Lynne McVernon

JIGSAW ISLAND, my second novel, both a stand alone fiction and a sequel to TERRIBLE WITH RAISINS is now published.

On a holiday escape to the Greek islands, Annie Buchanan discovers what – and then who – is missing from her life.

When single mother, Annie, and son Jude take a break away from Scotland to stay with her brother and friends on Symi, they find the warmth and support they need. As they relax into the familiar rhythm of island life, old and new acquaintances change the course of their vacation. Whether it’s for better or worse, Annie will discover when she visits the island of Leros. There she may be able to put together some of the missing pieces in her life and learn who her friends really are. But she cannot be prepared for some uncomfortable truths about the past and the dramatic way in which they will change the present for her… and Jude.

Sample excerpt below…

ANNIE
Blue Star Ferry, Aegean Sea, Greece. Thursday 23 June 2016.

Second time we’ve come to Symi, Jude and me. Before that, we’d been on a plane together just the once and that was with Mum and Dad for a couple of weeks in Spain. Kind of them but I didn’t take them up on it again. Jude was three and screamed all the way on both flights, Glasgow to Alicante and back. We were not popular. Yesterday on the plane he had a silent moody because I’d made us sandwiches instead of buying the overpriced onboard scran. The adolescent sulk was a pain for me, but much easier on the other passengers. By the time we got to the hotel on Rhodes he was so starving he wolfed the lot anyway. Gave me time to zap off a few messages to tell my remaining friends where we were.

Now in the warm breeze on the afternoon Blue Star ferry to Symi, my phone pings a message from Shona in reply to mine from last night –

‘That was a sudden decision. You didn’t tell me you were going to Greece this year. Have a good time – Shona x’.

I feel a teeny stab of guilt. Do I tell her only  the negative stuff? Next to me on deck, Jude’s having another strop because he’s forgotten to charge the new Android phone his grandparents gave him for his birthday, so he doesn’t have a screen to stare at. We’re just moving into the harbour. Like everyone says, it’s a stunner. Almost a film set – no, more a sort of 3D oil painting round the water. Not your average blue and white postcard stuff but houses in mustardy or pale yellow with light and dark borders round the roofs, doors and windows and flowerpot orange roofs – Clair knows the right arty words. All down to the Italians occupying the islands for years, she said. Jude’s underwhelmed. Saw it all last time. Techno-bereft thirteen-year-olds and classy architecture aren’t a natural mix.

That metal diarrhoea noise is the anchor dropping. The crew start throwing out ropes. And there on the harbour-side is Fraser looking like some actor in a holiday ad.. Jude perks up.

“Uncle Puke!”

– and buggers off, ducking round the crew who are trying to hold back the holiday herd, and leaving dunderhead-moi to heft the luggage. Uncle and nephew start doing complicated male hand-jive bonding while I stagger about under Jude’s backpack, the guitar, my shoulder bag and the wheelie suitcase – until a guy offers to help. Blond, beard. And tall. I’d only recognise him again by looking up his nostrils. He speaks English with an accent of some kind and  looks like Dutch – or Scandinavian? For once I’m not so bloody independent and let him give me a hand. He delivers me to dry land, chatting the while; Do I know Symi? Where am I staying? Am I a professional musician? What are my musical tastes? Any other time, I might join in the fun – because despite the height difference, he’s easy on the eye. But I need Fraser to stop the greeting rituals and notice I’m here so I can find a loo. Which he does none too soon.

“Mighty mou – kalos eelthate stin Symi!”

Welcome to Symi.

eBook (ISBN 9781838533427) Paperback (ISBN 9781838533434)

AMAZON & GOODREADS REVIEWS

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A very readable life enhancing book that addresses contemporary issues without being rose tinted. In JIGSAW Island the author so skillfully conveys incredible insight into a complex-wide range of contemporary social and emotional issues. Ranging from a teenager coming to terms with adoption, racial prejudice and homelessness. Seeking sanctuary on a Greek Island only to have personal problems brought into perspective by the plight of refugees arriving on Greek islands in flimsy boats. This book helps one to more compassionately understand what is happening to human beings so often depicted as almost “a problem’ in the European media each day. – Bob Saunders, Nov 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A very timely, humane book, full of heart and humour. It is believable and its structure is never contrived. One is drawn in through the alternating first-person narratives that take the reader on journeys both emotional and locational. There is a real sense of authenticity about it that manages to tell very personal stories while shining a light on the very global issue of the ongoing refugee crisis. – David Tucker, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This is a very entertaining book, a really good read. The family drama draws you in, with engaging characters and plot twists. The setting is so beautifully evocative you will forget the grey UK skies. The ideal book to curl up with on a Christmas evening in front of a roaring fire. – Jenny Saunders, Nov 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Keen observation of life in the Greek islands. This is the second of Lynne McVernon’s books set in the Dodecanese islands of Greece. It has a little taste of everything – family drama, evocative descriptions of locations, love interest, experiences of the refugee crisis the Greek islands are experiencing, topped off with…There is something for everyone in this book. I loved it. – Jillian Morton, Australia, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This is a warm and delightful read. I really enjoyed it. Characters and relationships are brought to life with skilfully written and convincing dialogue. The relationships are believable and very relatable. All in all, it was an engrossing plot, well told, satisfying and thought-provoking. – Linda, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Moving, thought-provoking, engaging
From the moment I began to read, I remembered how much I’d previously enjoyed Lynne McVernon’s writing, when I first discovered Clair and her diva daughter Jess. This is a sequel of sorts, and an opportunity to meet again some of those distinctive characters – but entirely self-contained, and 100% readable as a standalone. This is Annie Buchanan’s story – and what a story it is.

