What do you think?
Rate this book
The Scottish Lady Detective Mysteries #1
Food of Ghosts
'Set against an exotic backdrop, this thriller has a complex heroine who's as fragile as she is feisty - and who must tackle culture clashes and family ties as well as crime if she's to survive.' Karen Campbell
Nothing ever happens on Tarawa, a coral atoll in the middle of the Pacific. Then a mutilated body is found in a children's nursery hut. Detective Sergeant Louisa Townsend from Edinburgh is on the island, helping train local police officers in basic detecting skills. She is asked to find the killer and jumps at the chance to be in charge of her first murder investigation. She marvels at the simplicity of the task ahead - after all, how difficult can it be to find the murderer on a desert island the size of a postage stamp and with only one road? But nothing on Tarawa is what it seems. There is a rumour the victim's eyes were eaten as part of a macabre, cannibalistic ritual and a second body is found and a third death looks suspicious. With no forensics on Tarawa and no one telling the truth, Louisa begins to worry she's out of her depth - not to mention the voices in her head have started up again. DS Townsend is an engaging, new female detective from Edinburgh, who is as impetuous as she is ambitious, with an innate sense of justice at her core. Her determination to find the killer is matched only by her struggle to overcome an obsessive compulsive disorder, which threatens to consume her. To read Food of Ghosts is to be taken to Tarawa and be immersed in the crazy sights and sounds of the contradictory island and its people. Food of Ghosts is the first in a series of crime novels featuring DS Louisa Townsend.
Nothing ever happens on Tarawa, a coral atoll in the middle of the Pacific. Then a mutilated body is found in a children's nursery hut. Detective Sergeant Louisa Townsend from Edinburgh is on the island, helping train local police officers in basic detecting skills. She is asked to find the killer and jumps at the chance to be in charge of her first murder investigation. She marvels at the simplicity of the task ahead - after all, how difficult can it be to find the murderer on a desert island the size of a postage stamp and with only one road? But nothing on Tarawa is what it seems. There is a rumour the victim's eyes were eaten as part of a macabre, cannibalistic ritual and a second body is found and a third death looks suspicious. With no forensics on Tarawa and no one telling the truth, Louisa begins to worry she's out of her depth - not to mention the voices in her head have started up again. DS Townsend is an engaging, new female detective from Edinburgh, who is as impetuous as she is ambitious, with an innate sense of justice at her core. Her determination to find the killer is matched only by her struggle to overcome an obsessive compulsive disorder, which threatens to consume her. To read Food of Ghosts is to be taken to Tarawa and be immersed in the crazy sights and sounds of the contradictory island and its people. Food of Ghosts is the first in a series of crime novels featuring DS Louisa Townsend.
310 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 4, 2012
6 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Marianne Wheelaghan
3 books34 followersI left home at seventeen and returned to Edinburgh after twenty-five years, where I now live with my family.
The Blue Suitcase is my first novel. An historic fiction, it was published in 2010. The interest shown in it has been remarkable. It was inspired by my mother's life and based on letters and diaries I found after her death. The novel tells the story of an ordinary Christian girl girl growing up in Nazi Germany.
My first and second crime novels are Food Of Ghosts and The Shoeshine Killer respectively. They are both The Scottish Detective Lady mysteries, featuring the feisty, fictional detective DS Louisa Townsend.
"To read a Scottish Detective Lady mystery is to be taken on a thrilling trip to the Pacific and immersed in its many glorious cultures and peoples."
Before becoming a writer I did many things, including being a croupier, a marketing manager, a chambermaid, a cashier, a Brussels sprouts picker, but mostly I was a teacher. I taught English and/or Drama in Germany, Spain, the Republic of Kiribati and Papua New Guinea. I also wrote plays.
"The best time for planning a book is while you're doing the dishes." Agatha Christie
The Blue Suitcase is my first novel. An historic fiction, it was published in 2010. The interest shown in it has been remarkable. It was inspired by my mother's life and based on letters and diaries I found after her death. The novel tells the story of an ordinary Christian girl girl growing up in Nazi Germany.
