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Peter May, Scottish crime writer, dies at 74 in France
Peter May, a Scottish crime writer best known for his Lewis Trilogy, has died at 74 in the south of France where he had lived for over 20 years. His books sold approximately 15 million copies worldwide, and his final novel is scheduled for publication in January 2027. Tributes described him as an irreplaceable figure whose work and character left a profound mark on readers and colleagues.
Quick Facts
- Death of Scottish crime writer and screenwriter
- Author of Lewis Trilogy crime thrillers
- Career as journalist, television writer/producer, and novelist
- Publication of Island of the Dead scheduled for January 2027
- Release of music album Towards the Light in 2025



Peter May, a celebrated Scottish crime writer and screenwriter known for his Lewis Trilogy of crime thrillers set in the Hebrides, has died at the age of 74 at his home in the south of France on Friday. His wife and fellow author Janice Hally announced his death on social media, saying she had "no words to express the loss". May had lived in the Lot area of southwest France for more than 20 years and became a French citizen, establishing himself as one of the country's most popular foreign crime writers.
Born in Glasgow on 20 December 1951, May began his career as a journalist, winning Scottish Young Journalist of the Year at age 21. He published his first novel, The Reporter, at age 26 in 1976, which was later adapted into a BBC drama series. This success prompted him to leave journalism for television, where he worked as a scriptwriter and producer on the long-running Scottish soap opera Take the High Road and the Gaelic-language series Machair, set on the Isle of Lewis. He left television in 1996 to return to fiction, first writing crime thrillers set in China, followed by the French-set Enzo Files series.
May's international breakthrough came with the publication of The Blackhouse in 2011, the first novel in the Lewis Trilogy, which also includes The Lewis Men and The Chessmen. The book was first published in French by Éditions du Rouergue in 2009 before its English publication, as no English-language publisher initially recognised its potential. His Lewis Trilogy brought him international fame and bestselling success. May wrote approximately 30 novels in total, selling around 15 million copies worldwide and publishing bestsellers almost annually between The Blackhouse and his last book, The Black Loch, in 2024.
May had announced his retirement on several occasions but found "one more novel in him". He delivered Island of the Dead in July 2026, which is set on a fictional version of the island of St Kilda and is scheduled for publication in January 2027. He was preparing a farewell tour of Scotland and Lewis to coincide with the book's publication. In 2025, May also released a music album, Towards the Light, which reflected his interests as a novelist.
Tributes highlighted May's literary impact and personal character. Jon Riley, his long-term publisher and close friend, described him as "one of the most popular and loved writers of crime fiction of his generation" and said he "inspired enormous affection" in readers and colleagues. Riley characterised May as irreplaceable, noting his "kindness, generosity and largeness of spirit". His French publisher Éditions du Rouergue described him as "a man of raw sensitivity, profoundly empathetic, considerate, and endlessly kind" and an "immensely creative man". Scottish First Minister John Swinney expressed regret at his death, praising May's "evocative books set in the Hebrides" and his "stunning" descriptions of Scottish landscapes.
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Why This Matters
Peter May's death marks the loss of one of contemporary crime fiction's commercially significant figures: his works sold approximately 15 million copies globally and maintained consistent bestseller status for over a decade. His final novel is scheduled for publication in January 2027, and he was preparing a farewell Scottish tour to coincide with its release. Publishers and literary institutions in both the UK and France have confirmed the loss of an internationally established writer whose books generated sustained readership across English and French-language markets.
Timeline & Sources
Dec 20, 1951
WirePeter May born in Glasgow
Jan 1, 1972
WireMay wins Scottish Young Journalist of the Year at age 21
Jan 1, 2025
WireMay releases music album Towards the Light
Sep 27, 2026
WirePeter May dies at age 74 at his home in south of France
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Sources
- Scottish crime writer Peter May dies aged 74BBCMediaSep 28, 2026
- 'He is irreplaceable': Tributes as Scottish crime writer Peter May dies aged 74The HeraldMediaSep 28, 2026
- Glasgow-born crime author Peter May dies in South of FranceGlasgowWorldMediaSep 28, 2026
- 'Irreplaceable' crime author Peter May dies in South of FranceThe ScotsmanMediaSep 28, 2026
- Peter May, author of Lewis Trilogy, dies aged 74RTE.ieMediaSep 28, 2026