This book drew me in from the very first page, and kept me in its grip throughout the first part as we discover Annie’s life now, and her rather special relationship with son Jude. Her first person stream of consciousness takes us back in time to her teenage discovery that she was adopted, her flight to London from her Scottish home, and the experiences that shaped her. It’s quite a story, a naive and unworldly young girl who struggles to survive, confusing kindness with other things rather less savoury, suffers some quite appalling experiences – and returns home, her life entirely changed by her adventure. The writing is quite excellent, both in allowing us to see everything through Annie’s eyes, and through the extraordinarily vivid depiction of the realities of life on the streets.

And then, another flight – a real one this time to the island of Symi, with her son Jude, home to her brother Fraser (and Clair and Jess). The island paradise is perfectly evoked – its beauty, its blue skies and sunshine, the warmth of its characters – but the influx of both tourists and refugees has deeply changed the dynamic of the islands. The damage wrought by Annie’s experience is mirrored by the stories of those fleeing for their lives, the real kindness of those who offer their support – with glimpses of the way in which such experiences can shape the future. I was shamefully unaware of the situation affecting the islands and its people – the way the story unfolds in its second part certainly opened my eyes to that, as Annie travels on to Leros and shares significant parts of both its past and present.

And then, in the book’s final third, the whole story takes an entirely unexpected turn and verges on a psychological thriller – although the clues were there throughout had I chosen to pick up on them. Tension, pursuit, putting all the pieces together, seeing things clearly – the pacing is perfect, the emotional content so well drawn. Viewed from above, Leros looks like a piece from a jigsaw – and it proves to be where some of life’s complexities achieve resolution and the big picture is finally completed.

Am I making the book feel a little on the heavy side? Despite its content, it most certainly isn’t – the humour is always present, with the author’s clear affection for Annie and her sometimes questionable choices shining through. That same feeling of affection applies to Fraser too – he sometimes takes up the narrative, and I enjoyed his voice every bit as much as Annie’s. There’s a focus on friends and the complexities of family that I enjoyed, a number of other well-handled themes around alienation and belonging, even a touch of romance – this was a book that really worked, and I found it moving, thought-provoking and engaging.

Do read Alaa’s real-life story at the book’s end – it’s a postscript of sorts, but also a perfect prompt for discussion of the desperate plight of refugees, and the need for both action and compassion. Quite a book – and one I enjoyed very much, and would recommend most highly. – Anne Williams, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ At first, it took me a while to get into this book. However, once Annie arrives in Symi the pace quickens and by the time she’s on Leros, I couldn’t put this book down. All the seemingly inconsequential events in the first part suddenly make sense and are masterfully brought together in the climax. This book is so well structured and touches on many of the topics that are all too often brushed under the carpet. Just as the Greek islands can easily get under your skin, I have to confess that so has this book. I find myself thinking about Annie weeks later. Inspirational! – Julie Ryan, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A great summer read. A story that is full of human connection and compassion infused with a warmth and gentle humor that reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously and of what it might be to be human in this day and age. A novel that has left me with a warm feeling. A welcome break from the reality of these times! – Katherine May, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Intricately plotted, observant and empathetic.
What a treat this book turned out to be, even if it turned out to be rather different from what I’d expected. I thought I’d be reading a novel about a woman finding herself on a Greek island and while to some extent this is true, Jigsaw Island packs far more into its relatively short page count.

The story is divided into two parts and the first is largely a meandering account of Annie Buchanan’s past, particularly focusing on her troubled time in London. The first-person narrative style is chatty and self-deprecating and has almost a stream-of-consciousness feel to it. The young Annie escaped the rocky atmosphere at home at sixteen, leaving just a note when she takes the bus from Glasgow to London. It proves to be a life-changing time and while I don’t want to give too much away here, there is one scene which although not graphic in any sense  which especially underlines the dangerous situation young runaways are in and how vulnerable they are to opportunistic predators.

