The Wolf Tree

George Lennox and Richie Stewart #1

by Laura McCluskey

A gripping and atmospheric debut crime thriller set on an isolated Scottish island…On an Island full of secrets

The truth lies in the dark

On a small island off the coast of Scotland, an isolated community is grieving. Eighteen-year-old Alan Ferguson was found at the foot of the lighthouse – an apparent suicide.

DIs Georgina Lennox and Richard Stewart are sent to investigate. A raging storm keeps them trapped on the island for four days. And the locals don’t take kindly to mainlanders.

As George and Ritchie question the island’s inhabitants, they discover a village filled with superstition and shrouded in secrets.

But someone wants those secrets to stay buried. At any cost.

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

432 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 11, 2025

About the author

Laura McCluskey is a Melbourne-based writer, editor and actor. She created the production company Sibylline Films and co-founded Three Fates Theatre Company. The Wolf Tree is her first novel.

source: Amazon

Reviews

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.
-----------------------------------------
My 3.93 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.

[Suz · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘It’s a funny little place, isn’t it? Quaint.’

The rain has carved deep lanes into the dirt, the water carrying sticks and leaves down to the bottom. Long grass is waging a war to reclaim the path.

A deeply atmospheric novel and smashing debut. Investigating the death of a young man at the base of a lighthouse in a remote Scottish island, where the closed off locals are secret and odd, set things up well in tension and foreboding.

The strange priest seems to have a presence everywhere and the entire small community are insular and unwilling to help the outsiders. Combined these factors create a continual fractious vibe. I love when a character strikes you instantly as being bad. The priest did this here.

Fearless DI George (Georgina) Lennox is recovering from a serious accident who shows no fear, constantly putting herself in harm's way. With issues of her own she's a strong character, I was fully invested in her story, she really made the book for me.

Superstitions in a closed island setting with many untrustworthy characters shine a light on superstition and secrets. Highly recommended.

Thanks to the publisher HarperCollins for my advanced readers copy and the First in Best Read campaign.

[Lisa B · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wolf Tree by Laura McClusky narration by Kirsty Cox was a dark mystery that kept me engaged from start to finish.


The setting was in Eilean Eader an island near Scotland a body has been found at the base of a lighthouse Di George Lennox & his partner investigate the murder they interview the residents, but they are not giving anything away but Lennox is an outsider from Skye Island.

As the investigation gets further in we find that several lighthouse keepers have disappeared according to folklore the island has many secrets from time gone.
I enjoyed this 1st book in a new series for me I look forward to see what’s coming next in this series.

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

DI’s George (Georgina) Lennox and Richie Stewart make their way to Eilean Eadar in the Western Isles in very stormy seas, her first glimpse of the isolated island being a sheer cliff against which huge waves resolutely smash. As their captain predicted, docking in the small harbour is a challenge against the relentless seas. The two detectives are unsure what reception they’ll get with these tough islanders but their first host, Cecily Campbell, seems friendly enough. Time will tell about the others. So, why have the detectives been sent to Eadar? Their task is to investigate the death of a young man, found at the base of the old lighthouse, the very same location where three lighthouse keepers mysteriously vanish in 1919. Richie doesn’t seem to notice that nothing is quite right, he just sees the quaint, but George does and her unease builds. Who can the detectives trust as “wolves” howl and dark figures watch at the windows of their Croft at night?

Although this is a bit slow to get going once it gets into its stride a spooky, creepy, gothic tale emerges with tension you can’t fail to sense alongside the fear the island and its inhabitants elicits in George. Many of the islanders are downright hostile, some are even venomous which is palpable. Their tiny patch of home in the Outer Hebrides is rich in ancient folklore and tradition which is blended well into the unfolding storyline and these characters want to maintain their heritage.

The atmosphere the author creates is really good and what a setting. It’s a remote, breathtaking, harsh environment and the authors descriptions bring it to life with some scenes that are suspenseful and exciting, with terrific island backdrops.

The characterisation is good. Although George is very headstrong and has plenty of issues, her intentions are good although she doesn’t always think things through, to her cost. Richie is a steadying influence and I like how much he cares about her. There are quite a lot of island characters to get to grips with but it’s not hard to picture them or keep track of them. One positively exudes power from every pore and his portrayal is very good.

The novel builds well to a really good ending as the many buried secrets are forced to come to the surface because of George’s perception and persistence. There are some convolutions in the reveals but it’s not hard to work out the truth.

