Fin Macleod is fully settled back in his childhood home on the Isle of Lewis. He is now working as head of security on the estate of a wealthy landowner. His work, which consists mainly of stopping poachers, brings him into conflict with Whistler, a friend from his childhood. When a natural phenomenon drains a nearby loch, the two discover a small plane which had been owned by musician and friend, Roddy McKenzie and which had disappeared some two decades earlier. Inside the cockpit, they find a corpse and clear indications that whatever happened all those years ago, it wasn’t an accident.The Chessmen is the third and final installment in author Peter May’s Lewis Trilogy and, like the first two books, it’s much more than just a simple thriller. The story alternates between Fin’s past and present. As he searches for the solution to the crime, we learn more about his relationships with the people of Lewis, his early life, and what about this isolated island at the far end of the Hebrides keeps bringing him back. Much of the story takes place off the island as we learn more about why Fin drove Marsaille away when they were at school together in Edinburgh. Like the first two novels, The Chessmen could be read as a stand-alone as each solves a mystery while giving the reader details of Fin’s past. However, The Lewis Trilogy is more than the sum of its parts: separate, each is a complex and fascinating combination of mystery, coming-of-age, and literary fiction but, together, they create a powerful and, admittedly, bleak picture of a unique environment and culture. Throughout my reading of the trilogy, I developed a strong sense of the island and the people who inhabit it and, although I was anxious to see how Fin’s story would play out, I will sorely miss them. Mieux qu’un polar, Peter May nous offre un puissant polar social à la Ken Loach, avec misère, enfance difficile, souvenirs nostalgiques, poids de la religion et des traditions, relations humaines et sociales complexes. Peter May approfondit ses personnages avec un talent indéniable, l’atmosphère particulière des lieux est elle-aussi évoquée à la perfection, l’intrigue policière, si elle semble passer au second plan la plus grande partie du livre, n’est pas en reste, car si l’aspect humain de l’histoire prend les devants, le suspens n’est pas moins présent pour autant et la résolution de l’énigme est d’autant plus spectaculaire que l’on n’a pas l’impression de baigner dans un polar classique. Un vrai coup de cœur pour l’ensemble de la trilogie. Oui, carrément !
What do You think about Šachové Figurky (2014)?
Another great read by Peter May...would rate this book a 4 1/2-5 star read.
—tcrepar
Fabulous third book of the trilogy. Love Peter May's writing.
—yachelizrosa
Really good. Would certainly read another by Peter May.
—zoey316
