The Wolf Tree by Laura McCluskey is an atmospheric mystery.
I found it to be really hard to put down.
This is a tightly written story, with well developed characters.

This book was a nice balance of eerie and mysterious. Inspector George Lennox is fiercely focused on determining the circumstances surrounding a young man’s death. She and her partner travel to a remote island and find the townspeople friendly and unnerving. I appreciated that the story balanced the townspeople’s odd demeanors with George’s partner, Richie’s, positive demeanor and that many of the threads came together at the end. The ending kept me guessing and I appreciated that it felt both concluded and like we could follow George’s detective work further.

**4.5 stars**

This was an excellent debut, a unique atmospheric police procedural with a touch of folk horror. I greatly enjoyed it and read it in almost 48 hours time. I truly felt like I was present on Eilean Eadar, feeling the salty chilly air with George and Ritchie. I love books that make you feel like you know the characters and this book fully accomplishes that.

I absolutely did not guess what was happening and I LOVE that so much because I can usually guess, at least a little. But not this time! If you enjoy dark, atmospheric mysteries with an interesting police detective main character, especially set in a remote Scottish isle, then do yourself a favor and read The Wolf Tree.

I hope this is the first book in a series. If not a series I will definitely look forward to Ms McCluskey’s next book.

**Thanks to the author and publisher for the e-arc I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.**

Wow. It took me a while to get involved in this one, but once I got hooked, I was hooked, and read it in one setting. George -- short for Georgina-- and her partner Richie, are Scottish inspectors sent to a tiny island miles from the mainland, and inhabited by a very small group of people, to determine if a suicide was really a suicide. Alan, the young boy in question seemingly had everything to live for, but markings on his arms were not consistent with falling from an abandoned lighthouse. No-one on the island is willing to offer any information, and they are about to return home when many suspicious events come to an unexpected head. I highly recommend, and am hoping to see more books with George and Richie.
Thanks to NetGalley for an arc, and no pressure for a positive review.

The atmosphere steals the show. If you're in it for rain, wind, cold, and craggy cliffs - this is your book. It also pulls off newcomer vs standoffish/creepy townies quite well.

Two detectives are sent to a remote Scottish island to investigate what was deemed a suicide, but may be something more sinister. The male detective is near retirement. The female detective is talented, but young. She's also recovering from on the job trauma that you learn more about as the story progresses. All that to say, the two leads have more of a father/daughter relationship. Nothing romantic, which I appreciated.

The mystery was decent, a little slow, and not super inventive, but it kept me reading. What's really sticking with me is the sense of place- both the isolation and strangeness, but also landscape, weather, and inhabitants.

If you like detective fiction and immersive sense of place, give this a try.

Was it suicide...or something more sinister?

