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Isolation Island
IT'S A PRIZE ANYONE WOULD KILL TO WIN...
Ten celebrities have arrived to take part in the most gruelling - and lucrative - reality survival show ever devised: two weeks completely alone on a remote Scottish island, in the depths of winter.
With a production team that seems incapable of keeping them safe, a gathering storm and the unrelenting gaze of hidden cameras, the contestants are stretched to the limit as they try and outshine their fellow competitors and hide their darkest secrets.
But when a contestant winds up dead, it soon becomes clear that the players are not just fighting for the prize, but for their lives.
Ten celebrities have arrived to take part in the most gruelling - and lucrative - reality survival show ever devised: two weeks completely alone on a remote Scottish island, in the depths of winter.
With a production team that seems incapable of keeping them safe, a gathering storm and the unrelenting gaze of hidden cameras, the contestants are stretched to the limit as they try and outshine their fellow competitors and hide their darkest secrets.
But when a contestant winds up dead, it soon becomes clear that the players are not just fighting for the prize, but for their lives.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 24, 2024
189 people are currently reading
1644 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 307 reviews
November 29, 2024
Release Date: 12th September 2024
Ten celebrities, one desolate island off the coast of Scotland to be the home of a new reality survival TV show, the prize of their dreams, what could possibly go wrong?
It quickly becomes apparent to the celebrities once they're left on the island to survive that the production team are not as health and safety conscious as they would all like, raising concerns for their safety the celebrities become paranoid and when a deadly storm hits the island, they feel far from safe, made even worse when one of them is found dead, unsure what is going on the remaining celebrities find out they really are fighting for survival.
I can not give this debut novel enough praise, from the concept, the setting and the characters, told through the perspective of the journalist celebrity on the island, Lauren and her enquiring mind. This is such a well written book, with believable characters, that I honestly felt like I was watching the show play out for real.
It's one of those books that has you gripped from the start and plenty of intrigue, with a good pace throughout that you can't put down, but also don't want to end.
If you like the idea of reality shows with plenty of jeopardy, then this is definitely the book for you.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.
Reviews also published on:
Instagram || Threads || BSky || Coffee and Kindle Blog || The StoryGraph || Amazon || Bookmarks
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Ten celebrities, one desolate island off the coast of Scotland to be the home of a new reality survival TV show, the prize of their dreams, what could possibly go wrong?
It quickly becomes apparent to the celebrities once they're left on the island to survive that the production team are not as health and safety conscious as they would all like, raising concerns for their safety the celebrities become paranoid and when a deadly storm hits the island, they feel far from safe, made even worse when one of them is found dead, unsure what is going on the remaining celebrities find out they really are fighting for survival.
I can not give this debut novel enough praise, from the concept, the setting and the characters, told through the perspective of the journalist celebrity on the island, Lauren and her enquiring mind. This is such a well written book, with believable characters, that I honestly felt like I was watching the show play out for real.
It's one of those books that has you gripped from the start and plenty of intrigue, with a good pace throughout that you can't put down, but also don't want to end.
If you like the idea of reality shows with plenty of jeopardy, then this is definitely the book for you.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.
Reviews also published on:
Instagram || Threads || BSky || Coffee and Kindle Blog || The StoryGraph || Amazon || Bookmarks
Happy to make friends on all socials
August 27, 2024
This is another gameshow thriller where 10 celebrities are on a Scottish Island with their dream prize up for grabs.
The author was on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here so her experience of being on a show like that really helped to make this stand out from all the other game show thrillers out there!
It was maybe a little too descriptive at times and the ending was rushed. However, it was an enjoyable and easy read and a fantastic debut.
The author was on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here so her experience of being on a show like that really helped to make this stand out from all the other game show thrillers out there!
It was maybe a little too descriptive at times and the ending was rushed. However, it was an enjoyable and easy read and a fantastic debut.
May 2, 2025
twisty and a great murder mystery
August 7, 2024
Ten celebrities put together on a remote Scottish island. Their only chance of winning is to survive two weeks completely alone, their every move filmed for the entertainment of those at home.
