All the latest news about Peter May and his writing...

Peter May wins CWA Dagger in the Library

Posted on march 31st, 2020

Peter May has won the Crime Writers' Association "Dagger in the Library".
This award recognises the popularity of an author’s body of work with readers and users of libraries.
The committee of judges is made up of librarians from across the country.
Sue Wilkinson, the chair of the 2021 committee said, ‘Peter May infuses his books with a real sense of place, whether it be China, France or the Hebrides.  His books are tense, atmospheric and complex but always utterly absorbing.’

'Lockdown' Peter May's prescient thriller

Posted on march 31st, 2020

Lockdown, Peter May's thriller set in a world quarantined during a deadly virus pandemic was written before the current crisis, but it was a dystopian image of London that seemed too extreme to be credible.

That has all changed now.

Peter May's vision of a society in lockdown is chillingly accurate. 

In 2005, scientists had been predicting the possibility of a major pandemic. At that time they believed it would be the H5N1 virus, or Avian Flu.  H5N1 was less contagious than Covid-19, but many times more dangerous, with a mortality rate of anything between 60 and 80%.  May undertook research into the detailed pandemic planning done by both the British and Americans in the early 2000s.  He used that research to build the scenario which forms the background and basis of Lockdown, a thriller involving a detective with London's Metropolitan police. 

Jack McNeil is tasked with investigating the murder of a child, in a city where the prime minister has just died, a curfew is in place, temporary hospitals are being erected, corpses are being taken for cremation en masse, and martial law is the only way to keep social order. Sinister forces are tracking his every move, prepared to kill again to conceal the truth. Which one will stop him first - the virus or the killers?

But fifteen years ago, publishers could not imagine such a scenario except in science fiction.  It was not deemed a setting for a crime thriller. 

The reality today? London is a city in lockdown. Emergency services are buckling under the strain of skyrocketing infections. The death toll is mounting. The Prime Minister has caught the virus. And it’s only going to get worse.

Jack McNeil is an ordinary detective trying to do his job in an extraordinary world that every reader today will recognise. 

This week, Quercus imprint riverrun is to publish Lockdown by Peter May.  A novel which has been in his ‘bottom drawer’ for the past fifteen years. 

Jon Riley, publisher: ‘Lockdown is a vintage Peter May crime novel, ingenious, wonderfully researched on the medicine and science surrounding the transmission of a virus. It’s chilling in describing its social consequences. When we were shown this novel only two weeks ago we realised we had to share it with Peter’s readers right away. The current situation around the world is unprecedented and as people struggle to comprehend and process it, many are being drawn to books and films that reflect these concerns, from Dean Koontz’s novel The Eyes of Darkness to Soderbergh’s Contagion. Lockdown is a crime thriller set in a world that we didn’t ever think would be recognizable.’

Peter May: ‘When I originally wrote Lockdown in 2005, no matter how well researched or accurate the dystopian picture it painted, no one could identify with it. Now everyone can. It is our common experience. And isn’t that what writers are supposed to do - describe and explore the human condition, the world we experience as a human race?'

Giving Back in Time of Need

Peter May: 'I have also taken the decision to donate the money from the advance that I have received for LOCKDOWN to various charitable organisations involved with supporting health workers, victims and others suffering as a result of Covid-19.'

'The Man With No Face' UK Launch and Tour January 2019

Posted on january 8th, 2019

A new edition of The Man With No Face is released this January.  Originally written and published in 1981, this fast-moving political thriller is set in 1979 but is contemporary in its themes.

Set on the eve of a UK general election, the topic on everyone's lips is Britain's membership of the European Union. 

Political conspiracies, freedom of the press, corruption and assassinations, all set in the pre-internet era, when nobody had mobile phones and information was slower to travel and easier to conceal.

A REPORTER WITH NO FEAR

Brussels, 1979. Jaded Edinburgh journalist Neil Bannerman arrives in the capital of European politics intent on digging up dirt. Yet it is danger he discovers, when two British men are found murdered.

A CHILD WITH NO FATHER

One victim is a journalist, the other a Cabinet Minister: the double-assassination witnessed by the former's autistic daughter. This girl recalls every detail about her father's killer - except for one.

