Many thanks to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
OMG what a good thriller! I had to keep setting down The Island while reading it over this weekend on my trip to Portland, Maine, because it made me so anxious! My body could not handle the tense situation presented and I was physically feeling it!!
Heather is just 24 and the new wife of Tom, a doctor in his 40s. She and the two children from his previous wife head to Australia. Tom is to be a featured speaker, and they make a larger trip out of it, traveling to see more of the country before Tom's conference in Melbourne. But the kids complain about not having seen enough wildlife and they bribe a local to give them a ferry to a private island where the wildlife is apparently abundant. No wi-fi and no GPS on the island, and (surprise, surprise!) nothing goes right…
I'd never heard of author Adrian McKinty before I got this book, but some bookish friends spoke very highly of his previous release, The Chain. I look forward to reading that book soon, because this one was fantastic! However I have to give my heart at least a few days to get back to normal because this one really took me through the ringer! This one publishes 5/17 and it was a wonderful, wild ride!!

2.5 Stars

I keep reading thrillers in the hopes of finding one that doesn’t require me to totally suspend disbelief. Unfortunately, this Australian Deliverance isn’t it.

Twenty-four-year-old Heather recently married a widower twenty years her senior. When Tom Baxter, a doctor, attends a medical conference in Australia, he brings along Heather and his two children, Olivia and Owen, 14 and 12 respectively. One day, in hopes of seeing some Australian wildlife, they take a ferry to Dutch Island, a private island where visitors are not welcome. Once on the island, there’s an accident which causes them to come into conflict with the O’Neill family which owns the island. Separated from Tom, Heather has to save herself and her step-children.

Heather’s intelligence is dismissed by both Tom and her step-children. Tom, for instance, thinks, “Why had he listened to Heather? She was a Millennial. She didn’t know anything” and believes “she had that young person’s thing of saying everything that came into her head.” Olivia thinks, “Heather was easily impressed. She wasn’t very smart. She hadn’t even graduated high school.” Of course, she proves herself to be resourceful and to have considerable knowledge of bushcraft because of her non-traditional upbringing. In terms of strength and stamina, she becomes a female Rambo; she is pushed to the limits of human endurance and suffers several injuries but perseveres nonetheless. Her ability to recover quickly from physical trauma is almost superhuman. As expected, Olivia and Owen realize they underestimated their stepmother and come to trust her.

I have difficulty believing that two adults would take children to an island with two strange men they have just met. One of those men is described as “menacing” and possessing a “wolfish grin” whereas the other is very reluctant to allow them on the island which has no cellphone or internet service. Then after the accident, Heather and Tom make another stupid decision. I understand that an inciting incident is needed to bring characters into conflict, but I’d much prefer something more believable.

The plot has several problems. Much of it is repetitive because there’s a lot of running and hiding. Because of Heather’s amazing survival skills and cunning, she is able to escape all attempts by the O’Neills who would supposedly know the island much better than she does? The plot requires too much suspension of disbelief: the reader is expected to simply go along for the ride and overlook over-the-top implausibilities. And the author doesn’t play fair. A chapter from one character’s viewpoint ends with the line, “And then there was no ‘he’ to feel anything at all.” The fate of that character, even with the foreshadowing in the middle chapter, means the reader is tricked. Relying on such deception is not acceptable. On the other hand, much of the plot is predictable; certainly Hans and Petra can easily be identified as redshirt characters as soon as they join the Baxter family on the trip to Dutch Island. And the ending is so predictable: by Chapter 35, it is obvious what is going to happen.

Some of the dialogue is bizarre. Jenny, the conference rep, takes the family to a house for their stay in Melbourne and as she enters that house, she says, “’Anyone need the toilet? Fab toilets in here. Heather? Looks like you gambled a little on a fart and lost, no?’” An Australian would reference the Alamo, an American historical event? Heather tells Olivia and Owen to watch out for a police car on the island?

This action-packed thriller will appeal to some readers, especially if they enjoy graphic violence. The Rambo-like heroine, the totally evil stereotypical villains, and the far-fetched plot made it difficult for me to enjoy the book. Does escapist literature have to require the reader to suspend all analytical thought?

Note: I received a digital galley from the publisher via NetGalley.

INSANE, PAGE-TURNING, SURVIVAL THRILLER OF THE SUMMER!!! A family trip to Australia, a day on a remote island whose sole residers are 'Ma's' family. An accident, and now .... the family is trying to kill them. That's all you need to know.

The Island is a thriller for sure! It had an interesting premise and location and had a couple of small twists. I felt the book dragged on a bit and the ending was a little far-fetched but it kept me interested and engaged. Definitely would recommend. I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

IT WAS JUST SUPPOSED TO BE A FAMILY VACATION.

