Irex

by Carl Rackman

In the harsh winter of December 1889, the sailing vessel Irex leaves Scotland, bound for Rio de Janeiro. She carries three thousand tons of pig iron and just three passengers for what should be a routine voyage. But Captain Will Hutton soon discovers that one of his passengers hides a horrifying secret that threatens the lives of everyone on board. As the Irex battles relentless storms, Hutton fights battles of his own as he becomes mired in the intrigues of his passengers.When the Irex is wrecked off the Isle of Wight six weeks later, it falls to the county coroner, Frederick Blake, to unravel the events that overtook the doomed ship. He quickly runs into opposition - powerful forces within the British Establishment are working to spike his inquest. Locked in a conflict with the sinister agents sent to obstruct the investigation, he begins to discover that nothing aboard the Irex is what it first seemed, while the evil that stalked the ship now threatens anyone who seeks to expose it...Irex is an atmospheric mystery, set in a rich Victorian world, packed with intrigue, twists and unforgettable characters — the gripping first novel by Carl Rackman.Irex took the Silver Medal in the Historical Fiction category of the #RBRT 2017 Book Awards“Mr. Rackman is an exceptional writer” - Noelle Granger, RA Book Review Team“A spectacularly good novel” - Terry Tyler, author of The Project Renova trilogy“A tortuous tale with excellent characterisation” - Tuesday Book Blog “It’s hard to believe this is a debut novel. It’s so good and the quality of the writing is excellent throughout.” - Cathy Ryan, Between The Lines Review Blog"What a book! I liked the writing instantly and was intrigued by the whole premise of the story." - Amazon Reviewer"It's rare for me to give 5 stars, especially for a genre that I wouldn't normally touch, but this book is so atmospheric, so gripping, so intriguing, so entertaining that I could not award less." - Amazon Reviewer

Genres: Historical

481 pages, Paperback

Published September 26, 2016

About the author

Hi! I'm Carl Rackman, a British former airline pilot turned author. I spent my working life travelling the world and this has given me a keen interest in other people and cultures. I've drawn on my many experiences for my writing.

I write suspense thrillers with a grounded science-fiction theme. I like reading novels that feature atmospheric locales and I enjoy complex, absorbing storylines combined with rich, believable characters, so that's the sort of fiction I write. I try to create immersive worlds for the reader to explore, and characters who are more than just vehicles for the story.

I come from a naval military background and have held a lifelong interest in military history and seafaring - all my books usually contain some of these elements!

I hope you'll enjoy my books and leave reviews. I try to personally thank reviewers if they've particularly enjoyed my books.

Reviews

[TheBookDude · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s December 1889 and the sailing ship, Irex, is leaving Scotland bound for Rio de Janeiro. She’s carrying a cargo of pig iron and 3 passengers. But she never arrives. Six weeks later she is wrecked in a savage storm off the Isle of White and now Fredrick Blake must unravel the mystery of what went wrong.

You can’t beat a good historical fiction. Its my favourite genre when done right and Irex is done right. The writing style is really solid throughout and the author does an excellent job making you feel like you have been transported back to the late 1800s. That victorian style you find in the old classics is my favourite sort of writing and Rackman does a great job finding the write words.

The chapters switch between the ship on its ill fated voyage and the investigation of what happened afterwards and they meld beautifully together. If you like historical fiction you should check this one out. If you like murder mysteries you should check this one out. And if you like both you REALLY should check it out!

4.5 stars

[Sifa Poulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a digital review copy as part of the blog tour. It has not affected my opinions.

IREX is a dual time line mystery/thriller that takes a real historical event (the wreck of the Irex) and weaves a tale of danger and shadowy figures around it. It was a lot of fun and hard to put down as the tension mounted and the question of what exactly happened during the wreck proved an engaging hook to keep you reading.

The book alternates between the events aboard the ill-fated Irex and the subsequent inquest into what happened. The two weave together, elucidating the events Blake is trying to uncover.

The story aboard is one of blackmail, threats, and questioning what really happened as the Captain tries to protect his crew from a passenger with a secret and one who he cannot keep looking at. It was an interesting use of a (disproved) historical theory that adds to the menace of the dangerous passenger, as well as ensuring it will be difficult for the later investigation to make headway.

