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The Island
The chilling new psychological thriller by Ben McPherson, author of A LINE OF BLOOD.
A horrifying nightmare…
A summer camp for teens, on a beautiful island. It should have been a haven. But it soon becomes hell on earth when two men start shooting.
A country in shock…
The families gather, desperately hoping their children have survived. Some have their prayers answered. Some must confront their worst nightmare.
A family that will never be the same again…
Cal and Elsa’s daughter Licia was on the island, but no one can find any trace of her. Delving into their daughter’s life, they uncover some shocking secrets. What really happened to Licia that day? Did she survive the shooting, or is she gone forever?
A horrifying nightmare…
A summer camp for teens, on a beautiful island. It should have been a haven. But it soon becomes hell on earth when two men start shooting.
A country in shock…
The families gather, desperately hoping their children have survived. Some have their prayers answered. Some must confront their worst nightmare.
A family that will never be the same again…
Cal and Elsa’s daughter Licia was on the island, but no one can find any trace of her. Delving into their daughter’s life, they uncover some shocking secrets. What really happened to Licia that day? Did she survive the shooting, or is she gone forever?
Hardcover
First published February 9, 2021
37 people are currently reading
462 people want to read
About the author
Ben McPherson
7 books64 followersBen McPherson is a television producer, director, and writer. He studied Modern Languages at King’s College, Cambridge, and worked for many years in film and television production. From 1998 to 2007 he was a director and producer for the BBC.
In 1998 Ben met the woman he would go on to marry at the Coach and Horses in Soho. Similarities to the characters in his novel, A Line of Blood, end there.
Ben speaks fluent Norwegian and lives in Oslo with his wife and son. In 2012 he covered the Breivik trial for TheForeigner.no. He is now a columnist for Aftenposten, Norway’s leading quality daily newspaper.
In 1998 Ben met the woman he would go on to marry at the Coach and Horses in Soho. Similarities to the characters in his novel, A Line of Blood, end there.
Ben speaks fluent Norwegian and lives in Oslo with his wife and son. In 2012 he covered the Breivik trial for TheForeigner.no. He is now a columnist for Aftenposten, Norway’s leading quality daily newspaper.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
April 11, 2021
This is one of those books that is interesting enough to make you Google the author. I was completely surprised to learn the author is Scottish living in the UK, because this Nordic noir feels so authentic that I assumed the entire time that I was reading a Scandinavian book with a really good translation. As a girl with Norwegian grandma who has never been to Scandinavia, I especially loved that this book was a Norwegian noir — for some reason, you don’t see as many of those as ones set in Denmark or Iceland. The Nordic settings of the book were atmospheric and vivid.
This book was not at all what I expected, and is not your typical missing girl Nordic noir. It crackles with action from the very start, and incorporates aspects of terrorism, family secrets, couplehood, and deception along with the family tragedy.
This is that rare book that is both fast-paced and full of characters with depth. Each character is thoughtfully drawn. McPherson has a page-turning writing style that will draw you in and make you question larger issues and truths. A very competent and interesting book that makes me want to pick up McPherson’s debut novel as well. Definitely more well-written and insightful than many other thrillers I have read of late.
4.5 stars. Recommended! Thank you to William Morrow and Custom House, NetGalley, and the author for the ARC.
This book was not at all what I expected, and is not your typical missing girl Nordic noir. It crackles with action from the very start, and incorporates aspects of terrorism, family secrets, couplehood, and deception along with the family tragedy.
This is that rare book that is both fast-paced and full of characters with depth. Each character is thoughtfully drawn. McPherson has a page-turning writing style that will draw you in and make you question larger issues and truths. A very competent and interesting book that makes me want to pick up McPherson’s debut novel as well. Definitely more well-written and insightful than many other thrillers I have read of late.
4.5 stars. Recommended! Thank you to William Morrow and Custom House, NetGalley, and the author for the ARC.
February 11, 2021
This is a decent thriller, it kind of sneaks up on you rather than being overtly action packed and is more of a character study.
What didn't really work for me was that the phrasing in many parts, especially the conversations, was very awkward. It occasionally seems like it is a translated Nordic-noir book, but it's not, and that is what makes it all the worse.
The storyline itself is good, and that is what kept me turning pages to discover what was going to happen. I didn't care for the ending as I was expecting more of a surprise, but when I got there it just fell flat.
I think this is a book that readers are either going to really connect with the writing and the style or they aren't. I liked it enough to give it three stars, but not enough that I'd highly recommend it.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
What didn't really work for me was that the phrasing in many parts, especially the conversations, was very awkward. It occasionally seems like it is a translated Nordic-noir book, but it's not, and that is what makes it all the worse.
The storyline itself is good, and that is what kept me turning pages to discover what was going to happen. I didn't care for the ending as I was expecting more of a surprise, but when I got there it just fell flat.
I think this is a book that readers are either going to really connect with the writing and the style or they aren't. I liked it enough to give it three stars, but not enough that I'd highly recommend it.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
December 16, 2020
loved this authors first novel so I was very much looking forward to this one and it didnt disappoint.
The Island is a claustrophobic thriller come family drama that opens with a horrifying act of violence, giving the reader a bird’s eye view as it unfolds. From then on in it is a mystery that is extremely entertaining whilst asking a lot of relevant questions about society today.
A deeply moving and cleverly woven tale of heroes and villains, of family secrets and obscured truths, The Island manages to be a thought provoking tale and becomes more of a page turner as it goes. It also has the benefit of an ending that may keep you up at night wondering about your own moral centre.
Overall a really terrific read. I have no problem highly recommending it.
The Island is a claustrophobic thriller come family drama that opens with a horrifying act of violence, giving the reader a bird’s eye view as it unfolds. From then on in it is a mystery that is extremely entertaining whilst asking a lot of relevant questions about society today.
A deeply moving and cleverly woven tale of heroes and villains, of family secrets and obscured truths, The Island manages to be a thought provoking tale and becomes more of a page turner as it goes. It also has the benefit of an ending that may keep you up at night wondering about your own moral centre.
Overall a really terrific read. I have no problem highly recommending it.
February 16, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for the arc of The Island by Ben McPherson.
4 star read- I cant tell you what happens you need to find out for yourself as it will wreck you and spoil to much but such a gripping and interesting read, gripped from start to finish i highly recommend to all who love thrillers but wow just wow!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
4 star read- I cant tell you what happens you need to find out for yourself as it will wreck you and spoil to much but such a gripping and interesting read, gripped from start to finish i highly recommend to all who love thrillers but wow just wow!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
August 14, 2020
Man, I would like to tell you what happens in this story but it would wreck the look you will have when you find the truth. Elsa, Licia, Viktoria, Franklin, and Cal Curtis were a family that had lived in Washington D.C. for years, but Elsa was Norwegian and Cal was Scottish. They were in Norway for 6 months until a horrible bomb explosion and on an island over 91 people were killed. Licia was one of the victims but was presumed to be drown. Now the story goes in a lot of different directions from this point on. It's amazing how most things are taken seriously but you can believe each person has other agendas. That all I'll say. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars .
January 14, 2021
The Island by Ben McPherson was published on January 7th in paperback format (originally published in HB and digital format Aug 2020) with Harper Collins and is described as ‘a gripping psychological crime thriller’. Set in Norway it is the story of one family and how their lives were ripped apart by a series of very unexpected and shocking events.
