Cover Image: Fault Lines

Fault Lines

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Member Reviews

Alternate Scotland, you say? Contemporary Alternate Scotland, with a volcano? Okay I'm sold. Surtsey is a volcanologist, and she's been studying this anomaly for quite some time. In a trip to the new island, The Inch, she is supposed to meet her boyfriend and boss, Tom, but finds his dead body instead. Then Surtsey makes the really bad decision to act like nothing happened. Unfortunately for her, the bodies will keep on coming, and there may be someone out there who knows exactly what she's done.
This book really takes off from the start, and it's a very interesting mystery. I think all kinds of readers will enjoy it
3 stars

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FAULT LINES is a tautly-knotted murder mystery set in a slightly alternate Edinburgh, where 25 years ago a volcanic eruption forced a new island to the surface, on the very day of future volcanologist Surtsey's birth. Daughter of a volcanologist/geologist and named for an Icelandic volcano, Surtsey can't remember a time without the Inch. Now as her mother is dying, so do other loved ones, but not from cancer. Someone offstage is orchestrating murders, taunting Surtsey, condemning her to the police, till she is entangled in a web of someone else's demise, someone possessing an agenda very ugly and dangerous.

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Fault Lines by author Doug Johnstone is a thrill of a book. Secrets and characters keep you guessing and wanting more! Great read!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of Fault Lines in exchange for an honest review.

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In a reimagined contemporary Edinburgh, in which a tectonic fault has opened up to produce a new volcano in the Firth of Forth, and where tremors are an everyday occurrence, volcanologist Surtsey makes a shocking discovery. On a clandestine trip to The Inch—the new volcanic island—to meet Tom, her lover and her boss, she finds his lifeless body, and makes the fatal decision to keep their affair, and her discovery of his corpse secret. Desperate to know how he died, but also terrified she’ll be exposed, Surtsey’s life quickly spirals into a nightmare when someone makes contact—someone who claims to know what she’s done.

What initially drew me to this book was the cover and then after reading that description I couldn't wait to get my hands on it!

This was a 'who-dun-it' type of story that just flowed so smoothly. I loved the detail that the author uses, it felt as if I was right there in Edinburgh with Surtsey. The middle of the book is where it gets really good!

Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC of #FaultLines
Pub Date: 01 Nov 2018

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Thank you NetGalley, Doug Johnstone and Trafalgar Square Publishing for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

In a new Edinburgh, a tetonic plate opens up and creates a new volcano in the middle of the Firth of Forth and cause tremors every day. This new island and names the Inch and volcanologist Surtsey has been studying it for years. One trip to the Inch to meet her secret lover, also her boss, she finds him there murdered. She runs away and her worst nightmare comes true when someone begins contacting her saying they saw what she has done.

This book starts off with a bang and drops you right into the murder on the Inch. I was afraid from the first few chapters that the book would be more about the Inch and volcano’s than about the characters and the murder, but luckily for me it wasn’t at all like that! I really enjoyed Surtsey’s character and how her and her sister, Iona are just trying to get through this life. They seemed so real and full of grief that I could imagine befriending one of them. I really enjoyed how fast paced this novel was and how you suspect almost everyone except the one who is committing the murders.

I really enjoyed how this was a totally newly imagined Edinburgh and how the author created this new island out of a volcano and made it important to people. I actually surprised myself but how quickly I flew through this novel, it is a quick and addicting read. The only part that really bothered me about this novel was the amount of drinking and drugs that goes on, I want to say it wasn’t necessary, but then again it was a part of their lives and their grieving process. I was surprised at the ending and really enjoyed the few twists that happened and how it gives you a bit of closure. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this one and how different it was from most of the other novels I read just because of the fantasy type feel you get from the Inch.

Out November 1st!

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Doug Johnstone is an accomplished man. A bonafide nuclear physicist, musician, teacher, journalist and, of course, an author. Though one I’ve never heard of until finding his latest book on Netgalley. Sounded like a thriller right up my alley and so it kinda was. To be honest the 25 year old protagonist, Surtsey, who constantly drinks, gets high and screws up her personal affairs isn’t exactly my preference and the rest of the main cast is just as young and variously degrees of tedious, but the writing was very good and the setting absolutely terrific. Coastal Scotland and a tiny baby island The Inch (see, some 25 year old things are fun) born out of volcanic activity. The author also did a great job of ratcheting up the claustrophobic net of suspense tightening around Sur as she becomes the main suspect in the death around her. The mystery aspect of it was…I suspected it around 50% and figured it out for sure at 70%, but then again it comes to light at about 81% so it wasn’t like trudging through the entire novel knowing what’s going on. But the motivation was predictable, though, and not very original. A seasoned mystery thriller fan might be left wanting. Great title too, making a clever play on the dual meaning of the words, fault lines reshaping the psychical world around the characters and the inner worlds within them until the appropriately explosive final act. So something of a mixed bag, but generally an enjoyable read (mainly due to the quality of writing), plenty entertaining and a promising introduction to a new author. Thanks Netgalley.

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