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Rebecca Connolly #7
The Other Side of Fear
There are two sides to everything, and fear isn't any different – sometimes you have to push through to the other side . . .
Someone has big plans for Stoirm, and they'll stop at nothing to get what they want.
Investigative journalist Rebecca Connolly returns to the Scottish island to find out who is terrorising the locals who favour a community buyout of the estate over plans by a faceless consortium to turn it into an upmarket playground for the rich and shameless.
But before she even sets off, she is threatened by two men, men who are no strangers to inflicting pain. Rebecca being Rebecca, this only serves to heighten her curiosity, and she heads for the island, leaving behind romantic troubles and, she thinks, a young woman set on making her name in journalism.
It isn't long before threats become murder and Rebecca finds herself in mortal danger from an old adversary among the breaking waves of Thunder Bay.
Someone has big plans for Stoirm, and they'll stop at nothing to get what they want.
Investigative journalist Rebecca Connolly returns to the Scottish island to find out who is terrorising the locals who favour a community buyout of the estate over plans by a faceless consortium to turn it into an upmarket playground for the rich and shameless.
But before she even sets off, she is threatened by two men, men who are no strangers to inflicting pain. Rebecca being Rebecca, this only serves to heighten her curiosity, and she heads for the island, leaving behind romantic troubles and, she thinks, a young woman set on making her name in journalism.
It isn't long before threats become murder and Rebecca finds herself in mortal danger from an old adversary among the breaking waves of Thunder Bay.
357 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 3, 2025
1 person is currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Skelton
41 books136 followersDouglas has been a shelf stacker, bank clerk, tax officer, factory worker, advertising salesperson, taxi driver (for two days), wine waiter (for two hours), journalist and criminal investigator. His early books were all in true crime or criminal history but now he writes fiction, beginning with the Davie McCall series. The final book in the series, OPEN WOUNDS, has been longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize 2016, alongside such authors as Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Lin Anderson, Doug Johnstone and James Oswald.
His next book is THE DEAD DON'T BOOGIE, which will kick off a new series.
His next book is THE DEAD DON'T BOOGIE, which will kick off a new series.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 21, 2025
This sublime and eventful crime novel is the 7th volume, and I think the last one if I'm not mistaken, of the superb "Rebecca Connolly"series.
At the end of the book you'll notice an Author's Note, in which the author states that this series, and especially this book, has featured various autobiographical issues, and these issues has been exceptionally implemented throughout the series.
Storytelling is excellent, all characters come superbly to life in this tale about facing your fears with all your might and come through it, and it is filled with political elements, criminal activities and not to forget murder, while the people and atmosphere concerning Island life in Scotland is also wonderfully pictured by the author.
The book starts off with threats made towards the inhabitants of the (fictional) Island of Stoirm, in an attempt to frighten these inhabitants off for making a bid to buy the estate from an important local laird family.
These inhabitants will get more and more intimidated from someone with a very dark and sinister business sense, and who goes to any lengths to get what he wants, and this man has certain dangerous criminals working for him, and doing all the dirty work, even eventually murder.
What is to follow is a tremendous thriller with plenty of action, right and wrong, and that will end with a splendidly worked out plot and a fully justified outcome.
Highly recommended, for this is a terrific last addition to this magnificent series, I would like to advise everyone to read this series too, and because of these statements of mine I like to call this final episode: "A Marvellous Full Circle"!
At the end of the book you'll notice an Author's Note, in which the author states that this series, and especially this book, has featured various autobiographical issues, and these issues has been exceptionally implemented throughout the series.
Storytelling is excellent, all characters come superbly to life in this tale about facing your fears with all your might and come through it, and it is filled with political elements, criminal activities and not to forget murder, while the people and atmosphere concerning Island life in Scotland is also wonderfully pictured by the author.
The book starts off with threats made towards the inhabitants of the (fictional) Island of Stoirm, in an attempt to frighten these inhabitants off for making a bid to buy the estate from an important local laird family.
These inhabitants will get more and more intimidated from someone with a very dark and sinister business sense, and who goes to any lengths to get what he wants, and this man has certain dangerous criminals working for him, and doing all the dirty work, even eventually murder.
