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Reviews

“Suspenseful … This is one nightmare vacation worth taking.”

— Publishers Weekly

“The authors made it easy to envision the isolated island and the plants and wildlife abundant on it. The island’s history and the devils’ plight helped elevate this entertaining mystery with a few surprise twists.”

— St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“[A]n exotic environmental thriller … Midge Raymond and John Yunker bring together exotic locales, environmentalism, and murder in a whodunit with a sharp psychological edge … Throw in a deadly storm, a sinister poacher, and interpersonal intrigues, and you’ve got a fast-paced mystery with a surprise ending.”

— Ashland.news

“A lively cast of characters … It’s a story of twists and turns, elusive wildlife, and the people who try to protect them. Fans of travelogues and stories filled with local flora and fauna will find plenty to enjoy here, and mystery lovers will not be disappointed.”

— The Big Thrill

“A number of intriguing elements introduced at the beginning of the story foreshadow an intricate storyline ... Devils Island features a camping trip that evolves into a race for survival.”

— Novels Alive

“Adventurous and suspenseful … Armchair travelers will rejoice. Mystery lovers will find themselves completely captivated. And you outdoor types, rock climbers, hikers and the like will find something to love here as well.”

— Book Chatter

"A crafty devil of a whodunit, this perfect blend of environmental and suspense fiction, atmospheric and rife with intrigue, will scare the devil out of you — and make you fall in love with the misunderstood, endangered Tasmanian devil. Devils Island is at once a riveting mystery and an eloquent plea to protect our natural world."

— A. J. Banner, #1 Kindle, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author

“Buckle up for a compelling and brilliant twist on the locked room mystery. A luxurious adventure among kangaroos and Tasmanian devils on a tiny remote island turns deadly when a secretive tourist goes missing. Devils Island isn’t just a compulsively readable mystery; it's also a vital meditation on what it means to live through extinction in all its forms. I will not forget my visit to Devils Island anytime soon."

— Mindy Mejia, USA Today bestselling author of To Catch a Storm and Everything You Want Me to Be

"This one is loaded with all the danger, treachery and action a reader could wish for. Throw in the exotic location of Tasmania and you have all the makings of a terrific thriller. You never quite catch your breath as all of the secrets are revealed."

— Steve Berry, New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of The Atlas Maneuver and the Cotton Malone series

"Devils Island has all the trappings of a traditional mystery. A small set of suspects, a confined space and an absence of authorities. But that description would not do justice to this slow-burning tale. From the beginning, an ominous air hovers over the small group of adventure travelers. Base motives reveal the potential for conflict, but the pace is sedate until events spiral out of control. A series of fiendish twists propel the action into utterly unpredictable directions as the story hurdles to a satisfying end. Add the exotic fauna and flora of the world down under and you have a great story."

— Michael Niemann, award-winning author of the Valentin Vermeulen thrillers

News & Reviews

December 12, 2025

Midge and John join the Our Hen House podcast for a chat about writing for and about animals.

October 5, 2025

John's essay, "A Walk with the Devils," appears in Forty South.

February 7, 2025

Midge and John chat with bestselling author Carter Wilson on the Making-It-Up podcast.

January 4, 2025

John's article, "Behind the Book: Devils Island," appears in Crime Spree magazine.

December 30, 2024

Midge's article, "The Devil’s in the Details: Eco-fiction in the mystery genre," appears in Ladies of Mystery.

November 1, 2024

Midge and John and Devils Island are featured in the San Diego Tribune/La Jolla Light.

October 28, 2024

Midge and John’s article, “He Said, She Said: On Writing Devils Island,” appears in the Fall 2024 issue of Mystery Readers International..

October 26, 2024

The Big Thrill recommends Devils Island! Read more here.

October 16, 2024

Midge and John discuss writing, publishing, and Devils Island with Lovis Geier on the Ecofictology podcast.

October 1, 2024

Midge and John discuss co-authoring and more with Brook and Sarah of the Clued In Mystery podcast.

September 26, 2024

Midge and John talk about writing, devils, travel, and more with Sarah E. Burr and J.C. Kenney on The Bookish Hour.

September 25, 2024

Midge and John chat with Amy Smalley and Carrie Vittitoe on The Perks of Being a Booklover podcast.

September 18, 2024

Midge's article, "5 Tips for Writing About Animals in Suspense," appears in The Strand Magazine.

September 18, 2024

John's essay, "Speak of the Devils: The Animals We Fear the Most Are Fading Away," appears in The Revelator.

September 12, 2024

Thanks to Geoffrey Riley and JPR's Jefferson Exchange for this interview about Devils Island.

September 4, 2024

Thanks to Novels Alive for a lovely review of Devils Island: “A number of intriguing elements introduced at the beginning of the story foreshadow an intricate storyline: a guide’s first time leading a group. A trip invitation from a friend Brooke hasn’t talked to in five years. A sighting of human tracks on what is supposed to be a deserted island. The authors use a sudden storm along with the animal habitat to boost the drama, but the true culprit pulling the strings may be on two legs. Devils Island features a camping trip that evolves into a race for survival.”

September 3, 2024

Check out Midge's article, "Co-Authoring: How to Keep the Drama On the Page," appearing on Jane Friedman's blog.

September 3, 2024

Midge and John talk about Devils Island, Tasmanian devils, co-authoring, and more on the Crime Wave podcast.

September 1, 2024

Devils Island is featured in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: “The authors made it easy to envision the isolated island and the plants and wildlife abundant on it. The island’s history and the devils’ plight helped elevate this entertaining mystery with a few surprise twists.”

August 28, 2024

Midge and John talk about Devils Island and more with Ed Battistella on Literary Ashland.

August 21, 2024

Devils Island is “an exotic environmental thriller … Midge Raymond and John Yunker bring together exotic locales, environmentalism, and murder in a whodunit with a sharp psychological edge … Throw in a deadly storm, a sinister poacher, and interpersonal intrigues, and you’ve got a fast-paced mystery with a surprise ending.” Thanks to Edwin Battistella and Ashland.news for this review!

August 20, 2024

The inspiration behind Devils Island appears in Jungle Red Writers: "A Devil of a Dérive from Midge Raymond & John Yunker."

August 12, 2024

Midge’s article “Beach Reads for a Changing World: 5 Page-Turning Eco-Mysteries,” about how a popular genre like suspense can go a long way toward opening hearts and minds to the issues facing our planet, appears in Crime Reads.

August 2024

“Adventurous and suspenseful … Armchair travelers will rejoice. Mystery lovers will find themselves completely captivated. And you outdoor types, rock climbers, hikers and the like will find something to love here as well.” Thanks to Book Chatter for this wonderful review of Devils Island.

July 2024

“Suspenseful … This is one nightmare vacation worth taking.” Devils Island gets a terrific review in Publishers Weekly.

June 2024

Midge’s essay “Creating the Vacation from Hell: The Origins of Devils Island,” about turning a wonderful real-life journey into a fictional murder mystery, appears in the Summer 2024 issue of Mystery Readers International.