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The Lewis Trilogy
"...one of the best regarded crime series of recent years"
The Independent
"Peter May is an author I'd follow to the ends of the earth"
The New York Times
Contents:
- #1 in the Lewis Trilogy - THE BLACKHOUSE
- Reviews of THE BLACKHOUSE
- #2 in the Lewis Trilogy - THE LEWIS MAN
- Reviews of THE LEWIS MAN
- #3 in the Lewis Trilogy - THE CHESSMEN
- Reviews of THE CHESSMEN
Background to the Books
- The Story Behind the Publication of THE BLACKHOUSE
- French Awards
- RICHARD AND JUDY choose The Blackhouse for their Autumn Book Club *VIDEO INTERVIEW*
Video
& Audio
Extras
GET THE FREE APP
there is now a free app for iPhone, iPads, and iPods find out more here
MAP OF THE ISLANDS
DOWNLOAD
a map of the islands showing locations mentioned in the trilogy
PRONUNCIATION OF GAELIC WORDS AND NAMES
DOWNLOAD LIST
a rough guide to the pronunciation of Gaelic words and names of characters and places
or
LISTEN ONLINE TO A NATIVE GAELIC SPEAKER SAYING THE WORDS ALOUD
READERS' GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
DOWNLOAD
Readers' Group Discussion Questions for The Blackhouse
(NB may contain spoilers if you haven't read the book)
READ EXCERPTS FROM THE BOOKS
THE CHESSMEN
3rd book in The Lewis Trilogy
OUT NOW!
*Click here to read an excerpt*
Fin Macleod, now head of security on a privately owned Lewis estate, is charged with investigating a spate of illegal game-hunting taking place on the island.
THE NEW START
THE OLD FRIEND
This mission reunites him with Whistler Macaskill - a local poacher, Fin's teenage intimate, and possessor of a long-buried secret.
THE FINAL CHAPTER
But when this reunion takes a violent, sinister turn and Fin puts together the fractured pieces of the past, he realizes that revealing the truth could destroy the future.
Watch Peter's research video from The Chessmen....
THE LEWIS MAN
2nd book in The Lewis Trilogy
*18 weeks in UK hardback bestsellers list*
* #1 Kindle UK mysteries, #2 Kindle UK all books*
"The Blackhouse was an extremely good book; The Lewis Man is a superb book."
Bookgeeks.com
An unidentified corpse is recovered from a Lewis peat bog; the only clue to its identity being a DNA sibling match to a local farmer.
A MAN WITH NO NAME
A MAN WITH NO MEMORY
But this islander, Tormod Macdonald - now an elderly man suffering from dementia - has always claimed to be an only child.
A MAN WITH NO CHOICE
When Tormod's family approach Fin Macleod for help, Fin feels duty-bound to solve the mystery.
A perfectly preserved body is recovered from a peat bog on the Isle of Lewis.
The male Caucasian corpse – marked by several horrific stab wounds – is initially believed by its finders to be over two-thousand years old. Until they spot the Elvis tattoo on his right arm. The body, it transpires, is not evidence of an ancient ritual killing, but of a murder committed during the latter half of the twentieth century.
Meanwhile, Fin Macleod has returned to the island of his birth. Having left his wife, his life in Edinburgh and his career in the police force, the former Detective Inspector is intent on repairing past relationships and restoring his parents’ derelict croft.
But when DNA tests flag a familial match between the bog body and the father of Fin’s childhood sweetheart, Marsaili Macdonald, Fin finds his homecoming more turbulent than expected. Tormod Macdonald, now an elderly man in the grip of dementia, had always claimed to be an only child without close family.
A lie, Fin will soon discover, Tormod has had very good reason to hide behind.
The Lewis Man is the follow-up to The Blackhouse, which was an international bestseller in both hardback and paperback. It is the second novel in the Lewis trilogy.
"The Lewis Man" won the Prix des Lecteurs du Télégramme - the Readers' Prize of of Le Télégramme newspaper in France. Here is Peter accepting the award and a cheque for 10,000 Euros from Hubert Couderier of Le Télégramme newspaper...
Author and publisher, Hervé Hamon, who was chairman of the committee who selected the shortlist of books for the prize said:
'The Lewis Man' is a work of true literature. Peter May is able to take a subject so individual and unique yet make it relevant to everyone, touching the spirit of all those who read it."
