Review ~ The Black House by Peter May

Quercus
2011

Detective Inspector Fin Macleod returns to the place of his childhood on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides.  After an absence of almost eighteen years, Fin finds the island relatively unchanged, but investigating the unexplained death of one of his childhood friends is never going to be easy, and old secrets, long buried, now threaten to disturb the equilibrium, not just for Fin, but for the whole of the Lewis community.

The story draws you in from the beginning, as the murder mystery, at the centre of the story, is complex and convoluted and there are many elements to consider. The writing throughout is very good, the plot is tight and tense, and no detail is spared and no emotion is left uncovered. The Isle of Lewis, in all its stark and uncompromising beauty comes alive in the imagination. You feel the tension in the air, you walk the same streets as Fin and rediscover the secrets of his childhood and as the story is uncovered piece by piece, you discover almost as much about Fin’s character, as you do about the modus operandi of the killer.

The Black House is the start of the Lewis trilogy of novels which continues Fin Macloed’s love/hate relationship with the Isle of Lewis in - The Lewis Man(2011) and The Chessmen (2012). 

It’s important to note that whilst the books can be read as standalone novels, there is much more enjoyment to be gleaned by following the story from the beginning – believe me ,you won’t be disappointed.

About the Author

The Lewis Trilogy

  

Quercus

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