Seventeen-year-old Roddy Macrae is a murderer. He is guilty - he has freely admitted it. He murdered three people in cold blood, his bloody project. Roddy is a poor crofter in the Scottish highlands in 1869 but he can read and write and he voluntarily makes a statement regarding the crime including why - except Roddy may not be a trustworthy witness and we can't be sure if he is telling the whole truth given some of the evidence.

His Bloody Project by Scottish author Graeme Macrae Burnet reads like a true crime story even to the inclusion of a preface that explains the author's 'discovery' of documents pertaining to the crime while doing genealogy research on his family as well as footnotes at the end. The novel, for it is a novel and an extremely well-written and compelling one, is told through these documents - witness statements, Roddy's statement, conversations with witnesses recorded by his solicitor, and news reports of the trial including testimony by experts on criminal psychology including measurements of his head and the shape of his ear lobes.

His Bloody Project made it to the shortlist for the Man Booker Prize, a rare honour for any book but even rarer given that this is a historical thriller. But then this is a rare historical thriller. Macrae does an amazing job of portraying the period including the language used in formal documents, the culture, the use of phrenology to identify criminals, and, of course, the class system. Since the story is told through documents, most of the action occurs off the page*. However, the prose and the uniqueness of the tale more than make up for this. This is also a very dark and moody tale and it kept me glued to the page throughout. If I was to critique His Bloody Project in two word, they would have to be 'bloody brilliant'.

*it should be noted that the description of the murders and the wounds sustained, especially to the female victim are quite graphic

Grim, macabre epistolary narrative uncovering the reasons leading to a murder in an isolated Scottish community. Gripping but desolate, the conclusion leaves the reader feeling emotionally bereft. There seems no resolution to the cycle of deprivation and violence.

This is a fascinating and unique work of fiction that presents "found documents" regarding a murder case in 19th century Scotland. Readers get to hear Roddy Macrae's (the accused murderer) side of the story, and while the crime itself is horrific, the most compelling part about this book is how, even after it was over, I wasn't sure how to feel about Roddy or his true motivations for committing murder. Very well done!

3.5 stars

I finished this weeks ago, but I put off reviewing it because I felt I needed to let it ruminate. When I finished reading this, I wasn't sure how I felt about it. But now, weeks later, I've decided: I liked it. I didn't love it, but I liked it. I'm in avid non-fiction reader, so it was interesting to read a fictional novel in the familiar style of a non-fiction book.

I really enjoyed the narrative style of this. It's told as if the writer (Burnet has inserted himself into the novel) has collected various documents about these murders and has complied them in a true-crime-style book. Most of the novel is the murder's own writing, but Burnet also includes eye-witness accounts, court-transcripts, essays, and medical reports, etc. The amount of detail Burnet put into the various documents makes for an very unique and interesting read.

I do have a hard time recommending this, though, as I think it will divide readers. If you are mostly a fiction-fan, I feel like you might have a hard time with this one. Don't go into this expecting traditional fiction, with character development, plot, or even closure. There is a true beginning, middle, and end, but I feel like it might leave some unsatisfied. Not me, though. I look forward to reading more of Burnet's work.

**I received this copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Utterly gripping and absorbing all at the same time. Highly recommend.

I tried, I really did but somewhere around the 3rd time I just gave up. Recreational reading isn't something you should force yourself to get through.

My time is better spent elsewhere. Preferably on something that I enjoy.

I have mixed feeling towards this book because I cannot really say that I didn't like, but also I cannot say that it was a pleasure to read it and I wouldn't recommend it to anybody. It's dark, it's unbelievably sad, there is no hope or salvation, there is the Highlands landscape and everybody is brooding and I was so happy when I reached the last page, but still there is something in this novel that will stay with me for a long time.

Ho dei sentimenti contrastanti nei confronti di questo libro, perché non posso dire che non mi sia piaciuto, ma nemmeno posso affermare di averlo letto con piacere, né lo consiglierei a nessuno. È macabro, triste e non c'è nessuna speranza di salvezza in queste brumose montagne della Scozia dove tutti sembrano essere di pessimo umore, quindi questo giustifica la mia gioia arrivata all'ultima pagina, ma comunque c'è qualcosa in questo romanzo, che resterà con me per lungo tempo.

THANKS TO NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

A brilliant book! So well written and utterly compelling.

this is one great read! Kept me on the edge and guessing!!!