In a Veil of Mist

A poisoned breeze blows across the waves ... Operation Cauldron, 1952: Top-secret germ warfare experiments on monkeys and guinea pigs are taking place aboard a vessel moored off the Isle of Lewis. Local villagers Jessie and Duncan encounter strange sights on the deserted beach nearby and suspect the worst. “A well-written and well-crafted novel from an author at the height of his powers.” “Shows yet again how a good novel is capable of making you think and feel at the same time … a rich and sympathetic portrayal of island life in all its diversity … timely and compelling … a novel to savour.” “Where the book really scores is in Murray’s familiarity with … [the island] culture … a living community of varied characters with generations of history behind them, giving his story depth and solidity.” "A moving portrait of a place and its people … a quiet, sad but brilliant novel.”

''Admirably atmospheric and engaging.''

“A wonderfully evocative book … brought to the page … with consummate skill … We''d strongly recommend [it to] anyone looking for really strong and memorable fiction about Scotland … outstanding.” “Set in [Murray’s] native Lewis as firmly as the stones at Callanish … it is so credibly drawn that the book is almost a ticket to the island … it seems an even more impressive achievement than ever.”

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2021 HIGHLAND BOOK PRIZE

A poisoned breeze blows across the waves …

Operation Cauldron, 1952: Top-secret germ warfare experiments on monkeys and guinea pigs are taking place aboard a vessel moored off the Isle of Lewis. Local villagers Jessie and Duncan encounter strange sights on the deserted beach nearby and suspect the worst. And one government scientist wrestles with his own inner anguish over the testing, even if he believes extreme deterrent weapons are needed. When a noxious cloud of plague bacteria is released into the path of a passing trawler, disaster threatens. Will a deadly pandemic be inevitable?

A haunting exploration of the costs and fallout of warmongering, Donald S Murray follows his prize-winning first novel with an equally moving exploration of another little-known incident in the Outer Hebridean island where he grew up.

• | Author: Donald S Murray
• | Publisher: Saraband
• | Publication Date: Mar 11, 2021
• | Number of Pages:
• | Language:
• | Binding: Paperback / softback
• | ISBN-13: 9781913393007
• | ISBN-10: 1913393003