A rollicking tale of high adventure in the beautiful windswept isle of Orkney. Finn Sullivan is heading for the mainland of Scotland on a somewhat foggy and miserable day ( something Orcadians are probably rather used to!) Sitting in the departure lounge his eyes set upon the beautiful and mysterious Maddie who is being annoyed by a group of departing oil workers. She seeks the company of our lone hero and soon the drinks are flowing, Finn's libido is in overdrive, and thoughts of his girlfriend Amy long forgotten. As the flight departs, amidst increasing bad weather, the small Loganair twin engined turbo-prop, struggles to maintain height. A fight ensues in the cabin between Finn and one of the oil workers, Maddie becomes hysterical when it is apparent that the plane is returning to Kirkwall airport, she enters the flight deck and soon after the plane is forced to crash land. Finn and Maddie are amongst the few survivors, the police have many questions they need answered, and it would appear that the beautiful, femme fatale, has disappeared.

There are two great elements that I really enjoyed in this book. I loved the way that Finn was immediately spellbound by the beautiful and openly suggestive Maddie, to the point that he was prepared to become her partner in crime, if that is what was needed to retain her interest. Would any full blooded male not have done the same? Would you not be tempted?....of course you would! The second and possibly the most important element was the ruggedness and beauty of the Isle of Orkney itself and the way the author uses this to great effect to showcase his story....."High on this southern headland, they could see for miles over the Pentland Firth to Muckle Skerry, its lighthouse a thin needle against the horizon, then west to Stroma and the Scottish mainland...."....."It felt like the roof of the world up here, the air thinner and purer, the land stronger, the elements more brutal. Like you were connected to the land in a way you couldn't be further south, as if the stuff of your bones was one with the earth, only separated by a fragile layer of skin...."

Not wishing to disclose secrets it is suffice to say that Maddie Pierce is not quite the innocent she would have Finn believe, and has her reasons for wanting to leave Orkney as fast as possible. With the body count rising and the whereabouts of a large sum of money unknown time is fast running out for a perplexed Finn as he seeks to find the "love of his libido" and perhaps the answers to some burning questions. Yes this story is more "boys own" than real life events and there are those reviewers who declare the whole experience is somewhat unbelievable. However I think good story telling sometimes needs a fun element, it need not always be believable to be enjoyable. I liked the author's style, this stripped down thriller full of action and thrills against a harsh and unforgiving landscape. Many thanks to the good people at edelweiss for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written. ( )

Finn Sullivan has spent the last few days visiting his grandmother Ingrid on the Orkney Islands. They’re close & it was good to catch up but now all he wants is to get back to uni, finish his course work & figure out what to do about his girlfriend.

He’s sitting in Kirkwall Airport when he first sees her. Maddie is a beautiful, older woman who shares Finn’s desire to leave the Orkneys. So when their flight is delayed they pass the time getting to know each other at the bar. Finally the weather clears & everyone clampers aboard. The plane is just a little puddle jumper & passengers & crew total 11 people. Remember that number.

I don’t think I’m giving anything away when I say they don’t make it off the island. It’s the beginning of a bizarre chain of violent events that will change Finn’s life forever. He’s a rather unworldly 21 year old & quickly bedazzled by the sophisticated Maddie. But it’s clear early on she’s a woman of many secrets. As the story progresses we, like Finn, aren’t sure what to make of her. At best, Maddie is a woman with good reason to escape her life. At worst, she’s a manipulative liar.

It’s a fast paced read that crams a lot of action into 265 pages. Some of the events & Finn’s actions in particular will require that you can suspend your disbelief but hey, this is fiction. What worked best for me was the atmospheric setting provided by descriptions of this beautiful place. The wind, water & creeping fog shape the land & lives of its residents. Many of the ancient Neolithic sites such as the Tomb of the Eagles & Ring of Brodgar are mentioned along with some history of how the islands were settled.

I was lucky enough to visit the Orkneys several years ago & it’s a fascinating place. From St. Magnus Cathedral to the countless standing stones, there’s a palpable sense of stepping back in time & I enjoyed the chance to revisit those memories.

My sincere thanks to the lovely Tina at Tripfiction for sending this book my way. ( )

Crash Land – Another Johnstone Classic

Doug Johnstone is back with Crash Land and he has delivered yet another classic thriller that will keep you on edge throughout and constantly questioning what you know. This brilliant thriller takes place with the background of winter out on the Orkney Island, with its harsh backdrop and the full force of winter.

Finn Sullivan wants to get off Orkney and it cannot happen quick enough, he wants to be back in Dundee for Christmas and away from the harsh island. He is sat in the departures lounge at Kirkwall Airport when he spotted a beautiful woman coming through security and the oil workers also notice her as she comes through to departures.

The fog is down over the airport and when the plane is delayed Finn carries on drinking and while at the bar meets Maddie Pierce, while rescuing her from the unwanted attention and hassle from the oil workers. One drink leads to a quite a few more and while chatting to Maddie he learns she is running from something but cannot find out more about her.

When the plane takes off with them on board, Finn goes to the toilet and when he comes back he finds Maddie being hassles by one of the workers again. A fight ensures and Finn is restrained and the plane turns around and heads for back to the airport and the rest seems a blur, he remembers the plane hitting the ground, the smell of aviation fuel and fire.

When he wakes up he is in hospital, he is being blamed for the crash, seven are dead and Maddie is missing and the police are asking him questions. But as the days pass the more he is drawn in to a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the police, the media and with his own mind. What he discovers is a dangerous world that has drawn him in and that will affect not just him but those close to him also. All Finn wants to do is tell the truth, but will he believes and will it be too little too late?

Crash Land is a classic thriller from Doug Johnstone that keeps you guessing from the beginning to the end. Well written, and with the harsh backdrop of Orkney you can feel the pressure and the loneliness unforgiving island. At the sametime it has all the classics of a psychological thriller, guilt, shame, lust, deception and murder, just what the reader wants. ( )