THE MAN WITH NO FACE

With Brussels rocked by the tragedy, Bannerman is compelled to follow his instincts. He is now fighting to expose a murderous conspiracy, protect a helpless child, and unmask a remorseless killer.

Buy now with
FREE WORLDWIDE DELIVERY
from the Book Depository

Meet Peter on the launch tour for

"The Man With No Face"

Monday 14th January - Glasgow

6.30pm - Book Talk
Venue: Mitchell Library, North Street, Glasgow G3 7DN
Tickets: https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/event/1/peter-may

Tuesday 15th January - Perth

7pm - Book Talk
Venue: St John's Kirk, St John's Place, Perth PH1 5SZ
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-man-with-no-face-an-evening-with-peter-may-tickets-52906474690

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Wednesday 16th January - Inverness

6.30pm - Book Talk
Venue: Eden Court Theatre, Inverness
Tickets: https://www.waterstones.com/events/an-evening-with-peter-may/inverness-61061

***

Thursday 17th January - Edinburgh

6.30pm - Book Talk
Venue: Edinburgh Central Library, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh
Tickets: https://www.waterstones.com/events/an-evening-with-peter-may/edinburgh-west-end

***

Friday 18th January - Edinburgh

12 noon - Signing
Venue: WH Smiths, Unit 14, 33 Gyle Avenue, EH12 9JT

New Book and UK Launch Tour January 2018

Posted on December 13th, 2017

Peter makes an explosive return to the Hebrides with his latest thriller, I'll Keep You Safe.

He will be launching the book with a UK-wide tour, opening in Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, and following with events in Inverness, Glasgow, Perth, Edinburgh, Steyning, Nottingham and London. He will be appearing at the London Olympia as part "The France Show" and will be interviewed by celebrity chef and fan of Peter's books, Guy Wolley.  Details of all the events can be found below.

WHATEVER HAPPENS

Niamh and Ruairidh Macfarlane co-own the Hebridean company Ranish Tweed. On a business trip to Paris to promote their luxury brand, Niamh learns of Ruairidh's affair, and then looks on as he and his lover are killed by a car bomb. She returns home to Lewis, bereft.

I'LL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR YOU

Niamh begins to look back on her life with Ruairidh, desperate to identify anyone who may have held a grudge against him. The French police, meanwhile, have ruled out terrorism, and ruled in murder - and sent Detective Sylvie Braque to shadow their prime suspect: Niamh.

I'LL KEEP YOU SAFE, NO MATTER WHAT

As one woman works back through her memories, and the other moves forward with her investigation, the two draw ever closer to a deadly enemy with their own, murderous, designs.

UK TOUR
January 2018

Saturday 13th January - Isle of Lewis 

Event at Lews Castle, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis
Tel for Ticket: 01625 416 457
Ticket email: events@naturalretreats.com
Time: 6.30pm    
Venue: Lews Castle
Address:  Castle Grounds, Stornoway, HS2 0XS
Chairperson: Malcolm Maclean
Ticket price: £10 (including welcome drink)
***

Monday 15th January - Inverness   

Event with Waterstone’s, Inverness                   
Tel for Tickets: 01463 233500/ 01463 234234
Tickets Website: www.eden-court.co.uk  (tickets info not yet up)
Time: 6.30pm         
Tel: 01463 233 500           
Venue: Eden Court Theatre,
Address: Bishops Road, Inverness, IV3 5SA
Chairperson: Emma Murray
Tickets: £5
***

Tuesday 16th January - Glasgow

 Aye Write Special Event in association with Waterstones & the Mitchell Library
Tickets website: http://tickets.glasgowconcerthalls.com/single/SelectSeating.aspx?p=13137
Time: 6.30pm
Tel for tickets:  0141 353 8000
Venue: Mitchell Library Theatre
Address: North Street, Glasgow, G3 7DN   
Chairperson: Shari Low
Ticket Prices: £9
***

Wednesday 17th January - Perth

Event with Perth Library in association with Waterstone’s Perth
Tickets website: https://www.horsecross.co.uk/whats-on   
Tel for tickets:  01738 621 031 or purchase at the box office
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: Perth Theatre,
Address: Mill Street, Perth PH1 5HZ
Chair: Fiona Stalker
Ticket prices: £7
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Thursday 18th January - Edinburgh

