It was great revisiting Fin and his history. If you haven’t read the Lewis trilogy don’t worry it can be read as a standalone, however knowing his history gave the book more meaning for me. Another exceptional story from Peter!

I’d listened to audio versions of the (then) Lewis Trilogy back in 2016. I loved these books and have rattled on to friends ever since, imploring them to seek them out and experience these wonderful tales for themselves. So, I was really excited to hear that a fourth book was to be released. How would this latest episode stack up against those forming the original trilogy?

I confess that though I recall some of the ‘highlight’ events of the previous books, much of the rest - the cast’s backstory - has since been swallowed up by the passage of time. Consequently, it took me a little while to settle into this latest chapter in the life of Fin Macleod and those who he grew up with, who’d been born and raised on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. After some years away from the island, Fin, a former policeman, finds himself returning to Lewis having learned that his married son Fionnlagh has been accused of the murder of eighteen-year-old Caitlin, her body having been found washed up on the beach. It seems that the two had been embroiled for some time in an illicit affair.

A big feature of this series is the island itself, the most north westerly land mass in Europe, and possibly the windiest! The native language here is Gaelic, spoken by around half of the population, and much of the land and surrounding sea is labelled in this strange tongue. The descriptions of Lewis are wonderful, and there’s no doubt that a good part of my attraction to these stories is driven by the mystery and drama of this remote, wild, and treeless place. Everyone knows everyone, it seems, and nobody’s business is sacrosanct – here, your business is everyone’s business.

Fin and his partner Marsaili – they were childhood sweethearts whose chequered history has been told in the earlier books – attempt to make sense of the accusations made against their son. As they re-acquaint themselves with people they have long known but have become somewhat estranged from, we begin to learn of more happenings from their earlier lives. In fact, this tale is really a mix of past and present events, tightly woven together to shape this mystery surrounding a young woman’s death. There are dramatic events aplenty here: secrets exposed and tragedies suffered.

In fact, my only disappointment is how the story is eventually concluded. The unwinding of events just feels to me like a unlikely collision of occurrences. I didn’t buy it. But, in all honesty, this didn’t really spoil my enjoyment of my latest trip to the Isle of Lewis. This remains one of my all-time favourite series. Perhaps I’ll get to Lewis for real one day - I have Scottish ancestry, so that's a good excuse. Yes, I’d really like that.

I haven't read any other books by this author and although this is an extra book after a trilogy about Fin, it read fine as a stand alone for me. Fin returns to the island where he grew up after his son was accused of murder. The book concerns his attempts to prove that his son is not guilty. There are also chapters set in the past .
It did take me a few chapters to get into the book and to get to know the characters, but once I did the book kept me interested and entertained. I liked the descriptions of places and people and the twists and turns in the plot. Much of the book is slow paced during the investigation, but the action picks up towards the end. I hope that there will be another episode
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC

I went into The Black Loch without having previously read Peter May's Lewis Trilogy featuring Fin Macleod, which I knew was a risk. However, even though Fin's personal history is a major part of the book, it can still be enjoyed as a standalone – although I didn't perhaps warm to Fin as quickly as those returning to the series might.
Fin's return to Lewis isn't a happy one; he and his wife, Marsaili are devastated when they learn their son, Fionnlagh is suspected of raping and killing his teenage lover, Caitlin. As her teacher, his actions in having an affair with a student are already reprehensible but despite their shame at his behaviour, they refuse to believe he could be capable of murder. Fin is no longer a serving police officer though, and is warned not to try to interfere with the case.
Of course it's inevitable that he should do whatever he can to discover the truth about such an appalling tragedy, and as he does so, he is forced to revisit painful memories of his own past. Unlike the main narrative, the flashback chapters are written in the first person and help to give us a greater understanding of this complicated man. The tangled relationships between the members of this island community, both in the past and present, loom over everything and although it gives a real sense of what makes Fin the man he is today, it does mean The Black Loch is a slower paced read at times.
Strangely enough, this is the second book I've read recently which features salmon farming – who knew aquaculture could be such a hotbed of intrigue and murder?! Peter May's obvious meticulous research and detailed explanations give readers a thorough understanding of the issues involved and it's a sobering read to consider the impact of major fish farms on the salmon themselves as well as the wider environment.
The island's relationship with the sea is a constant theme throughout the book, bringing both employment and death to its shores. Peter May's immersive rendering of the unforgiving landscape and suffocating communities, still often dominated by the scores of churches, each different denominations of the same religion, is excellent and it's easy to understand why people search for ways to escape, whether literally or in the arms of another. The harsh beauty of the place is evident too, though, particularly at the start of the book when Lewis enjoys an extended period of fine weather.
Ultimately though, this is an exploration of family and friendships torn to breaking point. and in some cases shattered by the sins of the past and merciless acts in the present day. The creeping sense of dread engendered as the multilayered storyline progresses eventually gives way to a nerve-wracking conclusion. This is a sombre read but there is hope here too, with some characters perhaps able to reflect upon their mistakes and rebuild their damaged relationships.
The Black Loch is an intricately plotted, atmospheric mystery with a wonderful sense of place and perceptive characterisation. I thoroughly recommend it.

