Review – Devils Island by Midge Raymond and John Yunker
Synopsis
On a remote island off the coast of Tasmania, an Australian wilderness guide embarks on a four-day hike with six guests—and arrives at their destination with only two.
Devils Island is home to abundant wildlife and is the ideal place to re-introduce endangered Tasmanian devils. It’s also a region where travelers can see firsthand the unspoiled drama of Australia’s wild places. For naturalist guide Kerry, the trip offers a respite from the grueling work of trying to save an endangered species. American college classmates Brooke and Jane have a chance to reconnect after years of estrangement. Two Australian couples hope to escape their big-city lives and enjoy the company of longtime friends.
When Jane disappears on the first night, the group assumes she has wandered too far in the stormy weather. Yet it turns out she has a secret connection to one of the other guests—and when another hiker is found dead in camp, the group finds itself isolated by the worsening storm and wondering who among them might be responsible.
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Praise
“Devils Island is at once a riveting mystery and an eloquent plea to protect our natural world.” — A. J. Banner, #1 Kindle, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author
“Devils Island isn’t just a compulsively readable mystery; it’s also a vital meditation on what it means to live through extinction in all its forms. I will not forget my visit to Devils Island anytime soon.” — Mindy Mejia, USA Today bestselling author of To Catch a Storm and Everything You Want Me to Be
“A terrific thriller. You never quite catch your breath as all of the secrets are revealed.” — Steve Berry, New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of The Atlas Maneuver
Review
This novel is more than just a mystery/thriller; it is also educational. I learned quite a bit about Tasmanian Devils and various birds native to that area. I never expected to learn about these creatures, but it helps round out the story when they are pulled into play.
There are several main characters, but Brooke and Kerry stand out as the novel’s main focus. Brooke is trying to figure out her life after leaving her husband and is on this trip due to her friend Jane’s generosity. Kerry is the tour guide after a snake bit the last one and is out of commission. Jane is also a major character, but I feel like her story takes a back seat to Brooke and Kerry for most of the novel. Along with these women, there are two couples and one other guide working with Kerry. I enjoyed watching the story unfold and how interconnected the lives were because, at first glance, you wouldn’t think there was a connection.
I was pulled into this story with all the possibilities and outcomes rolling around in my head. Jane and Brooke are repairing their friendship until Jane goes missing. Is she dead? Is she alive? What happened to her? It doesn’t help that there is a massive storm, which makes visibility and the search harder for the group. Kerry is dealing with her own struggles and whether she is meant to be a guide and interacting with people. She is so used to research and a focus on the Tasmanian Devil, that her interpersonal skills are a bit rusty.
I enjoyed the different twists revealed throughout the book. While there were times I shook my head at Brooke when she acted irresponsibly, there were other times when I was surprised at the devious nature of other characters. Was anyone safe or honest? Needless to say, the ending was not what I expected, but, looking back, it was the logical outcome for this group of travelers.
I enjoyed reading the author’s notes at the end about the real island this is based upon and the plight of the Tasmanian Devil.
We give this book 4 paws up.
About the Authors
Devils Island is the debut collaboration by the writing duo Midge Raymond and John Yunker.
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Midge Raymond is the author of the novels Floreana and My Last Continent and the award-winning short-story collection Forgetting English. Her writing has appeared in TriQuarterly, American Literary Review, Bellevue Literary Review, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, Poets & Writers, and other publications. She has taught writing at Boston University and at Boston’s Grub Street Writers; Seattle’s Richard Hugo House; San Diego Writers, Ink; and at writing conferences around the world. She earned a certificate in private investigation from the University of Washington.
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John Yunker writes plays, short stories, and novels. He is the author of the novel The Tourist Trail; editor of the Among Animals fiction series and a nonfiction anthology, Writing for Animals; and his plays have been produced or staged at such venues as the Oregon Contemporary Theatre, the Source Festival, the Centre Stage New Play Festival, and Association for Theatre in Higher Education conference. His teleplay Sanctuary was performed at the 2017 Compassion Arts Festival in New York, and his short stories have been published in Phoebe, Qu, Flyway, Antennae, and other journals.
