Two Islands

Niko and his family experienced many horrific experiences during the Balkan wars including the death of his father. His mother approached the Australian Embassy in Zagreb hoping to gain approval for the family to move to Australia. Shortly afterwards Niko was approached to see if he was prepared to tell his story as war crimes were being investigated. This led to Niko meeting Anita, an Australian working for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. As Niko was prepared to identify in court one of the Serbian leaders he was granted protection and moved to England until the trial. Then he disappeared.

On the west coast of Scotland are many islands including two small isolated islands, Skarnsey and Thorkil's Isle, and it is to these islands that Niko fled to try and find safety. Niko is not the only damaged soul seeking refuge on the islands. Fergus had served in the British army in Ireland as well as in a peacekeeping regiment in the former Yugoslavia. Incidents that he witnessed continue to torment him. Ronnie returned to the islands after service in the Second World War and well understands the traumas affecting the new arrivals.

Two Islands by Ian Kemish is a work of historical fiction that, as well as providing information about recent conflicts in the twentieth century, examines the long-term trauma of those involved in such conflicts. The novel contains the stories of Anita who is searching for Niko, Niko himself, Fergus and Ronnie. This is a story of relationships as the villagers come to understand the strangers who have arrived on their shores. Everyone has a past but everyone should also have a future. It is therefore also a story of hope.

Two Islands is definitely one of the best books that I have read so far this year.

Balkans war: a brief guide - BBC 

The Cursed Road

We first met DI Georgina (George) Lennox and DI Richard (Ritchie) Stewart in the crime novel, The Wolf Tree, by Laura McCluskey. The Cursed Road is the sequel to that novel. 

When the body of a young unidentified woman is discovered in the highlands of Scotland and a possible link between the victim and a cold case from ten years previously, George and Ritchie are assigned the case. The young woman's body was found at the side of a road known to the locals as 'the cursed road'. For hundreds of years there has been a feud between two families living near the road.

The Cursed Road takes the reader into a world of mystery, intrigue and horror as the two detectives try to discover the identity of the murdered woman and who killed her as well as links that might help them solve the cold case that Ritchie first worked on ten years previously. George and Ritchie are still coming to terms with health issues resulting from their previous case. Journalist, Hendry Shaw, is also back on the scene looking for an interview with George for a story he is working on.

The Cursed Road by Laura McCluskey is a gripping police procedural set in, at times, an almost gothic atmosphere. A new addition to the genre of Tartin Noir.

Scotland's Medieval Queens

In Scotland's Medieval Queens, Sharon Bennett Connolly examines the lives of the Queens of Scotland from Saint Margaret (1045 - 1093) to Margaret of Denmark (1456 - 1486). The author provides a study of part of Scotland's history through the lives of the women who held positions of power, usually in a time of turbulence and often violence

This was a time when there were conflicts between the Scots and the Vikings as well as frequent disputes with the kings of England. The French were also interested in what was going on in Scotland. 

Much of the book explores the role of the Scottish queens in the running of the country, especially when their husbands were involved in battles. The lives of members of the royal families, especially the women, were often in danger if they were captured and used as hostages.  

This work examines an important period in the history of Scotland as it strived for independence. 

King and Outlaw: the real Robert the Bruce

In the 1950s a cousin of my grandmother had a genealogist in the UK investigate the story that our family, like thousands of others, had a direct link to Robert the Bruce. The story was confirmed. Many years later I decided to check the theory for myself and discovered not only family links to Scottish royalty but also to English royalty in our family tree. These discoveries make reading British history more interesting.

In King and Outlaw the author, Chris Brown, has set out to provide an account as to who Robert the Bruce - King Robert I of Scotland - really was as a person, a leader and outlaw. The main chapters are A Man Who would be King, King Robert's War and King Robert's Scotland. There is also a useful list of the people who appear in the book, a timeline, a glossary and maps of Bannockburn.

