I loved the dramatic setting on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides and wished this book had a map as the geography of the island plays an important part in the story (I see the last book in the trilogy, The Chessmen, does have a map!). But I’m glad I carried on and settled into the rhythm of the book. I liked it very much, although I nearly stopped reading when I got to the description of the post mortem – I don’t like gruesome! It was a particularly brutal killing. It’s very slow reading and I had to lower my expectations of getting to grips with solving the murder mystery, because that is not the main element of this book and actually it’s not too difficult to work out who the murderer is. There’s a murder and a mystery, an investigation by the police, but most of the book is not really a detective story, or a police procedural. But when I realised that it was the second in a trilogy I decided to read the first book first and it’s only been in these last few weeks that I’ve borrowed The Blackhouse from the library and read it.Īs I was reading The Blackhouse I wasn’t sure how to categorise it.

I was drawn to it because of its title and its historical reference – a man found buried in a peat bog on the Isle of Lewis. In short, I would say this is as good as almost anything in the genre.I first became aware of Peter May’s books when I saw The Lewis Man in a bookshop when we were on holiday in Glencoe last September. Maybe some will feel that the murder seems to be almost forgotten at times but the whole thing comes together beautifully at the end in a darkly-thrilling wind-swept conclusion that is made all the more exciting by the care with which the characters have been built and the depth they have been imbued with. His stylish Scottish burr brings May's characters and descriptions to genuine life. Peter Forbes is an excellent choice of narrator and plays his full part in the authentic success of this production. I can see now that I really didn't get it and need to read the trilogy in order. The odd thing is that one of the first books I ever listened to using Audible was the third book in this series, Chessmen. Rarely have I felt so completely transported to a place. All the time the atmosphere and vision of the isolated and desolately beautiful island literally breathe through the text. May delivers a master class in building his story and the coming of age of his lead Fin Macleod is revealed as a beautifully human story. The people and places on this Scottish Island are beautifully described and take top billing over the mystery.

Few books that I've read have ever evoked a stronger identity of locale and atmosphere. While yes it is a murder mystery, it's also so much more.

If ever a book has exceeded my expectations then it is this one. An Utterly Compelling Atmosphere of Desolation

The Blackhouse by Peter May