Event with Waterstone’s Edinburgh       
Ticket website:
https://www.waterstones.com/events/an-evening-with-peter-may/edinburgh-west-end
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-evening-with-peter-may-tickets-40556585840
Tel for tickets: 0131 226 2666
Time: 7pm
Venue: Assembly Roxy
Address: 2 Roxburgh Place, Edinburgh EH8 9SU
Chairperson: Brian Taylor
 Ticket Price: £20 (includes a copy of the book)/£8
***

Tuesday 23rd January - Steyning

Literary Dinner in association with Steyning Bookshop, Sussex
Tel for tickets: 01903 812062
Ticket: £30 (includes book and meal)
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: The Sussex Produce Café
Address: 88 High Street, Steyning BN44 3RD
Chairperson: William Shaw
Email: info@steyningbookshop.co.uk 
Website: www.steyningbookshop.co.uk
***

Wednesday 24th January - Nottingham

Event in association with The Bookcase in Nottingham
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: St Mary’s Church,
Address: Church Lane, Lowdham, Notts, NG14 7BE
Tel for tickets: 0115 966 3219
Ticket Prices: £7 full/ £6 concession/ £5 Festival Friends
***

Friday 26th January - London Olympia

Event at the France Show, Olympia
Tickets: http://www.thefranceshow.com/tickets
Telephone for tickets: 01242 264777
Half price ticket promo code: PMTFS18  (Tickets £6 & booking fee £0.60)
Time: 1.15pm    
Chairperson: Guy Wolley
Venue: London Olympia
 Address of venue: Hammersmith Rd, London W14 8UX
Ticket Prices:  £12 / £13.20 (with booking fee)
***

Summer Festival Appearances in the UK & New Books in UK and North America

Posted on JUNE 13TH, 2017

Peter will be appearing at the following festivals this summer:

• HARROGATE Crime Writing Festival: Saturday 22nd July 8.30pm (click here for details and tickets)
  
  
• EDINBURGH International Book Festival: Tuesday 15 August (tickets on sale 20 June)
  
  
• BLOODY SCOTLAND Crime Writing Festival in Stirling: Saturday 9th September 2pm (click here for details and tickets)

New books in UK and North America

UK
Cast Iron - the sixth and final book in the Enzo Files series - will be published in paperback in the UK on 27th July.

USA & CANADA
Cast Iron - the sixth and final book in the Enzo Files series - will be published in hard cover edition in North America on October 3rd.
Coffin Road - Peter's standalone thriller set on the Isle of Harris will be published in paperback in North America on November 7th.

Coming in 2018...

Peter is currently writing a new novel which will be published early 2018 on both sides of the Atlantic. Details of that will be released soon, but we can tell you that after opening in Paris, the action shifts to the Hebridean island of Lewis.

Cast Iron - the 6th and Final Enzo File

Posted on november 21st, 2016

The 6th and final book in Peter May's "Enzo Files" series - Cast Iron - will be published in January 2017 in the UK.

In 1989, a killer dumped the body of twenty-year-old Lucie Martin into a picturesque lake in the West of France. Fourteen years later, during a summer heat wave, a drought exposed her remains - bleached bones amid the scorched mud and slime.
No one was ever convicted of her murder. But now, forensic expert Enzo Macleod is reviewing this stone cold case - the toughest of those he has been challenged to solve.
Yet when Enzo finds a flaw in the original evidence surrounding Lucie's murder, he opens a Pandora's box that not only raises old ghosts but endangers his entire family.

"Cast Iron" Tour

Some events are free, some events charge for entry because of the administration costs of the venue.
Please check and book your tickets in advance, even for the free events as places are often limited.

China Thrillers - new editions

Posted on May 22nd, 2016

First published between 1999 and 2004, Peter May's China Thrillers are being brought back into print by Quercus publishers' new imprint riverrun.  The six stories involve Li Yan, a Beijing homicide detective, and Margaret Campbell, a forensic pathologist from Chicago.  The background to the six books charts the extraordinary changes that took place in China around the turn of the new millennium as the country opened up to business and financial partnerships with the west.

Click here to read Peter's own story of writing the books and his thoughts about the new editions.

