Ness goes beyond what we expect books to do. Beyond poetry, beyond the word, beyond the bomb - it is an aftertime song. It is dark, ever so dark, nimble and lethal. It is a triumphant libretto of mythic modernism for our poisoned age. Ness is something else, and feels like it always has been.

With this blend of history, romance and suspense, you'll find yourself swept away

Delightful debut novel ... an intriguing love story based on real life mysteries

Anybody interested in the Mutiny or just enjoying a good story will find plenty to please them here. This is a haunting story that lingers in the mind long after reading; the sure sign of a satisfying book

Picture Mel Gibson on the streets of Workington and Cockermouth, starring in a new romantic blockbuster to rival Titanic

Full of mystery, suspense, chilling legends, shifting mists, sombre bell peals and shadowy rowing boats, Fiona Mountain's novel is hard to put down and a fascinating read

Nobody can beat Miss Tey at characterisation or elegance of style: this novel's a beauty

First-rate mystery, ably plotted and beautifully written

Suspense is achieved by unexpected twists and extremely competent storytelling . . . credible and convincing

Tey's style and her knack for creating bizarre characters are among the best in the field

Honest, compassionate, and clear-eyed, Ducks is a stunning achievement in storytelling that I will be thinking about for a long time.

Engrossing.

Ducks moves into dark territory - including sexual assault - but Beaton... balances light and shade. No place or person is wholly good or bad, not even the oil sands with their dark satanic drills.