What is to follow is a tremendous thriller with plenty of action, right and wrong, and that will end with a splendidly worked out plot and a fully justified outcome.
Highly recommended, for this is a terrific last addition to this magnificent series, I would like to advise everyone to read this series too, and because of these statements of mine I like to call this final episode: "A Marvellous Full Circle"!
August 13, 2025
The final book in the Rebecca Connelly series sees the journalist returning to the island of her first story, accompanied by familiar friends and enemies. As always an atmospheric and gripping read with trademark flashes of humour. A fitting end to the series.
August 24, 2025
This is the 7th book in the Rebecca Conolly thriller and the first I have read. It's fine as a standalone but there is a lot of history between some of the characters so it is probably better to read them in order. I certainly plan to read them all.
I enjoyed the island which had an insular small-town vibe going on. There were a lot of interesting and suspicious characters! I enjoyed Rebecca and Bill and their relationship with one another, it was a really nice dynamic. I also liked Alan and Chaz who were direct but well meaning.
The story was interesting and felt relevant to current goings on of people not being welcome if they are deemed to be outsiders. I don't want to give too much away but I really enjoyed this. The author created such a distrustful and sometimes creepy atmosphere which really added to the story!
Huge thanks to the author, publisher, Bloody Scotland and Love Books Tours for providing a copy of the book to review.
I enjoyed the island which had an insular small-town vibe going on. There were a lot of interesting and suspicious characters! I enjoyed Rebecca and Bill and their relationship with one another, it was a really nice dynamic. I also liked Alan and Chaz who were direct but well meaning.
The story was interesting and felt relevant to current goings on of people not being welcome if they are deemed to be outsiders. I don't want to give too much away but I really enjoyed this. The author created such a distrustful and sometimes creepy atmosphere which really added to the story!
Huge thanks to the author, publisher, Bloody Scotland and Love Books Tours for providing a copy of the book to review.
August 24, 2025
I enjoyed this book. It was an excellent addition to the Scottish crime fiction world! I loved the story and the concept was strong.
I liked the cover. It was what is expected of the genre. It was really well done.
The book was well written and flowed nicely. The writing was easy enough to follow. Anything jargon was explained well.
I love crime fiction especially when it's set in Scotland. There is something exceedingly gritty about it!
The characters are all excellent and they fit in beautifully. I loved Rebecca. I enjoy how she conducts her investigations and gets the job done!
I definitely recommend this and will definitely check out the others books in the series.
I liked the cover. It was what is expected of the genre. It was really well done.
The book was well written and flowed nicely. The writing was easy enough to follow. Anything jargon was explained well.
I love crime fiction especially when it's set in Scotland. There is something exceedingly gritty about it!
The characters are all excellent and they fit in beautifully. I loved Rebecca. I enjoy how she conducts her investigations and gets the job done!
I definitely recommend this and will definitely check out the others books in the series.
August 18, 2025
Douglas Skelton’s The Other Side of Fear drops investigative journalist Rebecca Connolly back onto the storm-lashed island of Stoirm, where a ruthless consortium clashes with locals fighting for a community buyout. Threats quickly spiral into murder, and Rebecca faces danger from both old enemies and new. Gritty, atmospheric, and driven by a heroine who won’t quit even when she should, this is crime fiction that crackles with tension and a sharp sense of place.
In this last book in the Rebecca Connelly series, Douglas Skelton returns to the scene of Rebecca’s first foray into criminal investigative journalism in Thunder Bay. Skelton’s Stoirm is as atmospheric as ever. One of his considerable talents is to bring settings and people to life. Stoirm, with its jaggy, brutal coastlines, is as windswept and insular as ever. It is an island with a shameful history, and it harbours secrets that have never really been brought fully into the light, as Rebecca knows too well.
Rebecca has been making a decent living since her mentor, Elspeth, died, and now Dot, a young journalist on the mainland, hopes to learn from Rebecca and has invited her to be interviewed on her podcast. But Rebecca has other things on her mind.
She’s been asked to return to Stoirm, where a community buyout of the island competes with a big leisure conglomerate, and tensions on the island are riding high. Not everyone on the community buyout side is keen to see Rebecca back, though. She has her detractors, and some are keen to see old troubles remain buried deep in the past.
