The Wolf Tree, by Australian author Laura McCluskey, is set in fictional Eilean Eadar, a barren, windswept island off the coast of Scotland.
The remote rock is inhabited by an isolated community of a few hundred residents, with centuries-old traditions and much hostility towards outsiders.
When a young man is found dead at the base of the island’s lighthouse, detective inspectors Georgina “George” Lennox and Richard “Richie” Stewart are sent from Glasgow to investigate.
While Richie is happy to close the case as suicide, George suspects something is seriously wrong about the island and its tiny community.
A major driver of the plot is the tension between the two DIs, which is deftly handled.
Although they have been partners for many years, George has recently recovered from a devastating injury and still relies on medication to keep various symptons at bay – a fact that she is keen to hide from Richie.
George is also headstrong and ambitious, with a fierce sense of justice and equality.
Her tendency to act on impulse and often without regard to her own safety is a sore point in her relationship with Richie, who can see such reckless and dangerous behaviour becoming a risky – if not fatal – problem.
The novel is a slow burn, with much atmosphere and suspense.
The bulk of the investigation takes place within a time frame of five days, and those readers enjoying mysteries and police procedurals will find the multiple clues delightfully challenging, especially the deliberate and determined undermining of the investigation by the islanders.
Of particular interest is the enigmatic, omnipresent priest who holds considerable influence over the community.
Other noteworthy themes include isolation vs self-sufficiency, tradition vs modernity, community vs conformity, and Christianity vs paganism.
As the plot gradually builds up in intensity and action, long buried secrets are revealed, and the conflicts between generations of islanders become increasingly clear and urgent.
These are subtly and skilfully explored by the author, who holds the pacing steady until the end.
This is an impressive debut that clearly demonstrates the author’s writing talents and efforts.
While not every plot twist is a surprise, the novel exceeds reader expectations in terms of the story’s structure, its characterisation and world-building, and the richness and diversity of its content.
In an interview, the author suggests that “if you have the ability and the power to weave a message into your work, then maybe you should”.
In the case of The Wolf Tree: “Justice is not always black and white. There are a lot of things that come into play in the context of why someone has done a certain thing…. You should ask a lot of questions and try to learn how other people think,” Well said.