It has also won...
- the Prix des Lecteurs 2012 at Les Ancres Noires Festival, Le Havre, France.
and- the 2012 Prix International at the Polar&Co Festival, Cognac, France.
and was shortlisted for...- the UK Crime Writers' Association Dagger in the Library Award for 2012
and- the Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2012
Peter May picking up the Prix International at the Cognac Crime Writing Festival 2012
- a unanimous decision by the jury, unique in the 17-year history of the prize!
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THE BLACKHOUSE
1st book in The Lewis Trilogy
The Isle of Lewis is the most remote, harshly beautiful place in Scotland, where the difficulty of existence seems outweighed only by people’s fear of God.
But older, pagan values lurk beneath the veneer of faith, the primal yearning for blood and revenge.
When a brutal murder on the island bears the hallmarks of a similar slaying in Edinburgh, police detective Fin Macleod is dispatched north to investigate.
But since he himself was raised on Lewis, the investigation also represents a journey home and into his past.
Each year the island’s men perform the hunting of the gugas, a savage custom no longer necessary for survival, but which they cling to even more fiercely in the face of the demands of modern morality.
For Fin the hunt recalls a horrific tragedy, which after all this time may have begun to demand another sacrifice.
The Blackhouse is a crime novel of rare power and vision.
A page-turning murder mystery that explores the darkness in our souls,
and just how difficult it is to escape the past.
The French daily newspaper, L'Humanité, reviewed the book describing it as:
"A thriller with an intensity that never slackens,
chilling and igneous at the same time,
like the great country that serves as its setting.
A masterpiece indeed."
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The Story Behind the Publication of The Blackhouse
Peter May's The Blackhouse, was first published in France, Scotsman May's adopted home.
It will be published in the UK, Spain, Italy and Germany in 2011.
Here is Peter's account of the story behind the publication...
Inspiration
Peter also recounts a moving story concerning the inspiration
behind one of the characters for The Blackhouse, on his new blog, here.
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French Accolades
Peter May's The Blackhouse was first published in France, Scotsman May's adopted home, and has been acclaimed as "a masterpiece" by national newspaper L'Humanité as well as winning several awards...
Prix Litteraire Cezam Inter-CE,
National French Literature Prize, Strasbourg October 2011 one of the world's largest readers' prizes with 3500 jurors from all walks of life around the whole of France
There are two levels of the Prize, regional and national. As well as winning the overall national award, The Blackhouse won 21 out of 25 regional awards across France
Prix de Lecteurs, Le Havre's 2010 Les Ancres Noires book festival
Judged by readers in Libraries all over the North of France
2011 PILP (Prix Inter Lycées Professionels)
Literary Award judged by students in lycees across Northwestern France from a shortlist of 10 books from all over Europe
There have been further French award shortlistings for The Blackhouse (or L'Ile des Chasseurs d'Oiseaux)...
it was a finalist in the Prix des Lecteurs at the Villeneuve lez Avignon book Festival 2010 it was a finalist for the Prix International at the Cognac Book Festival "Polar&Co" 2010
The Lewis Man has won:
Prix des Lecteurs of Le Télégramme newspaper in France, a 10,000 Euro prize judged by readers of the newspaper Prix de Lecteurs, Le Havre's 2012 Les Ancres Noires book festival
Judged by readers in Libraries all over the North of France
... and has been shortlisted for:
the Prix International at the Cognac Book Festival "Polar&Co", winner to be announced in October 2012 the UK Crime Writers' Association Dagger in the Library Award for 2012
the Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2012, winner to be announced at Bloody Scotland, festival of Crime Writing in Stirling, Scotland, in September 2012.
Prix Litteraire Cezam Inter-CE
View images from the Prix Litteraire Cezam Inter-CE award ceremony in Strasbourg
a National French Literature Prize Strasbourg October 2011
Prix de Lecteurs, Le Havre's 2010 Les Ancres Noires book festival
Peter May winning the 2010 Prix de Lecteurs at Le Havre's Les Ancres Noires book festival.
Peter May receiving his prize, a sculpture by artist Jean-Paul Carnet.
With Peter in the picture is the Mayor of Le Havre, Filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier, Jean-Paul Carnet and organisers of Les Ancres Noires.
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Richard and Judy Book Club Choice
The Blackhouse was chosen by Richard Madeley and Judy Finnegan for their Book Club's Autumn 2011 list.
