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Saturday 27 May 2017

‘The Darkness Within’ by Alanna Knight.



Published by Allison & Busby,
23 March 2017.
ISBN:
978-0749021177

Orkney, 1906, and Inspector Faro’s family has gathered together after the death of his daughter Emily’s husband. But there are strange goings-on on the royal yacht, anchored offshore, and two brutal attacks on young men. Soon, Faro senses the danger moving closer, to threaten his own family ...

The Darkness Within brings Inspector Faro, the analytical, intelligent detective, now retired from Edinburgh police, into harness with his intuitive, sensitive younger daughter, Rose, now a lady detective in Edinburgh, and there’s plenty for them to investigate together in this densely-plotted novel. The strand of plot involving a missing passenger and mysterious visitor, ‘Mr Smith’ from the royal yacht, is neatly woven in with a young man who was attacked while watching for a selkie woman to return, and the legend of the treasure of the Maid of Norway, who died on her way to Scotland, and was buried in Orkney. Emily, Faro’s older daughter, is left alone with the great house of Yesnaby to keep, for the sake of her son, Magnus, but her heart is torn between handsome, enigmatic Sven and the reliable local doctor. As always, Knight brings both the landscape of Orkney and life in the past there to life. When the family comes to Edinburgh, again we see the Edwardian streets and as the mystery is finally unravelled, there’s an exciting finale on Arthur’s Seat.

This cleverly-plotted, atmospheric novel is a treat for Knight’s many fans, with all their favourite characters together at last, and a delightful introduction for newcomers to her historical detectives, Faro and Rose. Highly recommended.
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Reviewer: Marsali Taylor

Alanna Knight is one of the most popular authors in UK libraries. Named as one of The Times’ “100 Masters of Crime”, she is a leading crime writer with three historical crime series: the Victorian detective Inspector Jeremy Faro, lady investigator Rose McQuinn, and time-traveller Tam Eildor.
She has published 75 works which include romance, thrillers, historical novels and non-fiction. Alanna is an authority on Robert Louis Stevenson and she has written true crime, 'how to write' guides and biographies.
Hon President of Edinburgh Writers' Club, Honorary President and founder member of Scottish Association of Writers, member of Society of Authors and Crime Writers' Association, and Mystery People.  She appears regularly at Edinburgh International Book Festival and many other literary events.



Marsali Taylor grew up near Edinburgh, and came to Shetland as a newly-qualified teacher. She is currently a part-time teacher on Shetland's scenic west side, living with her husband and two Shetland ponies. Marsali is a qualified STGA tourist-guide who is fascinated by history, and has published plays in Shetland's distinctive dialect, as well as a history of women's suffrage in Shetland. She's also a keen sailor who enjoys exploring in her own 8m yacht, and an active member of her local drama group.  Marsali also does a regular monthly column for the Mystery People e-zine.

A review of her recent book Ghosts of the Vikings can be read here.


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