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A review by paperback_lit
The Chessmen by Peter May
4.0
It has taken a bit of consideration to fully work through my thoughts on this book. It is, without a shadow of a doubt, a very well written book. The characters are deeply compelling and are exceptionally well constructed. This is achieved in part by the book's switching between first and third person narration in order to provide detailed backstory and context to the events of the present - something that is visible throughout the Lewis trilogy.
However, while the plot did pick up dramatically towards the end, it did not read like a crime novel for almost two thirds of the book. You would be forgiven for forgetting what the original crime even was for much of the first part of the book. This does not mean, however, that the plot is not well constructed. It is a well told and interesting story - just not a thoroughbred crime novel.
Finally, the ending of the trilogy left a lot to be desired. Many aspects that had been spotlighted and played upon in the previous two books were either underplayed or hurriedly dealt with in an unsatisfactory manner. This is particularly the case with Fin's and Marsaili's relationship and Donald's storyline.
However, while the plot did pick up dramatically towards the end, it did not read like a crime novel for almost two thirds of the book. You would be forgiven for forgetting what the original crime even was for much of the first part of the book. This does not mean, however, that the plot is not well constructed. It is a well told and interesting story - just not a thoroughbred crime novel.
Finally, the ending of the trilogy left a lot to be desired. Many aspects that had been spotlighted and played upon in the previous two books were either underplayed or hurriedly dealt with in an unsatisfactory manner. This is particularly the case with Fin's and Marsaili's relationship and Donald's storyline.