The Book Club readers went on to vote for The Blackhouse as their favourite book.
The Uk's equivalent of the Oprah Book Club, the Richard and Judy Book Club, run in conjunction with WH Smith has been responsible for over two million book sales in The last year alone.
Watch Richard and Judy's interview with Peter May about The Blackhouse...
Reviews of The Blackhouse
"Just when we think we’ve seen it all, along comes Peter May’s Blackhouse to remind us that
terms like unique and cutting edge still belong in the crime novel lexicon.
In addition to being a great story, this book is probably like nothing you have read before."
The Big Thrill
(read the full article)
"A thriller with an intensity that never slackens, chilling and igneous at the same time,
like the great country that serves as its setting.
A masterpiece indeed."
L'Humanité (French daily newspaper)
(read a translation of the full article)
"Peter May is a writer I’d follow to the ends of the earth"
"intricately plotted story"
"thrilling showdown"
The New York Times
(read the full review here)
"Scottish author May (...) has written a mesmerizing new trilogy opener.
May brings the story to a breathtaking conclusion with an astonishing twist at the end."
The Library Journal (starred review)
(read the full review here)
"May’s brilliant first in a trilogy"
"Abundant local color (...) matches Macleod’s tormented emotional landscape.
The struggles of such multidimensional characters (...) add depth."
Publishers Weekly (starred review)
(read the full review here)
"brilliantly executed" (...) "an absolute stunner of an ending"
(...)
"A gripping plot, pitch-perfect characterization, and an appropriately bleak setting drive this outstanding series debut."
Booklist (American Library Association) (starred review)
(read the full review here)
"His [the hero’s] gradual enlightenment is conveyed with subtle, tragic conviction
…. melancholy … brilliant"
The Literary Review
"[May's] finest work... an impeccably written murder thriller"
Daily Express
"A chilling setting for a gripping novel... impressive writing"
The Times (London)
(read the full review)
"shines with intrigue and superb plotting"
USA Today
(read the full review)
"Award-winning Glasgow-born author Peter May is no stranger to the Isle of Lewis,
and it shows in every thrilling chapter of this bleak, wild, atmospheric novel.
(...)
400 pages of pitch-perfect dialogue and creepy, spine-tingling storytelling."
The Scotsman
(read the full review)
"While The Blackhouse contains many feature-filled pages, life-changing events and
revelations of major consequence, they are beautifully played here,
orchestrated by a writer in full command of his material, perfectly judged and paced,
and so the whole story is utterly compelling and it carries the reader to the very last word.
This book shows how the dramatic should be done."
Cornflower Books
(read the full review)
"This is a novel of subtlety and horror.
Award-winning author Peter May has deftly constructed a story that gets into
the heart of human darkness while presenting an intriguing thriller you won’t be able to put down."
CityAM
(read the full review)
"Peter May handles the psychological depths of the story with a deft touch and great insight."
(...)
"This is a magnificent and gripping story of murder and long held resentment that
grabs the attention from the very first word."
(...)
"This is much, much more than a murder mystery,
revealing the depths to which human beings are driven by passion and jealousy.
Fin is a complex and attractive character plunged into an emotional whirlpool"
Crime Squad
(read the full review)
"a story which, remarkably in 21st century Britain, could not have worked anywhere else...
Atmosphere and character are the main things here...
Thanks to May, Lewis is firmly on Scotland’s crime map"
Shots
(read the full review)
"What a truly fantastic book this is! ...a truly delightful feast for the soul...
The nature of the story gets into your mind and won't leave you alone.
It haunts you... beautifully rich vocabulary... excellent."
Eurocrime
(read the full article)
"The first of three books to be set on Lewis, The Blackhouse is a good example of
Peter May’s talent for sharing a place and unravelling a story that keeps you guessing as the pages fly by.
Highland News
(read the full article)
"...brilliant! One of the best books (crime et al.) I've read in a very long time."
Alanna Knight
(The Times '100 Masters of Crime')
"The Blackhouse... poses as a crime novel but, like the best of its genre, is much more.
May’s rich characters and his attention to detail breathe life into the story, which haunts you past the final page."
