The Ice Twins by S K Tremayne

One of Sarah’s daughters died. But can she be sure which one? A terrifying psychological thriller that will chill you to the bone.

A year after one of their identical twin daughters, Lydia, dies in an accident, Angus and Sarah Moorcraft move to the tiny Scottish island Angus inherited from his grandmother, hoping to put together the pieces of their shattered lives. 

But when their surviving daughter, Kirstie, claims they have mistaken her identity – that she, in fact, is Lydia – their world comes crashing down once again. 

As winter encroaches, Angus is forced to travel away from the island for work, Sarah is feeling isolated, and Kirstie (or is it Lydia?) is growing more disturbed. 

When a violent storm leaves Sarah and her daughter stranded, Sarah finds herself tortured by the past – what really happened on that fateful day one of her daughters died?

The Ice Twins by S K Tremayne was published on 29 January 2015 by Harper Collins.

The blurb for The Ice Twins is certainly enticing, with hints of terror and mystery and dead children contained in it. The book opens at a great pace, the reader is catapulted straight into what becomes a fast and furious story.... but ... there is a hint of the ridiculous about the plot, and despite the excellent characterisation and the superb setting, I just couldn't shake it off.

Sarah and Angus were the parents of identical twin girls, christened the ice twins due to their white blonde hair. The girls were inseparable, they had their own special twin language, they seemed to know exactly what the other was thinking, and it was almost impossible to tell them apart. Then Lydia died. She fell from a balcony whilst staying with Sarah's parents in Devon, and the family have been ripped apart by her death. Struggling both financially and emotionally, the Moorcrofts have grasped the only apparent lifeline that they have, they will move to a remote Scottish island, and start to rebuild their lives.

Torren island is very remote. Uninhabited, accessible only via dangerous mud-flats, no internet connection, their cottage is almost derelict and overrun by rats. It's really no wonder that the remaining twin, Kirstie starts to display strange behaviours.

The pace of this story can be described as hurtling. The reader is led a merry dance, through emotions and lies and hidden secrets, never really knowing who is telling the truth. None of the characters are particularly likeable, except for the dog, oh that dog; what a wonderful creation!

The real star of this story is the setting, and the author's expertise in describing the barren land that is a force to be reckoned with. Even though the characters are battling their own demons, there is nothing can can stand up to the battering wind and rain of a winter storm on a remote island. The weather conditions add to the tensions within the story. Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate this book, not at all. I was totally wrapped up in the story, it is really quite compelling and the writing is excellent and will thrill any reader. For me though, it was just a little over the top. I usually love the unknown; that feeling of wonderment, and trying to suss out just what the author is trying to do, but there was a niggle in the back of my mind throughout this one, and it annoyed me.

My thanks to the Killer Reads team at Harper Collins who sent my copy for review.

S K Tremayne is a bestselling novelist and award-winning travel writer, and a regular contributor to newspapers and magazines around the world.
Born in Devon, the author now lives in London.
S K Tremayne has two daughters