant. When he arrives he finds that the boy has gone missing. Not only the one boy, but two others are missing to. It takes on the air of a cover-up. A cagey headmaster doesn't help Jack, who now assumes something worse is happening.

The story is really well written, the conversation spot on. There's an air of humour, a whiff of nostalgia as you navigate the pages. The story is incredibly easy to read. That's not derogatory, but shows an author who is in sync with his readership. There are a lot of facts in this book, lots of information about the natural world, which I loved. It's not fantastical. I loved all this little nuggets of wisdom that appear. The story strides along to the point you're near the end and don't know how it's all going to come together.

That may be the one place I think this book is lacking. The main storyline about the boy ends too quickly for me. The adrenaline rush of the rescue near the end is too quick. Other than that, I can't grumble, it's an excellent read. Jack Sangster is a character I want to read more about. I see there are another two planned, both set in the eco world.

Four stars, very nearly five for this debut Jack Sangster novel. Look forward to reading more.