The Island by Adrian McKinty

 

Tom along with his new wife Heather and his children Olivia and Owen are on holiday in Australia. Desperate to see some wildlife they visit a small island just off the coast of Melbourne. Following a tragic accident the family are trapped on the island and hunted by the family that live there.

The opening chapter is tense and full of terror. The story then switches to the events leading up to the tragic accident; a family of American tourists exploring Australia. We learn about the dynamics of the family and the tensions between new wife Heather and her step-children Olivia (14) and Owen (12). All of this is just scene setting as it's the opening chapter that really sets the tone for the rest of the novel.

Trapped on the island the group are hunted by the extended family who own the island. No-one knows where they are, their phones and possessions have been confiscated. All the family have is the clothes they are wearing. 

The family that live on the island are lawless and set the rules to suit themselves. Their vengeance is "an eye for an eye". As well as trying to stay ahead of the family the group of Americans are also dealing with an inhospitable landscape - heat, no shade, lack of water and no food. Basically the stuff of nightmares for any tourist who wants to get off the beaten track.

Survival for the Americans seems slim. What the family living on the island didn't factor in is that Heather was raised in a commune on an island. The skills she picked up as a child allow them to stay one step heated as they are hunted. Heather becomes a female version of Rambo. As they lurch from one near disaster to another your heart is in your mouth, you are willing the family on every step of the way, cheering each little victory in their fight for survival.

The Island by Adrian McKinty will be published on 26th May 2022 in hardback. Ebook and audio format will be published on 17th May 2022. My thanks to NetGalley and Orion for a preview copy.