GHOST ISLAND

4 stars out of 5

The latest in the adventures of homicide detective Nessica Niemi - the fourth in the series - puts her sanity to a bit of a test. She's on leave after a devastating encounter that made headlines and her boss eager to be rid of her for a while. As luck would have it, her getaway of choice is a remote island that once housed an orphanage - and for a time, young refugees from Finland who were forced to leave their homes and families during World War II. As Jessica stays at an inn near the shore owned by the elderly Astrid and her son, Ake, some elderly guests show up; she's told they are the only ones remaining of those Finnish children - known as the "birds of spring" - who have gathered annually. At their advanced age and failing health, this may well be their last meeting.

Gradually, as Jessica's natural curiosity and sometimes schitzophrenic mind (she's long been prone to "visions") conjure up strange happenings, she learns about the local legend of Maija - one of the orphans who went to the dock and watched the water every night, wearing a blue coat. That is, until she didn't; one night, she never returned to the orphanage. But out of home doesn't mean out of sight; for years, people on the island have "seen" her at the dock.

But then, one of the "birds" is found dead - in a manner similar to other deaths in years past. Something is amiss - Jessica is sure of it - but she has no legal right to investigate, and there's another police officer who isn't exactly welcoming her help. Asking for assistance from her own department isn't really an option, either - and even if she could, cell phone service is spotty at best on the island.

Chapters shift from present to the time the children were at the orphanage, and that can be a little hard to keep straight. I'd also say I'm glad that I'm familiar with the other books in the series, because without that background, this one might be a little hard to follow. It all works out in the end, but not without at least one zinger of a surprise that pops up around the midpoint. All in all, it's a fact-paced, entertaining adventure - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

Ghost Island by Max Seeck (Berkley, February 2024); 380 pp.