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you can't wait until The Lewis Trilogy
is published in the country where you
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A
photo companion book for the Lewis Trilogy, containing
more than 200 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.
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 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
A MAN WITH NO NAME
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 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."
THE LEWIS MAN has won...
the Prix des Lecteurs of Le
Télégramme newspaper in France, a
10,000 Euro prize judged by readers of
the newspaper
the Prix des Lecteurs 2012 at
Les
Ancres Noires Festival, Le
Havre, France.
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
the Scottish Crime Book of the Year
2012
the Theakston's Old Peculier Crime
novel of the Year 2013
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!
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."
THE BLACKHOUSE
has won...
the Prix
Litteraire Cezam Inter-CE, National French Literature Prize,
Strasbourg October 2011 one of the
world's largest readers' prizes
the Prix des
Lecteurs 2010 at Les Ancres
Noires Festival, Le Havre,
France.
the 2011 Prix
PILP Literary Award judged by
students in French lycees.
and was
shortlisted for...
Prix des
Lecteurs at the Villeneuve lez Avignon
book Festival 2010
Prix
International at the Cognac Book
Festival "Polar&Co" 2010
The Barry
Award - Best Crime Novel (USA) 2013
The
Macavity Award - Best Mystery Novel
(USA) 2013
Peter May's Lewis Trilogy
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...
The Blackhouse has won:
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
Les Ancres Noires, Prix de Lecteurs,
Le Havre's 2010
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
2013 Barry
Award (USA) - Mystery Novel of the
Year awarded at Bouchercon
Crime Writing Convention in Albany NY, USA
September 2013.
Prix des Lecteurs
at the Villeneuve
lez
Avignon book Festival 2010
Prix International at
the Cognac Book
Festival "Polar&Co" 2010
The Macavity Award
- Best Mystery Novel (USA) 2013
The Lewis Man
has won:
Grand Prix des Lecteurs
of Le
Télégramme newspaper in France, a
10,000 Euro prize judged by readers of the
newspaper
Les Ancres
Noires, Prix de Lecteurs, Le
Havre's 2012
book festival judged by readers in Libraries all
over the North of France
Prix Polar
International at the Cognac Book
Festival "Polar&Co", 2012
and has been shortlisted
for:
the UK Crime Writers'
Association Dagger in the Library Award
for 2012
the Scottish Crime Book
of the Year 2012
The "Theakston Old
Peculier" Crime Novel of the Year 2013
The Chessmen has won:
Prix Polar
International at the Cognac Book Festival
"Polar&Co", 2012
Prix
Litteraire
Cezam Inter-CE
a National French Literature Prize Strasbourg
October 2011
View images from the Prix Litteraire Cezam
Inter-CE award ceremony in Strasbourg
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.
Peter
May
with Barry Award (USA) for Best Mystery Novel
Below - Bouchercon 2013 in Albany NY, USA, George Easter
present Peter May with the Barry Award. Picture
quality is not great, but the sound qaulity is fine, so
it's possible to hear Peter's acceptance speech...
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...
"Just when we think we’ve seen it all,
along comes Peter
May’sBlackhouse 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)
"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)
"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)
"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)
"Steeped in atmosphere and set in
a location that permeates the story like a falling
mist, The Chessmen takes the reader on an enticing
reel, forwards, backwards, side to side, every
step leading to a breathtaking climax." Daily Record
(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)
"The tale itself is
full of chance and circumstance and regret and
tragedy and dark withering humanity. A tale for
winter. Full of sound and fury ... This audiobook
simply cannot be recommended highly enough. You
are sure not to be disappointed.
Exceptional." The Audio Books Review
(read
the
full review)
"This has been a
remarkable trilogy from Peter May and one that
will stay with me and one I am likely to re-read
again and again. Sublime." CrimeSquad
(read
the
full review)
"The
concluding entry in May’s Lewis Island trilogy
delivered on the promise of the earlier books
in the series and provided a moving
conclusion." Deadly Pleasures Magazine
Daily Record,
5th January 2013,
review of "The Chessmen"
MURDER MYSTERY PLANE BRILLIANT
The third instalment in Peter May's Lewis trilogy
gets off to an intriguingly original start.
Former Edinburgh detective, Fin MacLeod, is living
back on the island, working as head of security on a
private estate. A poaching problem leads to Fin
spending the night sheltering from a storm in an old
mountainside dwelling with his childhood friend,
Whistler.
In the early light of morning, the two men venture
out to be faced with a shocking sight.
The loch that had been there the day before has
spontaneously drained, and in the basin lies an
aeroplane belonging to their old friend Roddy
MacKenzie, the lead singer in a Celtic
rock band, believed to have crashed at
sea 17 years before.
Inside the aircraft is a skeleton with damage that
proves this was no accident. A murder has been
committed.
And in a community that seethes with secrets and old
conflicts, the answers to this death are to be found
in the past.
Steeped in atmosphere and set in a location that
permeates the story like a falling mist, The Chess
Men takes the reader on an enticing reel, forwards,
backwards, side to side, every step leading to a
breathtaking climax.