The inquest is continually obstructed by the authorities and bribed officials, leading the three men into lots of physical danger. I really liked their relationship, the way they end up working so well as a unit. Rennie, the outspoken Glaswegian reporter who gets roped in was a lot of fun, and very different to the two proper Victorian lawyers.

[S. Bavey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a paperback copy of this book on behalf of Rosie Amber's Book Review Team #RBRT.

It is difficult to believe that this novel is a debut – Rackman’s atmospheric prose, complex characters and many-layered plot drew me in right from the start and left me wanting more right up until the tension filled final acts! In fact there was a surprising revelation right at the end which leaves open the possibility of a sequel one day.

Based on an actual historical event – the mysterious shipwreck of the sailing vessel Irex – but a fictional retelling thereof, the writing style immediately transports the reader to an earlier time period and the dialogue is both believable and ‘of its time’. The evocative descriptions add levels of menace to what is essentially an intriguing mystery: What exactly happened to cause the shipwreck and the tragic loss of lives associated with it?

“The shriek of the wind was the sound of tormented souls. It rose and fell with each gust and was answered by the groaning members of the ship itself, the lines stretched to their limit and humming a morose dirge.”

The chapters switch between two time frames, each with its own disparate cast of characters, that of the doomed maiden voyage of the Irex and a couple of months later, the inquest into what exactly happened on board this ill-fated ship to cause the deaths of most of its crew and passengers.

Rackman’s characterisation is skillful and many layered. The crew is made up of a large cast, including a hard-working and dedicated chef, boisterous youths and a surly bosun. The main point of view character, Captain Will Hutton comes across as pious, dedicated to his position, and concerned for his new ship and for the smooth running of its maiden voyage at the beginning of the story, if somewhat plagued by semi-prophetic dreams. However, some of the surviving crew claim that he lost his grip on reality just before the devastating tragedy occurred. There is also Mackie, an outgoing first mate whose description is particularly vivid:

“His head was large with meaty features, not handsome but more reminiscent of a Hereford bull.

His words rumbled like a Glasgow tram.”

Carrying only three passengers, we meet on board the beautiful young wife, Mrs Elizabeth Barstow who has enough feminine wiles to entrance anyone and manipulate them however she chooses. Is she the reason the married Captain was driven to distraction? Major Barstow is her sickly, older husband and Mr Clarence is a boorish, well-connected gentleman with a superiority complex and a particularly shocking secret identity. This was a twist I found completely unexpected, but which added a delicious threat of intimidation and jeopardy for the crew and passengers.

In the chapters detailing the inquest we meet the judge and barristers. Mr Frederick Blake, Her Majesty’s Coroner for Hampshire County, is the presiding inquisitor, a straightforward and honest man who smells something fishy – could there be a spy in his courtroom? We also meet the brave and tenacious Scottish reporter, Rennie, who Blake befriends and takes into his confidence.

Slowly the layers of intrigue are built up. Blackmail? Mutiny? Madness? Murder? All are possibilities entertained by Blake during his meticulous investigation, even as he is hampered by Matthew Thornthwaite, a suspiciously well-informed replacement for an unfortunate predecessor on the coroner’s panel. Blake immediately suspects there is more to this man than meets the eye and becomes determined to catch him out, but up against the fearsome British Establishment what little chance can he have to retain his integrity?

The story gets more and more intriguing as the clues begin to stack up in Blake’s chapters and events play out before our eyes in the Captain’s chapters. The pace of this story becomes absolutely frenetic during the perilous storms and the action ramps up accordingly.

Highly recommended for fans of mystery, tales of the high seas and well-written historical fiction in general.

[Suzanne Rogerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a book!
I liked the writing instantly and was intrigued by the whole premise of the story. It did start a little slow and there was a lot of description throughout the book, but it was fascinating being transported back in time to the Victorian era on the Isle of Wight and aboard the Irex as it attempted to sail to Rio.