Overall, this is a descriptive atmospheric novel that is well worth a read. If it’s the start of a series, I’m definitely in as I’d like to know what happens to George next.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins, Hemlock Press for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

[Srivalli Rekha · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

#NetGalley #TheWolfTree

[Sandysbookaday (on indefinite hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

EXCERPT: "So . . . could you tell us about that day, Mrs Ferguson? Start from when you woke up."
Catriona's expression is vacant for a moment, then she casts her gaze around until it lands on a cigarette case on a side table. She plucks one out, puts it between her lips, then strikes a match. After a steadying inhalation, Catriona begins.
"I woke up at three am," she says, her voice quiet but clear. "Had a cup of tea, got dressed, and let myself into the bakery at three forty; it was my day to open up. Sally McGill came in at four thirty. I had six loaves in the oven and two dozen rolls rising by then, so she took over while I had a break. Sat on the steps outside. Smoked. Looked at the stars."
George jots down some notes, even though she hears Ritchie scribbling rapidly beside her. "And it was just Sally and yourself for how long?"
"I was still on my break when Andy Fraser came over. He's got a wee baby now, and he'd been up half the night. Then came Linda Campbell, the elder Ross-Nicholson girl, my sister-in-law and her children - and then Kathy popped in. Asked me to come by for tea when I could. I told her I'd be round when Sally could look after customers without worrying about the ovens."
"What time did you get there?"
Catriona shrugs, tapping the ash off her cigarette. "At the same time as our delivery man arrived, just after six. Kathy went out back to make the tea, so I chatted with him for a few minutes. That's when Sally ran in, all pale and shaking like a leaf."
A short silence follows during which Catriona takes two long draws of her cigarette, and George and Richie wait. Father Ross listens with his head bowed.
"It was the last thing I ever expected to hear," she says, pausing to send a mouthful of smoke up to the ceiling. "Who kills themselves on a Wednesday?"

ABOUT 'THE WOLF TREE': A remote Scottish island hides shocking secrets. An island lost in time. A cryptic, pagan past. Some secrets should stay buried.

Eilean Eadar is a barren, windswept rock inhabited by a few hundred humans and sheep. Until now, the island was 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 the same lighthouse, two detective inspectors are sent from Glasgow to investigate.

Georgina ‘George’ Lennox is finally back from leave after a devastating accident and happy to be on the case with her partner, Richie Stewart. That is, until she meets the hostile islanders who seem determined to thwart their investigation, and their enigmatic, omnipresent priest who inserts himself into every interview. Then there’s Richie, who just wants to close the case and head home to his family. He doesn’t see that there is something off about the island and its tiny community. He hasn’t heard the wolves howling or seen the dark figures at their window at night. He’s too busy watching George as if waiting for her to break.

With the dark secrets of Eilean Eadar swirling around them, George and Richie must decide who to trust and what to believe as they spin closer to the terrible truth.

MY THOUGHTS: The blessing and the curse of small community living is the need to look out for and after one another. This is even more so on the remote western Hebridean island of Eilean Eadar, a place with no phone, other than the communal one in the post office, no internet, no nothing, really . . . It is a place where everyone knows everything about everyone else, where they rely heavily on one another, so why does no one know why young Alan Ferguson jumped from the lighthouse to his death? Or do they know, but just aren't saying? Mainlanders don't seem to be very well liked on the island.

The Wolf Tree is an atmospheric read, and one filled with suspense. While Richie just wants to sign Alan's death off as a suicide and get home to his family, George can feel the underlying tension in the islanders, can sense there's something they're not saying, and is determined to find out what it is. That determination results in several close calls that also widen the rift between Richie and George as Richie views George's determined efforts as plain reckless.

My interest was captured immediately as the author portrayed the isolated island and its taciturn inhabitants. Scottish folklore, island traditions, and the eerie sound of a wolf howling in the night add to the atmosphere.

It may feel like the story is going nowhere at times, but the author is cleverly building up to a crescendo that had me literally stuffing my knuckles in my mouth. The Wolf Tree is an admirable debut novel from Laura McCluskey that leaves me eagerly awaiting her next book.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.3

#TheWolfTree #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: Laura McCluskey is a writer, editor and actor. As well as writing novels, she is the co-founder of Three Fates Theatre Company, and has performed across theatre, film, and television. Laura lives in Naarm/Melbourne.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins Publishers Australia via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of the Wolf Tree by Laura McCluskey for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic debut from Laura McCluskey. I seriously couldn’t out this down until my eyes started to hurt from tiredness. I still devoured it in less than 24 hours. I was so immersed in this story, it just gets hold of you and doesn’t let you go. I hope this is the first in a series as I would love to learn more about George and Richie

The remote island of Eilean Eadar off the coast of Scotland is home to just over 200 locals. They are not fans of mainlanders,so when 2 police detectives come asking questions about the death of a young man at the lighthouse, they are not exactly forthcoming with information. The death of Alan Ferguson was at first ruled a suicide, but Richie and George need to make sure. These islanders stick together, they all know each other and their business.

