The Talisker Dead

Misty Isle #3

by J.M. Dalgliesh

Pulling on the threads of your past... is enough to kill you...

When a teenage islander goes missing on Burns Night, D.I. Duncan McAdam takes a strong interest despite the apparent lack of concern shown by the boy's father. When a woman's body is soon discovered in Talisker Bay, with a single stab wound to the chest, Duncan and his team realise they have a killer on the island.

A brutal winter storm is battering the island, and it soon becomes a race against time to find the missing boy. Is he hiding or is someone keeping him from coming home? As the team delve deeper into the lives of the teenager and the deceased, they come to the conclusion that nothing is quite what it seems and more than one person has a vested interest in concealing the truth.

A closely guarded secret, lying in a shallow grave for years, is under threat of being revealed and no one seems willing to face up to their past... least of all, Duncan McAdam himself. Duncan has a decision to make, one that will impact not only his life but the lives of those he cares about the most. Does he have the courage to follow his instincts? And just who is he acting in the interests of... the people he loves... or purely for himself?

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Scotland, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

330 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 14, 2024

About the author

Jason Dalgliesh was born on the south coast of England and grew up in Hampshire, UK. He has worked in the power transmission industry, the retail sector, call centres and as a night-owl in a bakery. His greatest challenge of all is ongoing, as a stay at home parent.

He is presently writing the Dark Yorkshire crime-series, featuring DI Nathaniel Caslin.

The novels are set in Yorkshire, England. The medieval City of York is Caslin's home town and the plot lines take in some of the UK's most rugged and beautiful landscapes, from the windswept North Sea coastline and across the stunning North York Moors.

Penned in the style of the Crime Noir genre, Caslin is a deep character, as flawed as he is brilliant, battling his own demons as much as those he is pitted against. Readers who enjoy gritty, atmospheric thrillers will find the series a must read.

Having spent time abroad, Jason has lived and worked in various parts of England as well as the Scottish Highlands. He currently resides in the East Riding, with his wife and two young children.

You can reach him via his website at www.jmdalgliesh.com

You can also follow him on social media;
facebook.com/jmdalglieshauthor
twitter.com/darkyorkshire

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed 8 or 9 books written by J.M. Dalgliesh in his three different series, and I think this "Misty Isle" book may be my favorite to date. I appreciate the vivid descriptions of the Isle of Skye along with the very real challenges of the topography featured in several nail-biting scenes in this engaging book. Some very real and believable emotional challenges are part of the policeman's assignment in detecting and protecting.

Kindle Unlimited

[Terence M [Quot libros, quam breve tempus!] · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5-Stars for Misty Isle #3 - The Talisker Dead
- "Enjoyable, but not as much as #1 and #2"

Commenced: April 01, 2025 - Written review may come...
In the meantime: extracts from My Listening Activity:

April 01, 2025 @ 47%: "I gave up trying to hear more of the other unfinished books on my Currently Reading shelf and started listening to Angus King (and his wonderful Scottish 'burr') as he made his way through "The Talisker Dead". Now I really am smiling again!"

April 01, 2025 @ 48%: "Yesterday I downloaded a Kindle Unlimited copy of "Misty Isle #1, A Long Time Dead". I wanted to scan the author's written text on my iPad, and compare this to the narrator's reading of it".
"A Long Time Dead" is fresh in my memory and now I have no doubts at all that Angus King's reading adds a valuable and very enjoyable "Scottish" dimension to these books!"

April 03, 2025 @75%: " The recounting of the personal relationships, an integral part of this series, has been a bit too drawn out for me in this book. At 75%, I felt like I wanted more about 'police procedural' matters and less about 'character relationships', but this is a relatively minor whinge."

April 17, 2025 90%: "Commenced: April 1, '25, paused April 3, '25, resumed April 18, 2025 - This 'Misty Isle' story has dragged for me, compared with the two previous episodes. I am enamoured of the reading by Angus King, but I think the story has too many close personal connections with DI Duncan McAdam."

April 18, 2025 @99%: " Completed April 19, 2025 - Will most likely be a 3.5-Stars rating when I finish it."

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

my favourite of this series so far and becky continues to be so fucking annoying

[Lucia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Talisker Dead is, to me, the best book so far in the Misty Isle series.

On Burns Night, in a severe winter, a teenager vanishes from a remote village on Skye. Soon after the body of a woman is discovered on Talisker beach. As DCI Duncan MacAdam works on the case, it becomes clear the two events are connected. The story he discloses is marked by secrets, remorse and long‑hidden truths.

