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Fiona MacLeish #2
The Island
Her hands bang desperately on the window of Fiona’s car door as the wind flaps her pink hair sideways. Through the glass the distraught mother shrieks, ‘Please, you have to find her! You have to find my little girl.’
When eight-year-old Cait Yorke goes missing on a remote island off the coast of the wild Scottish Highlands, PC Fiona MacLeish is quickly sent to investigate. But a gale is gathering force, and Fiona becomes increasingly concerned for a little girl braving the strong winds alone. As Fiona questions the locals, she soon realises that they are hiding many secrets. What is this island, and who really lives here?
Then a boat violently crashes off the coast of the island. On board, Fiona discovers the body of a man who has clearly been murdered. But the killer is nowhere to be found. The only place they can be is on the island with no way out.
Realising a killer is trapped on their island, tensions amongst the locals and Fiona begin to rise. As the gale rages on and the body count continues to rise, will Fiona find the young girl and the killer before they strike again?
The Island is the second book in the Fiona McLeish series, set against the remote Scottish Highlands. Fans of JM Dalgliesh, JD Kirk and Simon McCleave will love this character-driven police procedural with a dark twisty plot.
Readers love G.N.
‘ I'm still shaking from this heart pounding thriller… Chilling! Riveting! Dark! Action-packed! Twisted! Everything a thriller should be! ’ The Secret Book Sleuth ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘ Fasten your seat belts and hold on tight … grabs you and pulls you full throttle into his pulse-pounding, gripping and exciting thriller .’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘ I had to lie down in a dark room after that! Action, twists, turns and a bloody good story! What more can you ask for?’ Chapter in my Life ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘ From the first page I was totally hooked , it's fast-paced, full of suspense and intrigue, it was like being on a rollercoaster that wouldn't stop. Brilliant story … An absolute gem of a book!!!! ’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘ What a treasure this book is! I loved every minute of it and I was swept up by the fast paced story.’ B for Bookreview ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘This is an edge of your seat thriller !’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘ Hooked from the beginning … great action … great flow … great characters . You are completely invested in the outcome.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
When eight-year-old Cait Yorke goes missing on a remote island off the coast of the wild Scottish Highlands, PC Fiona MacLeish is quickly sent to investigate. But a gale is gathering force, and Fiona becomes increasingly concerned for a little girl braving the strong winds alone. As Fiona questions the locals, she soon realises that they are hiding many secrets. What is this island, and who really lives here?
Then a boat violently crashes off the coast of the island. On board, Fiona discovers the body of a man who has clearly been murdered. But the killer is nowhere to be found. The only place they can be is on the island with no way out.
Realising a killer is trapped on their island, tensions amongst the locals and Fiona begin to rise. As the gale rages on and the body count continues to rise, will Fiona find the young girl and the killer before they strike again?
The Island is the second book in the Fiona McLeish series, set against the remote Scottish Highlands. Fans of JM Dalgliesh, JD Kirk and Simon McCleave will love this character-driven police procedural with a dark twisty plot.
Readers love G.N.
‘ I'm still shaking from this heart pounding thriller… Chilling! Riveting! Dark! Action-packed! Twisted! Everything a thriller should be! ’ The Secret Book Sleuth ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘ Fasten your seat belts and hold on tight … grabs you and pulls you full throttle into his pulse-pounding, gripping and exciting thriller .’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘ I had to lie down in a dark room after that! Action, twists, turns and a bloody good story! What more can you ask for?’ Chapter in my Life ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘ From the first page I was totally hooked , it's fast-paced, full of suspense and intrigue, it was like being on a rollercoaster that wouldn't stop. Brilliant story … An absolute gem of a book!!!! ’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘ What a treasure this book is! I loved every minute of it and I was swept up by the fast paced story.’ B for Bookreview ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘This is an edge of your seat thriller !’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘ Hooked from the beginning … great action … great flow … great characters . You are completely invested in the outcome.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
342 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
September 22, 2023
After reading The Flood, the brilliant first book in this series, I could not wait to get my hands on this one. And wow, although the first book was absolutely amazing and hard to follow up, this one does! It is just wow! Page turning, superbly addictive, wonderful, excellent! All the superlatives! I cannot wait for the next.
October 29, 2023
Fiona MacLeish is at it again. She’s physically cut off from the outside world by Mother Nature, with a young girl to find. As it’s dark and blowing a gale, this is not easy but things are a little harder on the island of Luing when a murderer is thrown into the mix.
Fiona is a hero, full of tenacity. She’s determined for find missing Cait but when she spots a pleasure cruiser full of passengers running into trouble, her concern is divided. I really felt for Fiona and her split loyalties especially when she went aboard the fated ship!! Oh my what a sight appeared in my head as Fiona made her horrifying discovery.
I thought The Flood was claustrophobic but The Island took that feeling to another level. Using the cover of night as well as the high winds made everything that little bit closer and tense. Driving the country roads in a car more suited to less rural surroundings with the elements against you trying a child and a murderer in the dark is not a task that’s east and I was far from envious of Fiona.
Despite being the second in a series, The Island can read as a standalone. Any nod to The Flood was brief and complete; however I do recommend reading it if you gave the chance. Smith has orchestrated a tight police procedural which was a mammoth task for his lead at the best of times and twisted it under the cover of night in horrific weather in to a dark heart pounding crime thriller.
Fiona is a hero, full of tenacity. She’s determined for find missing Cait but when she spots a pleasure cruiser full of passengers running into trouble, her concern is divided. I really felt for Fiona and her split loyalties especially when she went aboard the fated ship!! Oh my what a sight appeared in my head as Fiona made her horrifying discovery.
