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kirkw1972's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this. I managed to not only read it in one day but a working day as well. I loved the pace of it. Despite a total of 3 murders in the end the whole thing is wrapped up in a matter of days and the speed of that comes across in the writing. You get swept along as McKinnon desperately tries to solve the murders before his boss comes over to the island to take over. And to stop anyone else dying of course.
KcKinnon and his two staff are well drawn, it's easy to picture them and they all have their own unique personalities. I enjoyed the Scottish island setting full of music and motorbikes. I think I'm overdue a trip to the Western Isles after reading this.
I wasn't keen on Fiona Cullen. She managed to upset everyone, which I guess was a point of her part in the book but she, at the same time, didn't really have any redeeming qualities so I found it hard to understand McKInnon's love for her. And I wasn't so keen on the speed in which he forgave her for running out on him for 5 years.
Overall though, really good story and I'll definitely pick up the rest of the series
KcKinnon and his two staff are well drawn, it's easy to picture them and they all have their own unique personalities. I enjoyed the Scottish island setting full of music and motorbikes. I think I'm overdue a trip to the Western Isles after reading this.
I wasn't keen on Fiona Cullen. She managed to upset everyone, which I guess was a point of her part in the book but she, at the same time, didn't really have any redeeming qualities so I found it hard to understand McKInnon's love for her. And I wasn't so keen on the speed in which he forgave her for running out on him for 5 years.
Overall though, really good story and I'll definitely pick up the rest of the series
bryanfarmer's review
5.0
Really enjoyed this introduction to Torquil and his team. It was a good whodunit, one that I hadn’t figured out. Looking forward to the rest of the books!
tasmanian_bibliophile's review
4.0
‘All you needed was a little help, wasn’t it?
Welcome to The Gathering, the annual literary festival held on West Uist, a tiny island in the Scottish Hebrides. It’s a grand event which causes the population of the island to double, thus creating a few headaches for the small local police force. The influx of people means that there’s parking to be managed, and sometimes people over indulge in the drink. But Inspector Torquil McKinnon and his team have made their plans, and hope that all will go smoothly. After all, Torquil himself has his own part to play: he’s a piper, entered in one of the competitions at The Gathering.
Alas, to quote another famous literary Scotsman, Robert Burns: ‘the best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft a-gley’. And so it proves here. Ranald Buchanan, the local poet is found dead. It’s been suggested that he tripped and fell. While Torquil McKinnon investigates, another body is found. Another writer. Unquestionably murdered. Now it’s personal: the second body belongs to someone to whom Torquil is very close.
The island is in lockdown: no-one can leave while Torquil and his team try to find the killer. Is anyone else at risk?
I really enjoyed this novel, trying to work out who killed whom and why. Mr Moray has introduced a fine cast of characters: there’s more than one suspect. There’s also plenty of interference from Torquil McKinnon’s superior officer as well as a red herring or two.
And the killer? You’ll need to read the novel to find out for yourself. I didn’t work it out until the end: very cleverly done, Mr Moray! An interesting and entertaining cozy murder mystery that held by attention from beginning to end. I understand that this is the first in a series.
Note: My thanks to Sapere Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Welcome to The Gathering, the annual literary festival held on West Uist, a tiny island in the Scottish Hebrides. It’s a grand event which causes the population of the island to double, thus creating a few headaches for the small local police force. The influx of people means that there’s parking to be managed, and sometimes people over indulge in the drink. But Inspector Torquil McKinnon and his team have made their plans, and hope that all will go smoothly. After all, Torquil himself has his own part to play: he’s a piper, entered in one of the competitions at The Gathering.
Alas, to quote another famous literary Scotsman, Robert Burns: ‘the best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft a-gley’. And so it proves here. Ranald Buchanan, the local poet is found dead. It’s been suggested that he tripped and fell. While Torquil McKinnon investigates, another body is found. Another writer. Unquestionably murdered. Now it’s personal: the second body belongs to someone to whom Torquil is very close.
