Stormy Petrel: The gripping classic of love and adventure in the Scottish Hebrides from the Queen of the Romantic Mystery

by Mary Stewart Narrated by Eilidh Beaton

Overview

A classic tale of love, intrigue, adventure and the natural world, set on a beautiful isolated Hebridean island, by beloved novelist Mary Stewart.

When Rose Fenemore takes a desperately needed holiday to an isolated cottage on the Scottish island of Moila she doesn't expect much in the way of adventure - just a few quiet weeks of writing, walking and bird-watching. And then, late one night during a wild storm, two young men appear in her doorway, seeking shelter from the wind and rain. Neither man is quite who he claims, and the question of who to trust will put Rose in grave peril . . .

The stormy petrels. The fragile, tiny black birds, nocturnal and solitary, that come ashore to nest but spend most of the lives flying close above the sea-waves, come storm or shine.

'A comfortable chair and a Mary Stewart: total heaven. I'd rather read her than most other authors.' Harriet Evans

(P)2019 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Stewart's ability to evoke a setting is richly apparent in her latest tale (after Thornyhold ), which takes place on Moila, a remote Hebridean island. Cambridge professor and writer Rose Fenemore seeks quiet and inspiration in a rented cottage that she expects to share with her brother, a doctor and amateur bird photographer. An unforeseen delay in his arrival gives her a week of solitude, during which time she is profoundly affected by the starkly beautiful landscape and abundant, almost fearless wildlife. Her peace of mind is shattered one rain-swept evening, however, by two unexpected visitors. Ewen Mackay, charming and persuasive, says he had been the former tenant of her cottage, and was unaware the place had been let. When, later in the same night, another man arrives, drenched and agitated, he tells Rose and Ewen he is simply seeking shelter from the storm. The visitors are jumpy, evasive and mutually antagonistic, and Rose's suspicions are aroused. The mystery of their relationship and real purpose, never menacing, is quickly solved, and takes second place to Stewart's vivid rendering of Moila's lochs, glens and wild birds, especially the graceful stormy petrels who nest there. A subplot about an irresponsible land developer seems an excessive afterthought. While devoid of real suspense, the tale is nonetheless laced with charm and good humor. (Sept.)

School Library Journal

YA-- Little does Dr. Fenemore suspect that she will become immersed in a Highland theft when she retreats from Cambridge to a remote Scottish island so that she can write without interruption. Mysterious nighttime visitors at a nearby vacant house start her wondering what is happening there. Stewart has drawn a character with whom readers will readily identify. Although there is only a hint of romance and a touch of danger, the interest in and beauty of nature and the environment provide a unifying theme. The simple plot, short chapters, and easy-to-read style make this an appropriate choice for average readers. They will, however, have to skip over descriptive British terms describing the scenery. This is easy to do and does not detract from the story line. --Claudia Moore, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA

Product Details

BN ID:	2940178375839
Publisher:	Octopus Books
Publication date:	11/07/2019
Edition description:	Unabridged

Videos