There were twists I wasn't expecting that dragged me deeper into the story and the book was written in a way that compelled you to read on. It switched in time to before the shipwreck with Captain Hutton on the Irex, and afterwards at the inquest to find out what happened to the ship and its occupants.

I love a mystery and this book sets the reader up with plenty of intrigue. It's very cleverly written, with lots of atmospheric description and great characters. It's hard to pick a favourite, but the two main contenders are Captain Hutton, and the coroner Mr Blake. All the characters are well drawn and believable and I am sad to have finished reading about them.

I highly recommend IREX to those who enjoy historical fiction with plenty of murder and mystery thrown in. And if, like me, you don't normally read this kind of book, I think you will come to realise what you've been missing out on!

My rating 4.5 stars but I'm happy rounding up to 5 stars for Amazon / Goodreads.

[Ashlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today I’m bringing you my review of Irex by Carl Rackman as part of the blog tour hosted by The Write Reads. Thank you to The Write Reads and the author for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Irex is a historical mystery that had me captivated from the very beginning and I highly recommend it if you’re a fan of historical stories full of twists and turns.

Irex takes place over dual timelines. The one timeline takes place on a ship called the Irex and it is told from the perspective of Captain Will Hutton. Captain Hutton seems to be a decent man, with a strong sense of faith, who is in way over his head as a result of the passengers on his ship. The other timeline takes place after the Irex wrecks off of the coast of the Isle of Wight and it is told from the perspective of the county coroner, Frederick Blake, who is tasked with running the inquest in the events that happened. Mr. Blake is also an honest man who runs into difficulties and danger when he starts to get a bit too close to the truth about what happened aboard the ship.

I enjoyed the dual timelines in this book. I enjoyed reading about what happened on the ship with the Capitan and the crew and then seeing what Mr. Blake and his colleagues uncovered through their questioning and investigating. I found myself getting very invested in Mr. Blake’s inquest because I was desperately wanting to know if he would uncover what I just read in the previous chapter.

This book had a lot of characters, and, at times, I had a difficult time keeping track of who was who. Some of the characters in this book were quite sinister and they made this book very exciting because I wanted to know what would happen next. I enjoyed the characters working on the inquest more than I enjoyed the characters on the Irex, and my two favourite characters were Mr. Blake and Mr. Rennie, who was a reporter assisting with the inquest goes.

As far as the story goes, I enjoyed it. I thought the mystery was enjoyable and there were a lot of twists and turn that made it difficult to put the book down. I’m not very familiar with the time period this book takes place in, so there were some things I had to look up because I was curious, but I was still able to enjoy the story without being familiar with the history. I also found it neat that the Irex was a real ship that wrecked near the Isle of Wight.

As far as the writing goes, this book was very easy to get drawn into. The story was easy to read, which made it easy to get hooked on the story.

[Mae Clair · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent story that alternates between two timelines with differing sets of characters, Irex is extremely well-written nautical adventure, historical tale and mystery novel rolled into one.

William Hutton, Captain of the sailing ship Irex, takes three passengers onboard during the ship’s maiden voyage. The seas are treacherous, but greater treachery evolves when Hutton learns an astounding secret related to one of the passengers.

From the start, the reader is aware the voyage does not end well for the Irex. In the “present” timeline of February 1890, county corner Blake investigates the sinking of the ship, something most members of the surviving crew attribute to Hutton’s preoccupation with the female passenger, Mrs. Barstow. But the deeper Blake digs, the more he begins to question the facts.

In the “past” timeline, the reader is treated to the unfolding of events that lead to the Irex’s fate. Although a little slow at the start, this book is a wonderfully executed tale with beautiful writing and well developed characters. A page-turner, it is not a book to gobble quickly, but one to savor. I’m sure the amount of research the author conducted was staggering, evidenced by the many details that bring each scene vividly to life. I would love to see Irex made into a movie. In the meantime, I will content myself with the having thoroughly enjoyed a remarkable and highly inventive tale.

[Beth Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is told via alternating chapters…the ill-fated maiden voyage of the Irex and the inquest into the wreck. The format works well and as the story unfolds, you realise how unreliable individual viewpoints are and that every angle needs to be brought together to get to the truth. However, with some passengers not surviving the voyage, others missing and those who give testimony unclear about some aspects of what actually happened, this proves difficult for the coroner.