Tour of Australia and New Zealand 2016

Posted on February 10th, 2016

Dates and venues for events on Peter's tour of Australia and New Zealand have just been announce.  He will be doing events in Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane in Australia and Dunedin in New Zealand...
Perth, Australia
Friday 19th February 11.30am - 12.30pm
Perth Writers’ Festival
Murdoch Theatre
CRIMINALLY MINDED
Three masters of the crime genre, Peter May, Alan Carter and Garry Disher discuss their writing with Dawn Barker.
Free, no bookings

Perth, Australia
Saturday 20th February 4pm - 5pm
Perth Writers’ Festival
Alexander Lecture Theatre
SCREEN STARS
Peter May, Debra Oswald and Fiona Wood (all screenwriters as well as novelists) talk to Ann Turner about screenwriting and writing books.
Free, no bookings

Perth, Australia
Sunday 21st February 11.30am - 12.30pm
Perth Writers’ Festival
Alexander Lecture Theatre
TRADE SECRETS
Ann Turner, Aoife Clifford and Peter May share their tools of the trade when it comes to spellbinding fiction. With John Harman.
Free, no bookings

Dunedin, New Zealand
Thursday 25th February 6pm
Dunedin City Library
Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival and the Centre of Irish & Scottish Studies at the University of Otago present
AN EVENING WITH PETER MAY Peter May
interviewed by Prof Liam McIlvanney

Adelaide, Australia
Sunday 28th February 10.45am - 11.45am
Adelaide Writers’ Week
Pioneer Women’s Memorial Garden
East Stage
PETER MAY interviewed by Victoria Purman

Adelaide, Australia
Monday 29th February 2.30pm - 3.30pm
Adelaide Writers’ Week
Pioneer Women’s Memorial Garden
West Stage
PETER MAY & MARGIE ORFORD discuss their crime writing

Brisbane, Australia
Friday 4th March 6.30 - 7.30pm
North Lakes Library
10, The Corso
North Lakes QLD 4509
An evening with Peter May
Doors open 6pm

New Book Brings Murder Back to the Hebrides

Posted on Jan 10th, 2016

Peter's latest book, COFFIN ROAD will mark a return to the Hebrides for the Scottish writer. 

Due for publication in the UK in January 2016, pre-order figures show that readers are already anxious to be the first to receive copies as soon as they are available.

The first chapter has been made available to whet the appetite of fans. It can be found here.

"May conjures a clever, twisty eco-thriller... while making the atmospheric most of his isolated locations"
The Guardian
(click to read the full review)

***
"an excellent thriller"
Shots Magazine
(click to read the full review)
***

Coffin Road UK Tour 2016

Manchester

Waterstones, Deansgate
Thursday 14th January 7pm
https://www.waterstones.com/events/an-evening-with-peter-may/manchester-deansgate

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Glasgow - centre

The  Mitchell Library, North St, Glasgow G3 7DN
Monday 18th January 1pm
Book Online - http://tickets.glasgowconcerthalls.com/single/SelectSeating.aspx?p=4908
Or buy tickets from box office on 0141 353 8000
http://www.glasgowwestend.co.uk/an-audience-with-peter-may-18-january-2016-the-mitchell-library/

***

Glasgow - Newton Mearns

Waterstones, The Avenue Shopping Centre
Monday 18th January 7pm
https://www.waterstones.com/events/an-evening-with-peter-may/newton-mearns

***

Inverness

The Ironworks
Tuesday 19th January at 7pm
http://www.ironworksvenue.com/event/peter-may/

***

Edinburgh

Edinburgh Central Library,
Wed 20 Jan 2016, 7pm
http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/peter-may-coffin-road-tickets-19856078064

***

Edinburgh

WHSmith, The Gyle Centre, Edinburgh,
Thursday 21st Jan 2016, 10.30am
http://events.whsmith.co.uk/event/peter-may-the-coffin-road/

***

Leeds

Waterstones
Thursday 21st January 7pm
https://www.waterstones.com/events/an-evening-with-peter-may/leeds

***

Oxford

Blackwell’s Oxford
Monday, January 25th at 7pm
Tickets: call 01865 333623 for more information or email events.oxford@Blackwell.co.uk

***

London

London - Piccadilly
Tuesday 26th January 6.30pm
https://www.waterstones.com/events/an-evening-with-peter-may/london-piccadilly

***

FRENCH AWARD FOR ENTRY ISLAND

In October, in Villeneuve les Avignon, France, Entry Island picked up its 3rd literary award, when it won the TROPHÉE 813 for Best Foreign Novel.  The prize was awarded by the French magazine Review 813.

