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Available
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Publication
Fawcett (1994), Mass Market Paperback, 272 pages
Description
In a rented cottage off the west coast of Scotland, Rose Fenemore finds her peace shattered by the arrival of two men seeking shelter from a violent storm.
User reviews
LibraryThing member cala3
I really wanted to enjoy this book as it started out really well but in the end (actually the last half) was really weak and felt forced. I would not recommend the book. I did learn what a petrel was, though, no thanks to the book, I had to use Wikipedia ;-)
LibraryThing member moonshineandrosefire
When Rose Fenemore travels to the island of Moila off the west coast of Scotland, she is looking forward to spending a quiet holiday with her brother Crispin in a paradise filled with seabirds and wild flowers. Remote and lonely, the secluded island seems to Rose to be the perfect place to relax
However, things don't turn out quite so idyllically. Her brother's arrival is delayed, and the island's peace is shattered by the arrival of two men, seeking shelter during a violent summer storm. Each man tells a remarkably different story - conflicting narratives that draw Rose into a web of menace and suspicion.
Rose's discovery of the stormy petrels - the fragile, elusive seabirds that nest ashore but spend the majority of their lives flying just above the waves - comes to symbolize for Rose her confusion about Ewen Mackay, the man known as the island's prodigal son, as well as the man who calls himself John Parsons - someone whose account of himself Rose has every reason to distrust.
I enjoyed reading this book - it was certainly interesting and a remarkably quick read for me. However, I must say that I didn't really find the plot all that suspenseful - at least not as suspenseful as some of Ms. Stewart's other work that I've read. Although I wouldn't say that this book is Ms. Stewart's absolute best - compared to some of her other books that I've read in the past - it still was quite good. I would give The Stormy Petrel by Mary Stewart an A!
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and get away from it all. In fact, the isolated cottage she has rented - advertised as an "ivory tower" - promises to be the ideal retreat where Rose can finish writing her novel, and Crispin can commune with nature - walking, fishing and indulging in his passion for photography.However, things don't turn out quite so idyllically. Her brother's arrival is delayed, and the island's peace is shattered by the arrival of two men, seeking shelter during a violent summer storm. Each man tells a remarkably different story - conflicting narratives that draw Rose into a web of menace and suspicion.
Rose's discovery of the stormy petrels - the fragile, elusive seabirds that nest ashore but spend the majority of their lives flying just above the waves - comes to symbolize for Rose her confusion about Ewen Mackay, the man known as the island's prodigal son, as well as the man who calls himself John Parsons - someone whose account of himself Rose has every reason to distrust.
I enjoyed reading this book - it was certainly interesting and a remarkably quick read for me. However, I must say that I didn't really find the plot all that suspenseful - at least not as suspenseful as some of Ms. Stewart's other work that I've read. Although I wouldn't say that this book is Ms. Stewart's absolute best - compared to some of her other books that I've read in the past - it still was quite good. I would give The Stormy Petrel by Mary Stewart an A!
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LibraryThing member RBeffa
I think if this book as one of those old fashioned cozy mysteries. No big murder and mayhem and horrible deaths. This mystery is in fact rather light on the suspense element, although it tries to set up a mystery. It isn't scary. There's barely a touch of romance. I enjoyed the book as a pleasant
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light read, and what I most enjoyed was the descriptive nature of the environment of the Scottish Hebrides. I also liked that the protaganist, a poet and professor, was secretly a science fiction writer under an alias. Show Less
LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey
Fun story. The romance is barely hinted at, the mystery keeps popping up and disappearing again, and the real story is just people and everyday events and the island life. There's more interest in the styles and types of writing, and the mechanics of getting food when there's only a thrice-weekly
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ferry, than in a thief and con-man. And the machair and the midges and the stormy petrels are what really stand out. There's also a good bit of philosophy, of the uncommon-sense variety - those who can write should, and not let the world drown them out; it's not a betrayal to tell the truth on a liar... like that. Lovely story. Show Less
LibraryThing member JulesJones
Romantic suspense set on a remote Scottish Island. The story's fairly simple, and the appeal is in watching the interplay of the characters, and the evocative descriptions of the island and its way of life. It has mixed reviews, and I can see why; but I liked it a lot.
LibraryThing member AddictedToMorphemes
Cozy read, light mystery, very light romance.
Rose Fenmore visits a tiny island in western Scotland in order to have some peace and quiet to get some writing done. On a stormy night shortly after her arrival, two men show up looking for refuge. They both seem a bit suspicious of the other, making
Rose Fenmore visits a tiny island in western Scotland in order to have some peace and quiet to get some writing done. On a stormy night shortly after her arrival, two men show up looking for refuge. They both seem a bit suspicious of the other, making
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Rose a little nervous as well. Nothing goes wrong but over the next few days she assists the locals and police officials in solving a mystery surrounding both men. In doing so, she starts to befriend one of the men and by the end of the book you realize the friendship has bloomed into a new romance. Show Less
LibraryThing member BeyondEdenRock
I fell in love with a Scottish island when I was eight years old.
