Overview

In The Blackhouse, Peter May takes us to the Isle of Lewis, where Detective Fin Macleod returns after many years away. He is sent from Edinburgh to investigate a murder that echoes a crime from his teenage past. As Fin revisits the island and the people he left behind, memories surface alongside suspicion, and the investigation becomes deeply personal.

Writing & Voice

We found May’s writing atmospheric and steady, with a strong sense of landscape shaping every scene. The harsh weather, isolated communities, and long traditions of the island are woven naturally into the prose. The pacing is deliberate, allowing tension to build through mood as much as through plot.

Characters

Fin Macleod is a reflective and conflicted central character, caught between who he was and who he has become. The islanders are wary, shaped by shared history and unspoken rules. As Fin reconnects with old friends and enemies, the emotional weight of the past becomes as important as the crime itself.

Themes

The Blackhouse explores memory, belonging, and the pull of home. It looks at how small communities protect themselves, often through silence, and how the past refuses to stay hidden. We were struck by how the novel balances crime investigation with a strong sense of place and identity.

What Worked

• A vivid island setting that feels bleak, beautiful, and isolating.
• A personal mystery tied closely to the detective’s own history.
• Slow building tension that rewards patient reading.

Minor Quibbles

• The pacing may feel slow for readers expecting a fast thriller.
• Some secondary characters remain distant.

Final Thoughts

The Blackhouse is an atmospheric and compelling crime novel where landscape, memory, and mystery are tightly bound together.

Rating: ★★★★☆ / 5