The Grey Man

The Kailyard Authors

by S.R. Crockett

The Scottish legends of Sawny Bean and his cannibal tribe and the roasting alive of the Abbot of Crossraguel form part of this powerful and dramatic tale of 17th Century Ayrshire and Galloway. Centred on the relentless fighting between the Kennedys of Culzean and of Bargany, the Grey Man is a tale of intrigue and treachery in a land where the rule of law came second to that of the broadsword.

Genres: Scotland, Historical Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1896

About the author

Samuel Rutherford Crockett was a Scottish novelist. He was born at Duchrae, Balmaghie, Kirkcudbrightshire, the illegitimate son of dairymaid Annie Crocket. He was raised on his grandfather's Galloway farm, won a bursary to Edinburgh University in 1876, and graduated from there during 1879.

After some years of travel, he became in 1886 the Free Kirk minister of Penicuik. During that year he produced his first publication, Dulce Cor (Latin: Sweet Heart), a collection of verse under the pseudonym Ford Brereton. He eventually abandoned the Free Church ministry for full-time novel-writing in 1895.

The success of J. M. Barrie and the Kailyard school of sentimental, homey writing had already created a demand for stories in Lowland Scots when Crockett published his successful story of The Stickit Minister in 1893. It was followed by a rapidly produced series of popular novels frequently featuring the history of Scotland or his native Galloway. Crockett made considerable sums of money from his writing and was a friend and correspondent of R. L. Stevenson, but his later work has been criticised as being over-prolific and feebly sentimental.

Crockett was well travelled in Europe and beyond, spending time in most European countries and he wrote several novels of European history including The Red Axe (1898), A Tatter of Scarlet (1913), and the non-fiction The Adventurer in Spain (1903) which holds its own against Robert Louis Stevenson's travel writing.

He died in France on 16 April 1914.

Reviews

[Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was on my honeymoon in Scotland when I discovered this little book, cheaply printed and with little information on the author’s identity. S. R. Crockett? Obviously a native, because the story is written in Scots dialect, but little else to be found. A little research on the internet reveals Crockett to be a Victorian author of many varied genres, ranging from the historical swashbuckler to the romance, and I’m pleased to say that The Grey Man falls into the former category, offering a historical account of a turbulent patch of Scottish history, chock-full of intriguing characters, plenty of adventure and even a little romance.

This is a deeply funny book with an affectionately-portrayed narrator, a young boy, Launcelot Kennedy, who dreams of becoming a knight like his namesake. The chapter headings are delicious, entitled ‘The Adventure of the Garden’ and ‘The Murder Among the Sandhills’ and the like; as such the story is reminiscent of the thrilling adventure stories of the period written by the likes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Jules Verne.

The book is very detailed in its observation of places, characters and events, and anyone who has travelled on the south-west coast of Scotland will enjoy, as I did, all the references to the towns of Girvan, Maybole, and the now-ruined castles which stand on the clifftops. Characterisation is true-to-life and the humour is natural and unforced. There are plenty of supernatural touches to the story and things become very gruesome and grisly towards the end, focusing in some detail on the true-life cannibal Sawney Beane and descriptions of his cave dwelling, complete with salted human limbs strung up in the air.

Nevertheless the story is accessible to all fans who will enjoy the rich dialogue, rather than finding it a hinderance, and I eagerly look forward to reading the companion novel, The Raiders.

[Mumbler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh, to have stumbled on a new favorite author.

I believe his books were serialized, and that does show. Although it's a very complete story, with a full arc, it does not build as well as it ought. It feels like a series of connected tales, that in sum relate this young man's adventurous coming of age. (Though he, the narrator, might tell you that he was of age from the first. :)

At any rate, I loved it nevertheless.

Another note - it's crammed with Lowlands dialect, but if you're interested you may already know that.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great adventure a story based on the historical feud of the Kennedys in 16th century Ayrshire. Mixing in the myth of the cannibal Sawney Bean. The language is mostly lowland Scots, and is a real delight, although at times archaic, and somewhat challenging.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic find for me. An author that I had never come across before.
Written in 1896 this brilliant novel of Medievalism is a fantastic romp in a similar vein to Walter Scott.
Warring clans,cannibalism in the shape of Sawney Bean, the historic Edinburgh and Robert the Bruce.
Oh and a hidden treasure to find.
Some of the olde language can,for the modern reader,be hard to follow,but if you consider the time period setting ,and using your noggin a wee bit, not too hard.
Crockett was a very accomplished author in his day and he and R.L.Stevenson were acquainted.
An author I feel that needs to be read and more widely known.
A brilliant tale which was an absolute delight.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable historical tale from the time of James VI. A lot of the text is in old lowland scots. Features Sawney Bean.

[Frederick Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good writing

I would suggest this to those who like historical novels combined with romance. It is a little slow at times but makes up for it later.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun historical fiction of feuding Scottish clan during the reign of James I. Lots of fighting and a fair amount of humor, also surprise cannibals, which was kind of funny to me to be honest.

[Loudon McAndrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I live in the area in which the book was set and when this is the case I find that it brings history to life so much more.

[Ruth Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

So funny.

A must read for any Ayrshire dweller