Scottish born satirist, Cal and his Norwegian wife, Elsa had arrived in Oslo for a six month stint with their three young children, shortly due to return to their life in Washington DC. It’s summertime in Oslo and their eldest Licia is away at a summer camp on a small island off the coast of Oslo. A bomb ripping through a building in the town centre sends shockwaves through the city but it is what follows that truly horrifies a nation. Gunmen alight on the island where Licia’s camp is being hosted and mercilessly open fire on teenagers. The death toll is staggering and a community mourns. For Elsa and Cal, their life is turned upside down. When the bodies are repatriated onto the mainland, families grieve for the lives lost, young lives viciously hacked down by madmen. For Cal and Elsa, their journey is only just beginning. Licia’s body is not among the ones retrieved. Where is she? What has happened to their quiet and beautiful daughter?
A camera crew who managed to film some of the terror live from their helicopter appear to have caught footage of a young girl who looks just like Licia. This girl was witnessed as saving others and putting her own life on the line for many. To Cal and Elsa, and the world, Licia was a hero. Hashtags appeared on social media praising Licia for her courage and strength and, although difficult for Cal and Elsa to accept, it appeared that their daughter was never coming home.
Their younger daughter, Vee, a tech whizz, carries out her own bit of research and raises questions about the events on the island that day, very pertinent questions. With the gunmen now awaiting trial, Cal and Elsa want answers, and want them fast, prepared to step outside their comfort zones, if need be, to uncover the truth about what really happened that day.
Cal and Elsa have a fractured relationship and the cracks begin to show as their search for answers continues. Not the most likeable of characters, the reader is left wondering, at times, who is hiding something and is it connected to Licia’s disappearance? Vee, their young daughter, is depicted as someone far older than she is. Her attitude and general demeanour were quite worldly for one so young, a bit too savvy in my humble opinion. Not liking characters never deters me from enjoying a novel. If anything, it can sometimes add an extra layer of credibility to the story but something felt very off with many of the cast in this story. I read translated Nordic Noir/Scandi books and, perhaps, this is where the issue lies for me. The Island is not a translated work, as the author is English, but it feels like an attempt at making it appear so. When reading translated works one of the many joys for me is how I become immersed in a very unfamiliar world, with perhaps a different turn of phrase and always atmospheric descriptions that transport me to, quite often, remote and stark environments. I wasn’t transported to Oslo reading The Island, as I found it challenging to visualise the settings. I had very little empathy for Cal and Elsa and found Vee’s character to be totally exaggerated.
So overall what did I think? The premise of The Island is very good. It’s dark and unsettling depicting how the mind can be bended to the will of others when the end justifies the means. It is full of some downright subversive and nasty characters that do get under your skin with other individuals leaving you perplexed as to their innocence until the final pages.
I’m going to have to remain on the fence with this book as having not read the author’s previous, and very well acclaimed work, it may just be that this one book didn’t work for me.
Scottish born satirist, Cal and his Norwegian wife, Elsa had arrived in Oslo for a six month stint with their three young children, shortly due to return to their life in Washington DC. It’s summertime in Oslo and their eldest Licia is away at a summer camp on a small island off the coast of Oslo. A bomb ripping through a building in the town centre sends shockwaves through the city but it is what follows that truly horrifies a nation. Gunmen alight on the island where Licia’s camp is being hosted and mercilessly open fire on teenagers. The death toll is staggering and a community mourns. For Elsa and Cal, their life is turned upside down. When the bodies are repatriated onto the mainland, families grieve for the lives lost, young lives viciously hacked down by madmen. For Cal and Elsa, their journey is only just beginning. Licia’s body is not among the ones retrieved. Where is she? What has happened to their quiet and beautiful daughter?
A camera crew who managed to film some of the terror live from their helicopter appear to have caught footage of a young girl who looks just like Licia. This girl was witnessed as saving others and putting her own life on the line for many. To Cal and Elsa, and the world, Licia was a hero. Hashtags appeared on social media praising Licia for her courage and strength and, although difficult for Cal and Elsa to accept, it appeared that their daughter was never coming home.
Their younger daughter, Vee, a tech whizz, carries out her own bit of research and raises questions about the events on the island that day, very pertinent questions. With the gunmen now awaiting trial, Cal and Elsa want answers, and want them fast, prepared to step outside their comfort zones, if need be, to uncover the truth about what really happened that day.
Cal and Elsa have a fractured relationship and the cracks begin to show as their search for answers continues. Not the most likeable of characters, the reader is left wondering, at times, who is hiding something and is it connected to Licia’s disappearance? Vee, their young daughter, is depicted as someone far older than she is. Her attitude and general demeanour were quite worldly for one so young, a bit too savvy in my humble opinion. Not liking characters never deters me from enjoying a novel. If anything, it can sometimes add an extra layer of credibility to the story but something felt very off with many of the cast in this story. I read translated Nordic Noir/Scandi books and, perhaps, this is where the issue lies for me. The Island is not a translated work, as the author is English, but it feels like an attempt at making it appear so. When reading translated works one of the many joys for me is how I become immersed in a very unfamiliar world, with perhaps a different turn of phrase and always atmospheric descriptions that transport me to, quite often, remote and stark environments. I wasn’t transported to Oslo reading The Island, as I found it challenging to visualise the settings. I had very little empathy for Cal and Elsa and found Vee’s character to be totally exaggerated.
So overall what did I think? The premise of The Island is very good. It’s dark and unsettling depicting how the mind can be bended to the will of others when the end justifies the means. It is full of some downright subversive and nasty characters that do get under your skin with other individuals leaving you perplexed as to their innocence until the final pages.
I’m going to have to remain on the fence with this book as having not read the author’s previous, and very well acclaimed work, it may just be that this one book didn’t work for me.
July 26, 2022
A 2021 staff favorite recommended by Becky. Check our catalog: https://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore...
July 7, 2022
I found this book frustrating and finally distressing. It was better read in chunks as then I was able to get into the author’s rhythm. Radicalisation is a fascinating subject, one does always wonder where the families of those ‘turned’ have gone wrong. It’s definitely a book I want someone else to read so I can discuss it with them.
May 23, 2020
I was thrilled to read Love and Other Lies (published as The Island in the UK) early as it does not release in the US until mid-August due to COVID 19. Cal, Elsa, and their children live in Oslo. Their oldest daughter, Licia, goes to a summer camp on an island off the coast. While what happens on The Island is the plot of the story, I do not think that is the point of this story. This story is about the characters, their relationships, and the dynamics between a husband and a wife, parent and child, friends, and society at large. What occurs on the island leads to secrets and lies between Elsa, Cal, and their daughters. But more specifically how parents often do not really know their children or what they are capable of. In addition, Cal experiences several cultural differences and is always referred to as “English” even though he is Scottish. As an American reader, I also appreciated and noticed the cultural differences between the U.S. and Norway. There are several twists that I did not see coming but enjoyed.
This book is described as a chilling psychological thriller which it is but it is so much more. I finished it a few days ago but this is a book you fully digest after reading and giving it more though. I found this book to be very thought-provoking. It made me think how you often do now know what could be beneath the appearances a person portrays to the world, their families, and even themselves. Ben has a very unique style of writing which is clear, crisp, and just enough description but highly emotional. Both of Ben’s novels, A Line of Blood and Love and Other Lies, show the depth of a parent’s love for their children. This is a book which will stay with me for a long time.
This book is described as a chilling psychological thriller which it is but it is so much more. I finished it a few days ago but this is a book you fully digest after reading and giving it more though. I found this book to be very thought-provoking. It made me think how you often do now know what could be beneath the appearances a person portrays to the world, their families, and even themselves. Ben has a very unique style of writing which is clear, crisp, and just enough description but highly emotional. Both of Ben’s novels, A Line of Blood and Love and Other Lies, show the depth of a parent’s love for their children. This is a book which will stay with me for a long time.
