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DCI Daley #5
Well of the Winds
As the Second World War nears its end, a man is stabbed to death on the shoreline of Kinloch, in the shadow of the great warships in the harbour.
Many years later, the postman on Gairsay, a tiny island off the coast of Kintyre, discovers that the Bremner family are missing from their farm. There s a pot on the stove and food on the table, but of the Bremners there is no sign.
When DCI Daley comes into possession of a journal written by his wartime predecessor in Kinloch, Inspector William Urquhart, he soon realises that the Isle of Gairsay has many secrets. Assisted by his indomitable deputy, DS Brian Scott, and new boss, Chief Superintendent Carrie Symington, Daley must solve a wartime murder to uncover the shocking events of the past and the present.
Many years later, the postman on Gairsay, a tiny island off the coast of Kintyre, discovers that the Bremner family are missing from their farm. There s a pot on the stove and food on the table, but of the Bremners there is no sign.
When DCI Daley comes into possession of a journal written by his wartime predecessor in Kinloch, Inspector William Urquhart, he soon realises that the Isle of Gairsay has many secrets. Assisted by his indomitable deputy, DS Brian Scott, and new boss, Chief Superintendent Carrie Symington, Daley must solve a wartime murder to uncover the shocking events of the past and the present.
400 pages, Paperback
First published April 6, 2017
153 people are currently reading
439 people want to read
About the author
Denzil Meyrick
37 books538 followersDenzil Meyrick was a Scottish bestselling novelist. Prior to that, he served as a police officer with Strathclyde Police then a manager with Springbank Distillery in Campbeltown, Argyll. Since 2012 Denzil Meyrick had worked as a writer of Scottish crime fiction novels. He was also an executive director of media production company Houses of Steel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
May 22, 2017
A long time ago I read Whiskey from Small Glasses, giving it five stars. As I enjoyed Whiskey from Small Glasses so much of course I wanted to read Well of the Winds and I must say Denzil Meyrick writes his stories so well I am excited to see what Denzil will write next. As the World War Two nears the end a man is stabbed to death. I was caught up in this thriller. On the Gairsay, an island off the coast of Kintyre Malcolm McAuley is a postman. As the fellow islanders were talking advantage of online shopping he delivered mainly parcels. When Malcolm delivers a parcel to Achnamara farm he doesn't find Jan Bremmer at home. When he enters the farm house two plates of bacon and eggs were sitting on a large wooden table. A pan of milk had boiled over. but It appears that the postman discovers that the Bremmer family are missing from their farm. I recommend this book.
September 2, 2019
I've only got one thing to say about this - outstanding. The series just gets better.
July 24, 2017
I have been looking forward to reading this novel and while it has taken me a while to get there it has been worth the wait.
I like to see authors step out of their comfort zone and try something different so Well of the Winds is a brave attempt. It basically has two plotlines with the old investigation casting a long shadow into the present. DS Brian Scott travels to the nearby island of Gairsay to investigate the sudden disappearance of the Bremner family. In the meantime DCI Jim Daley is secretly given DI Urquart's diary from 1945 with his investigations into the Bremners. It's not long before they lose the case to Special Branch and the spooks.
I thoroughly enjoyed Well of the Winds and was hooked by both plotlines, turning the pages as fast as I could to find out what was coming next. The 2 plots fit together seamlessly with just enough reveals at a time to provide good pace and keep the reader engrossed. I'm not so sure about the ending which seems to be a bit far fetched but Mr Meyrick, in his afterword, points the reader in the direction of a newspaper article which posits the same theory. Mm, still not sure.
Jim Daley is not his usual sparkling self due to his grief over girlfriend Mary's death but Brian Scott is there to take up the slack. His cynical humour, unexpected wisdom and occasional bursts of gentlemanly conduct bring the novel to life.
Well of the Winds is a great novel which gets 5/5 from me for readability and 4/5 for plotting (just can't swallow my disbelief at the ending! Recommended.
I like to see authors step out of their comfort zone and try something different so Well of the Winds is a brave attempt. It basically has two plotlines with the old investigation casting a long shadow into the present. DS Brian Scott travels to the nearby island of Gairsay to investigate the sudden disappearance of the Bremner family. In the meantime DCI Jim Daley is secretly given DI Urquart's diary from 1945 with his investigations into the Bremners. It's not long before they lose the case to Special Branch and the spooks.
I thoroughly enjoyed Well of the Winds and was hooked by both plotlines, turning the pages as fast as I could to find out what was coming next. The 2 plots fit together seamlessly with just enough reveals at a time to provide good pace and keep the reader engrossed. I'm not so sure about the ending which seems to be a bit far fetched but Mr Meyrick, in his afterword, points the reader in the direction of a newspaper article which posits the same theory. Mm, still not sure.
