ISLAND OF THE GREAT YELLOW OX

The story comes close to being melodrama, the events and characters are not really plausible, yet the writing is good enough to keep the reader constantly involved. Colin lived on the Irish coast and when he met two American boys, George and Edwin, he allowed them to talk him into taking them out in his father's currach. They were caught in a storm that carried them to Ox Island, the farthest in a chain of small deserted islands. They landed to discover themselves preceded by a lady archaeologist and her husband. She had become fanatical in her desire to uncover an ancient druid treasure, and her physically strong but dissipated husband was completely under her power. The boys are held prisoner on the island to prevent them from leaking any information. Although they make every attempt to escape, they too are caught up by the obsession. Inevitably the treasure is dug up, and then of course, there is the problem of disposing of the boys.... They do escape, but it's close. The characters are excellent, the dialogue smooth, and the tension stays taut all the way.