August 20, 2020
Way back in February 2015 I read and review Ben McPherson's first novel; A Line Of Blood . That was a novel that captivated me, it's been a long wait for this latest book, but it's worth it.
Elsa and Cal are a happily married couple with three children. They've been together for years, their relationship is strong and is built on truth. They don't lie to each other, and they don't expect their children to lie either. Cal is Scottish, Elsa is Norwegian and they've moved from Washington DC to live in Norway for six months. They are due to return to the States very soon with teenage daughters Licia and Vee and baby son Franklin.
However, a tragic and horrendous incident puts their plans on hold. Licia has recently gone off to summer camp celebrating International Future Females which is held on a small island just off Oslo.
News has just come in about an explosion at the official Government buildings in Oslo and whilst this is shocking and terrifying for the family, it isn't until they hear about a mass shooting on a small island that they realise just how close to home these atrocities are.
Licia is missing. Her body is not found. However, there is camera footage taken from a helicopter flying overhead that shows a girl answering her description in the water, alive. A small boy testifies that he was saved by this girl. Licia becomes the hero of the island, known throughout the country as the girl who selflessly saved others before herself.
Nobody can be unaware of the case of Anders Breivik, the far-right terrorist who committed the appalling acts in Norway in 2011. He planted a bomb in Oslo and then shot dead 69 people on the nearby island of Utoya. Whilst it is clear that Ben McPherson has been influenced by the Breivik case in The Island, this is not that story. This is a completely different story and whilst it has themes of terrorism and white supremacy, this is really a story of a family. Of their relationships and how these are altered by events, combined with a detailed and rich look at how the most ordinary of families can be picked apart by things outside of their control.
Cal and Elsa are extraordinarily well created. The contrast between Cal's warm Scottish nature, his way of using humour to deflect and his consuming love for his family and Elsa's Norwegian iciness is so very well done. Elsa is blunt and to the point, she has relationship rules that she expects others to adhere to, yet she hides so much ... the reader is never quite sure just where Elsa sits within this story.
This author incorporates Cal's ever growing feeling of being an outsider throughout the narrative. Everyone he meets, from the chief of Police to the local reporter comments on the fact that he is not Norwegian, they assume that he's English, and rather than continue to correct them, he just goes with it. Cal is often frustrated by the Norwegian police, he feels as though Licia is being let down, and despite the fact that he has a strong, personal relationship with the Chief of Police, his ever increasing frustration is apparent.
The Island is a chilling psychological thriller that kept me awake at night. The reality is that whilst this is a fictional story, it is taken from the truth, and the horrors of the rise of the white supremacist in Europe is explored in all of its hate-filled fury is laid bare. It's also a study in how young people can be groomed and influenced by this. How families with the best values at their core can be infected by the political ideology that totally goes against what they've always believed.
Ben McPherson is a master story teller. This brilliantly unnerving read leaves the reader in shock, with questions of their own. It is brilliantly and sensitively written. Certainly a contender for my Top Books of the Year list.
Elsa and Cal are a happily married couple with three children. They've been together for years, their relationship is strong and is built on truth. They don't lie to each other, and they don't expect their children to lie either. Cal is Scottish, Elsa is Norwegian and they've moved from Washington DC to live in Norway for six months. They are due to return to the States very soon with teenage daughters Licia and Vee and baby son Franklin.
However, a tragic and horrendous incident puts their plans on hold. Licia has recently gone off to summer camp celebrating International Future Females which is held on a small island just off Oslo.
News has just come in about an explosion at the official Government buildings in Oslo and whilst this is shocking and terrifying for the family, it isn't until they hear about a mass shooting on a small island that they realise just how close to home these atrocities are.
Licia is missing. Her body is not found. However, there is camera footage taken from a helicopter flying overhead that shows a girl answering her description in the water, alive. A small boy testifies that he was saved by this girl. Licia becomes the hero of the island, known throughout the country as the girl who selflessly saved others before herself.
Nobody can be unaware of the case of Anders Breivik, the far-right terrorist who committed the appalling acts in Norway in 2011. He planted a bomb in Oslo and then shot dead 69 people on the nearby island of Utoya. Whilst it is clear that Ben McPherson has been influenced by the Breivik case in The Island, this is not that story. This is a completely different story and whilst it has themes of terrorism and white supremacy, this is really a story of a family. Of their relationships and how these are altered by events, combined with a detailed and rich look at how the most ordinary of families can be picked apart by things outside of their control.
Cal and Elsa are extraordinarily well created. The contrast between Cal's warm Scottish nature, his way of using humour to deflect and his consuming love for his family and Elsa's Norwegian iciness is so very well done. Elsa is blunt and to the point, she has relationship rules that she expects others to adhere to, yet she hides so much ... the reader is never quite sure just where Elsa sits within this story.
This author incorporates Cal's ever growing feeling of being an outsider throughout the narrative. Everyone he meets, from the chief of Police to the local reporter comments on the fact that he is not Norwegian, they assume that he's English, and rather than continue to correct them, he just goes with it. Cal is often frustrated by the Norwegian police, he feels as though Licia is being let down, and despite the fact that he has a strong, personal relationship with the Chief of Police, his ever increasing frustration is apparent.
The Island is a chilling psychological thriller that kept me awake at night. The reality is that whilst this is a fictional story, it is taken from the truth, and the horrors of the rise of the white supremacist in Europe is explored in all of its hate-filled fury is laid bare. It's also a study in how young people can be groomed and influenced by this. How families with the best values at their core can be infected by the political ideology that totally goes against what they've always believed.
Ben McPherson is a master story teller. This brilliantly unnerving read leaves the reader in shock, with questions of their own. It is brilliantly and sensitively written. Certainly a contender for my Top Books of the Year list.
May 20, 2021
Love and Other Lies: A Novel by Ben McPherson is about Cal and his Norwegian wife Elsa who live in Oslo with their children. A very well-written story that explains its characters, their relationship, and the dynamic between Elsa and Cal. It is a chilling psychological thriller, a very thought-provoking story with a unique writing style, adequate description. The story is mainly about what happens on an island where their oldest daughter disappears in a summer camp. What Cal and Elsa go through to find the truth behind their daughter's disappearance and how their lives are changed forever.
I have to say it is not a feel-good story (I think is based on a true story), it is focusing on so many important topics and definitely relevant to the times in which we live. this is a book that you will think about for a long time. if you are a thriller fan this is a book you will enjoy reading.
Many thanks to William Morrow for this gifted copy.
November 23, 2023
Nordic Noir. It sounded so appealing, but this one just didn’t work for me. The familial relationships were beleaguering, as was much of the dialogue. I didn’t feel a connection with anyone, except maybe Franklin.
The couple—Cal and Elsa. Even when they’ve “happy,” they don’t really sound all that happy. Her “wolf eyes” get tiring, as well as Cal’s frequent assessment of them, and her facial expressions. They are very progressive parents. Good or bad? You decide. Vee is one sharp cookie and a realist, no matter how she wants to categorize herself. (Must we label ourselves?) She’s ballsy, too, and even so, I wasn’t really invested in her.
There are twists, turns and suspense, a lot of guessing and wondering for the reader. That part is all good.
With white supremacy and anti-immigration at the core, the story would have been strengthened with a character to whom all the hate was directed. There’s a hole that a Black police chief doesn’t come close to filling.
The couple—Cal and Elsa. Even when they’ve “happy,” they don’t really sound all that happy. Her “wolf eyes” get tiring, as well as Cal’s frequent assessment of them, and her facial expressions. They are very progressive parents. Good or bad? You decide. Vee is one sharp cookie and a realist, no matter how she wants to categorize herself. (Must we label ourselves?) She’s ballsy, too, and even so, I wasn’t really invested in her.
