Author: Laura McCluskey
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia
Genre: Fiction, & Literature, Crime & Mystery
Year of Release: 2025
Release Date: 28/02/25
Rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Synopsis
A gripping and atmospheric debut crime thriller set on an isolated Scottish island … where outsiders are not welcome.
‘There’s always someone whispering about something.’
On a small island off the coast of Scotland, an isolated community is grieving. Eighteen-year-old Alan Ferguson was found at the foot of the lighthouse – an apparent suicide.
DIs Georgina Lennox and Richard Stewart are sent to investigate. A raging storm keeps them trapped on the island for five days. And the locals don’t take kindly to mainlanders.
As George and Richie question the island’s inhabitants, they discover a village filled with superstition and shrouded in secrets.
But someone wants those secrets to stay buried. At any cost.
Review
Eilean Eadar, a small island off the coast of Scotland, is grieving the loss of one of their own. Eighteen-year-old Alan Furgeson is found dead at the bottom of the lighthouse—suicide is the suspected cause.
Detective Inspector Georgina Lennox, known as George, and Detective Inspector Richard Stewart are sent to investigate. But when a wild storm traps them on the island for five days, they quickly realise the locals don’t take kindly to mainlanders. This is an isolated community, and they intend to keep it that way.
The faster everyone cooperates; the sooner Lennox and Stewart can solve the case and leave. But as they begin questioning residents, it becomes clear the island is steeped in superstition and buried in secrets.
While some locals tolerate the detectives, hoping for answers, someone else is determined to keep the past hidden—no matter the cost.
The cover art and title, The Wolf Tree, immediately caught my attention. But it was the opening line of the synopsis—‘an isolated Scottish island… where outsiders are not welcome’—that had me hooked, line and sinker.
Richard Stewart initially gave me typical police procedural vibes—a comforting presence against the eerie locals of Eilean Eadar. Reliable and trustworthy, he felt like a safety net. His well-crafted backstory as a married father and loyal friend made him more than just a stereotypical cop.
George, on the other hand, was unpredictable. An incident left her with lasting injuries that cause debilitating pain, making her reactions erratic at times. More than once, I wondered if her or Stewart’s safety was at risk. I loved how she kept me second-guessing—likable yet uncertain, mirroring the wild nature of the case.
The minor characters were brilliantly crafted, pulling me deeper into the island’s tangled web of secrets. The author could write a whole book on Eilean Eadar’s residents, and it would still feel like we were only scratching the surface. Figuring out who to trust was an erratic guessing game, and I know fans of mystery and thrillers will love it.
Be prepared—The Wolf Tree will be one of the fastest books you’ll read this year. If you’re after a slow burn, this isn’t it.
I devoured this book, guessing right until the end. The author masterfully keeps the plot moving, throwing the reader off track while maintaining an eerie, tense atmosphere that never lets up. That relentless suspense is exactly why this was an easy five-star read for me.
You might mistake The Wolf Tree for just another police procedural, but what sets it apart isn’t just the crime itself—it’s how the story unravels and why it all matters. The real thrill isn’t in the beginning, but in the way the tension builds, pulling you deeper until you’re tearing through the final chapters, desperate for answers.
The Wolf Tree is definitely in the running for my book of the year—a bold prediction this early, but completely justified. If you’re wondering whether I’m being vague, you’d be right. That’s because this book is best experienced firsthand. Every twist caught me off guard, and just when I thought I had it figured out, it proved me wrong.
Sub plots and tropes are included in The Wolf Tree:
- Police procedural
- Remote community
- Secrets
- Lies
- Everyone is a suspect
- Suicide
- Misjudged death
- Everybody did it
- Multiple deaths
- Stuck together on a remote island
- Killer plays with detective
- Detective team up- by the book detective butting heads with seen all detective.
- Detective with substance abuse issues.
- Light bulb moment
- The big reveal
- Twist ending
The closing chapters blew me away—I’m still shocked by the outcome, in the best way. It was original, clever, and utterly satisfying. I know I’m not alone in hoping The Wolf Tree becomes a series, or at least that we get another book with Detective Inspectors Georgina Lennox and Richard Stewart at the helm.
Fans of Claire Douglas, Ashley Kalagian Blunt, and Mark Smith should add Laura McCluskey to their auto-buy list—no hesitation needed.
Would I Recommend This Book?
Mystery and thriller fans should already have The Wolf Tree on their radar—if not, that needs to change immediately.
I highly recommend this book to a mature audience. If you’re new to the genre and unsure if this one’s for you, let me assure you—it’s one of the best debut thrillers I’ve read in a long time. You won’t regret picking it up. The moment I can add a copy to my bookshelf, I won’t hesitate, and neither should you.
With continued thanks to HarperCollins Publishers Australia, author Laura McCluskey and Netgalley for gifting a copy of this e-book to read and review in exchange for my honest opinion.