Fin Macleod returns to the Isle of Lewis after leaving ten years earlier, the reason for his return is not a happy one and one Fin and Marsaill could have never imagined .
Caitlin an eighteen year old is found dead on a remote beach on the island and Macleod’s son Fionnlagh is charged with her murder .
She is something of a tv personality a strong swimmer and canoeist so it seems inconceivable she drowned of her own accord .
She was having an affair with Fionnlagh, who is married with a daughter of his own and all the evidence seems to prove his guilt .
Fin returns in the hope he can prove the his son is innocent .
On his return plenty of memories resurface both for him and Marsaili as well as the people in their past .
At times the story is both sad and dark but it it is in keeping with the thread throughout the book .
The writing is excellent and the book moves at a fair pace which keeps the pages turning .
An excellent dark thriller , with plenty of twists and turns .
Highly recommended!
Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books.

A dark riveting thriller full of twists. The fourth book in the Lewis series. Fin and his wife return after ten years away, for Fin to clear himself as a woman he had an affair with is found dead. Peter weaves the story through past and present timelines. Highly enjoyable read and highly recommend. Thanks to Quercus books and Netgalley for letting me read this review ARC.

Fantastic dark thriller
Peter May has brought back the hero from the Lewis trilogy and doesn't disappoint. A riveting read with great characters and with an intriguing twisting tale. it will keep you page turning.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it

I am a huge fan of The Lewis Trilogy and remember reading all three books in quick succession. It’s a real treat therefore to be able to return to the Isle of Lewis and catch up, once again, with Fin Macleod, the character who featured so strongly in the trilogy. Returning to Lewis some ten years later we finds Fin to be an altogether different character, older certainly, but seemingly with more of life’s struggles pressing down upon him, especially as his return to Lewis has been somewhat forced due to his married son, Fionnlagh, being accused of murder.

Expertly described by an author who is passionate about the area, the brooding presence of the Black Loch, with all its bitter memories comes alive and Fin, in his desperate attempt to help clear his son’s name, must confront his own particular demons from the past. There is always a shadowy sense of danger lurking just beyond reach and with so many unanswered questions apparent from the start, this is one murder mystery which has a myriad of possibilities.

The Black Loch was every bit as good as I expected it to be with, at its core, a taut and tight murder mystery however, there is also a definite sense of loose ends being tightened and of old adversaries seeking revenge. Will we catch up again with Fin Macleod, I rather hope we will, but if not, this is a fitting end to a strong story, well told.

Firstly, there is no requirement to have read the original 3 books to be able to enjoy this one. You could do so if you wanted but there isn't anything of particular importance in this story where a bit of background isn't given.

This is an excellent story and is up to the high standards set by the author in his previous works. The descriptions of island life when our main character was a boy and those of the present day are so well presented that you can picture them. Essentially this a big whodunnit with a twist at the end followed by another which will keep the reader guessing. Well worthy of investing some hours in reading (or listening if that's your thing).

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my copy for review.

Peter May’s ‘The Black Loch‘ is a gripping and atmospheric mystery set against the hauntingly beautiful backdrop of the Isle of Lewis. May weaves a compelling narrative of murder, family secrets, and the burden of past tragedies, all while capturing the wild and remote beauty of the Scottish landscape.

The discovery of 18-year-old TV personality Caitlin’s body on a desolate beach near An Loch Dubh sends shockwaves through the small island community. Caitlin, a strong swimmer and canoeist, leaves behind a mystery, how could someone so adept in the water have drowned? Fin Macleod, who fled the island a decade ago to escape painful memories, learns his estranged son Fionnlagh was romantically involved with the victim and is now a prime suspect feels the need to return to clear his name.