The setting for this story is just perfect. The island has one satellite phone and the kids are home schooled. They all rely heavily on each other and the fish that is caught and sold to keep themselves going. At night the island is creepy and eerie, with lots of unexplained noises and movements about. This is story full of deep dark secrets and suspense and I was there for it all. If you love an atmospheric thriller full of dodgy characters, this is for you.

Thank you so much to Harper Collins Australia for sending me a copy of this book to read.

[Wulf Krueger · Rating 3 out of 5]

She has a death wish, he’d rather retire than help—in “The Wolf Tree” by Laura McCluskey, Georgina “George” Lennox and Richard “Richie” Stewart make for a weird pairing in a complicated story about life and death on Eilean Eadar, an isolated Scottish island.

After months of leave due to having been injured during an operation, George makes it back to the police force and her old partner, Richie. Their assignment is to look into the assumed suicide of a young man from the aforementioned island, due to “inconsistencies”.

At the outset, everything seems fine and the small community of about 200 people is close-knit. And, yet, there is something “off” from early on that neither the reader nor the inspectors can exactly point to.

Sounds good, eh? Sadly, this is just the promising beginning of a story that, for a long time, doesn’t seem to go anywhere. George is bold to a fault, but never hesitates to help if she’s needed. She does take some risks because she can’t help it. On the other hand, George has some serious issues and that might impact her judgement.

Richie, in contrast, struck me as less than interested in the entire investigation: he implicitly asks George to be negligent in her duties - not to help - if it might pose any risk to her. Of course, Richie himself acts just like that. I wouldn’t put it beyond him to just “look the other way”.

We get a good look at the island, the islanders, both primary and secondary characters. What we do not get is anywhere beyond descriptions and character studies. There are very few actual results during the investigation, and only conveniently at the very end do lots of things happen in quick succession, leading to a dramatic showdown at land’s end.

What could have been a highly interesting police procedural, or mystery gets bogged down by endless walking and talking across the island. There were flashbacks to what happened to George that were so distracting, I actually looked up if I had somehow stumbled into the middle of a series. (I hadn’t; I think.)

Everything on the island reads like doom and gloom – the harsh islanders, sometimes referring to outsiders as “mainland scum”, two storms during one week, rain, cold, snow – it’s bleak out there, and so it reads. Some light outbreaks of humour…

»“Mr. Nicholson,” Richie says, stooping to be at eye level with the headstone, “thank you for letting us stay in your home.”
George puts her lips to Richie’s ear and croaks, “I died in that bed.”
Richie glowers at her. “Have a modicum of respect for the dead, DI Lennox.”«

…are quickly stifled by foreshadowing, rain, or people.

The writing itself is captivating - relentlessly bleak, yes, but never forced; the gloom settles around the story and characters in a way that feels both real and essential to the book’s atmosphere. There are a few irritations, like Richie occasionally being called "Rich" just to mark supposedly significant moments, which feels a touch clumsy. The prose isn’t high-brow or particularly elegant, but there’s a genuine accessibility to it that made reading easy and, at times, unexpectedly enjoyable. I genuinely liked the author’s style, if not her story.

In the end, when everything suddenly falls into place, the story becomes very convoluted, rather hard to believe, and hardly anything feels resolved.

Still, “The Wolf Tree” was weirdly captivating. It wasn’t that suspenseful, so I guess I must have wanted to know how it ends. Don’t let that happen to you.

Three stars out of five.


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Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam

[Adrienne L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Partners DI Richie Stewart and DI Georgina “George” Lennox are dispatched from Glasgow to the remote island of Eilean Eadar in the Western Hebrides to investigate the death of a young island resident. Eighteen-year-old Alan was found dead at the base of the island’s notorious lighthouse, from which three keepers vanished without a trace a century earlier, and the officers are tasked with interviewing the mostly reticent and sometimes downright hostile population of the insular community to confirm what looks to be an open and shut case of suicide.

The Wolf Tree is a pretty standard detective mystery with the comfortably familiar set-up of detectives from outside vs. a small community of suspicious locals. The dramatic landscape of the island, at once dangerous and beautiful, is a fantastic backdrop to the investigation and the dramas that unfold. There are certainly some clichéd characterizations here in both our troubled MC George and the eccentricities of some of the island's residents, but I found a lot of interest as well. George is not your one-dimensional cop battling demons, and even some of the locals who at first present as stereotypical depictions of rural reticence eventually reveal multiple and complex layers to both the detectives and the reader. The struggle between the various generations of islanders adds another interesting facet to the story, with a lot of the younger people bucking against the centuries-old traditions and values that stifle them.

