Two Islands

by Ian Kemish

A race against time for justice at the edge of the world.

When a desperate young man arrives on an isolated Scottish isle, the locals view him with suspicion. But Niko is there for a reason – he’s running for his life, pursued by those who want him silenced for what he has seen in the Balkan War. His neighbour is a recluse known to the villagers as ‘Slow Fergus’. As the two men circle each other, Australian war crimes investigator Anita Costello races against sinister forces to locate her key witness.

Against this rugged landscape, where the tight-knit island community holds painful memories close, Niko must weigh his loyalties to his family, his country and himself.

Written with compassion and insight, Two Islands explores how the ripples of distant conflicts can wash up on the most remote shores.

Genres: Scotland, Mystery, Crime, Australia, Fiction

284 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 3, 2026

Reviews

[Barbara Anderson]

Often thrillers are high on action but low on character development. Ian Kemish has combined a page turning thriller with fully fleshed protagonists whose trajectories you’re deeply involved in.

His background as a diplomat, Ambassador, High Commissioner, and international advisor to the Prime Minister equip him well to navigate the complexities of international war crimes.

In Australia I’m familiar with his cogent commentary on political matters on various media and have appreciated his calm and informed viewpoint. There’s a sense in which that measured tone informs the narrative of this book.

The story belongs to Niko, witness to unthinkable war crimes in the 1990’s Balkan War, and to Anita, war crimes investigator, charged with keeping him safe until he can testify at the War Crimes Tribunal. As the book opens, Niko has disappeared.

Whilst that key storyline drives the action of the story, there is, along the way, a coterie of characters who are intriguing and engaging. There’s Fergus, a loner damaged by war, amongst them:
“We’re all marked by something. But marked isn’t the same as lost”.

Niko, convinced he is being pursued in order to silence his testimony, seeks safe haven on a small Scottish island. Its local inhabitants initially view him with suspicion, but their gradual acceptance and embrace of his presence is a surprisingly moving facet of the story.

It’s unusual, I think, to become so warmly engaged with character in a book which is at its heart a compelling thriller. I found I loved that combination. And this book.

Thank you UQP books for kindly sending me a copy.

#thrillerbooks #australianwriters #bookstagram #booksandflowers #uqpbooks

[Warren Kidson]

Two Islands by retired diplomat Ian Kemish is not only a tightly-woven thriller but, equally, an enlightening study of a small community on a remote Scottish island where personal differences evaporate in the face of intruders. Kemish's details of the Balkans war atrocities is obviously informed by his diplomatic career but his character development of the island's seemingly disparate community demonstrates his intellectual skill and humanity.
A rewarding page-turner.
Warren Kidson

[Greg Trenowden]

An interesting insight into what it might feel like to be chased around Europe by war criminals whose sole aim is to silence you permanently

Thoughtfully written, the story is quite moving at times. The cast of characters is quite small, and the plot meanders through the tale like a lost cow that can’t decide if it’s hungry enough or not yet to panic.

But the book certainly gives the reader a resolution. A happy ending too. Books about war are essential reads. They’re essential writes too. Two Islands doesn’t reveal its true nature until you are completely invested in it, or you have thrown it against the wall out of frustration. But life isn’t always meant to be fun. War certainly wasn’t.

[Carolyn]

Here is the result of an author combining his love of the western isles of Scotland with an impressive career in international diplomacy. I couldn’t get a handle on what sort of book this was going to be. It was too much of a slow burn to be a thriller, I felt like three quarters of the book was character introductions and setting the story. The last quarter slipped into the territory of a cosy band of misfits saving the day which gave the story some momentum.

It was an interesting premise, Nico a young Croatian man, witness to war crimes in 1990s former Yugoslavia, is on the run. Will Anita the UN international prosecutor and her team find him before the bad guys do? Although we hear the story from various points of view I didn’t get a good sense of any of them. I would have liked to feel more connection to Anita, Nico or Fergus, also a better resolution to their personal stories. Ultimately it’s a four star rating from me because I thought it was a unique and intelligent novel, not necessarily a gripping one.

