Amazon:
In the smash hit historical thriller that the New York Times Book Review calls “thought provoking fiction,” a brutal triple murder in a remote Scottish farming community in 1869 leads to the arrest of seventeen-year-old Roderick Macrae. There is no question that Macrae committed this terrible act. What would lead such a shy and intelligent boy down this bloody path? And will he hang for his crime?

Presented as a collection of documents discovered by the author, His Bloody Project opens with a series of police statements taken from the villagers of Culdie, Ross-shire. They offer conflicting impressions of the accused; one interviewee recalls Macrae as a gentle and quiet child, while another details him as evil and wicked. Chief among the papers is Roderick Macrae’s own memoirs where he outlines the series of events leading up to the murder in eloquent and affectless prose. There follow medical reports, psychological evaluations, a courtroom transcript from the trial, and other documents that throw both Macrae’s motive and his sanity into question.

Graeme Macrae Burnet’s multilayered narrative—centered around an unreliable narrator—will keep the reader guessing to the very end. His Bloody Project is a deeply imagined crime novel that is both thrilling and luridly entertaining from an exceptional new voice.

Wishlist surprise. :-)

Got this wishlist book from eponine38 at our meetup today in beautiful Newburyport - thanks so much!

Later: This mystery/psychological-profile story in historical-document form is so realistic that I had to keep pausing to search for any indication that it's based on fact. I've read a lot of true-crime narratives, including some that featured extensive citations from period documents, court transcripts, personal letters, etc., and this book gets the tone and style dead-on.

The story itself is harrowing: young man found covered in blood admits to having beaten to death three neighbors, including the father, the teen daughter, and an infant child. The narrative goes through the history of the families involved, the murderer's own confession (called out in-story as suspiciously well-educated for someone of his class and background), the court documents, and more - and it all conveys a sense of village life, of the incidents leading up to the crime, and of the ways in which each person's view of events differs. Was the murderer justified in his vendetta against his foe - or was his intent in going to the house very different, focused on a different victim? Some witnesses seem to be trying to protect the reputations of their friends and neighbors - but out of concern or out of fear of retribution? Lots of what-ifs here... Could be frustrating if you want your crime stories wrapped up neatly at the end, but it's a fascinating effort!

I left this book in this charmingly decorated Little Free Library; hope someone enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in MA here.]

*** Released for the 2019 Keep Them Moving release challenge. ***

*** Released for the 2019 Allergic to A release challenge. ***