As Fin delves deeper into Caitlin’s life and the tangled web of relationships surrounding her, he is forced to confront a past he had hoped to leave behind and the tragedy at the salmon farm on East Loch Roag, which appears to be key in unlocking the truth.

The book is well written as I expected having already read the previous books and lots of atmosphere and excellent characters. Fin Macleod especially is a fascinating character, haunted by his own past and yet determined to protect his son and uncover the real killer. The location of the Isle of Lewis is so well described I almost felt I had been there previously, its rugged beauty and isolation set a really good atmosphere adding to the tension as deeply buried secrets begin to surface.

“The Black Loch” is an enjoyable read, with a good mix of mystery as well as family guilt, and redemption. I would like to thank both Netgalley and Quercus Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The Black Loch is the fourth book in The Lewis Trilogy. It is many years since I read the previous three books and had forgotten many of the specifics. There is enough, without too much, detail of the back story to make it an enjoyable read as a stand alone novel.

The body of eighteen year old TV personality Caitlin, is discovered on a remote beach on the Isle of Lewis. A strong swimmer, canoeist and activist it is difficult to believe she drowned. Fin Macleod, ex police, and his wife Marsaili return to Lewis after hearing their son Fionnlagh was having an affair with Caitlin and has been arrested on suspicion of her murder. Fin desperately tries to find evidence to the contrary. With time against him, Fin begins to understand the answers may lie in the secrets of the past. Fin's childhood and teenage years are cleverly woven into the narrative. It becomes clear the secrets and shocking events of years gone by are relevant to the events of today. Old loyalties are questioned.

Whilst the reader is swept along, as Fin only has a limited time to clear his son's name, the writing also allows time to absorb the evocative descriptions of the wild and often bleak landscape. Environmental issues are covered, leaving me wondering if I will ever eat farmed salmon again. Secondary to the main plot is the devastating story of a pod of whales, based on a real life event.

This is a brilliant, absorbing and difficult to put down read, however I made myself take it more slowly, allowing the tension to build up to the shocking, and yet satisfying, conclusion, making for an even more enjoyable read.

With many thanks to NetGalley and Quercus books for allowing me to read an advanced reader copy is return for my honest and unbiased review.

This is the third brilliant book I have read by Peter May. What a talent. I’ll be reading the first three in this series without a doubt as I loved Fin, now ex police, and I want to get to know him as he was in his earlier life as a police officer.

Fin returns to his roots on the Isle of Lewis when his son is arrested for murder. Using his skills as an ex policeman, he begins to investigate the death of Caitlin whose body was found on the beach. Clearly this is a small island where everyone knows everyone else’s business and he reacquaints himself with some of his childhood friends. Not all of them are particularly friendly now and resent his presence as father of the murderer.

This is a story of secrets, lies, family bonds, friendships, bullying, and of course murder. Everything in the mix to produce an addictive thriller. There is also the addition of environmental issues which Peter has thoroughly researched and which add more depth to this story. He has cleverly woven these into the plotline. There is the heartbreaking beaching of a pod of whales, based on an actual event, and an unsettling delve into the huge business of salmon farming. Having read a few years ago about how bad the conditions are at salmon farms I eat wild salmon now, and so will you after reading this!

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the characters, and the flashbacks to the relevant events in their youth which have have made them the adults they are today. The relationships. The young boys who think they are invincible. The mothers looking back on their lives and wondering what they would have done differently.

A superb fast paced thriller by a hugely talented man.

A truly atmospheric, dark and thrilling read. Shocking and gloomy, May manages to weave the past and present so seamlessly as we explore the tragedies, secrets, and unforgiving lives of those living near the Black Loch.

This is one for your autumn and spooky season reading pile!!

The Black Loch is set ten years after the events of Peter May’s popular Lewis Trilogy. Ex-Detective, Fin Macleod and his wife Marsaili, left Lewis to escape the memories of those events. Settling in Glasgow, Fin retrained to become a civilian IT consultant to the police, but recently it’s a job he’s come to hate. Fin and Marsaili’s son Fionnlagh, now thirty and a science teacher, married with a young daughter, recently returned to Lewis to teach at the Nicolson Institute, the secondary school Fin and Marsaili both attended.