Rebecca wants to find out who is behind the opposition to the community purchasing the island, and she has another reason for getting away from Inverness. She needs to make a critical decision about her future, one she’s been ducking for a while, and she hopes that distance will give her clarity.
Rebecca never shirks a challenge. She tends to run toward danger rather than away from it, but for her, public service journalism is important, and she wants to understand what lies behind a story so she can tell it well. This is a book that thrives on tension, moral ambiguity, and the stubborn persistence of Rebecca, who really should know better than to walk straight into trouble — but does so anyway.
The plot builds like the dark clouds gathering over Thunder Bay. Skelton weaves together strands of political intrigue, local history, and personal danger into a taut narrative. The pace is brisk without feeling rushed, and the escalation from menace to outright murder is handled with aplomb.
The Other Side of Fear is a gritty, contemporary crime thriller, but beneath the grit lies human warmth, empathy, and compassion. Skelton’s prose has an unfussy directness, yet it’s rich in atmospheric detail — the salt sting of sea air, the uneasy quiet of a close-knit community under pressure.
Skelton’s characters shine. Rebecca is fiercely independent, often to her detriment, and her mix of dogged professionalism and personal vulnerability makes her easy to root for. Supporting players — from locals guarding old grudges to polished corporate sharks — feel equally well-drawn. Even the bad guys have a textured realism; you can almost smell their cigarette smoke and hear the steel in their voices.
By the time tragedy strikes and enemies are identified, we see that Rebecca has learned from her experiences as well as her mistakes. The young, brash woman we met in Thunder Bay has become an excellent journalist and has gained a deeper understanding of herself and others. She will undoubtedly prove herself in whatever comes next. It’s just a shame we won’t get to hear about it.
In this last book in the Rebecca Connelly series, Douglas Skelton returns to the scene of Rebecca’s first foray into criminal investigative journalism in Thunder Bay. Skelton’s Stoirm is as atmospheric as ever. One of his considerable talents is to bring settings and people to life. Stoirm, with its jaggy, brutal coastlines, is as windswept and insular as ever. It is an island with a shameful history, and it harbours secrets that have never really been brought fully into the light, as Rebecca knows too well.
Rebecca has been making a decent living since her mentor, Elspeth, died, and now Dot, a young journalist on the mainland, hopes to learn from Rebecca and has invited her to be interviewed on her podcast. But Rebecca has other things on her mind.
She’s been asked to return to Stoirm, where a community buyout of the island competes with a big leisure conglomerate, and tensions on the island are riding high. Not everyone on the community buyout side is keen to see Rebecca back, though. She has her detractors, and some are keen to see old troubles remain buried deep in the past.
Rebecca wants to find out who is behind the opposition to the community purchasing the island, and she has another reason for getting away from Inverness. She needs to make a critical decision about her future, one she’s been ducking for a while, and she hopes that distance will give her clarity.
Rebecca never shirks a challenge. She tends to run toward danger rather than away from it, but for her, public service journalism is important, and she wants to understand what lies behind a story so she can tell it well. This is a book that thrives on tension, moral ambiguity, and the stubborn persistence of Rebecca, who really should know better than to walk straight into trouble — but does so anyway.
The plot builds like the dark clouds gathering over Thunder Bay. Skelton weaves together strands of political intrigue, local history, and personal danger into a taut narrative. The pace is brisk without feeling rushed, and the escalation from menace to outright murder is handled with aplomb.
The Other Side of Fear is a gritty, contemporary crime thriller, but beneath the grit lies human warmth, empathy, and compassion. Skelton’s prose has an unfussy directness, yet it’s rich in atmospheric detail — the salt sting of sea air, the uneasy quiet of a close-knit community under pressure.
Skelton’s characters shine. Rebecca is fiercely independent, often to her detriment, and her mix of dogged professionalism and personal vulnerability makes her easy to root for. Supporting players — from locals guarding old grudges to polished corporate sharks — feel equally well-drawn. Even the bad guys have a textured realism; you can almost smell their cigarette smoke and hear the steel in their voices.
