Crime writer Peter May dies aged 74 in south of France

Scottish crime writer Peter May has died aged 74 at his holiday home in the south of France, according to a tribute from his publisher. His wife, writer Janice Hally, announced his death on social media. The publisher said he died Friday night, September 25. May’s final novel, Island of the Dead, is scheduled for posthumous publication in January 2027, the publisher said. May had described the book as his last, and was preparing a farewell tour of Scotland and Lewis to coincide with its release. It is not clear whether the tour will proceed. Publisher Jon Riley said May’s books had sold around 15 million copies worldwide. That figure was included in the publisher’s tribute and was not accompanied by a measurement date or breakdown. Riley also described May as one of the most popular and loved crime writers of his generation. Born in Glasgow, May began his career as a journalist in Scotland and published his first novel, The Reporter, in 1976. The book was adapted as a BBC drama series, after which he moved into television writing and production. He worked on Take the High Road and Machair, a Gaelic-language drama set on the Isle of Lewis.