Wow! I read many crime books, but this one stands out for all the right reasons.

‘These islands are terrible at keeping their secrets. Nothing in Orkney stays buried forever. Freya already knew that, didn’t need the reminder, but she still got one this morning.’

In Dark Island, reporter Freya has moved back with her husband to her childhood home of Orkney after quitting her life in Glasgow. Her new job at the local paper veers from the expected sedate pace when a wild winter storm reveals human remains at Skara Brae on the Atlantic coast. Freya pursues the truth with disregard for her own safety to the point of obsession. I loved her unique quirks, tenacity and battles with her undiagnosed autism traits. Her thoughts and interactions with her co-workers, suspects, the police and witnesses allow us to see the world through her perspective, which is both atmospheric and revealing. From her abrupt and abrasive co-reporter Gill to DI Muir, all the characters are distinctive. Freya ends up in many hairy situations and close calls: I couldn’t put it down. The identity of the bones uncovers old secrets that threaten her job and even her life.

Most books play like a 2D film in my head. However, Daniel Aubrey engineered a fully 3D experience using tangible and sensory prose – and here’s the really clever bit – without ever slowing down the pace and taut plot. 

Evocative of place, with fully formed characters and a gripping plot. This novel is a fantastic read; I was hooked from start to finish and recommend it to all crime fans.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperNorth for the ARC.