Judy Croome: Author on the Prowl

Meticulous research is the foundation of this narrative-heavy historical novel, based on the true lives of the Reverend and Mrs McKenzie, sent as missionaries to the Scottish island of St Kilda in the mid-19th century.

The plentiful descriptions perfectly evoke the harsh barrenness of the land, and the fictionalised characterisations of this real family were interesting; at times, I would have enjoyed a tighter focus on Neil & Lizzie.

An interesting and well-written portrayal of an historical era, which seemed so primitive it's hard to remember the story was set only 150 years ago, and is based on fact.