This is the second book in the DI Torquil McKinnon series set on a remote Scottish Island.
But don’t let the remote small island, with its small community put you off. This is a complex story with many twists and turns.
The story starts with an assassin killing a family, and a missing Police Officer.
At the same time a big-time-Charlie from the mainland takes over the big house and brings with him the threat of erecting a wind farm on the old crofts. The problem is the crofts are still being run as farms by well-established families.
The new Laird is Jock McArdle, a business man from Glasgow, who brings with him two enforcers.
More deaths start to take place on the island but are most of them just accidents.
As the death count rises there are conflicts amongst the small group of residents on the island. Half of them are against the wind farms, the other half are for them.
There is a hedgehog cull about to take place but one resident, Megan, who is fervently against it, starts to cause problems. Could she be responsible for some of the deaths?
Her Boyfriend Nial is a Bird Protectionist, who is very protective of the eagle population on the island. So, when it is claimed one of the deaths is down to an eagle attack he too starts to act strangely. Could he be the murderer?
Then there is the young pretty Megan. She only had eyes for the missing Police Officer but is finding comfort in half of the male population. Is one of her comforters acting out of jealousy.
The small island Police force is headed by DI Torquil McKinnon, the motorcycle riding, bag pie playing, widower, who went to school with most of the main suspects in the crimes. With one of his two full time officers missing he has to run the inquiry with his full time DS, and two volunteer constables. The story of the investigation is brilliantly addictive, and the result is not easily anticipated.
Over the last year I have read a few books set in the remote Scottish Isles. The large open spaces with the small tight knit communities lend themselves to some great stories. In fact, I have come to realise that The Scottish Isles Murder books are the new Closed Room Mysteries of Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie fame.
The two books in this series which have so far been published are brilliant.
If you like a good murder mystery you will love these books.
With summer creeping up on us, people might be looking for a book to read around the pool or on the beach. Get this series. There is only one problem with them. You will be left desperately wanting book 3, and we are going to have to wait for a while for that.
Pages: 224
Publisher: Sapere
Available now
nigeladamsbookworm 
The setting of this series is one of my favourites. I’ll have to give it a try.
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