By the time tragedy strikes and enemies are identified, we see that Rebecca has learned from her experiences as well as her mistakes. The young, brash woman we met in Thunder Bay has become an excellent journalist and has gained a deeper understanding of herself and others. She will undoubtedly prove herself in whatever comes next. It’s just a shame we won’t get to hear about it.
September 23, 2025
Stoirm is not somewhere that holds happy memories for Rebecca, other than meeting her best friends there, but she will always chase after a story. So, when she's contacted by a couple of residents concerned about a series of incidents on the island, it seems the perfect place to escape the mess she's making of her love life. When she's approached by a couple of men, who are both very polite and threatening (and who have the best names!) it just confirms to her that there is definitely a story to chase and a few threatening words are not going to stop her. But things begin to escalate once Rebecca is on the island as vandalism turns to murder and soon Rebecca is in very grave danger.
Regular visitors to my little blog will know I'm a big fan of Douglas Skelton's work and, whilst I'm not up to date with all of my reviews, if you search his name you'll find several that I have written. I have followed Rebecca from the beginning and watched her develop across the books, and it's great to have her back. She's hugely likeable (to the reader, anyway, if perhaps not to all of her interviewees) determined, thorough, frustrating, headstrong, loyal, but prone to messing up her personal life, often putting work first. The books in this series are more slow burning than some of the author's other work, but no less engaging. The characterisation is brilliant - we see a few returning faces in this book, most of whom I was pleased to see. It was particularly good to see Bill and Val back and I loved the wee hint of the unknown around their relationship.
Away from the characters, place is so important. Skelton is wonderful at scene building and whilst the Isle of Stoirm isn't a real place it certainly feels like it is. Douglas's love of the Scottish countryside is clear to see, and there's a sense of coming full circle with the denouement at Thunder Bay, with waves crashing on the shore. Whilst this isn't a 'kick the door down, go in guns blazing' style of book, there is lots going on to hold the reader's interest as the plot thickens. There is plenty of tension and a palpable sense of dread, particularly in the second half of the book.
The Other Side of Fear is the last of the Rebecca Connolly novels, and whilst I'm sad to say goodbye to this brave young woman, it's a fitting, beautifully written end to her adventures. Loved it. Douglas Skelton is a brilliant author to whom I have not done here justice in this review, and if you're not familiar with his work I urge you to check it out. This series is as good a place to start as any.
Regular visitors to my little blog will know I'm a big fan of Douglas Skelton's work and, whilst I'm not up to date with all of my reviews, if you search his name you'll find several that I have written. I have followed Rebecca from the beginning and watched her develop across the books, and it's great to have her back. She's hugely likeable (to the reader, anyway, if perhaps not to all of her interviewees) determined, thorough, frustrating, headstrong, loyal, but prone to messing up her personal life, often putting work first. The books in this series are more slow burning than some of the author's other work, but no less engaging. The characterisation is brilliant - we see a few returning faces in this book, most of whom I was pleased to see. It was particularly good to see Bill and Val back and I loved the wee hint of the unknown around their relationship.
Away from the characters, place is so important. Skelton is wonderful at scene building and whilst the Isle of Stoirm isn't a real place it certainly feels like it is. Douglas's love of the Scottish countryside is clear to see, and there's a sense of coming full circle with the denouement at Thunder Bay, with waves crashing on the shore. Whilst this isn't a 'kick the door down, go in guns blazing' style of book, there is lots going on to hold the reader's interest as the plot thickens. There is plenty of tension and a palpable sense of dread, particularly in the second half of the book.
The Other Side of Fear is the last of the Rebecca Connolly novels, and whilst I'm sad to say goodbye to this brave young woman, it's a fitting, beautifully written end to her adventures. Loved it. Douglas Skelton is a brilliant author to whom I have not done here justice in this review, and if you're not familiar with his work I urge you to check it out. This series is as good a place to start as any.
July 15, 2025
I’ve loved this series of books featuring journalist Rebecca Connolly since I first picked up Thunder Bay. The characters have grown and changed over the years, but remain true to themselves. And I’ve loved visiting the Highlands, and learning more about its history and myths, as well as its landscapes.
We come full circle in The Other Side Of Fear, with Rebecca finding herself back on Stoirm, the island at the centre of Thunder Bay and a place that looms large in her own family history.
