The Blackhouse

3.5 stars rounded up. I was expecting to rate this 3 stars right up to the very end, due to a few nagging concerns that I'll discuss below, despite enjoying the whole book immensely, but that ending blew me away and I now feel it deserves that extra star. Too many books of this genre fizzle out towards the end, or just stop on a terribly anti-climatic note, so I was glad to feel the opposite about this one!

The Blackhouse is a police procedural mystery thriller set on the Isle of Lewis, on the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Detective Inspector Fin Macleod is sent home to investigate a gruesome murder that has strange similarities to a case Fin was leading back in Edinburgh. The case will unearth some difficult childhood memories for Fin as he struggles to return to the home he was glad to leave.

The novel alternates between the present-day murder mystery and flashbacks from Fin's past. This does affect the pacing and as a result there were portions in the middle that were a bit of slog. However, it all comes together nicely in the end, while leaving scope for the sequels, and I do feel the overall plot was solid, so I was not too bothered by this.

I adored the Isle's bleak and remote location, May's description of island life and the traditions of its residents. It felt authentic, atmospheric and really well done. There's little shelter from the weather and its elements, making this the perfect setting for a rather grime crime, adding to the tension. May must know the area well, as he wrote about it so beautifully that the setting almost became a character in itself. This is what I am most looking forward to returning to when I get to read the rest of the trilogy.

One of my biggest complaints was how Finn and his classmates were written as children. Every time their age was brought up, I had to suspend my disbelief. Their manners, way of speaking and thoughts felt way too old for their age. I kept thinking there is no way Finn is still 6, then 8 years old at this stage. His life sounds like one of a teenager already! They were all much more convincing as characters once they reached their teenage years, but I can't believe an editor didn't pick up on this. Why did May feel the need to write about Finn as a child and put these events this far back in his childhood if he can't write children characters convincingly?

Secondly, I was disappointed that May writes far stronger male characters than female. The contrast between the strong male characters and the flat characterisation of the women just felt jarringly obvious at times, and all the more disappointing because of this. I hope this improves in the rest of the trilogy.

Despite this couple of niggles, I really enjoyed this novel. Gripping, atmospheric, darkly chilling, and rich in Gaelic culture, this is a strong start to what I hope will be a fantastic trilogy.