My first and second crime novels are Food Of Ghosts and The Shoeshine Killer respectively. They are both The Scottish Detective Lady mysteries, featuring the feisty, fictional detective DS Louisa Townsend.
"To read a Scottish Detective Lady mystery is to be taken on a thrilling trip to the Pacific and immersed in its many glorious cultures and peoples."
Before becoming a writer I did many things, including being a croupier, a marketing manager, a chambermaid, a cashier, a Brussels sprouts picker, but mostly I was a teacher. I taught English and/or Drama in Germany, Spain, the Republic of Kiribati and Papua New Guinea. I also wrote plays.
"The best time for planning a book is while you're doing the dishes." Agatha Christie
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
February 27, 2019
An interesting mystery, in an exotic location, Food Of Ghosts is set on the island of Tarawa, Kiribati, in the Pacific Ocean. Full of superstitious locals, and a dodgy police force, DS Louisa Townsend, from Edinburgh, finds herself in charge of investigating the murder of a Spanish sea cucumber dive boat owner. With the pressure on her from up high, she finds that locals and expats alike are lying to her, and few members of the local police force are interested in helping her. As she muddles her way through the investigation, another body turns up...
The setting of this book was fantastic, we get a good sense of the laid back lifestyles of the locals, and the more lavish ways of the expats living in Kiribati. The real problem I had with this novel was Louisa herself, short tempered and an ineffective bully, she annoyed the hell out of me, and I was wishing that someone would knock her on the head with a coconut! Therefore what could have been a really good read fell a bit flat for me, but it's worth reading for the location alone.
The setting of this book was fantastic, we get a good sense of the laid back lifestyles of the locals, and the more lavish ways of the expats living in Kiribati. The real problem I had with this novel was Louisa herself, short tempered and an ineffective bully, she annoyed the hell out of me, and I was wishing that someone would knock her on the head with a coconut! Therefore what could have been a really good read fell a bit flat for me, but it's worth reading for the location alone.
September 28, 2015
Food of Ghosts is a complex and unpredictable crime mystery full of endless twists and turns as Scottish detective, Louisa Townsend, tries to unravel a series of bizarre deaths on Tarawa an island in the Pacific nation of Kiribati.
The story is deeply embedded in the local culture as Louisa is forced to deal with all the deprivations of the third world – non-existent communication and transport systems, power shortages and a broken freezer in the morgue, superstitions and customs that regard her as an outsider and block her at every turn, as well as the extremes of a tropical environment that push her to the edge of survival.
With a cast of quirky characters, including Louisa herself who has OCD issues around cleanliness, this highly unusual mystery involves philandering expats, locals harbouring secrets for unexpected reasons and red herrings at every turn, all hell bent on keeping Louisa off the scent of the murderer.
This is a clever multi-layered crime novel with authentic cultural credentials, a non-linear plot, and a flawed but resourceful heroine. The identity of the murderer comes as a complete surprise, after the many suspects with their fascinating backstories are eliminated one by one.
My criticisms are minor. I found the book a little too long and the denouement a little too brief. Occasionally the cultural descriptions detracted from the plot, and the writing style of simple sentences was distracting. It was sometimes hard to keep track of the many characters with their local names, although Wheelaghan nailed their dialogue which was very individual and consistent, given the cultural mix. I also found Louisa hard to relate to.
These quibbles aside, Food of Ghosts is involving and intense. I would recommend it to any reader looking for something both complex and refreshing in their crime fiction.
The story is deeply embedded in the local culture as Louisa is forced to deal with all the deprivations of the third world – non-existent communication and transport systems, power shortages and a broken freezer in the morgue, superstitions and customs that regard her as an outsider and block her at every turn, as well as the extremes of a tropical environment that push her to the edge of survival.
With a cast of quirky characters, including Louisa herself who has OCD issues around cleanliness, this highly unusual mystery involves philandering expats, locals harbouring secrets for unexpected reasons and red herrings at every turn, all hell bent on keeping Louisa off the scent of the murderer.
