With it's basis in a true story, this could have been a tale infused with myth and legend, full of dark imagery. It could have been an exploration of the mental stress imposed on those working in extreme geographic isolation.

It is neither of these things. Instead this book unfurls upon a cardboard landscape mired in turgid prose and peopled by stereotypes, the central mystery lost in a blizzard of Christmas ceilidhs (!) and Och Ayes.

The most interesting bit was the appendix telling what happened to some of the real-life characters. Luckily, the most loathsome character ( who is also completely unnecessary to the story) was created by the author. Unfortunately, the author seems inordinately pleased with her creation. ( )