This is a slow burn that does pick up in the second half of the book, but I struggled to keep going.

The Wolf Tree
Laura McCluskey

“I’ll never tell you not to trust your gut. But a homicide needs evidence, and we’ve got nothing of the sort - because…?”

This felt rather descriptive and set a slower pace to start. With the two DI’s arrival on the isolated island, they are covering old ground, reinterviewing people to get a sense for the crime. The more time spent on the island and with the inhabitants, the sooner you learn there’s a rather ominous undertone towards outsiders.

“Because history has shown them that when people stop doing what they’re supposed to, bad things happen.”

The Wolf Tree is filled with atmosphere and suspense. You have the current crime; Alan Ferguson’s fall from the island’s lighthouse and the famous historical crime of three lighthouse keepers who disappeared in 1919. These mysteries both converge to create a wonderful isolating and hostile environment that makes you wonder if Detective Inspector Georgina Lennox and partner, Detective Inspector Richie Stewart will unravel the mystery of Eilean Eadar island and it’s devout inhabitants.

“Can you imagine trying to hold a grudge in a place this small? It’d be impossible to stay angry with someone when they’re your boss, your cousin and your hairdresser.”

“What else is there for kids to do? If they’re not working, they’re bored. And boredom breeds strife.”

The Wolf Tree is set on a tiny, remote island off the coast of Scotland where an 18 year old has just been found dead at the foot of the lighthouse - an apparent suicide. DIs George and Ritchie are sent to investigate, but a storm sees them trapped for longer than they expected and the locals are wary of 'mainlanders'. The detectives realise that there is more to the island than meets the eye and find themselves embroiled in a mystery going back over a hundred years.

This seems to be quite a common premise for thrillers - people get stuck on a remote island and a storm sets in, so I didn't find it overly 'exciting'. That said, it was well written and the descriptions of the island were good and I could definitely picture the scene.
I liked the two detectives and their relationship, but felt that I wanted to know more about their history.

My thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

DI's George Lennox and Richie Stewart have been dispatched to Eadar, one of the most remote islands in the Outer Hebrides, to investigate the death of a young man. People believe it was suicide, but the medical examiner found marks on his arm that look like fingerprints. With a population of only 206, it's likely that everyone knows everyone else's business.

Alan Ferguson's body was found at the foot of the lighthouse. A seemingly happy young man who wanted to go to the mainland to study at a university.
Did he jump off the top of the lighthouse?
A note on the autopsy report is niggling at George—"Bruising inconsistent with impact trauma."

Is there something more sinister going on on this small, idyllic island, and is there a connection to the mysterious disappearance of three lighthouse keepers in 1919? This island, steeped in superstition and folklore, may not be a place you want to visit...

While I found the pacing a bit slow, I really enjoyed the atmospheric tone and the way the story builds to a suspenseful climax. The island is vividly described and appears idyllic until the ominous howling of the wolf tree begins...

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest.

Inspectors Richie and George are sent to a remote, wild island off the Scottish coast to investigate the death of an 18year old who was found at the bottom of the lighthouse. Is it murder is it suicide. The locals are full of suspicion of the mainlanders and just want the inspectors gone. The island has priest but the inspectors also notice pagan signs.
I loved the descriptiveness of the island and its people, the ruggedness of the landscape, the rapid change of weather and their remote lifestyle that makes them suspicious of any newcomers.
A brilliant book that makes you feel you are there and worry for the inspectors tucked away in a little cottage away from the village..

Inspectors George and Richie are sent from the mainland to investigate a sudden death on remote island Eilean Eadar. As they get to know the locals and the landscape, they hear about the mysterious disappearance of three light house keepers over a hundred years ago. With no evidence of foul play in either case, impulsive George’s instincts tells her there is more than meets the eye.

