Darcy Scott’s third island mystery, Ragged Island, published by Maine Authors Publishing, is intriguing, from the first to the last page. I enjoyed Darcy’s first two island novels, which have won many awards, and have been looking forward to this third one set on Matinicus Island.

The stories continue from one novel to the next, so you may want to read the first two before tackling Ragged Island, but you don’t have to, because she brings you right up to date with the story line as the new novel moves forward.

There is a lot of murder, mystery, and mayhem, and I like the way Darcy assures us she made it all up – nothing like this has ever happened on Matinicus – good to know!

“Ragged Island, like its predecessors in the island mystery series, is a work of fiction – its inspiration rooted in the rich history and culture of Maine’s out-islands,” wrote Darcy. “I choose to write about real places and do my best to portray their geography accurately, though some locations have been reconfigured to suit my plot. That said, the characters roaming these pages are solely the product of my imagination and are not based on any of the hard-working people who actually inhabit these communities. I mention this because there are folks out there will make a point of telling me so. As well they should.”

Well, I can tell you, Darcy has a great imagination! The main character in Ragged Island is Gil Hodges, a very troubled guy who is tormented by all the murders on and off the island. When he finds out the truth – well, you will be as astonished as he is.

Darcy is a former Marine industry publicist and live aboard sailor who loves the coast of Maine where she’s been enjoying our waters for more than two decades. And now, I look forward to her next novel!