Two Islands

 Two Islands

Reviewed By  Grasshopper2       August 12, 2026

 

Author  Ian Kermish

Distributor:      QBD Books
ISBN:                 978-0702268991
Publisher:         University of Queensland Press
Release Date:   2026  

   Website:   https://www.qbd.com.au/two-islands/ian-kemish/9780702268991/

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The International law regarding war crimes is very much underpinning this story Two Islands. Ian Kemish tells of the repercussions of the war between Serbia and Croatia, the horrors and the personal stories which come to light in later years.

Bringing the guilty persons to trial is not a simple process, and here we are shown an Australian woman, Anita, who has taken up a secondment in The Hague to join the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Niko is a young man who miraculously survived a slaughter in his village. He witnessed the murder of many of his fellow villagers and could identify the culprits. He was more than happy to tell his story to Anita if it meant the perpetrators could be brought to justice.

Anita was determined that Niko would be safe and protected to give evidence at a forthcoming trial. She is vigilant about his safety and has him sent to London. However, Anita receives a message that her much loved father is ill in Australia, so she makes a flying visit to see him.

It is during this time that Niko, in London, realizes that he is being followed. He grabs his basic requirements and jumps on the underground, too afraid to contact anyone and by chance, finds himself on a ferry to the island of Scarnsey, in Scotland.

From here, the story is a desperate and thrilling tale. Can Niko escape the thugs who certainly want to kill him? Can Anita find him before this occurs and keep him safe? Will he ever get to trial which may take several years? The reader is kept almost holding breath while the plot is fascinating and gently unravelling. This story shows how the impact of war can be felt around the world.

Fiction, General