Rackman succeeds in immersing us in the world of Victorian sea faring. His descriptions of the ship are precise, enabling the reader to envision being aboard. The claustrophobic sense being on a ship gives you is strong. The chapters on the storm and wreck are vivid, detailed and build the tension superbly, as does his handling of the ever increasing suspense and danger the coroner and his colleagues find themselves in.

The author develops rounded, believable characters. They are human, make mistakes and are often either second guessing themselves or in conflict with themselves about what to do next.

Rennie, the Glasgow journalist, is, to me, a Victorian version of Brookmyre’s Jack Parlabane.

A thoroughly enjoyable read.

[A Voracious Reader (a.k.a. Carol) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5
Book source ~ Tour

In December 1889 the Irex sets sail from Greenock Scotland bound for Rio de Janeiro. Except it never makes it there. It doesn’t even come close. It wrecks off the Isle of Wight after six long weeks of storms and mishaps. But there’s more. Something super creepy, horrifying, and sinister is on board and only the Captain knows about it. After the wreck of the ship and rescue of the survivors, the county coroner, Frederick Blake, is assigned to investigate. However, he’s about to be embroiled in the biggest conspiracy ever and he doesn’t even know it. But he soon will.

Holy shit. Talk about twisting history on its ear. I looked up the Irex. It’s true that it wrecked under mysterious circumstances so it makes a great background for the story that unfolds here. Yikes. I love just about everything about this tall tale. The characters are multi-layered, the story telling smooth, and the plot is great. I am not as taken with the character of Elizabeth Barstow. Her backstory seems extremely far fetched and stretches the realm of believability beyond what seems reasonable. She also seems a bit of a caricature and her actions regarding a certain other character are stupid. Maybe that’s the point. I’m unsure. Anyway, everything about the story (except her stupidity) kept me on the edge of my seat. The events on the ship and the inquiry after are all well-done. I think I like Frederick Blake the best. If you like a mystery wrapped in another mystery followed by a conspiracy then this is the book for you. An excellent read!

[N.A. Granger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is actually a 4.5 star book!

Irex is Carl Rackman’s debut novel, and in terms of creating a feeling of doom and tension in totally bleak surroundings, this author succeeds too well!

Set in the late Victorian era, the story alternates between the maiden voyage of the steel hulled, tall ship Irex, and the investigation into the causes of its wreck and the fate of the survivors amongst her passengers. The settings: The Firth of Clyde, the North Atlantic and the Isle of Wight – all in late winter with unceasing rain, snow and sleet.

Will Hutton, a good and decent married man, has been chose to captain Irex on this voyage, the ship carrying a cargo of three thousand tons of pig iron to Rio Di Janero. Hutton has decades of sailing experience, having served on such ships since he was a boy. In addition to the cargo, there are three passengers on Irex: Salvation Army missionaries George and Elizabeth Barstow and a mysterious man of means, Edward Clarence. Captain Hutton’s developing relationships with each of these passengers is a complex subplot, more so when he discovers that one of them hides a horrifying past and none of them are who they seem. The unending storms preventing Irex from making headway on her journey and an early death of a crew member foretells an ill-fated voyage. Lack of sleep, his physical attraction to Mrs. Barstow, challenges to his authority and blackmail all threaten Hutton’s ability to save his ship and challenge his sanity.

Irex wrecks off the Isle of Wight six weeks after sailing from Scotland, and a county coroner, Frederick Blake, is sent to the island to hold an inquiry into the cause. The inquiry is compromised from the start by the existence of a mole within the procedure, and with a disturbing lack of information and witnesses, Blake finds he himself must unravel the events dooming the ship, as well as the character of the crew and its passengers, to reach a finding. When he discovers that powerful forces within the British aristocracy are working to impede his investigation, he is more determined than ever to find out what actually occurred aboard Irex.

The atmosphere of this mystery is exceptional and the author’s attention to detail, especially in the chapters dealing with the voyage and the sailing of such a large ship, show an incredible depth of research. The ship, its crew, and their responsibilities are finely delineated – as a sailor myself, I appreciated the descriptions.