[Sally Piper]

The wet weekend was a perfect excuse to hunker down with TWO ISLANDS by Ian Kemish. It’s a sophisticated mix of thriller, crime and the politics of the often long road to convicting war criminals. It is also about PTSD in veterans across generations, from WWll to Northern Ireland and the Balkans, and the courage and determination of witnesses and investigators who bring those who commit war crimes to answer for their actions in the International Criminal Court. Most of the novel’s suspense and intrigue occurs in the weather-ravaged landscape of an isolated Scottish isle, a place populated with quirky, tight-knit locals and is a temporary home for more than one person seeking to escape.

[Dorothy Kennedy]

Very readable fact based story and instructive political and humanitarian insights. Deserves to have many appreciative readers.

[Karen]

A debut novel that draws upon the authors career and Scottish heritage. Set after the break up of Yugoslavia, the war and horrendous genocide the novel uses a number of characters and their voices to highlight the plight of one particular survivor, an Australian women involved in bringing perpetrators to justice, community, ptsd and more. I appreciate the historical context was probably required for many readers however, the author relies heavily on remembering to fill in the details and for me, especially as there are so many characters and story lines, this device felt repetitive. I also struggled with the writing style:

“You Aussies are everywhere … I had one of your compatriots in my new headquarters the other day - she works for the Red Cross in my region - and your soldiers, police officers and diplomats are involved in every UN peacekeeping operation there is!”

A slow burn, character driven novel rather than a suspenseful one. Certainly not a bad book, but an easy read given the topics which underlay the characters, and I couldn’t help but compare it to others on similar lines - Little Red Chairs for example.

[Margaret Williams]

A simmering thriller set on a remote Scottish island and a young man on the run. The story line is informed by the author's own experience of the Balkan War and family connections to the Hebridean Islands. Remote island living, quirky characters with a past, and echoes of past atrocities in Bosnia. All in all a great read.

[Reader]

Many books in this genre are page turners. You want to read quickly to find out what happens. With this book, I very much wanted to know what happened, but read the book slowly, taking my time and enjoying spending slow time on an island where time does move more slowly than in cities. This is a very, very good read and a reminder of the destruction of a country we don’t think about much today. Buy it, read it, you’ll be glad you did.

[Elizabeth]

Interesting first novel about the Bosnian crisis of the 90s and the aftermath.

[Jan]

It was an insightful and thrilling story of a terrible time in history in the 1990s. The story takes you from the former Yugoslavia to Australia and the outer islands of Scotland.
I have to agree with another review, the character development is really good, especially of the Scottish people.

[Tessa]

Loved this book, really gave me an insight into the psychological damage and trauma caused by war.

[Cel Jel]

What an interesting read. A young man who has agreed to be a witness in the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. An Australian Police woman who is working with the International Tribunal in the investigation and enforcement team. The story tells of her work in supporting the young man, who has gone missing from his new life. I enjoyed the style of the prose. Does her search find him.

[Shazza Hoppsey]

3.8 this was a little predictable but the characters and the setting saved it. I struggled with the stories of Croatia Bosnia but that’s the point.
The ending was not perfect and I respect him for that and it leaves a sequel wide open. Mr Kemish please spend a lot of time on your imaginary island next book I liked those characters the most.

[Nicole]

I chose this book because it was concerned with the Bosnian War, a war that I was keen to better understand as I personally know some families who chose to leave their homelands and have settled here in Australia. It is a work of fiction written by Ian Kemish, a well respected former Australian diplomat, drawing on both his experiences in the Balkans in the mid-1990s and his strong family links with the western isles of Scotland.

The book is a very readable crime thriller in which Niko, a witness to war crimes in the Balkans, is due to give evidence of atrocities in his own village at the “ International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia” in The Hague.

Fearing that members of Serbian military and associated criminal gangs who wish to silence him, know where he can be found, Niko flees London and takes refuge in a remote island community in Scotland.

There he encounters many quirky local characters, two of whom have also served in war zones and experienced PTSD. Will the community be able to help protect Niko from his pursuers and will justice eventually take its course?

