Back on the Outer Isles again with Peter May! There's a dead body of an 18 year old on a beach. She's a swimmer and a canoeist so the death could be suspicious. George Gunn is called to the case initially. Fairly quickly it is established that she was having an affair with Fionnlagh who is Fin Macleod's married son. Fin left Lewis ten years earlier to get away from memories however his job in Glasgow is anything but satisfying so he and his wife, Marsaili, return to support him and try and find out what is going on.

Twists and turns are as natural as breathing to Peter May and there is a strong environmental slant to this at times in common with some of his other recent books. Fin - not a policeman any more but well known in the area - starts looking at the circumstances that have led to his son's arrest. He and his wife stay with their daughter-in-law and granddaughter both of whom are very upset. Some of the chapters in this are in the first person. These are Fin recalling events from his past life. Can you fully understand the present if you have no real knowledge of the past…?

I am a fan of Peter May's books generally and the Lewis trilogy in particular (of which this is the fourth book). I do like Fin as a character and George Gunn too (though his part here is quite small). The writing about the islands, places and people, is very evocative and effective for me. People that Fin knew in his teens are a part of this and there is reference to previous books. I think this could be read standalone (it's a while since I read the previous books) however starting at the beginning of the series might be good.

If anything this becomes more powerful as it progresses. Like a wave moving towards the shore this story builds as it approaches the end. There is a darkness coming as the wave starts to break… I would say that overall this is at least as good as the previous books and at times even better for me. If I am being honest the ending - if pacey and tense - was not the best part of this to me. That said this was far better reading than many books I've read. A very good fourth book in a very good series. 4.5/5

I have read quite a few books by Peter May but I have not read any in the Lewis Trilogy so I wondered if this would have an impact om my enjoyment of the newest book in the series The Black Loch, and I am glad to say that it didn’t which to me is always the sign of a good writer. Yes, they would love you to read everything in that given series but if you can pick it up at any point as still enjoy it then you can always go back and catch up on what went before, something I fully intend to do.
When Fin MacLeod returns to the place he grew up, he is not returning as a former police officer, but as a father determined to get to the truth of whether his sone is responsible for the murder of Caitlin who is one of his students and someone he had been having an affair with. The evidence is certainly stacked against him and even Fin is not sure if he did it or not.
Fin is a man with flaws. Stuck in a job he hates since leaving the force, he is still dealing with the worst in society, and it is sucking the life out of him so when his son needs him the threat of losing his job doesn’t have any impact on him whatsoever. He is not keen on returning to the place he grew up as it holds very few good memories for him, memories that are revealed throughout the book. There is a strain in the relationship between Fin and his son, one which may be disastrous in his quest to prove his son’s innocence.
There is quite a lot going on in this book as past friendships are explored and ultimately implode as the connections between what happened in childhood and the victim and suspect are explored. All of this is done expertly and just add layers to the story. You do get the feeling that the more you learn about Fin’s past all his actions and decisions leading to this point are a way of him trying to forget yet also atone for what happened.
In all his books Peter May manages to make the location an integral part of the story, harsh locations and the reality of the life it supports are woven into the story, always transporting the reader into the heart of the community. The growing tension and the sense of urgency keep you hooked right to the unexpected conclusion where you are left with the feeling that there is hope for those that have been left behind that they can pick up the pieces of their lives and move forward. If you love Peter May then you won’t be disappointed.

This was almost beautiful. The amazing Scottish landscapes, the wind and the sea and waves. And yet there is nastiness and cruelty and murder that permeates through the island and into the lives of the community. This is a well crafted and emotional tale with family loyalty put to the test in numerous ways. There are a lot of relationships that are unpicked, and the many links between the community members are looked at again and again. This is a sometimes uncomfortable read, but an excellent one looking at what tears families apart but also what puts them back together,

A very descriptive novel set in Lewis. Read the trilogy a long time ago and this book brought back the way of life there. Good storyline. Great characterisation. Plenty of twists to keep me guessing. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

I received this ebook from Quercus Books on NetGalley - thank you!

It is the first book by this author that I have read. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I quickly realized that it was one of those books that stay with you for a long time.

The beautiful writing style and the topics it touches upon make it so much more than just another mystery. It’s a story about the importance of family and friendship, about sacrifice and how far we would go for our loved ones, about how our relationships change over time and how secrets from the past can shape our lives - but we still get to decide what to do with this baggage.

I would say the mood of the book is mostly sad and tense, but also hopeful. The landscape and the weather on the island create an eerie atmosphere which made me want to visit the Hebrides. As a language geek I also enjoyed the usage of Gaelic words and names (to the point that I started studying Gaelic on Duolingo…).

Usually I’m not the biggest fan of time jumps, but here they were executed perfectly and they really added to the story. I loved that we got to know the background stories of many characters and that they all intertwined in surprising ways.

The only thing that didn’t sit well with me was that one of the characters decided to go and confront another character (twice…) instead of going to the police. I understand they were acting on their emotions, but I still expected more common sense from that person. Also, the whales metaphor seemed a little too in-your-face. Speaking of whales, I wouldn’t recommend this book to people who get triggered by animal death and suffering, because it’s described in detail and it was difficult for me to push through certain chapters. But I realize that it serves a purpose and it’s not there just for shock value.

I will definitely read other books by this author.

