PIG ISLAND by Mo Hayder

[Pentlandpirate]

Has anyone read this? "Pig Island" by Mo Hayder? 'The most terrifying thriller you'll read all year' says Karin Slaughter.

Well I don't normally read this sort of book, but my wife just threw it at me this morning saying how good it was, and I had a few minutes to read a few pages before heading off in the car.

Well, this Mo hayder, worked as a barmaid, security guard, film-maker, hostess in a Tokyo club, etc., etc, so she must know a thing or two about murder.

So it's about the Slate Islands and some satanic goings on (I've heard of worse on Easdale), but then it mentions 'there are two alehouses in the community - the tourist one with its picture window overlooking the marina, and this one for the locals....' Naturally theres 'not since they fenced off that nice bit of beach on the south east of the island and stopped the young folk from Arduaine going out with their boats'

This writer knows a few things about this area and is weaving them in to the story. Then there's the whirlpool, and the lobsterman says, " No, not me. I'd sooner go through the old hags whirlpool, pure fatal or not, than go round Pig Island and come face to face with auld Nick'

It's all too much. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Is that Nick B? I'll have to read on, but could he be some satanic monster? (are you safe on this site? Can he read your thoughts? Are your doors locked?)

Pig Islanders, you've got to read this! It says it's about the unspeakable things people do to each other.....all in the secretive religious community on a remote Scottish Island'. Ooooooh!

[spiderman]

Wikipedia says

"Pig Island is a novel by British writer Mo Hayder, first published in 2006. The novel is nominally a thriller which mixes elements of the detective novel with more overt horror influences. It reached number 8 on the Sunday Times bestseller lists, the author's highest position to date.

Plot summary:
The novel's protagonist is Joe Oakes - "Oakesy" - a journalist who makes his living exposing supernatural hoaxes. So, when a bizarre videotape recorded by a tourist catches a glimpse of a disturbing creature, half-man half-beast, wandering the beaches of a remote Scottish island, Oaksey is just the man to investigate. Pig Island is home to a mysterious religious community, the Psychogenic Healing Ministries, and its leader Pastor Malachi Dove, and they ask him to come to the island to debunk the rumours of Satanism which are the result of the videotape. Oaksey has met Pastor Dove before, and the two have a long-standing threat to make good on.

However, Oaksey's visit throws up more questions than answers. Why does the wider community not want him there? Why will no one talk about the creature seen wandering the island? What lies beyond the wood and the gorge that almost splits the island in two, with a fence that has rotting pig heads atop its posts? Most importantly, what has happened to Pastor Dove, not seen on the island for years, and why will no one talk about him? Joe's visit to the island, and its horrific conclusion, is only the beginning of the legacy that Pig Island will leave on his life."

A disturbing half-man half-beast? - could easily be one of our strange bloggers here? Longshanks? It's true that we haven't seen a Pastor here for years. Is Satanism thriving on Seil? Looking over this blog in the past, it just could be.......Can Easdale Medical Practice be a cover for the Psychogenic Healing Ministries......maybe there is some supporting evidence....?!

Good tip, PP, thank your wife from us all.....

[khartoumteddy]

dont tell me only 666 pages and it features a seilor (nautical typo0

teddy

[Herby Dice]

NickB's dark and unusual ways had to be revealed sooner or later, it was only a matter of time.

I have read this particular literary tour de force, about the only thing I can remember about it was the evocative and realistic descriptions of the narrowboats on the Crinan Canal.

[canUsmellthat]

Does this book contain anything on the misuse of land by conservation bodies and farmers???

[Pentlandpirate]

I don't know. Haven't raed any more yet, but they are all atlking about the stink coming from the island canusmellthat

[khartoumteddy]

ATLKING
Thought I was the King of the Spelling Mistook

Teddy