I did see a few of the reveals to the mystery coming a long way off, although there were some surprises that, while a bit far-fetched, were still entertaining. Laura McCluskey is an excellent writer and does a great job building complex characters, depicting the sweeping landscape, and rendering an authentic rural and isolated community trapped in time. If this is the start of a new series, I would happily pick up the next entry.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for the digital advanced readers copy. The Wolf Tree will be published on February 11, 2025.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like your isolated settings, you will love this one. This one is set in a remote island. What I loved about this book was the atmosphere. It was creepy and disturbing. I felt like I was there. I actually didn't pick the ending, it was very surprising and I love that in a book. Well done to the author.


This book has/is :

* Suicide victims
* Young men
* Lighthouses
* Suspense
* Detectives
* Mystery
* Historical fiction
* Cults

[megs_bookrack · Rating 5 out of 5]

**4.5-stars rounded up**

The Wolf Tree is an Adult Mystery novel set on a remote Scottish island. Late last year, I saw a few of my trusted book friends reviewing this one quite favorably.

As is my custom, I was immediately filled with uncontrollable FOMO, so I sought out a copy. Then as is also my custom, I let it sit on my unread shelf for months and months and months.



Recently, I finally decided to give it a go, wanting a strong Police Procedural Mystery full of atmosphere and intrigue. Oh baby, did I get what I wanted.

This story follows George Lennox, and her partner, Richie Stewart, who're embarking on their first big detective assignment since George suffered a terrifying accident on the job that left her with a serious head injury.

The powers that be have finally decided that George is ready to get back out there, and she and Richie are sent to Eilean Eadar, a remote windswept rock, best known for the unsolved mystery of the lighthouse keepers who vanished from there back in 1919.



The small community who lives on the island, easily more sheep than people, are used to self-sufficiency. They live a remote and rugged life and are used to looking after one another, through good times and bad.

George and Richie are sent there to investigate after a young man, Alan, is found dead at the base of the lighthouse. The islanders, led by a ubiquitous priest, Father Ross, seem determined to thwart the DIs' investigation. The local story is Alan took his own life, but is that really what happened?

Due to it's remote location, the detectives are forced to stay on the island for the duration of their investigation. The more they interact with the locals and learn about their culture and history, the more George becomes convinced that something is seriously off here.



I had so much fun with this one. I became completely invested in the mystery and loved the partnership of George and Richie. They're definitely a detective duo I want to read more of. I like how McCluskey gave them an interesting history in addition to the mystery they were solving.

McCluskey also nailed the island atmosphere and I found this to be spooky in addition to mysterious. I loved the feel of the locals. They were believable, yet also untrustworthy. It gave the whole thing an unsettling feeling from the start.

I did have moments where I felt challenged to keep up with a lot of the side characters, but for the most part, I think McCluskey did a great job creating a thick web of intrigue, while also keeping it accessible and understandable.



About halfway through, I was curious if this was going to become a series, and I'm so happy to report that there is a 2nd-book, The Cursed Road: A new gripping Scottish crime thriller from the bestselling author of THE WOLF TREE, set to release very early next year.

Y'all, I will be first in line for that. George and Richie are such a great match, their skill sets playing perfectly off one another. Richie, as a more aged, experienced detective, of course feels protective over George, and for her part, she's just testing her limits.

I would recommend this for fans of Caz Frear's Cat Kinsella series, the DC Morgan series by Clare Mackinstosh, or the DCI Jonah Sheens series by Gytha Lodge.



Thank you to the publisher, G.P. Putnam's Sons, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I cannot wait for the next book to release!

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This debut from Laura McCluskey was such a surprise. Fantastic location and characters, but it was the plot, particularly the explosive ending, that took my breath away. I was absolutely gripped from start to finish, and the pitch perfect narration by Kirsty Cox was the cherry on top.

For her first case as a DI, and her first back on duty after a traumatic head injury, George(ina) Lennox and her partner DI Richie Stewart, are sent to the remote island of Eilean Eadar off the west coast of Scotland, to investigate the death of local lad Alan Ferguson. The 18yo was reported to have taken his own life by leaping from the decommissioned lighthouse a few weeks earlier, and had already been buried, but the coroner's report included a few small details that meant it could be just a little more than dotting Is and crossing Ts. Or not. Richie feels like it will be a routine investigation but George is more open to an alternative outcome. Arriving on the island during an almighty storm, a handful of the 200 or so locals are welcoming and friendly, but it has to be said that most are quite hostile towards the two detectives.

