Scan barcode
abercrombie1986's review against another edition
medium-paced
4.0
I think book two is even better than book one. So much going on. A missing child, a sinking ferry and a murderer all in the same story. Again this is somewhat of a locked room mystery as everyone is trapped on the island due to a storm. And again Fiona is working alone on all three of these issues. I like that she is so determined to find justice and do it all. Just like in the first book, there is so much tension and this one is at a continued fast pace.
Part of what makes Fiona so likable is that her parents were killed and that sets her drive to be the best police officer she can be so she can use those skills to eventually solve her parents murder. You just want to root for her to succeed. Not something I have really thought much about in my crime procedural previous reads.
With book two even stronger than book one, this is a great series to start.
adperfectamconsilium's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
THE ISLAND is the second book in the Fiona MacLeish crime thriller series.
This reads well as a standalone novel but there's extra enjoyment in following Fiona's story if you read THE FLOOD first.
As with the previous book the author cleverly uses a remote location in Scotland along with the elements to create a locked room mystery.
Police officer Fiona MacLeish travels across to the remote island of Luing to start an investigation into the disappearance of eight year old Cait Yorke.
Has she wandered off and got lost or lying injured somewhere in this rugged landscape or is there a more sinister reason for her disappearance?
Unfortunately an oncoming storm leaves Fiona stranded without backup. The team of detectives won't be getting there until the next day.
Before the search has barely begun Fiona becomes involved in rescuing passengers from a pleasure craft in trouble and makes the shocking discovery of a murder.
Fiona now has two major cases to handle all on her own. Find Cait & find the killer.
The rising winds and gales will make things as difficult as the growing agitation of the islanders, stranded holidaymakers and Cait's parents. Will Fiona succeed or will there be more death before the day is out?
Multiple plot strands, twists and turns and a whole lot of emergencies make this a fast paced crime thriller and Fiona MacLeish is really growing as the main character.
The Scottish setting of the remote island is well portrayed. I really felt like I was there with Fiona cheering her on.
This reads well as a standalone novel but there's extra enjoyment in following Fiona's story if you read THE FLOOD first.
As with the previous book the author cleverly uses a remote location in Scotland along with the elements to create a locked room mystery.
Police officer Fiona MacLeish travels across to the remote island of Luing to start an investigation into the disappearance of eight year old Cait Yorke.
Has she wandered off and got lost or lying injured somewhere in this rugged landscape or is there a more sinister reason for her disappearance?
Unfortunately an oncoming storm leaves Fiona stranded without backup. The team of detectives won't be getting there until the next day.
Before the search has barely begun Fiona becomes involved in rescuing passengers from a pleasure craft in trouble and makes the shocking discovery of a murder.
Fiona now has two major cases to handle all on her own. Find Cait & find the killer.
The rising winds and gales will make things as difficult as the growing agitation of the islanders, stranded holidaymakers and Cait's parents. Will Fiona succeed or will there be more death before the day is out?
Multiple plot strands, twists and turns and a whole lot of emergencies make this a fast paced crime thriller and Fiona MacLeish is really growing as the main character.
The Scottish setting of the remote island is well portrayed. I really felt like I was there with Fiona cheering her on.
bookanonjeff's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
And So It Becomes Clear This Is An Open World "Locked Room" Series. This book largely follows the format of the first one in the series, and happens just a few days later in the world timeline. In other words, while still dealing with the repercussions - good and bad - from the first book, our detective is now thrust into *another* mystery where she is in an essentially "locked room" open world environment - she has quite a bit of area to work in (as do our perpetrators), but it is an area isolated off from the "main" world. This comes to bear in good and bad ways, though at least in this entry another variant on the theme is introduced... and again, the moves and countermoves this particular variant introduce open up their own possibilities. The main problems from the first book - the repetitive repetition of the detective's motives - are largely still in play here, though this time at least a few of the repetitions give us a bit more of the backstory for the motivations, and thus a reprieve from the near copy/paste verbatim repetitions that seemed so prevalent in Book 1. But... the things that made the first book so good, specifically how the scenery itself very nearly becomes its own actual character as it is described so vividly and is so intrinsic to the story here, are *also* still in play here. Indeed, with the clear theme now established for this series, perhaps that is one of the more intriguing aspects going forward.... how can Smith manage to keep putting this same person in these same situations and keep them different enough? Based on this book, I for one am looking forward to seeing how he pulls it off again. Very much recommended.
nikkisbooknook's review
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Fiona is still a PC but she is trying to live down the notoriety she received after solving her first murder. She's the nearest available officer to the remote island of Luing when a young child goes missing. She makes it onto the last ferry to the island, just as one of the worst storms in recent memory is about to hit the coast.
Whilst undertaking a search for the youngster, she comes across a stranded boat and is side-tracked into carrying out a marine rescue with the help of some islanders. And that's how Fiona comes across her second murder! Fiona really seems to be jinxed when it comes to water!
Between marine rescues, a missing child, overwrought parents and another murder, Fiona is up against it again. She only has herself, her limited contact with her bestie and their Inspector on the mainland and a few hardy islanders to assist her. She's hard pressed to herd this lot to safety - it's like herding cats! She's also got competing priorities and an Inspector who thinks she's a numpty!
I love that Fiona makes mistakes, just like everyone does in real life. She sometimes makes the wrong choice, leaps to the wrong assumption and trusts people to do the right thing. Again, the remoteness of the island and the storm keeps everyone contained on the island so thankfully she's not haring around all of Argyll looking for her suspect!
I'm invested in Fiona now and want to see how much she can develop and flourish. Will she get over her fear of exams (if so I need pointers myself!)
Whilst undertaking a search for the youngster, she comes across a stranded boat and is side-tracked into carrying out a marine rescue with the help of some islanders. And that's how Fiona comes across her second murder! Fiona really seems to be jinxed when it comes to water!
Between marine rescues, a missing child, overwrought parents and another murder, Fiona is up against it again. She only has herself, her limited contact with her bestie and their Inspector on the mainland and a few hardy islanders to assist her. She's hard pressed to herd this lot to safety - it's like herding cats! She's also got competing priorities and an Inspector who thinks she's a numpty!
I love that Fiona makes mistakes, just like everyone does in real life. She sometimes makes the wrong choice, leaps to the wrong assumption and trusts people to do the right thing. Again, the remoteness of the island and the storm keeps everyone contained on the island so thankfully she's not haring around all of Argyll looking for her suspect!
I'm invested in Fiona now and want to see how much she can develop and flourish. Will she get over her fear of exams (if so I need pointers myself!)
marcirenee1974's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Wow! Book 2 did not disappoint! I love that I got to review books 1 & 2 in the same month but now I have to wait for book 3 to come out...I can't wait! Fiona is still doing her thing in this book but she's getting better and better. I can't wait for her to conquer her exam fear so she can become an actual detective!
#TheIsland
#NetGalley
#TheIsland
#NetGalley
More...