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Shetland #1
Raven Black
Winner of Britain’s coveted Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award, Ann Cleeves introduces a dazzling new suspense series to mystery readers.
Raven Black begins on New Year’s Eve with a lonely outcast named Magnus Tait, who stays home waiting for visitors who never come. But the next morning the body of a murdered teenage girl is discovered nearby, and suspicion falls on Magnus. Inspector Jimmy Perez enters an investigative maze that leads deeper into the past of the Shetland Islands than anyone wants to go.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
7298 people are currently reading
38939 people want to read
About the author
Ann Cleeves
134 books8,502 followersAnn is the author of the books behind ITV's VERA, now in it's third series, and the BBC's SHETLAND, which will be aired in December 2012. Ann's DI Vera Stanhope series of books is set in Northumberland and features the well loved detective along with her partner Joe Ashworth. Ann's Shetland series bring us DI Jimmy Perez, investigating in the mysterious, dark, and beautiful Shetland Islands...
Ann grew up in the country, first in Herefordshire, then in North Devon. Her father was a village school teacher. After dropping out of university she took a number of temporary jobs - child care officer, women's refuge leader, bird observatory cook, auxiliary coastguard - before going back to college and training to be a probation officer.
While she was cooking in the Bird Observatory on Fair Isle, she met her husband Tim, a visiting ornithologist. She was attracted less by the ornithology than the bottle of malt whisky she saw in his rucksack when she showed him his room. Soon after they married, Tim was appointed as warden of Hilbre, a tiny tidal island nature reserve in the Dee Estuary. They were the only residents, there was no mains electricity or water and access to the mainland was at low tide across the shore. If a person's not heavily into birds - and Ann isn't - there's not much to do on Hilbre and that was when she started writing. Her first series of crime novels features the elderly naturalist, George Palmer-Jones. A couple of these books are seriously dreadful.
In 1987 Tim, Ann and their two daughters moved to Northumberland and the north east provides the inspiration for many of her subsequent titles. The girls have both taken up with Geordie lads. In the autumn of 2006, Ann and Tim finally achieved their ambition of moving back to the North East.
For the National Year of Reading, Ann was made reader-in-residence for three library authorities. It came as a revelation that it was possible to get paid for talking to readers about books! She went on to set up reading groups in prisons as part of the Inside Books project, became Cheltenham Literature Festival's first reader-in-residence and still enjoys working with libraries.
Ann Cleeves on stage at the Duncan Lawrie Dagger awards ceremony
Ann's short film for Border TV, Catching Birds, won a Royal Television Society Award. She has twice been short listed for a CWA Dagger Award - once for her short story The Plater, and the following year for the Dagger in the Library award.
In 2006 Ann Cleeves was the first winner of the prestigious Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award of the Crime Writers' Association for Raven Black, the first volume of her Shetland Quartet. The Duncan Lawrie Dagger replaces the CWA's Gold Dagger award, and the winner receives £20,000, making it the world's largest award for crime fiction.
Ann's success was announced at the 2006 Dagger Awards ceremony at the Waldorf Hilton, in London's Aldwych, on Thursday 29 June 2006. She said: "I have never won anything before in my life, so it was a complete shock - but lovely of course.. The evening was relatively relaxing because I'd lost my voice and knew that even if the unexpected happened there was physically no way I could utter a word. So I wouldn't have to give a speech. My editor was deputed to do it!"
The judging panel consisted of Geoff Bradley (non-voting Chair), Lyn Brown MP (a committee member on the London Libraries service), Frances Gray (an academic who writes about and teaches courses on modern crime fiction), Heather O'Donoghue (academic, linguist, crime fiction reviewer for The Times Literary Supplement, and keen reader of all crime fiction) and Barry Forshaw (reviewer and editor of Crime Time magazine).
Ann's books have been translated into sixteen languages. She's a bestseller in Scandinavia and Germany. Her novels sell widely and to critical acclaim in the United States. Raven Black was shortlisted for the Martin Beck award for best translated crime novel in Sweden in 200
Ann grew up in the country, first in Herefordshire, then in North Devon. Her father was a village school teacher. After dropping out of university she took a number of temporary jobs - child care officer, women's refuge leader, bird observatory cook, auxiliary coastguard - before going back to college and training to be a probation officer.