There are twists, turns and suspense, a lot of guessing and wondering for the reader. That part is all good.
With white supremacy and anti-immigration at the core, the story would have been strengthened with a character to whom all the hate was directed. There’s a hole that a Black police chief doesn’t come close to filling.
August 21, 2022
Unfortunately this book was read piecemeal. Every time a requested library book came in, I put it aside. This was a very disturbing but timely story. A Mass shooting at a summer camp leaves 91 dead, mostly children. The family at the center of the story refuses to believe their daughter was among the casualties. As the plot unfolds, details of a xenophobic cult emerge and the trial of the two admitted shooters was reminiscent of the Uvalde massacre and its coverup.
December 6, 2021
This book has it all - suspense, timely topic and family drama. Can't remember where I heard about this book title, but I'm so glad I did. It's considered "Scandinavian noir" and I will have to search for McPherson's first book, A Line of Blood. The family dynamics seem a little weird at times, Viktoria is so precocious and Cal and Elsa seem a little "flinty." Very interesting and super good.
September 6, 2020
Terrific book. A cavil first of all – it’s not clear to me how they live a seemingly well off life in Oslo on the salary of a (somewhat washed up) satirist in the US. It seems the author is both imitating and denying his own probably well padded work.
A massacre of children – obviously it draws on the Anders Breivik crime, but only in a general way, inasmuch as to say: it couldn’t happen here? But it can. To other readers: this is not a case of a thinly disguised true-crime, because, although I won’t specify, it comes home.
I like the sleights of hand which are dealt out honestly; if we attended more closely we could have found some of them out, but the story pulls us on. The heroine of the first part is smart and courageous – not that the author tells us this, he puts it into action. And then the focus shifts to the aftermath, the family and the cracks in it that are created/exacerbated. I’m a little put off by Cal’s (the hero’s) uxoriousness. OK, but he could keep it to himself. On the other hand, we could be being told that the focus on the couple, plus the introduction of a late, late sibling is the cause of the initial disorder. A little speculative, that. And there's no epilogue, no subsequent reflection, seemingly, all the threads have already been tied together.
A massacre of children – obviously it draws on the Anders Breivik crime, but only in a general way, inasmuch as to say: it couldn’t happen here? But it can. To other readers: this is not a case of a thinly disguised true-crime, because, although I won’t specify, it comes home.
I like the sleights of hand which are dealt out honestly; if we attended more closely we could have found some of them out, but the story pulls us on. The heroine of the first part is smart and courageous – not that the author tells us this, he puts it into action. And then the focus shifts to the aftermath, the family and the cracks in it that are created/exacerbated. I’m a little put off by Cal’s (the hero’s) uxoriousness. OK, but he could keep it to himself. On the other hand, we could be being told that the focus on the couple, plus the introduction of a late, late sibling is the cause of the initial disorder. A little speculative, that. And there's no epilogue, no subsequent reflection, seemingly, all the threads have already been tied together.
August 20, 2020
Way back in February 2015 I read and review Ben McPherson's first novel; A Line Of Blood . That was a novel that captivated me, it's been a long wait for this latest book, but it's worth it.
Elsa and Cal are a happily married couple with three children. They've been together for years, their relationship is strong and is built on truth. They don't lie to each other, and they don't expect their children to lie either. Cal is Scottish, Elsa is Norwegian and they've moved from Washington DC to live in Norway for six months. They are due to return to the States very soon with teenage daughters Licia and Vee and baby son Franklin.
However, a tragic and horrendous incident puts their plans on hold. Licia has recently gone off to summer camp celebrating International Future Females which is held on a small island just off Oslo.
News has just come in about an explosion at the official Government buildings in Oslo and whilst this is shocking and terrifying for the family, it isn't until they hear about a mass shooting on a small island that they realise just how close to home these atrocities are.
Licia is missing. Her body is not found. However, there is camera footage taken from a helicopter flying overhead that shows a girl answering her description in the water, alive. A small boy testifies that he was saved by this girl. Licia becomes the hero of the island, known throughout the country as the girl who selflessly saved others before herself.
Nobody can be unaware of the case of Anders Breivik, the far-right terrorist who committed the appalling acts in Norway in 2011. He planted a bomb in Oslo and then shot dead 69 people on the nearby island of Utoya. Whilst it is clear that Ben McPherson has been influenced by the Breivik case in The Island, this is not that story. This is a completely different story and whilst it has themes of terrorism and white supremacy, this is really a story of a family. Of their relationships and how these are altered by events, combined with a detailed and rich look at how the most ordinary of families can be picked apart by things outside of their control.
Cal and Elsa are extraordinarily well created. The contrast between Cal's warm Scottish nature, his way of using humour to deflect and his consuming love for his family and Elsa's Norwegian iciness is so very well done. Elsa is blunt and to the point, she has relationship rules that she expects others to adhere to, yet she hides so much ... the reader is never quite sure just where Elsa sits within this story.
This author incorporates Cal's ever growing feeling of being an outsider throughout the narrative. Everyone he meets, from the chief of Police to the local reporter comments on the fact that he is not Norwegian, they assume that he's English, and rather than continue to correct them, he just goes with it. Cal is often frustrated by the Norwegian police, he feels as though Licia is being let down, and despite the fact that he has a strong, personal relationship with the Chief of Police, his ever increasing frustration is apparent.
The Island is a chilling psychological thriller that kept me awake at night. The reality is that whilst this is a fictional story, it is taken from the truth, and the horrors of the rise of the white supremacist in Europe is explored in all of its hate-filled fury is laid bare. It's also a study in how young people can be groomed and influenced by this. How families with the best values at their core can be infected by the political ideology that totally goes against what they've always believed.
Ben McPherson is a master story teller. This brilliantly unnerving read leaves the reader in shock, with questions of their own. It is brilliantly and sensitively written. Certainly a contender for my Top Books of the Year list.
Elsa and Cal are a happily married couple with three children. They've been together for years, their relationship is strong and is built on truth. They don't lie to each other, and they don't expect their children to lie either. Cal is Scottish, Elsa is Norwegian and they've moved from Washington DC to live in Norway for six months. They are due to return to the States very soon with teenage daughters Licia and Vee and baby son Franklin.
However, a tragic and horrendous incident puts their plans on hold. Licia has recently gone off to summer camp celebrating International Future Females which is held on a small island just off Oslo.
News has just come in about an explosion at the official Government buildings in Oslo and whilst this is shocking and terrifying for the family, it isn't until they hear about a mass shooting on a small island that they realise just how close to home these atrocities are.
Licia is missing. Her body is not found. However, there is camera footage taken from a helicopter flying overhead that shows a girl answering her description in the water, alive. A small boy testifies that he was saved by this girl. Licia becomes the hero of the island, known throughout the country as the girl who selflessly saved others before herself.
Nobody can be unaware of the case of Anders Breivik, the far-right terrorist who committed the appalling acts in Norway in 2011. He planted a bomb in Oslo and then shot dead 69 people on the nearby island of Utoya. Whilst it is clear that Ben McPherson has been influenced by the Breivik case in The Island, this is not that story. This is a completely different story and whilst it has themes of terrorism and white supremacy, this is really a story of a family. Of their relationships and how these are altered by events, combined with a detailed and rich look at how the most ordinary of families can be picked apart by things outside of their control.
