The first book in an enthralling mystery series from award-winning author Peter May. “A WRITER I WOULD FOLLOW TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.” –Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review“SHINES WITH INTRIGUE AND SUPERB PLOTTING.” –USA Today
Every step toward solving the case brings Scottish detective Fin Macleod closer to a dangerous confrontation with the dark events of the past that shaped–and … Today
Every step toward solving the case brings Scottish detective Fin Macleod closer to a dangerous confrontation with the dark events of the past that shaped–and nearly destroyed–his life.
When a grisly murder occurs on the Isle of Lewis that bears similarities to a brutal killing on mainland Scotland, Edinburgh detective and native of the Isle of Lewis Fin Macleod is dispatched to the Outer Hebrides to investigate, embarking at the same time on a voyage into his own troubled past.
When a grisly murder occurs on the Isle of Lewis that bears similarities to a brutal killing on mainland Scotland, Edinburgh detective and native of the Isle of Lewis Fin Macleod is dispatched to the Outer Hebrides to investigate, embarking at the same time on a voyage into his own troubled past.
As Fin reconnects with the people and places of his tortured childhood, the desolate but beautiful island and its ancient customs assert their grip on his psyche.
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One of my favorite novels, set on the Isle of Lewis, off the west coast of Scotland. It’s a fascinating world I knew little about, and Peter May brings it to life in a riveting, probing way. The protagonist’s past and present are slowly revealed, one layer at a time, and I couldn’t stop listening. The audio book is a special treat. Highly recommend!
This is the story of Fin MacLeod. A murder has happened on the Isle of Lewis. Fin – a native of the Island, but a cop now living in Edinburgh, is called in to investigate the murder. There was a similar murder in Edinburgh recently, and the people on the island wonder if it is a serial killer on the loose, or a copy cat murder.
Fin has not been back to the Isle of Lewis for nearly 20 years. Coming back has dredged up a lot of old feelings. This is where his parents and aunt died. This is where the love of his life was lost to him forever. This is where his childhood friend, Artir, lost his father in a tragic accident in their childhood that Fin is certain he was blamed for. It is almost all too much for him to bear. But Fin has a job to do, and in finding the killer, he learns things about his past that change everything.
This was an okay book. It was an easy read, and it has some redeeming qualities, but overall – I didn’t like it as much as I was hoping I would. I really don’t like mystery books that keep the reader in the dark for the sake of extending the story. This book was full of that. In the beginning of the book, it seems like Fin has lost a child in some way. But it took a very long time to get to HOW. I was actually starting to think that I was reading the middle book of the trilogy instead of the first book because we were kept in the dark about so many things. Unnecessarily so. Just drives me crazy when authors do that.
Because of this fact, by the time we got to the end and the solving of the murder, I wasn’t all that attached to the characters or the story. It is a shame, really, because it could have been so much better.
The pluses about this book, for me, where some of the things that actually had nothing to do with the overall story. One was the scenes about Scotland. Being here now, I was excited to be reading about a book that takes place in Edinburgh and then in the Highlands (Where we will visit in a few days). The other is the main character’s name is Finlay. That is my daughter’s name. (we spell it Finley).
Anyway – I am not sure if I can recommend this book. It was fluff – a good book for vacation that didn’t take a lot of concentration. But it was frustrating to be kept in the dark unnecessarily so about certain “secrets” just to lengthen the book.
The first book in a trilogy set on the island of Lewis in the Scottish Outer Hebrides. This detective story was a great read and very well written. I went on to read the other two books in the trilogy.
5* – story
5* – narrator
I found The Blackhouse when I was looking for a story to complete a reading challenge (Nordic (or Scandi) Noir). I didn’t know what to expect when I started so I am completely surprised that I enjoyed this story immensely.
The Blackhouse is a character driven mystery with two points of view, Fin present and Fin past. Fin is an interesting character who is in the middle of a personal crossroads. His son died recently in an automobile accident. His relationship with his wife is on thin ice, and now he is asked to go back to his hometown to investigate a murder like the one he is working on in Edinburgh. The problem is Isle of Lewis, his hometown, holds memories that he suppressed for years. He doesn’t was to stir up old problems. However, since his son’s death, his nightmares have increased.