When the body of an eighteen year old student at the school, Caitlin Black, is found washed up on the beach of An Loch Dubh (the Black Lake), Fionnlagh is charged with her murder. If the rumours are true, Fionnlagh and Caitlin were having an affair. Devastated, Fin and Marsaili reluctantly return to Lewis where Fionnlagh admits he was indeed having an affair with Caitlin but did not kill her. However, the police are satisfied they have their killer so Fin must work hard if he is to find the truth.

Caitlin was popular on the island as she and her friend Iseabail were involved in filming a programme for the BBC called Canoe and Ocean, exploring little visited areas of the coastline of the islands by canoe. Both excellent swimmers and ecowarriers, they would find hidden coves and film the local marine and bird life. Naturally most of the islanders are disgusted by Fionnlagh’s affair with his student and are ready to see him convicted of her murder.

Fin’s return is also not popular with the islanders and events and relationships from his childhood also colour his feelings about Lewis. In particular, he recalls the death of his friend Iain Murray, the summer after they finished school, while they helped their friend, Niall Black, steal fish from his father’s salmon farm to sell to a poacher. Inheriting the salmon farm, Niall has modernised it to be one of the biggest in the world and he and his son live on Cyprus to avoid taxes. Awkwardly for Fin, Niall is also Caitlin’s father, although she lived with her mother after her parents divorced and was not close to her father or brother.

May has created a dark and haunting atmosphere in the novel, perfectly evoking the rugged but beautiful island, where life is harsh and unforgiving for many. There is a strong environmental theme, championed by Caitlin and Iseabail who favour protection of the species living on the coast above the greed of large-scale commercial fishing. As the plot builds gradually, multiple layers invoking past history emerge setting the scene. The depth of background detail may seem unnecessary for those who have recently read the Lewis Trilogy, but will be useful for those of us who read it a while ago.

Fin is superbly drawn as a flawed character. Essentially a good man who has made many mistakes in his life, with some unresolved business rooted in his past. As the tension builds inexorably, the past and the present will collide in a stunning and suspenseful climax. While fans of Peter May’s will surely welcome this excellent addition to the series, it will also work well as a stand-alone for those new to his books.

EXCERPT: It was early. The exceptional spell of warm, still weather had brought tourists and midges in almost equal numbers to this island off an island on the north-west coast of the most north-westerly outpost of the European continent. The voices of children rang out in the bright, clear morning, tiny footprints left in wet sand. A shouted warning rose above the rush of the sea, as parents laden with folding chairs and rugs and a hamper hurried down the tiny single-track road towards the shore. But a solitary, sharp scream sent fear back like an arrow, and everything was dropped, sand flying in the wake of swift feet as they sprinted towards the water's edge.
The children were standing either side of a human shape lifting and falling only slightly on the ebb and flow of the sea, hair fanned out like seaweed in the sand. The young woman stared up into a sky reflected in the blue of her wide-open eyes. A pretty face, but bruised on the left side, the blood leached from a gash on her cheek by seawater. Her t-shirt was torn, ripped away at the neck, one breast exposed. She was barefoot, white panties shredded in bloodstained ribbons.
One of the children turned a pale face towards her parents, the death of innocence already apparent in her dark eyes. And in a tiny voice said, 'Will she be alright?'

ABOUT 'THE BLACK LOCH': A MURDER
The body of eighteen-year-old TV personality Caitlin is found abandoned on a remote beach at the head of An Loch Dubh - the Black Loch - on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis. A swimmer and canoeist, it is inconceivable that she could have drowned.

A SECRET
Fin Macleod left the island ten years earlier to escape its memories. When he learns that his married son Fionnlagh had been having a clandestine affair with the dead girl and is suspected of her murder, he and Marsaili return to try and clear his name.

A TRAP
But nothing is as it seems, and the truth of the murder lies in a past that Fin would rather forget, and a tragedy at the cages of a salmon farm on East Loch Roag, where the tense climax of the story finds its resolution.

MY THOUGHTS: This is a sad story in many ways, laced with lies, secrets, death and the perils of infidelity.

These Hebrideans are a passionate lot - there doesn't seem to be one person on this island who hasn't sinned, many multiple times. Historical sins. Current sins. They all bleed together to form a maelstrom of mistrust and resentment. Old friendships appear to be rekindled but, really, do they count for anything when one friend's son is accused of murdering another friend's daughter? Fin finds himself examining everything - his past relationships and his current - as his life is shattered by the accusations against his son, accusations his son refuses to refute.

The Black Loch is a dark and brooding read, unsettling and, at times, violent and shocking, but one that I consumed in less than twenty-four hours, unable to put it down. Atmospheric, thrilling and suspenseful, it ticks all my boxes.

Will we see more of Fin MacLeod? I hope so.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#TheBlackLoch #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Peter May started his writing career as a journalist, winning a national award at the age of 21. Still in his twenties, he switched to writing drama for UK television. He created three major drama serials in the UK and has credits for scriptwriting or producing more than 1,000 episodes of ratings-topping shows. He quit TV in the 1990s to concentrate on his first love, writing books.
Peter May is a Scot living in France.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Quercus Books via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Black Loch by Peter May for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

The Black Loch by Peter May was published 12 September, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley and riverrun for my copy of The Black Loch by Peter May.
It is many years since I read the original three in the series and as I read this one it kept bringing back memories.
The story kept switching between the past and present and I must admit it took a while for my memory to catch up with what had happened before.
Fin had never wanted to return to the Island and it was only his sons arrest for murder that had brought him back. Although he's now retired Fin will always be a policeman and he will find the truth, no matter if it condemns his son.
A great author and a good read.

I read the Lewis trilogy many years ago and absolutely loved it so I was excited to see that Peter May had decided to write another book in the series featuring the same characters. Of course they are much older - Fin has a grown up son who is married with a child.
No longer working for the Police on Lewis, Fin is now a civilian doing IT research for the force in Glasgow, a job that he is not enjoying. Married to Marsaili the couple live a quiet life with little joy as their son, Fionnlagh, has moved back to Lewis with his wife and daughter.
When they hear that Fionnlagh has been accused of the murder of an 18: year old girl, a pupil in the school where he teaches , Fin and Marsaili rush back to the island so that they can see what has happened. Fin starts to investigate and this brings up all sorts of memories from his teenage years as he encounters many characters involved in his son’s predicament.
As ever the descriptions of the island were very evocative and the characters were well developed. As it had been a while since I’d read the earlier books it was good that the author provided the necessary background.
That being said I did not find The Black Loch as compelling as the previous novels. It was very slow moving with many flash backs to Fin and Marsaili’s earlier life which tended to slow down the narrative.
I really liked the sections set in the present and the last third of the book was very good and I raced through it.
It is difficult to revisit a favourite series so many years later and I think this book suffered a bit from that.
However overall it was a reasonably enjoyable read, just not this author’s best. Of couse this is only my opinion and others who have more recently read the trilogy might feel differently.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.

The Black Loch is a return to the Lewis Trilogy which made such a mark when first published. The Blackhouse, The Lewis Man and The Chessmen were remarkably successful and now Peter May has returned to Lewis and brought Fin MacLeod back to face his past and to consider his future.

It’s not necessary to have read the trilogy in order to read this novel, but if you do, the experience will be that much richer.

Fin MacLeod is living a harsh life in Glasgow. He’s doing a civilian job for the Police that is stressful and that he hates and his marriage is stale, yet he hasn’t the urge or the energy to fix it.

Fin Macleod hasn’t been back to Lewis for a decade; it holds bad memories for him. But when his son, Fionnlagh is suspected of the murder of 18-year-old Caitlin Black with whom he had been having an extra marital affair, Fin and Marsaili return to support him.

It’s a sad story and at best it looks tawdry. Attractive and athletic, Caitlin had gained some fame as a co-presenter of a nature documentary series set on Lewis. Fionnlagh is a teacher and Caitlin was one of his pupils. Not only has Fionnlagh betrayed his wife, but he has also left his child to suffer the gossip, scandal and tittle tattle that can make schoolchildren’s lives such a misery.

Caitlin was found on the shores of the Black Loch, murdered and, it is suspected, raped. Fionnlagh is the only suspect but Fin is determined to do what he can to get to the truth, even although he is no longer a policeman. For Fin it is a quest that takes him back to his own youth, and to his history and dark deeds at the Black Loch; a history that rises up to face him as he fights for his son’s freedom.

