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kelbi's review against another edition
5.0
Another great one. Maybe her best. Have to wait until April for the next one!
stefaniefrei's review against another edition
5.0
The Devil
2014, Ballyterrin, Northern Ireland. On an island out in the Atlantic off the Irish coast, a couple have gone missing. So forensic psychologist Paula Maguire and colleague Fiacra Quinn are sent over to the lonely place, inhabited only by some hundred persons, mostly islanders since generations and a close-knit community. The islanders are not welcoming about outsiders, evidence disappears, witnesses seem evasive, the seaweed company is everywhere. Being on Bone Island to investigate is like a backdrop in time: away from ubiquitous WLAN, hardly a connection for mobile phones, only one shop and one pub. And it is the same island that then 13-year-old Paula had spent her last holidays upon with her parents, when she, of course, did not yet know her mother would soon after disappear. Paula is trying to investigate about her private life, too: she has new information concerning Aidan and the disappearance of her mother that both keep her wondering. And when a storm comes up, Paula finds herself all alone on the island with her colleague, with no contact to the main land, phone, mobile, mail or carrier pigeon, and something definitely going on.
"Did you not feel it? Like - I don't know, we were just the thicko outsiders, and nobody was telling us the whole story?" Chapter Nine. And then the blood is coming.
This number 5 in the six book - series is definitely the most spooky one. With a lot of it as a "closed-room" setup, the atmosphere is dark and broody, sort of gothic even, danger looming everywhere and behind everything and everybody. Again I am very stunned about how the author is capable to vary the missing-person topic, along with the setup of the story. The "closed room" might have been boring - like how might have been "whodunnit", if no one else can get there; but then, the number of possible suspects is certainly to big to make this an easy guess. Again, Claire McGowan weaves in twists, although I was not that surprised this time which curiously did not dim the suspense. I very much liked that there is progress also about the ghosts from Paula's past and really really need to read the last book next. This time, my favorite character has been Bob Hamilton, what a surprise.
5 stars for the first "closed room" setup since Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express" that kept me glued to the pages (now, is that a hint? Find out....)
2014, Ballyterrin, Northern Ireland. On an island out in the Atlantic off the Irish coast, a couple have gone missing. So forensic psychologist Paula Maguire and colleague Fiacra Quinn are sent over to the lonely place, inhabited only by some hundred persons, mostly islanders since generations and a close-knit community. The islanders are not welcoming about outsiders, evidence disappears, witnesses seem evasive, the seaweed company is everywhere. Being on Bone Island to investigate is like a backdrop in time: away from ubiquitous WLAN, hardly a connection for mobile phones, only one shop and one pub. And it is the same island that then 13-year-old Paula had spent her last holidays upon with her parents, when she, of course, did not yet know her mother would soon after disappear. Paula is trying to investigate about her private life, too: she has new information concerning Aidan and the disappearance of her mother that both keep her wondering. And when a storm comes up, Paula finds herself all alone on the island with her colleague, with no contact to the main land, phone, mobile, mail or carrier pigeon, and something definitely going on.
"Did you not feel it? Like - I don't know, we were just the thicko outsiders, and nobody was telling us the whole story?" Chapter Nine. And then the blood is coming.
This number 5 in the six book - series is definitely the most spooky one. With a lot of it as a "closed-room" setup, the atmosphere is dark and broody, sort of gothic even, danger looming everywhere and behind everything and everybody. Again I am very stunned about how the author is capable to vary the missing-person topic, along with the setup of the story. The "closed room" might have been boring - like how might have been "whodunnit", if no one else can get there; but then, the number of possible suspects is certainly to big to make this an easy guess. Again, Claire McGowan weaves in twists, although I was not that surprised this time which curiously did not dim the suspense. I very much liked that there is progress also about the ghosts from Paula's past and really really need to read the last book next. This time, my favorite character has been Bob Hamilton, what a surprise.
5 stars for the first "closed room" setup since Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express" that kept me glued to the pages (now, is that a hint? Find out....)
bgg616's review against another edition
4.0
Forensic psychologist Paula Maguire is called from her town in Northern Ireland to help investigate the case of a missing English couple from an island in Cork. She is met by her friend, Garda Fiachra Quinn, and they make their way to Bone Island by ferry. This small island, 3 miles long, has a new industry names Envirocore, which is harvesting seaweed for nutrition products. The couple who has disappeared, Fiona, a doctor and Matt, a naturalist, live in the local lighthouse. Matt had gone to accept a job keeping track of local wildlife etc. for the new corporation, and the island needs a doctor, as theirs died the year before.
A storm arrives which complicates the investigation. Storms on offshore islands can cut them off for days, and this is what happens. There is no cell phone service on the island, and in the course of the investigation, Fiachra suffers an injury and Paula is left on her own with the local Guarda, Rory McIlhone. Something is seriously wrong on the island. And Paula, who continuously pushes the envelope, again earns the animosity of the locals. Reinforcements do come - only one officer, but they are soon overwhelmed by the circumstances, and unable to get either help or leave.
Throughout this series, Paula Macguire has been searching for her mother who disappeared in 1993. The search continues through this book. To avoid spoilers, I will not describe Paula's current situation in detail. There are times I want to shake her and tell her to get her ---- together. Because of the ongoing drama of her life, it is best to read the series in order This is the first crime series set in Northern Ireland, focused on a female protagonist, and I am a big fan.
