Shetland Island Books in Order

This reading order guide provides the complete list of Shetland Island books in order, from the very first to the latest, so you won’t miss anything!

About the Shetland Island Series

Set in the isolated world of the Shetland Islands in Scotland, when reading the Shetland Island series by Ann Cleeves, you’ll be completely absorbed in the haunting atmosphere. Combining the timelessness of classic mystery, emotional intensity and a deep-rooted sense of place, these novels are centred on Inspector Jimmy Perez, a thoughtful, introspective investigator who’s thoroughly aware of the islands, their inhabitants and their secrets. Given the small size of the community, everyone’s life is intertwined, and so any crime that takes place here feels intensely personal. Ann Cleeves has a sure-handed way of revealing how the cold wind, never-ending nights and tight-knit social bonds can bury the truth for years.

Coming straight into the series with the award-winning Raven Black, both Perez and the sombre mood of the novels are presented to us on a hushed New Year’s Eve night: a solitary man expecting guests who don’t show up and stumbling upon the lifeless body of a 16-year-old girl kickstarts a case that is riddled with suspicion, repressed memories and anguish. From here the story builds in grandeur. White Night brings forth endless summer light, muddled realities, and sends Perez’s private life clashing with his work. The books Red Bones, Dead Water, and Thin Air delve even deeper into family feuds, historical legacies and old guilt, and archaeological finds, tabloid scandals, fatal mishaps and legendary tales all play a part in unravelling the mysteries. It’s the humanity and characterisation that set the Shetland novels apart. The weight of grief, belonging and trust is given full play and the islands themselves feel very much alive, watching the drama unfold quietly. Individual novels can be taken at any point, but to really know Jimmy Perez, his relationships and the emotional toll he carries between cases, it’s best to read the books in the right order.