The High Island is the first book in Lin Anderson’s new Orcadia Mysteries series, a spin off from her popular Rhona MacLeod books. While Rhona is a forensic scientist based in Glasgow, the main character here is DI Erling Flett, based in Scotland’s Orkney Islands. Previously, he was a minor character who appeared in a handful of the Rhona books.
If you’ve read The Dead and the Dying, the 19th and final Rhona Macleod book, then you’ll have a sense of what to expect with the Orcadia Mysteries. Anderson has taken a clever approach to smooth the transition between the two series. In addition to a familiar setting and lead character, other characters from the Rhona MacLeod books like Magnus Pirie and DS Michael McNab make brief appearances.
Anderson does an excellent job in describing the rugged beauty of Orkney and the emotions that it evokes in people. Not everyone has the same reaction to the islands. Some feel a sense of freedom in the remote areas while others may feel isolated or lonely.
The Orkney setting plays a significant role in The High Island and is closely linked with the plot. Weather events like storm clouds rolling in can be a warning of possible danger. This in turn triggers a response from those involved. Their response in these situations can be a good measure of their bravery or cowardice, and whether they are looking out for themselves or willing to help others.
An abundance of peat is also an important feature of the Orkney setting. It can be used as domestic fuel but also has the capacity to preserve items – even human bodies – buried in the bogs.
The prologue describes a character observing a digger working on the site of an old ruin. The property belonged to Ivor Mowat, a good friend of Erling Flett’s grandfather. Before he died, Ivor sold it to a wealthy couple who intend to build an eco-house on the property. Many were surprised he sold up as he loved the land and had no need for the money.
Work comes to an abrupt stop when the site crew make a horrifying discovery – a burial site containing the corpses of a young woman and a child. Their bodies are exhumed and sent away for analysis. Unfortunately, Ivor is not available for questioning but his family are happy that no work can continue on the site as it may be a crime scene, giving them an opportunity to challenge the sale.
Ivor’s death appears to stir up bad feelings within his family. His four sons are competing to take control over the family businesses, some of which may not be legal. On top of that, a young man by the name of Kris Mowat has shown up with his girlfriend to meet Ivor. He claims to be Ivor’s great grandson. His mother left the island as a pregnant teenager. After the funeral and wake, Kris goes missing.
Erling has his hands full with this case and realises that the answers lie in the past. This means leaning on elderly people in the community to help him understand past events. Those of you who live or have lived in remote or lightly populated areas, will appreciate the realistic way that gossip spreads through the community. It gives the book an authentic feel, as does Erling’s discomfort in interviewing people who also remember his past.
Erling was a deeply unhappy teenager. Much of his angst came from hiding the fact that he was gay. Thankfully he no longer feels the need to do that and is in a relationship with Rory who works on the off-shore rigs. Rory shares with him rumours that he has heard about new drugs coming into the community.
As he and DS Jo Green, his senior officer, are tied up with the ever-expanding case of the buried woman and child, Erling seeks assistance from the Highland and Islands Division. This is where Jo was working before transferring to Orkney and there seems to be bad blood between her and another officer.
The High Island has a multitude of subplots set in different time periods. In the hands of a new author this level of complexity would be very challenging however Anderson handles the many plot threads deftly. She does this while throwing in several red herrings. My personal theories identifying those responsible for various crimes shifted frequently.
After establishing the characters and primary plot, Anderson amps up the tension. The revelations and unexpected twists keep coming. It was a challenge for me to put this book down. As someone who reads a lot of crime fiction, I appreciate an author who can grab my interest and surprise me. I look forward to reading more Erling books in the future. The High Island is a captivating police procedural.
Also see The Long Isle by Andrew Raymond, set in the Hebrides, or The Inheritance by Trisha Sakhlecha, which has similar themes.
Macmillan
Print/Kindle
£4.99
CFL Rating: 5 Stars
