Death on a Shetland Isle: The compelling murder mystery series (Shetland Mysteries Book 7)

In August, I purchased Death on a Longship, the first book in this series, for all of 99p. However, due to a chaotic schedule, it wound up lingering in my Kindle unread until October half term when I finally allowed myself some time to relax and read for fun, not for work. After devouring the first book, I purchased the second, practically inhaling it and successive books in the series, happy to see that the series continued. Then I came to a sudden standstill. Book seven, Death on a Shetland Isle, wasn't yet published! I would have to wait a couple of weeks to see how Cass and Gavin's relationship was developing.Yes, I started reading the first book because it featured a strong, independent female protagonist in what appeared to be a rather unique setting in the crime genre, but I've wound up becoming hooked due not only to Taylor's excellent plotting (she has managed to thwart me when I think I've solved the crime early on, so major kudos to her); her resplendent descriptions of her settings, including the accurate details regarding ships and sailing; and Cass's overall realistic character development. Although the crime plots are intricate and convincing, and the scenery makes me feel that I've been to these sites (although I've only been as far north in Scotland as Aberdeen, more's the pity), the human element has drawn out the hidden romantic in me. Whilst the more critical part of me is glad that Taylor is developing Cass and Gavin’s personal relationship slowly, which is natural considering their characterisations, especially Cass’s, another part of me is dying to know where it will go next and how it will happen.In this instalment, Cass Lynch is now second mate on her beloved Sorlandet. With their team of new trainees, they are sailing from Norway to Shetland, where off-duty DI Gavin Macrae is using his holiday leave to meet up with her and serve as a trainee himself on their departure back to Norway. Of course, it couldn’t be Death on a Shetland Isle without an actual death, and Cass and Gavin are soon back in form to solve the crime. However, this time around, there’s a further complication when the ship’s new third mate turns out to be Alain, the man whose apparent death in the Atlantic she’d obsessed over, blaming herself for years. How does she come to grips with his sudden reappearance under a different name? Can she trust him? Is he who and what he claims to be? Could he be responsible for someone else’s death? How does she balance Alain being alive with her already seemingly delicate balancing act between her career and the sea with Gavin and the land?Although the murder plots and the setting certainly aren’t easy to write, it’s how well Taylor draws her characters with words and makes them real people that confirms that Taylor has spent years teaching English. Years of compelling students to write in a believable manner themselves can have only helped hone her own style. It’s clear that she knows how to use language to birth her ideas in print and convince her readers of their legitimacy – that they are real. Her inclusion of Shetland dialect is authentic and wholly natural. After years of living far away from water, I’ve spent the past few years residing along the Solent, walking to my town’s quay and looking at all of the boats of myriad sizes coming and going with envy, and trying to find the means to get on any boat, even a ferry to the Isle of Wight, simply to feel that “sea air”. Although it’s only a microcosm of Cass’s need to be at sea, I can understand her yearning, thanks to Taylor’s well-composed prose. And also thanks to Taylor, although I’ve wanted to visit both the Orkneys and Shetland Isles for years to see their Viking ruins, I now yearn to make that hope true one day.

.I feel I now know Shetland, the description of the land and sea are vivid. The characters are realistic and believable

Love the details of sailing in This Series. Well Written .great Story in every Book.Lead Character is Especially Important to the Story in all books

Another cracking yarn from Marsali Taylor. This series gets better and better - intriguing plots with always a twist in the tale, combined with beautiful and sometimes lyrical writing.

Another Cass Lynch murder mystery, set on a tall sailing ship and on Shetland. But this is more than just a murder mystery. Cass's ex boyfriend, Alain, presumed to have drowned, turns up ... at can't be him, can it? This causes a certain amount of coldness on the part of Cass's current boyfriend, Gavin. And then a woman disappears. And then a body is found.What makes these murder mysteries stand out is not just the sailing setting or the Shetland setting but the sympathetic characterisations and some stupendous descriptive work.

Nice book, easier to follow now you know who the characters are.

This was a perfectly readable book with a non typical heroine, and a good storyline. However it didnt really capture my imagination and unusually for me I had no desire to read it again.

I would agree totally with the previous reviewer. The whole series is intelligent beautifully described so you feel you are in the story yourself walking the hills sailing the seas. All the characters feel real and support the main ones skillfully. sensitively written with clever twists keeping you guessing to the end. combine all this with the charming and gentle relationship developing between Cass and Gavin and you have tales to satisfy most tastes. I do hope that there is more to come!Can`t put these books down until you reach the end.

These books are best read with some distance in between each one. But the richness of the detail and the fun and description of relationships make them worthwhile. You get a traveler’s view of Shetland and its environs thrown in.

Sorry, no suspense. Tried to get into it but just couldn't . If I'd wanted to read a book about sailing then I would have bought one. Not interested at all in boats or sailing so needless to say all the padding around the story was boring. Gave up unfortunately too soon.

Enjoyed Book 7 as much as 1-6 and cannot wait for No. 8. A really great storyline filled with such descriptive atmosphere <3

Novel starts the same as the previous with what goes into getting the trainers ready for sea. Some of the plot twists and turns stretch credibility. The main plot twist regarding the murder was predictable and not a surprise at all.The relationship between Cass and Gavin is developing but if she wants it to go further she is going to have to share important events. How much longer will he accept when he confronts her with events he has determined as a a police officer that she was going to tell him?