On the tiny island of Eilean Eadar off the west coast of Scotland people live very much in the way their ancestors have for hundred of years. Fishing is the main way of making a living, the two hundred or so residents all attend the Catholic church that overlooks the sea, and more than a few believe in folklore as strongly as they do religion. Mainlanders rarely come to stay here, and those who do are regarded with suspicion at best, hostility at worst. One of their own, an 18 year old boy named Alan Ferguson, was recently found dead at the base of the island's decommissioned lighthouse. The coastguard, the closest thing the island has to law enforcement, interviewed the people in the area and sent the body to the mainland for autopsy. It appeared to be suicide, or perhaps an accidental fall...but there were some unexplained bruises on the arm which along with the victim's young age indicated a more formal investigation was indicated. A pair of DI's from Glasgow are sent to ask more questions to determine if a verdict of suicide can confidently be rendered and hopefully give the grieving mother a sense of closure, DI Richie Stewart and his partner DI Georgina Lennox arrive to find that not only are the islanders somewhat surprised to see police from the mainland...the mainland has a history of forgetting and ignoring them, after all, and Alan's death while a tragedy was to their eyes no great mystery.,.they quite frankly don't want them there. With the lack of a law enforcement presence on the island most matters are brought before the local priest to be settled, and the postmistress keeps most of the island in order; why should they need the police? This is DI Lennox's first case after months of recovering from injuries sustained in her last investigation, and neither her partner nor her superintendent are entirely sure that she should be back in action. This was thought to be a fairly simple and relatively safe case to test the waters...but in a community that has always handled anything or anyone who threatens them in their own way, nothing is straightforward and no one is exactly what they seem.
The Wolf Tree is an atmospheric mystery, part police procedural and part thriller, with a protagonist in George Lennox who is complicated, prickly, and not forthcoming to anyone (including her partner Richie who is as close to her as family) as to the extent with which she is still struggling with pain from her head injury. Relying on strong painkillers far more than she should, which Richie suspects but thus far hasn't voiced, she is determined to prove to everyone that she need no longer be parked at a desk; investigating crimes in the field is what she has always wanted to do, and being kept away from it has been agony for her. Is she prone to impulsive actions and putting herself unnecessarily at risk, as Richie keeps telling her, or is she just being a good cop? Is her reliance on pain killers causing her to make errors, to imagine seeing and hearing things, or are there really weird things going on? As the mystery of what happened to Alan Ferguson unfolds, George and Richie sort through the cryptic islanders; the priest who holds such sway over his flock, the taciturn sheep farmer for whom Alan worked, the postmistress who knows everyone's business and doesn't recognize boundaries. The setting is vaguely Gothic, in a windswept, ocean-lashed and forbidding way. I was hooked from the first pages, wanting to know George's secrets as well as finding out what led to Alan's death, and the elements of folklore along with more than a few twists and turns along the way kept me going. Readers of Ann Cleeves, Lucy Foley and Peter May should give author Laura McCluskey's debut novel a try. Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam/G P Putnam's Sons for allowing me access to this gripping read in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley & G.P. Putnam’s Sons for an eARC ♥️♥️♥️


Scotland, Secrets, and a Whole Lot of Suspense

The Wolf Tree is a mystery novel is like a rich, velvety Scotch whisky - it's got depth, complexity, and a whole lot of kick.
The story unfolds on the rugged, windswept Scottish island of Eilean Eadar, where the misty lochs and crumbling castles seem to hold secrets of their own. I'm a total sucker for Scotland's atmospheric landscapes, and this book delivers in spades. From the creepy, abandoned lighthouse to the quaint, village pub, every setting is vividly described and utterly immersive.
Detective Inspectors George Lennox and Richie Stewart are tasked with unraveling the tangled threads of a decades-old mystery, and the more they dig, the more they realize that nothing is as it seems. Who can they trust? What's real, and what's just legend? As they interview the island's tight-lipped residents, they begin to uncover a web of secrets and lies that goes all the way back to the island's troubled past.
I love how Laura McCluskey weaves together the island's history, folklore, and mythology to create a rich, suspenseful narrative. The writing is evocative and atmospheric, with a keen sense of place and a deep understanding of the human psyche. The characters are complex and multi-dimensional, with secrets and motivations that are slowly revealed as the story unfolds and just when you think you've figured out whodunit, the author throws in another curveball that'll keep you on the edge of your seat. If you're a fan of mysteries, thrillers, or just great storytelling, you need to get your hands on this book.♥️

The Wolf Tree was really interesting. I liked the character study and loved the writing, it was propulsive. I would read more from the author.

This was wonderful! I loved the character development and the relationships between various characters. I liked not knowing exactly what happened to one of the main characters until that slowly unfolds. This kept me guessing til the end! As someone who comes from a very small town where everyone knows everything about everyone else, this all felt very genuine. The setting was described beautifully, as well. I felt like I was there and very cold the whole time lol. Highly recommend this book and I will probably choose it as my pick for book club this year!