This is a clever multi-layered crime novel with authentic cultural credentials, a non-linear plot, and a flawed but resourceful heroine. The identity of the murderer comes as a complete surprise, after the many suspects with their fascinating backstories are eliminated one by one.
My criticisms are minor. I found the book a little too long and the denouement a little too brief. Occasionally the cultural descriptions detracted from the plot, and the writing style of simple sentences was distracting. It was sometimes hard to keep track of the many characters with their local names, although Wheelaghan nailed their dialogue which was very individual and consistent, given the cultural mix. I also found Louisa hard to relate to.
These quibbles aside, Food of Ghosts is involving and intense. I would recommend it to any reader looking for something both complex and refreshing in their crime fiction.
December 3, 2016
I read this for #AroundtheWorldAThon because it's set in Kiribati. And, like, how often do you find a book set in Kiribati?! And the setting and the crime side of things was fine: Kiribati was nicely painted, and the mystery was sufficiently creepy and kept me guessing.
HOWEVER.
Louisa, the main character? IS SO ANNOYING. She has some very stereotypical OCD tendencies without it ever being referred to as OCD. It's just referred to as something along the lines of "her problem", which was infuriating. But more than that, she spends about half the book yelling at people. And yes, she's frustrated by not having access to the forensics and pathology resources that she's used to in Edinburgh. But dude. You're a trained police officer. Stop reacting like a petulant child all the damned time.
The last 50-100 pages picked up for me quite a lot, which is pretty much the only reason this got a 3 star rating. But if I was basing it solely on Louisa? It'd be negative ten thousand stars, because she was the worst.
HOWEVER.
Louisa, the main character? IS SO ANNOYING. She has some very stereotypical OCD tendencies without it ever being referred to as OCD. It's just referred to as something along the lines of "her problem", which was infuriating. But more than that, she spends about half the book yelling at people. And yes, she's frustrated by not having access to the forensics and pathology resources that she's used to in Edinburgh. But dude. You're a trained police officer. Stop reacting like a petulant child all the damned time.
The last 50-100 pages picked up for me quite a lot, which is pretty much the only reason this got a 3 star rating. But if I was basing it solely on Louisa? It'd be negative ten thousand stars, because she was the worst.
November 12, 2012
Louisa, a Detective Sergeant, goes to the Gilbert Island of Tarawa as a European Commission trainer. She was born on the island and lived there till she was eight, when she moved with her family to Edinburgh. While there, she is face with a murder and a huge amount of frustration. The police have no radios, there is no SOCO service and the mortuary freezer’s broken, still awaiting a part. Her frustration is compounded by the archaic views of her male colleagues and the cultural differences between people in her Scottish home and those on the island. She is faced with bullying, monstrous injustice and some very nasty expatriates.
This is one of the quirkiest detective stories I’ve ever read. The situations Louise finds herself in are funny, infuriating and completely gripping. There’s the magic of the island with its family centred culture and the mystery of the increasing body count. The character of Louisa, with her deep sense of justice, her mild OCD and her extended island family to complicate matters, is surely one we must see again. Marianne Wheelaghan is a great story teller and she’s created a potential series here. This is a hugely enjoyable book, complex and engaging, and I hope there will be more of the same to come.
This is one of the quirkiest detective stories I’ve ever read. The situations Louise finds herself in are funny, infuriating and completely gripping. There’s the magic of the island with its family centred culture and the mystery of the increasing body count. The character of Louisa, with her deep sense of justice, her mild OCD and her extended island family to complicate matters, is surely one we must see again. Marianne Wheelaghan is a great story teller and she’s created a potential series here. This is a hugely enjoyable book, complex and engaging, and I hope there will be more of the same to come.
June 18, 2017
The look at life in the Melanesian nation of Kiribati was worth reading this book.
Louisa is half Scottish and half Kiribati, returns to her roots as a police sergeant. She has OCD issues, find herself in the nowhere land of not being a real local and not being a real ex pat. She is totally frustrated with the lack of resources, roadblocks caused by the local culture and the drunk/red neck behaviour of most of the ex pats.
It's a whodunnit with a few red herrings, a bit of tension and a cast of loveable islanders.
