Fiona Erskine

Engineer. Writer. Swimmer.

Book cover showing lone woman at Ipanema beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with paraglider in background

Financial Times Best Summer Book

The Chemical Cocktail

Jaq Silver spicy engineering thriller Book #3

Jaq Silver travels from Portugal to Brazil, amid conspiracies and corruption, to get to the bottom of her family mystery. She is not the only one with an interest in her unusual inheritance. Racing against the clock as the threats to her life increase on all sides, Jaq must use her scientific know-how to save what matters most.

Book cover showing lone woman at Ipanema beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with paraglider in background

Series: Jaq Silver Thrillers

Formats available: Paperback, eBook, Audiobook

First published: 05/05/22

Reviews for The Chemical Cocktail

‘another splendidly energetic thriller… Packed with fascinating science, thrills, shocks and relationships both touching and horrible, this is a terrific read.’

Literary Review

‘Fast-paced, roller-coaster ride… The action-packed storyline, just the right side of bonkers, roams from Lisbon to England to the steamy depths of the Brazilian jungle as Erskine lets her imagination rip to great effect.’

‘[Erskine] writes with flair and confidence, whether describing a heart-of-darkness journey downriver into the Brazilian jungle or the quiet of Lisbon’s British cemetery.’

Financial Times

‘Excellent… not only captivating and well written, but also extremely informative. Chemical engineering mingled with mystery and adventure. It’s a blast!’

The Chemical Engineer

‘With a real gift for storytelling, Erskine delivers an endgame that’s definitely not what you were anticipating… our heroine Jaq is refreshingly female in a male dominated world… The Chemical Cocktail is an action-packed adventure perfect for any thriller-lover ready for a modern heroine to blow their socks off.’

The Bay




Sunny southern sojourn with friends and family and a stonkingly good book. London looking stunning!


In Houston for the day job, I went back to visit my old house and primary school from when my dad had a sabbatical at Rice University. Fleming park is much smaller than I remember but the fire ants are still there! Highlight was a full Tex-Mex with Theresa and Bhopal expert Kenneth Bloch - plans afoot for a new book.


I swam 24km in 5 days. Hard work?

Try tuna canning, salt drying or sulphur mining...

https://fionaerskine.substack.com/p/sulphur-and-salt


Goodbye #egadiislands and thank you @swimtrek for an amazing week - 24 kilometres with wonderful guides, fellow swimmers and multicoloured fishes!


This week #PhosphateRocks e-book is only £0.99 in UK

Who doesn't love a story about a demolition gone wrong? @raine_clouds_writes @lesleykellyauthor 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Phosphate-Rocks-Death-Ten-Objects-ebook/dp/B0CTRRXKNY

PS: The audio book narrated by @rain.goblin is pretty special too


Follow me on Instagram

Celebrating Reviewers - 0.99 offer!
(with the link this time!)

Losing Control: Terror in Teesside (The Teesside Murders: DI Julie Cadell Investigates Book 1)

Celebrating reviewers everywhere
Losing Control is $0.99 / £0.99 for 1 week

It’s darker than it looks.
It’s later than you think.
She’s braver than she knows.

@amwbooks @EastHullPete @northern_crime @NJCooper_crime @NolanDom @evecsmith @AntonyJohnston @william1shaw

It’s review a book #RAB week.

If you enjoyed a book - please do leave a brief review wherever you get your recommendations. @judithoreilly @evecsmith

https://amazon.co.uk/gp/customer-reviews/RY3U5SDB5ROD8?ref=pf_ov_at_pdctrvw_srp

https://amazon.co.uk/gp/customer-reviews/RFI268IQLS95H?ref=pf_ov_at_pdctrvw_srp

We're thrilled our next guest will be @radiomukhers. Abir will be talking about 'The Pinnacle', 15th July (7pm).

It's free to attend @hull_libraries (Central) or via the online stream. All the info on the link below 📚

If you can get there then do, these sessions are hilarious

Produce a best seller in an hour with the #northerncrimesyndicate at @BoroLibraries Tuesday 23rd June 6.30pm.
@TrevorWoodWrite @judithoreilly @robparkerauthor @rutherfordbooks #chrismacgregor
https://www.crossingthetees.org/whats_on/whose-crime-is-it-anyway/

📢 Latest Loss Prevention Bulletin Issue - Marking 40 Years Since Chernobyl

The issue offers valuable insights for anyone committed to strengthening process safety.

A sincere thank‑you to all contributors for their continued commitment

🔗 Read more: https://bit.ly/4uCIfIS

This weekend marks the 40 year anniversary of the worst recorded nuclear accident.
There is still much to learn.
#Chernobyl #Chornobyl #nuclearenergy #processsafety
https://open.substack.com/pub/fionaerskine/p/chernobyl-40-years-on?r=1fdqiv&utm_medium=ios

Still plenty of events to come!😁 More info and ticket links here: 👉 https://www.carolynkirby.com/blank-page-3

How refreshing to read @Megankstack in the @nytimes
‘A zombie regime, humiliated and crushed? Why do I find myself thinking of Russia’s Soviet Union-to-Vladimir Putin trajectory?’

Follow me on X

All my books