There was much to enjoy here, but I found I couldn't connect with it. I'd read more from this author in the future though.

Great story by Clare Carson. Really thrilling read, great characters and an enjoyable story. Highly recommend to others!!

First of all can we just appreciate how beautiful the cover for this book (and the rest in the series) is.

I love this trilogy and love my crime thrillers set in Scotland, there is something about the cold, environment of Scotland that just makes for a great atmospheric read!.

I do think this is mt favourite in the trilogy and a lot better than book two (second book syndrome sticks again!)

<b> Check out http://abooklionshideaway.blogspot.in/ for more reviews. </b>
Let me begin this review by saying, I absolutely loved the writing, the concept of this book and the main character. This book takes place in the 70s and the 80s so it was really a fresh start for me as I haven't read books from that timeline. It just gave me these amazing nostalgic feels especially since it's a mystery and has spies in it!

This is the first book I read in this trilogy and in spite of it being the third installment I find that I quite enjoyed it. I certainly will be thinking about going back to book 1 and start from the beginning but the past story did help and it was like reading a standalone so there's no problem in relating to the story. There are two timelines, 1976(the past) in London and 1989(the present) in Orkney.

Sam Coyle is on a hunt to find the truth and her emotional journey is quite mesmerizing to read. The grief is just heartbreaking but she is determined and moves ahead on her quest. I really liked this character and found myself cheering for her at times.

Sam and Anna grew up together and are best friends and if I had one problem with the book, then it would be Anna, I didn't quite like her but it was alright. The other thing that I really liked was the information that was given in this book. Orkney is certainly a very interesting place and combine it with history! You can see the author has done her research.

I really liked the ending because Sam seems content and starts to accept, it's not the end as it kind of ends on a cliffhanger so looking forward to the next adventure!

<b>*An ebook copy was provided via the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*</b>

I was unable to get into this book which was very disappointing. Sadly cannot recommend.

Having been utterly bewitched by Orkney Twilight and The Salt Marsh , it was with some trepidation that I embarked on The Dark Isle as I desperately wanted to be as in awe of this book as the previous two. I’m pleased to say that my fears were completely groundless and Clare Carson has triumphed once again…

The Dark Isle moves seamlessly between two timelines spanning the intensely hot summer of 1976, and the political unrest of 1989, with the poll tax demonstrations firmly rooting us in this particular period. Likewise, the story pivots between London and Orkney within both periods of time, with Carson once again demonstrating her particular skill in scene setting and atmosphere, so unlike other books with split timelines , the reader is instantly transported to, and settled within the locations, even without the date stamps on the chapters. Carson’s depiction of landscape, weather and nature, is completely entrancing as ever. The rugged wilderness of Hoy which seems to teeter on the edge of the earth is as vital and real as the suburban streets of London that Sam frequents in her formative years, and affords Carson ample opportunity to showcase both, and how they impact on, and play such an important part in Sam’s realisation of the world as a whole, and within her own troubled and secretive family history.

In the London scenes, Carson adopts the viewpoint of a flaneur, with the careful demarcation of Sam’s stomping grounds both as a child and as a young woman. In the wilds of the Scottish Isles, Carson casts Sam as an old style explorer as she works to uncover real history through archaeology, and her own personal history whose secrets lie buried in this mystical and unforgiving terrain. The locations are absolutely intrinsic to the development of the storylines, and play as much of a role as any character contained within its pages. There are precise and naturalistic descriptions of flora and fauna which flow beautifully in and out of the narrative, giving a sharp vitality and visual panorama to the reader. Carson weaves in mythical tales, adding to the sense of unknowing that permeates the book, and subtly enlightening the reader on folklore which still remains totally in keeping with the story.

Sam is a complex and engaging character, and this book is no exception. There’s a quote that says “Be like a spy. Keep your true self hidden,” and one that Sam along with other characters all seem to adhere to. With her father’s influence, as a shadowy and secretive undercover operative, I found it fascinating how despite losing him some years previously this influence has steadily increased in her own psyche, and how the more subtle aspects of his personality are revealed in Sam from time to time. She is resourceful, determined, not unnaturally brave, and refreshingly susceptible to the duplicity of others. There’s a realism and truthfulness to her character, that makes us admire her gumption, and empathise with her less glorious moments of naivety, and I have a great affection for her as a character. So as not to unwittingly reveal anything, all I would say to the other protagonists who encourage or seek to thwart Sam’s efforts, is that you will be surprised and frustrated by their various deceptions, and most importantly as you’re reading…trust no one…

I suspect that I will have a similar trepidation when I read Clare Carson’s next book, having been so enamoured with this series to date, but I’m willing to endure it! The Dark Isle is another great addition to this beautifully written series, and I would recommend all three books heartily. Great storytelling, pitch perfect plotting, and a wonderful sense of time and place. Highly recommended.

Don't mind this review if you love this series. I didn't know that it was the third book in a series when I requested the book from NetGalley and I also expected a different story, more of murder mystery story on an isolated island than a story about a young woman that remembers a summer long ago and the events that happened back then that affected her life.

To be honest, I should have DNF't the book when I realized that I didn't find the story engaging, but by then had I read quite a lot of the book and felt the need to finish the book. And, the book felt promising at first.

This is a spy story, about a daughter of a spy who tries to figure out more about her father. I found the flashbacks to 76s to be quite uninteresting to read and I never really liked Sam's friend Anna, neither as a young girl nor as a woman. Frankly, Anna didn't really impress me either. I was intrigued by "The Fisher King" Pierce at first, but then I felt that even Sam's collaboration with him bored me.

So, in the end, I just want to say that if you love the previous two books will you probably love this one too. This is not a bad book for the right reader, I just couldn't find myself liking the story.

I hadn't read the previous books in this trilogy - something I'll definitely be doing - but it didn't interfere with my enjoyment of this novel at all.
The real strength of the book lies in the beautifully evocative writing. The author is clearly familiar with the Orkneys, and shows her love for them in every word she uses.