Overview

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 listener 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.

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9781441730480

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Reviews

"A finalist for the Man Booker Prize 2016, this uniquely constructed, fast-paced historical crime novel...is clever and gripping, delivering a viable feel for the time and place.' -- ""Library Journal (starred review)"" A masterful psychological thriller. -- ""Ian Stephen, author of A Book of Death and Fish"" A truly ingenious thriller as confusingly multilayered as an Escher staircase. -- ""Daily Express (London)"" An intoxicating read. -- ""Crime Reads"" Brings an extraordinary historical period into focus...This is a fiendishly readable tale that richly deserves the wider attention the Booker has brought it. -- ""Guardian (London)"" Burnet is a writer of great skill and authority...Few readers will be able to put down His Bloody Project as it speeds towards a surprising (and ultimately puzzling) conclusion. -- ""Financial Times (London)"" Burnet makes such masterly use of the narrative form that the horrifying tale he tells...seems plucked straight out of Scotland's sanguinary historical archives. -- ""New York Times Book Review"" Fascinating...Sly, poignant, gritty, thought-provoking, and sprinkled with wit. -- ""Publishers Weekly (starred review)"" Psychologically astute and convincingly grounded in its environment, this study of petty persecution and murder is a fine achievement from an ambitious and accomplished writer. -- ""National (Scotland)"" The Man Booker judges got it right: this really is one of the most convincing and engrossing novels of the year. -- ""Scotsman (Edinburgh)"""

A masterful psychological thriller. -- Ian Stephen, author of A Book of Death and Fish A finalist for the Man Booker Prize 2016, this uniquely constructed, fast-paced historical crime novel...is clever and gripping, delivering a viable feel for the time and place.' -- Library Journal (starred review) The Man Booker judges got it right: this really is one of the most convincing and engrossing novels of the year. -- Scotsman (Edinburgh) Fascinating...Sly, poignant, gritty, thought-provoking, and sprinkled with wit. -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) An intoxicating read. -- Crime Reads Brings an extraordinary historical period into focus...This is a fiendishly readable tale that richly deserves the wider attention the Booker has brought it. -- Guardian (London) Psychologically astute and convincingly grounded in its environment, this study of petty persecution and murder is a fine achievement from an ambitious and accomplished writer. -- National (Scotland) A truly ingenious thriller as confusingly multilayered as an Escher staircase. -- Daily Express (London) Burnet is a writer of great skill and authority...Few readers will be able to put down His Bloody Project as it speeds towards a surprising (and ultimately puzzling) conclusion. -- Financial Times (London) Burnet makes such masterly use of the narrative form that the horrifying tale he tells...seems plucked straight out of Scotland's sanguinary historical archives. -- New York Times Book Review

Burnet makes such masterly use of the narrative form that the horrifying tale he tells...seems plucked straight out of Scotland's sanguinary historical archives. -- New York Times Book Review Burnet is a writer of great skill and authority...Few readers will be able to put down His Bloody Project as it speeds towards a surprising (and ultimately puzzling) conclusion. -- Financial Times (London) A truly ingenious thriller as confusingly multilayered as an Escher staircase. -- Daily Express (London) Psychologically astute and convincingly grounded in its environment, this study of petty persecution and murder is a fine achievement from an ambitious and accomplished writer. -- National (Scotland) Brings an extraordinary historical period into focus...This is a fiendishly readable tale that richly deserves the wider attention the Booker has brought it. -- Guardian (London) An intoxicating read. -- Crime Reads Fascinating...Sly, poignant, gritty, thought-provoking, and sprinkled with wit. -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) The Man Booker judges got it right: this really is one of the most convincing and engrossing novels of the year. -- Scotsman (Edinburgh) A finalist for the Man Booker Prize 2016, this uniquely constructed, fast-paced historical crime novel...is clever and gripping, delivering a viable feel for the time and place.' -- Library Journal (starred review) A masterful psychological thriller. -- Ian Stephen, author of A Book of Death and Fish

Author Information

Graeme Macrae Burnet established a reputation for smart and literary mystery writing with his highly praised first novel, The Disappearance of Adele Bedeau, which was featured in the List's Top Scottish Books of 2014. He was born and brought up in Kilmarnock, Scotland, and has lived in Prague, Bordeaux, Porto, and London. He now lives in Glasgow. Antony Ferguson, Earphones Award-winning narrator, was born in London. He has performed successfully on both sides of the Atlantic and has played many leading roles in theater, film, and television.

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