I found this an atmospheric and compelling read. George and Richie work well together with their work styles balancing each other out whilst there is a wholesome pseudo-father-daughter vibe going on between them. I liked the cast of islanders, each one secretive and kind of creepy in their own way. I found it quite slow to start and quite late to finish but felt like it galloped during the last twenty percent of the book. A solid thriller. I would definitely be interested to see the characters develop if it was turned into a series.

A suicide on a remote island leads to George and Richie going out there to investigate. It all seems as expected thought the island and its residents are a little unusual. George is still recovering from her own problems and Richie isnt convinced she's up to it. They are both however about to learn things are far more complicated then either realised.

Wow this was so good. The atmosphere created by the author is brilliant. Its eerie and creepy as you need it to be. The plot was clever and well written they're are many twists along the way you just dont know which way it will end up. As for the ending , it was brilliant, dramatic and bittersweet. Just how i wanted it to end. The writing is descriptive and you can easily picture yourself there. I really liked George she has a lot going on and can be reckless yet you want her to succeed. A brilliant eerie thriller.

On the small island of Eilean Eadar, in Scotland’s Western Isles, the community are grieving the death of 18 year old Alan Ferguson. A young man with so much promise who was looking forward to leaving the island for University, he died by falling from the top of the old lighthouse. Although the local police believe he committed suicide, DI Georgia (George) Lennox and DI Richard (Richie) Stewart have been sent from the mainland to investigate. This is George’s first job back in the field since coming back from a major injury and she is glad to be out from behind a desk and determined to do a good job.

The locals they meet seem friendly enough on the surface, but most don’t like strangers and give them hostile looks or shy away from them. Just over two hundred people live on the island where the main income is from fishing and a few sheep. With no mobile reception or internet and only one satellite phone in the post office they are cut off from the mainland and used to being self-sufficient. Georgie soon discovers that the community is centred around the church, with the local priest heavily involved in all facets of island life, often turning up when George and Richie are conducting interviews.

There are lots of superstitions on the island and unexplained strange happenings, creating a dark and menacing atmosphere at times. Richie just wants to get the job done and get home, but George gets the feeling the islanders are keeping things from her and follows her instincts. She also becomes immersed in learning more about the unsolved mystery of three lighthouse keepers who vanished without a trace in 1919. Although George and Richie have worked together for four years, they gradually become irritable and tetchy with each other.

This is terrific debut mystery with a creepy, gothic feel. The rugged, windswept island is very atmospheric with a sense of claustrophobia and growing unease. As George becomes convinced that something is very wrong on the island, the tension builds as strange events occur, exploding in a suspenseful ending.

A remote island off the West Coast of Scotland provides the setting for this strong crime debut novel. D I George Lennox and DI Richie Stewart arrive on a police launch to investigate the case of an eighteen year old who fell from the lighthouse. Is it a case of suicide, as everyone suspects, and if so, why did he do it?

The people of Eadar are split between being overly friendly and hostile. With little to do with the mainland this staunchly Catholic fishing community have learnt to survive through everyone doing their bit with superstition and folklore having as big a part to play as the Sunday Masses led by Father Ross.

Laura McCluskey conveys the sense of isolation very well. Howling winds and storms add to the sense of the community cut off. DI George is having her own struggles, returning to work after a terrible incident, she is relying on strong painkillers she attempts to keep secret from her partner. George, although she has a good relationship with the older hanging-on-in-there-till-retirement Richie is not a team player. Her tendency to go it alone has got her in trouble in the past and will continue to do so here.

The tensions between the mainlanders and the islanders builds in intensity even though it looks like the investigation is going nowhere. A bit of historical sleuthing is added to the mix when centre-of-the-community post office worker Kathy lends George documents from the island’s past, which tells of three lighthouse keepers who disappeared without trace. This harks back to a real-life case in the Outer Hebrides in 1900 which in itself became the inspiration for Emma Stonex’s “The Lamplighters” (2021) and because of this familiarity was the least successful aspect of Laura McCluskey’s novel as it felt a little tacked on but it does have its part to play in the resolution of the plot.