Louisa is half Scottish and half Kiribati, returns to her roots as a police sergeant. She has OCD issues, find herself in the nowhere land of not being a real local and not being a real ex pat. She is totally frustrated with the lack of resources, roadblocks caused by the local culture and the drunk/red neck behaviour of most of the ex pats.
It's a whodunnit with a few red herrings, a bit of tension and a cast of loveable islanders.
August 29, 2019
This book takes place in a country that was completely unknown to me. The location is Kiribati, a country in Oceania.
It is 2004 and we meet Louisa. She was born here but moved to Sweden. She became a policewoman and is now back to run a programme for the local police entitled 'Initial Crime Investigators Programme'. It is quickly apparent that the local police NEED this programme; their resources and capabilities are primitive.
A dead body is found, dressed only in a lava-lava (a square piece of material worn by the natives as a skirt) and his eyes are gouged out. His murder is quickly considered as a native's work. The eyes are the food of ghosts. Louisa is called in to solve the murder.
So what did I learn about Kiribati?
- It is pronounced Kiribas (go figure)
- Its citizens are known as I-Kiribati
- Foreigners are known as I-Matang
- The locals are very superstitious; their language is known as Gilbertese
- The capital of Kiribati is South Tarawa, an atoll in the Gilbert Islands group
There are a variety of characters in the book, both natives and I-Matang. Other murders occur; Louisa is trying to tie them together. She and her motley crew go down many blind alleys, but finally the murders(s) are solved.
There is nothing really outstanding about this book but I enjoyed it just the same. There are many cultural and linguistic tidbits in the book and I kept reading it because I was entertained.
3.5 stars but I rounded up to 4
It is 2004 and we meet Louisa. She was born here but moved to Sweden. She became a policewoman and is now back to run a programme for the local police entitled 'Initial Crime Investigators Programme'. It is quickly apparent that the local police NEED this programme; their resources and capabilities are primitive.
A dead body is found, dressed only in a lava-lava (a square piece of material worn by the natives as a skirt) and his eyes are gouged out. His murder is quickly considered as a native's work. The eyes are the food of ghosts. Louisa is called in to solve the murder.
So what did I learn about Kiribati?
- It is pronounced Kiribas (go figure)
- Its citizens are known as I-Kiribati
- Foreigners are known as I-Matang
- The locals are very superstitious; their language is known as Gilbertese
- The capital of Kiribati is South Tarawa, an atoll in the Gilbert Islands group
There are a variety of characters in the book, both natives and I-Matang. Other murders occur; Louisa is trying to tie them together. She and her motley crew go down many blind alleys, but finally the murders(s) are solved.
There is nothing really outstanding about this book but I enjoyed it just the same. There are many cultural and linguistic tidbits in the book and I kept reading it because I was entertained.
3.5 stars but I rounded up to 4
December 7, 2012
I don't often read crime fiction, so this isn't going to be a regular crime fiction review. However, having read Marianne's earlier book The Blue Suitcase and having been invited to the launch of Food of Ghosts (a tropical themed event that brightened up a chilly Edinburgh evening) I was keen to buy and read this, Marianne's debut crime novel!
Food for Ghosts is set on Tarawa, a coral atoll in the Pacific republic of Kiribati. It features Detective Sergeant Louisa Townsend, who was born in Tarawa but has lived most of her life in Edinburgh. She has only just got to the island when she finds herself investigating a violent murder case.
I thought the novel was excellent at conveying culture shock with an admirable honesty about the fact that sometimes you don't like the place you find yourself. (I remember this myself from when I first arrived in Malawi and there were certain aspects of the culture which I never got used to in the two years I lived there, much though overall I grew to love the country). As a writer you want to be respectful of a foreign culture you're writing about, but you also want to be honest. In Food of Ghosts the reader can really empathise with Louise's discomfort with the culture shock she experiences, not least her extended family deciding that the best way to welcome her to the island is to camp in her back garden.
It's a very readable story, set in a fascinating location and with an intriguing cast of characters both Kiribati and expatriate.
