TRENT ISLAND
Author: Alan Reynolds
ISBN 978-1-913170-64-6
Available at all good book stores and online in print and digital versions

This award-winning writer yet again shows great skill at intertwining facts into his narrative in a way that the reader will find it hard to tell one from the other…

It seemed like another routine, humdrum morning for Courtney Kline, the chief reporter at the Eastport Echo. Just another day in the office, at least until she opened an email sent from the chair of the anglers association. In it, he stated he had evidence that something was killing the fish in the local river but that no one would listen to him.

Out of curiosity, she contacted the man and they agreed to meet. But when, in mysterious circumstances, he ends up dead, she starts her own investigation which triggers a chain of events that leads to a roller coaster ride through cover-ups and intrigue. With her own life in danger, who can she trust?

Poor governance and bad leadership can have catastrophic consequences. Often the most major of events can start with good people doing nothing while those that should know better try to cover up their incompetence and criminality.

This fast-paced story will have readers rapidly turning the page to see what happens next.

 

 

 

See author page here

Reviews…

A gripping thriller packed full of surprising twists, and even a few shocks!

A good thriller can be difficult to find. I remember when I was younger I very much enjoyed Clive Cussler’s Dirk Pitt books. But, sadly, they got worse and worse until finally, I gave up on them. Over the last few years, helping out at the Wishing Shelf Book Awards, I have read a number of Alan Reynolds’ books and, unlike Clive Cussler, Reynolds’ books keep getting better and better. He seems to me to be the sort of writer who works hard on improving his craft. Well, it seems to be paying off as his latest book, Trent Island, is the best so far.

In this exciting novel, we follow Courtney Kline, a reporter at the Eastport Echo, as she looks into the killing of fish in a local river. Now, possibly, you might be thinking what I thought when I read the blurb; fish dying is probably not the most exciting theme for a thriller. But this novel is anything but mundane. The plot is superbly constructed and thoroughly gripping, packed full of conspiracy, political intrigue and, of course, a big fat coverup.

In terms of writing style, the author is pretty much spot on. Thriller readers don’t want Dickens, they want fast-paced, short on description and long on action. This is what the author offers. The character work is good, the primary characters well fleshed-out with interesting arcs to follow.

So, to the important bit. Who is this book for? Well, if you enjoy a fast-paced thriller, you’ll very much enjoy Trent Island. And, if novels by Clive Cussler, Lee Child and Jack Higgins clutter most of your bookshelf, this book would happily sit amongst them. 
Enjoy!
– The Wishing Shelf 

This was my first experience of the works of Alan Reynolds and he had me hooked to explore more of his work immediately. Trent Island is fast-paced in its plot and has many different angles that cleverly merge into each other as the book unfolds. There is a level of intrigue that held my attention and characters depicted in such a way I felt an affiliation to them and their situations. I would highly recommend not only this book but the author too, he has a wonderful way with words.
– Alison Hendry-Butler

Today I finished a page-turner of a book. I’m not a great reader but have found pretty much all the books I’ve read so far by this author quite an exciting read. I don’t really want to say too much for fear of giving away plot lines, so if you read the synopsis to get a feel to see if it’s your cup of tea I think that would help your decision to buy it but I will say for someone that usually falls asleep after reading a sentence in most books, it took me just a week coz I couldn’t put it down. Even while working, I found myself sitting in my kitchen chair with a cuppa in hand and dog on lap.
– Frances

Having read some of Alan’s earlier books, I was intrigued to read this latest novel as I’d heard it involved a chemical plant (I’m a chemist by training!). I’m always interested to see how science and/or engineering can be woven into a storyline – and to try and spot any inaccuracies! Don’t worry though, this is not a ‘heavy’ novel requiring any scientific or engineering understanding. It is a well-paced, multi-threaded novel, in which Alan skillfully weaves the threads together in a gripping storyline; you’re left wondering just how all these threads will come together right up to the end, and Alan does not disappoint!
– Jonathan Oxley

Absolutely loved this book. From page one l was drawn in and hooked. Fabulous plot and very believable characters. Would not hesitate to recommend it to other readers.
– Ann Perry

Trent Island is a pacy and interesting read which informs as well as entertains. The strands of the tale are woven together seamlessly to create an engaging novel which kept my interest throughout. The characters are well-drawn and the subject matter is thought-provoking. This is a clever and well-written novel that is both a good read and a multi-layered cautionary tale. Well worth a read. You won’t be disappointed.
– YLD