This was a flop!
It took me almost a month to read it, which says more than any other word.
The only good thing about this book, was the atmosphere, that gave the reader claustrophobic feeling.
I didn’t like the main protagonist, the detective George and also the banter between her and her colleague as well.

The thing that was missing in this book was the suspense! The story dragged and despite quite decent writing there were no thrilling hooks that would roll the reading paste.

Despite the unfavorable outcome, thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC copy.

The Wolf Treeby Laura McCluskey

I give this book 5*

Book review.

DI George(Georgina) Lennoxtown is back to work alongside her work partner and friend DI Richie Stewart on her first case since being seriously injured on duty. They are posted to the remote Scottish island of Eilean Eadar to investigate the suspicious death of Alan Ferguson.

Eilean Eadar's residents don’t take kindly to ‘mainlanders’ coming on to the island to investigate what they see as a simple suicide. The island is very insular and anyone from the mainland marrying an islander has to adopt their customs and way of life where the church, as well as pagan beliefs having a big impact on island life.

DI Lennox and Stewart are treated with suspicion and hostility by the majority of the islanders, at least to begin with when they start questioning everyone who lives on the island about the death of Alan. The device of everyone being questioned separately led to to my suspicions about who was responsible for Alan’s death changing all the time which made the big reveal of the truth all the more shocking and surprising.

The incident back in Glasgow where DI Lennox was injured was slowly revealed as flashbacks which added another dimension to the story.
Setting the story on a very isolated, windswept island adds to the dark, claustrophobic atmosphere of the book.

Although this is a police procedural of sorts, the storyline is very original.

I really enjoyed this book and I would like to see more books featuring DI George Lennox and DI Richie Stewart, perhaps back on the mainland in Glasgow.

Thankyou to NetGalley and Harper Collins Hemlock Press for an advance readers e-book copy of the book in return for a fair and honest review.

Set in a closed community on an isolated island, some welcome the arrival of two mainland detectives to investigate the death of a young man whilst others are openly hostile. The gloomy, dark and menacing atmosphere together with the ancient beliefs and practices adds to the claustrophobic sense of doom and the vulnerability of the two detectives. Well written but a slow burn, I did wonder what would happen to the island after the “modern” world arrives in the closing stages.

A young boy is found dead at the foot of a lighthouse on a remote Scottish island.
DIs Georgina Lennox and Richard Stewart are sent to investigate the suspected suicide.
However, this is a community who live by superstition and folklore and soon their lives are in danger.

Folklore and religion define island life. The elements and remote location are essential components of this crime mystery that features an increasingly toxic community where an unexplained violent death has occurred. The Scottish mainland Detective Inspectors George Lennox and Rich Stewart investigate the death and soon find that the close community is not revealing any of its secrets, and their presence is unwanted. As the weather deteriorates, leaving the island becomes impossible. I like the claustrophobic and menacing atmosphere created and the complex characters with many dark secrets. The vulnerability of the detectives, especially George, who has issues from a workplace incident, keeps you invested in their safety. It's a compelling mystery to solve with unexplained occurrences that mask the truth. It is reminiscent of Icelandic and Nordic noir and is a page-turning read.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Atmospheric debut novel by Laura McCluskey set on a Scottish Island. Well written book that I sped through in two sittings. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

George and Richie are despatched to the small remote island of Eilean Eadar in the Northern Hebrides when a young man's is looking possibly suspicious. Some of the Islanders are welcoming, but others are openly hostile.
They are a religious community and appear to be well and truly under the thumb of the Church. George is woken at night by a sound that sounds like a wolf and is convinced that someone is watching her. but Richie hasn't heard it.
Strange happenings on the island convince George that something isn't quite right, but when they are due to leave the Island, truths start to emerge and George wonders if they will actually get off the Island.
A little bit Wickerman, but engrossing.

The story begins with the body of Alan Ferguson being found at the Lighthouse. DIs Georgina (George) Lennox and Richard Stewart (Ritchie) are sent to investigate on a small island off the coast of Scotland. We learn the islanders aren't very trustful of mainlanders in their midst. Secrets and lies are brought to the fore as George and Ritchie question the inhabitants as they try to discover the truth behind Alan's death. What we learn are there are reasons and the islanders want them to be kept quiet. The sub plots all come together with a dramatic conclusion that I never saw coming. The descriptions of the characters and locations were well written.

Atmospheric murder mystery set on a small Scottish island. Inspector George Lennox and her partner Richie go to Eadar in a howling gale to solve the murder of a young man. There they get to know all the hardy locals of this tiny island in the North Atlantic where there’s only a single phone. The characters and bleak landscape come to life through the author’s skill.