While she was cooking in the Bird Observatory on Fair Isle, she met her husband Tim, a visiting ornithologist. She was attracted less by the ornithology than the bottle of malt whisky she saw in his rucksack when she showed him his room. Soon after they married, Tim was appointed as warden of Hilbre, a tiny tidal island nature reserve in the Dee Estuary. They were the only residents, there was no mains electricity or water and access to the mainland was at low tide across the shore. If a person's not heavily into birds - and Ann isn't - there's not much to do on Hilbre and that was when she started writing. Her first series of crime novels features the elderly naturalist, George Palmer-Jones. A couple of these books are seriously dreadful.
In 1987 Tim, Ann and their two daughters moved to Northumberland and the north east provides the inspiration for many of her subsequent titles. The girls have both taken up with Geordie lads. In the autumn of 2006, Ann and Tim finally achieved their ambition of moving back to the North East.
For the National Year of Reading, Ann was made reader-in-residence for three library authorities. It came as a revelation that it was possible to get paid for talking to readers about books! She went on to set up reading groups in prisons as part of the Inside Books project, became Cheltenham Literature Festival's first reader-in-residence and still enjoys working with libraries.
Ann Cleeves on stage at the Duncan Lawrie Dagger awards ceremony
Ann's short film for Border TV, Catching Birds, won a Royal Television Society Award. She has twice been short listed for a CWA Dagger Award - once for her short story The Plater, and the following year for the Dagger in the Library award.
In 2006 Ann Cleeves was the first winner of the prestigious Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award of the Crime Writers' Association for Raven Black, the first volume of her Shetland Quartet. The Duncan Lawrie Dagger replaces the CWA's Gold Dagger award, and the winner receives £20,000, making it the world's largest award for crime fiction.
Ann's success was announced at the 2006 Dagger Awards ceremony at the Waldorf Hilton, in London's Aldwych, on Thursday 29 June 2006. She said: "I have never won anything before in my life, so it was a complete shock - but lovely of course.. The evening was relatively relaxing because I'd lost my voice and knew that even if the unexpected happened there was physically no way I could utter a word. So I wouldn't have to give a speech. My editor was deputed to do it!"
The judging panel consisted of Geoff Bradley (non-voting Chair), Lyn Brown MP (a committee member on the London Libraries service), Frances Gray (an academic who writes about and teaches courses on modern crime fiction), Heather O'Donoghue (academic, linguist, crime fiction reviewer for The Times Literary Supplement, and keen reader of all crime fiction) and Barry Forshaw (reviewer and editor of Crime Time magazine).
Ann's books have been translated into sixteen languages. She's a bestseller in Scandinavia and Germany. Her novels sell widely and to critical acclaim in the United States. Raven Black was shortlisted for the Martin Beck award for best translated crime novel in Sweden in 200
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,665 reviews
January 22, 2019
Lately I’ve been in a mystery/crime fiction reading mood. I started a couple of new series and the first book in the Shetland Island novels was one of the standouts. Unfortunately, I stopped reading in, in order to dive into Lethal White and when I came back I had the tendency to compare it with J.K. Rowling’s masterpiece. As a result I will award only 3* for Raven Black although I plan to continue with the series.
The novel started very well, I enjoyed the different POV and the sense of place was well presented by the different characters. I found the two main characters, Fran and detective Perez to be realistic and interesting. The mystery, which revolves around the killing of a young girl, was engaging and I could not guess the ending.
I am lucky enough that my mum also liked this series and she already read the next two books so I have them at my disposal when I decided to immerse myself again in a good mystery set in the remote island of Shetland.
The novel started very well, I enjoyed the different POV and the sense of place was well presented by the different characters. I found the two main characters, Fran and detective Perez to be realistic and interesting. The mystery, which revolves around the killing of a young girl, was engaging and I could not guess the ending.
I am lucky enough that my mum also liked this series and she already read the next two books so I have them at my disposal when I decided to immerse myself again in a good mystery set in the remote island of Shetland.
August 9, 2020
4 stars for a very well done mystery/thriller set in Shetland, Scotland. Shetland is several hundred miles north of mainland Scotland. It is very remote with its only access by plane or ship. When there are storms, the islands are cut off for days at a time.
A young girl, Catherine Ross, is found murdered near the cottage of Magnus Tait, a loner and a man of limited mental capacity. He was a suspect in the disappearance of another young girl, Catriona Bruce, several years before. But Catriona's body was never found. Rumors and gossip soon have Magnus pictured as the murderer again. Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez is in charge of the case, along with DI Roy Taylor, head of a special team from Inverness, Scotland. Although they arrest Magnus based on circumstantial evidence, they realize that he may not be the killer when they find clues pointing to another unknown killer.
There were many twists and turns in the plot, and I was not sure of the killer until the end. I read this fast moving library book in 3 days.
Two quotes: Weather--"In Shetland, when there was no wind, it was shocking. People strained their ears and wondered what was missing."
Cruise ships--"Sometimes huge cruise ships slid into the harbour and sat there, towering over the buildings. For an hour their passengers would take over the town. It was an invasion."
Some of the descriptions of the scenery makes me want to visit Shetland, but it would have to be on a cruise ship.
This is book 1 in the series. It was adapted for tv and I watched several episodes on PBS. I highly recommend both the book and the series.
A young girl, Catherine Ross, is found murdered near the cottage of Magnus Tait, a loner and a man of limited mental capacity. He was a suspect in the disappearance of another young girl, Catriona Bruce, several years before. But Catriona's body was never found. Rumors and gossip soon have Magnus pictured as the murderer again. Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez is in charge of the case, along with DI Roy Taylor, head of a special team from Inverness, Scotland. Although they arrest Magnus based on circumstantial evidence, they realize that he may not be the killer when they find clues pointing to another unknown killer.
There were many twists and turns in the plot, and I was not sure of the killer until the end. I read this fast moving library book in 3 days.
Two quotes: Weather--"In Shetland, when there was no wind, it was shocking. People strained their ears and wondered what was missing."
Cruise ships--"Sometimes huge cruise ships slid into the harbour and sat there, towering over the buildings. For an hour their passengers would take over the town. It was an invasion."
Some of the descriptions of the scenery makes me want to visit Shetland, but it would have to be on a cruise ship.
This is book 1 in the series. It was adapted for tv and I watched several episodes on PBS. I highly recommend both the book and the series.
February 13, 2020
A thriller were a teenage girl ends up dead and everyone blames the mentally disabled man who was accused of killing another girl years ago. It was an interesting read, I didn't see the ending coming at all. The pacing was good too. The characters could have been better written but it's a mystery so I didn't care very much. Nothing spectacular but a good read when you just want to read for pleasure.
March 9, 2021
2021 UPDATE All ebook editions of this delight are $2.99 for the entire month of March! The Kindle version is here.
2017 UPDATE The Shetland TV show version of this book isn't terribly faithful as adaptations go, but it certainly managed to retain the awful, uneasy undertones. And it's beautiful to look at.
Rating: 4.5* of five
The Publisher Says: Raven Black begins on New Year’s Eve with a lonely outcast named Magnus Tait, who stays home waiting for visitors who never come. But the next morning the body of a murdered teenage girl is discovered nearby, and suspicion falls on Magnus. Inspector Jimmy Perez enters an investigative maze that leads deeper into the past of the Shetland Islands than anyone wants to go.
My Review: There are two facts I must convey to you before reviewing the book. One: I am extremely uncomfortable, to the point of pain, around people with cognitive and/or communicative disorders or inabilities. Two: I was the object of my pedophile mother's sexual interest until I was fifteen.
Unsurprisingly, these aren't the sorts of themes I find enjoyable to find in my leisure reading. Raven Black has both! I was thinking seriously of abandoning the read, just quietly taking the book back to the library and forgetting it existed. Cleeves managed to make that an undesirable option, and in doing so, made it possible for me to hold a very unflattering mirror up to my character.
