The Killing Stones: The Return of Jimmy Perez by Ann Cleeves. Jimmy Perez and Willow Reeves #1. Pan Macmillan | Macmillan, 2025.

The Killing Stones begins just before Christmas on Orkney, four years after Wild Fire, the 8th and last of the Shetland series. Cassie is fourteen, away on Shetland for the holidays, Jimmy and Willow’s son James is four, their next child is due in six weeks. The two detectives work out of the same Police Scotland station in Kirkwall, Orkney, and because of weather preventing travel from Glasgow, for the first time, together on this case. Jimmy is a Detective Inspector overseeing a small team of uniformed police. Willow is Chief Inspector, responsible for policing in the Scottish Islands.

Archie, one of Jimmy’s lifelong best friends, is found on Westray with his head bashed in. The weapon is beside him, a square stone with carved spirals and Norse writing – one of a pair from the local heritage centre. As several of Archie’s peccadillos come to light, Jimmy realizes some are familiar, his preference has been to overlook and excuse rather than see how they might add up and influence.

Readers of Ann Cleeves’ books who – like me – like to read UK crime fiction will recognize the quality of her writing. It stands out among police procedurals, and does in this newest book. The plot is woven from the intercomplexities of setting and characters. We come to know the victims, their friends and families, the investigators in depth as details of both their current situations and past experiences emerge. Once a string of likely suspects has been investigated then ruled out, the culprit emerges, and it all makes sense without being contrived.

At points in the book, comparisons are drawn between Orkney and Shetland islands, with Orkney seen as less bleak, less macho, gentler and more rounded, the feminine of the two. I found this Orkney story somewhat similar, it is mellower. While there is pressure to find the murderer quickly, travel between the islands takes time, allowing for more explanation of feelings.

,Disclosure: I received a review copy of The Killing Stones free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. #TheKillingStones #NetGalley.

The Killing Stones is another outstanding book in the Shetland series featuring the beloved Jimmy Perez.

He now resides in Orkney with his wife Willow (also his boss) with one son and another child on the way.

Archie one of Jimmy's best friends is murdered and found by Jimmy. Although he is too close to the case he is determined to bring the killer to justice.

Ann Cleeves has done a remarkable job brining Jimmy back into the fold as if it was just yesterday we saw him.

Bodies continue to pile up and the team are baffled.

This is an island and is someone killing to keep a secret or is there more to this than meets the eye.

Suspects are on the list and I didnt trust any of them .

The book is cleverly plotted and will have you guessing to the very end.

I hated The Killing Stones to End and hope we see Jimmy and Willow back very soon.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan/MacMillan for the privilege of reading and reviewing The Killing Stones with one of my all time favourite characters Jimmy Perez.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 (4.5 rounded up)

I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Killing Stones (The Return of Jimmy Perez #1) by Ann Cleeves from NetGalley and Pan Macmillan | Macmillan in order to read and give an honest review.

Having been a fan of the first five books of the Shetland Series, as well as catching the TV adaptation I was both curious and excited to read a new book set in the Jimmy Perez world, now, add in murder and archaeology and you’ve got me. Unfortunately I did miss reading the rest in the series but found this one worked just fine as a stand-alone. We start DI Jimmy Perez’s new adventures with his pregnant partner Willow with toddler in tow in the Orkney Islands, having relocated from the Shetland. Jimmy’s back working as an officer when a murder call pulls him into an archaeological site. The victim? None other than Archie Stout, his good friend since childhood. Beside Archie lies the grisly murder weapon: a Neolithic stone, one of two recently stolen from the Westray Heritage Center. These stones are infamously referred to as the “story stones,” thanks to the ancient Viking runes carved upon them as a type of Viking grafitti.

With Christmas holidays depleting local resources, Jimmy and Willow find themselves teaming up again to solve the murder. However, similar slayings soon follow, hinting that the world of archaeology and fame has a profoundly dark side.

Cleverly written, replete with intrigue, red herrings, history and a brilliant cast of characters, The Killing Stones is a fantastic peek in to Jimmy Perez’s new life in the Orkney Islands. Although different this entry has the same brilliant storytelling, intrique and Cleeves ability to bring the Orkney Islands to life like she did for Shetland. This book was brilliant and although I had suspicions it really keeps you guessing to the very end. I found the book to be really enjoyable and as always Ann Cleeves has yet to disappoint me, and The Killing Stones is definitely no exception, I highly recommend.

Intricate, sharp, and sinister!⁣
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In this latest novel, 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒, Ann Cleeves brings DI Jimmy Perez back to the page, this time working alongside his wife, Willow Reeves, as they investigate the chilling murder of Perez’s longtime Westray friend, Archie, whose body is discovered at an ancient archaeological dig site.⁣
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The writing is crisp and clear. The characters are meticulous, diligent, and driven. And the story unfurls quickly into a darkly compelling tale full of twists, turns, red herrings, buried secrets, deduction, mayhem, violence, and murder.⁣
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Overall, 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒 is a taut, atmospheric, gripping start to this new spin-off series by Cleeves that has left me more than a little eager to see what Perez and Reeves will get mixed up in next.

Ann Cleeves in the Killing Stones involves Detective Jimmy Perez and his partner Willow in the violent murder of his friend Archie who is bashed to death with an ancient neolithic stone on Orkney. The other stone of the neolithic pair is also missing. Whodunit? There is suspicion it may involve the research about the stones which may have been stolen from an islander by an English historian. Three people end up dead and the plot thickens. More is involved than research and fame. Read and find out what was going on behind the scene.

Ann Cleeves is a must read author for me and this one did not disappoint. Detective Jimmy Perez has settle in Orkney with his partner and senior officer Willow Reeves. His idyllic life is disturbed when his oldest friend is found dead. As Jimmy and Willow investigate they find Jimmy may not have known the victim as well as he thought. Thanks to Macmillan and NetGalley for the ARC.