📖 Book Review ~ The Killing Stones by Ann Cleeves

Pan Macmillan
7 October 2025

My thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to review this book 

For the first time since the beloved Shetland series, Detective Jimmy Perez is back. He's traded the stark beauty of Shetland for the wild isolation of Orkney, but the darkness of human nature follows him everywhere.

When a ferocious storm rages across the islands, it leaves behind more than just damage: it uncovers the body of Archie Stout, a popular, larger-than-life member of the community.

The murder weapon? A Neolithic stone, bearing cryptic, ancient inscriptions.

Now living in Orkney with his partner, Willow, and their young son, Perez is drawn into a case that is chillingly personal – Archie was a friend from his own childhood. And the island is full of familiar faces, all of whom are potential suspects in the killing.

Perez must immerse himself in the lives of the islanders, separating truth from local legend before a desperate killer can strike again . . . and threaten the new life he's desperately trying to build.

📖My Review..

Having been a huge fan of the TV Shetland series when Detective Jimmy Perez was in charge I was excited to have the chance to read something new about him, catching up with him on Orkney, where he now makes his home, with his partner (and boss) Willow Reeves and their growing family.

The story hits the ground running with the discovery of body, which is made even more confusing as Archie Stout is a popular islander, with no known enemies. Brought into the case Perez finds that his loyalty is tested as Archie was a close childhood friend and the emotional stakes run high. However, in order to uncover the truth about the murder Perez must ask some difficult questions of the islanders which is difficult for all those who knew and liked Archie.

I enjoyed the story, it was good to be back in Perez’s company and the dynamics work well between him and Willow. There are enough twists and turns to keep the momentum going and I enjoyed trying to work out who did what, and when. There is a real a sense of atmosphere and the whole Orkney experience is done well, bringing place and people alive. I could sense the notion of a storm brewing and the complexity of the investigation all adds effect to what is another good crime /thriller from this established author.

About the Author

Ann Cleeves is the author of forty critically acclaimed novels, and in 2017 was awarded the highest accolade in crime writing, the CWA Diamond Dagger. She is the creator of popular detectives Vera Stanhope, Jimmy Perez and Matthew Venn, who can be found on television in ITV’s Vera, BBC One’s Shetland and ITV’s The Long Call respectively. The TV series and the books they are based on have become international sensations, capturing the minds of millions worldwide.