The Skinny magazine
(read the full review)
"an outstanding thriller that is as dark and chilling as the stormy Scottish seas on a winter's night"
The Daily Record
(read the full review)
"May handles the plot, pace and characterization with a freshness and fluidity that make it a delight to read"
The Big Issue
"Easily May’s best work to date... his greatest success thus far as a novelist.
...a highly pleasurable mix of mystery and literary fiction"
The LitWitch
(read the full review)
"genuinely exciting and unexpected climax...
an outstanding and unusual piece of crime fiction told by someone with a deep understanding of the setting he has placed it in"
Undiscovered Scotland Magazine
(read the full review)
"...atmospheric passages of reflection and recollection, played out in the dramatic dénouement, but always interpreted skilfully and with balance, making an intense, involving piece of work to appeal to lovers of sophisticated crime and psychological thrillers."
A Broad Scot
(read the full review)
"a dark, evocative tale (...) beautifully-observed "
The Scots Magazine (Book of the Month June 2011)
(read the full review)
"A beautifully written, haunting and powerful examination of the darkness of men's souls
and how hard it can be to bury the past, The Blackhouse is also an outstanding page-turning murder mystery"
The Independent (Ireland)
(read the full review)
"Award-winning Glasgow-born author Peter May is no stranger to the Isle of Lewis, and
it shows in every thrilling chapter of this bleak, wild, atmospheric novel."
The Sunday Journal (Ireland)
(read the full review)
“All the accolades are deserved"
"the best book I’ve read all year"
"It’s an intense, psychological drama that’s all about atmosphere and character,
a book that clings to you long after you’ve put it down."
"a study of tragedy, resentment and even redemption
"a powerful, beautifully paced story that drips with malice.”
The Chronicle (Australia)
(read the full review)
"well written, educational, innovative and character-driven"
" A writer of [May's] caliber is a rare bird, or guga, if you wish, and deserves a wider audience"
The Washington Independent Review of Books (USA)
(read the full review)
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Reviews of The Lewis Man
"The strength and beauty of this book lies in the exploration of the relationships between people. The characters are beautifully drawn and so true to life."
(...)
"The plot is intricate and cleverly fitted together."
(...)
"Having previously read ‘The Blackhouse’ which I thoroughly enjoyed I was concerned the next instalment would not be so enthralling.
However, I absolutely loved this second book in the series and can safely state that May is currently unveiling a cracking series."
CrimeSquad
(read the full review)
"deeply tragic… heart-rending"
(...)
"Peter May is the [crime] genre’s fine wine; his writing is refined and complex, offering pleasure on many levels."
(...)
"The Blackhouse was an extremely good book; The Lewis Man is a superb book."
Bookgeeks
(read the full review)
"another fantastic book and every bit as excellent as The Blackhouse"
(...)
"Peter May weaves his wonderful magic and the story unfolds before you in vivid detail"
(...)
"...so well written that it absorbs you completely"
(...)
"Very highly recommended"
Eurocrime
(read the full review)
"if anything, an even more compelling read than its predecessor"
(...)
"an outstanding example of the storyteller's art"
Undiscovered Scotland
(read the full review)
"story-telling at its primordial best"
(...)
"spell-binding"
(...)
"May is very clever here ... he tells a brilliant story but with the sparest of language"
(...)
"The book’s a delight: bringing people and place alive in equal measure."
ShotsMag
(read the full review)
"the second novel in May's Isle of Lewis trilogy is as good as its superb predecessor"
(...)
"not only a good mystery, but also a moving and evocative portrayal of a place
where the unforgiving weather is matched only by the church's harsh patronage."
The Guardian
(read the full review)
"The depiction of the island atmosphere is as impressive as the action."
The Sunday Telegraph
(read the full review)
"'In mood and texture, Peter May's novels, set on the Isle of Lewis, are essentially Nordic,
and he bears comparison with some of the best writers from those cold desolate climes"
(...)
"The plot throbs with past and present passions, jealousies, suspicions and regrets;
the emotional secrets of the bleak island are even deeper than its peat bog."
The Times
(read the full review)
"well worth reading"
The Sunday Times
"like all the best crime fiction its interest is not restricted to the investigation"
(...)
"a hymn in praise of the beauties of the islands and miseries of their weather"
(...)
"Crime novels may be primarily entertainments, but the best ones always offer something more.
Fin’s investigation of this long-buried crime forces him to make a reassessment of his own life."