Jim Daley is not his usual sparkling self due to his grief over girlfriend Mary's death but Brian Scott is there to take up the slack. His cynical humour, unexpected wisdom and occasional bursts of gentlemanly conduct bring the novel to life.
Well of the Winds is a great novel which gets 5/5 from me for readability and 4/5 for plotting (just can't swallow my disbelief at the ending! Recommended.
February 28, 2018
Another story for DCI Jim Daley and his long time colleague DS Brian Scott, senior detectives on the Kintyre coast of Scotland with Daley still reeling from the death of his lover in the previous book and Scott newly teetotal. The plot relates back to 1945 and hence needs some characters in their 80s and 90s - it gets very difficult to have credible stories relating back to the war, and I found this one too complex and sinister to be an easy read. Certainly not a standard police procedural, but the changes to the relationships of the main characters leaves a strong wish to read about their next case.
February 19, 2017
A book I really enjoyed. This is the 5th in the DCI Daley series.
set on the small island of Gairsay, this tale rages across Europe and takes in conspiracies, red herrings and spectualive history. Mixing what is known with , what could've happened.
The novel opens with a murder on the shoreline of Kinloch as the war nears its end in 1945.
Fast forward to the present day and Daley is called in to investigate the disappearance of the Bremmer family, who are known in the area as Jewish escapees from the regime in Germany. This is when the story takes off.
I found the writing of the highest quality, the tale believable and the characters well rounded. Mr Meyrick is a writer of considerable skill, who pulled me through this tale with enough twists and turns, and wow moments to make sure I kept reading.
A corker of a tale that kept me enthralled. Well worth 5 stars.
Thanks to the author, publisher's and Lovereading for the ARC.
Final words READ IT!
set on the small island of Gairsay, this tale rages across Europe and takes in conspiracies, red herrings and spectualive history. Mixing what is known with , what could've happened.
The novel opens with a murder on the shoreline of Kinloch as the war nears its end in 1945.
Fast forward to the present day and Daley is called in to investigate the disappearance of the Bremmer family, who are known in the area as Jewish escapees from the regime in Germany. This is when the story takes off.
I found the writing of the highest quality, the tale believable and the characters well rounded. Mr Meyrick is a writer of considerable skill, who pulled me through this tale with enough twists and turns, and wow moments to make sure I kept reading.
A corker of a tale that kept me enthralled. Well worth 5 stars.
Thanks to the author, publisher's and Lovereading for the ARC.
Final words READ IT!
April 26, 2017
I had been waiting patiently on the latest D.C.I. Daley novel being published and it was worth the wait. It was a page turner from the start. In my opinion this is the best book in the series so far. It’s far more than a murder investigation and I simply loved the historical element to this. We find Jim Daley rather withdrawn as he is suffering both from the breakdown of his marriage and the death of DC Mary Dunn. However we see D.S. Brian Scott a changed man as he has given up the demon drink. He takes a much more prominent role this time and his down to earth humour and warm personality are allowed to shine. The novel begins in 1945 with a man being murdered on the shore near Kinloch. The dark deeds of the past cast a shadow on present day events. On the island of Gairsay a local family, the Bremners, simply disappear. Brian Scott finds himself and a local DC on the boat to Gairsay to investigate. He makes a shocking discovery at the Bremner’s cottage which links to wartime secrets. I particularly like the way the events move effortlessly between past and present. There are two interconnecting strands to this terrific tale with plenty of plot twists and surprises to make you gasp ‘oh no!’ along the way. Throw into this marvellous mix Secret Service agents with links to those in high places,officers from the Special Branch and you cannot fail to be gripped from page one. Who would ever suspect the idyllic coast of Kintyre as being a place where Nazi supporters would take refuge? It all makes for a wonderfully convincing tale. It made me wonder is there more than an element of truth in this? Decide for yourself. Now I’m on tenterhooks to find out what will happen next …
January 30, 2018
Having not read any of the previous DCI Daley novels it's a little difficult to put this into context. This is not really an issue as any relevant backstory is provided, but it still does not really inspire one to read any more.
A family, the Bremners, having run a farm on a remote Scottish island since the original Bremners fled as Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany, have disappeared.
The police, while searching the house, then find a horde of documents in the cellar, detailing the apparent transfers via the island of high-level nazis into lives elsewhere.
The current day narrative is alternated with the life of a local police officer in 1945 who is also following a nazi trail, having discovered silver swastika-embossed cigarette lighters among the effects of the crew of a sunken u-boat.