From the outset we can see a mixed cast, deliberately assembled to cause tension. Upon their arrival the production team throw surprises at them, waiting to see how they will cope. Our main viewpoint is that of Lauren, an investigative journalist whose obsession with exposing the truth about an A-list celebrity has almost cost her everything.
Things tick along relatively calmly, with one or two characters removed from events early doors to allow us to focus on a core group of contestants. Then one of the stars is found dead.
Tension immediately ramps up as people scramble to hide their secrets - and there’s plenty of them. With suspicion high, it only gets worse when another star is discovered dead. You’d expect this to be easily solved…but the production team have been knocked out of action (conveniently) by a major storm.
As with all natural events, they die down sooner or later. By the end of the book we have a pretty good understanding of what happened, and Lauren is left with a choice that suggests there could be more to come from this story.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this in advance of publication in exchange for my honest feedback.
From the outset we can see a mixed cast, deliberately assembled to cause tension. Upon their arrival the production team throw surprises at them, waiting to see how they will cope. Our main viewpoint is that of Lauren, an investigative journalist whose obsession with exposing the truth about an A-list celebrity has almost cost her everything.
Things tick along relatively calmly, with one or two characters removed from events early doors to allow us to focus on a core group of contestants. Then one of the stars is found dead.
Tension immediately ramps up as people scramble to hide their secrets - and there’s plenty of them. With suspicion high, it only gets worse when another star is discovered dead. You’d expect this to be easily solved…but the production team have been knocked out of action (conveniently) by a major storm.
As with all natural events, they die down sooner or later. By the end of the book we have a pretty good understanding of what happened, and Lauren is left with a choice that suggests there could be more to come from this story.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this in advance of publication in exchange for my honest feedback.
May 18, 2025
the book had so much potential but lacked a plausible plot. A murder mystery that doesn't make much sense by the end.
July 22, 2024
The blurb hooked me in, I love a reality TV show! It started off really strong, couple of almost accidents, tension and mistrust growing between the contestants and then it lost momentum for me. The narrator got boring and annoying to read, suddenly turning into a forensic expect wannabe. The first half that I enjoyed didn’t really have anything to do with the second half sadly and the ending was a bit of a let down.
October 4, 2025
This was a good book, started slow for me, as you get a idea of the characters. Further on it gets more intriguing and becomes a page turner where you can’t put the book down.
After two murders on the island you want to know what happens.
The ending the first time made me confused so I had to re read another time to figure out the ending.
After two murders on the island you want to know what happens.
The ending the first time made me confused so I had to re read another time to figure out the ending.
September 22, 2024
Discover the locations in the novel here
I do love a novel set on an island. The ultimate locked room thriller.
When a novel is about a reality show set on one of these islands, then I am in!
This is the fictional Monk Island where the contestants have to dress up in habits and do whatever they are told. Things start off quite slow and the journey to the island is when we discover who is coming there and why. Who would join a show like this and why? Lots of juicy back stories to enjoy. This also made me really want to get to the island and find out what is going to happen.
Friends/relationships form slowly and my mind started to wander. It’s a good study of human interactions in a very strange set up. I found this part very interesting as it was a great way to get to know the characters as well as guess what might happen and how…
The challenges and games are one thing but I was honestly wondering what these poor people would have to do next. The sense of fear and foreboding was there from the start. I found that my knowledge of Louise’s TV experience would filter into this, making it very visual and snappy and I wasn’t wrong.
Then the island is hit by a fierce storm. Oh this was a good bit and where the book REALLY ramped up! Cameras go off, electricity goes off, there is no way to reach the mainland or someone to get to the island – isolation island becomes the very symbol of isolation……
Pounding rain. No visibility as far as the eye can see. Fear amongst the contestants. Then a dead body is found.
Oh this got really exciting and dramatic then. Think of a car going through the gears. faster and faster….
Ha! This was quite the ride.
Isolation Island is the place to be! Just have a lie down when you’ve finished 😉
August 16, 2024
Ten celebrities are taking part in a reality show. They've been left at a monastery on a Scottish island, with no way to leave, and cameras following their every move. When a storm knocks out the communication tower, they are left stranded, leaving the celebrities completely alone, tensions start to rise. And then one of them dies...