I enjoyed this book. It was a good page turner yet had a level of authenticity and the characters were well drawn, credible and likeable too.

[Janine Hills]

An excellent tale based in fact and with fascinating characters. Could not put it down. So beautiful to visualise the island settings but heartrending and brutal to be reminded of the wars.

[Songlin He]

I’m genuinely surprised the book has such strong reviews, because I found it quite amateurish. It’s meant to be a slow burn, but there’s no real burn — just slow. Too often the novel tells you exactly what to think: Anita is explicitly described as downplaying her rank to make others comfortable, or a male colleague is simply labelled condescending and misogynistic, instead of letting those dynamics emerge naturally through action and dialogue. Most chapters are spent on characters’ personal lives and inner thoughts that feel irrelevant to the main plot, and many of the subplots feel forced and unnatural — as if the author was determined to insert stories or experiences he knew, whether or not they fit the characters.

I was also disappointed by how little insight the book offered into the Serb, Croat and Muslim conflict. Given the author’s diplomatic background and the praise around the novel, I expected a deeper or fresher perspective, but there was very little here that felt new. I also got the feeling that the author was implying that the Australians were the pivotal players in the investigation and somehow more competent than everyone else.

[Megan J]

This book had an interesting premise, but unfortunately the execution didn’t quite work for me. I struggled to connect with the characters, especially Anita (the investigator), which made it hard to feel invested in the story. I can see how others might enjoy it, but overall it just wasn’t the right fit for me.

[Sharon N]

Story and characters were ok but writing style very average.

[Phoebe Green]

Not my style, couldn’t wait for it to be over. The ending made it a little better for me though.

[Cass Moriarty]

Ian Kemish’s debut fiction TWO ISLANDS (UQP 2026) is a fast-paced, emotionally charged thriller informed by his experience as a former Australian diplomat, particularly his work in the Balkans in the 1990’s. He combines this with an engrossing, evocative portrait of the isolated Western Isles of Scotland, from where he has strong family history.

I recently reviewed Gretchen Shirm’s OUT OF THE WOODS, and TWO ISLANDS deals with similar themes around the work of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, established in The Hague in the Netherlands. Both books explore the horrific war crimes and genocide of that period through the hindsight of investigators, pathologists and prosecutors from around the world who have taken a secondment role in the proceedings over many years. This enforcement team is tasked with locating, charging and punishing the guilty, and offering some sense of closure or justice for the survivors and their families.

In TWO ISLANDS, Kemish creates a sophisticated and resonate story, with fully formed characters, and he captures the emotional intensity of the situation. He also manages to write a page-turning suspense thriller – a terrifying game of cat and mouse that threatens not only the main protagonist but those who choose to help him. (Much as in times of war, brave civilians put their lives on the line to protect the innocent and oppressed.)

Niko is literally running for his life and wants to be as far away as possible from his (new) home in London when he realises his witness protection guarantee has been compromised, and ruthless people are willing to chase him around the world to avoid him giving testimony at The Hague. He fears too for his family and friends. Niko was only a teenager when he saw terrible crimes committed. He understands what is at stake. On a whim, he chooses the loneliest part of Scotland, a tiny, isolated island off the coast. At first, he is desperate to escape the busyness of larger cities but then he wonders if he has made himself a target by settling as a strange newcomer in a small community. People have long memories, however, and some characters are connected to Niko in ways he could not have predicted.

The other protagonist is Australian Anita, who is on leave in her home country to visit her sick father when she receives the news that her star witness – Niko – has disappeared. This is out of character for him, and she fears the worst, either that he has been killed or is being pursued. The other option is that he has simply decided not to testify after all, which would be devastating for her case against the notorious war criminal Arkan.

Through the perspectives of Anita and Niko, plus a couple of local Scottish characters, the narrative is thrilling and unputdownable, as Niko evades detection from both Anita (whom he trusts, but has been unable to reach) and the goons that have been ordered to silence him.

