Colwyn Yeats, expert yachtsman and veteran of the war in Afghanistan, is all set to spend his summer working towards his PhD aboard the university's research vessel, but the trip is cancelled at the last moment, leaving him at a loose end.
Fortune arrives when an old college pal appears, and Yeats agrees to act as skipper and navigator on a transatlantic voyage the man and his two friends have planned for the summer.
Misfortune arrives when he is found alone and without identification on a rocky shore amid the wreckage of the boat, and wakes up in a rescue helicopter unable to see and suffering from amnesia.
Who is he? Where does he come from? He doesn't know, and the authorities can't find out, so what is to be done about him?
GENRE: Psychological thriller
ISBN: 978-0-9572104-8-6
REVIEWS
This book was selected by the book-review website, The Bookbag, as one their "ten best self-published books of 2014"
"If you've ever read anything by Patricia Watkins you'll know that she writes beautifully -- no tricks, no strange literary devices, just clear writing that leaves you in no doubt about the story she's telling. You'll know too that she has a talent for creating rounded characters. They're not perfect or in any way extraordinary; they're just human and they stay with you long after you've finished the book. But if I had to put my finger on what it is that lifts the books up in my estimation then it's the plots. Watkins takes perfectly ordinary people and pops them into a situation which is only slightly unusual and then allows the situation to develop... Add into this mix some excellent research (you always get plenty of 'well, I never knew that' moments with Watkins) and some neat plot twists and you realise that this is someone who deserves to be more widely read... I regard Pat Watkins' historical fiction as a treat and I was nervous about her first foray into a thriller in a modern setting. I needn't have worried -- it's a great read."
"Highly recommended"
Sue Magee, The Bookbag.
See full review here.
"Voyage into Limbo is an ambitious contemporary thriller that contains lots of action, twists and dark turns. However, it also delves deep into the sociological and psychological, which brings a uniquely compelling read that will leave you invigorated." Dean George, ESTYN
“A real page turner. Patricia Watkins goes from strength to strength. She writes with as much assurance about sailing as she does about the horrors of being caught helplessly in 'the system'. More please!” *****
Joan Carr
"An excellent read. It's always a true pleasure to find a real page turner of a book, whose fast paced twists and turns combine with delightful characterisation and evocative depictions of scenery on both sides of the Atlantic. Voyage into Limbo is one such book which kept me up until the wee hours saying to myself 'just one more page......' Needless to say, one page turned into many pages! Evidently well researched in all aspects, Patricia Watkins has created a colourful tale which keeps you guessing until the end. The only negative thing about this book is that the author had to self publish which means that it won't reach as wide an audience as it should or could do given the high calibre of the writing."***** Teiwaz
Find more five-star reviews on Goodreads here.