Posted on june 16th, 2015

Peter is on three award shortlists  and will be appearing at festivals in Harrogate, Edinburgh and Stirling in the UK this summer.

DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY
Peter has made it to the shortlist of the UK Crime Writers Association's Dagger in the Library award for a writer's body of work. The winner will be announced at the CWA awards dinner in London on June 30th. FInd out more here

THEAKSTONS UK CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR AWARD
Peter's book "Entry Island" has been shortlisted for the Theakston's Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year Award.  The winner will be announced at the opening of the Harrogate Festival of Crime Writing on July 16th, which Peter will be attending along with the other finalists. Previous winners of the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year award include Lee Child, Val McDermid, and Mark Billingham. Find out more here

MACAVITY  AWARD FOR BEST MYSTERY NOVEL
The second book in the Lewis Trilogy, "The Lewis Man", has been shortlisted for the Macavity Award  for Mystery Novel of the Year.  The winner will be announced at the opening of the Bouchercon Crime Writing Conference on October 8, 2015, in Raleigh North Carolina. Find out more about the Macavity Awards here

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL
Peter will be making two appearances at this year's Edinburgh International Book Festival.  On Tuesday August 18th he will be in conversation with Julia Donaldson discussing being a best-seller abroad (Peter's books are published in 22 countries).
On Sunday August 23rd, he will be in conversation with Brian Taylor, talking about his latest book "Runaway" which will be published in paperback in the UK this summer.
Find out more here

BLOODY SCOTLAND
Peter and Val McDermid will be the opening event at Bloody Scotland on Friday September 11 And on Saturday September 12th, Peter will be at the Bloody Scotland Crime Book of the Year Dinner.  As last year's winner, Peter will be presenting the award to this year's winner. Find out more here

BLOWBACK PUBLISHED IN THE UK IN PAPERBACK
The fifth book in Peter's Enzo Files series, "Blowback" is out now in paperback in the UK.  Fans of the series will be pleased to know that Peter plans to write the sixth and final book at the end of this year and it should be published next year in the UK.

INTERNATIONAL APPEARANCES
USA & CANADA September/October 2015 - tour CANCELLED. Peter has had to cancel his plans due to an unexpected health problem.  Instead of being in USA and Canada, he will be in hospital undergoing gallbladder surgery.
ITALY: Mantova Festival of Literature September 9 - 11, 2015 Find out more here
FRANCE: Cognac Festival of Crime Writing October 16 - 18, 2015 Find out more here
FRANCE: Brive Book Fair, November 6 - 8, 2015 Find out more here
AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND February?March 2016 - tour TBA

RUNAWAY coming to UK in January 2015

Posted on november 12th, 2014

Peter May's eagerly awaited new book "RUNAWAY" will be published in the UK in January 2015.

RUNAWAY
The decision of five teenage boys to leave their homes in Glasgow in 1965 and head for London is led by Jack Mackay when he is expelled from school. His friends need little incentive to run away from abusive families and dead end jobs to pursue fame and fortune as a band.  However, the boys find the reality to be devastatingly different from their dreams, and within less than eight weeks of their departure, just three of them return home, their lives irrevocably damaged.
Fifty years later, in 2015, a brutal murder takes place in London and the three men, who are now in their sixties, are forced to return to the city to confront the demons which have haunted them and blighted their lives for five decades.
Runaway is a gripping crime novel spanning two cities and half a century. This extraordinary work by Peter May explores how aspirations and expectations shape us, and the pivotal yet changeable role that friendships play in our lives.

Read more about the "story behind the story" on Peter's blog, where he reveals how the inspiration for RUNAWAY came from his own experiences...

 
Peter May (on the right) with lifelong friend Stephen Penn in photographs taken 45 years apart.

