Crash Land by Doug Jonstone #BlogTour @doug_johnstone @FaberBooks

Sitting in the departure lounge of Kirkwall Airport, Finn Sullivan just wants to get off Orkney. 

But then he meets the mysterious and dangerous Maddie Pierce, stepping in to save her from some unwanted attention, and his life is changed forever.

Set against the brutal, unforgiving landscape of Orkney, CRASH LAND is a psychological thriller steeped in guilt, shame, lust, deception and murder.

Welcome to the BLOG TOUR for Crash Land by Doug Johnstone, published by Faber in paperback on 3 November 2016.

Doug Johnstone's books have passed me by before now, I'm not sure how. Crash Land is his ninth published book, and if this one is anything to go by, then I'm in for a real treat when I get the chance to catch up with his back catalogue.

Crash Land is a compulsive thriller. It is packed full of action and intrigue, with an unlikely super hero lead character and the wonderfully depicted Orkney island. It's far from my usual sort of read, but I was absolutely gripped by the writing, and the plot and the tension that the author so brilliantly creates.

Finn Sullivan was brought up on Orkney, but now lives on the mainland with his girlfriend, he's been
back to visit his Gran and is waiting for a flight home. At the airport he rushes to the aid of an older woman, Maddie, who has caught the attention of a group of oil workers who are leaving the island for their Christmas break. The flight is delayed and Maddie and Finn spend a few hours at the bar. There is a mutual attraction, despite the age difference.

When they finally board the plane, Finn and Maddie sit together and continue to get to know each other until once again, one of the oil workers tries his luck with Maddie. Finn's intervenes and here's where the story really beings to get explosive. Anyone who sees the front cover of this book, and the title will realise that the flight is not going to go smoothly, and Doug Johnstone's description of what happens next is terrifying.  If, like me, you have to start each flight with a couple of valium and a few Hail Marys, then you will be absolutely freaked out by his incredibly realistic writing. It left me feeling very shaky, and just a little sick .... but, it's so so good.

The rest of the book concerns the aftermath of the big event and it's a plot that twists and turns at every page. Finn has found himself at the centre of something that he can't control, he doesn't know who to trust. He feels guilt and anger, and some frustration. He makes decisions that are questionable, but he is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, despite threats from both the authorities and the shadowy underworld figures that emerge.

This is a fabulous story, full of action and plot twists that keep the reader totally gripped. With characters you will either love or hate and a small community setting that really adds to the flavour of the story. A really excellent read, I was very impressed.

My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy of Crash Land for review and who invited me to take part in this blog tour.

Doug Johnstone is the author of a number of acclaimed thrillers, including Gone Again, Hit and Run and, most recently, The Jump.
He is also a freelance journalist, a songwriter and musician, and has a PhD in nuclear physics.
He lives in Edinburgh.

For more information, visit www.dougjohnstone.com
Follow him on Twitter @doug_johnstone 






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