In 1705, the stability of Clan MacLeod on the Isle of Skye, Scotland was threatened by a coalition of greedy witches and selfish relatives trying to overthrow the ailing chieftain and seize the clan’s fabled treasure. Elspeth MacLeod is called home to face charges of witchcraft and arrives to find her clan in turmoil. She calls on her friend and physician, Malcolm Forrester to support her and the chieftain. But Elspeth must confront her troubled past, and Malcolm his inner demons if they are to be successful in their mission.
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Skyehag is a work of fiction in the historical mystery, adventure, and suspense subgenres. It is intended for the general reading audience and was penned by author team Bettyanne Twigg and Albert Marsolais. In this second novel of the Torrport Diaries series, we follow on from the events of The Convenient to find Elspeth MacLeod in dire straights indeed. The year is 1705, and Elspeth must answer accusations of witchcraft. She calls upon her dear friend, the physician Malcolm Forrester, to vouch for her, but all is far from simple as the nasty in-fighting and the accusations around the unstable Clan MacLeod cause both Elspeth and Malcolm to face their own inner turmoil in order to make things right.
I was absolutely delighted to have the chance to review this second in series work after enjoying The Convenient so very much. Shifting the focus from medical mystery into more of a suspenseful historical gender politics tale is a tall order indeed, and one which author team Bettyanne Twigg and Albert Marsolais were more than ready for. Once again I found the characters and their emotional arc a moving central element of the novel. You could really sit on their shoulders and feel every trial, every demon they battle, and every injustice they suffer, which gives you total immersion and reliability in the plot despite it being some 300 years back in human history. What results is an intriguing story that deftly handles issues of power, greed, fear, and solidarity with sophistication and an engrossing command of narrative. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Skyehag to fans of the series, and historical fiction readers everywhere in general.
