Forget about solving all these crimes; the signal triumph here is (spoiler) the heroine’s survival. Neal sees bills in his name and various documents, including a map which someone had marked the word Coffin Road, which was on the table, but Neal had no idea what it meant. As the story unfolds so do the twists, turns and intrigue. Even when he does learn a name, it fits like borrowed clothes. The more he discovers, he starts to wonder if he really wants to know who he once was.

Latest News from Peter May, Scottish author of The Lewis Latest News from Peter May, Scottish author of The Lewis

Interessante è anche il fulcro della storia: una ricerca sulle api e sulla loro sopravvivenza, per garantire un futuro sostenibile al genere umano. Uno studio ostacolato, condotto privatamente in gran segreto, i cui risultati rischiano di essere boicottati, perché la loro divulgazione desterebbe non poco scompiglio fra i colossi che speculano nel settore degli insetticidi. Coffin Road is an entertaining tale but it is sadly let down by its cliched dialogue and cardboard characters. The "us against the world" plot was a little trite and I suspect that the subject matter is something of a hobby horse for Peter May as he delivers a crusading tale about trying to save the world by ensuring the continued development of the bee species. Notice I did not resort to using the "bee in his bonnet" idiom! The scientists and bee fanciers along with Karen are responsible for the majority of the cringe-inducing dialogue, dropping in the casual swear words as May attempts to show us how "right-on" and modern they are. May explains the connections surrounding the scientific discoveries well and the theory all ties up, but I found it hard to summon up much enthusiasm or concern for the theme. A man wakes up on a beach, with no memory of who he is or how he got their, he appears to be known as Neal Maclean, though this rings no bells for him. Location is always important for me. I always regard the location of the book as being like one of the characters. When I wrote the China series, China was the third character. Or sometimes it was Beijing, or sometimes it was Shanghai, wherever it was set, that setting would dominate and dictate the shape of the story in lots of ways. So it’s exactly like that for the islands as well. They are absolutely essential to me in placing a story and shaping a story, because the kind of stories that I’ve written which are set on the islands, you couldn’t really set them on the mainland. They are very specific to those locations. So evoking the location, making that real and a living thing for the reader is absolutely essential for me.Nothing, absolutely nothing since I found myself washed up, semi-conscious, on the Traigh Losgaintir, has made sense. My memory loss. My failure to find a single clue to my identity, beyond my name, even in my own home. My affair with Sally. The book on the Flannan Isles mystery that I am not writing. Beehives on the coffin road. My missing boat. Now someone trying to kill me. And someone else stepping in to save me. The weight of it all is very nearly crushing.”

Coffin Road By Peter May | Used | 9781784293130 - Wob Coffin Road By Peter May | Used | 9781784293130 - Wob

He draws some marvellous word pictures: “Despite the absence of people, there were plenty of boats. Fishing boats and motor launches, a couple of sailing boats and a handful of rowing boats which had seen better days, all lined up side by side, nudging each other playfully in the wind” and “The sky is more broken now, the light sharp and clear, clouds painted against the blue in breathless brushstrokes of white and grey and pewter. Moving fast in the wind to cast racing shadows on the sand below” are examples. Meanwhile, homicide detective George Gunn makes the rough ocean crossing to a remote, sea-battered lighthouse, despite its isolation, the tiny island has seen its share of more than a century earlier, three lighthouse keepers disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again. And now there is a new tragedy, and Gunn must figure out what happened. Coffin Road börjar bra, men blev inte riktigt den fullträff jag hade hoppas på. Men Peter Mays underbara miljöbeskrivningar och hans sätt att skriva så inlevelsefullt gör boken läsvärd!The first thing I am aware of is the taste of salt. It fills my mouth. Invasive. Pervasive. It dominates my being, smothering all other senses. Until the cold takes me. Sweeps me up and cradles me in its arms. Holding me so tightly I can't seem to move. Except for the shivering. A raging, uncontrollable shivering. And somewhere in my mind I know this is a good thing. My body trying to generate heat. If I wasn't shivering I would be dead.