Member Reviews

This is one of those creepy gets under you skin reads. When Fiona travels from Cambridge to Orkney after receiving a phone call from her best friend Madison saying that she needs her, she isn’t there to meet her when she gets there. When Fiona makes her own way to the cottage where Maddison is supposed to be staying, no-one is there. Fiona is becoming pretty angry at this point. It is dark and cold then she finds the door is unlocked and goes in. Madison has been working on an archaeological dig with a very prestigious team and it seems that they thought she was ill not missing.
Now there is more than a couple of strange characters on this island, from people that own the cottage to the team that Madison worked with. Throw in a court order against a very unsavoury ex-boyfriend that turns up and it makes for quite a lot of possibilities, none of them looking good.
I really enjoyed this story, the atmosphere that the author created and the isolation that felt like it was controlled by the weather and the tides. It seemed like everything was working against Fiona finding out where her friend was. This is a very clever story that made me think. Loved the ending.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

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This book is perfect for any fans who love or are intrigued by archeology.

Unfortunately, it is not a topic that I love. So this did somewhat spoil the book for me. But this is just personal preference

It was a great storyline, but I did guess the ending

The writing was suspenseful and I loved meeting the characters

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Night Falls, Still Missing is Helen Callaghans best book yet. Its a thrilling read set in the Orkneys. On a cold, windswept night, Fiona arrives on a tiny, isolated island in Orkney. She accepted her old friend's invitation with some trepidation - her relationship with Madison has never been plain sailing. But as she approaches Madison's cottage, she sees that the windows are dark. The place has been stripped bare. No one knows where Madison has gone.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book.

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Another great read by Helen Callaghan! I really like her style of writing and her books keep your attention from the beginning to the end.

What would you do if you get a call from your best friend telling you she needs your help? Most of us would immediately jump on our horse and gallop off to save the day!
This is exactly what Fiona does when she gets a call from her bestie Madison telling her she has something to show her. Off she goes to the beautiful Orkney but there is no Madison to pick her up..... Madison has vanished into thin air. What happened to her and does it have something to do with her ex-boyfriend who stalked her or is it work-related?

I loved all the references to the Norse legends and thought it was a clever storyline. It makes you think.....do these things really happen?!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin UK Michael Joseph for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for the arc of Night Falls, still missing by Helen Callaghan.

This follows an Archaeology lecturer whom is named Fiona and she travels to Orkney as she was responding to a cryptic call for help from, Madison whom is an old friend of hers and who is working on a dig there. It is led by a celebrity TV archaeologist Iris Barclay. When she gets there Madison is missing and nowhere to be found or even seen her cottage deserted with nothing to show but no one seems to have any clues in where she is or where she might of been or gone, Fiona’s is very sure and determined that Madison wouldn’t just take off withoutsaying a word to anyone at all as she isnt that type of person, there are evidnece in which her ex boyfriend whom is a stalker is up to his old tricks again.... so where is Madison???

This was such an enthralling and mysterious read, it had me on edge all the way through I loved all the mysterious elements and twists and turns it takes, the plot twist which was like wow! i definitely recommend.

4 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Madison Kowalczyk is on an archeological dig at Helly Holm, Orkney led by renowned celebrity archaeologist Professor Iris Barclay in January 2020. One night she phones her oldest friend Fiona Grey and pleads with her to come to Orkney as she doesn’t feel safe. Fiona makes the long journey north from Cambridge but Madison doesn’t turn up at Stromness to meet her as arranged. Where is she? Does this have anything to do with a malicious, jaw dropping, nasty anonymous tweet about Madison posted from an anonymous account? The story is told in dual timelines in January 2020 in Orkney and backtracks to 2018 and 2019 in London and Cambridge.

First of all, Orkney is a magnificent backdrop and the cold, the snow and lashing wind and roiling seas you’d expect this far north in winter, adds to the atmosphere which the author uses effectively in the storytelling. Secondly, the archeological dig aspect of the novel is fascinating enhanced by the rich Norse heritage of the islands. This is a well written story, I like the plot and the pace matches the unfolding events. The mystery of Madisons whereabouts is intriguing and the ups and downs of the friendship between Fiona and Madison is well portrayed. The characters are clearly depicted although they are not all likeable and it becomes clear that Fiona is uncertain who to trust. There are interesting dynamics and tension between members of the archeological dig and none are entirely what they seem. There are some scary, tense and dangerous moments, twisty surprises and an exciting conclusion.

Overall, an enjoyable read. I love the Orkney setting, the archeological dig background and believable finds which is woven well into the mystery of Madisons disappearance.

With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for the ARC.

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I enjoyed this book. I loved the setting and the suspense. There was a number of possibilities as to what had happened to Madison. Some of the characters were totally unlikeable and some were interesting.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

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This novel didn’t arrest my interest. The logic and actions of Madison didn’t seem plausible for an educated, intelligent young woman. The characters had surprisingly blistering bad language for people of that calibre which lowered the tone and ambience of such an eloquently written novel. It was fairly obvious who was hungry for power and needed Fiona out of the equation. The red herrings wouldn’t fool anyone. One of the red herring characters behaved in emotional overkill which made me cringe. Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin UK Michael Joseph.

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I really enjoyed reading this. Loved the archaeology angle to it as it was different from the books I’ve read in the past. Only downfall I’d say, is I figured out who done it quite early on but I was still interested to see if I was right on the person and motive. Still a great read though!

