Pig Island

Oh, how I wanted to like this one! A religious cult on a Scottish island with shades of "The Wicker Man"? Sign me up! Three stars for the strong writing and excellent setting---I'd never read Mo Hayder before, but she was recommended to me by others and it's so clear she can really *write*. I believed in the world she created, which is why the plot and the ultimately quite disappointing character development and lazily plotted twists were so unfortunate. So many illogical loose threads; all the plot twists boil down to "women! who can trust them?" A misfire that could have been so good.

Joe Oakes and Malachi Dove have known each other for years but the relationship was never a pleasant one. Joe is a journalist and he investigated Malachi and his cult in its early days. Malachi got into Joe's head and he barely escaped with his sanity. But Joe's article made the American Southwest too uncomfortable for Dove, and he and his followers disappeared.Now Joe has a lead on Dove. It's rumored that he is the person behind the secretive cult on Pig Island off the western coast of Scotland. Not that people have seen him. No one sees the people on the island. There is just one supply boat that comes to the mainland occasionally. But people are getting curious and very uneasy. There are rumors of Satanic rituals. A video has been leaked that shows a humanoid figure with a tail lurching through the undergrowth. Joe's editor wants someone to find out what is going on, and Joe sees a chance for a book and to settle his score once and for all with Malachi.Joe is given permission to visit the island. Once there, he finds a small group of people, no more than thirty or so and deep divisions between them. No one wants to talk about Malachi and no one wants to hear about the figure in the video. In fact, it's pretty obvious that no one wants Joe there at all. Before he leaves, he sets loose an evil that destroys everything in its path. Joe barely escapes, taking Dove's daughter, who has never seen civilization, with him. But the evil follows Joe, as it is rumored that Malachi also escaped. Who will win the ultimate showdown between the two men?Hayder is one of the finest crime/suspense novelists currently working. Her series about Detective Inspector Jack Caffery is regarded as one of the premier series available. This is a stand-alone novel but it will give the reader uneasy nights and plenty of surprises along the way. This book is recommended for mystery readers.

I wasn't sure of what to expect with this one as I had never read anything by Mo Hayder. I enjoyed the book - I think... It was creepy and suspenseful and full of twists and turns, but I was very conflicted about how I felt after finishing the book. I don't want to give the ending away, but like many modern-day relationships, "it's complicated." I need to think about this one some more, but overall I can say, I'll be giving Mo Hayder other chances to entertain me...

I tend to not write reviews unless I really like something or really don't. I really liked this. I should preface by saying I haven't read anything else by this author, and I understand this is not her usual genre (horror is one of my personal favs). That being understood, it wasn't perfect, but I thought she did rather well with it.Others have given synopsis, I'll just say that I enjoyed the atmosphere Ms Hayder created; she really does take you there beautifully. The storyline is quite original, and she tells the tale well.There were a few problems for me, won't bring them all up, but for example, the character of Lexie was irritating and unlikable, almost unrealistically so, and there was far too much of her voice in the book. We understand clearly why Oakes isn't that into her anymore, but for me, I didn't believe they'd be together in the first place, and didn't quite understand why he was struggling with guilt over his lack of interest in her. She's shallow and faithless and petty. There's no reason for him to love her.Unlike some of the other reviewers, I did like the ending, however, I think it would've been much improved with some foreshadowing clues along the way, more that you could look back at in the end and say "Omg! Of course!" Instead, it's all too rushed and abruptly piled on in the end, and while I think it was a good twist for a nicely twisted book, it isn't completely believable for that reason.Overall, a happy buy for me. Creepy and for the most part, well told. I'd give this author another try anytime.

Each book i read never disappoints! The story line is always strong and again the finish is unexpected! It takes a special sort of writer that can carry the story forward give the twist and turns that she always gives, but so far in all of the books i have read, she manages to conceal the ending until the very end!That is a gift that few writers possess!Fully recommend this and all others I have read! Next one coming up!!!!!

I'm so sorry ... I really really wanted to like this, but I just didn't! I found it so hard to get through (the readers version of trying to swim through jelly!). In the end, I couldn't care less about the characters, I was just grateful to be finished! However, the Jack Cafferty series ... excellent!

I was tried for patience to finish this book. It was much too far fetched, far too silly. If it was looking for the ' oooohhh scary' factor - it fails by a mile. Weak ridiculous plot, weak characters. I only completed reading it in order to give an informed review.

I’m not usually a horror reader, generally. But I like the occasional creepy book as an alternative. This, however is such unbelievable rubbish I had to quit reading it halfway through which I never ever do. The characters were unbelievable, the narrative ridiculous and also lacking entirely in any attempt at building of tension. The gory scenes read like a horror story at Brownie camp when I was about 9. If you like well crafted narrative I really wouldn’t waste your money....

Disappointing. I really like this author's work but this left me cold, so much so that I've given up after reading only 15% and removed from my Kindle. I hardly ever give up no matter how poor books are