The author has created a rich Victorian world and spun the tail with colorful, unforgettable characters, weaving in intrigue and mystery. When the truth about Clarence is revealed, the plot unveils a deeper depravity – for me a light bulb moment.

My only complaint is the slow pace at which the plot unfolds. The book is dense, very dense, and there were stretches that could have been shortened significantly without affecting the content. I truly wanted to digest it all but wanted more to get to the resolution!

Mr. Rackman is an exceptional writer and this is a superb first outing – a psychological thriller, a seafaring adventure, and first rate murder mystery. I look forward to his next book.

[Cathy Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I have to say it’s hard to believe this is a debut novel. It’s so good and the quality of the writing is excellent throughout. The story is based in history, the ship, a couple of the main crew members, reason for the wreck and the attempts at rescue, are all fact. Carl Rackman has woven an incredibly imaginative and compelling tale around that tragic event.

Frederick Blake, the County Coroner for Hampshire, arrives in Newport on the Isle of White in February, 1890 to conduct an inquest into the cause of the sinking of the sailing vessel, Irex and, in turn, the fate of the crew and passengers. In Court Room No.1 Blake is welcomed by Mr Peabody, senior magistrate, and Henry Rudd. They are forestalled in their efforts by government interference, the justification for which Blake and Peabody could not fathom, and which left them confused and frustrated. It soon became clear all was not as it had seemed aboard the Irex, and Blake’s inquest becomes more of an investigation. Time is not on their side and it soon becomes apparent someone doesn’t want the truth told.

The Irex’s first attempt at setting sail was defeated by shifting cargo de-stabilising the ship and so forcing the Captain, Will Hutton, to put back into port. And there they stayed to watch for a break in the weather in order to once again attempt to set sail. When the chance finally arrived, the Irex began her ill-fated proposed journey to Rio de Janeiro with, unusually for a cargo ship, three passengers; Major George Barstow, his wife, Elizabeth, Salvation Army missionaries, and Eddy Clarence, unlikable from the first.

The events on board the Irex unfold alongside the ever more complicated and undermined investigation, through alternate chapters. The mood in both parts of the narrative, but especially so aboard the storm-tossed ship, is convincing and portrayed extremely well. Undercurrents of unease and ill feeling steadily intensify the suspense and tension. I enjoyed the writing and the distinctive characterisations. Will Hutton is a sympathetic character, and who could have guessed the terrible secret of one of the passengers. I liked the investigators more and more as the story progressed, particularly the irrepressible news reporter.

Judging by the wonderfully descriptive writing the research must have been very comprehensive. With vivid imagery throughout the narrative it’s easy to picture the terrifying and traumatic journey on the high seas. I can hardly imagine masts of 200 feet in height, much less think about climbing them. A very intriguing and harrowing story, filled with action, adventure, mystery and murder. I look forward to the next novel by Carl Rackman.

I chose to read and review Irex for Rosie Amber’s book review team, based on a digital copy from the author.

[Terry Tyler]

4.5 stars

This is a debut novel, and a fine achievement it is. Set in the late 19th Century, it centres around the maiden voyage of tall ship Irex, and good Christian captain Will Hutton. Although a cargo vessel, the Irex has also taken on a few passengers: the mysterious aristocrat Edward Clarence, and Salavation Army missionaries George and Elizabeth Barstow.

Irex's voyage is ill-fated from the beginning, with a false start, and terrible storms. Fascinated by his passengers, Hutton begins to become enamoured of Mrs Barstow, and suspicious of Clarence.

The novel alternates between the voyage, and the unravelling of the tragedy of the Irex, in the Isle of Wight, some weeks later. The book is extremely well-written; Mr Rackman has a fine talent for atmosphere and characterisation, with the plot unfolding slowly ~ until I got to about 34%, when the truth about Clarence was revealed. This was one of those mouth dropping open moments, and everything suddenly became a lot more interesting. The plot is unusual, though I don't want to give any of it away because I'd spoil the surprise! When Hutton looks for support amongst his men he finds himself cast as the villain, and county coroner Blake comes up against the highest authorities in the land.