The author has used the limited available resources from medieval times to provide this historical account of troubled times within Scotland as well as between Scotland and England. At the back of the book Chris Brown dispels some of the myths about Robert the Bruce. The chapter on King Robert's Scotland provides useful information as to how most Scottish people lived their lives while instability was occurring around them.

King and Outlaw is a readable account of this important period in Scottish history as well as an account of the life of a man who was determined to claim the throne that had belonged to his ancestors.

A Devil's Share

The death of  a guide at a whisky tasting at the Durie family's whisky distillery leads to Duncan Bone and his team helping to uncover a web of crime and corruption including drug smuggling plus a family feud. The team works with other departments of the Scottish police to solve the serious crime-wave they have uncovered. Also working with the team on this case is Detective Superintendent Laverty who will replace Duncan's boss when he retires. She is determined to get to know how the team works before she formally takes charge.

There is always danger in police work but when investigating a drug smuggling crime syndicate the danger is magnified. With two team members out of action there is additional pressure for the team as they assist with this case. Duncan also needs to discover who the man with the red hair is who has been following him and damaging his property. 

A Devil's Share by T G Reid is book 8 in the DCI Duncan Bone series. All the books in this series are crime stories that make you just want to keep reading as the plot is revealed. This book even more so. I will now have to wait until next year until the next installment is published and the story continues. 

Burn It All Down

Book seven in the DCI Duncan Bone series by T G Reid is Burn It All Down. This time Duncan Bone and his team investigate the death of a doctor whose body is discovered in his burnt out house. The doctor's wife has also disappeared. A message left on the fence suggests that this death is an act of revenge. When an ambulance worker is found badly injured by a burnt out truck it appears that the medical profession is being targeted.

The horror of the fires reignites the fears haunting DCI Bone making the investigation more challenging as he fights to control his PTSD. Like the other books in this series, Burn It All Down is not just a gripping account of crime to be solved but also describes the relationship between members of the investigation team, including often amusing banter, as they strive to solve the case.

Night Comes Falling

Earlier this year I borrowed and read the first five books in the DCI Duncan Bone series by Scottish author, T G Reid. I then put in a Suggested Purchase for the next three books in the series which arrived together for me this week. Consequently I have been enjoying binge reading Scottish crime books for the past few days.

When a body is found on an isolated road it is first thought it was the result of a hit and run incident. However it soon becomes obvious that this was a murder. Duncan Bone and his Rural Crime team soon discover that there are many suspects who may have committed the crime, especially as it is revealed that the victim was a womaniser. The investigation becomes more complicated as there may be a connection with murders that occurred forty years previously. Then another body is discovered. It is obvious that the team needs to move quickly to solve the crimes.

Night Comes Falling by T G Reid is book six in the DCI Duncan Bone series. Once again this is a fast moving crime thriller that keeps the reader guessing about who committed the crime. 

Isle of the Dead

Isle of the Dead by T G Reid is number 5 in the DCI Duncan Bone crime series of books set in Scotland. During a swim in the loch, Duncan notices that there has been a dramatic change in the weather. He retreats back to his cabin by the loch as a storm envelops the region. During the night Duncan notices lights on an uninhabited island in the loch. Next day he convinces one of the locals to take him to the island to investigate, although the conditions are still not good for a boat trip on the loch. It is then that the body count begins.

The roads are blocked with snow drifts and power and communication systems are down so it is some time before members of his team are able to assist him with the investigation. The crimes have also occurred in another jurisdiction so two crime teams are working together. He also later learns that one of the suspects is also under suspicion for other crimes.

The Isle of the Dead continues the eventful story of the lives of DCI Bone and his team as they investigate crime in their area and also try to look after their families. In this book, the Scottish weather and local environment contribute to the atmosphere and threat of danger as the police team attempt to discover the murderer.

The Killer Parade

Civic Week Celebrations are about to begin in town and the star of the final show will be a local singer made good. However, when Dee Dee is found murdered DCI Duncan Bone and his team have to work overtime to catch the killer, especially as he has left a message that this will not be the last murder. Although the police recommend that the celebrations should be put on hold, the organisers are determined that the parade and other events will go ahead. 