Even though the plot moved slow, this book piqued my interest and I am glad I stayed with it. I could see this turning into a series. George (Georgina) and Richie are both DI's (Detective Inspector's) from Glasgow. They are sent to investigate a death on a small island. It is a test of sorts for George who has returned to work after a brain injury. Nobody seems to know if George will be able to safely "handle" an investigation of any sort. Throughout the story the reader is teased with this prior police event that went very wrong for George. The island is small. The people are closed off, making it difficult to determine what happened to Alan, the dead 18 year old. The story itself was a little unbelievable but the book was entertaining anyway. Thank you to NetGalley and GP Putnam's Sons Publishing for the complimentary digital ARC. This was a strong 3.5 stars that I am rounding up to 4. This review is my own opinion and has not been coerced in any way.

One of the strongest points of this book for me was the writing. It was emotional, atmospheric, and descriptive, really setting the tone and sense of place. I especially loved the way that the author wrote about nature, and used those descriptions to create a sense of unease. The feeling of a small, suspicious community with secrets was so well-written, putting me on edge and being unsure who to trust from page one.

It reminded me a bit of the series Shetland but with a darker, more folklore/historic twist. The mystery was well-crafted, with slowly unfolding twists that kept me reading. The book was a slow burn but one that felt rewarding and engaging.

The wolf tree takes place on a remote scottish island that harbors too many secrets. most known for having 3 lighthouse keepers that mysteriously vanished in the early 1900's- when a man is found from an apparent suicide there is an investigation. Inspector George and Richie are sent to investigate and the people on this island want their secrets to stay a secret.

Eilean Eadar is a barren, windswept rock 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 that same lighthouse, two detective inspectors are sent from Glasgow to investigate...
Mysterious isolated island, inhabitants that still honor their historic folk culture, and the maybe (?) murder of a young man. The Wolf Tree was an amazing read. Part Wicker Man, part Shetland series by Ann Cleves. I would call it folk horror light, and I couldn't put it down. Thank you, NetGalley, and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam (G.P. Putnam's Sons), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Eilean Eadar is a remote Scottish island with dark secrets known to mainlanders only by the unsolved mystery of 3 missing lighthouse keepers in the early 1900s, that is, until a teenage boy is found dead in the present day at the bottom of the same lighthouse.
We follow the POV of George Lennox; one of the investigators sent to the island who is eager to prove herself capable after coming back to work from medical leave. Is she really ready for field work again? She is sent on what is supposed to be an open and shut first case to find out, but it quickly becomes more. George is the only one who is suspicious of the community, while her partner, Richie Stewart, is focusing more on George than the case. Somebody has to be looking after George’s wellbeing, because she certainly isn’t. How far will George go to uncover the secrets of the island?

I enjoyed the world building and how the author explored the physiological and social relationships that are formed within an isolated community. I do wish George was a more likeable character. She does fall pretty strongly into the ‘not like other girls’ trope; always having to prove her independence/strength by throwing herself into dangerous situations without a second thought. This aside, I still liked the mystery and how it all played out.

3.5 Stars
One Liner: Slow-burn suspense

DI Georgina ‘George’ Lennox is back in action after an accident. Partnering with Richard ‘Richie’ Stewart, she arrives at Eilean Eadar, a tiny remote Scottish island in the Atlantic Ocean, to investigate the death of one of the residents.
It’s supposed to be a simple case but George’s instincts tell her there’s more to it than what meets the eye. The islanders are hostile, the priest is too nosy, and strange events seem to occur, straight out of the local legend. Richie just wants to close the case and go home but George is adamant. With dark secrets enveloping them from all sides, can the duo solve the case?
The story comes in George’s third-person POV in the present tense.