Peter May creates dark world. His detailed description of the setting gives a tremendous sense of place that adds to the tension and gloom of the past and present. My heart went out to the characters who made decisions from a place that they did not understand. I was mesmerized while horrified at what might be around the next corner.
I am so happy that I purchased the audiobook with the e-book. The Isle of Lewis residents speak a lot of Gaelic. It is educational to hear the words spoken correctly instead of the mess my head would make of the words. The narrator, Peter Forbes’ performance adds a special quality to the clouds hanging over the main characters. His voice enhances the sometimes sinister, very secretive, and closed community of Isle of Lewis. I highly recommend this book. If you like audio books, this is one that you need especially if you don’t speak Gaelic. I can sink into the story easier when I’m not worried about pronunciation.
I loved the setting: the Outer Hebrides, and the writing was exceptional. Highly recommend for the mystery lovers.
Detective Inspector Fin Macleod is sent from Edinburgh to investigate the murder of a high school classmate.
This is my new favorite author. His writing style drew me in. He has a wonderful talent for telling a story but also delivering the back story right along with it that helps deliver more about the characters, why the character is taking a certain action or it helped in giving me a more in depth understanding as the back story is so effortlessly tied into the storyline.
The description of the town reveals that the author took time to study the location and learn about the customs of the community. Reading the author’s descriptive words I can picture many of the scenes. This is an excellent novel that I imagine captures the landscape of Isle of Lewis very well.
The book wasn’t wordy nor did it deliver unnecessary fillers. The tempo was perfect. Though Fin was there to investigate a murder, the story goes into depth about his youth and how he ended up where he is now. I can try to explain it but you may not understand until you read the story. This book is more than the suspense of solving a murder like some author’s focus on. If you prefer your crime novels to focus solely on the investigation of solving the case this is not the book for you. There is a secret which is eventually exposed and this leads to the motive for the murder. Once this secret is revealed Fin’s investigations speeds up as he starts to put the pieces together.
The story is dark and gloomy but memorable. At times I forgot about the murder investigation and ended up focused so much on Fin’s life. I didn’t favor any character over another. I felt sorry for them all. The author impressively builds the character with subtle layers and when he’s done they are hard to part with. Fin having very recently lost his 8 year old son and facing the breakdown of his marriage he carried a sadness about him. And as I read about his youth his life seemed to have lacked love and bonding. While reading I didn’t realize this but now as I reflect on the story as a whole I feel sorry for Fin. While reading I felt like the towns people, looking up to Fin and seeing him as one that got out of the town and made something of himself despite his upbringing.
I can’t wait to get started on the next installment of the series. The author’s writing is incredible storytelling that should not be missed.
If there was ever a book worthy of the title “literary mystery” The Blackhouse is it. Peter May’s command of prose is nothing short of brilliant, and the way he employs first and third person interchangeably (first for the past, third for present day) is something I’ve never seen done before. And he pulls it off without a hitch. The story itself is heavy on backstory but don’t let that put you off. The backstory is the present story as you’ll discover as you read on.
Until the last 20 pages, this was a solid 5 stars, but the end disappointed me somewhat. I’m all for surprise twists but there has to be a clue there and there wasn’t. So 4.5 stars but please do yourself a favor and add this book to your TBR pile. You won’t be sorry.
This was the book that got me hooked on all things Peter May. I’ve read all of his later bo8ks, except Lockdown, and most of his earlier books. This book also got me started reading a lot of so-called Tartan Noir
he’s a great writer.
Words fail to describe Peter May’s works, but I’ll try–atmospheric, dramatic, absorbing mysteries set in the Hebrides. Suffice to say I’ve read all the Hebrides novels and plan to read all of his works!
I just finished this book and it will stay with me for some time. I don’t summarize plots in my reviews, only tell whether a book is worth reading, or not.
This is a very moody, twisted thriller, I’d guess I’d call it. Very realistic, so well written, and definitely worth reading. I feel as if I just visited a small island in Northern Scotland, where the story takes place. A world most of us know nothing about, which adds to the bleek, excellent plot.
Five stars, without question. This is not your average thriller, and it’s so worth your time!