Jim is a brilliant raconteur whose stories get taller with each glass of whisky. His daughter Sam thinks it's time she found out the truth about her dad.
On holiday in Orkney, Sam spies on Jim as he travels across the island. What has he hidden in the abandoned watchtower? Who is he meeting in the stone circle at dusk? And why is he suddenly obsessed with Norse myths?
As Sam is drawn into Jim's shadowy world, she begins to realise that pursuing the truth is not as simple as it seems...
Set against the harsh beauty of the remote Scottish islands of Orkney, inspired by the author's own childhood, this is a gripping first novel from an astonishing new talent.
I picked up this one because of the Orkney connection. Although it started off a little slowly it soon got going and I found myself being drawn into it. A fair chunk of the book takes place in Orkney and I enjoyed reading about places that I grew up around.
The story isn't too complicated, but there's enough mystery in the plot to keep you guessing to the end. Some things surprised me, while others didn't. There are strong characters, especially Sam, the main female in the book, who is an inquisitive, somewhat disillusioned teenager growing up in London in the early 1980's in the shadow of Thatcher and the miner's strike.
If you enjoy a good thriller/mystery, with some ancient history thrown in, then this one is worth checking out. I noticed that there is a sequel out now, featuring Sam again. Although it's not set in Orkney it may be one that I check out soon to see if Sam is able to tie up some of the loose ends left at the end of this book.