Food for Ghosts is set on Tarawa, a coral atoll in the Pacific republic of Kiribati. It features Detective Sergeant Louisa Townsend, who was born in Tarawa but has lived most of her life in Edinburgh. She has only just got to the island when she finds herself investigating a violent murder case.
I thought the novel was excellent at conveying culture shock with an admirable honesty about the fact that sometimes you don't like the place you find yourself. (I remember this myself from when I first arrived in Malawi and there were certain aspects of the culture which I never got used to in the two years I lived there, much though overall I grew to love the country). As a writer you want to be respectful of a foreign culture you're writing about, but you also want to be honest. In Food of Ghosts the reader can really empathise with Louise's discomfort with the culture shock she experiences, not least her extended family deciding that the best way to welcome her to the island is to camp in her back garden.
It's a very readable story, set in a fascinating location and with an intriguing cast of characters both Kiribati and expatriate.
June 5, 2016
Read for the 666 for 2016 - An Around the World Reading Challenge
This book transported me back to the atoll of Tarawa in Kiribati where I spent last year, and it was a pleasure to be whisked back to its exotic yet primitive location.
A tale of a murder mystery which carefully and respectfully is played out with all of the barriers that living on Tarawa grants you.
I found the protagonist, a female detective from Scotland, DS Townsend a likeable main character and one you couldn't fail to sympathise with and will her on in solving the crimes.
The author did a great job of respecting the location of the story, which for me brought back fond memories of various locations on the island.
I'm really enjoying this author, and look forward to more from her.
This book transported me back to the atoll of Tarawa in Kiribati where I spent last year, and it was a pleasure to be whisked back to its exotic yet primitive location.
A tale of a murder mystery which carefully and respectfully is played out with all of the barriers that living on Tarawa grants you.
I found the protagonist, a female detective from Scotland, DS Townsend a likeable main character and one you couldn't fail to sympathise with and will her on in solving the crimes.
The author did a great job of respecting the location of the story, which for me brought back fond memories of various locations on the island.
I'm really enjoying this author, and look forward to more from her.
June 23, 2013
I would probably give this book 2.5-3 stars. I liked the setting--Tarawa, a coral atoll in the Republic of Kiribati in the Pacific. It was very interesting to read about the culture and life in that area. The lack of law enforcement resources certainly made investigating crime difficult. The police don't have radios or access to reliable internet or computer resources. The story starts with a murder, a body found in a shed at children's nursery. The lead character and detective in the novel is where it went wrong for me. I could not warm up to Detective Sergeant Louisa Townsend. Louisa was born in Tarawa, but moved to Scotland when she was a young child. She returns to Tarawa to assist in training the local police force, yet her detecting skills seem rather limited. She often jumps to conclusions (mostly wrong) with little or no basis in fact. She doesn't do much detecting at all, limited resources or not. I didn't like how Louisa related to other people, including her relatives who have moved into her backyard. It was an interesting story in an interesting setting, but the lead character drove me a bit batty.
August 30, 2015
Booktrail the locations of Food of Ghosts - Food of Ghosts booktrail
In the middle of the Pacific Ocean, no one can hear you scream
Food for Ghosts is set on Tarawa, a coral atoll in the Pacific republic of Kiribati. The detective who ends up investigating the murder which happens here was born on the island but has since moved to Edinburgh, Scotland. This clash of culture, temperatures and police procedure sets the scene for a crime scene with a difference.
Detective Sergeant Louisa Townsend, born in Tarawa but shaped by Edinburgh has the best of both worlds yet coming back to the island reveals her as somewhat of an outsider, a I-Matang – in her own home – culture shock in reverse is brutal and confusing in equal measure. On top of that, she has a job to do – with limited resources.
The island itself is portrayed as one where community and family are the focal points of life, but returning to a paradise haven she left when she was only a child now seems to be rather backward and underdeveloped not to mention chauvinistic.
The police stretch blue and white crime scene tape around pandanus trees, they take statements from the local ‘ house girls’ and the confusion of whether the sudden bad smell is a result of the crime scene or of the lagoon places this crime novel very firmly in its tropical yet deadly setting.