It took me a little while to get into this one. I'm not entirely sure why. Maybe because I'm not a fan of reality TV shows? Maybe because the first part of the book focused on who each celebrity was, and them all meeting each other on the island? It wasn't really until the big storm hit that it started becoming interesting, and I started feeling invested in the story.
I did actually end up enjoying it, but I do wish it had been just a little longer as I'd have liked to have seen the aftermath once Lauren told her story of what happened on the peer.
A great debut, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
It took me a little while to get into this one. I'm not entirely sure why. Maybe because I'm not a fan of reality TV shows? Maybe because the first part of the book focused on who each celebrity was, and them all meeting each other on the island? It wasn't really until the big storm hit that it started becoming interesting, and I started feeling invested in the story.
I did actually end up enjoying it, but I do wish it had been just a little longer as I'd have liked to have seen the aftermath once Lauren told her story of what happened on the peer.
A great debut, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
May 14, 2025
It feels like the author wrote to separate books and then spliced them together. We have so many questions unanswered: what’s the deal with this reality show?; where did Frank go?; why are they only live for 5 minutes?; were the producers trying to kill them on purpose?
All the action happened in the last 100 pages and it was somewhat predictable. The ‘twist’ isn’t impactful because we only found out about the suspected killer 2 pages ago.
All the action happened in the last 100 pages and it was somewhat predictable. The ‘twist’ isn’t impactful because we only found out about the suspected killer 2 pages ago.
September 22, 2024
The pacing was really strange. I enjoyed reading it and devoured the book in a day for its readability and tension.
But I expected more twists and turns whereas there was only really one big reveal which felt shoehorned in. The concept was great and felt like there could have been a great book about surveillance and celebrity culture. But ended with lots of potholes and none of the characters were particularly engaging, even the protagonist.
Still a 2 because I had a good time reading it.
But I expected more twists and turns whereas there was only really one big reveal which felt shoehorned in. The concept was great and felt like there could have been a great book about surveillance and celebrity culture. But ended with lots of potholes and none of the characters were particularly engaging, even the protagonist.
Still a 2 because I had a good time reading it.
July 22, 2024
I got a review copy of this from NetGalley and I read it very quickly as it was fast paced and easy to read. It’s not a particularly new premise - reality show gone wrong - but the characters were intriguing and I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next. The behaviours of the production company seem a bit far fetched but it makes for a good story!
July 5, 2024
A bloody thrilling debut that I devoured feverishly! Thanks to Netgalley for the preview copy. I predict a tv reality show turned bloodbath smash hit!
July 27, 2024
In this book we follow Lauren - a somewhat washed up journalist who has essentially ruined her career by chasing one particular story. Then she is offered a spot on a reality tv show. Her management are telling her that this may be a good way to restart her career in a way, but she has been given some inside information that the guy who is the focus of the story she's been chasing will be on this programme too, which she thinks will be the perfect opportunity to catch him out. Think Big Brother mixed with I'm a Celeb but on a remote Scottish Island. There are definitely lines lifted from Big Brother, i.e. 'You are live on TV please do not swear'.
For me this book really felt like two separate halves. The first half is basically the 'celebrities' arriving on the island, finding their way around and undergoing a couple of tasks. Most of the characters in this section of the story just came across as whiny entitled celebs, moaning about a situation they signed up for. Because of how irritating they came across I thought maybe most of these would be killed off as we are told in the blurb that the celebs end up fighting for their lives - so I thought maybe it was intentional that they were so annoying.
The second half of the story is much more the murder mystery thriller part. I enjoyed this half a lot more, with the whodunit atmosphere. It was intriguing trying to figure out who might be next and who the murderer was - was there someone else on the island with the celebs or was it one of the celebs?
Due to enjoying the second half a lot more I would give this book a high 3 out of 5.