There have been a series of incidents on Stoirm, mostly vandalism and graffiti but as the book opens, it escalates into a fiery attack on an outhouse and threats. Most of the victims are either “incomers” and/or members of a community group looking to buy the estate of the late laird who are battling the big money of a consortium of anonymous businesspeople. The police have no leads, and the group agrees to ask Rebecca to come to the island and investigate for them – it’s not a popular idea with everyone, though.
There’s a lot of slow burn scene-setting and circling players around, with some tantalising hints of the dangers ahead, before we’re allowed to start connecting the dots (and some looping back to the events of Thunder Bay, so a new reader shouldn’t feel lost).
Rebecca, with the help of a few friends and allies, starts to get a sense of who is disturbing the island’s peace and what their aim is. The sneering face of Darren Yates may be front and centre, but he’s a long way from the real power.
Then we get an almighty gut punch about two-thirds of the way through, and some scenes in its wake that are powerful and hugely moving. And from this point on, it’s full tilt: the plot heats up, those disparate strands start twisting together, and the emotions are dialled up to 11.
There's plenty to hold the interest, and a disparate cast of characters who aren't all they seem to be and have a few surprises up their sleeves. Then Rebecca ends up back at the opening pages, on the beach of Thunder Bay, where spirits come to sail into the west, facing a man. But while he has demonstrated the power he wields, she’s not the same young woman who stood on this beach in the first novel of the series…
September 5, 2025
‘The Other Side of Fear’ is a gritty take on how the ownership of rural Scotland affects local communities and the campaigns for local buyouts. This is the seventh book in the Rebecca Connelly series and it is being touted as the last in the series. You can very easily read it as a stand-alone though like I did. Yes, somehow I managed to come into a series at the end but the author does a wonderful job of giving the reader all the pertinent details. I am now intrigued, so Douglas, the selling may never end, but in the case it worked!
Rebecca is returning to where it all started for her—the island of Stoirm. She has been contacted by a local community group that wants to buy the local estate but is facing an intimidation campaign from the consortium, which is their competitor. Or is it just a case of locals fed up with ‘incomers’ and tourists buying up all the housing stock and its price?
The author has picked real and concerning issues for local communities around Scotland and it made for an authentic read. My dad moved to Caithness and ran a thriving business for over 20 years, married a local and some of the villagers still refused to talk to him! Of course, the issues are heightened here for entertainment stakes but they are real and relevant.
Rebecca is a great protagonist. A investigative journalist who won't work the modern way, she puts boots on the ground and finds the story. Danger has a way of finding her and she doesn't shy away from it. She believes in the truth and due to this you root for her from the get-go. It is a shame that there will be no more books for her but I know I am happy that I will have another six books to indulge in!
Let me know if you pick this one up!
August 25, 2025
A gritty Scottish crime thriller, this is book 7 in the Rebecca Connolly Thrillers and it appears to be the last one in the series.
This was the first one I’ve read so it can be read as a standalone although I will be reading the previous ones as now I know how it ends I want to read how it all begins, plus I want to know more about the characters that seem to feature in previous books.
Rebecca Connolly is a great character and total fits my idea of an Investigative journalist with her resolve to get to the bottom of her stories.
With a good pace and an atmospheric feel it was a gripping story I wasn’t sure who to trust.
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This was the first one I’ve read so it can be read as a standalone although I will be reading the previous ones as now I know how it ends I want to read how it all begins, plus I want to know more about the characters that seem to feature in previous books.
Rebecca Connolly is a great character and total fits my idea of an Investigative journalist with her resolve to get to the bottom of her stories.
With a good pace and an atmospheric feel it was a gripping story I wasn’t sure who to trust.
#Ad #LBTCrew #Bookstagram #FreeBookReview
October 26, 2025
Another brilliant novel in the Rebecca Connelly series. In this one she returns to Storim to help the locals involved in an estate buy out but who are being intimidated by the mysterious agency trying to buy the estate for a spa. Rebecca is troubled by her relationship with Stephen and has a decision to make so the trip back to the island gives her some breathing space but of course things go horribly wrong. The story is fast paced and brings the series full circle to Thunder Bay where the series started. Great story with great characters. I hope this isn’t the end of what has been a fab series.
