My 100% human written Readers Guide to The Killing Stones by Ann Cleeves has Jen’s Quick Take, a character list, plus spoilers and the ending explained. This is my first Ann Cleeves book and is listed as part of a new series, but that’s not exactly the case. Let’s chat about it!
Readers Guide to The Killing Stones by Ann Cleeves
Table of Contents:
- Jen’s Quick Take on The Killing Stones
- Character List for The Killing Stones
- Spoilers for The Killing Stones and the ending explained
Jen’s Quick Take on The Killing Stones
- While The Killing Stones is listed on Goodreads as Jimmy Perez and Willow Reeves #1, it is also a continuation of the Shetland series, albeit with a new location: the Orkney Islands (see map below).
- Though main character Jimmy was born in Fair Isle (Shetland) he and his partner Willow live in Orkney.
- I have watched a few episodes of Shetland, but never read any of the books. Still, I think this can work as a standalone, even if I was missing all the backstory between the characters.
- In this case, a close friend of Jimmy turns up dead and he and Willow work the case together in the days leading up to Christmas.
- I really enjoyed this one and want to try to catch up on the series.
- Publication date: September 30, 2025 by Viking Books. Thanks to the publisher for the advance copy for review.
Learn more about the Links of Noltland on this official site!
The stones of Westray might have been inspired by this, though the fictional ones must be smaller.
If you know more about this, let me know in comments!
Character List for The Killing Stones
- Jimmy Perez: Scottish detective inspector
- Willow Reeves: detective covering all the Scottish Islands
- James Perez: Willow and Jimmy’s young son
- Cassie: Jimmy’s stepdaughter
Other police:
- Phil Bain
- Ellie Shearer
- Dr. James Grieve (baed on a real person and in the Shetland books)
- Paul Rutherford: archeologist
- George Riley: teacher writing a children’s book
- Miles Chambers: George’s partner
- Tony Johnson: professor
- Barbara Johnson: his wife
- Nat Wilkinson: anxious guy who saw his father drown
- Godfrey Lansdown: birder
- Lucy Martindale: head of school where Paul teaches
- Archie Stout: Jimmy’s longtime friend
- Vaila Stout: Archie’s wife
- Lawrie Stout: Archie and Vaila’s older son
- Ian Stout: their younger son
- Evelyn: Vaila’s mother
- Rosalie Greeman: was friendly with Archie
- Annie and Bill: run the Pierowall Hotel
Spoilers for The Killing Stones and the ending explained
SPOILERS BELOW! To protect readers who HATE being spoiled you will need to click on the blue “Show Me” box below and log in with a Grow account, Facebook, or Google. By doing so, you will be added to my email list and receive weekly updates about new books! For more information on why I protect my spoilers, please read this post! If you are having any issues check this tutorial OR leave a comment below as I want to help!
Qeustions? Think I missed something or got it wrong? Please leave me a comment.