There are obvious suspects, but when links are made to a similar murder that occurred in another town many years ago the police suspect that they may be dealing with a serial killer. 

The Killing Parade by T G Reid is number 4 in the DCI Duncan Bone series. Like the other books in the series it is a fast paced crime novel that encourages the reader to keep reading to discover what will happen next. The camaraderie and humour that exists between the team members continues to be a feature though there are still challenges to be faced in life outside work for some of the team. However they all look out for each other and provide additional support when required.

Dead Man's Stone

DCI Duncan Bone is still on sick leave when he receives a message to visit a dying man in a prison hospital. The man refuses to talk to anyone else. Bone reluctantly visits the prison where the man tells him where to find an item hidden at a former POW camp. The item is a biscuit box containing a photograph of a possible crime. Investigation proves that the victim in the photo is a teenager believed to have committed suicide in 1979.

It is agreed that DCI Bone can work from home to assist investigating the case. However, as some of the other people identified in the photo are murdered, he takes control of solving the crime - especially as a former senior police officer may be involved. Obviously the investigation is a race against time before more people are killed. 

The DCI Bone series consists of more than just thrilling crime stories as T G Reid allows the reader into the  lives of the main characters. Bone has been suffering from severe PTSD as a result of events in the first novel in the series and is striving to regain control of his life. His wife left him and in the second book she refused him access to their young son but part way through book three she reverses her previous decision. Mark Mullens' father has dementia and his attempts to keep an eye on his father and do his best to help him is another story throughout the novels. Another sub-plot is that DI Rhona Walker and her partner have adopted a baby girl.

Dead Man's Stone is another fast faced crime thriller by Scottish author, T G Reid. It is number 3 in the DCI Duncan Bone series.

The Whisky Widow

In 1921, I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Good Wife of Bath by Karen Brooks. I was therefore pleased to receive a copy of Karen Brook's new novel, The Whisky Widow, to read and review. I was not disappointed.

Set in Scotland between 1780 and 1784, this is the story about Greer MacAlister and her daughter Fen as they strive to find a home in a new community. When Greer's husband died she received a message that, as his widow, she should go to Montrose and collect money owing to him. Once there, however, she discovered that the money had gone and she was left to defend for herself and her daughter. Meeting Tam Gorden provided the chance for a new life living in a small village in the Scottish Highlands.

Greer soon encountered the prejudices that existed in the village regarding outsiders, especially Lowlanders, and that becoming accepted would not be an easy task. She also discovered that although there was some farming and fishing, the villagers mainly made their living from distilling and smuggling whisky. Although they were allowed to keep a small amount of whisky for their own consumption, a high excise was applied to the sale of whisky, hence the need for the smuggling operations.

The villagers lived in constant fear of raids from excise officers and Red Coats. A system was devised to alert the villagers of possible intruders. It was only after Greer stood up to an excise office during a raid that many of the villagers began to accept her presence in this tight-knit community. When disaster strikes and some of the men, including Tam, are arrested it is up to Greer to manage the community and to devise a rescue plan. Tam has been accused of murder and it is up to the village community to prove his innocence.

This is a story of a community bonding together for its survival when required. Life is hard but basically members of the village look after each other. Although most attend the village church there is still a strong belief in supernatural forces - just in case. This is also a story about relationships, especially between family members. It also explores love and war and seeking justice.

The Whisky Widow is a work of historical fiction that graphically portrays the difficulties faced by the workers living in small villages in the Highlands. It is a time of change with the Clearances already occurring in some areas. Eventually a decision needs to be made whether to remain in Scotland or try for a new life overseas.

Many thanks to Better Reading and HQ Books for a preview copy of this book.

Blood Water Falls

A school travels to photograph the scene as the first sun's rays for the morning strike the waterfall on the Solstice. A dedicated environmentalist, when he goes to investigate something suspicious in the water the teacher is killed. At first the disappearance of the teacher is treated as a missing person case but as days pass DCI Duncan Bone and his team are called in to help with the investigation. Then a body is found behind the falls.