How these stories are connected is made clear at the end. However, Meyrick rather over-eggs his nazi pudding and the surprises that occur toward the end are rather too unbelievable. It's like the Da Vinci Theory with kilts.
I am impressed however by the phonetic Scots brogue which very much brings the accent alive and off the page.
DCI Daley himself spends most of the novel grieving over his dead mistress or missing his wife and child. I do accept that most lead detectives have to have some inner angst or mental health issues or a drink problem or an Obsessive Compulsive Moustache Disorder, but Daley is too heavily laden, spending his time gazing mournfully at Lochs and wild mountain goats.
And, unless I have missed something, a senior figure in British Intelligence put some papers into an envelope, stuck some stamps on it, wrote an address, went out and stuck it in a post box, then crunched down on a cyanide tablet. I can't recall reading that the envelope ever arrived anywhere, but then that's the Royal Mail for you.
The characters are well drawn and Meyrick manages to evoke the atmosphere of this small Scots community but the plot is ultimately a far-fetched conspiracy theory unsuited to such a backdrop.
A family, the Bremners, having run a farm on a remote Scottish island since the original Bremners fled as Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany, have disappeared.
The police, while searching the house, then find a horde of documents in the cellar, detailing the apparent transfers via the island of high-level nazis into lives elsewhere.
The current day narrative is alternated with the life of a local police officer in 1945 who is also following a nazi trail, having discovered silver swastika-embossed cigarette lighters among the effects of the crew of a sunken u-boat.
How these stories are connected is made clear at the end. However, Meyrick rather over-eggs his nazi pudding and the surprises that occur toward the end are rather too unbelievable. It's like the Da Vinci Theory with kilts.
I am impressed however by the phonetic Scots brogue which very much brings the accent alive and off the page.
DCI Daley himself spends most of the novel grieving over his dead mistress or missing his wife and child. I do accept that most lead detectives have to have some inner angst or mental health issues or a drink problem or an Obsessive Compulsive Moustache Disorder, but Daley is too heavily laden, spending his time gazing mournfully at Lochs and wild mountain goats.
And, unless I have missed something, a senior figure in British Intelligence put some papers into an envelope, stuck some stamps on it, wrote an address, went out and stuck it in a post box, then crunched down on a cyanide tablet. I can't recall reading that the envelope ever arrived anywhere, but then that's the Royal Mail for you.
The characters are well drawn and Meyrick manages to evoke the atmosphere of this small Scots community but the plot is ultimately a far-fetched conspiracy theory unsuited to such a backdrop.
June 7, 2020
I was highly disappointed at the number of loose plot ends left unexplained: in fact this book does not so much end as break off in mid-plot leaving me wondering if there was a second volume I needed to read to find what was really going on.
The number of unresolved questions and inherent implausibilities left dangling by the non-ending left me wondering whether the author had ever developed an underlying plot or had just thrown in a number of mysterious looking events and then given up trying to bring them together, then just ended the text hoping the readers would not notice. Key events are set in the 2010's, but with a series of flashbacks to WW2. The WW2 events are straightforward enough, involving a German spy operation at a British naval base in Scotland. However the contemporary elements become bewildering, with strong suggestions of a surviving Nazi underground still functioning today. This was a reasonable idea when Frederick Forsyth used it in the 1960's, but set today it rapidly piles up implausibilities: the grandchildren of German spies planted in Scotland 70-odd years ago still there and still loyal to Nazism, their keeping up a base on a remote island of no significance, in a small community where it should be very hard to keep secrets, keeping all their secrets on paper in files in the cellar where the local police easily find them, and making an amateurish effort to destroy those files using an WW2 vintage incendiary bomb whose misfiring only draws attention to the place. British, German and Israeli secret services take an interest, with hints some of these are infiltrated by the surviving Nazis. There is certainly a lot of explaining to do, but most of the reader's reasonable questions are never answered.
The number of unresolved questions and inherent implausibilities left dangling by the non-ending left me wondering whether the author had ever developed an underlying plot or had just thrown in a number of mysterious looking events and then given up trying to bring them together, then just ended the text hoping the readers would not notice. Key events are set in the 2010's, but with a series of flashbacks to WW2. The WW2 events are straightforward enough, involving a German spy operation at a British naval base in Scotland. However the contemporary elements become bewildering, with strong suggestions of a surviving Nazi underground still functioning today. This was a reasonable idea when Frederick Forsyth used it in the 1960's, but set today it rapidly piles up implausibilities: the grandchildren of German spies planted in Scotland 70-odd years ago still there and still loyal to Nazism, their keeping up a base on a remote island of no significance, in a small community where it should be very hard to keep secrets, keeping all their secrets on paper in files in the cellar where the local police easily find them, and making an amateurish effort to destroy those files using an WW2 vintage incendiary bomb whose misfiring only draws attention to the place. British, German and Israeli secret services take an interest, with hints some of these are infiltrated by the surviving Nazis. There is certainly a lot of explaining to do, but most of the reader's reasonable questions are never answered.