For me this book really felt like two separate halves. The first half is basically the 'celebrities' arriving on the island, finding their way around and undergoing a couple of tasks. Most of the characters in this section of the story just came across as whiny entitled celebs, moaning about a situation they signed up for. Because of how irritating they came across I thought maybe most of these would be killed off as we are told in the blurb that the celebs end up fighting for their lives - so I thought maybe it was intentional that they were so annoying.
The second half of the story is much more the murder mystery thriller part. I enjoyed this half a lot more, with the whodunit atmosphere. It was intriguing trying to figure out who might be next and who the murderer was - was there someone else on the island with the celebs or was it one of the celebs?
Due to enjoying the second half a lot more I would give this book a high 3 out of 5.
October 7, 2025
This book from the beginning was giving I’m a celebrity ( 2021 in wales at the castle) vibes with a mixture of the traitors…
Little did I know until I researched the author that it was actually written by someone that experienced I’m a celebrity at the castle in wales… talk about small world.
This book was very different to what I’m used to reading but at the same time was intriguing all the same. Was definitely a page turner and kept me guessing and I can honestly say I didn’t expect the twist at the end. Very good read.
Little did I know until I researched the author that it was actually written by someone that experienced I’m a celebrity at the castle in wales… talk about small world.
This book was very different to what I’m used to reading but at the same time was intriguing all the same. Was definitely a page turner and kept me guessing and I can honestly say I didn’t expect the twist at the end. Very good read.
May 2, 2025
I was really intrigued by this book. The premise was interesting and I’m a big fan of the author and her accomplishments so I was excited to read her first fiction book.
A group of celebrities arrive on a Scottish destination ready to take part in a brand new survival reality series. Are they taking part for the right reasons? What secrets are they hiding? When a major storms hits, the contestants are on their own but that is only the start of their problems. One of them ends up dead but was it an accident or was it deliberate? Lauren is determined to find out but she gets more than she bargained for along the way.
I really enjoyed this book, think “I’m A Celebrity” gone wrong! It was a fun, fast paced read. Yes, it was predictable at times but that didn’t take anything away from the story. If anything, it made it more interesting as it took you down a different path each time. I would definitely read another book by this author and would recommend this one to others.
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for this ARC.
A group of celebrities arrive on a Scottish destination ready to take part in a brand new survival reality series. Are they taking part for the right reasons? What secrets are they hiding? When a major storms hits, the contestants are on their own but that is only the start of their problems. One of them ends up dead but was it an accident or was it deliberate? Lauren is determined to find out but she gets more than she bargained for along the way.
I really enjoyed this book, think “I’m A Celebrity” gone wrong! It was a fun, fast paced read. Yes, it was predictable at times but that didn’t take anything away from the story. If anything, it made it more interesting as it took you down a different path each time. I would definitely read another book by this author and would recommend this one to others.
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for this ARC.
June 20, 2025
Not usually a fan of murder mystery books but I enjoyed this one!! Quite a few secrets uncovered in this tale. Was written in a different style than I’m used to so took a minute to get used to however from page 50 onwards I was hooked and throughly enjoyed.
Read
February 20, 2025A bit slow to start with but once into the book. Kept me guessing until the end.
May 9, 2025
Enjoyed this book, if black mirror wrote an episode about celebrities on a new reality tv programme this could easily be it. Kept me guessing throughout.
September 14, 2025
Wow, for her first mystery novel Lousie Minchen has done the job well. While I'm not a fan of reality type shows, the prologue to Isolation Island had me hooked. It’s a creepy, chilling start, and the book is quite visceral at times as the novel gains momentum.
Lauren Brooks, investigative journalist, throws herself into the deep end by joining a group of celebrities on a remote Scottish Island for a reality game show. Think - I’m a Celebrity get me out of here, but dark, very dark.
Then? Wild weather ensues, cutting off all power and one by one celebrities turn up dead. Throw in a few red herring along with the dead bodies piling up, wrap it up in a twisted ending. It’s a nice, quick bring along on holiday type of read. Unless maybe your holiday is to a remote Scottish Island. I hope Louise continues to write atmospheric thrillers.