If isolated islands and slow burn mysteries are your thing then you will really enjoy this. It is a little slow to get going but stick with it and you will be drawn into the spooky goings on as the MC comes to the realisation that all is not as it seems. The pace picks up throughout the book and the ending is satisfying. (Copy received via #netgalley in return for an honest review)

A slow burner . Interesting premise which didn’t quite deliver. Too far fetched for my liking . Not a fan of fae elements. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Eilean Eadar is a remote Scottish island, and there is a storm raging - in more ways than one.

When a young lad is found dead, it is believed he has committed suicide.

DI Georgina Lennox (known as George) and DI Richard Stewart are sent over to investigate, where they end up stuck on the island due to the weather.

They soon realise that the islanders hold many secrets.

I found this story slow to start with, but it did pick up eventually.

I wasn’t keen on George’s character, I found her hard to take to, although I felt that Richard’s character was better.

This is a well-written story and I loved the descriptive writing, it gave me a real sense of the island and the people who inhabited it.

My thanks to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Oh wow! This book had me from the beginning and really kept me guessing throughout. Detective 'George' Lennox and her sidekick Richie are sent from Glasgow to the rocky and remote island of Eader to determine whether the death of a young man really is suicide or something more sinister. George is recovering from a vicious attack from her last case and feels she has to prove that she is capable of getting back to normal duties. As soon as they arrive, the police officers are made to feel unwelcome and their presence unwarranted. This whole books just reeks of suspicion, long buried secrets and strange insular relationships on the island. There is an underlying current that everyone is hiding something and it all seems to link to the past when three lighthouse keepers went missing. The book has very Gothic vibes and in places is quite scary! I thoroughly enjoyed it and it really does keep you guessing as to the past history of the island, the islanders and the intentions of everyone that George and Richie meet. A fabulous, gripping read. Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this great book.

Set on an isolated Scottish island that is a law unto itself, Laura McCluskey's descriptions of the island are very atmospheric giving an interesting backdrop to start. Add to that the autonomy of the minister and the fear and or dislike of 2 detectives sent to the island to look into a reported suicide there are tensions galore. The landing on the island during a storm is a tense beginning to the story.
DI George (Georgina) Lennox has just returned to work after suffering severe injuries in her line of work some months before and DI Richie Stewart is watching her closely, unsure she is fit for her return to work.
Added to this is legend and a mystery from many years ago of 3 missing lighthouse men.
Tense and compelling read.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Laura McCluskey/HarperCollins UK for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

On a small island off the coast of Scotland, an isolated community is grieving. Eighteen-year-old Alan Ferguson was found at the foot of the lighthouse – an apparent suicide.
DIs Georgina Lennox and Richard Stewart are sent to investigate. A raging storm keeps them trapped on the island for four days. And the locals don’t take kindly to mainlanders.

This is a brilliant read. Well paced, with great three-dimensional characters and a different police procedural story. The descriptions of the island pull you right in to the gloom and, at times, it’s claustrophobic. Great twist at the end too.

Oh what a delightful and original book this is. Set in such a remote island off the coast of Scotland that it made me feel isolated.

Plot was simple but, of course, the reality was most certainly not.

A boy of 18 is found dead and because of his age the police need to make sure it was accidental. The two police inspectors who are sent to check things out are at odds with each other, the islanders vary from welcoming to Very Hostile, the weather is worse than awful and those are just the simple bits. There is even a timescale to the tale as the police have been given just five days on the island to make sure all is as it seems, which of course it is not.

It is a great story and I suggest you treat yourself.

This book was not what I was expecting but it held me enthralled from the very first page.
What starts off as two detectives being despatched to a remote Scottish island to investigate the alleged suicide of a local man soon morphs into something more sinister.

Reviled by some of the locals who resent the intrusion , the detectives find their job harder than anticipated. In addition, they begin to wonder - if it is a simple suicide why is there so much simmering resentment to them.

The book is so description that I felt like I was actually there. Hope to have the chance to read more from this talented author in the future.

DI George Lennox and her partner DI Richie Stewart are sent to a remote Scottish island to finalise a report on the suicide of a young man. The locals are suspicious and generally unwelcoming, and it seems that things are not as straightforward as expected. A thrilling and original novel.

Full of suspense and atmosphere; this is a book to read with the light on. I’ve read a few books recently where the characters are stranded on an island with no immediate way to get off. I liked the two main police protagonists and the characters felt like fleshed out people, but I didn’t really enjoy the ending.

DIs Georgina Lennox and Richard Stewart are sent to investigate a possible suicide on a small island off Scotland. Alan was only 18 so why would he kill himself? The weather is awful and the locals do not want anything to do with the mainlanders. What is really going on and will anyone talk.

Very well written novel that is well paced with great characters. Can they discover the truth on an island where everyone knows everyone’s business. Will anyone open up and talk to them and will others be put in danger if they do? Enjoy reading to find out what really happened to Alan.