The island is in lockdown: no-one can leave while Torquil and his team try to find the killer. Is anyone else at risk?
I really enjoyed this novel, trying to work out who killed whom and why. Mr Moray has introduced a fine cast of characters: there’s more than one suspect. There’s also plenty of interference from Torquil McKinnon’s superior officer as well as a red herring or two.
And the killer? You’ll need to read the novel to find out for yourself. I didn’t work it out until the end: very cleverly done, Mr Moray! An interesting and entertaining cozy murder mystery that held by attention from beginning to end. I understand that this is the first in a series.
Note: My thanks to Sapere Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
snholmes13's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this novel. I love reading Scottish crime fiction, and cannot wait to see what happens next in the series. I would have liked to know how Calum got on in the end; as well as more about Mr and Mrs Sturgess. I also would have loved to have read some of the hinted at stories by Fiona Cullen and/or some of the other authors from the Gathering.
cmbohn's review
3.0
I mostly enjoyed this mystery. I liked the setting and the characters, although I found the plot a little unbelievable. Awfully high body count too. I might read the next book.
brch16's review
5.0
Great Mystery!
A truly great read! The author wonderfully wove Scottish culture and history into his writing making the book an even more interesting read. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good crime/mystery thriller!
A truly great read! The author wonderfully wove Scottish culture and history into his writing making the book an even more interesting read. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good crime/mystery thriller!
angrygreycatreads's review
1.0
The Gathering Murders was this month’s read at the Kindle English Mystery Club on Goodreads. I have to admit it, rather red-facedly, it was my selection. I struggled starting this as the beginning didn’t grab me at all. I liked the setting and the idea of murders at a literary festival, but the characters, a he-man motorcycling bagpiping cop and the leather wearing, motorcycling “Queen of Crime” came across as caricatures rather than life-like characters. The resolution was a little far-fetched for me.
petra_reads's review
3.0
Enjoyed the setting of the small Scottish island with a literary festival and the gathering (like the Highland Games). Worthwhile listening to on audio just for the narration and the accent. Quite a slow burner though and towards the end it all became a little over the top far-fetched. Nicely written though and with plenty of suspects, reminiscent of old-fashioned murder mysteries.
vesper1931's review
4.0
It is the time of the West Uist literary festival and The Gathering when the population of Uist can easily double and the local police force can be stretched to its limits. When the local poet is found dead it is at first deemed an accident until another body is found. Inspector Torquil McKinnon and his small team investigate.
I enjoyed this well-written story, the first in a new series. It has some good well-rounded characters, and a good murder mystery.
I enjoyed this well-written story, the first in a new series. It has some good well-rounded characters, and a good murder mystery.
canada_matt's review
3.0
First and foremost, a large thank you to Keith Moray, and Sapere Books for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
In this series debut, Keith Moray takes the reader deep into the Hebrides to recount this Scottish murder mystery sure to impress with its local nuances. Torquil ‘Piper’ McKinnon heads up the West Uist Constabulary, a quiet force of three bracing for two significant events coming to the island for the weekend. The Gathering includes a bagpipe competition for which Torquil has been preparing al his life and shows off the true Highland nature of the Scottish cultural persona. The West Uist Literary Festival brights authors and book-lovers alike together to celebrate the written word in all its forms. When a Gaelic poet is found murdered, Torquil begins investigating, but cannot find many who might have wanted him dead, save for those who respect true poetry and hated his sub-par attempt. However, when author Fiona Cullen is found floating off the coast, the list of suspects is plentiful. Cullen’s novels seek to explore a thinly-veiled attack on certain people who have been involved in her life, usually causing quite a stir. Torquil must suppress the romantic relationship he had with Cullen and seek to find her killer. With an apparent serial killer on the loose in this quiet community, Torquil will have to act quickly, as suspects are soon to leave for the mainland. Trying to find a common thread between the victims, Torquil intensifies the investigation just as another body emerges. Will West Uist soon receive unwanted police presence from the Hebridean Constabulary to clean-up a mess that the locals cannot handle? Moray has a wonderful way with words and spins a decent tale here. Surely a series that will gain momentum as readers flock in its direction. Wonderful for those who want a murder mystery with much Scottish heritage woven throughout.
When the publisher approached me to read and review this piece, I was pulled in as soon as I took the time to read the dust jacket blurb. Moray transports the reader to a rural Scottish community and offers all the traditional descriptions, including a peppering of Gaelic phrasing. Torquil McKinnon proves to be a very interesting character, weighing his personal connection to the community against his desire to serve as one of its police officials. The reader will discover much of this man in the narrative, from his passion for bagpiping through to his fairly straightforward approach to policing. Added to that, the struggle to stay on the path when one of his love interests has been slain provides the story some interesting flavour. Many of the others who appear throughout the story are well presented and have their characteristics woven into the story in an effective manner. The story itself is actually quite well done, though its brevity keeps the reader from getting too far off the beaten path. Moray crafts his story in a succinct manner and keeps the story flowing well. While some may be familiar with ‘big city’ and tangential police procedurals, the reader can enjoy this close-knit story that fills the pages with Scottish lore! I’d gladly read another in this series, if only to learn more about McKinnon and the West Uist community.
Kudos, Mr. Moray, for this wonderful debut piece. I enjoyed the story and its brevity, which proves a refreshing alternative to much of what I have been reading.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
In this series debut, Keith Moray takes the reader deep into the Hebrides to recount this Scottish murder mystery sure to impress with its local nuances. Torquil ‘Piper’ McKinnon heads up the West Uist Constabulary, a quiet force of three bracing for two significant events coming to the island for the weekend. The Gathering includes a bagpipe competition for which Torquil has been preparing al his life and shows off the true Highland nature of the Scottish cultural persona. The West Uist Literary Festival brights authors and book-lovers alike together to celebrate the written word in all its forms. When a Gaelic poet is found murdered, Torquil begins investigating, but cannot find many who might have wanted him dead, save for those who respect true poetry and hated his sub-par attempt. However, when author Fiona Cullen is found floating off the coast, the list of suspects is plentiful. Cullen’s novels seek to explore a thinly-veiled attack on certain people who have been involved in her life, usually causing quite a stir. Torquil must suppress the romantic relationship he had with Cullen and seek to find her killer. With an apparent serial killer on the loose in this quiet community, Torquil will have to act quickly, as suspects are soon to leave for the mainland. Trying to find a common thread between the victims, Torquil intensifies the investigation just as another body emerges. Will West Uist soon receive unwanted police presence from the Hebridean Constabulary to clean-up a mess that the locals cannot handle? Moray has a wonderful way with words and spins a decent tale here. Surely a series that will gain momentum as readers flock in its direction. Wonderful for those who want a murder mystery with much Scottish heritage woven throughout.
When the publisher approached me to read and review this piece, I was pulled in as soon as I took the time to read the dust jacket blurb. Moray transports the reader to a rural Scottish community and offers all the traditional descriptions, including a peppering of Gaelic phrasing. Torquil McKinnon proves to be a very interesting character, weighing his personal connection to the community against his desire to serve as one of its police officials. The reader will discover much of this man in the narrative, from his passion for bagpiping through to his fairly straightforward approach to policing. Added to that, the struggle to stay on the path when one of his love interests has been slain provides the story some interesting flavour. Many of the others who appear throughout the story are well presented and have their characteristics woven into the story in an effective manner. The story itself is actually quite well done, though its brevity keeps the reader from getting too far off the beaten path. Moray crafts his story in a succinct manner and keeps the story flowing well. While some may be familiar with ‘big city’ and tangential police procedurals, the reader can enjoy this close-knit story that fills the pages with Scottish lore! I’d gladly read another in this series, if only to learn more about McKinnon and the West Uist community.
Kudos, Mr. Moray, for this wonderful debut piece. I enjoyed the story and its brevity, which proves a refreshing alternative to much of what I have been reading.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons