Phosphate Rocks: A Death in Ten Objects

by Fiona Erskine

As the old chemical works in Leith are demolished a long deceased body encrusted in phosphate rock is discovered. Seated at a card table he has ten objects laid out in front of him. Whose body is it? How did he die and what is the significance of the objects?

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Crime

284 pages, Paperback

Published June 17, 2021

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 5 out of 5]

The extraordinary, smart and knowledgeable Fiona Erskine changes direction from her wonderful Chemical Detective series to write this mystery, a blend of fact and fiction, whilst simultaneously providing a glimpse into the bygone world of Scottish Agricultural Industries, an old Leith fertiliser factory, run with an iron fist intertwined with a compassionate understanding of his workers by John Gibson, the shift manager. Erskine provides a fascinatingly detailed insight into the chemicals and processes used, and if you are wondering about the source of her information, she once worked at the factory, mentored by Gibson in reality, this is a fictionalised account of their adventures. She describes this novel as 'Inspired by Primo Levi, in the style of Dan Brown, this is a portrait of a factory in all its complex, glorious, interconnected, messy entirety. A hymn to the forgotten, the unknown, the misunderstood, the story of a factory in decline and some of the fine people taken down with it.'

Driving the engine of this novel is the discovery of a body, a macabre tableau, discovered in phosphate rock at the abandoned factory being demolished. The dead victim is seated at a table on which are ten objects, clues and red herrings as to his identity. Leading the police investigation is DI Rose Irvine, assisting her with her inquiries is Gibson, who recognises every item on the table and the stories and people attached to them. The items include a ebony elephant with a strong whiff of sulphur, an Aberdeen key ring, a Barbie Doll with a rather exclusive and expensive dress, an air horn, whisky bottle, a broken pair of sunglasses, a brass washer, and an oil can (Aladdin's lamp). Gibson himself does not escape coming under the suspicious eye of Irvine, but the surprising and despairing answer to the mystery is arrived at by him.

Obviously the technical knowledge of this novel may not appeal to some readers, but books that carry a holistic knowledge of chemical elements, the Scottish fertiliser industry, and the community of skilled and memorable characters that worked at the factory, delivered through the form of an engaging mystery are rare indeed. What made this an unmissable read for me were the guys working on site, so often written off and misunderstood as unskilled by those above them, but were actually the beating heart of the company, with the kind of specialist knowledge and experience that is essential and valuable. One such guy that made an impression on me was the profoundly deaf, hard working and reliable Becksy, more trusted than many other workers. If you are looking for something different to read, wanting to learn about the field of applied chemistry and the old fertiliser industry in Leith and its people, then I cannot recommend this unique mystery highly enough. Many thanks to Sandstone Press for an ARC.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mystery that’s only half mystery alternating with chemistry and fertilizer factory. Honest. It sounds unlikely but it really worked for me. I probably liked the fertilizer plant and chemistry lesson better than the mystery, which is a little on the unexciting side. I would venture that only a person who worked in this plant could ever have come up with and executed this book in a believable way. The author indeed worked in this now closed factory when she was a young chemist. The characters in the story are particularly well done and even likeable, from the floor manager who knows everything that goes on, to the lazier employees, to those who keep everything going.

The chemistry is fairly painless for those of us who aren’t scientists and is done with a lot of humor. Things can get combustible and near explosive. Erskine allows things to get a little edgy in this Edinburgh factory. You might ask why something that could blow up a good chunk of Scotland’s second largest city would be working away in that location? I suppose partly because it had always been there and it was convenient to the docks where ships bringing their toxic substances arrive for the manufacture of fertilizers for farming. Timothy McVeigh knew the potential for fertilizer based explosives. Texas City, TX had a terrible port explosion involving ammonium nitrate in 1947, where 405 people died, 113 went permanently missing and more than 5,000 were injured. My own town had a near disaster and temporary “voluntary” evacuation of several thousand people in 2022. No seaport here but again, potentially terrible chemicals in town because they could be easily transported by railroad. Ammonium nitrate is fairly stable until there is fire and then it is a whole different story.

Erskine’s novel shouldn’t scare you away because of the chemistry. It moves fast, is often funny and definitely has spark!

[Paperback Mo · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amazing mix of fiction and non-fiction

Also mentioned in my September Wrap Up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlhEL...

If you like chemistry you will love this!

[L.A. Starks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This excellent book was given to me in the spirit of my own Lynn Dayton series: a chemical engineer writing about mysteries wrapped up in plant engineering. The setting is Scotland.

The book is an interesting amalgam of the business-technical and a character-driven mystery. While Fiona makes appearances as herself (in a situation familiar to many people walking into totally new cultures), she wisely wrote the book from the POV of John, the plant manager.

She deftly describes and honors others working in the plant, from newbie engineers to greasers--particularly (as will make sense to engineers) their mechanical abilities: their sixth sense for what's wrong and how to fix it. She wryly describes other characters in and around the town, as well as the plant's trade and business around the world.

Erskine also, though, falls into an engineer's writing trap (one to which I am subject) of so perfectly, accurately describing the plant operations--as if on a test--that she will lose many readers. Easy answer for anyone not also reading this as an engineering manual--skip over these parts and get onto the policewoman's continuing interviews with John.

Erskine's style and take is tremendous, particularly the appropriate attention she gives to these hard-working people and the politics/business of operating a small chemical plant.

Recommended to those who like mysteries set in the UK, technothrillers, and every engineer and businessperson.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such an interesting and unique style of writing, a book where fiction and non-fiction merge, Erskine makes clever use of the two voices. A factory is being demolished and during the destruction a body is discovered surrounded by ten objects, each one is a clue to the identity of the corpse. There is one man who can help, a man who may be able to piece together the clues to figure out the identity, a man called John.

Each clue sends John down memory lane, it is intricately tied with a chemical and it is here where Erskine’s second voice kicks in, the history of the chemical, it’s discoverer and how the chemical is created…..and more importantly for readers like me, you get told all the morbid details about how destructive it is. The changes between John’s memory trips and the non-fiction is seamless and if you are worried that you might not understand the science, don’t worry as Erskine explains it all really well, her enthusiasm for this subject really grabs you. The relationship between John and the detective was interesting, the witty back and forth and the conversations over meals left me expecting more from them, it makes me wonder if maybe we’ll be seeing the detective again in another book as it feels like we’ve only just started to get to know her…which also makes me wonder will we meet John again???

The plot kept me interested throughout, I did guess the identity early on but the reveal was still moving and tied up things perfectly. I also liked how as the story headed towards it’s conclusion we witness the slow death of a factory, from the risky health and safety incidences to the stunning incompetence’s of the upper management all the way to the all too common final outcome for a factory. Another interesting aspect of the book, which adds another dimension to the plot, is a lot of events narrated by John are based on real life instances, the dodgy things the characters do are so easy to imagine happening.

This is the first book by Erskine I’ve read and it is a good’un, I’ll definitely be checking out more of her writing. I’ve tried to come up with another name of somebody who writes like this and I’ve drawn a blank, for me Erskin has a truly unique voice. Roight I’m off to the kitchen to see what I can create from this book using the kitchen aid.

Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2021...

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 5 out of 5]

During the demolition of a factory, a shocking discovery is made: a mummified corpse encased in a carapace of hardened dust – phosphate rock – surrounded by ten objects that provide tantalising clues as to its identity. Phosphate Rocks: A Death in Ten Objects unravels the mystery using a mix of real-life anecdote, scientific explanation, and a touch of fiction, woven together to create a vivid account of the life and decline of a factory over five decades. Highly recommended.

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Sandstone Press for an advance copy of Phosphate Rocks, a stand-alone novel set in Edinburgh.

When an old phosphate factory is being demolished a body is found encased in phosphate and surrounded by ten objects. DI Rose Irvine turns to former shift supervisor at the plant, John Gibson for help in identifying it.

Firstly I would like to state that my rating of the novel is purely due to my personal preference in reading matter and not to do with quality.

I admire the idiosyncratic format of the novel as it is most unusual and adventurous. I also like the free flowing tone and writing and I imagine it would make an excellent audio book as it sounds exactly like the author is speaking. It is also quite compulsive in its plotting, as I soon felt a burning desire to know who the belongs to, how it got there and why.

The ten objects found with the body form the basis for John Gibson to narrate a tale from his time working in the plant about a different character. They’re interesting because they go back to the 80s and 90s when life was very different. I forgot how different until I read the novel, and the author does a sterling job of reminding me of those times and my own job in a factory. It’s very realistic. These stories, however, are only one third of each section as the other thirds cover how a section of the plant one works and a brief history of the chemicals used in that section. As someone who walked out of her last science lesson 55 years ago and never looked back these held zero interest and even less understanding. It’s simply not my thing and the small snippets of history included only relieved the tedium slightly.

I picked this novel as it is listed as a crime novel and the Scottish setting was a bonus. Having read it I can’t say that I see it as a crime novel, more of a jaunt through the past from a chemical engineering point of view. It’s not my kind of thing - too much science and not enough investigating - but I think it will appeal to more technically minded individuals. If the content were different I would be raving about this novel, due to the tone, characterisation and writing style.

[Jane Jesmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fiona Erskine is one of the most original and thoughtful writers of crime and thrillers out there. I love her Chemical Detective series with its mix of international crime, cracking action sequences and a fabulous female protagonist in the shape of Jaq Silver. Phosphate Rocks, set in an old fertiliser factory in Leith, is a murder mystery but so so much more. The discovery of a long dead corpse in the factory and the solving of the mystery of its identity and death through 10 objects found with the body is in itself intriguing but Erskine deftly winds the stories of the characters who worked in the factory round this central thread and I defy anyone not to have a tear in their eye at the denouement. There's quite a lot of science in it but it's fascinating stuff and brings the portrayal of a chemical plant in Leith to life. I can't recommend this highly enough. @erskine-fiona

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The demolition crew found the body."

This is how Erskine's novel starts. A body was found in the ruins of what used to be the fertiliser plant in Leith. A body that was encased in phosphate rocks. Ten items are arranged on the desk in front of the body. And those ten items eventually help the former foreman John Gibson and the police to narrow down the time of death and the identity of the person.

I really enjoyed this mystery. It was full of lighthearted "nerdy-ness": some of the chemicals used in the process of making fertilisers are explained in an entertaining and not too scientific way. Erskine further has first hand experience having worked at the fertiliser plant herself, which gave her lots of material for the story's characters and their anecdotes.

[Grrlscientist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phosphate Rocks: A death in ten objects (Sandstone Press; 2021) by Fiona Erskine is an engaging novel that cleverly leads the reader through a winding series of interrelated stories detailing five decades in a factory’s life and its eventual demise. It all begins when, during demolition of an old fertilizer factory in the Scottish port town of Leith, a mummified body encrusted in phosphate rock is discovered seated at a card table at the bottom of an elevator shaft. On the table are ten objects, most of them are ordinary items. The main protagonists, retired factory foreman John Gibson and police Detective Inspector Rose Irvine seek to decipher the significance of these ten objects. Surely they must be clues to the identity of this person or how he died? Otherwise, why did he die surrounded by these ten particular objects?

As soon as he sees these objects in the police station, Gibson recognizes them: a small ebony elephant that smells of sulphur, a silver bullet, an Aberdeen keyring, an air horn, a Barbie doll wearing a rather splendiferous dress, a nutmeg grater, a pair of broken sunglasses, a brass washer, an empty whiskey bottle with a hairy string attached to it, and a small oil can that resembles Aladdin’s Lamp. Each object, either a clue or a red herring, serves to structure the novel into a series of ten parts — clues — comprising several chapters each. Each clue includes a chemistry lesson, and also triggers a series of recollections about his co-workers that Gibson shares with DI Irvine. Most of these recollections help narrow down the time of death and the identity of the mummified person. As the two main characters unravel the meanings and stories underlying each of these clues, it is easy to become suspicious of the all-knowing former foreman himself, as DI Irvine does, but it is Gibson who finally figures out the surprising and tragic answer to this gripping mystery.

Drawing on Ms Erskine’s knowledge and lifetime of experience as a chemical engineer, some of it spent working at this very real fertilizer plant under the mentorship of the real-life John Gibson, she shares the histories of some of the chemicals used in the process of making fertilisers in an interesting way, making this novel informative as well as intellectually challenging.

Although the story is sometimes grim, I often found myself laughing aloud at the author’s closely observed and humorous writing. Here’s just one example:

“Angry Pat responded to the radio call, stomping over the rubble, bellowing obscenities. The demolition crew foreman followed the new yodelling school of management. What started out as a quiet transaction in a warm office, a contract signed with just the scratch of a biro on smooth paper, was amplified over time into a series of increasingly strident shouting matches. Angry Pat was the last in line of yodellers. Having received his instructions over mountains of obstacles, across gulleys of incomprehension, he passed them on by haranguing with ever-increasing ferocity and volume, berating men who valued their jobs too much to shout back.” (Pp. 4–5, Phosphate Rocks by Fiona Erskine, 2021.)

This carefully plotted and absorbing story entertains readers whilst also motivating them to think deeply about issues surrounding skilled and unskilled laborers — and who really qualifies as a specialist. The author describes her novel as ‘Inspired by Primo Levi, in the style of Dan Brown, this is a portrait of a factory in all its complex, glorious, interconnected, messy entirety. A hymn to the forgotten, the unknown, the misunderstood, the story of a factory in decline and some of the fine people taken down with it.’ This subtle message certainly makes this novel interesting at a number of levels, but even more interesting is the unique way that the author accomplishes this: she seamlessly blends chapters filled with memoir and fiction, science and mystery, to create a compelling story that feels authentic, complete with a memorable community of real-life characters with their own stories to create this vivid and detailed fictionalized account.

If you want to learn a little about the field of applied chemistry or about the quirky people who worked in the fertilizer factory in Leith, or if you are intrigued by the unusual way that the author wrote this novel, then this unique mystery is just what you are looking for.


NOTE: Originally published at Forbes.com on 9 November 2021.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The back of the book tells us that "During the demolition of a factory, a shocking discovery is made: a mummified corpse encased in a carapace of hardened dust – phosphate rock – surrounded by ten objects that provide tantalising clues as to its identity… "

I know exactly the factory described in the book as I lived in Leith when I was growing up (I didn’t move far!) and so I was very intrigued to read this book. Although it’s quite different from most of the books I read, I found it a really compelling read.

I really liked the structure of the novel. From the tantalising opening chapters where we find out about the discovery of the body and meet the enigmatic John Gibson (based on a real foreman at the factory), I found this a fascinating story. Each chapter looks at one of the items surrounding the body and gives a bit background to where this item came from followed by more detailed information about a chemical or compound associated with the item. Equally fascinating were the stories about the characters associated with each of the ten items, all the more so since again they were often based on real people connected with the factory or area.

The author states that a lot of the events mentioned throughout the book are based on real events which took place when she worked in the factory herself, although they have been fictionalised. Her knowledge and enthusiasm really brings the story to life. She obviously has a great fondness both for the character of John Gibson and the man himself. His gradual disclosure of what each object could reveal about the timing of the mystery person’s death had me wondering whether he knew more than he was letting on.

Phosphate Rocks is a quirky read blending science, history and crime in a novel with plenty intrigue and suspense. For all that there’s a lot of scientific information included, which is quite unusual in fiction, it’s never a dull read. This is a clever book, very entertaining and something that bit different in the crime genre.

[Jase · Rating 5 out of 5]

Isn’t this a very clever, interesting, and differently set out story. I’d heard about this book last year and added it to my ‘want to read’ list. It was further strengthened when a friend reviewed it on GR. I’m so glad I have read it.

It’s a work of fiction based on some fact, and a lot of chemistry and history fact woven into fiction. I know a lot more about fertiliser production than I did. Each character lives in the pages and John and the Inspector feel like real people. Showing the facts how money ‘saving’ isn’t always the best course, but people matter. I cannot recommend this book enough.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like this book was written just for me. I’ve worked in chemical manufacturing for over 20 years, and I’ve worked in many different types of plants making many different products. But never fertilizer. So learning about what they made, how they made it, and the history behind each element was fascinating. I’d be tempted to say the narrative elements are surplus to requirements, but the ending was a real kick in the emotional crotch. Highly recommended.

[Craig Fraser · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating read! As a lover of crime and mystery fiction who also happens to be a chemist, this was the perfect book for me! I loved the intermingling of factual chapters about science and engineering with the fictional crime solving. Definitely recommended!

[Andrya · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extraordinary book. With a depth of humanity within each character creating a compelling tale while weaving chemical reactions, compositions and the men and women instrumental in creating the processes used throughout the book. That the author is using her lived experience shines through, enhancing the story and history that Erskine skilfully relays.

I particularly enjoyed the threads exploring the crumbling of the factory, explaining the impact of losing people with unrecognised (by some) skills. Fascinating detail.

I had not expected to be quite as gripped as I was. Looking forward to reading more of Erskine’s work.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a strange book -- part mystery, part industrial history, part chemistry tutorial. It is very clever and something a little bit different in the crime genre. It was a little too ‘sciencey’ for me but I had actually bought it for my BIL so I think it will suit him down to the ground.

Where the book really comes alive is when it talks about the people who worked there, and how, over time, we see the operation slowly succumb to the missteps of modern management and globalised markets.

[tejal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick thanks to the lovely author for this free copy of Phosphate Rocks that I won in her giveaway!

I'd like to start by saying that this book is bottled brilliance. It's clever, it's elegant and the writing is so sharp that every page felt unputdownable. The structure and pacing of this book feels so fresh and I loved that throughout the book there were a brief interludes explaining aspects of chemistry related to the story in a way that felt engaging and understandable. Normally, I'm not a fan of things that are so science-heavy but the author has weaved them into the story so well that I actually enjoyed reading about the processes behind thermodynamics and in relation to the acids featured within the story. I took a lot away from it in terms of understanding the chemistry! It also added a lot of depth to the story and made understanding the general plot a lot easier.

The plot was amazing and so thrilling with quiet twists that propelled the story forward without feeling forced! Each of the ten objects, a strange mixture of things, play a part within the story and offer their own perspective on the events by showcasing the stories of the men in the factory which feel surprisingly realistic. I loved the main character, John, and the way the story plays out in his interviews with DI Rose Irvine. He felt so relatable and his character has been fleshed out brilliantly, I particularly enjoyed his fondness for Italian food - it definitely made me hungry! The supporting characters in the factory also felt so human rather than just plot devices especially Becksy whose story brought a tear to my eye.

I so enjoyed this book and would highly recommend you to get yourself a copy!

[Shmuel Yaccoby · Rating 5 out of 5]

An original worthy mystery

Mineral elements can be our friends or enemy but either way can be a subject for a brilliant story written by an intelligent and word-sensitive author. I particularly enjoyed the punchlines at the end of each chapter.

If you are looking for an unusual reading of an investigation of a mysterious death, then this is the book for you. Besides making chemistry accessible to the layperson reader, and the well-researched knowledge, it is an easy read with enjoyable metaphors and scene’s description.

If you loved to read The Periodic Table by Primo Levi, you surely will like this book.

[Jeff Foot · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've read recently. Lots of dry humour, great descriptions of the characters, making even rogues likeable, and fascinating details on how chemicals are made.
Poignant too, both because of the back-stories to most of the characters but also because much is based on actual events.
It also highlighted for me just who the real key workers in our society are. Sobering.
Highly recommended.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mystery tale, set mostly in a Leith industrial plant headed for obsolescence, fleshed out with chapters on the chemistry of fertilizer manufacturing -- or maybe a chemistry book interrupted by stories about life in a factory. I can take the chemistry or leave it, and mystery stories too for that matter, but Erskine has a knack for creating atmosphere and characters in the narrative sections that makes it a very good read.

[Louise Blythe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm umming and ahhing between a 3 or 4 star for this one. While I really enjoyed the subject matter - the closed SAI factory in Leith, Edinburgh and it's abandoned previous employees - and the writing style - chapters cut with scientific methods of creating fertilising chemicals; the ending felt heavy-handed and unsatisfactory given the lead up and the sell as a crime novel.

[Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

“During the demolition of a factory, a shocking discovery is made: a mummified corpse encased in a carapace of hardened dust – phosphate rock – surrounded by ten objects that provide tantalising clues as to its identity…”

That’s the backstory to Phosphate rocks, but the story is really just an excuse for Erskine to paint a dark, rain-soaked, but surprisingly warm and loving picture of a Scottish fertiliser plant and the people who worked there. The ten objects are not so much clues as triggers for John, the main protagonist, to reminisce about the old days in the factory. These portraits of workers, prostitutes and stevedores down by the docks of Leigh form the central part of the mystery, as presumably one of them is the unidentified dead body found in the factory basement. However, each of the objects is also intricately tied to a chemical used in the plant. We are given both historical backgrounds and descriptions of the factory processes involving these compounds.

I am not a chemical engineer, so to me, these interludes give an insight into the complicated inner workings of a chemical plant. But, they also detract from the flow of the story. They take up well over half of the book (and far more if the numerous endnotes are included.), and in the end, neither the chemistry nor the objects have much bearing on the solution to the mystery! Phosphate rocks is not a murder mystery with some chemistry snuck in – it’s an engineering handbook with a mystery tacked on.

I’m not sure what I expected from Phosphate Rocks. The portraits of the people at the plant are written with great sympathy and Erskine manages to convey the atmosphere of the factory so that I can both hear and smell it. The events described in these flashbacks are presumably based on reality. Finally, I I do know a bit more about how sulphuric acid is made industrially, but that wasn’t quite what I signed up for.

[Jean-Luc · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simply can't remember when was the last time I got so intellectually engaged with a murder mystery written in English!
Ms Erskine definitely rocked my day with her fiendishly plotted and scientifically intriguing whodunit evolving around the unexpected discovery of a skeleton embedded in phosphate rock and the various objects found with it by a demolition crew at the site of an abandoned chemical plant in the rather bleak industrial landscape of Leith. Who is it? How long has it been there? And could the various and rather innocuous objects surrounding it be made to yield any clue? Just one point is certain: that death occurred after 1950 and before the 1990s....
A head scratching puzzle that will be painstakingly brought to a stunning denouement with brio, definitely leaving more than a few readers totally gobsmacked! Finally this incredible novel is also a captivating look at the Scottish chemical industrial world and its working conditions during the second half of the 20th century! The ultimate chemistry lesson to be enjoyed without moderation!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Sandstone for the opportunity to read this wonderful novel prior to its release date

[A.A. Abbott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have worked in the chemicals industry, so was immediately attracted to a murder mystery set in an old factory. Fiona Erskine not only writes beautifully, but delivers a chemistry lesson as the story unwinds. It is the kind of tale that stays with you. Characters are sharply observed and feel like old friends. The factory's decline suffuses the book with a sense of sadness at wasted opportunities. It is not an uplifting read, but certainly a compelling one.

[Hazel Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great mix of history and science knowledge combined with the fiction of a mummified body is found during the demolition of a factory. Fiona Erskine combines the mystery of finding out who the body is along with science and history.
Definitely a great spin on the usual murder mystery books.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book. Educational, meticulous, funny, warm.

[Anjana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a hard book to classify. It is one of the few books that I did not like at first, but when I came back to it with a fresh mind and renewed interest, I found it an intriguing read.
The main reason for my initial reaction was the same reason I was intrigued later, another rare occurrence. Each chapter begins with the history in some related form or fashion of the Phosphate industry, circling back to the factory in Scotland.
The story begins with the finding of the skeleton at the location of an old Phosphate factory. In order to identify the possible identity of the unknown victim, an old foreman is brought to the police. From that point each chapter talks about one item found at the location, starting with one aspect of Phosphate that I am sure hardly any average person is aware of. It is in part a non-fiction book drawn from the author's experience, partly a homage to the profession and only a very minor part of it is about the 'mystery' itself.
The people introduced to us were quite different, each suffering a different type of issue. The non-fiction part of it was quite engrossing once I got into the groove of the narrative. The other part is not necessarily bad, but I would not have liked the book without all the facts I learnt (and some promptly forgotten) along the way.
The author's writing was good and what we got was exactly what was presented by the blurb and the overall look of the book.
I am not sure of the audience to recommend this book to, but I think anyone who looks at the blurb and the book and finds a spark of interest should definitely give it a go.
I read this as an ARC, thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

[Gordon Mcghie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It doesn’t matter what you may think this book is about. If you read the brief, teasing blurb above that’s only going to scratch the surface of the story in Phosphate Rocks.

As I read the book I tweeted a few times that I had no idea how I was going to review it. That hasn’t changed, I am not sure how to succinctly articulate the utter pleasure I experienced reading Phosphate Rocks. Or the anguish, the horror, the fascination or the fun. This book had it all and, when it was done, I wasn’t. I wanted more. I wanted to keep reading about these remarkable overlooked heroes of their craft.

So what’s it about?

Well there’s a dead body in an old chemical plant in Leith (Edinburgh). The site is no longer active but before everything closed down it seems, somehow, a huge shroud of phosphate rock encased a work hut. Inside that hut was a dead body sat at a table. Laid out on the table in front of the corpse were ten objects which the police hope John Gibson, former shift manager at the site, can use to identify the deceased.

Sitting in a police station, years after his plant had closed down, John identifies each of the ten objects and tells Detective Inspector Rose Irvine the story behind each item. With each passing object the reader gets to know more about the men that worked the site, the work they undertook and how chemicals and materials from around the world would pass under the nose of these Edinburgh workers.

Also filling in the reader with background information is author, Fiona Erskine, who gives each object a quirky and fascinating science lesson. You learn about chemicals, reactions, inventions and discoveries. Reading this book taught me how chemicals move around the world, how they need carefully stored and cared for and how it’s the plant workers that know best how to keep a busy chemical site ticking over – not the managers, chemists or owners. It may not sound like slipping chemistry learning into a crime story could be fun or engaging but it is utterly absorbing (though Fiona will likely correct me on what absorption actually is).

The stories behind each of the objects are wonderful. Although this book is a work of fiction I am 100% convinced that many (if not all) of the stories are entirely anecdotal and based on actual events from the site. Why tie a long string around the neck of a whisky bottle? Who had the best dressed Barbie Doll in Scotland? Why should you not hit a pipe with a hammer and…is that an author cameo we see before us? If many events in the book are indeed based on actual events it may go a long way towards explaining why the book is so engaging. Nothing feels forced, overdone or over-exaggerated. The guys (and in the main it is guys) working on the site all feel utterly real and entirely plausible. I defy you not to warm to them.

The true hero of the piece is John Gibson. He is taken on a journey back through his working life and the stories he tells DI Irvine bring back memories of old colleagues – some more fondly remembered than others. John and DI Irvine are a charming pairing through the story too their conversations, some of which take place away from the police station when Irvine tracks him down to his favourite restaurant, are a cautious but intricate dance. Neither party is willing to overshare but both appear to crave more knowledge about the other.

Phosphate Rocks is a crime story. There is a dead body, there are clues to help the investigators determine his identity and there is a man helping police with their enquries at the police station. But Phosphate Rocks is so much more. It is a story of a life (John Gibson), of many lives, of a plant that no longer dominates its corner of Leith and of the men who for years kept that plant ticking over. Clever men, inventive men, hard men and men with secrets. But I felt Phosphate Rocks is also a love story. I read of a time now gone which is much missed, a love of science and method and process and of low paid staff performing dangerous and skilled work. An affection of the cameraderie, the respect for John Gibson and the responsibility he held for the staff on his shift. It’s funny then it’s tragic and I want you all to read this story too.

Phosphate Rocks, currently my book of the year. It will take something incredible to top this one.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a strange little Scottish book -- part mystery, part industrial history, part chemistry tutorial. The book opens with the beginning of the demolition of the long-shuttered (real-life) Scottish Agricultural Industries fertilizer factory on the Leith docks. A body is found encased in a shell of phosphate, surrounded by ten objects. DI Rose Irvine has to unravel the mystery of the corpse's identity, and she's told that no one knows more about the factory's workings than retired shift supervisor, John Gibson. 

Gibson comes in and proceeds to explain the significance of the ten objects: a carved ebony elephant, a key ring from Aberdeen, a bullet, a Barbie Doll, a whisky bottle, broken sunglasses, an air horn, an oil can, a washer, and a cheese grater. Each prompts a trip into his decades of memories as we learn the story behind the object, which serves to introduce various factory employees and the day-to-day life of the place. However, there is also a chemical associated with each object/story, and we get a scientific sketch of the origin and use of that chemical, as well as some of the history of its discovery and processing, and how it fit into the factory operations.

These sections are a little too schoolbookish for my taste, but they are brief, and it's an interesting device to insert into a novel. The descriptions of the factory working, and some of the operational minutiae is similarly a little technical and tedious at times. Where the book really comes alive is when it talks about the people who work there, and how, over time, we see the operation slowly succumb to the missteps of modern management and globalized markets. Both the people and the operations are written about with great fluency and detail that comes from the author's long career as a chemical engineer, including working at this plant (the protagonist is based on her mentor, and she appears as herself in one of the portions). All in all, it's a strange little tale, and readers who like something a little different should check it out.

[Brittany Steminist Booknerd · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun STEM related mystery. Good plot and well written.