RUNAWAY TOUR - UK

Peter May is coming to UK to talk about Runaway and sign copies of his new book.
Most events are free, some events charge for entry because of the administration costs of the venue.  Please check and book tickets in advance, even for the free events, to avoid disappointment.

• GLASGOW - Monday 19th January, 11.15am (time variable). Waterstones Sauchiehall Street (drop-in stock signing) Telephone 0141 332 9105 for more information
• GLASGOW - Monday 19th January, 1pm.  Mitchell Library (Lunchtime Event) click here for more information
• NEWTON MEARNS - Monday 19th January, 7pm.  Primavera Bistro.  Telephone 0141 616 3933 or click here for more information
• INVERNESS - Tuesday 20th January, 3.30 - 4pm.  WH Smiths, High St. Telephone 01463 233885 for more information
• INVERNESS - Tuesday 20th January, 7pm.  The Iron Works, Academy Street. click here for more information
• PERTH - Wednesday 21st January, 1pm - 2pm.  Waterstones, St John's Centre (signing) Telephone 01738 630013 or click here for more information
• PERTH - Wednesday 21st January, 3pm.  WH Smiths, High St. (stock signing)  Telephone  01738 621425 for more information
• DUNDEE - Wednesday 21st January, 6.30pm. Steps Theatre, The Wellgate.  click here for more information
• EDINBURGH - Thursday 22nd January, 11.15am. Waterstones, George St (stock signing) Telephone 0131 225 3436 for more information
• EDINBURGH - Thursday 22nd January, 12.30pm to 1.30pm. WH Smiths, Gyle Shopping Centre (formal signing) Telephone 0131 339 8855 for more information
• EDINBURGH - Thursday 22nd January, 7pm.  Edinburgh Central Library, George IV Bridge. (Peter May in conversation with Jackie McGlone) click here for more information
• EDINBURGH - Friday 23rd January, Noon. Blackwells, South Bridge.  (stock signing) Telephone 0131 622 8222 for more information
• LONDON - Tuesday 27th January, 6.30pm. Waterstones Piccadilly. (Talk and signing) click here for more information

Double UK Award Coup for ENTRY ISLAND

Posted on november 12th, 2014

Peter May's "Entry Island" has just won two major awards in the UK:

Peter's book "Entry Island" was awarded the prize for the Scottish Crime Book of the Year at the "Bloody Scotland" crime writing festival in Stirling in September.
On presenting the award, Magnus Linklater said:

    ‘What struck us about this year’s Deanston winner was the author’s originality. The idea of what a crime novel is and can be appears to be changing, if this year's short-list is anything to go by;  we may be said to be looking at the “post-crime” novel,  and Entry Island reflects that.  The focus is is less about the murder, the clues, the tracking down of the perpetrator, than about the landscape against which it takes place, and the characters who become part of the narrative.

    ‘This is a very well-researched and constructed book set in a fully-imagined world, with skilfully drawn parallels between the historic and contemporary narratives. May’s sense of place is so intense that it almost becomes a character in itself. The judges would particularly like to praise the dual narrative, the vivid descriptions, the richly-layered prose, unflinching emotion and the interesting central character: we enjoyed reading him as he rattled about with his demons.’

Peter was delighted to receive the award, saying:

    'This is the first literary award that any of my books have won in the UK, despite several short listings, and I am absolutely delighted that it is the Deanston Scottish Crime Novel of the Year.  It makes me immensely proud to be honoured by my ain folk in this way, and I owe a huge thanks to those Scottish readers who have propelled me to the top of the charts with their unerring support.

    'I have just returned from an 18-day book tour of North America to promote the Lewis Trilogy and have frequently been asked why Scottish crime writers in particular are so successful.  And I have come to the conclusion that it is all about confidence - the confidence that successful pioneers like William McIlvanney and Ian Rankin have given the rest of us to write about our home country, and the confidence inspired by the wonderful loyalty of Scottish readers and the backing of Scottish bookstores.  Bloody Scotland is a manifestation of that confidence, and this prize the ultimate seal of approval.  I am humbled to receive it.'

