Book Review: Deathly Wind (Inspector Torquil McKinnon #2) by Keith Moray

Title: Deathly Wind
Author: Keith Moray
Series: Inspector Torquil McKinnon book#2
Publisher: Sapere Books
Publication date: 5th April 2018
Pages: 239
Format Read: Kindle edition
Source: courtesy of publisher

Inspector Torquil McKinnon had been devastated when he returned to the island to discover that Constable Ewan McPhee, his best friend, was missing, presumed drowned. Then, when a crofter died in a climbing accident, a dog was poisoned and a body was discovered face down in a rock pool, he began to suspect a killer was on the loose. Could all this somehow be connected with the controversial building of wind towers which enraged the local crofting community and worried the conservation group? It would take all Torquil's skills to unravel the mystery and put everyone's mind at rest.

The residents of Kyleshiffin are like family, most have grown up there, some moved away and then returned. They all look out for each other and there is the occasional good natured ribbing.

Inspector Torquil McKinnon is away on leave after the death of his girlfriend Fiona. While he is away constable Ewan McPhee goes missing and Sergeant Morag Driscoll is trying to hold the office and is eager for Torquil to return.

The setting of Kyleshiffin West Uist in the Scottish Hebrides is an Island with a tight knit community cut off from the mainland where the residents are used to dealing with problems on their own.

Moray layers one mystery on top of another. An assassin kills a family, the new Laird of Dunshiffin Castle arrives and starts making enemies immediately, threats start to fly and the body count rises. Always in the back of their minds is the missing constable and friend, Ewan.

I really enjoyed the first in the series The Gathering Murders with the introduction to Torquil McKinnon and his uncle the Padre. There are plenty of regulars that will appear in book 2 and also a few new comers to West Uist. It’s not paramount, But I would recommend, you read book 1 which gives much character insight on McKinnon and his team. It’s also a darn good read.

Moray uses the contentious issue of wind farms to create conflict in the community. There are also those for and against the culling of hedgehogs and animal protection. Some people may not be who they appear to be!

Not everyone survives the battle and the locals of West Uist may be mourning more than one of their own by the end of the book.

Everything is wrapped up nicely, with a few surprising revelations, making this a perfect stand alone read.

Deathly Wind is an evenly paced story that I read in one sitting. The mysteries are compelling and the characters are well drawn.

Highly recommended

                                             
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My rating 5/5

Keith Moray was born in St Andrews and studied medicine at the University of Dundee in Scotland. He lives in England now, within arrow-shot of the ruins of a medieval castle, the scene of two of his historical novels, The Pardoner’s Crime and The Fool’s Folly. He is a part-time doctor, medical journalist and novelist, writing in several genres. He writes historical fiction and crime as Keith Moray, non-fiction as Keith Souter and westerns as Clay More. Curiously, his medical background finds its way into most of his writing.
He is a member of various writers’ organisations, including the Crime Writers’ Association, Medical Journalists Association, International Thriller Writers, Western Writers of America and a past vice-president of Western Fictioneers, a professional organisation of Western writers.
In his spare time, Keith enjoy the movies, theatre and making bread. He plays golf, tennis and runs at carthorse speed. As a frustrated actor, he has found occasional solace as a supporting artist, but enough said about that!
Keith lives in West Yorkshire in England with his wife Rachel and whichever of his children and grandchildren happen to pop home.