Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
riverrun (2018)
Description
A thriller that alternates between the glamorous fashion world of Paris and the rugged beauty of the Isle of Harris in the Scottish Hebrides. When a fabric entrepreneur is killed in a car explosion in Paris, Niamh, his wife and business partner, becomes the prime suspect. The Parisian police continue to hound her when she returns to Harris to bury her husband's remains. After an attempt is made on her life, Niamh has to wonder if the motive is simply money, or something far more personal.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Sile
Why did I read it? Because I had enjoyed the author's Lewis trilogy, and I had hoped for something similar.
What's it about? Niamh and Ruairidh MacFarlane are two islanders who build up a textile business, and while on a visit to Paris, a car bomb goes off. As the investigation gets under way, Niamh
What did I like? There were parts set on the island, and, as always its character shone through. Both narrators were good, and it was interesting to have one for the present, and one for the past. The downloaded audio file was clear.
What didn't I like? It is unfortunate that this book failed to hold my attention. I kept leaving it, coming back, then leaving it again. This was not helped when, in the back of my mind, I held an idea about the direction of the book from the time of the car bomb. I ploughed on, despite not being gripped by the story line, or the characters, and with clues seemingly corroborating my thoughts on an outcome. When, finally, the end came, it was merely a confirmation.
The characters could just not hold my interest, and the hints about events in the past of some characters were frustrating, especially when the author would elaborate later in a flashback chapter - the waiting seemed so unnecessary. Niamh was the most developed character, but I had no sympathy for her, or indeed with any of the characters, no empathy, or any kind of connection really. Each seemed predictable, and flat.
Having that feeling about the story line's conclusions put me off, and I felt really let down by this book. I wanted to like it so much. I wanted it to grip me and hold me down to it until the bitter end as the Lewis trilogy had, but it just whimpered quietly, and I was frequently able to leave it alone.
I guess my disappointment is showing, but it's really how I felt at the end.
Would I recommend it? Please don't let this be your introduction to Peter May's work; he has written better. Overall, I cannot recommend "I'll Keep You Safe".
What's it about? Niamh and Ruairidh MacFarlane are two islanders who build up a textile business, and while on a visit to Paris, a car bomb goes off. As the investigation gets under way, Niamh
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struggles to come to terms with a life without Ruaridh.What did I like? There were parts set on the island, and, as always its character shone through. Both narrators were good, and it was interesting to have one for the present, and one for the past. The downloaded audio file was clear.
What didn't I like? It is unfortunate that this book failed to hold my attention. I kept leaving it, coming back, then leaving it again. This was not helped when, in the back of my mind, I held an idea about the direction of the book from the time of the car bomb. I ploughed on, despite not being gripped by the story line, or the characters, and with clues seemingly corroborating my thoughts on an outcome. When, finally, the end came, it was merely a confirmation.
The characters could just not hold my interest, and the hints about events in the past of some characters were frustrating, especially when the author would elaborate later in a flashback chapter - the waiting seemed so unnecessary. Niamh was the most developed character, but I had no sympathy for her, or indeed with any of the characters, no empathy, or any kind of connection really. Each seemed predictable, and flat.
Having that feeling about the story line's conclusions put me off, and I felt really let down by this book. I wanted to like it so much. I wanted it to grip me and hold me down to it until the bitter end as the Lewis trilogy had, but it just whimpered quietly, and I was frequently able to leave it alone.
I guess my disappointment is showing, but it's really how I felt at the end.
Would I recommend it? Please don't let this be your introduction to Peter May's work; he has written better. Overall, I cannot recommend "I'll Keep You Safe".
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LibraryThing member bfister
Interesting setting and information about the weaving industry in the Scottish islands, somewhat irritating back and forth between past and present, first person and third, and a very silly ending imo. Without a spoiler, the primary motivation for murder irritated the dickens out of me.
LibraryThing member jess_reads_books
Niamh and Ruairidh MacFarlane are the co-owners of a popular Scottish textiles company known as Ranish Tweed. The couple is in the midst of promoting their brand in Paris when Niamh receives an anonymous email telling her that Ruairidh is having an affair. Suddenly Niamh begins to suspect her
The pair are from a small Scottish village and have known each other all their lives. They believe that fate and destiny brought them together, but now Niamh needs to know what has torn them apart. The police initially suspect Niamh of being a scorned lover who set the car bomb as an act of revenge. Niamh is able to plea her innocence, which means the killer is still on the loose. As the police and Niamh try to put the pieces together of what happened, Niamh flashes back through time by looking back on how Ruairidh and she came to be. Is Niamh’s life in danger? Who killed Ruairidh?