With many possible suspects this is not an easy case to solve. It is further complicated by certain members of the media demanding answers and causing the police hierarchy to demand a rapid solution to the case.

A major aspect of the book is the interaction between the members of the police team as they work on the case. As they strive to discover the truth and make an arrest there is still time for occasional humour and an insight into the lives of the officers away from work. Duncan Bone is still fighting PTSD which creates an additional challenge. He is also still coming to terms with the separation from his wife and infrequent contact with his son.

As well as being a crime novel Blood Water Falls by TG Reid is a character driven novel. Descriptions of the local Scottish environment is also a feature of the book.

The Wolf Tree

Eilean Eadar is a small island off the Scottish coast that does not welcome outsiders. When news of a suspicious death reaches the mainland, DI Georgina Lennox and DI Richard Stewart travel to the island to investigate. The body of eighteen year old Alan Ferguson had been found at the bottom of a lighthouse. The locals said it was suicide. The police are not so sure.

Initially the police receive a friendly reception from some of the locals but when it is realised that the police will be on the island for five days, attitudes change dramatically. Gradually the police learn how this small fishing community is run by a council and the local priest. Although on the surface a Christian community, the police soon discover the strong belief in local superstition held by the local inhabitants. This will definitely not be an easy case to solve.

The relationship between the two police officers also becomes strained as Richard appears to be over protective of the younger officer who is returning to the service after receiving severe injuries when solving another crime. 

The oppressive weather does not assist in the investigation as the police officers carry out their investigations.

Dark is the Grave

Duncan Bone is on sick leave recovering from his last case when a suspect detonated a bomb killing himself and injuring the detective. Although becoming physically fit again, Duncan Bone is still suffering from the effects of PTSD. His wife has left him and he is trying to gain permission to spend extra time with his son.

One morning he receives a recording showing the death of a young policewoman. The film brings back the trauma of his previous case locating the perpetrator of a series of police murders. He immediately takes the film to the police and is put back in charge of the case to find this copy cat murderer before more police are killed. There are a number of obvious suspects. It is obvious that the new killer knew the 'peek-a-boo' killer well but who is responsible? Duncan Bone and his team must quickly find who is responsible for the new murders and why the killings have recommenced.

Dark is the Grave by Scottish author T G Reid is the first book in the DCI Duncan Bone series. It is a fast paced murder mystery and I look forward to reading further books in the series.

Down and Out in Scotland

Down and Out in Scotland: researching ancestral crisis is a genealogical guide written by Chris Paton. We are used to using birth, marriage and death records to explore the history of previous generations of our family but other records can also provide valuable information. In this guide published by Unlock the Past, the author introduces us to records that provide information about people in the past encountering hard times.

Chapters include:

• Family events and relationships - illegitimacy; foundlings, orphans and adoption; marriage, bigamy and divorce; homosexuality; and death
• Law and order - the Kirk; the Crown; franchise and burgh courts; criminal prosecution; murder; additional courts; police and prison records; transpotation; execution
• Poverty - the Old Poor Law; the New Poor Law; the records
• Debt - put to the horn; debts upon inheritance; cessio bonorum and sequestration
• Medical problems - hospital records; asylums; suicide; accidents
• Them and Us - the Covenanters and the Killing Time; the Jacobite rebellion; the expulsion of the Gael, the vote
  

Other books in this series by Chris Paton include Discover Scottish church records, Discover Scottish land records, Discover Scottish civil registration records and British and Irish newspapers.

Clanlands: whisky, warfare and a Scottish adventure like no other

In the television series Outlander (which I have not watched) Sam Heughan plays Jamie Fraser and Graham McTavish plays Dougal MacKenzie. In this book they join forces to explore some of the locations and history that featured in the early episodes of the television show. The two are obviously good friends and spend much of the time joking and creating difficult situations for each other during their adventure. As the subtitle suggests there is a lot of whisky drinking and, as the emphasis of the early series is on the clans in the Highlands, there is an emphasis on clan rivalries and warfare. 