Battling the weather, the attitudes and the sheer hardship of working on the isolated island where the only means of communicating with the outside world is via the island's sole satellite phone, George and Richie slowly begin to build a picture of a virtually closed community with lots of secrets and a deceased young man who'd had a lot to live for.

This felt like it could be the beginning of a new police procedural series, with the character of George in particular being just so well-established. I really hope it is, because I will be at the front of the queue to read more.

I have no hesitation in recommending this to any readers who enjoy a bit of crime with a sense of place and gothic chills.

[Lady MacDeath 🌒🌕🌘 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was looking forward to reading this book, to again, fulfil my passion for folklore…and I wasn’t disappointed.

There has been a suspicious death on the isolated Scottish island of Eilean Eadar, and DI Georgina ‘George’ Lennox and her partner DI Richard ‘Ritchie’ Stewart, have been tasked with investigating whether it was a straightforward suicide, or something more foul. Over the next few days of the investigation, they are hit with a town full of secrets, and the folk locked in silence.

I was not impressed with the beginning of this book, as not a lot was happening, except for the interviewing of the residents, who were all pretty much keeping shtum. But, a third of the way through, boy, did this story get exciting. This is the kind of folklore tale that I love to read, laced with pagan beliefs and rituals, and a village where the residents look on outsiders (mainlanders) as suspicious…think of movies, ‘The Wicker Man’, and ‘Midsommer’.

I’m glad I stuck with the story as this is the author’s debut, and a brilliant one it is, though persevere with the first third of the book, and you will love it.

Thanks to the Laura McCluskey, Hemlock Press/HarperCollins Publishers, and NetGalley, for providing me with this free ARC, with which I leave a voluntary review.

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Release Date: 27th February 2025

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wolf Tree was a gripping, if occasionally disturbing read, representing Aussie author Laura McCluskey's crime-thriller debut.

Mainland Scottish Detective Inspectors Georgina "George" Lennox and Richard "Ritchie" Stewart are dispatched to the remote (fictional) island of Eilean Eadar in the Outer Hebrides group, in the wake of an ambiguous finding in the recent death of teenager Alan Ferguson. The island is an isolated and windswept place, with a close-knit population that survives on fishing and sheep farming.

As George and Ritchie settle into the vacant hillside croft that they've been offered as accommodation during their visit, and begin to question the locals about the leadup and circumstances of Alan's death - ostensibly a fall from the island's remote lighthouse - they encounter welcoming hospitality from some islanders, but suspicion, hostility and rudeness from others. A stalker wearing an eerie wolf mask appears at the window of their cottage in the night, and someone leaves animal entrails as a pagan ill-wish for their endeavours. Why are so many of the islanders openly pushing for Alan's death to be written off as a suicide and the whole episode put behind them?

In the course of investigating the crime, George is lent the daily records of the lighthouse, detailing the work and morale of the three lighthousemen who were stationed on the island during the First World War. The unexplained disappearance of all three has become a celebrated mystery for true crime afficionados, and George begins to wonder whether there could be parallels with the more recent death that she and Ritchie are investigating.

George and Ritchie's challenges are not limited to the barriers and obfuscation put up by the islanders. It transpires that George has only recently returned to active duty following a violent and traumatic incident at a crime scene some months earlier. Ritchie has long been her mentor, but harbours doubts about her readiness to be involved in what's becoming a fraught investigation. He's repeatedly frustrated and angered by George's tendency to put herself in dangerous situations without backup, and not unexpectedly this leads to a dramatic confrontation as the novel nears its end.

The Wolf Tree is a tautly-plotted and atmospheric read, featuring flawed but convincing central characters, supported by a well-drawn cast of eccentric, manipulative and plain creepy islanders and an evocative setting in the windswept Western Isles. I found myself being drawn into the feeling of menace and secrecy as the novel went on, and mysteries beyond the state of mind of 18-year-old Alan began to emerge. While much of the novel is based around George and Ritchie's dialogue as they unearth details relevant to their investigation, several action sequences really raised the pace of the book at opportune times.

I'd enthusiastically recommend The Wolf Tree to readers who enjoy twisty police-based mysteries set in evocative locals. I think this book would really appeal to those who enjoy Ann Cleeves and Lin Anderson's Scottish-set series. I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for more reads from Laura McCluskey in the future, including the one existing and one forthcoming instalments in what's become a series featuring George and Ritchie.

[Amanda - Mrs B's Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

*https://www.instagram.com/mrsb_book_r...

🌩The Wolf Tree is a dark, stormy and compelling debut crime thriller from new author Laura McCluskey. The Wolf Tree places McCluskey confidently among seasoned crime fiction writers like Dervla McTiernan. With a brooding and windswept Scottish island as its backdrop, this is a story that pulses with mood, mystery, tension and small town intricacies.