Interspersed with her memories of the past are the chapters concerning her current problems. Now back in Scotland as a single mother living in a small community in Kilachlan, her teenage son, Jude has been targeted by racial abuse and not surprisingly has lashed out in retaliation. Their relationship is described so well, their closeness is undeniable and I loved the easy banter between them but it’s also clear that Annie struggles with knowing how best to help her son during this tricky transitional period in his life. She eventually decides to bring forward their planned holiday to stay with her brother on the Greek island of Symi, hoping Jude will benefit from Fraser’s male influence.

A vivid sense of place is rendered throughout Jigsaw Island; the descriptions of the squats Annie ends up in leave no doubt as to their pungent squalor but it’s the evocation of the Greek Islands which is particularly striking. The beautiful surroundings coupled with the warmth and support of the people she stays with are the balm she needs, however, this is a book which explores the complexities of identity and that’s as true for the islands of Symi and Leros as it is for the characters themselves. Tourists and refugees alike arrive in their droves and despite the stark differences in their circumstances, both groups leave their indelible impression on these ever-changing places. At one point in the story, Annie goes to visit the site of an old mental hospital on Leros which became infamous for the terrible treatment of the patients incarcerated there. As she ponders on this and on the occupation by the Nazis during World War Two she wonders why the island has such a powerful pull. She feels it too and with her complicated past – some of which she has revealed to very few people – she could be considered to be the human reflection of the island.

In the second part of the novel it gradually becomes evident that Annie can’t trust everybody and she will have to re-examine her past to protect what it is she loves the most. At this point the story becomes a psychological thriller and it transpires that even the most seemingly innocuous recollection from Annie’s past could hold more significance than either she or the reader realised. As this is only a relatively short book, this dramatic part of the plot is dealt with fairly quickly but I never felt it was rushed and was really impressed with the way the first and second sections are linked.

Jigsaw Island is intricately plotted, observant and empathetic novel that examines the complexities of people and places, recognising that individual experiences and encounters shape how we all view the world and those we share it with. With that in mind, I highly recommend reading the account at the end of the book which tells the real-life story of Alaa, a refugee Lynne McVernon met through Refugee Support in Devon who shared his experiences with her and became a friend. As Annie would agree, knowledge and compassion are equally important and perhaps through reading stories such as Alaa’s, the discussions around refugees will feature more of both. Moving, perceptive and thought-provoking, I thoroughly enjoyed the multi-layered Jigsaw Island and look forward to reading more by this author in the future. – Karen Cole, 2020 (https://hairpastafreckle72.blogspot.com/2020/07/jigsaw-island-by-lynne-mcvernon.html)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Symi is a Greek Island and a perfect vacation spot. Beautiful waters, bright sun and a happy atmosphere attract tourists from all over. A few years ago, Clair visited Symi as her 50th birthday approached. I read her story in the author’s first book, “Terrible with Raisins”. “Jisgsaw Island”, the author’s second book tells the story of Annie who is connected to Clair by the magnificent Aunt Maggie of Scotland. (Yes, you should read “Terrible with Raisins” and it’s been re-released with a gorgeous new cover. But you can read “Jigsaw Puzzle” first. It has a beautiful cover, too.)

I adored this book. It’s quirky and amazing. Don’t read it on a hot Greek beach, because you won’t be able to put it down and you will scorch rather than stop reading. For the first two-thirds of the book, I thought I was reading stream of consciousness. And Annie, the main character confirmed it. “I just open my mouth and the logjam of my life comes piling out.” “My stream of consciousness covers my adoption to Jude’s birth.”

Annie reviews her chaotic life up until she and her son fly to Greece. She lived in Anniesland, Glasgow. She left home as soon as she could and headed to London when she was 16. She might have considered it an adventure. I thought it was a disaster. She was there 6 months and then returned to her parent’s house, pregnant. She then manages to go to college and raise her bi-racial son. When Jude, age 13, starts to have trouble in school she decides to take him to Greece to visit her brother Fraser and give them both a new perspective.

The last third of the book is a psychological thriller and I never saw it coming. That is what is so amazing about this book. “Jigsaw Island” is a great name for this book, because it’s like a jigsaw puzzle. There are so many characters and viewpoints and you make judgments about their actions or thoughts and then you realize you were all wrong. You hadn’t put the pieces together correctly.

Author McVernon is a gifted storyteller and quite skilled at presenting well-developed characters. The book also casts light on refugees, prejudice, and mental illness. All in all, you must visit Greece with Annie! I received an advance digital review copy from the author. This is my honest review. – Jena Henry, 2020