I’m not sure if this is the first of a planned series but there’s plenty of potential here with both police characters at the end pretty much still a blank canvas as we have only so far seen them away from their usual environment. The confident handling of plot, setting and pace here suggests that we will certainly be hearing from Laura McCluskey again.

The Wolf Tree was published on February 20th 2025 by Hemlock Press, a crime-based imprint of Harper Collins. Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the advance review copy.

Well written mystery novel. Had a bit of a ‘Wickerman’ feel to it.
This book builds the tension at a slow burn. Eilean Eadar is a place of dark secrets and with some unexpected things thrown into the mix.

When a suicide on a remote Scottish island is flagged up, Inspectors Lennox and Ritchie find themselves dispatched to investigate. Eadar is a beautiful island but the locals are not very friendly and, despite everything pointing to suicide, Lenox feels there are secrets to be uncovered. Haunted by howling and local legends Lennox struggles to solve the mysteries before she and her partner become victims themselves.
This is a strong police procedural with shades of the Wicker Man in its themes around primitive superstition and belief. The plot is fairly easy to unravel, the twists are signposted, but it's a thrilling ride to the conclusion.

DIs Georgina Lennox and Richard Stewart are sent to the remote island of Eilean Eadar, which lies off the coast of Scotland, in order to investigate the mysterious death of eighteen year old, Alan Ferguson. The arrival of the detectives is met with a mixture of excitement, distrust and downright malevolence from many of the islanders who resent any intrusion from the mainland. Whilst Alan Ferguson’s untimely death can be regarded as a tragic suicide, there are questions to be answered however, the islanders do not give up their secrets easily, and become more distrustful as the story progresses.

There is a genuine air of tension which builds gradually and even the detectives start to feel the pressure of being cut off from everything. I took a while to warm to the detectives, especially Georgina (George) who carries the burden of a past trauma which affects her judgement and makes her rather unpredictable. The story is definitely creepy, with a genuine air of mystery, from the stark sentinel of the lighthouse, which lures above the island, to the turbulent sea and the ever present danger of being surrounded by people with secrets to hide.

Well written, imaginatively described, The Wolf Tree is a locked-room type mystery which builds the tension deliberately slowly, which mirrors the slow pace of life on the island where nothing is ever rushed. Eilean Eadar is a place of dark secrets and with twists and turns I didn’t seen coming, this is definitely a thrilling story which kept my attention from start to finish.

A very good thriller two DI's George (Georgina) and Richard arrive on a remote Scottish island to investigate a young man's death. Some of the locals are welcoming some are hostile. Claustrophobic with the storm keeping them on the island this is a well written novel with well drawn characters, full of menace and plot twists highly recommend. Thanks to Harpercollins UK and Netgalley for this review copy.

This intriguing story starts at a very slow pace. Slowly, like the island itself, stuck so far in the past with it’s folklore, and self-preservation, known to us as lawlessness, or law-unto-themselves! Whilst we are wondering what really happened to Alan on the island, other past events are revealed. On the island, it’s the three missing lighthouse keepers (1917). DI Georgina (George) Lennox has had a difficult last 8 months, and she is still suffering the consequences of her decision.
Then the pace suddenly picks up, and it’s a riveting read. There is so much action, danger and struggles. What has happened on Eileen Eadar and why?
I received an ARC from NetGalley and HarperCollins. I am writing a voluntary, honest review.

