Graeme Macrae Burnet’s historical novel tells the story behind a 19th-century triple murder in a remote crofting community – a crime that shocked the nation.

In 1869, Roderick Macrae was accused of the brutal slaying of three people, in a murder trial that gripped the British public. Roderick’s memoir, along with court transcripts, medical reports, police statements and newspaper articles, show that he readily admitted his guilt. But do they reveal just why a young man would commit the most atrocious acts of violence? Why didn’t he defend himself more vigorously, or try to cover up the crime? And will he hang?

Shortlisted
The Man Booker Prize 2016
Published by
Contraband
Publication date
Graeme Macrae Burnet

Graeme Macrae Burnet

About the Author

Graeme Macrae Burnet has been nominated for the Booker Prize twice - shortlisted in 2016 and longlisted in 2022. He is among Britain's leading contemporary novelists, whose work has been translated into more than 20 languages and achieved bestseller status in several countries.
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