Isolation Island by Louise Minchin

This is a holiday read; pick it up at the airport or station. Or read on a wet weekend leaving reality at the front door. It is an easy fast, fast-paced read. It is forty-two chapters of twists and turns, unreliable participants and false leads.

The concept is standard, participants in a reality TV show are in a locked room scenario. Louise handles the myriad of threads well, and her ten celebrity participants are deftly drawn with disruptive voices, personal secrets and distinguishing attributes.  A heady mix to manage, Louise does this with aplomb, she makes the plotting appear simple. (Anyone who has attempted to write will know what a challenge this is),

They must not disclose the prize they have been offered. The lure of the tailor-made prize is enough to make the celebrities get to spend two weeks on a wintery Scottish Island.

They are left to their own devices to complete the tasks set by the production team on the mainland. The only company they have is each other, and they all see cameras set up around the island. And let’s not forget the disembodied voice informing them of their tasks and judging their progress.

This a collision of reality TV favourites enjoyed by the viewing public. This time as the reader you are behind the scenes. You know more than the participants.

The group is fractious, hungry and cold. Life on the island is not fun. People disappear and then a body is found. Nate is not someone the reader would shed a tear over. Did he fall or was he pushed?

Dark secrets are hidden, and others are revealed. Then the weather decides to throw in a curved ball with the storm of the century.

With no way of contacting the production team; all communications are down. They are on their own.

The ending leaves the reader to decide if the culprit gets away with the murders. It all depends on Lauren – will she opt to re-launch her career with the inside story, and let the culprit go free? Or will she tell the truth and uncover the murder, leaving her once again disbelieving and her reputation as a journalist crushed?

Reader you decide!

3* #Thriller mystery celebrity women’s fiction

Publication date 12th Sept 2024

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