The Blackhouse

The Lewis Trilogy

By: Peter May

Narrated by: Peter Forbes

From acclaimed author and dramatist Peter May comes the Barry Award-winning The Blackhouse, the first book in the Lewis Trilogy -- a riveting mystery series set on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland's Outer Hebrides.

When a grisly murder occurs on the Isle of Lewis that bears similarities to a brutal killing on the mainland, Edinburgh detective and native islander Fin Macleod is dispatched to the Outer Hebrides to investigate, embarking at the same time on a voyage into his own troubled past.

As Fin reconnects with the people and places of his tortured childhood, the desolate but beautiful island and its ancient customs once again begin to assert their grip on his psyche. Every step toward solving the case brings Fin closer to a dangerous confrontation with the dark events of the past that shaped -- and nearly destroyed -- his life.

Critic reviews

"The Blackhouse shines with intrigue and superb plotting."—Carol Memmet, USA Today

"A chilling setting for a gripping novel... impressive writing."—Marcel Berlins, The Times

"A gripping plot, pitch-perfect characterization, and an appropriately bleak setting drive this outstanding series debut."—Connie Fletcher, Booklist (starred review)

"Order, read, and pass it on! May brings the story to a breathtaking conclusion with an astonishing twist at the end. Compare to Simon Beckett's Written in Bone for locale and Tana French for tone."—Teresa L. Jacobsen, Library Journal (Starred Review)

"A writer I'd follow to the ends of the earth... intricately plotted."—Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review

"Abundant local color... matches Macleod's tormented emotional landscape. The struggles of such multidimensional characters... add depth."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"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'Humanite

Great story but troubling

Story ends well but a lot of sadness and man's inhumanity to man and emotional pain.

Stunning work

I’ve listened to hundreds of books. This ranks as one of the best. Incredibly atmospheric. Wonderful character development and a cracking good who done it. What more could you ask for? Can’t wait to dive into more by this author.

fantastic!

fabulous. I was in Scotland for about five weeks this year and it was so wonderful to listen to a narrator that was Scottish.

Compelling mystery, family saga

Very enjoyable. Not crazy about bird killing but skipped through and loved the book as a whole

A wonderful surprise!

I don't remember selecting this book. I probably picked it up on sale. So glad I did. What a gem.

I know this is categorized as "Modern Detective", but I'd say it would be more aptly described as a great fiction with some detecting thrown in. Even though it's not the most uplifting story, I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in life on the Scottish Isle. I found that I could easily visualize characters and landscape based on the author's descriptions.

As for the narration, couldn't be better. I'd definitely listen to Peter Forbes again, he's terrific!