Peter May’s writing absorbs the reader into the landscape and the weather of Lewis; he makes us understand the importance of the land and the sea to these islanders and from the traditions of guga catching to making a living from the water, his writing is full of the heart of the Gàidhealtachd. He writes with pace and gets to the heart of his characters in a thrilling plotline that that covers some of today’s farming crimes.

Investigating what happened to Caitlin inevitably brings Fin close to the sins of his own past; sins which have had an emotional impact that he has never fully recognised and which he has never shared with anyone, not even Marsaili.

As Peter May leads us through some of the truly despicable things that are now happening in the farming of lochs of the Hebrides and elsewhere in Scotland, the true depravity of some exploiters is exposed. May’s own environmental passions prove a fertile breeding ground to lay bare a horrendous practice which should surely be outlawed.

When Fin finds out about these practices and lays them against what he remembers of his own past, so many secrets, so many buried lies rise to the surface. Again and again, Fin finds himself regretting his past; understanding perhaps for the first time the impact of some of his actions, and looking to find some truths that have eluded him for years. Old friendships are re-examined and uncomfortable home truths are told. The hypocritical position of the Church is exposed by its Minister as the tension rises and Fin is attacked by those who want to see him fail.

Atmospheric, brooding, full of family ghosts, lost desires and retribution, The Black Loch holds the scales that balance guilt and innocence with a very fine line between the two. Family secrets are uncovered; youthful crimes exposed and ultimately, Fionnlagh’s true position revealed. But all of this is in the shadow of the history and importance of the generations of families who have lived and worked on Lewis and the allegiance that they all have to an unforgiving island. An allegiance that the island repays by revealing its strength and beauty to those who come to love it and remain there.

Verdict: A pacy, tense and character driven plot that draws the reader deep into the atmosphere and characters of Lewis. Dark and unsettling, this is a sometimes shocking and emotional story that really resonates.

It’s been over ten years since Fin MacLeod has been on the Isle of Lewis, but he gets a call to say his son Fionnlagh has been arrested for the murder of a eighteen year old girl, so he knows that he has no choice but to return.
On arrival he finds out the girl is a celebrity and also a student taught by his son.
There is more bad news when he finds out that the girl is the daughter of an old friend.
This brings together old friends with pasts they’d rather forget, but the past doesn’t go away and it’s not long before their history and their current lives come together in the most incredible and explosive way.
This fourth instalment from the Isle of Lewis by Peter May shows what a high quality writer he is.
I love his ability to mix the past and the present to bring a story to life, whilst keeping the reader guessing what the end result will be.
I am a great admirer of his work and highly recommend it, and this current book is incredible in its entirety.

This is the 4th book in this trilogy! Yes, to get the very best from it, you could do yourself a favour and start from the beginning and read in order.
So...we start with the body of a 18 year old Caitlin washing up on a remote beach. As a strong swimmer and canoeist it is strange that she could have drowned, especially as a TV conservationist, she knows the area like the back of her hand. It appears though that she was having an affair with Fionnlagh, a teacher, who is considerably older than her and married with a child. He is the son of Fin Macleod, former police, who left the island years since to escape some rather bad memories, but with his son accused of Caitlin's murder, he, along with wife Marsaili, return to support their son and try and clear his name.
Told in the present, with flashbacks to the recent and distant pasts, we follow as Fin battles with his own past to save the future of his son. We learn about some shady things he did with his friends when just a child. Things that shaped the man he became, and which still haunt him. But, if Fionnlagh is innocent, which he still hasn't himself professed, what did happen to Caitlin and who, if anyone, is responsible?
I love this series, I love the characters and the setting and I have always felt like there was more to tell. So I was very excited when I heard about this book. So much so that when I actually managed to get my hands on it, I was a little scared to crack on with it in case I wanted it too much and it disappointed. I had nothing to fear... Even given the circumstance, it was great to reconnect with old friends, although, by the end, realisation dawned that I would soon be having to say goodbye to them once again. Hopefully it might only be farewell...
The plot is tight and very well executed. The setting adds atmosphere and could be considered a character in its own right, the incident with the whales is harrowing, and the salmon add the yuck factor that you didn't know you needed! I was a bit worried about ever eating salmon again, but I had it yesterday and... so far so good!
All in all, a cracking addition to the trilogy! I wonder if there will be a fifth book... I hope so! My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.