I’LL KEEP YOU SAFE is the story of a couple who has fought their way through many obstacles in life to not only be together, but to create and grow a successful company. I the wake of becoming a widow, Niamh takes the reader on a trip down memory road as scenes from her past are intermingled with the present murder investigation. May brings an atmospheric quality to his work unlike anyone I have read before. I felt like I was in Scotland feeling the salt water hit my face from the comfort of my couch. Despite the vivid details of this novel, the story fell short for me. It was in no way a bad story, but one that I found predictable and a little over the top at the end. I was able to not only guess the murder, but also the twist revealed in the final pages. I believe that this book would be better suited for the occasional crime fiction reader, as I think my constant fandom of the genre resulted in me guessing the ending. This is my second experience with May’s work and I will definitely be continuing to read his books.
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husband’s strange behavior as proof of this affair and trust that this email is true. Shortly after confronting Ruairidh about the affair, she watches him flee their hotel in the car with his mistress and be killed by a car bomb. The pair are from a small Scottish village and have known each other all their lives. They believe that fate and destiny brought them together, but now Niamh needs to know what has torn them apart. The police initially suspect Niamh of being a scorned lover who set the car bomb as an act of revenge. Niamh is able to plea her innocence, which means the killer is still on the loose. As the police and Niamh try to put the pieces together of what happened, Niamh flashes back through time by looking back on how Ruairidh and she came to be. Is Niamh’s life in danger? Who killed Ruairidh?
I’LL KEEP YOU SAFE is the story of a couple who has fought their way through many obstacles in life to not only be together, but to create and grow a successful company. I the wake of becoming a widow, Niamh takes the reader on a trip down memory road as scenes from her past are intermingled with the present murder investigation. May brings an atmospheric quality to his work unlike anyone I have read before. I felt like I was in Scotland feeling the salt water hit my face from the comfort of my couch. Despite the vivid details of this novel, the story fell short for me. It was in no way a bad story, but one that I found predictable and a little over the top at the end. I was able to not only guess the murder, but also the twist revealed in the final pages. I believe that this book would be better suited for the occasional crime fiction reader, as I think my constant fandom of the genre resulted in me guessing the ending. This is my second experience with May’s work and I will definitely be continuing to read his books.
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LibraryThing member N.W.Moors
Niamh and Ruairidh MacFarlane are the owners of Rannish Tweed, woven on the Isle of Lewis and a darling of fashion designers worldwide. They are in Paris when Niamh confronts Ruairidh over an anonymous email that says he is having an affair with a Russian fashion designer. He denies it and leaves,
Mr. May wrote this in the style of The Lewis Trilogy: current events are in the third person and flashbacks are written in the first person. I especially love the sections about the Outer Hebrides and gave an extra 1/2 star for the allusions to Runrig, Dunblane beach, and the Crown Inn and Narrows in Stornoway.
This is a great book with a lot of plausible suspects. I admit I didn't like it as much as The Lewis Trilogy books, but only by a slight margin. I felt the ending was a bit rushed and a few of the characters were left hanging in some respects, especially Braque who took up a substantial part of the book.
The sections about weaving were fascinating. Lewis Tweed is deservedly famous. but I didn't realize how much of the work is still a cottage industry. The other aspects of life on Lewis are just as interesting to me though I was also puzzled by the murders and why/who committed them. I'll Keep You Safe is a great book and I recommend it heartily. I'd give it 4 1/2 stars.
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but Niamh sees him meet the woman and she tries to follow them only to see the car explode. The Paris police quickly rule out terrorism and Sylvie Braque is assigned to investigate the murders. Meanwhile, Niamh takes her husband's body back to the island where they were born and have lived all their lives. Mr. May wrote this in the style of The Lewis Trilogy: current events are in the third person and flashbacks are written in the first person. I especially love the sections about the Outer Hebrides and gave an extra 1/2 star for the allusions to Runrig, Dunblane beach, and the Crown Inn and Narrows in Stornoway.
This is a great book with a lot of plausible suspects. I admit I didn't like it as much as The Lewis Trilogy books, but only by a slight margin. I felt the ending was a bit rushed and a few of the characters were left hanging in some respects, especially Braque who took up a substantial part of the book.
The sections about weaving were fascinating. Lewis Tweed is deservedly famous. but I didn't realize how much of the work is still a cottage industry. The other aspects of life on Lewis are just as interesting to me though I was also puzzled by the murders and why/who committed them. I'll Keep You Safe is a great book and I recommend it heartily. I'd give it 4 1/2 stars.
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LibraryThing member Brumby18
mental chocolate - good coastal scotland wilderness descriptions
Awards
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2017-12
Physical description
464 p.; 5.08 inches
ISBN
1784294977 / 9781784294977
Similar in this library
DDC/MDS
| 823.92 |