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.

This was a flop!
It took me almost a month to read it, which says more than any other word.
The only good thing about this book, was the atmosphere, that gave the reader claustrophobic feeling.
I didn’t like the main protagonist, the detective George and also the banter between her and her colleague as well.

The thing that was missing in this book was the suspense! The story dragged and despite quite decent writing there were no thrilling hooks that would roll the reading paste.

Despite the unfavorable outcome, thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC copy.

The Wolf Treeby Laura McCluskey

I give this book 5*

Book review.

DI George(Georgina) Lennoxtown is back to work alongside her work partner and friend DI Richie Stewart on her first case since being seriously injured on duty. They are posted to the remote Scottish island of Eilean Eadar to investigate the suspicious death of Alan Ferguson.

Eilean Eadar's residents don’t take kindly to ‘mainlanders’ coming on to the island to investigate what they see as a simple suicide. The island is very insular and anyone from the mainland marrying an islander has to adopt their customs and way of life where the church, as well as pagan beliefs having a big impact on island life.

DI Lennox and Stewart are treated with suspicion and hostility by the majority of the islanders, at least to begin with when they start questioning everyone who lives on the island about the death of Alan. The device of everyone being questioned separately led to to my suspicions about who was responsible for Alan’s death changing all the time which made the big reveal of the truth all the more shocking and surprising.

The incident back in Glasgow where DI Lennox was injured was slowly revealed as flashbacks which added another dimension to the story.
Setting the story on a very isolated, windswept island adds to the dark, claustrophobic atmosphere of the book.

Although this is a police procedural of sorts, the storyline is very original.

I really enjoyed this book and I would like to see more books featuring DI George Lennox and DI Richie Stewart, perhaps back on the mainland in Glasgow.

Thankyou to NetGalley and Harper Collins Hemlock Press for an advance readers e-book copy of the book in return for a fair and honest review.

Set in a closed community on an isolated island, some welcome the arrival of two mainland detectives to investigate the death of a young man whilst others are openly hostile. The gloomy, dark and menacing atmosphere together with the ancient beliefs and practices adds to the claustrophobic sense of doom and the vulnerability of the two detectives. Well written but a slow burn, I did wonder what would happen to the island after the “modern” world arrives in the closing stages.

A young boy is found dead at the foot of a lighthouse on a remote Scottish island.
DIs Georgina Lennox and Richard Stewart are sent to investigate the suspected suicide.
However, this is a community who live by superstition and folklore and soon their lives are in danger.

Folklore and religion define island life. The elements and remote location are essential components of this crime mystery that features an increasingly toxic community where an unexplained violent death has occurred. The Scottish mainland Detective Inspectors George Lennox and Rich Stewart investigate the death and soon find that the close community is not revealing any of its secrets, and their presence is unwanted. As the weather deteriorates, leaving the island becomes impossible. I like the claustrophobic and menacing atmosphere created and the complex characters with many dark secrets. The vulnerability of the detectives, especially George, who has issues from a workplace incident, keeps you invested in their safety. It's a compelling mystery to solve with unexplained occurrences that mask the truth. It is reminiscent of Icelandic and Nordic noir and is a page-turning read.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Atmospheric debut novel by Laura McCluskey set on a Scottish Island. Well written book that I sped through in two sittings. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

George and Richie are despatched to the small remote island of Eilean Eadar in the Northern Hebrides when a young man's is looking possibly suspicious. Some of the Islanders are welcoming, but others are openly hostile.
They are a religious community and appear to be well and truly under the thumb of the Church. George is woken at night by a sound that sounds like a wolf and is convinced that someone is watching her. but Richie hasn't heard it.
Strange happenings on the island convince George that something isn't quite right, but when they are due to leave the Island, truths start to emerge and George wonders if they will actually get off the Island.
A little bit Wickerman, but engrossing.

The story begins with the body of Alan Ferguson being found at the Lighthouse. DIs Georgina (George) Lennox and Richard Stewart (Ritchie) are sent to investigate on a small island off the coast of Scotland. We learn the islanders aren't very trustful of mainlanders in their midst. Secrets and lies are brought to the fore as George and Ritchie question the inhabitants as they try to discover the truth behind Alan's death. What we learn are there are reasons and the islanders want them to be kept quiet. The sub plots all come together with a dramatic conclusion that I never saw coming. The descriptions of the characters and locations were well written.

Atmospheric murder mystery set on a small Scottish island. Inspector George Lennox and her partner Richie go to Eadar in a howling gale to solve the murder of a young man. There they get to know all the hardy locals of this tiny island in the North Atlantic where there’s only a single phone. The characters and bleak landscape come to life through the author’s skill.

If isolated islands and slow burn mysteries are your thing then you will really enjoy this. It is a little slow to get going but stick with it and you will be drawn into the spooky goings on as the MC comes to the realisation that all is not as it seems. The pace picks up throughout the book and the ending is satisfying. (Copy received via #netgalley in return for an honest review)

A slow burner . Interesting premise which didn’t quite deliver. Too far fetched for my liking . Not a fan of fae elements. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.