Absolute quality

Whilst all three books are linked and there are references to the previous stories they could be read as standalone, but why bother take the opportunity to read three excellent murder mysteries, with flashbacks to charming coming of age tales. All are superb character driven stories well written atmospheric clever descriptive and totally engaging from first to last page.

The real mystery concerning this series is why are there only three books. ( )

The Blackhouse
DI Fin Macleod is assigned to the investigation of a murder on Lewis because it bears many similarities to a murder he was investigating in Edinburgh before he went on compassionate leave for the death of his young son and because he has local knowledge, having grown up himself on Lewis.

The description of life on Lewis and the harsh conditions really make this book the great read it is, but that shouldn't detract from the fact that the story is also very well told.

The Lewis Man
When a body found buried in peat turns out to date from the 1950s rather than Neolithic times and DNA suggests it is a relative of Marsaili's father, Fin Macleod agrees to investigate despite having left the force since he seems to have a rapport with the old man, who is suffering from severe dementia.

The island landscapes and weather are as much a character in the book as any of the people. The mystery kept me turning the pages to find out what exactly happened and why. There were times when I was wondering whether ANY of the inhabitants had a reasonably happy childhood. But perhaps people who did don't get involved in murder mysteries.

The Chessmen
Fin Macleod and his friend Whistler find a small private plane that disappeared 17 years ago is found. The pilot was a musician with an up and coming Gaelic rock group and had obviously been murdered. And something seems not quite right.

Although this would have worked as a stand alone, it doesn't gel as the third in the trilogy. The relationship between Fin and Big Kenny contradicts what we were told in the first book where they seemed to be meeting for the first time but here they knew each other from school. Also the dual timeline, although it worked well as a narrative in the first two books, was just confusing here. A disappointing finish. ( )

Trois romans policiers prétextes à visiter l’Ecosse et les Hébrides. Traditions, histoire, musique celtique, mais aussi souvenirs d’enfance et de jeunesse, premiers amours et amitiés éternelles, drames familiaux et humains, paysages de landes désolées et de mer démontée. Trois histoires captivantes et bouleversantes dans une ambiance fascinante. ( )