Looking back it was a mad thing for my parents to do, travelling so far across country with two young children, but that wanted to see Scotland, and they had been guided to a particular place by a very good friend. So if it was
That’s what drew me to ‘Stormy Petrel, even though I knew it was one of Mary Stewart’s later novels and not considered to be her best work; it was set on a fictional Scottish island, and island very close to and very like mine.
The story opened in a Cambridge where Rose, who write poetry for love and science fiction for money, was a tutor of English. A newspaper advertisement caught her eye: an advertisement for cottage on the Hebridean island of Moila. It sounded perfect. Rose could have the time and space to write and her doctor brother, a keen wildlife photographer, would love to take pictures of the rare birds that nested on the island.
Rose travelled north before her brother, and she found the island and the cottage to be everything she hoped them to be.
When Rose wakes in the night to the sounds of someone moving about downstairs she assumes that her brother has arrived. But he hasn’t, and another man is making tea in the kitchen. Both are startled, but the intruder is quick to reassure Rose, explaining that he had lived there with foster parents, he had fallen out of touch, he had no idea that they had moved away. And then another man arrived. His explanation was that he was a visiting geologist, he had been camping, and when the storm carried his tent away he had come to look for shelter where he saw lights.
The two men claimed not to have met, but there was something in their manners towards each other that told rose that they had, that something was amiss. Rose made a sensible decision: she withdrew to her room, leaving the pair to make the best of things downstairs.
When Rose woke again the storm and her house-guests had gone. She thought that was the end of things, but of course it was only the beginning ….
I found a lot to like in ‘Stormy Petrel’.
Moila is so beautifully and lovingly described that I was transported, and I didn’t doubt for one second that it was inspired by a place that Mary Stewart knew and loved.
” It is not a large island, perhaps nine miles by five, with formidable cliffs to the north-west that face the weather like the prow of a ship. From the steep sheep-bitten turf at the head of these cliffs the land slopes gently down towards a glen where the island’s only sizeable river runs seawards out of a loch cupped in a shallow basin among low hills. Presumably the loch – lochan, rather, for it is not large – is fed by springs eternally replenished by the rain, for nothing flows into it except small burns seeping through rush and bog myrtle, which spread after storms into sodden quagmires of moss. But the outflow is perennially full, white water pouring down to where the moor cleaves open and lets it fall to the sea.”
I loved that Rose came to love her island as I loved mine, that she appreciated that things that made it so special. And I was pleased that she proved herself to be sensible, capable and practical.
I was pleased that the romance was low-key, and that the resolution of the story was gentle, with future possibilities simply suggested.
I was less pleased that the suspense was low-key, that it became clear quickly who was the hero and who was the villain, that the villain was not so very wicked, and that there was very little mystery to be resolved or danger to be faced.
And so I loved my trip to Moila, I loved the company, but the story – it needed something more.
Looking back it was a mad thing for my parents to do, travelling so far across country with two young children, but that wanted to see Scotland, and they had been guided to a particular place by a very good friend. So if it was
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madness it was the very best kind of madness, and if I had to live outside Cornwall I should still choose to live on a Scottish Island.That’s what drew me to ‘Stormy Petrel, even though I knew it was one of Mary Stewart’s later novels and not considered to be her best work; it was set on a fictional Scottish island, and island very close to and very like mine.
The story opened in a Cambridge where Rose, who write poetry for love and science fiction for money, was a tutor of English. A newspaper advertisement caught her eye: an advertisement for cottage on the Hebridean island of Moila. It sounded perfect. Rose could have the time and space to write and her doctor brother, a keen wildlife photographer, would love to take pictures of the rare birds that nested on the island.
Rose travelled north before her brother, and she found the island and the cottage to be everything she hoped them to be.
When Rose wakes in the night to the sounds of someone moving about downstairs she assumes that her brother has arrived. But he hasn’t, and another man is making tea in the kitchen. Both are startled, but the intruder is quick to reassure Rose, explaining that he had lived there with foster parents, he had fallen out of touch, he had no idea that they had moved away. And then another man arrived. His explanation was that he was a visiting geologist, he had been camping, and when the storm carried his tent away he had come to look for shelter where he saw lights.
The two men claimed not to have met, but there was something in their manners towards each other that told rose that they had, that something was amiss. Rose made a sensible decision: she withdrew to her room, leaving the pair to make the best of things downstairs.
When Rose woke again the storm and her house-guests had gone. She thought that was the end of things, but of course it was only the beginning ….
I found a lot to like in ‘Stormy Petrel’.
Moila is so beautifully and lovingly described that I was transported, and I didn’t doubt for one second that it was inspired by a place that Mary Stewart knew and loved.
” It is not a large island, perhaps nine miles by five, with formidable cliffs to the north-west that face the weather like the prow of a ship. From the steep sheep-bitten turf at the head of these cliffs the land slopes gently down towards a glen where the island’s only sizeable river runs seawards out of a loch cupped in a shallow basin among low hills. Presumably the loch – lochan, rather, for it is not large – is fed by springs eternally replenished by the rain, for nothing flows into it except small burns seeping through rush and bog myrtle, which spread after storms into sodden quagmires of moss. But the outflow is perennially full, white water pouring down to where the moor cleaves open and lets it fall to the sea.”
