REVIEW: The Gathering Murders by Keith Moray

The Gathering Murders (Inspector Torquil McKinnon) by Keith Moray

Genre: Mystery, Crime Fiction, Noir

Read: 3rd July 2018

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

★★★★ 4 stars

I would actually give the book 4.5 stars! I loved it but for the lack of dialogue to begin with and mostly description. To me it makes a book too "heavy" like I am reading a text book. When I began, I actually pondered whether to continue and if I would enjoy it. So glad I did though.

Keith Moray takes us deep into the landscape of the Hebrides as he recounts this highland Scottish murder mystery with all the local overtones from the community to the harmonious Gaelic dialect. "The Gathering Murders" is the first in a new series featuring Inspector Torquil McKinnon on the Hebridean isles of West Uist. He heads up the West Uist Constabulary, a small quiet force of three, and enjoys long quiet rides on his Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle along the Hebridean coastlines and deep into its landscape. He is also the locally dubbed "Piper" for his penchant and talent for the bagpipes, which he intends to play at The Gathering for the coveted Silver Quaich that eludes him every year. McKinnon is aided by Constable Ewan McPhee, a lovable giant, and single mum Sergeant Morag Driscoll, as well as his uncle, Reverand Lachlan McKinnon, who is both loved and knowledgeable about all things West Uist, if not Hebridean, and who raised Torquil from a youngster after his parents were tragically killed.

The book opens with a prologue set in Glasgow and a death which at first glance is not suspicious - with only the perpetrator knowing the truth - before surrounding us with the picturesque beauty of the Hebrides. The small town of Kyleshiffin on West Uist goes from small community to bursting at the seams with thousands of visitors coming to attend The Gathering (Highland Games I would think) and the Literary Festival, which boasts various writers including Kyleshiffin's own Fiona Cullen, dubbed Scottish Queen of Crime, returning to the town with her own agenda. Soon there is murder (at first deemed accidental death) then another, and before long the small close-knit community find themselves at the forefront of national news with the police under fire from the locals and the top brass for not getting a quicker result.

There are some amusing moments with former school teacher, who commands the same presence now and when she taught Torquil and all the Kyleshiffin locals, when no one dared answer her back. There are some shifty characters you will find yourself questioning at every turn as well as some lovable ones. The most surprising I think is who the murderer is. Even I, who usually has some inkling somewhere through a story, did not guess who it was! It was interesting just how many people on a small island can have so many different motives - all at the same time! But the reveal was a definite surprise, at the same time the story continuing at a steady pace to keep the reader interested and guessing!

I love how Moray incorporates the use of Gaelic and yet translates it to English for the reader, as there is nothing worse than reading a book which uses a dialect one doesn't understand and therefore has no idea what is going on in those conversations. I also love that the story is set in the warmer summery months as opposed to the usual dark bleak Scottish weather of rain and misery which is often found in those set in Glasgow and Aberdeen.

In summary, this is a wonderful whodunnit of a different style, in Gaelic noir, with plenty of murders, plenty of suspects and beautiful scenery! I look forward to learning about Torquil further into the series and enjoying the gorgeous Hebrides once more!