The Blackhouse cover art

The Blackhouse

The Lewis Trilogy, Book 1

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The Blackhouse

By: Peter May
Narrated by: Peter Forbes
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About this listen

A Sunday Times and Richard and Judy best seller and the first instalment in Peter May's sensational, million-selling Lewis trilogy.

A brutal killing takes place on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland: a land of harsh beauty and inhabitants of deep-rooted faith.

A Murder
Detective Inspector Fin Macleod is sent from Edinburgh to investigate. For Lewis-born Macleod, the case represents a journey both home and into his past.

A Secret
Something lurks within the close-knit island community. Something sinister.

A Trap
As Fin investigates, old skeletons begin to surface, and soon he, the hunter, becomes the hunted.

©2011 Editions de Rouergue (P)2018 Quercus Editions Limited Mystery Thriller & Suspense Scotland Suspense Exciting Scary Fiction

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All stars
Most relevant
If ever a book has exceeded my expectations then it is this one. While yes it is a murder mystery, it's also so much more. Few books that I've read have ever evoked a stronger identity of locale and atmosphere. The people and places on this Scottish Island are beautifully described and take top billing over the mystery. May delivers a master class in building his story and the coming of age of his lead Fin Macleod is revealed as a beautifully human story. All the time the atmosphere and vision of the isolated and desolately beautiful island literally breathe through the text. Rarely have I felt so completely transported to a place.

The odd thing is that one of the first books I ever listened to using Audible was the third book in this series, Chessmen. I can see now that I really didn't get it and need to read the trilogy in order . . . which I will do.

Peter Forbes is an excellent choice of narrator and plays his full part in the authentic success of this production. His stylish Scottish burr brings May's characters and descriptions to genuine life.

Maybe some will feel that the murder seems to be almost forgotten at times but the whole thing comes together beautifully at the end in a darkly-thrilling wind-swept conclusion that is made all the more exciting by the care with which the characters have been built and the depth they have been imbued with.

In short, I would say this is as good as almost anything in the genre.

An Utterly Compelling Atmosphere of Desolation

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I was expecting the usual murder and mayhem but it turned out to be a lovely gentle story about coming of age, really. Frequent jumping to and fro with the past and present was easy to follow and as the story developed it grew more sinister with a few unexpected twists.
Extremely well written and beautifully read, this book is probably one of the best I’ve listened to this year. Quite a bit of swearing but not for the sake of it.
I’m really looking forward to the next two stories.

Outstanding and unexpected. Best book listened to this year. Recommended

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I was transported back to the beautiful outer hebrides with Peter May's flowing description of everything he's seen there, the landscapes, the skies, the sea. I could once again smell the burning peat something, I'm sure, that pulls me to return to Lagavulin after deviating to sample other whiskys. Peter Forbes is superb at narrating his way through the accents and the life there that it was easy to not falter when listening. I will let this book stay with me a while before listening to the next in the tribology just to have it nestle fully.

Fantastic

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This is an excellent story, twisting and turning, not a particularly easy listen but totally addictive. Peter Forbes is a reader who has characters down to a fine art and I will definitely be looking for more of his work in the future.

Brilliant

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Enjoyed this, excellent narration and good steady plot. My first Peter May book! Will listen to more.

The Blackhouse

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