The Blackhouse
The gripping start to the bestselling crime series (Lewis Trilogy Book 1)
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4.1 • 94 Ratings
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
THE 12 MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE ENZO FILES AND THE CHINA THRILLERS
AWARD WINNING AUTHOR OF THE CWA DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY 2021
'One of the best regarded crime series of recent years.' Independent
'No one can create a more eloquently written suspense novel than Peter May.' New York Journal of Books
PETER MAY: THE MAN WHO BROUGHT MURDER TO THE OUTER HEBRIDES
A brutal killing takes place on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland: a land of harsh beauty and inhabitants of deep-rooted faith.
A MURDER
Detective Inspector Fin Macleod is sent from Edinburgh to investigate. For Lewis-born Macleod, the case represents a journey both home and into his past.
A SECRET
Something lurks within the close-knit island community. Something sinister.
A TRAP
As Fin investigates, old skeletons begin to surface, and soon he, the hunter, becomes the hunted.
LOVED THE BLACKHOUSE? Read book 2 in the Lewis trilogy, THE LEWIS MAN
LOVE PETER MAY? Buy his latest frontlist thriller, THE NIGHT GATE
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Television dramatist May's brilliant first in a trilogy set on the Gaelic-speaking Isle of Lewis, northernmost of Scotland's Outer Hebrides, introduces Fin Macleod, a Lewis native and Edinburgh CID detective sergeant. While grieving over the accidental death of his only child, Fin investigates a grisly homicide nearly identical to a previous case in Edinburgh. Back in Macleod's home village of Crobost, first-person flashbacks gradually unveil contradictory episodes of horror and compassion in his youth, counterpointing the third-person account of the present-day murder case. Abundant local color much of it physically and psychologically wrenching, like the islanders' annual culling of seabirds, a primitive rite of passage matches Macleod's tormented emotional landscape. The struggles of such multidimensional characters as Artair, Macleod's boyhood friend, and Marsaili, the girl they both loved and Artair married, add depth. In the acknowledgments, May (Blowback) reveals that he drew much of his inspiration from five years filming on the island.
Customer Reviews
Wordy word words
Comprehensive descriptions of people, places, emotions. Half way through I found myself skimming. Great characters and story. More of a memoir of a fictional character with a bit of crime story sprinkled on top. I liked it enough I’ll read the next one in the series.
Loved the build more than the end
I was pulled in pretty quickly, and loved the sense of place and deep nostalgia more than the way too fast conclusion. Reminded me of Jane Harper, but rougher around the edges.
Lost but then found again
The Black House stands as testament to …what? Murder, betrayal, abuse, misplaced trust, unfounded hatred, bent personalities? I found Peter May’s writing style daunting in its twists and turns through the main character’s past history. It was often difficult to follow and unclear where the story was headed. I will admit that the horror endured in that past history was well concealed until the near-end of the book. Once that hidden element was revealed, it was like recovering your favorite sneakers in the school lost-and-found box. Just the best day ever! Wish I could give the book a 3.5 or maybe even a 3.75 stars, but for me it just didn’t get there. This is mainly due to the lack of closure I felt over the sad handling of Fin’s left-behind wife, and I won’t give that piece away in a review.