Inspector Georgina ( George) Lennox and Inspector Richie Stewart arrive on the remote Scottish island of Eileen Eader to investigate the death of a teenage boy. Life on the island is completely alien to them as they are from Glasgow. The islanders are suspicious of them and some refuse to talk to them. There is an underlying sense of secrets being kept from them. At times, there was a tense and chilling atmosphere and definitely dangerous events. I certainly didn’t see what was happening on the island or who was responsible. I needed to keep reading until the end. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this debut and look forward to reading more from @lauramccluskey_
Set on a small Scottish island, an isolated community are grieving the death of eighteen year old Alan Ferguson, an apparent suicide.
DI’s George and Richard are sent from Glasgow to investigate. A storm keeps them on the island where they question the islanders and discover the village is full of superstition and secrets.
It’s well written with great characters that have depth. It’s told at a good pace with plenty of twists and turns, it’s atmospheric and tense keeping you turning the pages.
Recommend this one if you enjoy murder mystery and police procedurals.
With thanks to #NetGallery #HarperCollinsUk @HarperFiction for an arc of #TheWolfTree in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 27 February 2025

A well written but rather slow tale. I liked to two police detectives but a lot of the island folk had not much to interest me.
I’m not keen on the folklore bits of the book and also the ending was abit unsatisfactory.

Eilean Eadar is a barren, windswept rock inhabited by a few hundred humans and sheep. Until now, the island was best known for the unsolved mystery of the three lighthouse keepers who vanished back in 1919. But when a young man is found dead at the base of the same lighthouse, two detective inspectors are sent from Glasgow to investigate. Georgina ‘George’ Lennox is finally back from leave after a devastating accident and happy to be on the case with her partner, Richie Stewart.
A well written, enjoyable debut novel which I thoroughly enjoyed. The characters have depth, the pace is good & there was plenty of suspense. I really liked how the author built a vivid picture of the island & the atmosphere was chilling at tomes. There were twists & turns as well as surprises. A very good debut & I look forward to more from the author
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

DIs Georgina Lennox and Richard Stewart are sent to a remote Scottish island to investigate the apparent suicide of 18 year old Alan Ferguson, who fell from the lighthouse. But did he jump or was he pushed? The DIs face a wall of distrust from the local residents as soon as they arrive on the island, which hampers their investigations. Although there are a few friendly faces, what transpires is that they all have own secrets to keep.

The atmosphere of the storyline is very intense, not helped by the fact that DI Lennox is recovering from a major injury on a previous case (and frankly shouldn't be on this one). As the days and nights move on, it all becomes very claustrophobic, and dangerous, with a shocking outcome at the end.

The Wolf Tree is a thoroughly enjoyable read, with excellent characters and a believable narrative.

Two weeks ago the population of Eilean Eadar went from 207 to 206, when Alan Ferguson fell from the Lighthouse. Misadventure, murder, or suicide? Although the latter seems most likely, the post mortem find some odd features, so DI Georgina (George) Lennox and DI Richard (Richie) Stewart are sent from Glasgow to investigate. Two Detective Inspectors seems like overkill, but George has just returned to service after a serious injury on a previous case, and has just been promoted from DS, and was Richie’s partner in that role. Perhaps this straightforward job will ease her back into harness.
The islanders rarely, if ever, travel to the mainland and very few were born there. Fear of strangers, reliance on each other, and stoicism in the face of North Atlantic storms, rule their way of life; well that and the staunch Catholicism which makes Father Ross the dominant personality on the island. The next most prominent person is Cathy, the post mistress, and holder of the only communication device, a satellite phone. Between them they control everything.
Richie, approaching retirement, is slow and methodical. He sees the islanders as idiosyncratic claustrophobes and leans towards a suicide verdict. He is also paternalistic and over-protective towards George. George is not yet thirty, and is impulsive, heedless of risk, and distrustful of the islanders. She is also a borderline addict, dependent on the medication prescribed after her injury. While not dismissing a suicide verdict, she remains sceptical.
So this story is essentially a police procedural, possibly a murder-mystery, possibly a gothic tale. It is certainly a melodrama. It is told from George’s point of view, in the present tense. The actions of the two detectives are somewhat haphazard, and George is, frankly, a loose cannon, erratic and headstrong. She also appears to be indestructible. Although the action picks up towards the end, the first half or more is too slow, and events are rather repetitious. I did deduce most of how it would end, apart from one twist. I think it just about reaches three stars.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.