The Killing Stones by Ann Cleeves

THE KILLING STONES by Ann Cleeves is described as a stand-alone Detective Jimmy Perez novel and although I have read and enjoyed multiple titles (mostly about Vera Stanhope) by Cleeves, I think this was the first Jimmy Perez novel for me. He has settled into life on Orkney, accompanied by pregnant partner Willow, their young son, and step-daughter. Archie Stout, a childhood friend of Perez, is killed and Jimmy and Willow get involved in the investigation and comforting the family during the lead-up to Christmas. Cleeves offers a twisty set of clues with numerous motives for both villagers and tourists; even Perez muses, “so many stories could be told around these killings, and he was no longer confident that he knew which was true.” There’s a great deal of focus on the ancient history of the islands (like the Ring of Brodgar) and on several modern-day researchers, especially as more people are killed. Misdirection abounds and although I found the end to be a bit abrupt, it was certainly unexpected. Cleeves has provided an excellent mystery in an almost Gothic setting. For interested readers, The Black Raven is first in the Shetland/Perez series.