🌩The story begins with the tragic death of a young man in a small, grief-stricken island community. As investigators arrive to uncover the truth, they are met with quiet hostility and deep-rooted resistance from the locals. It is also clear that some of the residents of this island are determined to protect long-buried secrets. A fierce storm closes in, trapping everyone on the island for days, heightening the sense of claustrophobia and no escape, this really compounded the events of this tale for me.

🌩McCluskey adds ideas of superstition, folklore, mystical beliefs and generational silence throughout the narrative. Old tales and island lore form a part of the investigation. I definitely appreciated this different angle to a crime mystery novel. The tension between past and present, outsiders and locals, protection and exposure, all form an important part of this novel’s unravelling.

🌩 The Wolf Tree’s setting is a standout. McCluskey’s descriptions of the Scottish island weather, complete with its moody skies, thrashing rain, bitter cold air and unforgiving wind work together to shape the tone of the story. The landscape is not just a backdrop but a foreboding presence that links directly to the novel’s ideas of grief, suspicion, and withholding the truth.

🌩As I chose to listen to this on Borrowbox and I must give a special mention to the audiobook narration by Kirsty Cox. Cox’s Scottish dialect added a layer of authenticity and realism to this novel.

The Wolf Tree delivers an excellent level of suspense, a well-paced mystery and a well placed conclusion. This successful debut suggests that Laura McCuskey has plenty of great stories to come.

🌟🌟🌟🌟4 stars

👏Thanks to @harpercollinsaustralia

[myreadingescapism · Rating 2 out of 5]

This reminded me of another book with the same situation on an island but.... it was absolutely stupid. 🙄

[Gloria (Ms. G's Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4 Stars⭐️
The Wolf Tree by Laura McCluskey is an atmospheric and mysterious story set on an isolated island where a young man has been found dead at the bottom of the decommissioned lighthouse. Was it suicide or something sinister? Three lighthouse keepers also mysteriously disappeared in 1919, could there be a connection?

Detective Inspectors Georgina (George ) Lennox and her partner Richie Stewart are sent to investigate. They are met with hostility by the islanders who are suspicious and unhelpful to their investigation.

The author skillfully builds an atmospheric and creepy setting.

Our protaganist Georgina is complex she has lots of personal issues and takes way too many risks, she’s a likeable character along with her partner Richie.

The Wolf Tree is a suspenseful police procedural and as we move further into the investigation the pace certainly picks up, the conclusion is brilliant and well wrapped up. A fabulous debut.

Publication Day 28 February 2025
Publisher Harper Collins Australia

A huge thanks to Harper Collins Australia for an early copy of the book and promo pack.

[Elaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Wolf Tree.

** Minor non-mysterious spoilers ahead **

Set against an isolated island whose biggest claim to fame is the unsolved mystery of three lighthouse keepers who vanished back in 1919, two detectives from Glasgow have come to investigate the death of a young man.

The author paints a bleak, isolated and creepy setting that is Eilean Eadar.

The landscape is both beautiful, dreary and kind of spooky, mostly because of the locals' hostility toward the newcomers.

The mystery behind the missing man is mostly a subplot to the real story which is DI Lennox coping with the aftermath and recovery of a shooting that left her injured and traumatized.

I enjoyed learning about the island's superstitions, rituals and myths; not a surprise when you live in a remote and secluded environment.

I wished I liked George more; she came off as unlikable.

At first, I thought it was because she had been injured in the line of duty but I don't think that was it.

She walked around with a chip on her shoulder, a young woman in a career dominated by men and who felt like she was being judged and criticized for her profession.

I sympathized and understand how she feels but something about her character rubbed me the wrong way.

She was always defensive, always automatically assuming people disregarded her because she was female.

The writing was good, and there were police procedural aspects I enjoyed, like interviewing witnesses and suspects, but this narrative is more about the people and the location than a mystery.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wolf Tree by Laura McCluskey was a #BookstagramMadeMeDoIt plus PRHA made me do it, and my mind is still reeling that this is a debut. I loved the isolated location setting of a remote Scottish island and that this story was rooted in some real history. It has a literary mystery vibe that I was really into, and I thought the inclusion of some folklore was great as well. There was one scene that was a little tough to read, but I was happy with the turn it took. And the lighthouse at the center of unexplained disappearances and one supposed suicide made for an interesting and suspenseful storyline.

Georgina (George) and her partner Richie were flawed but relatable characters, and even though the book is told exclusively from her viewpoint, I couldn’t help but like both of them. I also loved the audiobook and was more than satisfied with the way Kirsty Cox brought the plot and characters to life. She was also easy to understand which was a huge bonus for me and I would recommend listening if you enjoy audiobooks. The twists were all 🤯 and completely unexpected. It was such an eerie and intense read, and I can’t wait to see what McCluskey does next!