The younger of my two grandsons is autistic. It is extremely hard for his mother to cope with the demands of two active, intelligent, communicative children plus an active, intelligent, uncommunicative one. I don't know how she does it. I would be incapable of doing one-third what she does, with (at long last) support and help from her (second) husband.
Magnus Tait, one of our POV characters, is cognitively impaired. It was *horrible* for me to read the sections of text told from his POV because I could not bear to be in this close contact with him. It made me think of the helpless inability I feel when confronted with my autistic grandson...that sense of having nothing of myself to offer, of withdrawal from avoidable contact...no one can tell me the boy isn't aware of it, and while Magnus isn't autistic, it was a close-enough situation, and to know from the inside what chill and distance feels like...well, how awful, how awful to know it, feel it, and be unable to *understand* it.
At least I understand. But funnily enough, that fails to make it better. It makes it worse.
Pedophilia is present in several characters, no spoilers so no names, and the object of desire's POV is used in the story as well. It's unbelievable to me that Cleeves can recreate the unmixed-but-unsettled feelings of a child who holds that kind of intoxicating, terrifying, inappropriate power over an adult. I hope not, for her sake, but I felt "takes one to know one" so many times in reading certain parts of the book.
The thriller aspects of the book were nicely done, though as an old hand I pegged the murderer and motive fairly early on...but, discomfitingly, I found that I wanted the truth not to be what I knew, but what my prejudices drooled over.
I recommend this book to the unsqueamish. It's strong stuff. Nothing that happens in it is gratuitous. The guilty, and I mean those morally guilty, are punished severely. There is a bleak pleasure in that.
2017 UPDATE The Shetland TV show version of this book isn't terribly faithful as adaptations go, but it certainly managed to retain the awful, uneasy undertones. And it's beautiful to look at.
Rating: 4.5* of five
The Publisher Says: Raven Black begins on New Year’s Eve with a lonely outcast named Magnus Tait, who stays home waiting for visitors who never come. But the next morning the body of a murdered teenage girl is discovered nearby, and suspicion falls on Magnus. Inspector Jimmy Perez enters an investigative maze that leads deeper into the past of the Shetland Islands than anyone wants to go.
My Review: There are two facts I must convey to you before reviewing the book. One: I am extremely uncomfortable, to the point of pain, around people with cognitive and/or communicative disorders or inabilities. Two: I was the object of my pedophile mother's sexual interest until I was fifteen.
Unsurprisingly, these aren't the sorts of themes I find enjoyable to find in my leisure reading. Raven Black has both! I was thinking seriously of abandoning the read, just quietly taking the book back to the library and forgetting it existed. Cleeves managed to make that an undesirable option, and in doing so, made it possible for me to hold a very unflattering mirror up to my character.
The younger of my two grandsons is autistic. It is extremely hard for his mother to cope with the demands of two active, intelligent, communicative children plus an active, intelligent, uncommunicative one. I don't know how she does it. I would be incapable of doing one-third what she does, with (at long last) support and help from her (second) husband.
Magnus Tait, one of our POV characters, is cognitively impaired. It was *horrible* for me to read the sections of text told from his POV because I could not bear to be in this close contact with him. It made me think of the helpless inability I feel when confronted with my autistic grandson...that sense of having nothing of myself to offer, of withdrawal from avoidable contact...no one can tell me the boy isn't aware of it, and while Magnus isn't autistic, it was a close-enough situation, and to know from the inside what chill and distance feels like...well, how awful, how awful to know it, feel it, and be unable to *understand* it.
At least I understand. But funnily enough, that fails to make it better. It makes it worse.
Pedophilia is present in several characters, no spoilers so no names, and the object of desire's POV is used in the story as well. It's unbelievable to me that Cleeves can recreate the unmixed-but-unsettled feelings of a child who holds that kind of intoxicating, terrifying, inappropriate power over an adult. I hope not, for her sake, but I felt "takes one to know one" so many times in reading certain parts of the book.
The thriller aspects of the book were nicely done, though as an old hand I pegged the murderer and motive fairly early on...but, discomfitingly, I found that I wanted the truth not to be what I knew, but what my prejudices drooled over.