As the investigation progresses, the landscape gains prominence: the roaring sea, biting wind, and bright, blanketing snow influence movements and timings, giving the setting a vivid and almost tangible presence. I believe this strong sense of place is one of the novel’s greatest strengths, making the winter landscape of Skye feel immediate and essential rather than merely ornamental.

Themes of isolation, identity and personal history are deeply woven into the narrative, shaping how people behave and speak. Old ties still influence present decisions, including Duncan’s. Within this frame, his character develops further as he is faced with, and must confront, the consequences of his past. However, I believe that this personal thread remains well balanced and never overshadows the mystery.

I found that Talisker Dead combines a gripping mystery with a powerful sense of place, where the landscape almost becomes a character and the past refuses to stay buried. The pacing works effectively, so that the tension is constant and the investigation unfolds steadily.

The novel is, to me, a strong addition to the series, and I will gladly continue following DCI Duncan MacAdam’s future cases.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's Burns Night when teenager, Finn MacGregor, is reported missing. Then a body of a female is found on Talisker Beach, stabbed, with DI Duncan McAdam's phone number on her body. McAdam and his team investigate both cases, but is all that it seems.
An entertaining and well-written modern mystery with its very likeable main characters supported by a cast of varied personalities. A good addition to this enjoyable series.
I received a free copy of this book from the author via BooksFunnel and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Abigail Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book focuses on the teenager, Finn MacGregor, going missing on Burns Night. DI McAdam and his team are putting everything they have into finding him, but the case grows more interesting when the body of a woman is found. Duncan is left wondering if the two cases are connected and knows he has to work quickly in order to ensure Finn’s safety, but is everything as it seems?

I enjoyed this book a lot! Book one I loved, book two was okay, but book three helped to pick up the pace again. While I still think the overall pacing is on the slower side, I found it much easier to keep engaged with this plot than I did book two. The plot developed much quicker in this book which made me give it a higher rating.

A lot happened in this book and it covered a lot of important themes such as adoptive parents, long term illnesses, environmentalism etc. I liked how the author wasn’t afraid to tackle big subjects like this.

My favourite part of the book was the focus on loyalty and friendship. Finn’s best friend (Duncan’s son) does everything he can to help his friend and it was nice for Duncan to get the chance to know more about his son. Although I’m liking the majority of the relationships, I’m really struggling with Becky’s character as the series progresses and I hope she will soon drop her hold and cold behaviour toward Duncan.

Overall, a much better read than book two! I’m now very keen to continue the series and hope the pace continues to quicken in the other books.

[Lavins · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

I love Scottish mysteries especially when the author is peppering the dry, sarcastic humour all over it and JM Dalgliesh does that brilliantly!!!

I love Alistair. He is suuuuppper funny!!! I laughed out loud many times when I was reading his replies. He is the best!!!! Actually, Alistair and the dynamic he has with Duncan, reminds of Denzil Meyrick's books which are some of my favourites books ever!!!

The part that I struggled with with is the leniency shown by the police to people that could have greatly help the investigation, especially since it was more than clear they were lying or hiding important information. One of my most annoying things was when Callum disappeared, his mom was fretting to no end, his father brings him home and then his mom is like"sorry, he can't answer any questions, he's tired". Well what about the mother of the missing child? isn't she tired? You were at the wits end till five moments ago and now that your child is at home, no one else matters. And the police is "okay, no problem". Say what???

Anyways. I still enjoy it a lot, I wish it would be more realistic.
Looking forward to the next one and, in the mean time, I'll start on the other series written by the same author hoping I'm going to enjoy them just as much or more.

[Dee (readaholic_dee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series just gets stronger and stronger. Absolutely loved this book and it had me gripped throughout.

A teenager goes missing, a woman turns up dead and the weather is atrocious, so it is a very challenging situation for DI Duncan McAdam and his team. Thrilling read. You can really feel the characters now and how they work together.

I think what I love most about these books are you are never left wondering, all actions, all information etc is fully followed through and it makes the book.

Can’t wait for the next one.

Happy Reading.

[Val Innes · Rating 2 out of 5]

A 2.5. The amount of toxic behaviour Duncan accepts from his family and ex without standing up for himself is ridiculous, meaning it's the end of this series for me. Also incorrect reference to Scottish school qualifications jarred

[Anja Nicolaus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another nice mystery in a great new series. I like the setting and the cast of quirky characters. Sometimes a bit stereotypical, but all in all a good read!

[Paulo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good read in this series, with good character development from the earlier books. Would be good to include/read a map though as there’s lots of references to places all over the island .

[Michelle Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best so far. But it's only book #3 of 4 published with the 5th on the way.