As for the mystery – with limited police resources, and the remoteness of the location, detection is not going to be easy. Where the locals think it is the work of evil spirits, the police and aid workers seem confused and simply not very interested until the body count starts to rise. Louisa sees this through gritty Scottish eyes but sifting the reality from the legends and superstitions which make up such a part of the life here is not going to be easy.
Further thoughts -
Well this was a unique setting, unique crime and an even more unique read! What a find! I was so pleased to have read this as never before have I been to a far away atoll in fiction!
Of course, I’ve never been there so I was intrigued to read about a crime in such a small and what should be remote and peaceful part of the world.
The idea that the main character was an island native and was now an expat returning home was a new touch that gave an outsider’s view of the events but from someone who had known the island years earlier.
DS Townsend is a character I found fascinating and one which I am really keen to read more of. this DS is one with a difference – no drink problem or such like to speak of as seems to be the norm these days – the OCD was a ‘new’ issue that I hadn’t read of before. Again different and refreshing which gave DS Townsend a fresh new feel.
Very interesting to have found this novel and this series and really am keen to read more from this writer. The characters and the setting make the book for me but the plot is also very strong and interesting. Unique but in a very good way. Booktrail recommended!
In the middle of the Pacific Ocean, no one can hear you scream
Food for Ghosts is set on Tarawa, a coral atoll in the Pacific republic of Kiribati. The detective who ends up investigating the murder which happens here was born on the island but has since moved to Edinburgh, Scotland. This clash of culture, temperatures and police procedure sets the scene for a crime scene with a difference.
Detective Sergeant Louisa Townsend, born in Tarawa but shaped by Edinburgh has the best of both worlds yet coming back to the island reveals her as somewhat of an outsider, a I-Matang – in her own home – culture shock in reverse is brutal and confusing in equal measure. On top of that, she has a job to do – with limited resources.
The island itself is portrayed as one where community and family are the focal points of life, but returning to a paradise haven she left when she was only a child now seems to be rather backward and underdeveloped not to mention chauvinistic.
The police stretch blue and white crime scene tape around pandanus trees, they take statements from the local ‘ house girls’ and the confusion of whether the sudden bad smell is a result of the crime scene or of the lagoon places this crime novel very firmly in its tropical yet deadly setting.
As for the mystery – with limited police resources, and the remoteness of the location, detection is not going to be easy. Where the locals think it is the work of evil spirits, the police and aid workers seem confused and simply not very interested until the body count starts to rise. Louisa sees this through gritty Scottish eyes but sifting the reality from the legends and superstitions which make up such a part of the life here is not going to be easy.
Further thoughts -
Well this was a unique setting, unique crime and an even more unique read! What a find! I was so pleased to have read this as never before have I been to a far away atoll in fiction!
Of course, I’ve never been there so I was intrigued to read about a crime in such a small and what should be remote and peaceful part of the world.
The idea that the main character was an island native and was now an expat returning home was a new touch that gave an outsider’s view of the events but from someone who had known the island years earlier.
DS Townsend is a character I found fascinating and one which I am really keen to read more of. this DS is one with a difference – no drink problem or such like to speak of as seems to be the norm these days – the OCD was a ‘new’ issue that I hadn’t read of before. Again different and refreshing which gave DS Townsend a fresh new feel.
Very interesting to have found this novel and this series and really am keen to read more from this writer. The characters and the setting make the book for me but the plot is also very strong and interesting. Unique but in a very good way. Booktrail recommended!
December 19, 2012
A thrilling, entertaining and exotic whodunnit which will keep you guessing to the very end.
Detective Sergeant Louisa Townsend has recently been sent back to the island of her birth, Tarawa, to help the police force. Shortly after she arrives a grisly murder takes place. The locals think it is the work of evil spirits and the aid workers living on the island seem disinterested. That is until more people start dying. But it seems that everyone on the island has a motive and Louise must sift through their alibis and complicated relationships to discover the truth about the murderer before it is too late.
