Synopsis
'Fantastic. Ann Cleeves is a stone cold genius' – Marian Keyes, Sunday Times bestselling author of My Favorite Mistake
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.
'Expertly plotted and mesmerizing' – Mick Herron, author of Slow Horses
'Bold and dramatic, with a restless love of landscape' – Val McDermid, author of Past Lying
'Like snuggling up with dear friends . . . a complex mystery with vivid setting and beloved characters' – Tess Gerritsen, author of The Summer Guests
'A masterpiece in character and location. Welcome back, Jimmy Perez!' – M. W. Craven, author of Nobody's Hero
'Unmatched elegance, ingenious plots, and deep characters. Worth every minute' – David Baldacci, author of The 6:20 Man
'Jimmy Perez is a fine creation' – Peter Robinson, author of the DCI Banks series
The Killing Stones by Ann Cleeves sees the return of Detective Jimmy Perez
Details
30 September 2025
9781035043163Reviews
As always with Ann Cleeves, the history and landscape of the setting are as much a character as the people in this novel. With a new setting and family, Perez is revived as a series and the plotline – always good in Cleeves – is as twisty as any reader will want
Ann Cleeves’s elegance as a wordsmith, the ingenuity of her plots, and the depth of her characters can be matched by few writers. In The Killing Stones she brings back the beloved Jimmy Perez in a tale that highlights the entire spectrum of her formidable talents. I was instantly caught up in the sparkling world of her imagination and propelled through several hundred pages of great storytelling on the lonely isle of Orkney, where bodies keep turning up. This novel is more than worth every minute you spend with it
Reading a new Jimmy Perez novel is like snuggling up with dear friends around a crackling fire. The Killing Stones is classic Ann Cleeves: a complex mystery, beloved characters, and a setting so vivid you can feel the chill of wind and rain on your face
It’s a new island and a new chapter for Perez and his family, but in the extraordinary hands of Ann Cleeves — surely one of our greatest ever crime writers? – the result is predictably brilliant. It’s new but familiar. Exciting but comforting. It's a masterpiece in character and location — welcome back Jimmy Perez!