July 13, 2022
Vol five of DCI Daley’s adventures goes down the dark-secrets-from-the-war route, and shifts much of the action from the coastal town of Kinloch to a small and insular island off the mainland. As such, it veers into a weird ‘Boys from Brazil’ meets ‘Whisky Galore’ fugue, with Secret Service types and Israeli spooks thrown in for good measure. The final revelation flirts with a more-or-less plausible real-life conspiracy theory, but it’s likely to prompt some eye-rolling amongst sceptical readers. Entertaining and pacy, but sub-par compared to the other instalments.
February 19, 2022
One morning post delivery creates a mystery as the Bremner family suddenly disappear. And so begins a case for DCI Daley which catches the interest of the Secret Services. But to solve this case, Daley must solve a murder from the past in WW2.
Another great DCI Daley story. Big shout out to the story is the interaction between DS Scott and Chief Superintendent Symington.
Another great DCI Daley story. Big shout out to the story is the interaction between DS Scott and Chief Superintendent Symington.
October 10, 2021
Another fascinating and riveting read from Denzil Meyrick. The fifth book in the DCI Daley is set in modern day Kinloch but takes an interesting step back in time to Kinloch during the Second World War, through the policeman’s journal of one of Daley’s predecessors.
May 3, 2022
My favourite of the series so far. A really twist tale!
October 24, 2022
There is a LOT going on in this fifth novel in series - so buckle up for the ride!
When a family goes missing on the isle of Gairsay, close to Kinloch, it sparks an investigation for Daley involving a boat trip. This is a complex tale, weaving it's way back to the second world war and is full of shocks and surprises. As the problems increase, there are more investigators on the scene - what is going on??
I love this series and Denzil Meyrick's writing never fails to grab my attention. He knows the setting of these novels so well and I would urge every reader to check out the information he provides at the end of each book which shows just how well he knows the area of 'Kinloch'. This story, particularly, is complicated and involved and kept me on my toes throughout. I always begin these books with the thought that I will slow down my reading and take my time to savour each word but I soon find that I can't wait and always end up reading late into the night (early into the morning) to find out where it's all going. A first class read and one I highly recommend. Without a doubt, a full house of stars!
When a family goes missing on the isle of Gairsay, close to Kinloch, it sparks an investigation for Daley involving a boat trip. This is a complex tale, weaving it's way back to the second world war and is full of shocks and surprises. As the problems increase, there are more investigators on the scene - what is going on??
I love this series and Denzil Meyrick's writing never fails to grab my attention. He knows the setting of these novels so well and I would urge every reader to check out the information he provides at the end of each book which shows just how well he knows the area of 'Kinloch'. This story, particularly, is complicated and involved and kept me on my toes throughout. I always begin these books with the thought that I will slow down my reading and take my time to savour each word but I soon find that I can't wait and always end up reading late into the night (early into the morning) to find out where it's all going. A first class read and one I highly recommend. Without a doubt, a full house of stars!
March 2, 2018
Another twisty tale!
September 15, 2019
I love this series and not enjoying this book quite so much was down more to my not liking books that jump back and forward in time than anything it would be fair to criticise the book for. Another well written book by this author and can't wait to begin the next one.
October 10, 2020
More like 3.5 stars
All this back and forth in time line got on my nerves and I hope the next one will be better.
All this back and forth in time line got on my nerves and I hope the next one will be better.
April 8, 2017
Denzil Meyrick's series of crime novels featuring DCI Jim Daley and set in Scotland has been excellent from book 1 but in this fifth instalment he takes the standard to a higher level still. In the previous book Daley lost his girl-friend and a pall of depression hangs over him as he comes to terms with losing Mary and being separated from his son, a situation which throwing himself into his work can partially alleviate. The case is fascinating as it takes us from the present day back to 1945 and a Nazi connection to Scotland. Meyrick shows a keen interest in and knowledge of the Second World War which makes Well Of The Winds more than just a crime novel.
October 27, 2020
The best kept secrets have a way of rising up no matter how deep someone tries to bury them
September 19, 2025
It took a while to get going but part of this might be my fault as it is my first book and yet this is 5th in the series. I really enjoyed the style of writing and by the end was engrossed in the characters. I look forward to reading more from the series and do recommend this book and like the way stories from the past and present intertwined and also the link to real historical figures.