A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT CHANGED EVERYTHING.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE CAPABLE OF UNTIL THEY COME FOR YOUR FAMILY.

I flew through this book. It starts out a little slow, but quickly picks up. You can feel the terror and determination of the characters throughout the book. One of my favorite things about this one was that it was not the children's blood relative that was fighting for them, but their step-mom, who they had only known a year. It made the storyline more powerful. The author showed that parenthood is more than just biology. The story moved quickly and had lots of twists/turns throughout. The ending felt a bit rushed, but all in all this was a great book!

I am writing a short review to avoid spoilers and give readers a chance to go into this thriller without too many plot details. Full of action and adventure, this book is definitely not boring. It captures your attention throughout, with poetic breaks that are truly touching. Author Adrian McKinty writes a thrilling novel based around a motherly instinct to protect her family. Heather does everything in her power to bring her new family home safely. I loved the suspense and sacrifice of the characters to save the vulnerable and weaker members. I would have liked some of this novel to be more believable. Some scenes, twists, and character decisions were hard to believe could happen. Either way, I would love to see this brought to life on the big screen!

MY GOD. I think this may be my favorite book of the year so far. I read this whole thing in one sitting. I can't remember the last time I did that.

I kept telling myself that as soon as I found a good place to stop I would so that I could get something else done on my day off yesterday. Let me tell you- there are NO good places to stop with this one. It was so fast-paced and something was always happening. I couldn't bear the thought of putting it down.

If you want a true thriller, look no further. The thrills are on every page and the tension is through the roof. I seriously cannot recommend this book enough.

Huge thank you to @netgalley and @littlebrown for the advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

At first, I didn't think I was going to like this book. Once you accepted the premise, you really wanted the characters to succeed. The survivalist skills were believable and the bonding of characters understandable. I couldn't stop reading until the very last word.

Can you hear those dueling banjos? While reading this tale of island survival, I thought of the movie "Deliverance." Sure enough, when I got to the author's note at the end, that very film was mentioned by name. That moment of connection put this book in 5-star territory for me. This is a messy, complicated, bloody story. It is a gritty, grim survival tale with a massage therapist doing the unthinkable and taking on a family who has been entrenched on an island off the coast of Victoria. A family of four--Tom, stepmother Heather, Olivia (14), and Owen (12) -- take a ferry over to Dutch Island to see Australian wildlife. How many will return to the mainland? You will have to read this book to find out. McKinty has once again given us a narrative with an unthinkable crisis to overcome.

Thank you to Little, Brown Company and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

I've read another book by this author, and I enjoyed it, but this one didn't work for me. I found it far too gruesome (and unnecessarily so). The plot was quite predictable (and the summary pretty much gives it all away). I didn't care for any of the characters. Humor was thrown in, but it felt out of place. There was no big reveal, as I expected to find.

Trigger warning: threat of rape (multiple mentions), cruelty against animals and humas

The Island by Adrian McKinty is a highly recommended survival thriller set in Australia.

After the death of his wife, surgeon Tom Baxter married 24-year-old massage therapist Heather. His two children, 14-year-old Olivia and 12-year-old Owen aren't thrilled with now having Heather taking over caring for them and view her as too young to be a real mom. Tom is the keynote speaker at a medical conference in Melbourne, Australia, and the whole family has accompanied him, making the trip a short vacation. When the kids keep demanding to go see kangaroos and koalas, Tom rents a car and they go in search of wildlife.

While taking a break and eating at a roadside stand, they meet two members of the O'Neil family who say that the private island they live on has plenty of Koalas. The kids want to go, and Tom, along with a Danish couple, end up paying a large sum of money to take their private ferry to the island. The Baxter's realize that something is wrong on the island, and after a horrible accident they are taken prisoner by the O'Neil family and brought before Ma, who will decide their fate. Suddenly circumstances leave them fighting for their lives. Both Heather and the kids must work together to use all their skills and intelligence if they want to survive and get off the island.

The first thing I though while reading was that this was Deliverance set in the outback. It is an uncivilized, frightening, harsh plot that moves at a rapid tumultuous pace with brutality at every turn. The danger can come from both human and nature. Neither the hunters nor the hunted will accept failure. McKinty includes intermingled among the attention grabbing action some earnest thoughts about human existence, spirituality and meditation.

There is no doubt that this is an intense, compelling, hard-to-put-down thriller that will hold your complete attention throughout the novel, however you also need to set aside some disbelief to fully enjoy the experience. Sometimes setting aside your incredulity and going with the action is the best way to appreciate a novel and that approach will work well with The Island.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Little, Brown and Company.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Edelweiss, Google Books, and Amazon.

Intense! Page Turner! Read in 2 sittings! Vivid description but without making you feel like it’s too lengthy, particularly about the area of the land and the scenery. I felt like all the characters were described well enough that I could picture them in my mind. Definitely keeps you guessing as to what’s to happen to this family next! Can’t wait to see the Hulu adaptation. I will say I definitely enjoyed the chain just a little bit more by this author but definitely worth a read!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown and Company for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Buckle your seatbelts because you are in for one heck of a ride!! This is my first book by Adrian McKinty (even though The Chain has been on my bookshelf forever!) and man o man did I absolutely love this book. His writing style is phenomenal and keeps you engaged throughout the entire book! I loved the pace of the book as it just kept me turning the pages the entire time. It was so hard to put the book down at times! I saw that it is coming out on Hulu and I cannot wait for that!

Additionally, I love how unique of a storyline this is. I feel like there aren’t a lot of books out there like this, so I feel like it just makes it stand out! Overall, I absolutely devoured and loved this book and would highly recommend it for anyone wanting a fast paced thriller!

This review will be posted to my Instagram blog (read_betweenthecovers) in the near future!

Really not for me. The beginning started off good then got to the island just lost interest
Tried to keep picking it up but DNF.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

The Island by Adrian McKinty
May 17, 2022
384 pages



This book started off strong — Heather, her new husband Tom and Tom’s two kids Owen and Olivia are in Australia so that Tom, a surgeon, can attend a conference. I loved the descriptions of the Uluru and the outback. It reminded me of the time I spent in my 20’s exploring Australia. That’s about as good as it got. I only finished this one because I was getting my hair colored and couldn’t move.

The four Americans, plus a random Dutch couple, end up on Dutch Island (an Island in Australia that used to be a prison) after they convince the family that inhabits the Island to take hundreds of dollars to allow them to check out the island. Tom accidentally kills a member of the family when he hits her with his car. The family seeks revenge as they chase the visitors around the island. People are killed, animals killed, chaos ensures and it was all very forgettable.

Honestly, I zibby’d the last 25 percent.

Hard pass.

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Gritty and fast paced, Adrian McKintys, The Island was a gripping survival story.

A family trip to Australia, bonding between stepmother and kids, beautiful sights, beautiful weather, in an amazing backdrop. It should have been perfect for everyone involved.

A ferry trip to a small private island to see koalas, sharks, and more sounds like an amazing adventure, and a chance to do something unexpected. A quick spin around the island, a few photos, an accidental death. The horror which brings the terrifying family who have taken over this island into focus, a focus which settles on Tom, Heather, Olivia, and Owen.

The name of the game now is survival. What do you know that can save you and those you love, and how far will you go?

Solid five star book, immensely fun and left me wanting more from him!

Note for anyone reading the e-book edition: there’s an error in the duplication of chapter 49. Nothing else major, but it did catch me off guard and pull me out of the story a little.

After reading The Chain and The Island, I am officially an Adrian McKinley fan! He writes the most unique thrillers and completely avoids all the common tropes that are everywhere today (especially the dead wife mysteries and unreliable narrators). This was a fast-paced story and I cannot wait to watch the Hulu series, this will be the perfect miniseries. Overall, a quick read that keeps you guessing how it will end right up until the last chapter.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mulholland Books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review!

What can I say about this book other than that it left me breathless. In his latest high concept thriller, Adrian McKinty takes a tried and true horror plot—a family trapped in the wilderness and chased by depraved killers, and twists it to his own unique style.

When Heather Baxter convinces her new husband Tom to take her and his kids from his first marriage all the way to Australia with him for a medical conference, they have no idea what trouble they are getting themselves into. On a day trip before the conference starts, Tom agrees to take his family on a boat trip to a small island. But the island is not what it seems… obviously. After a horrendous accident enrages the locals, Tom, Heather, and the kids find themselves on the wrong end of a very angry clan of psychopaths with one thing on their minds. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you what that thing is!

What follows is a heart-pounding thriller that gets creative in the way it deals with its victims. Warning, there is a scene with a colony of ants that will leave you itching for weeks, and maybe having nightmares… I will say no more.

Cleverly crafted, well written, and fast-paced, if you are looking for a summer read that will keep you up at night, this is it.

I overall really enjoyed this book. I had an extremely hard time putting it down and it definitely sucked me in from start to finish. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book and that is by far my favorite kind of thriller. I will be recommending this to anyone I know who likes thrillers.

This is my first book from this author and Omg it won’t be my last! Talk about twists! It was fast paced thriller that kept me at the edge of my seat. I couldn’t put it down because I had to know what happened next. The character development was excellent and I truly felt like I was on the island with them. Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this in advance!