Hot on the heels of winning the Deanston Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2014, Peter's book "Entry Island" also won ITV Specsavers Book Club Dagger for the Best Read of the Year 2014, at the star-studded Crime Thriller Awards ceremony in Grosvenor House Hotel in London's Mayfair. 
Fellow crime authors who read "Entry Island" said of the book:

"From the first page I knew I was in safe hands" Sophie Hannah
"A wonderfully complex book" Peter James
"He is a terrific writer doing something different" Mark Billingham
"The characters were wonderfully compelling" Kate Mosse

Accepting the award Peter May paid tribute to his editor at Quercus, Jon Riley, "who has not only allowed but encouraged me to stretch the boundaries of the crime novel."
May held the award aloft and stated, "This award is for Jon Riley and everyone at Quercus."

Posted on may 13th, 2014

The first of the Enzo Files, Extraordinary People is available for the first time in the UK, published by Quercus.  The series, which was originally published in the USA, features Enzo Macleod (Italian mother, Scottish father) and former forensic scientist now living in France and working as a biology professor at a university in Toulouse.  As a result of a bet, he is trying to use new scientific techniques to open cold cases and solve some of France's most famous unsolved murders.
The rest of the books in the series will follow in quick succession.  "The Critic" will be published in August 2014 and "Blacklight Blue" in November 2014.
Readers of the Lewis Trilogy should not expect the same dark troubled character as Fin Macleod, Enzo and Fin share nothing but a surname.

Why do Enzo and Fin share a surname?

Well, first Peter wrote "The Blackhouse" with the character of Fin Macleod.  It was turned down by all the major publishers, and he put it away, believing that it would never be published.  Since writing is how he earns his living, he had to focus on trying to write another book. The book he wrote was "Extraordinary People" and because he liked the name Macleod, he used it for the main character, Enzo.  "Extraordinary People" was published in the USA in 2006, and "The Enzo Files" went on to become a series.  In 2009, Peter's French publisher published The Blackhouse and it went on to become an international best-seller.  And so, Peter now has two characters in different series who share a surname.  The only publisher who had a problem with it was the German publisher who has re-named Enzo, Enzo Mackay.

Posted on December 4th, 2013

After the conclusion of The Lewis Trilogy (The Blackhouse, The Lewis Man and The Chessmen), May has written a standalone novel split between Quebec, Canada, and the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. It was released early on Kindle in December 2013, one month before its scheduled hardback release date on January 2014.
click here to read Peter's latest blog about the background to Entry Island

Peter Talks about Entry Island...

Cover copy:
When Detective Sime Mackenzie boards a light aircraft at Montreal's St. Hubert airfield, he does so without looking back. For Sime, the 850-mile journey ahead represents an opportunity to escape the bitter blend of loneliness and regret that has come to characterise his life in the city. Travelling as part of an eight-officer investigation team, Sime's destination lies in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Only two kilometres wide and three long, Entry Island is home to a population of around 130 inhabitants - the wealthiest of which has just been discovered murdered in his home. The investigation itself appears little more than a formality. The evidence points to a crime of passion: the victim's wife the vengeful culprit. But for Sime the investigation is turned on its head when he comes face to face with the prime suspect, and is convinced that he knows her - even though they have never met. Haunted by this certainty his insomnia becomes punctuated by dreams of a distant past on a Scottish island 3,000 miles away. Dreams in which the widow plays a leading role. Sime's conviction becomes an obsession. And in spite of mounting evidence of her guilt he finds himself convinced of her innocence, leading to a conflict between the professonal duty he must fulfil, and the personal destiny that awaits him.

At Bouchercon, in Albany NY, George Easter presented Peter with the Barry Award for Best Crime Novel of the Year in the USA for The Blackhouse.

"The Blackhouse" - one of Library Journal's "Books of the Year":

“ Scottish author May (...) has written a mesmerizing new trilogy opener.
... a breathtaking conclusion with an astonishing twist at the end.”

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ARCHIVE

September 2013

"HEBRIDES"

A photo companion book for The Lewis Trilogy, containing more than 200 beautiful photographs of locations in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland described in the books.  The photographs were taken by local photographer and artist, David Wilson, and they are accompanied by a narrative by Peter May.

The landscape of the Outer Hebrides, with its stark cliffs, ghostly mists and lonely beaches, has become a definitive character of Peter May's Lewis Trilogy. In Hebrides, readers accompany Peter on an odyssey in prose and images, through a history of the Vikings' 'Long Island' and his own deep personal connection with the islands that influenced his bestselling work.