March 10, 2017
As the Second World nears its end, a man is stabbed to death on the shoreline of Kinloch, in the shadow of the great warships in the harbour. Many years later, the postman on the Isle of Gairsay, a tiny island off the coast of Kintyre, discovers that the Bremner family have vanished from their farm. There's a pot on the stove and food on the table, but of the Bremners there is no sign.
When DCI Daley comes into possession of a journal written by his wartime predecessor in Kinloch, Inspector William Urquhart, he soon realises Gairsay has many secrets. Assisted by his indomitable deputy, DS Brian Scott, and new boss, Chief Superintendent Carrie Symington, Daley must solve a wartime murder to reveal not only the shocking events of the past, but new horrors of the present.
I quite enjoyed this book. it moved from the events of 1945 to the current day to solve a mystery in both timelines.
The only downside for me was trying to understand some of the words said by the characters as it is written as it is said and sometimes I found I needed to read it several times before I fully got what was being said.
When DCI Daley comes into possession of a journal written by his wartime predecessor in Kinloch, Inspector William Urquhart, he soon realises Gairsay has many secrets. Assisted by his indomitable deputy, DS Brian Scott, and new boss, Chief Superintendent Carrie Symington, Daley must solve a wartime murder to reveal not only the shocking events of the past, but new horrors of the present.
I quite enjoyed this book. it moved from the events of 1945 to the current day to solve a mystery in both timelines.
The only downside for me was trying to understand some of the words said by the characters as it is written as it is said and sometimes I found I needed to read it several times before I fully got what was being said.
April 3, 2017
brilliant!
March 4, 2017
A family goes missing on the Scottish Island of Gairsay and DCI Daley, DS Scott and Chief Superintendant Symington are called in to help the local volunteer policeman find any clues as to where they may have gone. Whilst in the house Scott discovers a hidden cellar and, all of a sudden, the missing Bremner family's secrets open a can of worms that have consequences reaching out across Europe.
I have enjoyed the previous stories involving Scott and Daley and, although I don't usually like phonetic writing, I am a fan of the Brian Scott's lovely Scottish accent and down to earth attitude. Events in the last novel mean that this one spends a little less time on Daley and more on Scott and Symington which isn't a bad thing at all as Scott in particular is a great character with an interesting personality to get to know alongside the story of the novel.
The DCI Daley thrillers can easily be read as stand alones and I do not think anything is lost by simply starting from this one. Nevertheless, if you still have the treat of picking one up for the first one, I would recommend starting at the beginning of the series and learning more about Scott and Daley as you go.
Any fan of a crime thriller would definitely enjoy this and others in the series. I look forward to the next one coming out!
Thank you to lovereading for the ARC.
I have enjoyed the previous stories involving Scott and Daley and, although I don't usually like phonetic writing, I am a fan of the Brian Scott's lovely Scottish accent and down to earth attitude. Events in the last novel mean that this one spends a little less time on Daley and more on Scott and Symington which isn't a bad thing at all as Scott in particular is a great character with an interesting personality to get to know alongside the story of the novel.
The DCI Daley thrillers can easily be read as stand alones and I do not think anything is lost by simply starting from this one. Nevertheless, if you still have the treat of picking one up for the first one, I would recommend starting at the beginning of the series and learning more about Scott and Daley as you go.
Any fan of a crime thriller would definitely enjoy this and others in the series. I look forward to the next one coming out!
Thank you to lovereading for the ARC.
March 2, 2017
The best of the series so far, with a message for today.
February 23, 2017
Fantastic!! Not just your average murder mystery, Once the Lovereading review is live. I will post it x
June 18, 2018
Firstly let me say that I listened to this as an audio book, rather than a print version. This may have had input into why I didn't like it.
I really struggled to understand when the story was in the past and when it was in the present - this may have been more obvious in the print version, as a change of type face can be used (I don't know if it was however)- I really didn't get it.
I got 75% of the way through and then realised that I didn't actually care what happened- that's never good- so I returned it to audible and listened to something else.
Others may love it - but this is the second by this author that I haven't liked, so I just think he's not for me. This was highlighted by the fact that the PD James novel I chose instead had me gripped from the start- the storytelling was so much more compelling.
I really struggled to understand when the story was in the past and when it was in the present - this may have been more obvious in the print version, as a change of type face can be used (I don't know if it was however)- I really didn't get it.
I got 75% of the way through and then realised that I didn't actually care what happened- that's never good- so I returned it to audible and listened to something else.
Others may love it - but this is the second by this author that I haven't liked, so I just think he's not for me. This was highlighted by the fact that the PD James novel I chose instead had me gripped from the start- the storytelling was so much more compelling.
April 17, 2019
I thought this was going to be a bog standard English detective novel.