TWO ISLANDS is set in the shadow of the Bosnia-Herzegovina tragedy, but it mirrors the genocides and horrors of post-World War Two atrocities including Rwanda, Ukraine, Gaza, The Northern Ireland Troubles and Afghanistan. Kemish makes the specific universal through his enormous compassion and understanding of these conflicts, and he introduces easily relatable characters that remind readers of our shared humanity. TWO ISLANDS is informative, insightful and page-turning.

[Jan Mawdesley]

Reviewed by Trish Palmer for Bluewolf Reviews and University of Queensland Press
The International law regarding war crimes is very much underpinning this story Two Islands. Ian Kemish tells of the repercussions of the war between Serbia and Croatia, the horrors and the personal stories which come to light in later years.
Bringing the guilty persons to trial is not a simple process, and here we are shown an Australian woman, Anita, who has taken up a secondment in The Hague to join the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
Niko is a young man who miraculously survived a slaughter in his village. He witnessed the murder of many of his fellow villagers and could identify the culprits. He was more than happy to tell his story to Anita if it meant the perpetrators could be brought to justice.
Anita was determined that Niko would be safe and protected to give evidence at a forthcoming trial. She is vigilant about his safety and has him sent to London. However, Anita receives a message that her much loved father is ill in Australia, so she makes a flying visit to see him.
It is during this time that Niko, in London, realizes that he is being followed. He grabs his basic requirements and jumps on the underground, too afraid to contact anyone and by chance, finds himself on a ferry to the island of Scarnsey, in Scotland.
From here, the story is a desperate and thrilling tale. Can Niko escape the thugs who certainly want to kill him? Can Anita find him before this occurs and keep him safe? Will he ever get to trial which may take several years? The reader is kept almost holding breath while the plot is fascinating and gently unravelling. This story shows how the impact of war can be felt around the world.

[Kiirstyannee.reads]

TWO ISLANDS - IAN KEMISH

⭐⭐⭐.5

Thank you @uqpbooks for this book! This was the first I had heard about this book and feel it'll be the perfect fit for some people here!

From the get-go it was clear that this author has a brilliant depth of knowledge in politics and foreign affairs. There is quite a lot of political background information fed through the chapters to enhance the characters story and the realistic nature of this thriller. However, I did find myself feeling like the information was a bit too much for me in some parts. I'm not sure whether this is because the way the world is or not, and feel this won't be a downside for everyone!

The setting and characters were described vividly. They were deeply thought out and portrayed in a way that I felt I could see each and everything setting and person.

The mystery itself was gripping and the book is definitely a slow burn. Unfortunately for me it took quite a while for me to get into, but once things really heated up I couldn't stop reading.

Overall a well thought out and written book. While the heavy political setting was not my thing right now, this will be a winner for readers who will appreciate the brilliant depth of knowledge of this author.

#bookblogger #bookrecs #twoislandsiankemish
#uqpbooks #kiirstyanneereads

[Phillip Parker]

Two fictional Scottish islands described so vividly you could see its coastline, feel the wind pushing a silhouetted figure backwards as rain sweeps across their face.

These two islands provide shelter to a witness on the run.
Niko is on the run from two hired guns instructed to prevent him from telling the story of a mass killing ( including the killing of his father) during the Balkan War of the 1990’s.

Whilst a fiction in this book the actual atrocities that humans inflict on other humans does not cease from generation to generation. The story does not leave the reader throughout the book.

The author shows and not tells in this book and the story of Niko is told with heart and your heart will flutter occasionally with the close encounters.
It is a good read and there is a smile in there reflecting the occasional abrasion of a Scott and a Brit. With an Aussie present.
I thought the book a tad slow to start with however it does build.
Midway through the book the chase begins.
Enjoy the momentum to the last page.
And read the Authors acknowledgments it is interesting how an author gives us readers a story and characters.

[Carolyn]

Ian Kentish is a retired Australian diplomat. In the Author's note, he says that 'the novel has some of its roots in a place where memory still hurts.' He is speaking of the collapse of Yugoslavia and the conflicts and atrocities that occurred between the separate states in the years that followed. He takes a Croatian character, Niko, who as a teenager escaped a mass execution of men and boys in his village. Some years later he had agreed to be a witness for the international war crimes tribunal. The woman who is responsible for him and his evidence is Anita, an Australian federal police officer, seconded to the Tribunal. But Niko becomes aware that he is being followed and he flees to a remote Scottish island. There he meets others who have been scarred emotionally by war.