I thought The Flood was claustrophobic but The Island took that feeling to another level. Using the cover of night as well as the high winds made everything that little bit closer and tense. Driving the country roads in a car more suited to less rural surroundings with the elements against you trying a child and a murderer in the dark is not a task that’s east and I was far from envious of Fiona.
Despite being the second in a series, The Island can read as a standalone. Any nod to The Flood was brief and complete; however I do recommend reading it if you gave the chance. Smith has orchestrated a tight police procedural which was a mammoth task for his lead at the best of times and twisted it under the cover of night in horrific weather in to a dark heart pounding crime thriller.
July 16, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read "The Island" in exchange for my honest review.
This is the second book in the Fiona MacLeish series and it was a fantastic read. It was full of drama, tension and suspense. It is wonderfully written and you feel as if you are standing right by PC MacLeish and watching what she is doing. In the previous book she was cut off by a flood and in this book she is once again battling the elements only this time it is the worse gale-force winds ever seen in Scotland. She is called to a remote island off the coast of Scotland called Luing, where am 8-year-old girl named Cait Yorke has been reported missing. Due to the gale the ferry has stopped running, Fiona has no backup or help coming. She figures that if Cait was kidnapped instead of simply getting lost on the island, whoever took her, has no way off the island.
While searching for Cait, Fiona comes across the pleasure cruiser which has run aground in the bad weather. There has been no distress signal from the boat but there are no lifeboats available to assist. There is a heart-stopping rescue of the passengers from the boat and as Fiona helps the last passenger off the boat, she tells her there is a body in the wheelhouse and they have been murdered. The elderly lady claims that the dead man is the captain of the boat. Having no way to secure the crime scene as the boat is sinking fast, but knowing that the murderer has to be one of the passengers, Fiona makes sure to keep them all together - guarded by some of the islanders, while she continues her search for Cait.
Complicating life for Fiona is Cait's mother who is hysterical and continues to yell at Fiona that she should not have stopped looking for her daughter to help the people on the boat.
As in the previous book Fiona makes a lot of mistakes. She forms wild theories not based on hard evidence. She often jumps to the wrong conclusions. She always picks her suspect and focuses only on them, at times letting the real culprit slip by. She always thinks the worst of everyone she meets.
She is desperate to become a detective so that she can solve the murder of her parents but holding her back is the fact that she jumps to conclusions, makes assumptions, and therefore misses important facts. She makes major mistakes like rushing off to arrest suspects with no handcuffs.
In Fiona's defense she is put into situations that feel like a locked room mystery. She's stuck on an island with a killer and no help is coming so she is left to figure out her own way of trapping the killer(s). This has to be my favourite new series and I am eagerly awaiting what will happen to Fiona next! Worth so many more stars than the 5 available!!!
This is the second book in the Fiona MacLeish series and it was a fantastic read. It was full of drama, tension and suspense. It is wonderfully written and you feel as if you are standing right by PC MacLeish and watching what she is doing. In the previous book she was cut off by a flood and in this book she is once again battling the elements only this time it is the worse gale-force winds ever seen in Scotland. She is called to a remote island off the coast of Scotland called Luing, where am 8-year-old girl named Cait Yorke has been reported missing. Due to the gale the ferry has stopped running, Fiona has no backup or help coming. She figures that if Cait was kidnapped instead of simply getting lost on the island, whoever took her, has no way off the island.
While searching for Cait, Fiona comes across the pleasure cruiser which has run aground in the bad weather. There has been no distress signal from the boat but there are no lifeboats available to assist. There is a heart-stopping rescue of the passengers from the boat and as Fiona helps the last passenger off the boat, she tells her there is a body in the wheelhouse and they have been murdered. The elderly lady claims that the dead man is the captain of the boat. Having no way to secure the crime scene as the boat is sinking fast, but knowing that the murderer has to be one of the passengers, Fiona makes sure to keep them all together - guarded by some of the islanders, while she continues her search for Cait.
Complicating life for Fiona is Cait's mother who is hysterical and continues to yell at Fiona that she should not have stopped looking for her daughter to help the people on the boat.
As in the previous book Fiona makes a lot of mistakes. She forms wild theories not based on hard evidence. She often jumps to the wrong conclusions. She always picks her suspect and focuses only on them, at times letting the real culprit slip by. She always thinks the worst of everyone she meets.
She is desperate to become a detective so that she can solve the murder of her parents but holding her back is the fact that she jumps to conclusions, makes assumptions, and therefore misses important facts. She makes major mistakes like rushing off to arrest suspects with no handcuffs.
In Fiona's defense she is put into situations that feel like a locked room mystery. She's stuck on an island with a killer and no help is coming so she is left to figure out her own way of trapping the killer(s). This has to be my favourite new series and I am eagerly awaiting what will happen to Fiona next! Worth so many more stars than the 5 available!!!
September 12, 2023
The Island is book two in the Fiona MacLeish series by G. N. Smith. On an isolated Scottish Island in the middle of a storm, PC Fiona MacLeish had to find a missing child without the support of the mainland. In the middle of the search for the missing child, PC Fiona MacLeish had to save passengers on a sinking ship only to discover she had another case on her hands: the murder of the captain. Due to the storm, there was no way off the Island, so it became a race to find the murderer and the missing child. The readers of The Island will continue to follow PC Fiona MacLeish to discover what happens.
Because I have yet to read any other books by G. N. Smith, I had no preconceived idea about what this book is about. However, I enjoy reading books in this genre, and The Island did not disappoint. I engage with the characters and the story from the first page. I love G. N. Smith's portrayal of his characters and their interaction with each other throughout this book. The Island is well-written and researched by G. N. Smith. I like G. N. Smith's description of The Island's settings, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The readers of The Island will know about living on an isolated island off the Scottish coast. Also, The Island's readers will understand the importance of looking after a community's mental health.