Many readers of this genre complain or whinge about too much time given to the personal lives of the main and supporting characters, i.e. the team. But I rarely do, perhaps maybe once. But to me, it makes all the stories better.

This story hits home in more ways than one for DI McAdams.

I got frustrated that Duncan just didn't cite perverting the course of justice to get Callum and Davey to give him the info he needed to do his job...sure it would have shortened the story but in real life, with someone's life actually at stake, wouldn't a copper press those close to him/her anyway?

Or is someone holding back info in a missing persons case not a situation where that charge could come into play? It's always being bandied about in other books and tv shows but usually for major crimes and not those where it's unknown if a crime has been committed (kidnapping vs runaway). Or am I simply overthinking this entire situation...wouldn't be the first time.

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third in the series set on Skye and certainly does not disappoint, well written with a great storyline. Can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the other books in the series.
A missing teenager, a dead hiker who looks like she fell from the cliffs, but on further investigation was stabbed. The police need to find the missing boy while trying to find out who the dead woman was and who killed her.
Excellent read.

[Jim E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy this series and this chapter was a good read. The characters are believable and have interesting relationships.

[Giana Bender · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am continuing to enjoy this entire series! I just love all the descriptions of Skye that are included. It makes it so easy to visualize where you are and to follow the characters around the island on their investigations. We get to further dive into various personal relationships that Duncan has, and we get to see him actually address and process some of his emotions. In addition to getting to know Duncan more as the main character, this helps show how he is integrating to being back on Skye and reconnecting to the community. I also liked how Dalgliesh brought up the fish farming industry and addresses it from both an environmental perspective as well as from a small business perspective that is having to compete with larger companies to stay afloat. He shows the nuance involved with the industry, and how smaller communities are being fundamentally changed over time. I think one of my favorite things about his books is that you get the mystery that is promised, but you also get other information that connects you to the community of the island, as well as the characters Dalgliesh creates.

My biggest issue with this one is that Duncan is letting his personal life start to influence his work, and I find that very frustrating. He's already had a soft spot with Archie and letting some of his behaviors slide, and now it's extending to Callum and family. They fully knew where Finn was hiding out and lied repeatedly about it to the police. Additionally, Callum became aware that Finn had killed Ava, and he justified not telling anyone because he was "being a loyal friend," which Duncan then praised him for. They absolutely should have been charged with obstruction of justice, but Duncan lets it slide no problem. I am hoping he comes up with a better work/life balance going forward.

I enjoyed the plot twist of Finn being secretly adopted. Until the bloodwork started coming back that was not on my radar at all. The backstory of MacGregor's daughter dying was intense, and you feel for them at the end when they are taken into custody and prevented from being able to see Finn at the end.

I like that we learn more about Callum being Duncan's child, and it cleared up why his brother in law dislikes him so much. Not sure if I expect him to change overnight, but maybe they will start to have a better relationship going forward. On the same topic, I did find it annoying how they (Becky, Davey, Duncan) are all wanting to hold claim to Callum and use him as a bargaining tool. At least Callum is not aware of it, but it still rubs me the wrong way. Both Becky and Davey have no problems telling Duncan to leave them alone, but the second they need something it's "don't you want to help your son?" I think it is interesting to see them all work though this now that Duncan is back on the island, but to me it seems like Callum is being used as a pawn for them to work through their relationships with each other, and he doesn't deserve that. It will be interesting to see how Callum reacts when he finds out the truth.

Hopefully we circle back to Katie the reporter in the next book. That story line is definitely unfinished and I am hoping she is not in too much trouble. If she is avoiding Duncan, something else is definitely going on. Also, Duncan is clearly not interested in Grace, it seems like we only interacted with Grace so that we can keep using her as a link to Katie. Duncan is clearly still obsessed with Becky, so I don't expect it to go anywhere with Grace.

[Denise Forrest · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a teenage boy goes missing and a strange woman is found dead, it is likely that the two events are linked and Duncan sets out to find out how. A couple of other crimes are committed which also link to the same person. I enjoyed this book, but not as much as the previous two in the series as I felt the motivation causing the events in the story was less believable.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intrigue, deceit, confusion, stress are all a part of DI Duncan McAdams' day. That's just his personal life. The story itself revolves around a missing boy, a murder and possibly an eco terrorist plot encased in the micro climate that is Skye.
This book has some seriously complex plots running through each thread of the story. Some turn out to be red herrings whilst others are steeped in years of the isles history and those who live their lives on Skye. Our somewhat down trodden hero DI McAdams has to content with these issues whilst trying as best he can to negotiate his personal affairs. It would seem that although he has been away from the area for many years memories are long and he has to confront historic issues whilst attempting to solve current day emergencies.
This as always is a very well constructed tale and extremely well written. The author builds a real picture of the community and those living within it. I've always found that the character development and personalities within J.M. Dalgliesh books to be a strong point of his writing and this story is no exception. I can highly recommend this book.