As DS Louisa Townsend tries to solve the mystery she also tries to re-adapt to life on Tarawa. However her once beloved homeland now seems to be a haven for dirt and germs, not to mention the lack of social progress on the island. It is tough going but Louisa is a resilient and resourceful woman who won't let anything get in the way of solving the murder. Along the way she also begins to uncover the real heart of Tarawa.
I'd encourage you to read this book not only for the deftly written murder mystery but also for a fascinating look into the lives of the I-Kiribati people and a wonderfully loveable main character. I'm very much looking forward to reading more of Marianne Wheelaghan's books in the future.
Repost of review at Amazon.com
Detective Sergeant Louisa Townsend has recently been sent back to the island of her birth, Tarawa, to help the police force. Shortly after she arrives a grisly murder takes place. The locals think it is the work of evil spirits and the aid workers living on the island seem disinterested. That is until more people start dying. But it seems that everyone on the island has a motive and Louise must sift through their alibis and complicated relationships to discover the truth about the murderer before it is too late.
As DS Louisa Townsend tries to solve the mystery she also tries to re-adapt to life on Tarawa. However her once beloved homeland now seems to be a haven for dirt and germs, not to mention the lack of social progress on the island. It is tough going but Louisa is a resilient and resourceful woman who won't let anything get in the way of solving the murder. Along the way she also begins to uncover the real heart of Tarawa.
I'd encourage you to read this book not only for the deftly written murder mystery but also for a fascinating look into the lives of the I-Kiribati people and a wonderfully loveable main character. I'm very much looking forward to reading more of Marianne Wheelaghan's books in the future.
Repost of review at Amazon.com
May 23, 2015
Food of ghosts by Marianne wheelaghan.
I thought Food of Ghosts really well written and kept me guessing to who murdered who right till the end. I thought Louisa was very interesting the way. She fought her own inner demons with needing to be clean and bad thoughts, while being sounded by mess and dead people. When she found the dead guy with missing eyes, it made me want to vomit there was enough mood setting and deception though out this book to make you feel like you were seeing it for yourself .
I love the brief manhood nudity. It made me laugh so much. I think this book takes you on a journey through the Island and made you want to find the murderer. I so wanted to bang Nicole's and Christine's heads together by the middle of the book they defiantly were entertaining with their gossiping bitchy ways.
I had best stop there or I will end up giving away the story and I don't wanna do that.
This book is one to read on a cold night and you won't be able to put it down till gone 1 am. I couldn't and will likely read it again it was great.
This book is a huge credit to Marianne. She should be super proud of herself on a gut churning sensitive, gripping keeping you on the edge of your seat novel.
I had to stay up just know how it ended. And it definitely didn't disappoint.
I thought Food of Ghosts really well written and kept me guessing to who murdered who right till the end. I thought Louisa was very interesting the way. She fought her own inner demons with needing to be clean and bad thoughts, while being sounded by mess and dead people. When she found the dead guy with missing eyes, it made me want to vomit there was enough mood setting and deception though out this book to make you feel like you were seeing it for yourself .
I love the brief manhood nudity. It made me laugh so much. I think this book takes you on a journey through the Island and made you want to find the murderer. I so wanted to bang Nicole's and Christine's heads together by the middle of the book they defiantly were entertaining with their gossiping bitchy ways.
I had best stop there or I will end up giving away the story and I don't wanna do that.
This book is one to read on a cold night and you won't be able to put it down till gone 1 am. I couldn't and will likely read it again it was great.
This book is a huge credit to Marianne. She should be super proud of herself on a gut churning sensitive, gripping keeping you on the edge of your seat novel.
I had to stay up just know how it ended. And it definitely didn't disappoint.
November 16, 2012
In her latest book Food of Ghosts Marianne Wheelaghan deftly switches genres to create an inventive and satisfying murder mystery set in the remote Pacific atoll of Tarawa. The main character is Detective Sergeant Louisa Townsend who has recently returned to the place of her birth. After many years in Scotland she is now an I-Matang, an outsider who struggles to make sense of a culture she left when she was eight years old. Brought in to act as a consultant to improve local police methods, circumstances place her in charge of a gruesome murder investigation.