Travelling as if alongside his protagonist Fin Macleod, he describes the island life - as bewitching as it is treacherous - his encounter with the bird-hunters of Sula Sgeir, and the savage seas of Ness and the churches of Eriskay.

With extracts from the trilogy and specially commissioned photographs, this book places Peter May's writing and characters within the land that gave them form.

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July 2013

A SUMMER OF AWARD NOMINATIONS

• BARRY AWARDS (USA) - The Blackhouse - Subscribers and readers of Deadly Pleasures Magazine can vote. Find out more, here
  
• MACAVITY AWARDS (USA) - The Blackhouse - Subscribers and readers of Mystery Readers Journal can vote. Find out more, here
• THEAKSTONS OLD PECULIER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR (UK) - The Lewis Man
  

THE BLACKHOUSE shortlisted for a Barry Award

THE BLACKHOUSE has been shortlisted in the category of Best Crime Novel in the BARRY AWARDS run by Deadly Pleasure magazine.

All subscribers and readers of Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine are eligible to vote.

Once you have subscribed, you may vote by email (george@deadlypleasures.com) or by sending your votes to P.O. Box 997, Bountiful, UT 84011.
The winners will be announced September 19, 2013 at the Opening Ceremonies of Bouchercon 2013 in Albany, New York

THE BLACKHOUSE shortlisted for a Macavity Award

THE BLACKHOUSE has been shortlisted for a Macavity Award.   This award is nominated by and voted on by members and supporters of Mystery Readers International, as well as subscribers to Mystery Readers Journal. Winners will be announced at Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention, in September, in Albany this year. The Macavity Award is named for the "mystery cat" of T.S. Eliot (Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats).

THE LEWIS MAN shortlisted for Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year

  The Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year is a UK prize announced each year at the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival.``

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June 2013

THE CHESSMEN 23 weeks in the UK hardback chart!

THE CHESSMEN is still in the UK hardback bestsellers chart almost six months after publication

THE ENZO FILES new e-books editions from Quercus

Quercus have released new e-book versions of the Enzo Files books, EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE, THE CRITIC, BLACKLIGHT BLUE and FREEZE FRAME (with BLOWBACK coming soon).  Find out more here

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January 2013

Highlights of 2012

The Lewis Man was just named by UK newspaper The Independent as one of their "Books of the Year" for 2012 and the described the series as:

"one of the best-regarded crime series of recent years".

The Blackhouse was published in the USA by Quercus’ partners, Silver Oak, and has been received very well. 


New York Times reviewer, Marilyn Stasio said:

"Peter May is a writer I’d follow to the ends of the earth"

and praised his

"intricately plotted story" and "thrilling showdown".


Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review, calling it:

"May’s brilliant first in a trilogy"

and appreciating

"such multi-dimensional characters".  


Library Journal gave it a starred review, too, describing it as:

"mesmerizing"', "breathtaking", "astonishing".

Library Journal have also just named The Blackhouse one of "The Best Books of 2012" in the USA.

January Magazine also named The Blackhouse one of "The Best Books of 2012" in the USA.

The year was also notable for the awards and shortlistings, both in France and in the UK, that Peter received for The Lewis Man.



In May, Peter was named in the shortlist for the UK Crime Writers’ Association’s "Dagger in the Library" a prize awarded by British librarians.

Back in France, Peter won the French daily newspaper Le Télégramme’s Grand Prix des Lecteurs. 
All 12 nominees were called on to give talks at shops and libraries and be interviewed on television - all of this in French, of course!  
The vote was taken by readers of the newspaper and the 12 books. 

In May, Peter was delighted to be declared the winner and even more delighted to receive the 10,000 Euro prize!



In June, at Le Havre’s Ancres Noires Crime Writing Festival, he became the first person to win their Prix des Lecteurs twice - having won it previously for The Blackhouse.

The Lewis Man was also shortlisted for the first Scottish Crime Book of the Year, at the inaugural "Bloody Scotland" Crime Writing Festival in Stirling in September.



And in October, Peter won the Prix Polar International at the Cognac festival of Crime Writing by a unanimous vote of the judges (which is apparently very unusual).