Author: Graeme Macrae Burnet

I was confused by this book. The author was searching in the Highland Archive Centre in Inverness for historical information about his grandfather when he came across a memoir written by a 17-year old crofter. Roderick Macrae was awaiting trial for the brutal murder of three of his neighbours.

Is it a true memoir or was it written by someone else? Goodreads says it is a novel but the author says that the memoir itself is real. Wikipedia says the author used fictional historical documents.

Whatever the truth of the book is, it was long-listed for the 2016 Man Booker Prize. And the outcome for Roderick was never in much doubt; he freely admitted to the murders although his advocate was defending him on the grounds of insanity. Or was that defence all part of the ruse?

Goodreads Rating: * * *