Book Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Read this if you enjoy unsolved disappearances, small town drama, and atmospheric creepiness.

[Michele (michelethebookdragon) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this is a cracker of a debut!

Set on the inhospitable island of Eilean Eadar in the Scottish Hebrides, this story is so incredibly atmospheric and immersive. You will feel the chill of the northern Atlantic winds, hear the unforgiving waves crash onto the shore, and sense the hostility and mistrust of the island's inhabitants.

After eighteen year old Alan Ferguson is found dead at the base of the island's lighthouse, DI George Lennox and Richie Stewart are sent to the island to effectively tick the boxes and confirm that the death was suicide. Ask a few questions, confirm the statements taken at the time, easy.

But once on the island they are shook by the overt hostility of some of the residents against anyone from the mainland. Welcomed by only a few, they have their work cut out for them getting cooperation from many residents. It certainly feels that they are being stonewalled and that maybe there is more to this death.

The melding of ancient Celtic symbolism and superstitions and an almost cultish interpretation of the Catholic doctrine is an interesting part of this story. This sets the tone and makes every interaction creepy and full of suspense.

Could the vanishing of three lighthouse keepers over a hundred years ago possibly be linked to this current death?

This was an incredible story that will grab you by the throat and will not let you go.

[ariana · Rating 2 out of 5]

crime novelists have some frustrating tendencies - one being a total misunderstanding of how people behave after killing someone? not that i would know…. but the agatha christie blasé approach to murder ONLY works for miss christie…. it is aged and just impossible to believe now

[Shantha (ShanthasBookEra) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow shortly

[Fictionophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twenty-eight year old DI George (Georgina) Lennox is working her first case after a devastating work related accident. Her partner, DI Richie Stewart accompanies her from Glasgow to Eilean Eadar, a remote western Hebridean island to investigate the circumstances around the death of a teenage boy.

They arrive via a rough sea crossing. The locals set them up in a disused croft who once belonged to an elderly resident who has passed away. Some of the locals seem welcoming, while others view them with thinly veiled hostility. They have just a few days to investigate Alan Ferguson's death which, on the surface, seems a suicide.  The boy's body was found at the base of the lighthouse and it is assumed that he threw himself from the heights.

As George and Richie interview the local residents, they sense that all is not as it might at first appear. The islanders seem to be harbouring a secret...  All 206 residents attend the Catholic Church led by Father Ross, a man who seems to hold great sway over the islanders and their activities.  The religion they practice is an odd blend of Catholicism and ancient Celtic paganism. There is no mobile reception on the island and the only telephone is a satellite phone located in the post office. Though their way of life seems antiquated, the residents do have a commendable habit of looking out for one another...

"It's only when you get up close that you see the cracks."

Though Richie Stewart is very fond of his young partner, he feels she is impetuous and prone to taking unnecessary risks. When he discovers that she has been abusing painkillers since her terrible accident eight months previously, the trust between the two police officers wears thin.

In addition to their present day investigation, George is given the journals of the lighthouse keepers from long ago. Back in 1919 three lighthouse keepers vanished off the island, a mystery that has never been forgotten.

At night, someone with a wolf mask is peering in the kitchen window of the croft where George and Richie are staying. George cannot sleep due to the incessant howling of the wind, which sounds, in a sinister way, very much like a wolf's howl.

By the time that George and Richie finally leave the island of Eilean Eadar both the present day and ancient mysteries will be solved and the very essence of the island will be in a state of upheaval that might never be righted...

I thoroughly enjoyed this debut mystery. The sense of place permeated the entire novel with its wind, damp, and bone-chilling cold. George was a courageous policewoman, who was reckless and damaged, yet oh so good at her job.

Recommended to readers who love a police procedural with a highly atmospheric and insular setting.

[Cerisaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for St Regulus book club, Reading Groups for Everyone

A decent enough crime thriller with paranormal undertones set in the intriguing setting of a remote island off the Outer Hebrides, based on the Flannan Isles, scene of the famous story about a lighthouse crew who disappeared without trace in 1900.

Pacing starts slowly then gathers momentum as the story progresses, with page-turning tension: I kept reading on and on in order to get to the meat of the mystery plot, to discover what had happened to young islander Alan Ferguson who apparently committed suicide despite having everything to live for.

So far so good.