Now, it's a bog standard Hitler conspiracy English detective novel.
With naturally, a messed up lead detective. Aren't there any normal people in the UK police force?
Far too many characters, far too many parallel storylines. Something something cyanide capsules, something fake Jews, something sad dead mistress. I found it hard to keep track of it all.
Now, it's a bog standard Hitler conspiracy English detective novel.
With naturally, a messed up lead detective. Aren't there any normal people in the UK police force?
Far too many characters, far too many parallel storylines. Something something cyanide capsules, something fake Jews, something sad dead mistress. I found it hard to keep track of it all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2020
I would like to rate this higher, but cannot.
I've loved the DCI Daley series so far but this book contains too many characters and a plot so twisted its too much for my tiny brain to handle.
Too many questions left unanswered for me. Though, if I had grasped 100% of the story and not just 90, I may understand more.
Will read more.
I've loved the DCI Daley series so far but this book contains too many characters and a plot so twisted its too much for my tiny brain to handle.
Too many questions left unanswered for me. Though, if I had grasped 100% of the story and not just 90, I may understand more.
Will read more.
July 9, 2018
Gave up after 100 pages plot line too far fetched. Not as good as his previous material
June 23, 2017
This story starts with a particularly gruesome murder which took place in 1945, towards the end of World War II on the loch shore of Kinloch, with a dozen warships providing a backdrop to the scene. It then switches to the present day when, on the tiny island of Gairsay, off the coast of Kintyre, Malcom McAuley, the postman calls at the farm of the Bremner family, only to find that there is no one there. It has clearly been an unplanned departure because there is freshly cooked food on the table, the stove is still alight and a pan of milk has recently boiled over. The family has lived on the island since the 1940s, accepted in the area as a Jewish family who had escaped the horrors of the Nazi regime. Apart from being the postman, McAuley is also the island’s grocer, fireman and special constable and it is in his latter role that he informs the police station on the mainland and D.S. Brian Scott is despatched to the island.
As a result of a preliminary investigation by the detective sergeant and McAuley, a secret stash of documents, linked to wartime secrets, is subsequently discovered in the basement of the farmhouse. This is clearly an incident which requires a professional investigation so Scott’s good friend D.C.I Jim Daley and their new boss, Chief Superintendent Carrie Symington, become involved. Within a very short time Secret Service agents, Special Branch and people with friends in high places start to influence, and attempt to control, the investigation. Then, when D.C.I Jimmy Daley, is given the diary of Inspector William Urquhart, his wartime predecessor in Kinloch, it becomes clear that the investigation is about to becomes even more complex, and that the present day mystery is unlikely to be resolved until the wartime murder has been solved, and this becomes Daley’s mission. It very soon becomes obvious that people on the island hold many secrets and that it is not going to be easy to uncover them.
I found this an entertaining story which contained enough twists and turns in the plotting to keep my interest engaged – and the final twist certainly took me by surprise! I thought that the intertwining of the historic and the modern-day story was very well handled and I was fascinated to learn so much about the important strategic part that this western coast of Scotland played during the war. In fact it was this mixture of fact and fiction which formed a major part of my enjoyment of the story. It soon became apparent that the author, previously a police officer in the Strathclyde force, has the experience to ensure that police procedural aspects throughout the story felt authentic. At one time he was also a freelance journalist and did a considerable amount of research into this period, which he then used to very good effect throughout the book.
I thought that the main male characters were well-drawn; I enjoyed the relationship between Daley and Scott and found their long-standing friendship entirely credible. I also enjoyed the portrayal of McAuley, with much humour derived from the seriousness with which he took his various roles and this requirement to “wear many hats”! However, I felt considerably less convinced by some of the female characters, all of whom felt rather two-dimensional – although maybe in a future story in the series Carrie Symington’s character will be developed because she is clearly a complex and highly ambitious woman.
For me a real strength in the story-telling lay in the evocations of island life and the portrayal of the intensity of living in such a small, intimate community. I thought the author captured very convincingly the intensity of relationships and interactions, how feuds can simmer for generations, and how uncovered secrets can have dramatic repercussions on the whole community. His descriptions of the countryside, and the at times savage power of the weather, were excellent and added an extra depth to the story.
This is the fifth story in the D.C.I. Daley series and, although I was able to read it as a stand-alone story, I did find myself getting a bit irritated by the very frequent references to the characters’ backstories. Some history was required to “flesh-out” the characters for a first-time reader but I thought that the author rather overdid it – and I suspect that, had I been following the series I might well have felt just as irritated by these repetitive references! I also thought that there was just a bit too much use of “dialect” speech throughout the narrative – I found myself thinking “Yes, I’ve got the message now”! It was these irritations which led me to give it three rather than four stars as a personal read.
