This book was published recently. It is the last book in the Shetland series. Previous books have been turned into the TV series Shetland. The stories follow Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez, a native of Shetland, and based in Lerwick. I’ve found the stories engrossing. The description of the land and seascape evocative of islands off the coast of Scotland. The weather plays a part in the stories too, and is well described, showing how it can determine the activities that can be undertaken. If you want to get a feel for whether living on an island off the coast of Scotland is for you, this series of books will be you an idea of what it is like.
The story covers a few days, yet packs on a lot. Describing the situation, the landscape. The dialogue seems natural. The story is written from different view points as it progresses. The characters are well described and make mistakes in how they respond in various situations. This is especially true of the interactions between Jimmy Perez and his boss, Willow, who has flown in from the mainland to lead the investigation.
Towards the end of the book there’s what could have been a cliffhanger; leaving an opening for another story. I like that the narrative carries on past the point where the perpetrator is revealed. Especially as this is the last in the Shetland series.
I bought this book at a local independent bookshop.