[I’m a Paula too… Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 3, the Misty Isle series…

This is the third in the series, and I do like Duncan. He’s a good detective inspector and he’s learning to fit in with the rest of the population. Or I should say, fit back in. As we had learned in the first book, he came from the isle.

I didn’t really like this one as much as previous ones but it was still pretty good. Part of it has to do with his lack of responsibility regarding his child. I’m very uncomfortable with this but it’s probably due to me being adopted so not actually knowing who my biological parents were. Which is strange because it’s never bothered me before now. Regardless this did make me uncomfortable and hopefully there will be a resolution soon.

Looking forward to the next book…

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the two previous books in this series, this is another most enjoyable book, and I very much look forward to the next in the series book four.
I am never disappointed with the authors' books and always have them on pre-order.
This is a well written storyline and plot with revelations, twists, and turns cleverly woven into the storyline.
The descriptive side is wonderful and makes things easily visualised.
It's a most thoroughly enjoyable read and one of those books that, from the very beginning to the end you are totally captivated.
My thanks to the author for the advanced copy of this book.
This is my honest and unbiased review.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

DI McAdam finds himself with a splendidly convoluted mystery in the dead of winter. On the night of the annual Burns Dinner, Duncan is called to a remote peninsula of Skye to view a body. What is at first thought to be an accidental fall is swiftly discovered to be a stabbing. As Duncan and his team - each member an appealing character in his or her own right - search for answers, more and more threads join the tapestry of truth. Genetic abnormalities, the fish farming industry, complex familial relationships and the fierce weather of a Hebridian January all conspire to make this a baffling case. The solution slowly becomes clear even as the number of shattered lives grows.

[Sally Perrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story, great characters, lots of witty comments and terrific setting. My reason for 4 stars is because of the endless references to the weather and continual descriptions of the journeys around Skye! They feel like padding to the fundamental story and in my opinion just too much. If you live in Skye I am sure it would be fascinating to know which track or road they were heading along but to anyone else, it’s not! It’s like listening to a Carol Smiley giving her forecast on a Satnav stuck in Skye!

[Corny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is entertaining mostly because of the characters, Archie, Alistaire, Becky etc. Subplots abound including the messy personal life of Duncan McAdam, the lead detective. In this one, his relationships with Archie, Grace, Callum, Becky and Davey all play a part. The crime part is mostly secondary to an examination of teenage angst. Dalgliesh also uses every inch of the Isle of Skye in his plots. You need Google Maps to figure out where people are going but I have found that there are no madeup locations. Every place the author mentions is actually on the map.

[Lakota Schultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting tale of murder and missing boys

I love how Dalgleish manages to blend two seeming separate storylines into one and this is no exception.
A murdered eco-warrior and a missing local lad from Skye turns into a tale of broken hearts and family history that goes back generations

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoying the scenery and the development of the lead character

Into the third book and the leading character is beginning to fill out and become a character I like. His trusted sergeant is a good guy and to be trusted the only thing I'm finding a bit strange is the way his ex is behaving towards him but I'm taking it in my stride. A good read

[John Swift · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this third Di Duncan McAdam book. The characters traits, idiosyncrasies, strengths and weakness are now well developed. I’m not too good with the geography of the Scottish location the books are set in. Maybe a map at the start of the book(s) would be helpful? But this doesn’t detract from the books being great to read.

[Judi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 3rd in a series by this author..... murder mysteries on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. It does help to read the 4 of this series in order, to become familiar with the characters and their relationships. Each of them has had tight plots, great characters, as well as beautiful descriptions of the Isle of Skye. If the reader enjoys a good mystery, this series is for you!

[Susann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Excellent Story

It certainly seems to snow and storm a lot on the Isle of Skye in addition to having lots of murders. And the women folk seem to be a fierce bunch, eager to accuse and take offense. Don't cross them if you know what is good for you...moody bunch. This writer creates wonderful and colorful characters and a cracking story line.

[Chic Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eilean Sgitheneach

I’ve now read the three books in the series . Having family on the Island and so many places named that I know ,it might seem parochial , I really enjoyed these books and can’t wait for the fourth one to come out

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and it started really well. Began to get a bit slow for me about three quarters in and I thought the ending was a bit rushed. Four stars because it held my interest and the developing personal story of the main character is good. I will read the next book in the series.

[Marjorie Bain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read with some twists and turns thoroughly enjoyed