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Lauren Brooks, investigative journalist, throws herself into the deep end by joining a group of celebrities on a remote Scottish Island for a reality game show. Think - I’m a Celebrity get me out of here, but dark, very dark.
Then? Wild weather ensues, cutting off all power and one by one celebrities turn up dead. Throw in a few red herring along with the dead bodies piling up, wrap it up in a twisted ending. It’s a nice, quick bring along on holiday type of read. Unless maybe your holiday is to a remote Scottish Island. I hope Louise continues to write atmospheric thrillers.
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 14, 2024
Ten celebrities have been picked to take part in a reality show on a remote Scottish Island. As soon they arrive they realise the production team may not be able to keep them safe and when a storm blows in and all communication is lost and a contestant winds up dead it is clear they are fighting for more than just the prize but to survive.
This was a decent quick read thriller in an atmospheric isolated setting. It started off slow but once it picked up it was fast paced and kept me engaged throughout. I did not see that ending coming at all.
Thank you to Netgalley, Headline and Louise Minchin for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a decent quick read thriller in an atmospheric isolated setting. It started off slow but once it picked up it was fast paced and kept me engaged throughout. I did not see that ending coming at all.
Thank you to Netgalley, Headline and Louise Minchin for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 16, 2025
4.5 🌟 talk about an ending!
I was really happy with this book. A suspenseful and thrilling read!
What drew me to this book? Straight off the bat it reminded me of tv shows such as “Alone” , “Survivor” and “I’m a celebrity; get me outta here” and so my curiosity was already peaked.
The story is fast paced and it was easy to race through it. There are characters you will love to hate and also characters you would hate to love.
I throughly enjoyed this book and appreciated the nice blend of elements of darkness and the use of humour.
I subtracted half a gold star rating for the MC not being as crafty and smart consistently throughout the book.
I was really happy with this book. A suspenseful and thrilling read!
What drew me to this book? Straight off the bat it reminded me of tv shows such as “Alone” , “Survivor” and “I’m a celebrity; get me outta here” and so my curiosity was already peaked.
The story is fast paced and it was easy to race through it. There are characters you will love to hate and also characters you would hate to love.
I throughly enjoyed this book and appreciated the nice blend of elements of darkness and the use of humour.
I subtracted half a gold star rating for the MC not being as crafty and smart consistently throughout the book.
October 21, 2024
Thank you for the publisher for the ARC.
This was a nice and entertaining read for the fall season. The concept of a reality show with a mix of reality "stars" on a remote island even though not as unique but really fun to follow along. It was exciting, thrilling and very atmospheric. Really cool debut and i would love to read more from her.
This was a nice and entertaining read for the fall season. The concept of a reality show with a mix of reality "stars" on a remote island even though not as unique but really fun to follow along. It was exciting, thrilling and very atmospheric. Really cool debut and i would love to read more from her.
Read
July 2, 2025This would’ve been more satisfying if the whole game show was set up by the ex-wife to bring down Nate. Because you’re telling me that out of the handful of celebrities on the island, 2(+) had a prior connection to Nate?? Need a part 2 I think?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2024
Finished reading: August 25th 2024
"Seeing the dancing flames, part of Lauren agrees, but there is something sinister about it too. The sophisticated pyrotechnics remind her that, although they are alone on the island, they are being controlled from afar by unseen hands."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Headline in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
REVIEW
September 7, 2024
I decided to read this book after seeing on the blurb that it had some of my favourite thriller tropes. A group of people stranded somewhere? And then add in a reality TV element? Sign me up!
But unfortunately this one didn't quite hit the spot for me.
This book really started out strong for me, I loved the setting of Eilean Manach aka Monk Island a medieval derelict abbey in Scotland and throughout the book this setting really did add to the story.
Another thing I did like about this one was the atmosphere. It positively drips with the autumnal/wintery gothic abbey vibes.
But after a while it began to feel like that was all there was to it.
It is written in the third person, which I have never been a fan of. I think that I would have enjoyed this more if it was written in the first person with multiple POV's.
The reality TV aspect of the plot didn't really play a big part to the story at all in my opinion and I feel like this could have played a much bigger part than it did.
