glitterbomb47's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars. Very very slow build up but the location and culture were interesting and the mystery satisfying.
yvnn's review against another edition
4.0
I chose this book because I wanted to read mysteries set in Scotland. Well...it doesn't get any more Scottish than this. For me (a non native English speaker) it was not the easiest read to get into. It's probably because the Gaelic, the names and locations are pretty far from what I know. But once I got the hang of it, I got really committed.
First of all: Love the fact that there is something in Fin Macleods past that we don't know. That was what drew me in for Tana French's 'In the Woods' too.
When Fin Macleod is sent back to the small island where he grew up, there is a whole lot of tension. Not only because of the murder he is investigating. There are a lot of unresolved issues from the past you gradually learn as a reader.
For a moment it felt like the story drifted away from the murder, and I wondered if the murder was at all at the center of the book. But that didn't matter because at that time I was more invested in Fin's past. The grim setting of a small island with people that mostly had hard lives makes it al the more interesting. I'm excited there are two more books in the same setting.
Only negative in this story was the ending, a bit cheesy for my liking.
First of all: Love the fact that there is something in Fin Macleods past that we don't know. That was what drew me in for Tana French's 'In the Woods' too.
When Fin Macleod is sent back to the small island where he grew up, there is a whole lot of tension. Not only because of the murder he is investigating. There are a lot of unresolved issues from the past you gradually learn as a reader.
For a moment it felt like the story drifted away from the murder, and I wondered if the murder was at all at the center of the book. But that didn't matter because at that time I was more invested in Fin's past. The grim setting of a small island with people that mostly had hard lives makes it al the more interesting. I'm excited there are two more books in the same setting.
Only negative in this story was the ending, a bit cheesy for my liking.
hollyrebeccasmith's review against another edition
4.0
A murder mystery on a remote island filled with forgotten loves and traumas
panohchoc's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bunnieslikediamonds's review against another edition
3.0
I suppose it's silly to expect a crime novel to be cheerful and upbeat, but nevertheless I'm always a bit surprised when starting on a murder mystery hoping to be entertained, only to lose my will to live. Well, almost. The crime writers of Great Britain lay it on thick with the social realism. This book, by Peter May, made me never to want to go anywhere near Scotland and the bleak Isle of Lewis.
Edinburgh cop Fin Macleod is sent to Lewis to investigate a murder that may be connected to a killing in Edinburgh. Born and raised in Lewis, Fin is confronted with his dark and disturbed past, and suffice to say, the quality of life on the island hasn't improved. His old friends and enemies are miserable, overweight, drunk or depressed. The murder mystery is a minor part of the story, which is really about Fins troubled past and present, told in flashbacks.
It was fairly well-plotted, although I found it hard to believe that Fin had lost a child only a month prior to the investigation. He seemed depressed rather than griefstricken. The character felt real enough for me to take an interest in him, but I'm still not sure about whether he was a huge jerk (the way he treated the ladies) or just coping with childhood trauma. Apparently this is the first part of a trilogy, so I suppose I could find out.
I really have to find a book now that doesn't involve suicides and kids getting hurt.
Edinburgh cop Fin Macleod is sent to Lewis to investigate a murder that may be connected to a killing in Edinburgh. Born and raised in Lewis, Fin is confronted with his dark and disturbed past, and suffice to say, the quality of life on the island hasn't improved. His old friends and enemies are miserable, overweight, drunk or depressed. The murder mystery is a minor part of the story, which is really about Fins troubled past and present, told in flashbacks.
It was fairly well-plotted, although I found it hard to believe that Fin had lost a child only a month prior to the investigation. He seemed depressed rather than griefstricken. The character felt real enough for me to take an interest in him, but I'm still not sure about whether he was a huge jerk (the way he treated the ladies) or just coping with childhood trauma. Apparently this is the first part of a trilogy, so I suppose I could find out.
I really have to find a book now that doesn't involve suicides and kids getting hurt.
cdnbklvr's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
kransom's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-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
3.75
writer595's review
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
denaiir's review against another edition
3.0
I was quite disappointed in this one, probably had too high expectations but the backstory was dragging a lot, and as opposed to many reviewers I didn't find the descriptions very vivid nor atmospheric. Maybe book 2 will be more my cup of tea since we've now been introduced to the characters, so it might be less focused on the main character's teenage years