Thank you to the NetGalley and publisher for my AR copy in exchange for an honest review. I recommend this book.
Because I have yet to read any other books by G. N. Smith, I had no preconceived idea about what this book is about. However, I enjoy reading books in this genre, and The Island did not disappoint. I engage with the characters and the story from the first page. I love G. N. Smith's portrayal of his characters and their interaction with each other throughout this book. The Island is well-written and researched by G. N. Smith. I like G. N. Smith's description of The Island's settings, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The readers of The Island will know about living on an isolated island off the Scottish coast. Also, The Island's readers will understand the importance of looking after a community's mental health.
Thank you to the NetGalley and publisher for my AR copy in exchange for an honest review. I recommend this book.
October 26, 2023
The Island by G.N. Smith is the second book in the new PC Fiona MacLeish Crime Thriller series and this was another brilliant book from start to finish. Once I opened my kindle I became hooked from the very first few pages and it was just as tense as the last book with great twists and turns throughout with a great storyline.
But with this book I have given it 5 stars especially as you learn more about PC Fiona MacLeish and she is an excellent character.
I am looking forward reading more books within this series.
Big thank you to netgalley, and Bookouture and the author G.N.Smith for an early copy of her book.
But with this book I have given it 5 stars especially as you learn more about PC Fiona MacLeish and she is an excellent character.
I am looking forward reading more books within this series.
Big thank you to netgalley, and Bookouture and the author G.N.Smith for an early copy of her book.
August 4, 2023
This is the second in the Fiona MacLeish crime series. Fiona is sent to the small Scottish west coast Island of Luing to help find a missing girl. Unfortunately for Fiona a storm is coming and so she is faced with leading the search by herself as the island is cut off. Given the conditions this is a difficult task but as Fiona starts to search the island, she spots a pleasure boat heading for the rocks. Fiona is faced with a dilemma, should she abandon the search and assist in rescuing the passengers or continue with the search. She decides bravely to rescue the boat passengers, thankfully with the help of some of the locals. But when she is forced to clamber aboard the boat to assist one of the passengers she discovers a brutally murdered man. As the wind reaches gale force, Fiona is faced with not only trying to locate Cait but also to track down a murderer. Who can she trust?
This is a fast paced thriller as our protagonist deals with one situation to only be faced with another during the course of one stormy evening. Fiona is not a detective but has to use her skills to identify who the killer is with some support from headquarters back on the mainland. I liked the fact that the changing situation was revealed to us through her eyes as she leads the reader through the story by her actions. However, my one criticism of this book is that there is very little information provided about Fiona, other than her friendship with Heather and that her parents were murdered when she was younger. In one way it's refreshing not to have a cliched backstory but I would like to have got deeper into Fiona's character to understand her better. That being said, this is the second book in the series so that may have been made clearer in the first book which I haven't read. If you like a dark thriller this book will be perfect for you.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a pre-publication copy of the book.
This is a fast paced thriller as our protagonist deals with one situation to only be faced with another during the course of one stormy evening. Fiona is not a detective but has to use her skills to identify who the killer is with some support from headquarters back on the mainland. I liked the fact that the changing situation was revealed to us through her eyes as she leads the reader through the story by her actions. However, my one criticism of this book is that there is very little information provided about Fiona, other than her friendship with Heather and that her parents were murdered when she was younger. In one way it's refreshing not to have a cliched backstory but I would like to have got deeper into Fiona's character to understand her better. That being said, this is the second book in the series so that may have been made clearer in the first book which I haven't read. If you like a dark thriller this book will be perfect for you.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a pre-publication copy of the book.
September 9, 2023
🌊🚢Thrill every second: exhausting😕
This was one thriller that really earned that sobriquet. Not a chapter went by without nail-biting action and all orchestrated by a lone female police constable who lands on a small Scottish island and wham, chaos breaks loose! Tremendous tension for her and the reader when her physical endurance and policing skills are tested to the limit, all with a hurricane-force gale blowing in. Exciting stuff.
For me, maybe too much. I found it odd that the islanders, who must have faced strong storms and ships going aground in the past, all waited for this solitary policewoman from the mainland, when they did not even know if she had any experience with such a disaster, to come up with a rescue plan, direct them and take the most physical risk. My mind boggled because I just can't imagine self-reliant islanders acting that way.
And I found the dangerous scene at the caravan park a bit too much danger thrown in and, once again, everyone stands around and lets this single policewoman risk her life. Well, almost everyone😕.
So, for me The Island had lots of pluses but it kept the adrenaline pumping so hard it was draining and some of the story was logistics description heavy😥. A map of the island and key sites mentioned would have been helpful and circumvented some of the descriptive stuff. This was my first time reading a book in the Fiona MacLeish series, which I chose largely for the Scottish setting. Would I read more in this series? Probably, because I can't deny it was a pageturner and I love a murder mystery with a resourceful female cop.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
This was one thriller that really earned that sobriquet. Not a chapter went by without nail-biting action and all orchestrated by a lone female police constable who lands on a small Scottish island and wham, chaos breaks loose! Tremendous tension for her and the reader when her physical endurance and policing skills are tested to the limit, all with a hurricane-force gale blowing in. Exciting stuff.
For me, maybe too much. I found it odd that the islanders, who must have faced strong storms and ships going aground in the past, all waited for this solitary policewoman from the mainland, when they did not even know if she had any experience with such a disaster, to come up with a rescue plan, direct them and take the most physical risk. My mind boggled because I just can't imagine self-reliant islanders acting that way.
And I found the dangerous scene at the caravan park a bit too much danger thrown in and, once again, everyone stands around and lets this single policewoman risk her life. Well, almost everyone😕.