The pace of the story ebbed and flowed; some parts, like Clarence and Elizabeth's revelations and the descriptions of life on board in a storm to end all storms, were stunningly good.

I did think that the book was a bit long-winded; I thought that the alternate investigative chapters could have been shorter and with less detail. I found myself hurrying through them because I wanted to get back to the Irex. I think I'd have preferred it if they'd been every third chapter, perhaps; it was a shame to keep being pulled away from the main story. The quality of writing never faltered, but on occasion I felt that less would have been more, throughout. That this is a spectacularly good first novel, there is no doubt, but I think Mr Rackman might do well to find an editor to do his writing justice.

It's the story of good versus evil, faith and delusion, as well as being a grand, seafaring adventure and thrilling murder mystery, and I give it a definite thumbs up.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's rare for me to give 5 stars, especially for a genre that I wouldn't normally touch, but this book is so atmospheric, so gripping, so intriguing, so entertaining that I could not award less.

The story is set in two slightly different times - Dec 1889, the ill-fated steel-hulled sailing ship Irex leaves Greenock, Scotland on her maiden voyage to South America (although she turned back to England after suffering several massive storms before wrecking off the Isle of Wight) alternates with the story of the county coroner sent to enquire and investigate into the circumstances of the shipwreck during Jan/Feb 1890. I found the two stories equally engrossing, and both were peppered with characters I cared about, or in several cases feared. The book was a bit of a slow burner until a big 'reveal' at about 34% which was quite jaw-dropping and gave name to the danger the crew was in, besides that posed by the ever-present fierce storms. The atmosphere and descriptions of life on board are so realistic that the author must have done a great deal of research into late 1800s seafaring (an era of sailing ships competing with new-fangled steam ships!)

My favourite quote, said of telegrams: "Was there anywhere a man could be free from the insistent stalking of modern communication?"

In summary, this is a truly excellent book which was difficult to put down and I'll no doubt remember it for some time.

[Kristin. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great tale!

Irex is an amazing narrative about the maiden, yet tragic, voyage of the sailing ship, Irex. The passengers on this ill-fated journey were an unusual group whose affairs involved the captain and his crew, a prince- of dubious character, a beautiful woman- widowed during the earlier days of the voyage, as they battled hurricane force winds during the Irex's only sailing .

[Inishowen Cailín · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love mystery and historical novels and as someone who lives in a coastal area with a rich maritime history, I found this novel about the ill-fated Irex very appealing. It's a fictional and thrilling reimagining of the events behind the sinking of the Irex in 1899.

Captain Hutton is responsible for life on board the ship but what is he supposed to do when there is a serial killer on board and he is blackmailed into silence? There is a foreboding sense of unease as passengers and crew become sick or violent. As a storm rages the devilry on board the Irex ratchets up and Captain Hutton is faced with murder and the threat of mutiny. As the ship sinks, the crew of the Irex show their mettle and loyalty as they try to survive and apprehend a killer before the ship is lost.

Mrs Barstow, one of the passengers, was an interesting character but I didn't completely understand her. Her personality seemed to evolve and change. It would be interesting to read some of the events from her perspective, with more of her back story and what motivated her to make the decisions she had made in life.

The wrecking of the Irex is a tense and suspenseful section of the novel.
The author describes the scene, the fear and the resolve of the sailors very well. The difficulty the lifeboats faced in the storm was described in nail-biting detail.
I loved the dual storyline- jumping between life on board the ship and the coroner's investigation. Both were equally exciting and thrilling and I found myself turning the pages quickly as the story progressed at a fast pace. I enjoyed the snippets of humour in the book and the little dark twist at the end was a deviously delightful touch.

The Irex ticks a lot of boxes and anyone who likes historical mysteries, or nautical-themed books is sure to enjoy this book.

[Elizabeth Lloyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the late Victorian era in the claustrophobic environment of a sailing ship, this dark tale of passion, blackmail and murder is intensified by the onslaught of a savage storm and the threat of mutiny. The inevitable shipwreck must be investigated by an honest coroner, Frederick Blake, who arrives on the Isle of Wight, seeking the truth although thwarted, apparently, by government intervention. While Blake is ably assisted by Mr Rennie, a canny Scottish journalist, we read of the true events on board the Irex, in parallel to the investigation.