For me after a while the was a complete lack of tension. I think this was because I didn't connect to the characters at all. I wasn't invested in them so I didn't care what would happen.
This book overall fell a bit flat for me. So much so that by the 70% mark I did lose interest and just wanted to finish it.
It doesn't really add anything new or fresh to the thriller genre and there are better books like this that have already been written.
At the end I felt disappointed because when this started I was enjoying it and had high hopes that it would be at least a 4 star read.
However if you are looking for a thriller that is full of atmospheric vibes to read this autumn/winter you might like this more than I did.
Thanks to Headline and Netgalley for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review
But unfortunately this one didn't quite hit the spot for me.
This book really started out strong for me, I loved the setting of Eilean Manach aka Monk Island a medieval derelict abbey in Scotland and throughout the book this setting really did add to the story.
Another thing I did like about this one was the atmosphere. It positively drips with the autumnal/wintery gothic abbey vibes.
But after a while it began to feel like that was all there was to it.
It is written in the third person, which I have never been a fan of. I think that I would have enjoyed this more if it was written in the first person with multiple POV's.
The reality TV aspect of the plot didn't really play a big part to the story at all in my opinion and I feel like this could have played a much bigger part than it did.
For me after a while the was a complete lack of tension. I think this was because I didn't connect to the characters at all. I wasn't invested in them so I didn't care what would happen.
This book overall fell a bit flat for me. So much so that by the 70% mark I did lose interest and just wanted to finish it.
It doesn't really add anything new or fresh to the thriller genre and there are better books like this that have already been written.
At the end I felt disappointed because when this started I was enjoying it and had high hopes that it would be at least a 4 star read.
However if you are looking for a thriller that is full of atmospheric vibes to read this autumn/winter you might like this more than I did.
Thanks to Headline and Netgalley for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review
December 21, 2024
3.5⭐️ Rounded up
Isolation Isand synopsis really caught my attention and was really in a genre that I would typically listen to and had high hopes for this audiobook.
As much as I did enjoy this it didn't quite grip my interest as I expected, maybe my expectations were too high but it just felt a little flat as if it had so much more potential than it delivered overall. The story is laid out well at the beginning, opening quite well with the plot of all characters being described and then offering how it can take various directions. However, considering this was due to be based on contestants on a tv show, there was little reference to this after the initial few chapters. The plot goes on to what seems like a course of tasks that the participants partake in then this is where it seems to leave off and move into more of the murder plots the 2 areas just didn't gel well for me, it didn't flow as well as it could have. At times, it felt like it was 2 different sections or even books to some extent from around almost half to 3/4 way through the story. It was more like this happened then that happened, then this slightly documentary just .like someone narrating, explaining a situation...? 🤔 Almost a slightly strange change in the writing style, or at least this is how it felt listening on audio.
I began to loose perspective of characters and who was who by the end and actually what had happened to the point of interest, the ending was also quite abrupt, just sadly not quite as immersed as I was at the beginning!
This was well narrated, so it was definitely not an issue with narration. I enjoyed this aspect and found it easy to listen to, tones, pitch, and all done well to make each point where appropriate, etc.
With thanks to Netgalley & Headline Audio for the opportunity to listen to this ELC in return for an open, honest review.
Isolation Isand synopsis really caught my attention and was really in a genre that I would typically listen to and had high hopes for this audiobook.
As much as I did enjoy this it didn't quite grip my interest as I expected, maybe my expectations were too high but it just felt a little flat as if it had so much more potential than it delivered overall. The story is laid out well at the beginning, opening quite well with the plot of all characters being described and then offering how it can take various directions. However, considering this was due to be based on contestants on a tv show, there was little reference to this after the initial few chapters. The plot goes on to what seems like a course of tasks that the participants partake in then this is where it seems to leave off and move into more of the murder plots the 2 areas just didn't gel well for me, it didn't flow as well as it could have. At times, it felt like it was 2 different sections or even books to some extent from around almost half to 3/4 way through the story. It was more like this happened then that happened, then this slightly documentary just .like someone narrating, explaining a situation...? 🤔 Almost a slightly strange change in the writing style, or at least this is how it felt listening on audio.