Cal and Elsa are extraordinarily well created. The contrast between Cal's warm Scottish nature, his way of using humour to deflect and his consuming love for his family and Elsa's Norwegian iciness is so very well done. Elsa is blunt and to the point, she has relationship rules that she expects others to adhere to, yet she hides so much ... the reader is never quite sure just where Elsa sits within this story.
This author incorporates Cal's ever growing feeling of being an outsider throughout the narrative. Everyone he meets, from the chief of Police to the local reporter comments on the fact that he is not Norwegian, they assume that he's English, and rather than continue to correct them, he just goes with it. Cal is often frustrated by the Norwegian police, he feels as though Licia is being let down, and despite the fact that he has a strong, personal relationship with the Chief of Police, his ever increasing frustration is apparent.
The Island is a chilling psychological thriller that kept me awake at night. The reality is that whilst this is a fictional story, it is taken from the truth, and the horrors of the rise of the white supremacist in Europe is explored in all of its hate-filled fury is laid bare. It's also a study in how young people can be groomed and influenced by this. How families with the best values at their core can be infected by the political ideology that totally goes against what they've always believed.
Ben McPherson is a master story teller. This brilliantly unnerving read leaves the reader in shock, with questions of their own. It is brilliantly and sensitively written. Certainly a contender for my Top Books of the Year list.
June 26, 2021
Uuuugh. I slogged through this book, thinking it would surely at some point pick up the pace, but no. The only problem to be solved is, “where is Alicia?” But the entire 75% of the middle of this book leaves no real clue, and the dad has the same niggling doubt about the real terrorist over and over again. It just doesn’t work. Feels like Groundhog Day, the same encounter happens over and over. Alas, after Alicia has been missing for a year, she just shows up at home, but will say nothing of where she’s been or what she’s been doing. It’s clear, though, that she has been brainwashed by some pseudo religion of racism, and she wants nothing to do with the police. In the end, we discover she was an integral part of the calculated shooting spree on an island where 91 youths lost their lives. So she runs back to the cult (when she sees she will get no buy-in from her family —uh, duhh!?), and the terrorist priest finally lets his true self be known to all on the anniversary of the massacre. Police chief, both shooters and the victims’ families are convened together on the island to give the perps a chance to reveal more information about the events of that day. However, Elsa (the mom) will not trust the courts to exact justice on the bad guys, so she shoots the older of the two brothers before she is shot by the police. Then the daughter (who is only 15) runs to pick up her mothers gun, shoots the other brother of the shooter pair, then shoots herself. What the?!?! No satisfaction whatsoever in the ending nor in the climax of the plot. Father Bror was not believable, and Cal the dad was too dense. The author tries to keep you guessing about the priest and the police chief, as in “Which one is the real bad guy here?” But written in first person, through Cals point of view, it falls flat and comes across as inexplicable waffling, just making Cal appear very obtuse when it comes to sniffing out evil right under his nose.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2020
3.5 stars
It seems longer than 5 years since I read A Line of Blood which I really enjoyed and have been hanging for the follow up ever since. Sadly, for me, it wasn't quite worth the wait as I did struggle with it somewhat.
Norwegian Elsa and Scottish Cal have three children. When first we meet them, they are at home in Norway with the youngest. The middle child is at a friend's and the oldest is at summer camp. They are due to return to the States soon after living in Norway for just the past few months. Their world is rocked when there's an explosion in town. Swiftly followed by reports that the island that is hosting the summer camp has been invaded by gunmen, the death toll high. Fearing for his daughter, Cal watches the news attentively and sees his daughter as she appears to be saving others. But she disappears, not seen alive again and her body never found. What has happened to her? As time goes on, as the trial of those responsible nears, Cal and his family still need answers but they are not easy to find...
My main gripe is this. For a book written in English it really read like a translation. It is set in Norway and I can't help but feel like the author wanted to get on the Scandi Noir train and write his book in the same style as Scandi authors write - obviously they have been translated... This meant that I really struggled to get into the book initially until this feeling started to settle down for me. It also started off very slowly and didn't really feel like it was going anywhere soon for the majority of the book. And the ending when it came was a bit predictable and flat and not wholly conclusive.
Gosh... that all sounds a bit gloom and doom and I guess it is a tad but the strange thing is that despite all the above, I never really contemplated giving up. Maybe I was holding on for something that I thought was coming, maybe I was too trusting, but even with life being too short and all that, I was reading as quite a pace through the book so despite my niggles, it didn't appear to drag.
It also didn't really help that I completely failed to connect to either Cal or Elsa. I so wanted to bang both their heads together at times; they annoyed me! The only character I did like was the middle child Vee, although I found her to be a little strange and irritating at times.
Although it did get on well with itself, I also found the story a little lacking in substance. It took quite a while to get to where we got and, when we got there, it wasn't completely satisfying. Parts of it were good, interesting and intriguing but there was something that made it lack cohesion and I don't feel the ending was complete enough for the time and effort taken to get there.
Sorry, not for me. But that said, as I did enjoy his previous book, this would not put me off future books, I'd just probably cherry pick. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
It seems longer than 5 years since I read A Line of Blood which I really enjoyed and have been hanging for the follow up ever since. Sadly, for me, it wasn't quite worth the wait as I did struggle with it somewhat.
Norwegian Elsa and Scottish Cal have three children. When first we meet them, they are at home in Norway with the youngest. The middle child is at a friend's and the oldest is at summer camp. They are due to return to the States soon after living in Norway for just the past few months. Their world is rocked when there's an explosion in town. Swiftly followed by reports that the island that is hosting the summer camp has been invaded by gunmen, the death toll high. Fearing for his daughter, Cal watches the news attentively and sees his daughter as she appears to be saving others. But she disappears, not seen alive again and her body never found. What has happened to her? As time goes on, as the trial of those responsible nears, Cal and his family still need answers but they are not easy to find...
My main gripe is this. For a book written in English it really read like a translation. It is set in Norway and I can't help but feel like the author wanted to get on the Scandi Noir train and write his book in the same style as Scandi authors write - obviously they have been translated... This meant that I really struggled to get into the book initially until this feeling started to settle down for me. It also started off very slowly and didn't really feel like it was going anywhere soon for the majority of the book. And the ending when it came was a bit predictable and flat and not wholly conclusive.
Gosh... that all sounds a bit gloom and doom and I guess it is a tad but the strange thing is that despite all the above, I never really contemplated giving up. Maybe I was holding on for something that I thought was coming, maybe I was too trusting, but even with life being too short and all that, I was reading as quite a pace through the book so despite my niggles, it didn't appear to drag.
It also didn't really help that I completely failed to connect to either Cal or Elsa. I so wanted to bang both their heads together at times; they annoyed me! The only character I did like was the middle child Vee, although I found her to be a little strange and irritating at times.
Although it did get on well with itself, I also found the story a little lacking in substance. It took quite a while to get to where we got and, when we got there, it wasn't completely satisfying. Parts of it were good, interesting and intriguing but there was something that made it lack cohesion and I don't feel the ending was complete enough for the time and effort taken to get there.
Sorry, not for me. But that said, as I did enjoy his previous book, this would not put me off future books, I'd just probably cherry pick. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
October 31, 2020
At the beginning, Love and Other Lies was a fast paced typical thriller to read. One which centered on a horrific event – the mass killing at a summer camp for teens, and the disappearance of one of the young campers. It was about the relationship between husband and wife, the love they still have for each other after 15 years of marriage and the lies they might be telling, and about their relationships with their teen daughters. Then you begin to realize what might have really happened and it suddenly becomes an extremely thought provoking and unnerving story that could have easily been taken from true events. It shows the horrors that can occur with the rise of white supremacy, and how normal people with the best values can be infected by political ideology. Love and Other Lies is not a feel good story by any means, but it is an important story with lots and lots of topics to discuss and a story that is definitely pertinent to the times in which we live. This is a book that you will think about for a long time after you put it down.