After a false start when the newly built craft set out from Greenock in Scotland, Captain Will Hutton had to return the ship to port, due to the badly laden cargo of iron pipes. Eventually they were able to set sail for Rio de Janeiro with a sound crew and three unusual passengers. A married couple, George and Elizabeth Barstow, were Salvation Army missionaries, while the third passenger, Edward Clarence, a strange, arrogant man. Captain Hutton and many of his crew were captivated by the young Elizabeth Barstow, but as Clarence bribed the crew to do his will, Hutton felt increasing antipathy for him. The weather on their voyage went from bad to worse throughout the Irish Sea, and in the Bay of Biscay they were forced to return to the south of England.

Frederick Blake is expecting a straightforward case of a wreck caused by the Captain’s error since the surviving crewmembers report Will Hutton’s irrational behaviour and obsession with Elizabeth Barstow, but why have two survivors disappeared on the island and who is the mysterious Mr Thornthwaite who has turned up to interfere with the enquiries?

This tortuous tale is effectively described with excellent characterisation and I could not decide whether I wished to read more of the investigation or to return to the stifling atmosphere on board ship. Perhaps slightly long-winded in places, this thrilling story based on a real shipwreck with an exciting twist is well worth reading.

[Bill Dodsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captain, oh captain why were you distracted, was it passion or blackmail?
A tale of intrigue written in two interweaving threads; the coroner tries to untangle the mysteries of events upon the stricken ship whilst the parallel narrative explains events from the past as they actually happened.
Written in a beautiful style that keeps the pages turning!
There were enough hints at historical events and people to spark me to research some history whilst I was reading. Carl claims it is all fiction, but maybe, just maybe .....?

[Booklover69 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually ended looking up the Irex after reading this. So cool that the book is based on a true story and that there is a bit of mystery around what happened to the captain and some the crew (they were probably swept overboard and killed).

Anyway I digress!

Irex by Carl Rackman is an excellent historical fiction/mystery based around the doomed sailing ship Irex which was wrecked off the isle of white in 1890. We follow the investigator trying to unravel the mystery of what happened to the ship and crew and jump between his story after the wreck and the story of the actual ship itself leading up to the wreck. Its very well done, well written and I'd highly recommend it!

4 stars

[Tami Wylie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good historical fiction story told in different timelines. The premise is good and very mysterious. I did however find myself getting slowed down by too many characters at times. Overall a decent read.

[Cat Strawberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an amazing and exciting story which gripped me right until the end. It’s December 1889 and Captain Will Hutton arrives at the port of Greenock where his ship the Irex is about to make its maiden voyage to Rio de Janeiro. Aboard the ship are tons of pig iron and drainage pipes, as well as three passengers, two men and one woman all making their way to South America. But upon meeting the passengers before leaving port, Captain Hutton can’t help but question who his passengers are, especially the strange gentleman Mr Clarence. Meanwhile, two months later coroner Mr Blake arrives on the Isle of Wight to begin an inquest to find out the truth of what happened in the tragic events that lead up to the Irex’s crash on the shores of the island. But when Blake begins to look into more details about the cause of the crashed vessel, he finds himself facing dangerous forces who aim to stop him in any way possible.

I first found out about Irex when a good blogger friend recommended it to me back in 2017 andever since I’ve wanted to read it, so imagine how excited I was when the opportunity to take part in a blog tour came around, i just had to sign up! This story is good and interesting from the start. Beginning in 1889, the story follows Captain Hutton as he arrives on the newly made Irex, a ship made from metal rather than wood and one which can carry a vast load. After meeting with his crew and the three strangers who will be his passengers for the journey to Rio, it isn’t long before the Irex begins to make its way away from port, pulled along by a tug boat. However the journey on the sea is fraught with problems from the start and we soon find the Irex having to re-dock at the port when something terrible happens during the first few minutes of sailing away from the tug.