The Scotsman
(read the full review)
"as gripping as its predecessor ... well written, rendering almost visible the Hebridean landscapes, seascapes and customs"
Literary Review
"The Lewis Man, Peter May's sequel to last year's bestseller The Blackhouse is even more impressive than its predecessor"
Big Issue Scotland
"May's thriller is gripping, atmospheric and educational"
Mail on Sunday
"A thriller full to bursting with twists... The Lewis Man, as with The Blackhouse
delivers the chilling tale within the perfectly described setting of the Western Isles."
Time Out
"All of us who have been eagerly awaiting the sequel to that very dramatic first book
will have been wondering whether the author would pull off a second story with the aplomb shown in the earlier one;
I'm so glad to tell you that he does."
(...)
"Peter May shows his skill with an intricate plot and with the unfolding narrative"
(...)
"it's a neat tale he tells and one which will have you on the very edge of your seat"
Cornflower Books
(read the full review)
"How do I convey the moody sense of tragedy and heartbreak in this stunning follow-up to The Blackhouse?"
(...)
"this book made me want to cry time and again"
(...)
"Peter May has struck creative gold with the Lewis Trilogy."
(...)
"I can’t wait for the final installment in this series"
The LitWitch
(read the full review)
"This is terrific stuff and a reminder that when a crime novelist of authority sets his sights high
the results can be as persuasive as the best writing in any genre."
(...)
"utterly compelling"
(...)
"Fin is something special in the field of fictional policemen and The Lewis Man will have readers impatient for the third part of this trilogy."
The Express
(read the full review)
"May is a masterful story-teller. He skilfully combines pathos and the themes of identity, lost love and family ties to create an exciting, page-turning thriller."
The Irish Examiner
(read the full review)
Reviews of The Chessmen
"an outstanding novel that more than fully lives up to the hopes we had for it. "
Undiscovered Scotland
(read the full review)
"…completes one of the best-regarded crime series of recent years"
The Independent
(read the full article)
"the rich texture ... elevating them above most contemporary crime fiction."
"Although all three books may be read as standalones, their cumulative effect is more powerful."
"The Chessmen offers an almost visceral experience: we, too, are walking these windy cliffs and peat bogs with Fin. Readers will find it hard to say goodbye to him, but we have to admire May for sticking to his vision of a perfectly-formed trilogy."
The Independent
(read the full review)
"The Chessmen is well up to the high standard of its two predecessors: tightly plotted, with no skimping on either the nuances of character or the wonderfully evocative descriptions of rugged island landscapes that have made these books a true pleasure to read."
The Guardian
(read the full review)
"Vivid descriptions of the barren landscapes and cruel weather are a poignant backdrop for a melancholy tale"
The Scotsman
(read the full review)
"May is a phenomenally good thriller writer with an innate skill in plotting, characterisation and sense of place"
Raven Crime Reads
(read the full review)
"May shares his knowledge of the landscape and culture ... to create a seductive picture of Lewis."
The Inverness Courier
(read the full review)
"gives vivid life to a harsh and rugged landscape and an equally hard-hewn community"
The Irish Independent
(read the full review)
VIDEO & AUDIO
- Peter's research video from the Isle of Lewis - for The Blackhouse
- Peter's research video from Harris South Uist and Eriskay - for The Lewis Man
- Peter's research video from the Hebrides for The Chessmen
- Quercus's book trailer for The Lewis Man, specially commisioned from The Forest of Black
- Peter's interview with Richard and Judy
- Video montage of still from Prix Cezam, Strasbourg
- Radio interview with Isles FM
- Interview in French for French Bookstore
- Book Show interview on French TV for the Prix des Lecteurs du Télégramme
Here is Peter's account of the story behind the publication...
Peter's research video from the Isle of Lewis
The music is Capercaillie's "An Gille Ban" from the album, "The Blood is Strong"
Find out more about Capercaillie and the album here
Peter's Research video for The Lewis Man
Book trailer for The Lewis Man
Peter's research video for The Chessmen
Watch Richard and Judy's interview with Peter May about The Blackhouse...
View images from the Prix Litteraire Cezan Inter-CE award ceremony in Strasbourg
Interview in French for French Bookstore
Book Show interview on French TV for the Prix des Lecteurs du Télégramme
Radio Interview on Isles FM
Isles FM Radio's Iain X Maciver interviews Peter about the Blackhouse.
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