It's over 10 years since Peter May's Lewis Trilogy was published. This is part 4 and it's just as compelling a read. As usual the descriptions of the island way of life, the sights, smells, people and their language really make the story come alive. Fin and Marsaili return to Lewis as their son is arrested for the murder of an 18 year old schoolgirl. Old secrets, friendships and relationships are brought to the surface in this exciting up to date novel. Highly recommend. Thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for an early copy.

Stunning through and through from the backdrop and exquisitely described landscape of Lewis to the carefully entangled tale with its twists and turns. I have friends in Lewis and feel the spirit of the place is captured beautifully from the beauty and wildness of the landscape to the fact that it’s so sparse in population that everyone knows everyone and there is a strong sense of of loyalties and that everyone pulls together against adversity but if anyone puts a step wrong then it sends ripples through the entire community. The names and Gaelic element made me feel fully immersed and part of the action myself rather than looking on as an outsider. I loved that personal loyalties were tested to the max, not least that a retired cop was suddenly facing the other side of the investigation when his son was the accused and the wrenching emotions this caused whilst trying to keep open minded under extreme time pressures. As usual old secrets rise to the surface and threaten to bubble over and opening old wounds is never going to go well. I didn’t guess the ending and there was a real frenzy of action towards the end which was totally exhilarating. Top notch writing and not one to be missed in my humble opinion.

I have read the others in this series but a long time ago. The story is centred on the communities of the Hebrides. They are insular, suspicious and everyone knows everyone. Families have a shared history even though they leave for the mainland and return as adults. In the story, the islands are characters in themselves. The police make an arrest and sit back as they believe they have an open and shut case. The father of the accused thinks otherwise and as an ex police officer he investigates on his own. The pace of the book is slow much like the islands, pondering and weighing up every nuance. Not sure what the whales really added to the story but I will be more careful when choosing salmon! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ebook ARC

‘The Black Loch’,by Peter May,(Lewis Series,#4).,makes for an atmospheric investigative journey to a remote and majestic but sometimes unforgiving part of Scotland,namely the Outer Hebrides.There is a realistic sense of the rugged landscape and a vivid portrayal of the scenery underlying this fraught journey for the lead characters.In this story Fin and Marsaili return somewhat reluctantly to Lewis to face the traumatic circumstances which led to the arrest of their son,and make for difficult encounters with friends,family,and old foes.
In a sense this slow burning tale matches the somewhat sombre stillness, silence, and at times harsh beauty of the western isles.
This is a relatively measured paced tale that weaves in timeline between the relationships of some people in the past and the present.Misdeeds of their younger years are revealed that bind them in uneasy silent truces requiring compromise rather than honest revelations.

What a fantastic book this was to read. It has been quite a while since I read the others in the series so thankfully there was enough in this book to remind you what happened previously when it was connected to the current storyline. Great characters and a storyline that kept you hooked from the off, wanting to read on until I got to the end - my sign of a great book! Highly recommended.

An informative ecological read wrapped up in a thought provoking crime novel set against the backdrop of the atmospheric Isle of Lewis.
With beautiful scenery, old familiar characters and a edgy crime to solve, this was a 'wrap up with a hot chocolate ' sort of read.
Meeting Fin again was joyful, the circumstances, not so much. A usual May's depiction of island life feels authentic and with a murder to solve as well as long ago but not forgotten secrets to uncover, The Black Loch was a compelling enjoyable read

The Black Loch by P. May, published by Quercus, is book 4 in the Lewis Trilogy. The book can easily be read as a stand alone, anyway, for best reading experience I recommend to read the books in order.
Seasoned Detective Sergeant George Gunn and Detective Louise McNish's latest case includes a dead girl found. Set in Scotland the investigation starts and the reader is along for the ride, intriguing, twisty full of unexpected turns, a fantastic read.

An intricate and interesting thriller. Well developed characters who nearly all knew each other when they were growing up,made for good dynamics.

It’s over 10 years since Peter May’s ‘Lewis Trilogy’ was published, though I came to the books only in the past year, quickly becoming hooked and reading them in quick succession, so the characters and events in those three were reasonably fresh in my mind when embarking on this book, the fourth in the series. The fault is mine, then, when I say that I was disappointed to find so many pages given over to filling in Fin’s background, the events and relationships of his youth. I can well see, though, that someone coming to this series for the first time would need all this information - this story would be mind-boggling without it - better still, of course, to read the first three first. Having said that, many characters and events are new and it was interesting to see where they fitted into the whole (or, more often, onto the fringes of what we already knew about Fin’s Lewis).

Apart from the mystery surrounding Caitlin’s death, the main story here is about the horrors of industrial salmon farming and it is not for the squeamish among us. This was all new to me. And, apart from Fin of course, the main character here (as has been said so many times before about Peter May’s writing) is the Outer Hebrides. I always find his descriptions of the islands compelling - dark and foreboding, cloud-covered mountains and cliffs, transformed by sudden bursts of sunlight breaking through the gloom. Must visit sometime.

With thanks to Quercus, riverrun via NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.

The,Black Loch by Peter May

The body of eighteen-year-old TV personality Caitlin is found abandoned on a remote beach at the head of An Loch Dubh - the Black Loch - on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis. A swimmer and canoeist, it is inconceivable that she could have drowned.
Fin Macleod left the island ten years earlier to escape its memories. When he learns that his married son Fionnlagh had been having a clandestine affair with the dead girl and is suspected of her murder, he and Marsaili return to try and clear his name.
As always a great story by this author , although I much preferred the present day rather than when Fin & Marsalli were younger but I can see it was done for backstory so I can see the point. All the characters were brought to life in a brilliant way and I enjoyed reading how they were all connected .