I began to loose perspective of characters and who was who by the end and actually what had happened to the point of interest, the ending was also quite abrupt, just sadly not quite as immersed as I was at the beginning!
This was well narrated, so it was definitely not an issue with narration. I enjoyed this aspect and found it easy to listen to, tones, pitch, and all done well to make each point where appropriate, etc.
With thanks to Netgalley & Headline Audio for the opportunity to listen to this ELC in return for an open, honest review.
July 27, 2024
An atmospheric thriller set on a remote Scottish Island? Sounds like a perfect autumn read.
Celebrity journalist Lauren is hoping to win the prize of her dreams in a reality tv gameshow (think I’m a Celeb crossed with The Traitors). But winning her own prime time TV slot isn’t her only motive for signing up. Could some of her fellow contestants also have shady motives? Things begin to go wrong for the group from the start and then the bodies start appearing…
I loved the remote location and the tense atmosphere. There are a few twists and turns which I didn’t see coming - I thought things were going to go in a completely different direction! This was an easy and fast paced read, although I was left a bit dissatisfied at the end; things wrapped up very quickly, leaving me with a few unanswered questions that made the premise seem pretty implausible; I even re -read the last few chapters in case I’d missed something. I felt as though there was more to explain about the reality series itself.
Even so, I give this a strong four stars as I really enjoyed reading this and I look forward to Minchin’s next book. Thank you to Headlinebooks for my ARC in return for my honest review.
Celebrity journalist Lauren is hoping to win the prize of her dreams in a reality tv gameshow (think I’m a Celeb crossed with The Traitors). But winning her own prime time TV slot isn’t her only motive for signing up. Could some of her fellow contestants also have shady motives? Things begin to go wrong for the group from the start and then the bodies start appearing…
I loved the remote location and the tense atmosphere. There are a few twists and turns which I didn’t see coming - I thought things were going to go in a completely different direction! This was an easy and fast paced read, although I was left a bit dissatisfied at the end; things wrapped up very quickly, leaving me with a few unanswered questions that made the premise seem pretty implausible; I even re -read the last few chapters in case I’d missed something. I felt as though there was more to explain about the reality series itself.
Even so, I give this a strong four stars as I really enjoyed reading this and I look forward to Minchin’s next book. Thank you to Headlinebooks for my ARC in return for my honest review.
November 20, 2025
3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved the cover and blurb for Isolation Island – they’re what made me pick up the book in the first place. It looks fantastic and the premise really hooked me.
Once I started reading, though, I struggled a bit at the beginning. There are a lot of characters introduced quite quickly, and I found it hard to keep track of who was who and to feel properly invested in them. The pacing felt quite slow to me, and it took a while before I felt fully drawn into the story.
This is very much a personal preference, but I tend to enjoy faster-paced thrillers. I also kept thinking this story would have gripped me more if it had been told in first person.
That said, the concept is strong, the setting is fun, and once things get going there are some tense, page-turning moments. I think readers who enjoy a slower build, multiple characters and a more ensemble-style story will probably get on with this more than I did.
Overall, a solid 3.5-star read for me – and I’m glad I gave it a try.
I loved the cover and blurb for Isolation Island – they’re what made me pick up the book in the first place. It looks fantastic and the premise really hooked me.
Once I started reading, though, I struggled a bit at the beginning. There are a lot of characters introduced quite quickly, and I found it hard to keep track of who was who and to feel properly invested in them. The pacing felt quite slow to me, and it took a while before I felt fully drawn into the story.
This is very much a personal preference, but I tend to enjoy faster-paced thrillers. I also kept thinking this story would have gripped me more if it had been told in first person.
That said, the concept is strong, the setting is fun, and once things get going there are some tense, page-turning moments. I think readers who enjoy a slower build, multiple characters and a more ensemble-style story will probably get on with this more than I did.
Overall, a solid 3.5-star read for me – and I’m glad I gave it a try.
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