Kentish is well informed and writes clearly and convincingly. The scenes and characters on the island are particularly well drawn. I found this a helpful reminder of another dark period in European history. However, this book did not pack the emotional or literary punch of the other novel I read recently about a man suffering from PTSD (The Slowworm's Song by Andrew Miller).

[Anabela]

3.75 stars rounded to 4

This is a political thriller that combines a tense, high-stakes plot with deeply human characters. Kemish’s background as an international diplomat really shines through, particularly in the way he explores the lingering trauma and complexities surrounding war crimes and justice after the Balkan War.

Nikko, a young man haunted by the atrocities he witnessed, flees to a remote Scottish island while being hunted by those he is set to testify against at The Hague. The atmospheric island setting added such an eerie sense of isolation and tension, and Fergus, the troubled loner he meets there, brought another emotional layer to the story.

The secondary characters were wonderfully written too, adding depth and authenticity to the small-town dynamic.

This was one of those thrillers that balances suspense with strong character work, making it as emotionally engaging as it is gripping.

[Kate]

Love me a story set on an isolated Scottish Isle (The wolf tree by Laura McCluskey is another good one).
It’s such an atmospheric location - you can almost feel the freezing wind and smell the sea air.
Niko escapes to Skarnsey, a key witness of atrocities in the Balkan war, now on the run from those that he threatens to unveil.
Australian war crimes investigator Anita Costello is desperate to find him so she can pursue these war criminals.
There’s an ambitious amount of plot here, encapsulated within a tidy word count. Kemish has tackled the Balkans war, international diplomacy, PTSD, the Northern Ireland conflict; even time for some astute observations of the different treatment received by female officers.
I flew through it, rooting for Niko and wanting more of the local community he befriends in the rugged town of Lambraig.
This was a speedy, intriguing international thriller

Thank you to @uqp for sending me a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review

[Mike]

A debut novel, Two Islands (2026) by Ian Kemish, is a multi-narrated tale set on the Scottish Isle of Skarney. Locals are suspicious when Niko arrives in their community, as strangers are not welcome. They are already wary of Fergus, a recluse whose past and origins are unknown. The ramifications of these two men’s presence are soon replaced with angst, when another pair of intimidating visitors arrive on the island. In the meantime, Anita Costello, a senior investigator on the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal of Yugoslavia, returns to Australia to visit her dying father. An enjoyable story of community, tragic past wrongs and the fight to survive makes this a three and a half star read rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without any inducement.

[Fiona]

This is not the type of book that I usually read, but I love islands, Scottish ones in particular, so I couldn't resist reading Two Islands when it came across my radar. And I thoroughly enjoyed it: the storyline was interesting, making it a real page turner; it lacked the graphic violence that is a real put-off for me; the characters were appealing and realistic; and having spent time in Oban and some small Scottish islands only a month or so ago, I could easily visualise so many of the scenes. It would have been so easy for Ian Kemish to tie up everything neatly and cleanly, but he resisted that pull successfully: by the time the novel finishes, there are some outcomes we know, but, just like in real life, there are some loose ends - enough to leave you wondering, to allow the book to linger in your mind as you consider the possibilities.

All in all, a great read!

[Malvina]

The Scottish Islands have their own breed of people, intensely loyal and looking after their own. Niko ends up on one of these remote islands, a man who needs to disappear so he can stay alive to eventually give evidence about atrocities during the Balkan war. Trying to find him is Australian war crimes investigator Anita, desperately hoping he hasn't been already died, so she can bring others to justice for mass murder. But assassins have already been sent.. In retreat on the island is Fergus, desperately trying to survive, also haunted by atrocities he's seen during service. And there's Ronnie, a local, haunted by the terrible things he saw at war many years ago, and so can instinctively understand these haunted young men. How this story comes together is incredible. Absolutely gripping, and the locale is stunning.