Wheelaghan's earlier book The Blue Suitcase made me a fan. I waited eagerly for Food of Ghosts and was not disappointed. There is much here to please the reader. The murder mystery is inventive and keeps you guessing until the end of the book. As appealing is the sense of place and culture that Wheelaghan weaves into the story. Once again Marianne Wheelaghan demonstrates that she is up to the task. I read the book in one day. I think other readers will find it as compelling.
Wheelaghan's earlier book The Blue Suitcase made me a fan. I waited eagerly for Food of Ghosts and was not disappointed. There is much here to please the reader. The murder mystery is inventive and keeps you guessing until the end of the book. As appealing is the sense of place and culture that Wheelaghan weaves into the story. Once again Marianne Wheelaghan demonstrates that she is up to the task. I read the book in one day. I think other readers will find it as compelling.
September 18, 2015
I wasn't sure what to make of this initially. There was a lot to pick at but somehow I eventually quite enjoyed it. At first, DS Louisa Young - the Scottish lady detective - is not a particularly believable character. Her mother is originally from the island of Tarawa in the Micronesian state of Kiribati and she spent the early years of her childhood there. However for an experienced UK policewoman - though admittedly not a detective back home - she seems pretty clueless when confronted by a dead body. Initially, both she and the general tone of the novel appear condescending and dismissive of both the habits/traditions of the native I Kiribati and the behaviours and attitudes of every member of the expatriate community. And then the interest/flavour of the novel seemed to rest solely on the exotic location rather than on the plot. Despite these flaws, I kept reading and gradually the character of DS Young became more rounded, the writing improved and the portrayal of the islanders became more sympathetic, so I'll give it 2.5 stars.
April 12, 2013
What I liked most about this murder mystery was the clash between the Scottish and Tarawa cultures. The main character, Detective Sergeant Louisa Townsend, was born on Tarawa but later moves to Scotland with her parents. Now, back on the Pacific island, she must deal with ancient superstitions and male chauvinist attitudes that threaten her murder investigation. Wheelaghan never shies away from politically incorrect situtations -- the expats, for example, are booze hounds and the Tarawa people routinely do the toilet on the beach -- and she paints a picture of what it must be like for Louisa to struggle back and forth between her practical Scottish upbringing and memories of an idyllic childhood in Tarawa. I love that Louisa is flawed, bordering on obsessive compulsive, and a realistic character. Her journey to fit in and to accept her background is one everyone eventually faces, I think.
May 30, 2013
The author has once more treated me to a great read in an unusual setting and with memorable characters. Kirabati is a curious and exotic location, one I would never have known about without reading this book. Its inhabitants are a wondrous mixture of locals and expatriates, both colorful and infuriating for the detective trying to solve the mystery. I enjoyed the quirkiness of the main character, Louisa, and found myself wondering if I would have had the patience to deal with so many disparate characters.
This a great who-dun-it and a lightning-fast read!
This a great who-dun-it and a lightning-fast read!
October 28, 2017
Louisa was born on the island where she has recently transferred to in her job as a police sergeant. As she left when she was eight years old and moved to Edinburgh with her mum, she is ill prepared for the inherent sexism shown by the local men. She finds herself caught up in a triple murder which is hindered by local superstition and people incapable of telling the truth
February 19, 2013
Enjoyable whodunit. Set in the Gilbert Islands. Now only do you have a murder but a detective dealing with the culture shock of living in this country. Good read.
November 1, 2016
The last 130 pages were very good, even though I never did warm to Louisa. I just wish the earlier pages were as interesting.
March 23, 2022
Set in a less than idyllic pacific island, our heroine finds her job harder than expected due to lack of resources, trouble with relatives and not understanding the locals and ex-pats as well as she thought she would. But, our gal doesn't give in easily, being attacked more than once, nearly being drowned and having a boss and a staff member keen on making trouble for her, she has her hands full but gets the job done in the end.
August 21, 2023
A surprisingly good crime mystery featuring a Scottish police detective on a Pacific island. She's investigating a murder with some disturbing aspects.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews