Got an arc copy from NetGalley for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

This was my first book from this author and I loved the setting of being isolated on an island of Australia while spending a hiking/ camping trip. (Isolated closed circles are my favorite genres). I also loved the talk about the Tasmanian devils and I loved the bit of mystery of a few of the characters.

But I did find in some spots were a little slow, but I will definitely read from this author again.

Such a fun and creepy romp on Devil’s Island!
I love that the plight of the Tasmanian Devils is brought to light consistently, yet hopefully.

Devils Island by Midge Raymond and John Yunker

Enter Marbury Island off the coast of Tasmania for a backpacking trip. Sprinkle in the mother of all storms and then a missing guest. What could go wrong?

Devil’s Island is a mystery that will keep you hooked and guessing until the very end. Guides for the trip; Kerry and Bryan are kept on their toes when one of the American guests goes missing. American friends Jane and Brooke are two of the guests along with two Australian married couples; Malcom and Charlotte, and Ian and Margaret. The first night a guest goes missing also sees bad storm blowing in. This keeps them from progressing on their journey and the beginning of their problems.

This book was not my cup of tea but it had my attention and thoughts for the two days it took me to read it. The story was a very interesting idea but I thought there were too many chefs in the kitchen if you will. Too many possible plots/directions to go were introduced. It gave me whiplash instead of suspense.

This one was pretty tough to get through.

First of all, it was very slow. There was a LOT of information about Brooke and Jane’s past as actors that I didn’t see the need for, and nothing really happened until more than halfway through.

I felt like there were a lot more explanations than dialogue, and that made things move really slow. Instead of allowing us to learn what’s going on through interactions and conversations between the characters, things were kind of spelled out for us a lot of the time which made this book feel a little more like nonfiction

There was also weird, repeated bad-mouthing about Americans. “Americans always have to be right about everything” “I hope they’re not like the last group of loud Americans” and Kerry kept calling Brooke the smaller American as if Kerry couldn’t remember her name. But she would literally say “Brooke, the smaller American”

I liked the initial twist, I didn’t see that coming, so this book has that going for it, but the end was still so confusing and convoluted to me. Nothing happened for so long and then everything happened at once.
It was an interesting and unique presence, I just don’t think it was successful.

Six guests visit devils island on a wilderness tour and retreat, embracing the Australian wildlife and spotting some wonderful animals along the way. The tour guide Kerry is keen to have a successful journey after a previous mishap and a difficult but strong relationship to the Tasmanian devils, her hopes are dashed when one guest goes missing, evidence of a crime is found and it’s quickly followed by another body and a terrible storm. Brooke has just left her husband and joined her old friend Jane on this trip, little does Brooke know Jane has her own secrets for joining up to this adventure and their history as actresses will definitely come in handy

I recently became a member of NextGalley and Devils Island is the first book I’ve read from there. It will be out in September 2024.

At the start of the story Brooke is on a boat. She was invited by Jane, to whom she has a long time but now complicated friendship, to accompany her on a hike across the most beautiful island in the world. Besides Jane and Brooke, there are six other people on that boat as well: the tour guides Kerry and Bryan, and two couples Malcolm and Charlotte and Ian and Margaret. The couples are friends. We quite early in the story learn why Jane wanted to go on that hiking trip, because she tells Brooke the real reason why she wanted to go. Then someone goes missing, and about a day later someone gets murdered and the remaining members of the hiking group get divided.

From the first sentence this story had me. I love the writing style that is used and for me this style makes it an easy read. The characters are likeable, flaws and all. I had a hard time putting the book away when I was reading. What I liked was that I read chapters through the eyes of a character (mainly Brooke and Kerry). Another thing what doesn’t happen often to me is that at one point this story had me teary-eyed.

When I started reading I went globally through the acknowledgments and information. While I can understand a writer’s need to place this at the beginning of the book, as a reader I’m more interested in the story that lays ahead. At the end, there was another author’s note and information and because I'd finished the story, I could read it with more attention. My advice would be to add the acknowledgments and information, in the beginning of the book, at the end as well.

Would I advise people to read this story? If you like a good mystery, care for animals, and like plot twist, then yes, I’d advice you to read this one.

Thanks for letting me read this book Oceanview.

(This review will also be posted on Goodreads and my instagram)

I really enjoyed this standalone novel, mostly for its nature setting in Australia as well as doing research on the Tasmanian Devils. As for the book itself, it’s an easy whodunit with an..interesting cast of characters, all with their own flaws.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I really enjoyed reading this book. You can tell that the authors thoroughly researched the wildlife in the area the story is set in. The plot was also suspenseful and grabbed my attention right from the beginning.

Set on a (fictional) remote island off the coast of Australia, Devils Island offers armchair travellers a vacation to die for. I devoured this book - with plenty of suspense, murder and mayhem - it's both a mystery and a thriller. The plot moves quickly, the details are lush, and the characters are nuanced. This one will definitely be a re-read for me.

Devils Island is very descriptive, as it follows a hiking trip between a group of people who have secrets between each other. The book instantly draws you in and is a great mystery. The plot twists were predictable; however, it was overall enjoyable. This book is interesting and allowed me to learn more about Tasmanian devils and the island's environment. It was a great suspense story, with excellent pacing. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thank you so much to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

This story follows 2 couples and a pair of friends as they embark on a camping/hiking trip to Devils Island - known for its home to the Tasmanian devil. As they arrive on the island, secrets come out and it seems that the group may not be strangers with one another after all. As members of the group start disappearing, the book sends you through a maze of “who done it.”

This book does a really great job of immediately drawing you in and not lingering over the unnecessary parts.

This was a very quick and easy read, there was nothing that you had to really work to piece together yet very enjoyable… until the end. The plot twist was rather disappointing and that definitely took the book down from a potential 4 to a 3 star. There wasn’t anything too exciting about it and the book didn’t go into the direction I was hoping for. The island itself really didn’t have much in the reasoning for the disappearances and suspense.

This is a good, quick read but not one that is memorable.

The book was a bit predictable in the developed of the characters. But it was a whole new concept of book for me and was interesting to read and it was a very quick read and I enjoy how the book build and I recommend it for sure.

Devil’s Island was an easy read. The character developments were a bit predictable but the characters themselves were enjoyable. The twists weren’t unplausable.

The nomenclature of Devils Island could refer to the Tasmanian devils on the island (loosely named Marbury Island for the real Maria Island) or the "devils" who are part of the group of six, two Americans and four Australians, who have suspenseful and questionable relationships which lead to at least one death. The most interesting and not particularly likeable character is Jane, an American who is unstable and a bit of an egomaniac who travels with an old friend whom she hasn't seen in years, Brooke. They both have an interest and background in theater that seems a bit unrelated to and somewhat interrupts the plot.

Kelly and Bryan, the two assigned guides for the three day hiking and camping trip, are a bit more interesting, and Kelly's interest in and knowledge of Tasmanian devils is, to me, the most intriguing aspect of the book. Kelly's interest in the environment of the island, and her carefully woven information about the devils piqued my interest in the topic and led to a desire to know more about the island's wildlife and their struggles.

The plot of the book moves quickly but has, perhaps, too many directions to make it comprehensive. Nonetheless, this book is interesting and mostly compelling.

Thanks to Oceanview Publishing and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book.

This was a new concept for me! locked room mystery is something I haven’t read before. I’m not sure that I loved it but it was interesting enough to keep me reading.

I felt it missed the mark a bit on the thriller aspect however the setting and story telling was pretty good. I liked how the author included facts and actually things regarding the real Tasmanian devils which was a learning experience. What drew me to this one was the cover and the title. Overall it was a pretty decent book!

I enjoyed this book. I would like to thank Oceanview Publishing and the authors Midge Raymond and John Yunker for the opportunity to read it early. I loved that the island, weather, and animals were as much of “characters” as the people on the trek. I liked that the underlying focus was on saving the Tasmanian Devils and removing the stigma around the animal.

I had a little bit of trouble keeping track of the characters early on, and some of the first chapters had very descriptive sentences with lots of phrases punctuated by commas which was distracting but it helped paint a bigger picture.

This was a great suspense story, good pacing and twists, and I loved the multiple points of view.

Devil's Island is a quick read. I enjoyed the setting and it made me do some homework on the plight of the Tasmanian Devils. It was a fun read with a few twists.

I’m a huge fan of atmospheric novels because I love to feel like I’m in the place I’m reading about and this did not disappoint in that aspect! I absolutely loved the premise of this book and it just flowed. I do not think it was the best book I’ve ever read, but I would absolutely recommend to people who want to read an entertaining book that is atmospheric and outdoorsy with some murder! 4.5 rounded to a 5.

I enjoyed the background and scenery as well as learning so much about the Tasmanian Devil, however the mystery was lost on me. I struggled with the character development and the fact that I didn’t care who lived or died as the story didn’t seem to connect me to any of them. Most of the energy seemed to be sent on building the atmosphere and the history of the animals and conservation efforts which is great but not for me.

This is a fantastic read, perfect for those who love wildlife, nature, suspense & mystery! After finding my feet with who's who with the characters, I really became engrossed in the story and was surprised by all the twists and turns in this book! The pace and flow was just right. The setting was ideal, being on an isolated, uninhabited island with limited mod cons and phone signal! The stormy weather also brought in a sinister uneasy feeling to the trip's experience! I love also how this book is loosely based on real-life wildlife conservation concerns. The writers cleverly told the story from 2 group members POVs, adding a 3rd later which added to your intrigue. Highly recommend!