Scottish crime writer Peter May, best known for The Lewis Trilogy, has died aged 74. His long-term publisher Jon Riley remembered him as “one of the best writers of crime fiction” and “irreplaceable”.
May was renowned for popular novels including the Enzo Files series and the China Thrillers. A statement on social media said he died on Friday night at his holiday home in the south of France.
Career spanning journalism and TV drama
May had a lengthy career in writing which began in journalism in the 1970s. He was also known for creating and writing several successful TV dramas, including The Standard and Squadron.
His widow, fellow author Janice Hally, announced the “awful news” of his death in a post shared to his Facebook page on Monday, saying she had “no words to express the loss”. Hally, a playwright from Glasgow, included a photo of her late husband along with a lengthy tribute from Riley.
Bestselling novels and final publication
“Peter May was one of the most popular, and loved writers of crime fiction of his generation, and his books have sold around 15 million copies around the world,” the statement said. “The novel which he had announced would be his last, Island Of The Dead, is to be published in January 2027.”
The statement recounted how May began his career as a journalist in Scotland in his early 20s and published his first novel, The Reporter, in 1976, leading him to quit his job after it was later adapted into a BBC drama series.
Legacy and tributes
Riley continued: “In the 15 years that followed he became a successful scriptwriter and producer on two seminal series, Take The High Road and the Gaelic-language, Isle of Lewis-set Machair. It was while working on location on Machair that his love for the Hebrides, which informed and influenced so much of his writing, was formed.”
The statement listed his many achievements, along with the many crime novels he had written including several set across China and France. May was also renowned for novels set against the atmospheric landscapes of his home country. Riley recounted how his bestseller The Blackhouse, set on the remote Isle of Lewis, shot him to fame after its 2011 release.
Riley said: “He published a bestseller almost every year between The Blackhouse and his last book, The Black Loch, in 2024. His writing will always be associated with the Isle of Lewis and the Hebrides.”
The Glaswegian writer was also praised as “a talented musician”, with the statement recalling his 2025 album titled Towards The Light, which “reflected in song many of his interests as a novelist” across 11 tracks. The statement described how May had announced his retirement “which he was looking forward to sharing with his beloved wife”, and added he was “preparing for a farewell tour of Scotland and Lewis” to coincide with the publication of his final novel next year.
“Peter May was not only one of the best writers of crime fiction we had, but he inspired enormous affection in his readers and in those lucky enough to work with him,” Riley added. “His kindness, generosity and largeness of spirit, loyalty, engagement with life, and the world, made him a much-loved, as well as much-admired figure. He is irreplaceable.”
First Minister John Swinney was among those paying tribute, sharing a message to X which said: “Very sorry to hear this news. I have hugely enjoyed Peter May’s evocative books set in the Hebrides. His description of events in some of the most precious places in our landscape was so stunning. I extend my sympathy to his family.”