So, for me The Island had lots of pluses but it kept the adrenaline pumping so hard it was draining and some of the story was logistics description heavy😥. A map of the island and key sites mentioned would have been helpful and circumvented some of the descriptive stuff. This was my first time reading a book in the Fiona MacLeish series, which I chose largely for the Scottish setting. Would I read more in this series? Probably, because I can't deny it was a pageturner and I love a murder mystery with a resourceful female cop.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
September 22, 2023
And So It Becomes Clear This Is An Open World "Locked Room" Series. This book largely follows the format of the first one in the series, and happens just a few days later in the world timeline. In other words, while still dealing with the repercussions - good and bad - from the first book, our detective is now thrust into *another* mystery where she is in an essentially "locked room" open world environment - she has quite a bit of area to work in (as do our perpetrators), but it is an area isolated off from the "main" world. This comes to bear in good and bad ways, though at least in this entry another variant on the theme is introduced... and again, the moves and countermoves this particular variant introduce open up their own possibilities. The main problems from the first book - the repetitive repetition of the detective's motives - are largely still in play here, though this time at least a few of the repetitions give us a bit more of the backstory for the motivations, and thus a reprieve from the near copy/paste verbatim repetitions that seemed so prevalent in Book 1. But... the things that made the first book so good, specifically how the scenery itself very nearly becomes its own actual character as it is described so vividly and is so intrinsic to the story here, are *also* still in play here. Indeed, with the clear theme now established for this series, perhaps that is one of the more intriguing aspects going forward.... how can Smith manage to keep putting this same person in these same situations and keep them different enough? Based on this book, I for one am looking forward to seeing how he pulls it off again. Very much recommended.
September 19, 2023
Fiona is still a PC but she is trying to live down the notoriety she received after solving her first murder. She's the nearest available officer to the remote island of Luing when a young child goes missing. She makes it onto the last ferry to the island, just as one of the worst storms in recent memory is about to hit the coast.
Whilst undertaking a search for the youngster, she comes across a stranded boat and is side-tracked into carrying out a marine rescue with the help of some islanders. And that's how Fiona comes across her second murder! Fiona really seems to be jinxed when it comes to water!
Between marine rescues, a missing child, overwrought parents and another murder, Fiona is up against it again. She only has herself, her limited contact with her bestie and their Inspector on the mainland and a few hardy islanders to assist her. She's hard pressed to herd this lot to safety - it's like herding cats! She's also got competing priorities and an Inspector who thinks she's a numpty!
I love that Fiona makes mistakes, just like everyone does in real life. She sometimes makes the wrong choice, leaps to the wrong assumption and trusts people to do the right thing. Again, the remoteness of the island and the storm keeps everyone contained on the island so thankfully she's not haring around all of Argyll looking for her suspect!
I'm invested in Fiona now and want to see how much she can develop and flourish. Will she get over her fear of exams (if so I need pointers myself!)
Whilst undertaking a search for the youngster, she comes across a stranded boat and is side-tracked into carrying out a marine rescue with the help of some islanders. And that's how Fiona comes across her second murder! Fiona really seems to be jinxed when it comes to water!
Between marine rescues, a missing child, overwrought parents and another murder, Fiona is up against it again. She only has herself, her limited contact with her bestie and their Inspector on the mainland and a few hardy islanders to assist her. She's hard pressed to herd this lot to safety - it's like herding cats! She's also got competing priorities and an Inspector who thinks she's a numpty!
I love that Fiona makes mistakes, just like everyone does in real life. She sometimes makes the wrong choice, leaps to the wrong assumption and trusts people to do the right thing. Again, the remoteness of the island and the storm keeps everyone contained on the island so thankfully she's not haring around all of Argyll looking for her suspect!
I'm invested in Fiona now and want to see how much she can develop and flourish. Will she get over her fear of exams (if so I need pointers myself!)
August 12, 2023
Fiona is back and her workload has doubled. She to solve not one, but two cases this time as she is the only police officer on the island due to stormy weather conditions. How can you choose between looking for a missing child and finding a killer? That's a very tricky question...
But Fiona would not be Fiona if she would not come up with solutions to solve both. I think she does herself short. She talks about the mistakes she's made, but in my opinion she did not make any. She had to make a lot of decisions and it's hard to know what to give priority to. She always does the best she can and that's what I admire her for.
Once again she throws herself into her work and even when she hurts herself, she still keeps on going. Her goal is to keep the plates spinning even if she has to jump through hoops to achieve this.
I often have a favorite character in a book. This time I want to nominate a least favorite person. The prize goes to DI Baird with the maximum of the points. The way she treats Fiona is disgraceful. It's always easy to criticize someone when you are not there to assess the situation...
Still a bit too slow paced for me, but very enjoyable. 4 stars
Thank you
But Fiona would not be Fiona if she would not come up with solutions to solve both. I think she does herself short. She talks about the mistakes she's made, but in my opinion she did not make any. She had to make a lot of decisions and it's hard to know what to give priority to. She always does the best she can and that's what I admire her for.
Once again she throws herself into her work and even when she hurts herself, she still keeps on going. Her goal is to keep the plates spinning even if she has to jump through hoops to achieve this.
I often have a favorite character in a book. This time I want to nominate a least favorite person. The prize goes to DI Baird with the maximum of the points. The way she treats Fiona is disgraceful. It's always easy to criticize someone when you are not there to assess the situation...
Still a bit too slow paced for me, but very enjoyable. 4 stars
Thank you
September 7, 2023
Although The Island follows a similar premise to the first book - Fiona investigating alone, a weather issue causing her to be caught off from everyone else - I don't mind that when it comes to thrillers as it's one of my favourite thriller settings and there's a lot that can be done with it.