My Thoughts:
With a lighthouse on the cover and an atmospheric premise that may or may not have a paranormal touch, I knew I had to read this one.
Though the book is centered on a police investigation it is not a police procedural. It’s more of a slow-burn suspense where things go in circles in the first half and the action takes place in the last quarter.
I like that the detective duo doesn’t have a romantic track. In fact, the age gap makes it an almost student-teacher or guardian-ward relationship. NGL, I like Riche a lot more than George. George has a large chip on her shoulder, and with a hazy backstory, it’s hard to see why she is that way. For a standalone, this doesn’t do her any favors. Now, if the book is supposedly the first in a series, it might work. I can’t find any information on this, though.
The mystery is supposed to be simple. Was the death a suicide or murder? However, the investigation takes place on an island with a close-knit community, so the progress is almost zero until the last quarter when a lot happens. This further affects the pacing.
The setting is atmospheric – darkish, dangerous, and heavy with rains and storms that add to the pressure. There’s a sort of paranormal thing but it is not either. Such stuff doesn’t work for me. Decide whether or not you want it!
We also see pagan vs. Christian or pagan plus Christian thingy but that’s not fully there either. I mean, the island has a Catholic church (which is the largest building). As with converted cultures, they continue to follow a few pagan practices and create a strange blend of both religions. This aspect has great potential but it has not been explored fully.
In a way, the dark side of a small community has been captured well. It may also feel a bit too stereotypical but that’s the plotline.
The ending is decent and feels a lot like there’s more to come. I wish we knew if there would be another book. The mystery is resolved but the central track with George has unanswered questions.

To summarize, The Wolf Tree has an intriguing premise and an atmospheric setting. How you like the book depends on how much you like the main character and the slow-burn narration.
Thank you, NetGalley, and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam (G.P. Putnam's Sons), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

This book made for a deliciously suspenseful and atmospheric mystery, and introduced me to a new detective team that I'd love to spend more time with. The story grabs you from the first page and took you along for the twisty, dark, and chilling case. The the cold, windy, and remote island setting was brought to life and I enjoyed shivering from the cold, rainy scenes and the suspense along with George and Richie to the very end, from the warm comfort of my home. This is exactly the kind of detective team I love to be invited into: a lead female investigator with hard edges and a loyal avuncular partner. I hope this is the first in a series, and I would look forward to reading the next ones. I would recommend this book to fans of Tana French.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book for review.

If I am being honest, I unfortunately found this book to be boring and slow. I am dissapointed as I was looking forward to reading this book.

If you enjoy mysteries and police procedurals that take place in an isolated setting with great world-building, then look no further than The Wolf Tree by Laura McCluskey. Eilean Eadar is an island off the coast of Scotland. Detective Inspector Georgina (George) Lennox and her partner, Detective Inspector Richie Stewart are sent from Glasgow to investigate the death of Alan Ferguson whose funeral was two weeks ago. He had fallen from the top of the island’s decommissioned lighthouse.

George is back from leave after a devastating injury during a case eight months ago. She’s happy to be off desk duty and working a case in the field again. She and Richie arrive on the island during a storm. They’re met by a couple of friendly islanders, but mainly, they’re met by hostility. The islanders seem determined to undermine their investigation and the local priest shows up at many of the interviews. What secrets will be uncovered?

George has clawed her way up the ranks at work quickly. She tends to act on impulse, and often without regard to her own safety. While George is sometimes blunt and to the point, Richie is more personable when interviewing potential witnesses. He loves his wife and daughters. He can be candid, but he’s better at picking his battles than George. The interactions between George and Richie are fascinating to watch as they unfold.

Filled with atmosphere and suspense, this story immediately captured my interest. From the locals who don’t like strangers arriving on the island to the folklore, traditions, and sounds of wolves, George feels something is off with Alan’s death as well as the people themselves. The worldbuilding is excellent, from the storms to the village to the forest, the details are phenomenal. While the book is somewhat slow-paced at times, it managed to keep my interest and engagement.

The plot is full of twists and turns with several surprises along the way including the story of three lighthouse keepers who disappeared in 1919. While the reveal and ending are a little fast, they include some suspenseful and action-packed moments. Themes of isolation, tradition, self-sufficiency, community bonds, and more are skillfully woven throughout the novel.

Overall, this was a compelling, creative, disturbing, and suspenseful story with good characterization, and a great plot that includes solid procedural details. Those who enjoy mysteries with atmospheric worldbuilding and hostile witnesses will likely enjoy this novel as well as those who enjoy locked room mysteries. Will there be a second novel featuring George and Richie?

PENGUIN GROUP Putnam – G.P. Putnam’s Sons and Laura McCluskey provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for February 11, 2025. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

I am rounding up on this book, because despite a few flaws, I was definitely entertained and enjoyed reading this story.
Two detectives are sent to an isolated island to investigate the apparent suicide of a young man who was found at the base of a lighthouse--also the place were over a hundred years earlier 3 lighthouse keepers mysteriously disappeared. The island is remote and difficult to reach, which gives it an almost otherworldly and "stuck-in-time" feeling as the detectives attempt to question the locals and find answers.
The best part about this book was the setting and atmosphere. The reader felt transported to the rainy, cold, and desolate island and it was easy to picture the people and places described within (even though I had a difficult time keeping all of the locals straight). The pacing is a bit slow at the beginning, but does pick up at the end. The big"mystery" about what happened to the young man who died, while being the focus of what the two detectives Reilly and Lennox are spending their time on, doesn't really seem to be the focus of the book. I had a hard time deciding if the focus was the isolated nature of the island or the journey of Georgina Lennox to "recover" from her last criminal case and make her way successfully back to the job she loves. (And George's journey was a bit emotionally lacking because she was kind of unlikable. She was certainly guilty of all the things her partner accused her of, and was very unapologetic about it. Yet she also had justifiable reasons for those things, and never discussed those with her partner. Instead she took cold showers and popped pills and ran out in the dark chasing sounds all the time.) Because these three different "themes" or threads were receiving the same amount of attention, they all suffered a little bit. And then the climax and ending were I think supposed to be shocking, but it kind of felt like it came out of the blue, because these elements had only been hinted at. And when the mystery really picked up and gained momentum, while it did keep my interest, it wasn't really very original. I figured out what happened to the victim (again, I can't remember if it was Alan or Alex, because I could keep very few of the characters straight in my head), and I figured out very early on what was going on with the residents of the island, the mysterious sounds, the creepy priest, etc. Perhaps if more time had been spend on the really weird things going on on the island instead of word for word accounts of every witness interview, the ending might have had a more satisfying impact.
If you are looking for an entertaining read that will transport you to a creepy remote Scottish island with a mystery to solve, then I would recommend this book. If you are looking for something with a bit more depth and "meat," then I would recommend something else.

This is a very good, atmospheric mystery that incorporates so many elements I love! An isolated island, folklore and history, strong main characters, and a really good mystery with twists!

DI's George (Georgina) Lennox and Richie Stewart go to Eilean Eadar in the Western Isles to investigate the apparent suicide of a local 18 year old. Upon arrival, they find out that very few locals really welcome them, and look at them with suspicion. The weather is stormy, and they are away from any amenities such as internet and phone! As they begin to look into the death (where he supposedly jumped off the lighthouse), George begins to get feel suspicious and creeped out by the island and many people there- including the priest of the big church on the island. He puts himself into a position to help the detectives, but things he says and actions she witnesses from him, make George leery to believe he is all he says he is. Her partner is more hesitant to jump to conclusions, so George is spurred on to follow her instincts and take a deep dive sometimes alone.

I really enjoyed this story. The author does a fantastic job of describing the island and the citizens! I felt very cold, claustrophobic, and trapped while reading. The development of character is also very well done. Once you fully know about George's past, some of her (irresponsible) decisions make much more sense. Richie is fantastic! He obviously cares a lot for George (in a fatherly way), and supports her and looks out for her. The priest is very well written, and I likened him to a very slick, slippery con man!

The novel does begin slow, and there were a lot of characters to keep track of. But stick with it because it is a dark, creepy, gothic ride that picks up and has secrets galore! The ending was very well done. I am hoping this will become a series!

I highly recommend this if you like Loreth Anne White, Anne Frasier, Sharon J. Bolton Lacey Flint series.

Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam and Sons Publishing for the ARC. THis is my honest and voluntary review.