Dead Water

When Fran died, Jimmy Perez was left with the custody of her six year old daughter, Cassie. After several months leave from the police force Jimmy gradually returned to work. When the Procurator Fiscal, Rhona Laing, discovered a body in a boat Willow Reeves arrived from the mainland to lead the investigation. Inspector Perez was asked for advice and eventually became involved in the case.

Jerry Markham was a journalist from Shetland who had moved to England to work. Unexpectedly he returned to the islands and a few days later was murdered. Before leaving Shetland he had had a relationship with Evie Watts who was now engaged to someone else.

In Dead Water by Ann Cleeves (the fifth book in the Sheland series) we learn of the the oil and gas industry operating out of Sullom Voe. Alternative energy sources for the islands are also proposed and not everyone is in agreement as to what projects should proceed in the future. Did Markham return to Shetland in search of a scoop or did his return visit relate to events from the past? The islanders have many secrets and discovering the truth is no easy task, especially when it becomes clear that the Fiscal may also have secrets relevant to the case.

Some episodes in the second series of the TV show, Shetland, were based on the plot of Dead Water.

Blue Lightning

When Jimmy Perez and his fiancee, Fran, travelled to Fair Isles to meet his parents they expected to have a quiet holiday - that is until a murder at the local bird observatory was discovered. As bad weather prevented anyone from arriving at the island Jimmy was initially left to investigate the crime alone until assistance arrived several days later. By this time a second murder had occurred.

Blue Lightning by Ann Cleeves is the fourth book in the Shetland series, originally planned as a quartet but later expanded to eight books. The setting of the book, this time Fair Isles, plays an important part in each novel. It is October, the end of autumn, but some bird watchers remain on the island in the hope of sighting an unusual bird. In this closed community one has to be the killer, but who and why.

I became totally involved in reading this novel which I read in one day. As I later told my husband 'I spent Australia Day in Shetland'.

Blue Lighning features in the second series of the Shetland TV series.

The gift of the magpie

The gift of the magpie by Donna Andrews is the twenty-eighth book in the Meg Langslow series and the seventh of her books with a Christmas theme. The featured bird this time, as the title suggests, is the magpie. When a small flock of magpies escape from the aviary of Meg's grandfather's zoo a feud between Meg's grandfather and Rose Noire as to the future of the birds results.

Meanwhile, even though it is the week before Christmas, Meg is busy organising the volunteers of the Helping Hands group in assisting Caerphilly residents who have a project that they are unable to tackle alone. Most of the problems only take a short time to complete however Meg knows that this will not be the case when they are tasked with the job of decluttering the house belonging to Harvey the Hoarder. 

Before long it is clear that other people are also interested in the contents of the house, especially as it is believed, by some, that a treasure trove is hidden among Harvey's possessions. 

Add a murder and burgulary plus involvement in family and the town's Chrismas festivities, Meg has plenty to keep her busy. Fortunately, as well as neighbours, Meg has a large assortment of family members who are always ready to help her. Donna Andrews has added another entertaining, amusing crime story to her collection of books in the Meg Langslow series.

As I read parts of this book I was reminded of The Life of Grime, a documentary series shown on Foxtel more than ten years ago highlighting the work of environmental health inspectors in England including some of the more unusual cases encountered. The one that remained with me was Mr Trembus, and his cluttered house and garden, rather like Harvey the Hoarder in this book.

Before the Storm

Ellie Conlan worked as an IT project manager for a large firm in Melbourne until a crisis at work made her decide to take a break and stay with her grandfather at his home on the Victorian coast. This decision provided Ellie with the opportunity to re-evaluate her life choices, past, present and future.

Ellie had lived in Storm Bay for a short time as a teenager and she soon readjusted to living once more in this peaceful community, however events from the past still caused her to encounter periods of panic. Ellie's grandfather ran the local newspaper and encouraged Ellie to research and write some articles. When unconfirmed reports suggested that there were secret plans for a new building development which would drastically impact on the character of the area and the livelihood of some community residents Ellie and her friends became concerned.

The importance of local newspapers to a community, the use of cyber bullying and other standover tactics to intimidate individuals, the ability of community members to work together for a cause and the importance of confronting long held secrets are some of the issues occurring throughout the novel.

As in other books by Di Morrissey, the descriptions of the setting for Before the Storm, this time an small Victorian coastal town, plays an important role in the telling of the story.

Red Bones

Once again we return to the Shetland Islands in North Scotland, this time to Whalsay. When Sandy Wilson visits his family, including his grandmother, Mima, who has authorised an archaeological dig on her property, he and Inspector Jimmy Perez find themselves investigating two suspicious deaths. 

This is the second year of the dig where post graduate student, Hattie, hopes to discover a merchant's house dating back to the fifteenth century - a time when when there was trade between the islands and Nordic countries across the sea. Members of some of the local families are supportive of the project as the discovery should attract additional tourists to the islands. Others woud like the project stopped. When bones are discovered in one of the trenches the stories of more recent mysteries in the area are also revealed.

Feeling an outsider on Whalsay, Jimmy Perez encourages Sandy to become involved in the investigation to a greater extent than in previous books. It soon becomes obvious that family feuds going back many generations still affect current relationships on the island. As in the previous titles in the series the islands where the stories are set feature prominently in the books. We also learn more about the main characters and their relationships as the detectives investigate events on the island.

Red Bones by Ann Cleeves is the third book in the Shetland series with the story featuring in the first series of the TV series of the same name.

White Nights

White Nights is the second volume in the Shetland series by Ann Cleeves. During the summer in Shetland there is little darkness during the night, hence the name white nights. It is thought that this phenomenon can affect the mental health of some people - some people definitely have trouble sleeping.

The story begins with the opening night of an art exhibition which includes some of Fran's paintings. Unfortunately all does not go to plan made worse when a body is discovered in a nearby boat shed. Jimmy Perez, with the assistance of Roy Taylor from the mainland, investigate to discover who the stranger was and why he died. It is soon obvious that there are many secrets long held by members of this closed community creating challenges for the investigators, especially as other deaths are discovered. We also learn more about the growing relationship between Jimmy and Fran. The setting of the story is a major feature of the book. A satisfying addition to this series.

Raven Black

As a fan of the Shetland television program I decided it was time to read the first volume in the series of books on which the TV series is based. Black Raven by Ann Cleeves was first published in 2006. There are eight titles in the series. Events from Black Raven feature in the second series of the television program.

When the body of a teenage girl is found covered in snow Inspector Jimmy Perez and a team from the mainland, led by Roy Taylor, investigate. In this close knit community the chief suspect is Magnus Tait who lives alone in a house near the murder scene, particularly as he had been the prime suspect when Catriona Bruce disappeared eight years earlier. The investigation into Catherine's death reveals many community secrets that the locals would prefer hidden. A major theme throughout the novel is the attempt of outsiders arriving in a closed community to find acceptance in their new environment.

We are also introduced to characters who are pivotal in the television series including Duncan and Cassie. The sense of place is an important aspect of the book, not just the landscape and the weather but also the sense of community and interaction among the locals.

Once I started reading this book I found it difficult to put down. A good holiday read.