While I think the mystery builds up at a good pace and the concept of Fiona being trapped on the island with a killer heightens the tension, I was hoping for a little more description of the island itself and for the Scottish location to be heightened more.
But I again enjoyed being in Fiona's company. I feel like we got to know her a little better here, and I like how hard she works to investigate these cases on her own, when she isn't even a detective.
However, I think having two cases alongside each other meant that I couldn't focus on one for long enough, which did limit my engagement as I had to keep flitting between the two. I also think there were one too many stereotypes used with basic descriptions of people being fat, bald, or having a big nose, which I think were unnecessary.
Nevertheless, this is a series I'm enjoying, and a great cosy mystery for fans of this genre.
While I think the mystery builds up at a good pace and the concept of Fiona being trapped on the island with a killer heightens the tension, I was hoping for a little more description of the island itself and for the Scottish location to be heightened more.
But I again enjoyed being in Fiona's company. I feel like we got to know her a little better here, and I like how hard she works to investigate these cases on her own, when she isn't even a detective.
However, I think having two cases alongside each other meant that I couldn't focus on one for long enough, which did limit my engagement as I had to keep flitting between the two. I also think there were one too many stereotypes used with basic descriptions of people being fat, bald, or having a big nose, which I think were unnecessary.
Nevertheless, this is a series I'm enjoying, and a great cosy mystery for fans of this genre.
September 19, 2023
This is the second book in this series and can be read without having read the first one.
We are following Fiona as she is solving not one, but two different incidents on this small remote island, during a storm. The only help she has is the locals, and talking to her colleagues over the phone.
I thought this book had a great plot, and plenty of twists and turns to keep me sucked into the story. I liked seeing Fiona being able to utilize the other police officers and being able to work with the island locals to figure out what was happening. It showed off a lot more of her policing skills than we got to see in the first book.
While I did enjoy this one quite a bit I think I would have liked it even more if Fiona had solved one problem before getting in the middle of another one. If we could have gotten resolution from the missing child case, before finding and having to investigate the murder, because with her doing both at the same time it felt like Fiona was all over the place, that was probably intentional, but it made it hard for me to concentrate wholly on what was happening.. I think this series is getting better as it goes on, and I'm excited to see whats in store for Fiona next.
We are following Fiona as she is solving not one, but two different incidents on this small remote island, during a storm. The only help she has is the locals, and talking to her colleagues over the phone.
I thought this book had a great plot, and plenty of twists and turns to keep me sucked into the story. I liked seeing Fiona being able to utilize the other police officers and being able to work with the island locals to figure out what was happening. It showed off a lot more of her policing skills than we got to see in the first book.
While I did enjoy this one quite a bit I think I would have liked it even more if Fiona had solved one problem before getting in the middle of another one. If we could have gotten resolution from the missing child case, before finding and having to investigate the murder, because with her doing both at the same time it felt like Fiona was all over the place, that was probably intentional, but it made it hard for me to concentrate wholly on what was happening.. I think this series is getting better as it goes on, and I'm excited to see whats in store for Fiona next.
October 5, 2023
PC Fiona MacLeish is asked to go & help search for eight year old Cait who has wandered away from those she was playing with. The family are holidaying on Luing, one of the slate islands off the West coast of Scotland. As Fiona arrives on the island a storm is brewing & it looks like she is on the last ferry. Back-up is not going to happen. Whilst searching for Cait she sees a pleasure boat in trouble at sea & takes the difficult decision to try & help the people on board. With help from some locals they manage to get most of the people ashore but when the last passenger is injured Fiona goes out to help her & discovers the body of the captain- he has been stabbed viciously. So now in addition to the lost child there is a murderer or murderers on the loose! Although working alone she at least has a phone connection to her detective friend Heather but she feels torn in many directions.
Once again this is a fast paced story where the setting is as much a part of the story as the characters. I know the Isle of Luing so it was great to be able to visualise where the action was taking place. I really love this series of books & look forward to the next. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.
Once again this is a fast paced story where the setting is as much a part of the story as the characters. I know the Isle of Luing so it was great to be able to visualise where the action was taking place. I really love this series of books & look forward to the next. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.
August 28, 2023
The Island is the second installment in the Fiona MacLeish crime series. Fiona is a police officer who wants to be a police detective. Due to a childhood tragedy, she finds it difficult to take exams which means being able to become a detective may be something she can never achieve.
As with the first book, Fiona is sent with no help to search for a missing child on a small Scottish island. When she arrives, she finds she will not only be trying to find the missing child but a boat with passengers is about to crash into rocks. As she attempts to rescue the passengers, she discovers a dead body. Now she has another mystery to figure out with gale force winds hitting the island and no help arriving until the next day.
Can Fiona find the missing child in time?
Can she solve what is going on?
Lots of dialogue going on as with the first book in the series. With reading the first book, I am getting use to the authors style of writing. Which is a very different style of writing for me.
I encourage you to read the first book.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
As with the first book, Fiona is sent with no help to search for a missing child on a small Scottish island. When she arrives, she finds she will not only be trying to find the missing child but a boat with passengers is about to crash into rocks. As she attempts to rescue the passengers, she discovers a dead body. Now she has another mystery to figure out with gale force winds hitting the island and no help arriving until the next day.
Can Fiona find the missing child in time?
Can she solve what is going on?
Lots of dialogue going on as with the first book in the series. With reading the first book, I am getting use to the authors style of writing. Which is a very different style of writing for me.
I encourage you to read the first book.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
September 21, 2023
4.25⭐
PC Fiona MacLeish is back and once again finds herself in an isolated setting when she is sent to the Isle of Luing to start the search for missing eight-year-old Cait Yorke. Just as a storm blows in cutting of access back to Oban and the mainland itself.
Yet, Fiona's determined to find this little girl. After all it's only a small island and Cait can't have gone far.
However, as Fiona sets of searching, she notices a pleasure boat heading for the rocks near Cullipool and calls to the RNLI bring no help.
So Fiona has a choice to make continue searching for Cait or take a break and try and save those aboard. But Fiona's bravery comes at a cost. When she comes face to face with a brutally murdered man.
So now Fiona has a murder to solve and a little girl to find. With no help from her colleagues. All whilst a storm rages around her.
And with another foreboding setting. Not to mention plenty of twists and turns. The Island was an intriguing, enjoyable and well paced story. That I would happily recommend to others.
My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read an early copy of The Island. 😊
PC Fiona MacLeish is back and once again finds herself in an isolated setting when she is sent to the Isle of Luing to start the search for missing eight-year-old Cait Yorke. Just as a storm blows in cutting of access back to Oban and the mainland itself.
Yet, Fiona's determined to find this little girl. After all it's only a small island and Cait can't have gone far.
However, as Fiona sets of searching, she notices a pleasure boat heading for the rocks near Cullipool and calls to the RNLI bring no help.
So Fiona has a choice to make continue searching for Cait or take a break and try and save those aboard. But Fiona's bravery comes at a cost. When she comes face to face with a brutally murdered man.
So now Fiona has a murder to solve and a little girl to find. With no help from her colleagues. All whilst a storm rages around her.
And with another foreboding setting. Not to mention plenty of twists and turns. The Island was an intriguing, enjoyable and well paced story. That I would happily recommend to others.
My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read an early copy of The Island. 😊
October 29, 2023
The Island (A Fiona MacLeish Crime Thriller Book 2)
Having recently read and enjoyed the first book in this series, - The Flood, I couldn't wait to start this one.
Fiona MaclLeish, now here is a woman that been through the wringer. My goodness at times i wanted to just look after her and give her a break. What a great character the author has created. Mother nature doesn't seem to like Fiona.
From the book description
When eight-year-old Cait Yorke goes missing on a remote island off the coast of the wild Scottish Highlands, PC Fiona MacLeish is quickly sent to investigate. But a gale is gathering force, and Fiona becomes increasingly concerned for a little girl braving the strong winds alone. As Fiona questions the locals, she soon realises that they are hiding many secrets. What is this island, and who really lives here?
This is where things start to go wrong on the island, this is where Fiona is going to need her A game. Thrown into the deep end she's alone and in charge. A missing child and a murder, has Fiona got what it takes to bring a child home and a killer to justice.
What a roller coaster this was. Tense yet exciting, I can't wait to start book 3.
Having recently read and enjoyed the first book in this series, - The Flood, I couldn't wait to start this one.
Fiona MaclLeish, now here is a woman that been through the wringer. My goodness at times i wanted to just look after her and give her a break. What a great character the author has created. Mother nature doesn't seem to like Fiona.
From the book description
When eight-year-old Cait Yorke goes missing on a remote island off the coast of the wild Scottish Highlands, PC Fiona MacLeish is quickly sent to investigate. But a gale is gathering force, and Fiona becomes increasingly concerned for a little girl braving the strong winds alone. As Fiona questions the locals, she soon realises that they are hiding many secrets. What is this island, and who really lives here?
This is where things start to go wrong on the island, this is where Fiona is going to need her A game. Thrown into the deep end she's alone and in charge. A missing child and a murder, has Fiona got what it takes to bring a child home and a killer to justice.
What a roller coaster this was. Tense yet exciting, I can't wait to start book 3.
August 14, 2023
This is my first book by this author. It took a little while for me to get into it but once I did, I couldn’t put it down. I haven’t read the initial book in the series and look forward to going back and reading it in the future. I recommend the read.
PC Fiona MacLeish is sent to a remote island off the coast of the Scottish Highlands. There is a missing child, Cait, who is only eight years old. Fiona should have a backup but is on her own due to staffing issues. The winds are brutal & leave the island essentially shut down, which will make finding Cait even more difficult. Can Fiona find her before something terrible happens to her?
During her search, Fiona notices a boat that is about to crash into the coastline. With the help of locals, she will attempt to rescue the passengers. That’s when she discovers a murder has been committed. Can Fiona find the killer before they leave the island?
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
PC Fiona MacLeish is sent to a remote island off the coast of the Scottish Highlands. There is a missing child, Cait, who is only eight years old. Fiona should have a backup but is on her own due to staffing issues. The winds are brutal & leave the island essentially shut down, which will make finding Cait even more difficult. Can Fiona find her before something terrible happens to her?
During her search, Fiona notices a boat that is about to crash into the coastline. With the help of locals, she will attempt to rescue the passengers. That’s when she discovers a murder has been committed. Can Fiona find the killer before they leave the island?
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 20, 2023
The second novel of the Fiona MacLeish crime thriller series, The Island by G.N. Smith (2023) is an enthralling police procedural. Fiona is the only police officer to make it onto Luing, a small island off the coast of Scotland, before a major storm front cuts off mainland access. She is there to initiate a search for a missing eight-year-old girl only to facilitate a rescue of a sinking passenger boat. Whilst risking her own life to save the passengers, Fiona discovers a dead body onboard. Battling gale-force winds, Fiona has to ensure the islanders' safety whilst juggling the competing investigations. An action-packed thriller with a solo police officer struggling to find a missing girl, and hunt for a murderer, as she discovers another dead body. A truly enjoyable action-adventure police procedural tale with a gripping narrative and a four stars read rating. With thanks to Bookouture and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without inducement.