I loved that Rose came to love her island as I loved mine, that she appreciated that things that made it so special. And I was pleased that she proved herself to be sensible, capable and practical.
I was pleased that the romance was low-key, and that the resolution of the story was gentle, with future possibilities simply suggested.
I was less pleased that the suspense was low-key, that it became clear quickly who was the hero and who was the villain, that the villain was not so very wicked, and that there was very little mystery to be resolved or danger to be faced.
And so I loved my trip to Moila, I loved the company, but the story – it needed something more.
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LibraryThing member SquirrelHead
I saw this book on sale at Amazon and the description appealed to me. There is an old house, a cozy cottage and its on an isolated island off the Scottish coast. There is also a mystery and lots bird watching activity so this all appealed to me. Yeah, I am a nerd about stories featuring old houses
Our main character is Rose Fenemore, a college professor of English and also a poet. She finds an advertisement for a rental on an isolated island off Scotland. It’s a perfect retreat for her to relax and work on her poetry without interruptions by students or campus life. Rose invites her brother, an avid bird watcher, to come along for the vacation. Sounds like a relaxing place with peace and quiet.
One evening after Rose is in bed she hears a door open downstairs and goes to investigate, thinking her brother finally arrived. There is a stranger in her kitchen who proceeds to tell her this used to be his childhood home. Right there I had to suspend disbelief as Rose’s reaction was more of annoyance rather than fear. Rose is 27 years old, not a big woman and she is suddenly alone in complete isolation with a stranger. She makes him a cup of coffee and they chat a bit. But then, even odder, another man turns up on this stormy night. He also coms in. Hmmmm...
What I liked about the book was the setting and descriptions of the island. The quieter and slow pace of life appeals to me very much. The birds, seals, old house on the hill and residents of the island were described well. The mystery regarding the two men is solved and there is a hint of romance on the horizon here.
Seems I read a book by Mary Stewart a long time ago but I can’t remember which one, just remembered I liked the style so this sounded like a good plot. Apparently from other reviews I am seeing this wasn’t her finest book. I would certainly try more by this author and start with recommendations from her avid fans.
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or mentions of birds/wildlife.Our main character is Rose Fenemore, a college professor of English and also a poet. She finds an advertisement for a rental on an isolated island off Scotland. It’s a perfect retreat for her to relax and work on her poetry without interruptions by students or campus life. Rose invites her brother, an avid bird watcher, to come along for the vacation. Sounds like a relaxing place with peace and quiet.
One evening after Rose is in bed she hears a door open downstairs and goes to investigate, thinking her brother finally arrived. There is a stranger in her kitchen who proceeds to tell her this used to be his childhood home. Right there I had to suspend disbelief as Rose’s reaction was more of annoyance rather than fear. Rose is 27 years old, not a big woman and she is suddenly alone in complete isolation with a stranger. She makes him a cup of coffee and they chat a bit. But then, even odder, another man turns up on this stormy night. He also coms in. Hmmmm...
What I liked about the book was the setting and descriptions of the island. The quieter and slow pace of life appeals to me very much. The birds, seals, old house on the hill and residents of the island were described well. The mystery regarding the two men is solved and there is a hint of romance on the horizon here.
Seems I read a book by Mary Stewart a long time ago but I can’t remember which one, just remembered I liked the style so this sounded like a good plot. Apparently from other reviews I am seeing this wasn’t her finest book. I would certainly try more by this author and start with recommendations from her avid fans.
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LibraryThing member Jean_Sexton
Romantic suspense, thy author is Mary Stewart. One of the best parts of any Mary Stewart book is the description of the area; I feel you get a hint of why you should visit the location someday.
This book is lowkey on the suspense and romance departments, but it was the level I needed at the time.
What I liked most was the heroine was a writer. As Hugh Templer, she wrote lucrative science fiction while she was a struggling poet under her real name. I enjoyed her observations on writing.
In short, I would strongly recommend this book to those who enjoy a gentle romantic suspense novel.
This book is lowkey on the suspense and romance departments, but it was the level I needed at the time.
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There are hints of it being one of her later books: there are subplots involving drugs and an overly aggressive land developer who didn't understand the draw of the Hebridean island of the Scottish Highlands.What I liked most was the heroine was a writer. As Hugh Templer, she wrote lucrative science fiction while she was a struggling poet under her real name. I enjoyed her observations on writing.
In short, I would strongly recommend this book to those who enjoy a gentle romantic suspense novel.
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LibraryThing member bcrowl399
Once again Mary Stewart has transported me to an isolated island in the Hebrides and has taught me new words like "broch" and "machair". I could feel the sea spray and I could hear the birds. It was a lovely mystery told by a master. And let's not forget the midges.
Language
Original publication date
1991
Physical description
272 p.; 6.7 inches
ISBN
0449220850 / 9780449220856
DDC/MDS
| Fic Romance Stewart |
Other editions
Stormy Petrel by Mary Stewart (Ebook)