Rating:
3.5 Stars

In a nutshell:
Fin has been summoned to return to the island he left nearly two decades ago to assist in a murder investigation.

Best for:
Those who like a mystery with roots in childhood.

Quote that made me think:
N/A

Why I chose it:
May is author who writes mostly mysteries set on the island of Lewis, which is one of my favorite places in Scotland. I accidentally started reading the final book in the series, so immediately jumped back to pick this one up, which is the starting point.

Review:
May is an interesting writer, and paints vivid pictures, though at times the phrases he chooses seem a bit over the top. Once I got used to his style, I was absorbed into the book.

The chapters alternate – third person perspective following Fin, an Edinburgh police officer on leave whose 8-year-old son has just passed away. He and his wife are destroyed, and their marriage is struggling. When Fin is called to a murder similar to one in Edinburgh he worked, he is required to return to his home island of Lewis. His wife is livid, but he still goes.

Once there, he is faced with old friends he hasn’t seen in 18 years. This leads to alternating chapters, from the first person perspective of Fin, at various stages of his life. It’s not totally linear, but follows major points in his life, like when he became an orphan. These chapters provide insight into island life, and into relationships with people who now appear to be murder suspect, as well as into the victim.

There’s also a side storyline about a cultural practice of men going to an island to cull birds, and it is so descriptive I could feel the saltwater.

It took awhile to get into for me, but once I was into it I found it enthralling, and I’m looking forward to reading the second book in the series.

Would I recommend it to its target audience:
Yes – the twists and revelations are well foreshadowed but not totally obvious.