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September 27, 2023This is quickly becoming one of my favorite series. This is the second book in the Fiona MacLeish Crime Thriller series.
When Fiona, a police officer with the Scotland Police, is sent to an island during a windstorm to find a missing child, she gets more than she bargained for. While trying to rescue people from a ship that is about to run aground, she discovers a body. Because the ferry stopped running due to the high winds, Fiona cannot receive help from the mainland. She is on her own to find a missing girl and to find a killer.
I love the main character. Fiona never gives up. I also love how she enlists the help of the inhabitants of the island and how willing they are to aid her in her search for the child and even the murderer.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers/police procedurals. This book has a lot of excitement, and you definitely won’t be bored. The third in the series, The Shelter, will be coming out in November, and I am looking forward to reading it.
When Fiona, a police officer with the Scotland Police, is sent to an island during a windstorm to find a missing child, she gets more than she bargained for. While trying to rescue people from a ship that is about to run aground, she discovers a body. Because the ferry stopped running due to the high winds, Fiona cannot receive help from the mainland. She is on her own to find a missing girl and to find a killer.
I love the main character. Fiona never gives up. I also love how she enlists the help of the inhabitants of the island and how willing they are to aid her in her search for the child and even the murderer.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers/police procedurals. This book has a lot of excitement, and you definitely won’t be bored. The third in the series, The Shelter, will be coming out in November, and I am looking forward to reading it.
July 30, 2023
The Island by G. N. Smith is the second book in the Fiona McLeish series, set in the remote Scottish Highlands. This is a good character-driven police procedural with a dark, twisty plot.
When eight-year-old Cait Yorke goes missing on a remote island off the coast of the wild Scottish Highlands, PC Fiona MacLeish is quickly sent to investigate. But a gale is gathering force, and Fiona becomes increasingly concerned for a little girl braving the strong winds alone. As Fiona questions the locals, she soon realizes they are hiding many secrets. What is this island, and who really lives here?
The cover is cool. The story is quite atmospheric, and I like how the author uses the elements to create tension.
An overall good mystery and story that held my interest. I would recommend this book and this author. I look forward to more in the Fiona MacLeish series.
#TheIsland #NetGalley @bookouture
When eight-year-old Cait Yorke goes missing on a remote island off the coast of the wild Scottish Highlands, PC Fiona MacLeish is quickly sent to investigate. But a gale is gathering force, and Fiona becomes increasingly concerned for a little girl braving the strong winds alone. As Fiona questions the locals, she soon realizes they are hiding many secrets. What is this island, and who really lives here?
The cover is cool. The story is quite atmospheric, and I like how the author uses the elements to create tension.
An overall good mystery and story that held my interest. I would recommend this book and this author. I look forward to more in the Fiona MacLeish series.
#TheIsland #NetGalley @bookouture
August 29, 2023
PC Fiona MacLeish is sent to a small island called Luing to look for an eight-year-old missing girl, Cait.
With sickness rife at work and a gale closing off the island, Fiona is left to search for Cait by herself. When a boat starts to head towards the small island, Fiona has to put a stop to the search while she helps everyone off the boat. While going to help an elderly passenger, Fiona discovers the Captain has been murdered.
Fiona is in for a busy night, she needs to try and find the killer or killers, plus find a vulnerable child.
This could be read as a stand-alone as the author does go over parts from the first book in the series (The Flood).
Another enjoyable cosy mystery with a good mixture of characters.
The author tells the story well and the writing is descriptive, I found I could imagine being there on the island.
My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
With sickness rife at work and a gale closing off the island, Fiona is left to search for Cait by herself. When a boat starts to head towards the small island, Fiona has to put a stop to the search while she helps everyone off the boat. While going to help an elderly passenger, Fiona discovers the Captain has been murdered.
Fiona is in for a busy night, she needs to try and find the killer or killers, plus find a vulnerable child.
This could be read as a stand-alone as the author does go over parts from the first book in the series (The Flood).
Another enjoyable cosy mystery with a good mixture of characters.
The author tells the story well and the writing is descriptive, I found I could imagine being there on the island.
My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 25, 2023
Fiona MacLeish is a police officer in the Scottish Highlands and Islands and is called to investigate a missing child on a remote isle just as a violent storm is building. When she arrives, the imminent inclement weather means the island is cut off from the mainline, making Fiona the sole police officer. A missing person inquiry soon becomes a rescue mission when a boat runs aground, and discovering a suspicious death means a killer is on the isle. The second book in the Fiona MacLeish series is readable as a standalone. I like the sense of danger and darkness as the island's secrets are revealed. The location's remoteness and the wild weather make this atmospheric and claustrophobic reading. The pacing is good. I like the setting, the detailed investigation and the chilling ethos.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
October 2, 2023
The Island took a while for me to get into, but once I did Smith did not fail to keep me intrigued throughout. At times I felt like the main character Fiona had too much on her plate, however she handled this well considering the circumstances and situations she was up against. Smith made rooting for her easy to do the entire time due to the fact that she worked so well with the other characters in the book. I thoroughly enjoyed the setting of the book being on a remote island during a storm which did not allow others on or off the island. This added a layer of suspense and drama to the entire situation. I enjoyed reading through this book and will be on the lookout for my MacLeish thrillers to be released.
f you like a good thriller, mystery, or whodunnit, look no further than G.N Smith's The Island.
f you like a good thriller, mystery, or whodunnit, look no further than G.N Smith's The Island.
October 7, 2023
I think book two is even better than book one. So much going on. A missing child, a sinking ferry and a murderer all in the same story. Again this is somewhat of a locked room mystery as everyone is trapped on the island due to a storm. And again Fiona is working alone on all three of these issues. I like that she is so determined to find justice and do it all. Just like in the first book, there is so much tension and this one is at a continued fast pace.