August 26, 2025
The other side of fear by Douglas Skelton.
Rebecca Connolly book 7.
I really did enjoy this book. Even though I haven't read all the series. I was sort of able to read it. I will be looking at the first books in this series. I loved the cover of this book. It's why I signed up for this tour. I loved the small island feel. I did like Rebecca's character. She was my favourite. I had a long list of suspects. A lot I didn't trust either. I loved the writing style and the story. I do recommend this series.
Rebecca Connolly book 7.
I really did enjoy this book. Even though I haven't read all the series. I was sort of able to read it. I will be looking at the first books in this series. I loved the cover of this book. It's why I signed up for this tour. I loved the small island feel. I did like Rebecca's character. She was my favourite. I had a long list of suspects. A lot I didn't trust either. I loved the writing style and the story. I do recommend this series.
August 27, 2025
The opening of this book had me terrified. It was so vividly written I couldn’t put it down from that point forward! This is book seven of the Rebecca Connolly series and it was fabulous. Rebecca is headed back to Stoirm amid acts of maliciousness. However, she’s in danger before she even gets to her destination! This is an exciting thriller full of twist and turns. It felt like I was on a gripping rollercoaster ride. I loved it!
October 17, 2025
I loved this as I have loved all the books in the series. Unfortunately, this is the last in the series and I will miss Rebecca Connolly and her antics. She is a wonderful and strong woman and goes full-steam ahead. She is a journalist and she ends up where she began - on the island of Stoirm. A wonderful story.
September 10, 2025
This is actually the seventh book in the Rebecca Connolly thriller series - but sadly, only the first I've read.
But having read another book by this author previously - and the draw of the front cover image - I was really keen to dip my toes into this new series to me.
I could definitely tell that this book was part of a series and I believe this is also the final book so that's a fair amount of character development that I'd missed out on.
However, I really liked our main character and they sounded like there was a great amount of interesting backstory to explore along the way.
I loved the setting of the Scottish Highlands. There's just something about the landscape and relative wilderness that lends itself to a great thriller novel.
I've only been up there once, but I'd love to go and explore and the descriptions here transported me there giving me some clear and vivid images throughout.
This was a slow burn case but the whole set up of the events allowed for a great tense atmosphere to be created right from the start.
I really enjoyed Skelton's writing style which although not my usual heart pounding, fast paced thriller style, there was a lot going on that held my interest from the first to the last page.
I really need more hours in the day, but will be adding the rest of this series to my tbr for future reading - I'd love to get to know Rebecca much better through the series.
But having read another book by this author previously - and the draw of the front cover image - I was really keen to dip my toes into this new series to me.
I could definitely tell that this book was part of a series and I believe this is also the final book so that's a fair amount of character development that I'd missed out on.
However, I really liked our main character and they sounded like there was a great amount of interesting backstory to explore along the way.
I loved the setting of the Scottish Highlands. There's just something about the landscape and relative wilderness that lends itself to a great thriller novel.
I've only been up there once, but I'd love to go and explore and the descriptions here transported me there giving me some clear and vivid images throughout.
This was a slow burn case but the whole set up of the events allowed for a great tense atmosphere to be created right from the start.
I really enjoyed Skelton's writing style which although not my usual heart pounding, fast paced thriller style, there was a lot going on that held my interest from the first to the last page.
I really need more hours in the day, but will be adding the rest of this series to my tbr for future reading - I'd love to get to know Rebecca much better through the series.
August 18, 2025
I have absolutely loved the Rebecca Connolly books by Douglas Skelton and what an explosive ending to this brilliant series. Events lead Rebecca once more travelling to Stoirm leaving her relationship with lawyer Stephen hanging in the balance. There have been reports of unpleasant and malicious events on Stoirm which Rebecca wants investigate. However she finds herself in mortal danger before she even gets there! What a fantastic and gripping read this is - a real rollercoaster with plenty of plot twists and turns and escalating violence. Rebecca finds herself back on Thunder Bay wondering how she is going to escape with her life. I loved that so many of my favourite characters were involved. Masterly, simply masterly! Well done Douglas Skelton - you made me cry with your author's note with a reference to Denzil Meyrick - it also made me smile. I can't wait to see what you have in mind next.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews