THE KILLING STONES, by Ann Cleeves, features DI Jimmy Perez and DI Willow Reeves from the author's Shetland series. Jimmy, his partner Willow and their young son have moved from the Shetlands to Orkney off the northern coast of Scotland. Archie Stout, Perez's oldest friend, lives on a nearby island and one night Perez gets a call saying Archie is missing. Perez is the person who finds Archie's body and the murder weapon. Archie was a larger-than-life, colorful character with a tendency to get mad easily, but everyone liked him.Β He was known for his kindness, and even though he was married, he was also known for his roving eye.Β Who would want to kill him? And, why?
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The setting of the story is beautiful and it has a fascinating history. The area has several archeological sites and these factors heavily into the narrative. The investigation moves slowly and is filled with unanswered questions. There is a large cast of characters and the character development is excellent. With only the murder weapon, no witnesses or obvious suspects, the detectives keep hitting a brick wall. Someone must have had a motive, but who?
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Skillfully crafted and impeccably detailed, this is a story that keeps readers guessing from the beginning to a conclusion I never saw coming.Β Highly recommended.
The Killing Stones marks the eagerly awaited return of Ann Cleeves' beloved detectives from the Shetland series, and a gripping new investigation with a stunning new setting, from the New York Times bestselling author and creator of three iconic detectives beloved in TV and print: DI Jimmy Perez (the Shetland series), DI Vera Stanhope, and DI Matthew Venn (The Long Call).
It's been several years since Detective Jimmy Perez left Shetland. He has settled into his new home in Orkney, the group of islands, off the northern coast of Scotland, with his partner Willow Reeve and their growing family. One stormy winter night, his oldest and closest friend, Archie Stout, goes missing. Ever the detective, Perez catches a boat to the island of Westray, where Archie worked as a farmer and lived with his wife and children.
But when he arrives he finds a shocking scene: Archie's body, on an archaeological dig site and an ancient Westray story stone with precise spirals carved into it beside him, the clear murder weapon. The artifact, taken from a nearby museum, seems to suggest a premediated murder.
But Perez is so close to the case that he struggles to maintain an objective distance from the potential suspects. He finds it difficult to question Archie's wife, whom he's known for years. Rumors swirl about the dead man's relationship with a young woman new to the island, an artist. With each new lead, the case becomes more twisted and Perez wonders if he will ever find out what happened in his friend's final days.
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