The Grey Man is a historical adventure romance created by S.R. Crockett. The novel is set in Ayrshire, Scotland, in the reign of James VI. The author created this work when he was at the height of his power and popularity as a novelist. The story deals with the violent feud between the two families: the Kennedys of Cassillis and the Kennedys of Bargany. Some of the most memorable characters of the novel, like the fearsome grey-clad figure of John Mure of Auchindrayne and the legendary cannibal, Sawn Bean, were drawn from local folklore.