Part of what makes Fiona so likable is that her parents were killed and that sets her drive to be the best police officer she can be so she can use those skills to eventually solve her parents murder. You just want to root for her to succeed. Not something I have really thought much about in my crime procedural previous reads.
With book two even stronger than book one, this is a great series to start.
Part of what makes Fiona so likable is that her parents were killed and that sets her drive to be the best police officer she can be so she can use those skills to eventually solve her parents murder. You just want to root for her to succeed. Not something I have really thought much about in my crime procedural previous reads.
With book two even stronger than book one, this is a great series to start.
January 3, 2024
The Island is the second book in the Fiona MacLeish series. Set on a remote island in Scotland while a storm blows in, Fiona is searching for a little girl who has gone missing, but there is a second crime, a murder. Will she manage to both survive the storm and get off the island where they are all trapped?
This was a good read; Fiona is still as fierce as ever and will stop at nothing. I found myself struggling to start with, but it soon changed as the story progressed, it had me on the edge of my seat several times.
I wouldn’t necessarily class it as a thriller, it is more suspense and mystery
One thing that I didn’t like was the number of times she mentioned the death of her parents and finding out who did it. I felt like every scenario was a chance to mention it.
Overall it was a good read.
This was a good read; Fiona is still as fierce as ever and will stop at nothing. I found myself struggling to start with, but it soon changed as the story progressed, it had me on the edge of my seat several times.
I wouldn’t necessarily class it as a thriller, it is more suspense and mystery
One thing that I didn’t like was the number of times she mentioned the death of her parents and finding out who did it. I felt like every scenario was a chance to mention it.
Overall it was a good read.
October 14, 2023
This was the second crime novel with PC Fiona MacLeish, and can easily be read as a standalone.
As a police woman Fiona seems to be very unlucky as she keeps finding herself alone having to deal with some very tricky situations. This time round she has found herslef trapped on an island in a bad storm with no way off and no way on. She initially goes to help find a missing girl and finds herself caught up in looking fo a murderer.
The problem is which should take priority the murder or the missing child? This story had so much going on from the beginning and the problems for Fiona just kept building.
Really enjoyed it. Another great crime story from GN Smith.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.
As a police woman Fiona seems to be very unlucky as she keeps finding herself alone having to deal with some very tricky situations. This time round she has found herslef trapped on an island in a bad storm with no way off and no way on. She initially goes to help find a missing girl and finds herself caught up in looking fo a murderer.
The problem is which should take priority the murder or the missing child? This story had so much going on from the beginning and the problems for Fiona just kept building.
Really enjoyed it. Another great crime story from GN Smith.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.
August 21, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Once again Fiona, a police officer, finds herself all alone. In this second book, she's sent to an island for a missing child and soon she has to find a murderer as well as the missing child. Against the gale, on an island she doesn't know. I really admire her strength and determination, even if she has her personal struggles, she has to focus on the welfare of others. I'm thinking there's going to be at least a third book in the series since there are a few mysteries not yet uncovered (no spoiling). I'll wait patiently to read the rest !!
Once again Fiona, a police officer, finds herself all alone. In this second book, she's sent to an island for a missing child and soon she has to find a murderer as well as the missing child. Against the gale, on an island she doesn't know. I really admire her strength and determination, even if she has her personal struggles, she has to focus on the welfare of others. I'm thinking there's going to be at least a third book in the series since there are a few mysteries not yet uncovered (no spoiling). I'll wait patiently to read the rest !!
September 10, 2023
Thank you to #NetGalley, #Bookouture and G. N. Smith for the opportunity to read an advance copy of THE ISLAND (A Fiona MacLeish Crime Thriller Book 2), to be published 22 September 2023. Fiona is once again the only police presence on an island on the west coast of Scotland where a child is reported missing and Fiona discovers a murder as well, So she has two crimes to solve in a torrential storm that is cut off from the mainland and the rest of the world. Despite some serious ongoing hardships including another murder, an accidental death and physical injuries, Fiona is able to hold her own. 4/5 Stars #NetGalley #Bookouture #G.N.Smith #TheIsland
September 26, 2023
PC Fiona MacLeish has returned to duty, her first assignment is to find a missing eight-year-old girl, but soon a body will be found and nothing will be as it seems.
Fiona is once again trapped and she must use her knowledge and skill to find the missing girl and stop the killer before they strike again.
Smith gives us a tension-filled novel that had me unable to put this novel down. This author knows how to give descriptions and details that had me visualising and feeling everything that was happening.
This was a great second instalment to this series and I look forward to book three.
Fiona is once again trapped and she must use her knowledge and skill to find the missing girl and stop the killer before they strike again.
Smith gives us a tension-filled novel that had me unable to put this novel down. This author knows how to give descriptions and details that had me visualising and feeling everything that was happening.
This was a great second instalment to this series and I look forward to book three.
August 16, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the approval to read nreview this book.
This is the second PC Fiona MacLeish book. Like the first, it is a fast paced story with plenty of twists and turns. The descriptions of the characters and the location was well written and I could see them in my mind. Fiona has been sent to the Island to find a lost child, but whilst there, she sees a pleasure boat starting to run aground. She goes on board to help rescue a lady, and discovers a dead body. No more will be said as you will need to read it for yourself.
This is the second PC Fiona MacLeish book. Like the first, it is a fast paced story with plenty of twists and turns. The descriptions of the characters and the location was well written and I could see them in my mind. Fiona has been sent to the Island to find a lost child, but whilst there, she sees a pleasure boat starting to run aground. She goes on board to help rescue a lady, and discovers a dead body. No more will be said as you will need to read it for yourself.
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