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Night falls, Still missing is the second book I have read by Helen Callaghan and I throughly enjoyed it.
Madison is missing and best friend Fiona won't stop until she finds her.
Great thriller with twists and shocks right from the get go

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I really enjoyed this thriller, the characters and sense of menace were very good. I wasn't expecting the ending, very good plot twist. The setting was described so well that I could almost imagine myself there.

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Perhaps a better title would have been 'The Girl Who Knew Too Much'. An archeological dig in the middle of January on a tiny fictional tidal island off Orkney is hardly the most auspicious start to the chance of a lifetime that Madison anticipates her opportunity to work with the renown Iris Barclay to be. Iris is ambitious and an extremely flawed character. Her raison d'être appears to be manipulating people and circumstances to get her the fame she craves. When she realises that Madison has growing suspicions about how she operates Iris makes Madison disappear. A real page-turner with an odd mix of fictional and real locations within Orkney, which is fine for those unfamiliar with Orkney, but can be a distraction for people who know and love the Islands well.

Many thanks to Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and Netgalley for an ACSM proof of this novel.

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Wonderfully atmospheric, with chills and fear aplenty in this excellent psychological thriller. Madison is working at a remote archeological site on Orkney during a cold and bleak January. Taking the job to get as far away as possible from her abusive ex and stalker, Dom, she is living in a tiny cottage with no neighbours within shouting distance. Her friend, Fiona answers a desperate plea from Madison to join her for a week as she has something important to show her. On arrival, Fiona can find no trace of Madison. What has happened to her? Her archaeologist colleagues at the dig are, in the main kind and concerned. The police take her seriously but there is no sign of her. Fiona vows not to leave the Island until she has answers. Superbly written with well imagined characters who, from time to time, all give the reader doubts. Some more than others, of course. Just who is responsible for Madison’s disappearance? A cracking read, thoroughly enjoyable.

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Having read, and loved ‘Dear Amy’ & ‘Everything is Lies’ by Helen Callaghan I was eager to read this, her new book. I wasn’t disappointed! Helen has a way with words and description that wrap you up into the story so elegantly. The friendship of the main characters Fiona (Fee) & Madison is gradually revealed, through a series of startling events and back story recounts: from their childhood to student years and beyond, which develops the reader’s understanding, holds you rapt and wanting to read on. Family issues and previous happenings from around their usual homes adds depth and more musings to the mystery.
The setting - Orkney in January, harsh and bleak weather conditions lends to the mysterious and unknown quality of the story, along with the island of Helly Holm and the archaeologists dig and Viking ruins. It is very atmospheric.
I looked for clues to solve the
mystery, after several hints and blind alleys and wonderings I thought I was getting somewhere. The pacy end revealed the protagonist and I was left piecing the bits together for a satisfying conclusion. A thoroughly enjoyable book.

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For lovers of murder, mystery and suspense this is for you. There is a small cast list of suspects and intriguing relationship issues keeping the reader guessing.

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This is a really good and intriguing book. I like how it grips you. But and there’s a big but I really didn’t like the archaeological portrayal in this I also didn’t like the man hating feel of this either it felt way too over the top more Victorian vaudeville style villain and yes there was a twist but it was a bit trite and just stupid. I think it has a good premise but it fails in the delivery.

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I loved the setting for this book, I thought it was very well described and I could visualize it really well.this was a twisty tale I had no idea who had done what and my second guesses were fruitless. No spoilers but I really enjoyed reading this book from the start I felt sucked into the story.I thought it was very well written and beautifully described.I thought it was a clever book .I would recommend this to other readers.

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This was an unexpectedly brilliant read. I loved the unique and emotive setting, and the interesting backdrop of the archaeological dig. A gripping, riveting read.

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I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for an advance copy of Night Falls, Still Missing, a stand-alone thriller set on the Orkney Islands.

Fiona arrives on Orkney at the behest of her best friend, Madison, who has hinted that something is wrong at the archaeological dig she is working on and she has to show it to Fiona, but Madison has disappeared, her lodgings have been cleared out and her car is missing. Determined to find Madison Fiona starts to investigate and finds that Madison has been keeping secrets.

I enjoyed Night Falls, Still Missing which is a tense read with several twists, set in a picturesque location. It is told mostly from Fiona’s point of view with flashbacks to past events in her and Madison’s lives. These flashbacks round out Madison’s recent history (pre-Orkney of course) and add an extra dimension to her disappearance. They also cast a little light on the, at times, uneasy relationship between the two women.

The plot is well enough done to hold the interest. I must admit that I had a good idea of the motive within a couple of chapters, having read the same idea more than once before, but it fell away in the body of the novel as I got lost in various conflicting motives, only to resurface later on. I like the concept of the novel where there are few viable suspects and a limited geography as it allows a stronger emphasis on motive and motivation. It also makes it more plausible that Fiona could uncover the truth. It is an interesting contrast between the openness of the location and the claustrophobia of the relationships, although all are wild and untamed. I found it to be a tense read.

I didn’t take to either Fiona or Madison, who, despite being missing, dominates the novel with her secrets and poor decision making. Fiona is probably well drawn but she spends much of the novel either in tears or emotional turmoil, until the denouement where she suddenly becomes bold. It gets a bit wearing.

Being Scottish I like a slice of Tartan Noir but I was disappointed in this novel, not because of the location which seems well described, but because all the characters are English. I say this not from racism but because there is no Scottish feel to the novel in the dialogue so it could have been set on any island with wild weather and it wouldn’t make any difference.

Night Falls, Still Missing is a good read that I can recommend.

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Great book, gripping and unputdownable. I have read this book in just one sitting it has been absolutely fab!

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