Lark is a tiny, remote island, several days from the mainland by ship, and inaccessible by sea or air for the vast majority of the year. There is no internet and few modern facilities, a haven for some. Here, faith is the most important thing, and it has supported the isolated islanders through many tragedies, children lost to the sea and the loss of 10 men in a fishing accident some years ago.

Into this strange and isolating environment comes Viola; she and her mother are fleeing their own reminders of personal tragedy, and there she struggles to fit in, spying upon the three oldest girls from the local school and dealing with the fact that she is not only an outsider, but an unlucky redhead to boot. It is Viola that comes across a murder victim, throwing the island residents into mistrust and chaos, and sparking reminders of earlier superstition and paganism.

In a parallel story, a new teacher arrives on the island, the first male teacher in years, and a romance develops between him and Leah Cedars, the head teacher. Their relationship has a dramatic impact on the young girls in the school and begins the unravelling of the close society and unspoken secrets.

We do not know the identity of the murder victim until the end of the book, as the story is told in two time frames six months apart. I didn’t feel this clever plot device worked particularly well but nonetheless this is an interesting book, claustrophobic and atmospheric, and genuinely spooky at times. One for lovers of secrets.

Reviewed by Lesley West