There are many themes in this novel which would make this a good choice for reading groups, especially as it explores problems which are as relevant today as they were in the past, especially the resurgence of right-wing movements and the plight of refugees, with the divisive impact this can have on communities.
As a result of a preliminary investigation by the detective sergeant and McAuley, a secret stash of documents, linked to wartime secrets, is subsequently discovered in the basement of the farmhouse. This is clearly an incident which requires a professional investigation so Scott’s good friend D.C.I Jim Daley and their new boss, Chief Superintendent Carrie Symington, become involved. Within a very short time Secret Service agents, Special Branch and people with friends in high places start to influence, and attempt to control, the investigation. Then, when D.C.I Jimmy Daley, is given the diary of Inspector William Urquhart, his wartime predecessor in Kinloch, it becomes clear that the investigation is about to becomes even more complex, and that the present day mystery is unlikely to be resolved until the wartime murder has been solved, and this becomes Daley’s mission. It very soon becomes obvious that people on the island hold many secrets and that it is not going to be easy to uncover them.
I found this an entertaining story which contained enough twists and turns in the plotting to keep my interest engaged – and the final twist certainly took me by surprise! I thought that the intertwining of the historic and the modern-day story was very well handled and I was fascinated to learn so much about the important strategic part that this western coast of Scotland played during the war. In fact it was this mixture of fact and fiction which formed a major part of my enjoyment of the story. It soon became apparent that the author, previously a police officer in the Strathclyde force, has the experience to ensure that police procedural aspects throughout the story felt authentic. At one time he was also a freelance journalist and did a considerable amount of research into this period, which he then used to very good effect throughout the book.
I thought that the main male characters were well-drawn; I enjoyed the relationship between Daley and Scott and found their long-standing friendship entirely credible. I also enjoyed the portrayal of McAuley, with much humour derived from the seriousness with which he took his various roles and this requirement to “wear many hats”! However, I felt considerably less convinced by some of the female characters, all of whom felt rather two-dimensional – although maybe in a future story in the series Carrie Symington’s character will be developed because she is clearly a complex and highly ambitious woman.
For me a real strength in the story-telling lay in the evocations of island life and the portrayal of the intensity of living in such a small, intimate community. I thought the author captured very convincingly the intensity of relationships and interactions, how feuds can simmer for generations, and how uncovered secrets can have dramatic repercussions on the whole community. His descriptions of the countryside, and the at times savage power of the weather, were excellent and added an extra depth to the story.
This is the fifth story in the D.C.I. Daley series and, although I was able to read it as a stand-alone story, I did find myself getting a bit irritated by the very frequent references to the characters’ backstories. Some history was required to “flesh-out” the characters for a first-time reader but I thought that the author rather overdid it – and I suspect that, had I been following the series I might well have felt just as irritated by these repetitive references! I also thought that there was just a bit too much use of “dialect” speech throughout the narrative – I found myself thinking “Yes, I’ve got the message now”! It was these irritations which led me to give it three rather than four stars as a personal read.
There are many themes in this novel which would make this a good choice for reading groups, especially as it explores problems which are as relevant today as they were in the past, especially the resurgence of right-wing movements and the plight of refugees, with the divisive impact this can have on communities.
June 17, 2022
Number 5 in the DCI Jim Daley series, all set in and around fictional Kinloch on the real Kintyre peninsula; quite a small setting but the scope of the action, like the story-telling, is vast. These books really are great reads. I’m only half way through the series, but I will keep on going because this is good quality and entertaining story-telling, featuring seasoned characters that easily came to life for me, and quickly became like old pals.
I was always a fan of Ian Rankin and Inspector Rebus, but Meyrick’s books appeal to me even more, because of the warmth of the regulars, and the humour they never fail to bring to the table. No matter how dark these tales become, and they are pitch black in places, the banter lights up the pages. I will never forget the three-way conversation in Glenhanity’s front room when she regales Scott and Symington with tales of her faither’s big black cock. I burst out laughing.
DS Scott continues to be one of the most entertaining police characters I have ever encountered and, for me, was the star of this story. DCI Daley is still grieving for his losses come the end of the wintery and wonderful Rat Stone Serenade, so he was morose much of the time, pursuing his own leads into the past, because Well of the Winds is two tales intertwining beautifully into one. The new Chief Superintendent, Carrie Symington… a woman whose bravery saved lives in Rat Stone Serenade, continues to be a welcome addition, as circumstances this time around conspire to throw her and DS Scott together in isolation, while British Intelligence and Special Branch begin closing in.
A brief prologue set in 1945 touches on the fatal stabbing of a man on the shore close to Kinloch. In the present spring has arrived on the fictional island of Gairsay off the west coast of Kintyre. Malcolm McAuley wears a great many hats in the service of the small island community; postman, community policeman, volunteer fireman, sub-post officer and shop keeper. That morning he’s wearing his postman’s hat when he arrives at Achnamara, farm and home of the Bremners. They are a Jewish family that came to Kintyre after escaping the Nazis during the war. No answer, but this is a small community and no one locks their doors. McAuley goes inside with the parcel. He calls out, but the house remains silent. There is a fire burning in the hearth, uneaten breakfasts on the table, and a pan of milk is boiling over on the stove. But there is no trace of the family.
The local police are initially brought in to investigate the disappearance, but what they find at the farmhouse quickly escalates the case much higher up the food chain. The locals are dismissed, as the tremors begin to spread across Europe. But police officers are naturally territorial creatures, and they continue making their own enquiries. Scott and Symington hold their own on the island while, on the mainland, Daley explores the past through the journal of his Kinloch predecessor, Inspector William Urquhart, stationed in the very same police station in Kinloch. A man who disappeared without trace back in 1945, when the world was at war and Kinloch harbour was home to a number of naval boats as well as a stricken submarine full of dead Germans.
In order to solve the current mystery, Daley must discover the truth behind Urquhart’s disappearance. So this story switches back and forth between Scott and Symington’s surreptitious, present day investigations on the island, and the months leading up to Urquhart’s disappearance as covered in his journal. Back to the mend-and-make-do days, when women used gravy browning to colour their legs in lieu of nylons, and men wore trilby hats and gabardine coats. I really got a feel for Kinloch during the war years, and loved the way these past times were crucial to the discovery of so many dark secrets hidden within the beautiful landscape of modern day Gairsay. The truth will out.
Five hundred stars.
I was always a fan of Ian Rankin and Inspector Rebus, but Meyrick’s books appeal to me even more, because of the warmth of the regulars, and the humour they never fail to bring to the table. No matter how dark these tales become, and they are pitch black in places, the banter lights up the pages. I will never forget the three-way conversation in Glenhanity’s front room when she regales Scott and Symington with tales of her faither’s big black cock. I burst out laughing.
DS Scott continues to be one of the most entertaining police characters I have ever encountered and, for me, was the star of this story. DCI Daley is still grieving for his losses come the end of the wintery and wonderful Rat Stone Serenade, so he was morose much of the time, pursuing his own leads into the past, because Well of the Winds is two tales intertwining beautifully into one. The new Chief Superintendent, Carrie Symington… a woman whose bravery saved lives in Rat Stone Serenade, continues to be a welcome addition, as circumstances this time around conspire to throw her and DS Scott together in isolation, while British Intelligence and Special Branch begin closing in.
A brief prologue set in 1945 touches on the fatal stabbing of a man on the shore close to Kinloch. In the present spring has arrived on the fictional island of Gairsay off the west coast of Kintyre. Malcolm McAuley wears a great many hats in the service of the small island community; postman, community policeman, volunteer fireman, sub-post officer and shop keeper. That morning he’s wearing his postman’s hat when he arrives at Achnamara, farm and home of the Bremners. They are a Jewish family that came to Kintyre after escaping the Nazis during the war. No answer, but this is a small community and no one locks their doors. McAuley goes inside with the parcel. He calls out, but the house remains silent. There is a fire burning in the hearth, uneaten breakfasts on the table, and a pan of milk is boiling over on the stove. But there is no trace of the family.
The local police are initially brought in to investigate the disappearance, but what they find at the farmhouse quickly escalates the case much higher up the food chain. The locals are dismissed, as the tremors begin to spread across Europe. But police officers are naturally territorial creatures, and they continue making their own enquiries. Scott and Symington hold their own on the island while, on the mainland, Daley explores the past through the journal of his Kinloch predecessor, Inspector William Urquhart, stationed in the very same police station in Kinloch. A man who disappeared without trace back in 1945, when the world was at war and Kinloch harbour was home to a number of naval boats as well as a stricken submarine full of dead Germans.
In order to solve the current mystery, Daley must discover the truth behind Urquhart’s disappearance. So this story switches back and forth between Scott and Symington’s surreptitious, present day investigations on the island, and the months leading up to Urquhart’s disappearance as covered in his journal. Back to the mend-and-make-do days, when women used gravy browning to colour their legs in lieu of nylons, and men wore trilby hats and gabardine coats. I really got a feel for Kinloch during the war years, and loved the way these past times were crucial to the discovery of so many dark secrets hidden within the beautiful landscape of modern day Gairsay. The truth will out.
Five hundred stars.
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