Iain Kelly

‘The Barra Boy’ is officially published today and is available in paperback and ebook. Details on getting a copy can be found HERE.

Published by The Book Guild Ltd, ‘The Barra Boy’ tells the story of thirteen-year-old Ewan Fraser, who is sent to the remote island of Barra, off Scotland’s west coast, to stay with his aunt and uncle.

Resigned to a monotonous summer of boredom, he is befriended by local girl Laura Robertson; together they explore the golden beaches and rocky coves of the idyllic island.

But a dark secret that connects Laura to the mysterious outcast Mhairi Matheson and her son, Billy, is hidden beneath the tranquil surface…

A secret that threatens to tear the small community apart.

Forty years later, Ewan returns to confront the truth about the formative summer of his adolescence, and finally learn the truth about Laura and the boy from Barra.

Given that Amazon have been selling the book for 3 weeks now, while some sort of logistical problem between publisher and distributor means some stores are saying ‘Out of Stock’, I’m not really sure that ‘Publication Day’ really means anything but, all being well, you should be able to track a copy of ‘The Barra Boy’ down by following the links on this page: Available now from all good online booksellers, all the information to get a copy can be found HERE.

I’m delighted to announce ‘The Barra Boy’ will also be available in some local stores including Waterstones Oban and Waterstones East Kilbride, Mount Florida Books and on Barra itself at the Buth Bharraigh Community Shop and the Heritage Centre. Look out for more information of further stores stocking the book in the future.

A few readers have already got their hands on a copy. If you have a copy send me a picture, or post it on social media and tag me – I love to see the book out in the wild!

A couple of early reviews have already appeared on Goodreads and Amazon. Here’s what they said:

“Iain Kelly’s The Barra Boy is a superbly written, character driven story that ranks as one of my favourite reads of the year. The author has a wonderful feel for locations & he brings London, Glasgow & the remote Scotish island of Barra vividly to life. His characters are so brilliantly drawn that it’s hard to believe that they are fictional. This is an outstanding novel.”

“This is a charming book about adolescence in the eighties and the mysteries island life.
Iain took me on a wonderful journey with his beautiful descriptive language.
I felt the Barra breeze in my hair as I stepped back in time with Ewan. I was drawn into his story and how the past can haunt us.
I highly recommend this book for its storytelling, mystery and innocence. It’s a delightful book that I’ll cherish and share.”

If you’ve read ‘The Barra Boy’ and enjoyed it, please do leave a short review telling people and help spread the word!

For those on NetGalley, ‘The Barra Boy’ is available to download until the 18th of July, so head over to pick up a copy.

Finally, a massive thank you to all the readers who pick up a copy and their continued support.