I found myself instantly engrossed in this the story as we learn more about Hutton and the passengers on board as well as more about the alternating story of Mr Blake the coroner and what happens when he and others begin their investigation into finding out what happened with the wrecked Irex two months later. The chapters alternate between the story on the Irex, beginning in December 1889 and moving on through to January 1890, and the inquest which happens during ten days in February 1890 on the Isle of Wight. Both stories are interesting and I found myself engrossed with both tales. The story on board of the Irex was interesting and I love how despite a lot of nautical terms being used, the descriptions were easy enough to understand what was happening. In fact the descriptions of some of the characters I especially liked, like how Mackie is described in the beginning, or the descriptions of Mr Clarence who is an interesting, if strange, character from the start. The descriptions really helped suck you into the atmosphere on board the ship and I love how I could vividly imagine the ship and everything happening in my mind as I read this book.

While the story on the Irex is interesting, I found what was happening during the inquest fascinating too. There are forces trying to stop Blake from being able to investigate properly and this led to some interesting and exciting moments for Blake and his fellow characters too. I especially enjoyed the reporter Mr Rennie, his character is an interesting one and I like what happens later when some things are revealed about certain characters involved with the Irex.

The story builds up to such a dramatic ending. There are some interesting revelations about different characters and events and I like how this story keeps you guessing as to what exactly happened especially with Hutton, and how in the end the story comes together to a very vivid, dramatic and amazing ending. I don’t want to give away what happens but it’s a brilliant ending. Both the Irex story and the inquest have their own dramatic endings and conclusions, wrapping up the events of the Irex well, and although I loved both tales as they unravelled and I loved what happens, I did find the overall ending, satisfying but also quite a sad ending too. There is a last chapter, a sort of epilogue that takes place some time after the events of the inquest, and despite what you learn about while reading this last chapter I just didn’t feel like it really added any value to the overall story, and in some ways spoiled what was a good, albeit somewhat sad, ending. This final chapter felt like it was added more for an added shock at the end rather than really adding anything to the overall story of the Irex and inquest for me.

There are some author’s notes at the end of the book, but in the copy I was given all the author’s notes state is that the Irex was a real ship that crashed on its maiden voyage, however any more information about the characters on board, and what was real and what wasn’t was not written about which I found a shame, as after looking up some of the characters, it was fascinating to learn more about what was real and not about some of the characters mentioned, particularly Clarence.

Overall this story is a brilliant and gripping historical mystery and one I generally enjoyed. It’s a darker tale with some darker moments too like some deaths and injuries described which mention things like blood but aren’t too gory. And despite really enjoying itI have to say I still feel disappointed with the ending. The overall story was very good, although the tale has a bit of a bitter sweet ending for me and even though I really enjoyed reading it and found myself glued to the pages, in the end I just feel like it could have been given a slightly better ending, especially when it comes to what happens with some of the main characters like Hutton. I know it was baased on thrue events, and it was so good and so dramatic, but that last chapter just felt unnecessary for me and it felt like the book could have been a touch better. Overall though, it was still a good read and maybe if that last scene had been amended or there had been some more author’s notes about the true historical story versus the rumours and fiction, I might have enjoyed this book even more.
-Thanks to The Write Reads and author for a free copy.

[Hollylovesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn’t love a good story set on or around the high seas? I know I do! Add to that the fact that there is a mystery and you have a combination that made me sign up for this tour extremely quickly!

We follow two timelines, one on the ship and the other of the investigation into what happened on the Irex that lead to the crash. I really liked this duel timeline, it made the story even more gripping and hard to put down.

There are so many great twists in this book that I didn’t see coming. Once I picked it up I couldn’t put it down. The atmosphere transports you into the story and the writing keeps you hooked until the end. I can’t believe this is the authors first novel and I’m not surprised that it has won an award.

I recommend this book to anyone, even if it is not something you usually read, it is such a great read an will keep you hooked from beginning to end!

[Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was interested to see you have written about the Irex shipwreck. My great-grandfather was the Mackin (strangely spelt Machin in some of the newspaper reports) the Lighthouse keeper/Coastguard who descended on the breeches buoy to rescue the lad stuck on the ship. I believe he was presented with a medal of some sort from Queen Victoria?