The authors alternate writing sections of the book and often provide different interpretations of an event. They also use the opportunity to reflect on past and recent acting projects, including the Outlander series, and discuss people they have met. This style of writing can result in repetition and can become tedious though I enjoyed the descriptions of Glencoe and Culloden and their significance in Scottish history. In August 2014 we visited a number of places mentioned in the book.

Diana Gabaldon has written eight books in the Outlander series. I read the first three but then decided that I had read enough. The books are a mixture of historical fiction, time travel and romance.

Scotland: the autobiography

Rosemary Goring has edited this chronological collection of original writings, including poetry, about periods in Scottish history covering approximately 2,000 years. The subtitle of the book is 2,000 years of Scottish history by those who saw it happen.

An account of Agicola's fleet sailing in the Orkneys in AD c80 recounted by his son-in-law, Tacitus, is the earliest entry ending with the coming of power of the SNP in Scottish Parliament in 2007. In between there are accounts of battles such as the Battle of Bannockburn and the Battle of Flodden, accounts of inventions, sporting events, explorers, rulers plus excerpts from Scottish writers and poets. A bibliography and list of sources provide additional information while a detailed index and contents pages aid navigation throughout the 400 + pages. This is a book for dipping into to discover a variety of treaures revealing many aspects of the history of Scotland.

I was particularly interested in the article describing the discovery of the ancient settlement at Skara Brae, approximately 5,000 years old. For thousands of years this settlement had been covered by sand until a storm in 1850 partially uncovered it. A second storm in 1924 revealed more of the site. Excavation of the site began in 1928 and an account by the leader of the dig is provided as the first item in the book.

Kingdom

Kingdom by Robyn Young is the third volume in the Insurrection trilogy which is based on the life and times of Robert the Bruce. This volume is a fictionalised account of the events leading up to the Battle of Bannockburn where Robert's army defeated the English army led by Edward II in Stirling in 1314. The other volumes in the series are Insurrection and Renegade. 

At the back of the volume the author includes a section where she discusses writing historical fiction and the changes she made to the characters (including inventing some) and events when writing this story. This is a series I have made a note to read when I have more time. It looks like a good series in which to become involved, probably holiday reading, provided that you do not worry too much about the actual history. After reading this series the reader should certainly have a better understanding of this volatile period in British history and may want to investigate the story further.

Scottish history

With many branches of my family tree having Scottish connections I often look out for books recounting the history of that country. Three titles recently found in the library are listed below:

Collins little book of Scottish history: from Bannockburn to Holyrood by John Abernethy was published in 2014. This small publication aims to provide a broad coverage of the history of Scotland concentrating on the events that have made Scotland an individual country. Each page briefly covers a topic - a person or place or event or institution - providing a brief summary that can be investigated further in other publications. The book is arranged chronologically but the index also helps the reader locate specific topics.

The fourth edition of Scotland: a concise history by Fitzroy Maclean was published in 2012. This book, in text and pictures, provides an overview of the history of the country in nine broad chapters.  The sections of the book are easy to navigate allowing you to locate specific topics. The detailed index and the list of the many illustrations are also useful.

Scottish archaeologist, Neil Oliver, has written A history of Scotland, published, in 2009, in conjunction with his television series with the same title produced for the BBC. This is an exploration of the things that make Scotland unique. Not just its chronological history but also the development and divisions of language, religion, the economy, relationships with England over time. When reading this book, those who have watched Neil Oliver on television will imagine him there recounting the story of the country that he loves. Once again there is a detailed index as well as a list for further reading.

Each of these books has a different approach to telling the story of Scotland's history but they can all be useful. For example when looking for information on the Battle of Bannockburn, page 33 in Abernethy's book provides a brief outline of the battle, some information about Robert the Bruce on page 32 and information about Stirling on page 34. The first section (8 pages) of chapter two in Maclean's book covers the battle of Bannockburn, the lead up to the battle and the aftermath. Oliver provides his interpretation of this period of Scottish history in the first 35 pages of chapter 4 in his book.