February 28, 2022
2011 Utoya attack. This book seemed to too close in parts to that. Seemed to be based around an idea of what happened there. Seems in very bad taste.
February 10, 2021
4.5 stars.
Based on a true story, Love and Other Lies by Ben McPherson is a gripping thriller set in Oslo.
Cal Curtis, his Norwegian wife Elsa and their three children are currently living in Oslo. Their happy life is turned upside down in the aftermath of a bombing and mass killing. At the time of the attacks, their oldest daughter Alicia “Licia” is currently attending a summer camp on a small island. While their baby, Franklin, is home with them, their middle daughter Viktoria “Vee” is at a friend’s house. Cal immediately picks up Vee, who is unexpectedly close to the where the bomb detonated. Unable to reach Licia, their worry turns to fear when Cal and Elsa learn shocking news. The island where their daughter is attending the summer camp is the scene of the mass shooting. Their dread turns to hope when they discover she is not amongst the dead. But she is also not brought back to Oslo as one of the survivors. As the days and weeks pass, Cal and Elsa try to remain hopeful, but they cannot help but wonder: Where is their daughter?
Cal and Elsa’s lives are forever changed the day Licia goes missing. The police have captured the shooters, but they also have to investigate their daughter since she has vanished. All of their cell phones and computers are confiscated for examination. Cal and Elsa are also questioned by Chief of Police Ephraim Tvist. They are taken off guard when Tvist tells them shocking information about what the investigators discovered about their computers.
As the month’s pass, Cal and Elsa’s once happy marriage becomes fractured. New information comes to light about Licia’s actions on the island during the killings but she remains missing. The police come under fire as stunning revelations about their response to the tragic events is uncovered. The shooters are seemingly connected to a local far-right religious organization and Cal befriends its leader Father Bror. Vee continues her quest to uncover any information she can about Licia. Will the families of the victims find justice? And will Cal and Elsa ever find their missing daughter? And are they prepared for what they might learn if they do?
Love and Other Lies is a compelling novel with a topical storyline. Some of the characters are more likable than others but this does not detract from the unfolding story. The plot is loosely based on the 2011 terrorist attack carried out by a far-right extremist. With stunning twists and unexpected turns, Ben McPherson brings this riveting novel to a poignant conclusion. Highly recommend this timeless novel which highlights the dangers of right-wing extremism.
Based on a true story, Love and Other Lies by Ben McPherson is a gripping thriller set in Oslo.
Cal Curtis, his Norwegian wife Elsa and their three children are currently living in Oslo. Their happy life is turned upside down in the aftermath of a bombing and mass killing. At the time of the attacks, their oldest daughter Alicia “Licia” is currently attending a summer camp on a small island. While their baby, Franklin, is home with them, their middle daughter Viktoria “Vee” is at a friend’s house. Cal immediately picks up Vee, who is unexpectedly close to the where the bomb detonated. Unable to reach Licia, their worry turns to fear when Cal and Elsa learn shocking news. The island where their daughter is attending the summer camp is the scene of the mass shooting. Their dread turns to hope when they discover she is not amongst the dead. But she is also not brought back to Oslo as one of the survivors. As the days and weeks pass, Cal and Elsa try to remain hopeful, but they cannot help but wonder: Where is their daughter?
Cal and Elsa’s lives are forever changed the day Licia goes missing. The police have captured the shooters, but they also have to investigate their daughter since she has vanished. All of their cell phones and computers are confiscated for examination. Cal and Elsa are also questioned by Chief of Police Ephraim Tvist. They are taken off guard when Tvist tells them shocking information about what the investigators discovered about their computers.
As the month’s pass, Cal and Elsa’s once happy marriage becomes fractured. New information comes to light about Licia’s actions on the island during the killings but she remains missing. The police come under fire as stunning revelations about their response to the tragic events is uncovered. The shooters are seemingly connected to a local far-right religious organization and Cal befriends its leader Father Bror. Vee continues her quest to uncover any information she can about Licia. Will the families of the victims find justice? And will Cal and Elsa ever find their missing daughter? And are they prepared for what they might learn if they do?
Love and Other Lies is a compelling novel with a topical storyline. Some of the characters are more likable than others but this does not detract from the unfolding story. The plot is loosely based on the 2011 terrorist attack carried out by a far-right extremist. With stunning twists and unexpected turns, Ben McPherson brings this riveting novel to a poignant conclusion. Highly recommend this timeless novel which highlights the dangers of right-wing extremism.
July 19, 2023
This was quite an odd book - maybe not what I was thinking it would be!
So we have Cal and Elsa, who are a couple straight off a meme for a house buying tv show! ‘Cal, a satirist and Elsa, takes photos, and they have a budget of £2m!’ No mention of every actually going to work from what I saw…they were just hanging out all day, having coffee, pretending to go to therapists!
Then we have Lucia who we think has gone to some feminist summer camp? Turns out she’s an Uber religious weirdo who becomes a terrorise!
Younger sister ‘V’ plays Fornite day in, day out. This offends the terrorist sister later on on the book. Much as swearing offends her! You forget that terrorises can kill kids, but do have morals! Anyway, V hangs out swearing a lot and disappears a bit to go hunt for clues of her missing sister, and the parents don’t seem to panic too much. She’s 14 though, so it’s fine!
Then we have the police. Some of them are dodgy, some aren’t. All are useless. They arrest people for terrorise but then let them out and don’t seem to worry about people being threatened or anything. They’re all pretty laid back out in Norway! (Are we in Norway actually? I feel like it was but might have just forgotten!!)
Anyway, kids are killed, the wife might be having an affair - despite the fact she was adamant from day 1 that honesty was what their relationship was built on! But only Cal need be honest. She is off doing some iffy stuff that I don’t really care about how I’ve finished and has a suspicious new handbag - this is a big feature in the plot in the latter part of the book!! It’s stiff and grey and super important!
So the bad guys threaten to kill everyone because only white people matter. This prompts Elsa to utter a hilarious line ‘how did we end up being a middle aged white couple?’ Now might just be me, but anyone white will stay white when middle aged! Not much we can do about that and trying to pose as someone from another race is very much frowned upon!
All in all, I think we were trying to dislike the racist people (I don’t really need much convincing there) and not mind that the daughter was kidnapped because she ended up being racist too?? Oh and my take away was to avoid House Churches - what ever they are! But then I’d probably not be dropping my kids off at random churches run from strangers homes, so we are all good there!!
So we have Cal and Elsa, who are a couple straight off a meme for a house buying tv show! ‘Cal, a satirist and Elsa, takes photos, and they have a budget of £2m!’ No mention of every actually going to work from what I saw…they were just hanging out all day, having coffee, pretending to go to therapists!
Then we have Lucia who we think has gone to some feminist summer camp? Turns out she’s an Uber religious weirdo who becomes a terrorise!
Younger sister ‘V’ plays Fornite day in, day out. This offends the terrorist sister later on on the book. Much as swearing offends her! You forget that terrorises can kill kids, but do have morals! Anyway, V hangs out swearing a lot and disappears a bit to go hunt for clues of her missing sister, and the parents don’t seem to panic too much. She’s 14 though, so it’s fine!
Then we have the police. Some of them are dodgy, some aren’t. All are useless. They arrest people for terrorise but then let them out and don’t seem to worry about people being threatened or anything. They’re all pretty laid back out in Norway! (Are we in Norway actually? I feel like it was but might have just forgotten!!)