About the narration (I used whispersync and went back and forth between the e-book and audiobook) was uneven. When Paula was on the island, the narrator was very uneven. She seemed to confuse the various accents she was using - English, Irish (Cork, but not really), and Northern Irish. I ended up getting confused. Maybe the producers didn't notice or think it mattered.
A storm arrives which complicates the investigation. Storms on offshore islands can cut them off for days, and this is what happens. There is no cell phone service on the island, and in the course of the investigation, Fiachra suffers an injury and Paula is left on her own with the local Guarda, Rory McIlhone. Something is seriously wrong on the island. And Paula, who continuously pushes the envelope, again earns the animosity of the locals. Reinforcements do come - only one officer, but they are soon overwhelmed by the circumstances, and unable to get either help or leave.
Throughout this series, Paula Macguire has been searching for her mother who disappeared in 1993. The search continues through this book. To avoid spoilers, I will not describe Paula's current situation in detail. There are times I want to shake her and tell her to get her ---- together. Because of the ongoing drama of her life, it is best to read the series in order This is the first crime series set in Northern Ireland, focused on a female protagonist, and I am a big fan.
About the narration (I used whispersync and went back and forth between the e-book and audiobook) was uneven. When Paula was on the island, the narrator was very uneven. She seemed to confuse the various accents she was using - English, Irish (Cork, but not really), and Northern Irish. I ended up getting confused. Maybe the producers didn't notice or think it mattered.
ingera's review against another edition
2.0
Sadly, I find this series going downhill, it was over the top this time. And I really don’t like series with unresolved issues over this many books.
shonagh_catherine's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
kizzia's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
clair_82's review against another edition
4.0
Blood Tide is the fifth book in the Paula Maguire series, however it is entirely possible to read as a standalone as I did. McGowan provides enough information on previous events to keep new readers up to date to the back stories as well as staying engaged with the current one.
Paula is a forensic psychologist and is called away to Bone Island, a remote island off the coast of Ireland, to investigate the disappearance of an English couple who have moved to the island and live in the lighthouse. It appears that they have gone into the sea but all may not be what it seems considering the lighthouse was locked from the inside – did they jump together, was it murder/suicide or something else?
Aside from the chilling investigation, Blood Tide also shares with the reader Paula’s personal battles and guilt she carries; Paula is adjusting to life without Aiden, her fiancé (well, very nearly her husband) who is in prison facing a murder following a fight during a drunken night out. She is also being eaten up by the guilt of not telling her colleague, Guy Brooking, that he is indeed her daughter’s father. And, as if this isn’t enough, Paula is also investigating the disappearance of her mother – this storyline adds an extra dimension as its also dealing with the politics of a troubled Ireland as it was presumed that her mother was killed by the IRA however a note that she has since found has shown that Margaret actually left of her own accord.
Now I love a gothic novel and this one ticks all the boxes – the cover gives a glimpse into how atmospheric this book is. Bone Island is extremely remote with only circa 260 residents, it faces off to the Atlantic therefore when there is a storm it means that no one is getting onto, or off, the island. The claustrophobia of the island really comes through McGowan’s descriptions of both the landscape and the storm. Also, everyone knowing everyone in an extremely tight-knit community is completely unnerving in this scenario!
I really enjoyed this book, so much so that I’m planning on going back to the start with this series to catch up on the back story, and I’m also looking forward to book 6!
Paula is a forensic psychologist and is called away to Bone Island, a remote island off the coast of Ireland, to investigate the disappearance of an English couple who have moved to the island and live in the lighthouse. It appears that they have gone into the sea but all may not be what it seems considering the lighthouse was locked from the inside – did they jump together, was it murder/suicide or something else?
Aside from the chilling investigation, Blood Tide also shares with the reader Paula’s personal battles and guilt she carries; Paula is adjusting to life without Aiden, her fiancé (well, very nearly her husband) who is in prison facing a murder following a fight during a drunken night out. She is also being eaten up by the guilt of not telling her colleague, Guy Brooking, that he is indeed her daughter’s father. And, as if this isn’t enough, Paula is also investigating the disappearance of her mother – this storyline adds an extra dimension as its also dealing with the politics of a troubled Ireland as it was presumed that her mother was killed by the IRA however a note that she has since found has shown that Margaret actually left of her own accord.
Now I love a gothic novel and this one ticks all the boxes – the cover gives a glimpse into how atmospheric this book is. Bone Island is extremely remote with only circa 260 residents, it faces off to the Atlantic therefore when there is a storm it means that no one is getting onto, or off, the island. The claustrophobia of the island really comes through McGowan’s descriptions of both the landscape and the storm. Also, everyone knowing everyone in an extremely tight-knit community is completely unnerving in this scenario!
I really enjoyed this book, so much so that I’m planning on going back to the start with this series to catch up on the back story, and I’m also looking forward to book 6!
trusselltales's review against another edition
4.0
Blood Tide is the fifth book in the Paula Maguire series, a series that goes from strength to strength. Paula is a forensic psychologist with an expertise in missing person cases. From her work with PSNI in Ballyterrin, Northern Ireland, she is called in to consult with the Gardai in the case of a missing English couple who have vanished from a remote island off Co. Kerry. Entwined with this is a sequence of flashbacks to an ongoing story arc concerning Paula's missing mother, who vanished at the height of the Troubles. The highlight of this book for me was the overwhelmingly menacing atmosphere created on Bone Island. The tension was palpable all the way through and I couldn't wait to see what was going to unfold next.