Eighteen-year-old Caitlin is found dead on the beach at An Loch Dubh, also known as the Black Loch. Finn, the son of Fionnlagh and Marsaili, who was having an affair with Caitlin, is accused of murder. EVen he is convinced that he accidentally killed her. His parents are devastated, and Finn decides to find out the truth for himself. Flashbacks to Finn’s adolescence and the foolish things he did with his friends help to solve the murder. With themes of friendship, love and environmental issues, I loved this novel, especially when listening to it read by Peter Forbes in his Scottish accent. This gives the story an additional and very pleasant dimension.
“She said, ‘I remember once, at school, our English teacher asked us what we all wanted out of life. And almost everyone in the class said their ambition was to be happy.’ Her tiny laugh was full of irony. ‘Well, it seems that’s an ambition I failed to achieve.’ She looked at the girl. ‘I’m not happy, Donna. Not sure when I became fully aware of that. Unhappiness is like pain. You just get used to it. Or take palliatives. Like alcohol. I suppose I’ve known it for a while now, though I never wanted to admit it. I always remember something Artair’s mother said to me all those years ago. No one should expect to be happy, Marsaili. Which I guess was just a reflection of her own sad life, But I kind of understand it now’.”
Listened to as an audiobook