‘I’m fine, Harry McNeil. How are you feeling?’
‘I swear to God, I don’t know what was worse, the plane or the ferry. You were gone by the time the rain hit. Robbie couldn’t keep anything down. Poor sod.’
‘You’re getting the colour back in your cheeks again.’ Alex giggled. ‘The plane was quicker. And I didn’t see Jimmy bawling and greetin’ like a bairn.’
‘I have to say, this is going to affect your assessment when we get back into the office.’
‘Oh, I’m sure I can persuade you to change your mind.’
‘That’s the last thing on my mind. And to be honest, I think for our next holiday, I want to go to a caravan, just like Jimmy’s wife.’
‘We’d have to get a dog.’
‘Don’t push it.’ He got up from the table to go back through to the kitchen for more coffee.
‘One thing, though: when we were on the island, you were about to tell me something before we were interrupted.’
Alex thought about standing in front of Vanessa’s grave. She had thought it a good idea at the time to tell Harry. Now it seemed silly.
‘It’s not important. It’ll keep.’
‘Okay.’
They went through to the kitchen. ‘In all seriousness, I was thinking about a cruise for our next holiday,’ Alex said.
Harry poured more hot water into a mug after the kettle switched off.
‘A cruise? Are you serious? Have you never seen the film Titanic…?’
Afterword
Just in case you were wondering, the Isle of Laoch doesn’t exist. If you look at a map of Scotland and see the shape of Tiree, and join its north and south islands, then that would be the base for Laoch. Then a smattering of Mull and you have my island. I wanted to create a fictitious island so I could make up where places were.
Point of no Return was inspired by a real-life event. If you Google The Great Mull Air Mystery, you can read all about what happened on the island back in 1975. I found it fascinating, and thought, what if…? That’s how this Harry McNeil book came about.
I would like to thank my advanced reading team, and welcome aboard the new members.
A big thanks to my wife as usual, for looking after the dogs while I write. And a huge thank you to my new editor, Charlie Wilson and her willingness to take me on as a client at short notice.
And as usual, a big thanks to you, the reader, who make this all worthwhile.
Stay safe my friends.
John Carson
New York
October 2020
OTHER TITLES
DCI Harry McNeil series
Book 0 -Return to Evil
Book 1 - Sticks and Stones
Book 2 -Back to Life
Book 3 -Dead Before You Die
Book 4 - Hour of Need
Book 5 - Blood and Tears
Book 6 - Devil to Pay
Book 7 - Point of no Return
When Stars Will Shine
(this is a charity anthology featuring the Harry McNeil short story, titled,
The Art Of War And Peace.
(All proceeds go to Hope For Heroes)
DCI Sean Bracken Series
A killer on the loose.
A killer behind bars.
And a detective caught between them...
Ailsa Connolly was a brilliant psychologist and a respected criminologist.
She was also a serial killer.
Six years ago, DCI Sean Bracken caught her just before he was about to become her seventh victim. Every year on the anniversary of her incarceration, she taunts him with a phone call, giving him one message; when I get out, I'll kill you.
Now, Bracken has transferred back to Edinburgh from Fife and is thrown into the deep end on his first day back on duty.
There's a killer who is emulating Ailsa, threatening to surpass her body count.
Bracken knows he needs her on board to help him track the killer down, but she's reluctant to get involved.
Then the case takes an unexpected twist, and she agrees to help. But this new killer is taking them down a dark, twisted path, where nobody sees the outcome.
Until it's too late.
Starvation Lake will be released on November 30 2020 and can be pre-ordered here
DI Frank Miller Series
Crash Point
Silent Marker
Rain Town
Watch Me Bleed
Broken Wheels
Sudden Death
Under the Knife
Trial and Error
Warning Sign
Cut Throat
Blood from a Stone
Time of Death
Max Doyle Series
Final Steps
Code Red
The October Project
Scott Marshall Series
Old Habits
About the Author
John Carson is originally from Edinburgh, Scotland, but now lives with his wife and family in New York State. And two dogs. And four cats.
www.johncarsonauthor.com