Hampered by an unsympathetic main character, a clever young DI recently returned to duty following a traumatic incident on a previous investigation. McCluskey skilfully teases out this backstory that has left a deep impact on Georgina (George) Lennox. Older partner and mentor DI Richard (Richie) Stewart, has obvious reservations about her fitness to investigate Alan Ferguson's death requiring a lengthy journey and several days at a remote Hebridean location. Their relationship was the highlight of the book for me though I was drawn by its location- I am very familiar with the Outer Hebrides and have visited St Kilda, with close family connections.

While the story is 'absorbing' and 'unsettling' as the cover promises, I just couldn't believe in this very small island with some 200 inhabitants, shops, a pub and thriving fishing and crofting community, in the 2020s, with no tourists or visiting cruise ships. Having said that, McCluskey describes the island and inhabitants well, location a character in its own right, distinctive, difficult, insular, harsh yet beautiful with a reverance for traditional ways and fierce protectiveness. I know from personal experience the grip exercised by tradition, a severe kind of religious belief, repressive social pressures. Had the story been set 50-100 years ago it would've been much more convincing.

The book's supernatural element derives from known mythology, a kind of British folk horror. Again, this aspect of the story is well done. For my part, sadly, I just couldn't believe in the way required to avert eye-rolling incredulity. It would make a good B movie done in 70s style, just not for me. Other readers clearly disagree, and that's good. I would read another book by the author, with a different setting I'm not close to.

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too long winded confusing didn’t keep me interested

[Katherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

The ending was disappointing, stupid, and hard to follow ?

[Kris McCracken · Rating 1.75 out of 5]

This one had the misfortune to turn up in my to-read pile not long after “John of John”. Apologies to Laura McCluskey, because that’s not a particularly fair fight. One of these books really knew how to use a remote Scottish island. It wasn’t this one.

“The Wolf Tree” sends detectives George Lennox and Richie Stewart to Eilean Eadar, an isolated Hebridean island where a young man has been found dead beneath a lighthouse. There are hostile locals, suspicious clergy, old disappearances, strange rituals and terrible weather.

The island is the best thing in the book. Salt, rain, cold, sheep, fish, sea, pub, lighthouse. McCluskey can make a wet rock in the North Atlantic feel like the most miserable place in the world. But the setting is doing a lot of work that the characters and mystery don’t match.

George is young, ambitious, recovering from a near-fatal accident, taking too many painkillers and terrified that someone will tell her she isn’t fit to be back at work. There’s an interesting character in there. Someone who has fought to be taken seriously and become prone to confusing legitimate scrutiny with condescension. She’s determined to prove them wrong.

Instead, George mostly does the same thing over and over. She takes stupid risks. Hides things from her partner. Refuses help. Withholds information. Charges off somewhere she shouldn’t. Then does it again.

The problem isn’t that she’s unlikeable. It’s that the book repeatedly asks us to trust her instincts while showing us that her judgement is dreadful. Her previous mistake nearly killed her. She’s hiding her painkiller use while working a tricky case far from home. She ignores protocol and discounts perfectly reasonable concerns, yet the plot keeps vindicating her because eventually one of those bad decisions leads somewhere useful.

At some point that stops being a brilliant-but-difficult detective and starts looking like an egotistical hothead with extremely poor judgement.

That also undermines her relationship with Richie. He knows her, worries about her and has decades of experience. George demands that he trust her judgement while routinely refusing to trust his. She hides things directly relevant to the investigation, then treats his concern as betrayal. The relationship keeps bending to whatever the scene needs: intimacy here, distrust there, Richie reduced to sensible bloke George must ignore before heading off somewhere dangerous again.

The folk-horror material works best when it stays half-seen. The old mystery creates genuine unease and the islanders work better as a collective presence: secretive, watchful and faintly threatening.

Unfortunately, the book eventually starts explaining it all.

A lot has been held back by then. George’s accident. The old disappearance. The meaning of the title. The island’s secrets. Slow burn is fine, but withholding information only creates tension if learning it later changes how you understand what came before. Here, quite a lot of it simply arrives late and the ending becomes a rush of revelations, danger and explanation.

The strange stuff becomes less strange with the lights on. The dread has promised something darker and more psychologically convincing than what the mystery finally delivers.

Which brings me back to George. Belligerence, secrecy and recklessness can all make a terrific protagonist. But repetition isn’t character development. If she keeps making the same stupid, dangerous choices and the book keeps treating them as fresh evidence of how damaged she is, eventually I stop learning anything about her.

I just conclude she’s a bit of a dill.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essentially Hot Fuzz, and I'm here for it!

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captivating, atmospheric, and creepy! Already looking forward to reading the next book.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to believe this one is a first novel. Lots of creepy Scottish vibes, which I am all about these days, and a good mystery with a decent surprise at the end. For fans of Harvest Home, Burnt Offerings and Shirley Jackson.