Anyway, kids are killed, the wife might be having an affair - despite the fact she was adamant from day 1 that honesty was what their relationship was built on! But only Cal need be honest. She is off doing some iffy stuff that I don’t really care about how I’ve finished and has a suspicious new handbag - this is a big feature in the plot in the latter part of the book!! It’s stiff and grey and super important!
So the bad guys threaten to kill everyone because only white people matter. This prompts Elsa to utter a hilarious line ‘how did we end up being a middle aged white couple?’ Now might just be me, but anyone white will stay white when middle aged! Not much we can do about that and trying to pose as someone from another race is very much frowned upon!
All in all, I think we were trying to dislike the racist people (I don’t really need much convincing there) and not mind that the daughter was kidnapped because she ended up being racist too?? Oh and my take away was to avoid House Churches - what ever they are! But then I’d probably not be dropping my kids off at random churches run from strangers homes, so we are all good there!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2025
Three is generous.
The prose is stilted and awkward, with a kind of bumpy disconnection which means you have to re-read to try and regain the flow - eg the simple passing of a person from an exterior to an interior isn't described with an easy verb which would make the transition plain. Instead we are given descriptive snippets of the outside and then the inside - so then you're thinking, did someone let him in? Did he ring the doorbell? and you re-read to check...
Tiresome and irritating, much like the main character.
Cal, the Dad, is drippy, dense and for all his omission of simple verbs or an ability to give the reader a decent sense of place, verbose. When there's an intruder in his baby son's bedroom, he's too slow and pathetic to do anything except remonstrate with his far sharper daughter, ('Please, Vee...' he whimpers inexplicably) apparently in an attempt to slow her down when she acts to stop the kidnapping.
We need a few more Vee's in the world and far fewer Cal's.
And so much of the book was woolly piffle about is she isn't she conducting an affair (Elsa his wife). I can tell you now: first no she isn't, so all that tedious word count and endless descriptions of her wolf eyes and coming naked out of the shower dripping are basically filler, and second, if she was I wouldn't blame her. ABC Anyone But Cal.
And finally, it's hard to buy into the right-wing racist conspiracy stuff (naturally sharp-as-a-knife Cal almost falls under the High Priest's spell - and he's the flag bearer for right-think). Conspiracies in the police or the Order of the Knights? I honestly don't think you'd care. If my daughter had gone missing during a massacre, I would spend every waking hour searching for her. Pointing the finger of blame would be the last thing I would be thinking about: finding her would be absolutely the only thing that mattered. You think you saw footage of her being shot and wounded? Wouldn't you be combing the island, motoring round in your boat, obsessing that she is hurt somewhere, struggling to survive? Yet these guys oddly don't bother to look. At all.
The prose is stilted and awkward, with a kind of bumpy disconnection which means you have to re-read to try and regain the flow - eg the simple passing of a person from an exterior to an interior isn't described with an easy verb which would make the transition plain. Instead we are given descriptive snippets of the outside and then the inside - so then you're thinking, did someone let him in? Did he ring the doorbell? and you re-read to check...
Tiresome and irritating, much like the main character.
Cal, the Dad, is drippy, dense and for all his omission of simple verbs or an ability to give the reader a decent sense of place, verbose. When there's an intruder in his baby son's bedroom, he's too slow and pathetic to do anything except remonstrate with his far sharper daughter, ('Please, Vee...' he whimpers inexplicably) apparently in an attempt to slow her down when she acts to stop the kidnapping.
We need a few more Vee's in the world and far fewer Cal's.
And so much of the book was woolly piffle about is she isn't she conducting an affair (Elsa his wife). I can tell you now: first no she isn't, so all that tedious word count and endless descriptions of her wolf eyes and coming naked out of the shower dripping are basically filler, and second, if she was I wouldn't blame her. ABC Anyone But Cal.
And finally, it's hard to buy into the right-wing racist conspiracy stuff (naturally sharp-as-a-knife Cal almost falls under the High Priest's spell - and he's the flag bearer for right-think). Conspiracies in the police or the Order of the Knights? I honestly don't think you'd care. If my daughter had gone missing during a massacre, I would spend every waking hour searching for her. Pointing the finger of blame would be the last thing I would be thinking about: finding her would be absolutely the only thing that mattered. You think you saw footage of her being shot and wounded? Wouldn't you be combing the island, motoring round in your boat, obsessing that she is hurt somewhere, struggling to survive? Yet these guys oddly don't bother to look. At all.
January 6, 2021
I can't put my finger on it, but there's just something about this book that I struggled to connect with. The pacing was a bit slow, the story didn't really go anywhere, and I didn't feel connected to or interested in the characters. All of this combined to make a rather uninteresting reading experience, which is a shame as the synopsis did sound good.
I think part of the issue is the way the book is written. Due to it's writing style, I mistakenly assumed that the book was originally written in Norwegian, as it reads very much like a poorly translated novel. Not that I have an issue with translated novels - I personally love a good Scandi thriller, and I do tend to enjoy the writing style in these novels; however, we all know that it depends on the strength of both the book and its translation, and I have had previous experiences when I struggled to connect with a book on the basis of its translation. And so, I was willing to put my lack of engagement with this book down to a similar thing. So I have to admit I was very surprised when I realised that the book was in fact originally written in English. As such, I can only assume that the author intended to mimic the writing style of a Scandi Noir, and that that is perhaps part of the reason for its stilted and unusual tone.
All in all, this one just wasn't for me. However, I've seen other reviews note that his previous work is stronger, and so I would be willing to try another of the authors books. But unfortunately, this one is not one I can recommend.
Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to be provided with an advance reading copy of this book by NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.
I think part of the issue is the way the book is written. Due to it's writing style, I mistakenly assumed that the book was originally written in Norwegian, as it reads very much like a poorly translated novel. Not that I have an issue with translated novels - I personally love a good Scandi thriller, and I do tend to enjoy the writing style in these novels; however, we all know that it depends on the strength of both the book and its translation, and I have had previous experiences when I struggled to connect with a book on the basis of its translation. And so, I was willing to put my lack of engagement with this book down to a similar thing. So I have to admit I was very surprised when I realised that the book was in fact originally written in English. As such, I can only assume that the author intended to mimic the writing style of a Scandi Noir, and that that is perhaps part of the reason for its stilted and unusual tone.
All in all, this one just wasn't for me. However, I've seen other reviews note that his previous work is stronger, and so I would be willing to try another of the authors books. But unfortunately, this one is not one I can recommend.
Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to be provided with an advance reading copy of this book by NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.
February 12, 2021
3.75*
A new to me author.
A psychological thriller set in Oslo about a summer camp for teens on a island. It turns into a nightmare 2 gunmen from a white supremacist group start shooting.
As the parents are waiting for news, some are relieved that their children are unharmed, some get them worst news, 91 young lives lost. Cal and Elsa are left in limbo, as Licia is missing. The story is told is told from Cal and Elsa’s perspective.
They start delving into their daughters lives, and discover lies and secrets, most disturbing is their other daughters (Vee) behaviour. There is so much hurt and anger. Their lives are unravelling as we read. It tugs on your emotions. I felt the most real reaction was from Vee.
My first thought is that despite the author being British it feels like I’m reading a Scandi translation, it has that clunky feel that puts me off reading Scandi. I didn’t really gel with the writing style.
It has a slow steady pace, the emotional portrayal kept my interest.
It is a book that made me think, I really liked the story line,I would have preferred the beginning half to have more pace. I think it lacked tension at the end, the events unfolding felt a bit flat. The end lifted my score rather than the portrayal of the events.
A new to me author.
A psychological thriller set in Oslo about a summer camp for teens on a island. It turns into a nightmare 2 gunmen from a white supremacist group start shooting.
As the parents are waiting for news, some are relieved that their children are unharmed, some get them worst news, 91 young lives lost. Cal and Elsa are left in limbo, as Licia is missing. The story is told is told from Cal and Elsa’s perspective.
They start delving into their daughters lives, and discover lies and secrets, most disturbing is their other daughters (Vee) behaviour. There is so much hurt and anger. Their lives are unravelling as we read. It tugs on your emotions. I felt the most real reaction was from Vee.
My first thought is that despite the author being British it feels like I’m reading a Scandi translation, it has that clunky feel that puts me off reading Scandi. I didn’t really gel with the writing style.
It has a slow steady pace, the emotional portrayal kept my interest.
It is a book that made me think, I really liked the story line,I would have preferred the beginning half to have more pace. I think it lacked tension at the end, the events unfolding felt a bit flat. The end lifted my score rather than the portrayal of the events.
February 14, 2021
SPOILER FREE REVIEW!
I got to read this book through NetGalley and I’m very appreciative for the chance, thank you.
This book is out now and is from Harper Collins UK, HarperFiction.
I don’t want to give anything away for this book so I’ll just tell you how I feel about it.
I’ll start with my only negative. I kind of knew from the blurb but reading this really bought home the similarities between this work of fiction and the Norway shootings back in 2012. I can’t ignore this. It didn’t take from the story for me and you could say it raises awareness and is helping people remember, BUT I can’t help but wonder how I’d feel if I were affected by the Norwegian mass shooting, or any real mass shooting I guess. So I’d put a trigger warning for that I think.
Other than that I really really enjoyed this story! I read for hours (I’m a slow reader) and just enjoyed the building tensions and twists and turns, but it didn’t feel slow at all. The descriptions of Norway were great, I’d love to visit the country one day... The characters were all flawed in some ways but aren’t we all? It made them more real for me. I particularly enjoyed Viktoria and her relationships with her parents.
I definitely recommend you read this book!
I got to read this book through NetGalley and I’m very appreciative for the chance, thank you.
This book is out now and is from Harper Collins UK, HarperFiction.
I don’t want to give anything away for this book so I’ll just tell you how I feel about it.
I’ll start with my only negative. I kind of knew from the blurb but reading this really bought home the similarities between this work of fiction and the Norway shootings back in 2012. I can’t ignore this. It didn’t take from the story for me and you could say it raises awareness and is helping people remember, BUT I can’t help but wonder how I’d feel if I were affected by the Norwegian mass shooting, or any real mass shooting I guess. So I’d put a trigger warning for that I think.
Other than that I really really enjoyed this story! I read for hours (I’m a slow reader) and just enjoyed the building tensions and twists and turns, but it didn’t feel slow at all. The descriptions of Norway were great, I’d love to visit the country one day... The characters were all flawed in some ways but aren’t we all? It made them more real for me. I particularly enjoyed Viktoria and her relationships with her parents.
I definitely recommend you read this book!
October 30, 2020
Straight out of the traps, this defines a page-turner. As a novel, also quite unique. The protagonist is a Scot (Emphatically and repeatedly not English, and quite right too!) he and his Norwegian wife live temporarily in Oslo, so straight away we are in a unique landscape, witnessing a singular perspective. Then you start reading! By golly, but you get going with a punch in the gut, then intrigue, layers upon layers of it. What the author excels at is human dissembling, lies and half truths told for the the best and worst reasons. It's a stoke of genius to not only cast his leading man as a satirist but also to have him as a man twice displaced; Scottish but calls New York home and currently living in Norway. This gives Cal the space to observe in a way which harks right back to Isherwood and a unique perspective on all which unfolds. There is another character in this book who is just utterly compelling, utterly unique and I for one hope we might meet them again. Nae spoilers pal!! Just read it and snap your neck at the last twist!!
March 3, 2021
There are many aspects of this book that I liked, and quite a few that I wasn’t so keen on.
I love books set in places other than England, particularly based around wilderness, mountains etc, so on a Norwegian Fjord gave the book a head start in my eyes.
I loved the intrigue during the first quarter of the book.
I struggled with character connection. I didn’t feel any particular care towards any of them, and never felt they were fully formed.
It was slow at times - and I felt the ending wrapped up far too quickly.
There were too many ‘lose threads’ and pointless parts of the story - all leading up at a short, sharp climax that left me wanting to feel satisfied but not quite managing it
I did like the premise and thought it covered some brave topics such as terrorism, radicalization and racism - but it was fairly weak overall
** I’ve heard this author has written some previously fantastic books though so I will 100% give an earlier book and future book a try, but this one just didn’t hit the spot for me **
I love books set in places other than England, particularly based around wilderness, mountains etc, so on a Norwegian Fjord gave the book a head start in my eyes.
I loved the intrigue during the first quarter of the book.
I struggled with character connection. I didn’t feel any particular care towards any of them, and never felt they were fully formed.
It was slow at times - and I felt the ending wrapped up far too quickly.
There were too many ‘lose threads’ and pointless parts of the story - all leading up at a short, sharp climax that left me wanting to feel satisfied but not quite managing it
I did like the premise and thought it covered some brave topics such as terrorism, radicalization and racism - but it was fairly weak overall
** I’ve heard this author has written some previously fantastic books though so I will 100% give an earlier book and future book a try, but this one just didn’t hit the spot for me **
March 20, 2021
We are given a bombing and then a serious attack on children and adults on an island in Norway, where a family who initially believes that their eldest daughter has been killed only to be missing. The story highlights many things throughout including how this kind of atrocity affects a family especially when not knowing one way or the other may be worse than knowing that their child is dead or alive. It starts off at a good pace however like real life ,after six months (the middle of the book) it slows down and then picks up again in the latter parts when the trial begins. A family who believes itself to be strong and parents who think that they know their children, find out how fragile life is. Trust and betrayal feature a lot in the book and as the reader you are thrown from one thought to the next in the matter of a page! A semi Scandi-noir with a touch of Scottish thinking makes this a very readable book and certainly one which raises a few moral dilemmas too.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.
March 31, 2025
This was well-written, but emotionally it missed the mark for me. The characters were intentionally flawed. Sometimes to the point of being frustrating, which made it hard to connect, even though their choices fit the tone of the story.
I expected more of a Nordic thriller, so the heavy political messaging caught me off guard. While I agreed with the general message, it started to feel more like an agenda than a story.
I read that the events in this book were based on the 2011 Oslo bombing and shootings in Utoya. I can appreciate McPherson exploring those events and the impact they (and the media) had on families. I didn't realize McPherson was a journalist who attended the trial at that time. His being British gives him a unique outsider lens, much like Cal, who must to an extent be a self-insert for the author.
Overall, I think the family’s breakdown had more to do with emotional inconsistency and lack of structure than ideology. Solid in a lot of ways, just not one I’d revisit. I'd have liked a better ending as well.
I expected more of a Nordic thriller, so the heavy political messaging caught me off guard. While I agreed with the general message, it started to feel more like an agenda than a story.
I read that the events in this book were based on the 2011 Oslo bombing and shootings in Utoya. I can appreciate McPherson exploring those events and the impact they (and the media) had on families. I didn't realize McPherson was a journalist who attended the trial at that time. His being British gives him a unique outsider lens, much like Cal, who must to an extent be a self-insert for the author.
Overall, I think the family’s breakdown had more to do with emotional inconsistency and lack of structure than ideology. Solid in a lot of ways, just not one I’d revisit. I'd have liked a better ending as well.
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