I recommend this book to the unsqueamish. It's strong stuff. Nothing that happens in it is gratuitous. The guilty, and I mean those morally guilty, are punished severely. There is a bleak pleasure in that.
March 14, 2020
What a very fine start to this mystery series first published in 2006.
I started watching the Shetland TV series on Netflix a few years ago and binged through all the seasons. The scenery of Scotland’s Shetland Islands is so breathtaking. DI Jimmy Perez is such a likable character.
Last year I read Ann Cleeves for the first time (The Long Call) where she introduced a new mystery series which is outstanding. It only made sense to start reading the Shetland series. I am thankful to see Cleeves’ books are as good as the TV production. I really didn’t expect to see anything less...
Borrowed from my local library on Overdrive. (HOOPLA has the audiobook, but I didn’t care for the narrator’s voice).
5 out of 5 stars
I started watching the Shetland TV series on Netflix a few years ago and binged through all the seasons. The scenery of Scotland’s Shetland Islands is so breathtaking. DI Jimmy Perez is such a likable character.
Last year I read Ann Cleeves for the first time (The Long Call) where she introduced a new mystery series which is outstanding. It only made sense to start reading the Shetland series. I am thankful to see Cleeves’ books are as good as the TV production. I really didn’t expect to see anything less...
Borrowed from my local library on Overdrive. (HOOPLA has the audiobook, but I didn’t care for the narrator’s voice).
5 out of 5 stars
November 2, 2021
This was my first read by Ann Cleeves & i must say i was pleasantly surprised i loved everything about this book which is the first in the Shetland Island series , it was atmospheric well drawn characters that i was deeply invested in, the writing style was beautiful Ms Cleeves pens a beautifully detailed story that keeps your attention from start to finish.
A murder happens in the town of Shetland Scotland a mentally disabled man is accused of the murder of Catherine Ross, her body was discovered by Detective Fran Hunter her body was ravaged by ravens her eyes pecked out she had been lying in the snow for days rigamortis shows its ugly head.
Fran brings in Jimmy Perez to help find the killer, it doesn't help things when the town blames Magnus Tait the mentally disabled man who lives in a house in Hillside as a recluse he is arrested & locked up, the ravens circle his house he taught them to speak, but will the evidence come to fruition or WHO REALLY KILLED CATHERINE ROSS? WHY?
I loved the strong start to this series it was beautifully written & you could feel angst for Magnus there were a lot of twists, turns, red herrings in this one i never believed the ending didn't see that coming at all. Will be reading more by this author.
A murder happens in the town of Shetland Scotland a mentally disabled man is accused of the murder of Catherine Ross, her body was discovered by Detective Fran Hunter her body was ravaged by ravens her eyes pecked out she had been lying in the snow for days rigamortis shows its ugly head.
Fran brings in Jimmy Perez to help find the killer, it doesn't help things when the town blames Magnus Tait the mentally disabled man who lives in a house in Hillside as a recluse he is arrested & locked up, the ravens circle his house he taught them to speak, but will the evidence come to fruition or WHO REALLY KILLED CATHERINE ROSS? WHY?
I loved the strong start to this series it was beautifully written & you could feel angst for Magnus there were a lot of twists, turns, red herrings in this one i never believed the ending didn't see that coming at all. Will be reading more by this author.
July 20, 2024
4 1/2 stars
Great start to Ann Cleeves Shetland detective series. Islands are always perfect locations for a sort of “locked room” mystery. The people on this island are remote enough from Scotland proper to live in their own world and alternately feel comfortable with themselves (no locked doors) and sometimes claustrophobic (like living in a goldfish bowl, everyone knowing her business, or thinking they did”) as Cleeves has one character say.
Then the murders…first a child some years ago and lately a teenager, both crimes assumed to be done by Old Man Tait, a convenient target who has diminished mental capacity. Detective Perez is not so sure.
Outsiders include Perez himself even though he has lived mostly here since he was a child. To really be a Shetlander one must be born and bred. Fran is another outsider only partially acceptable having been once married to an island big shot. The father of the teenage victim is headmaster at the school but from England and finally there is another teenager recently moved here with his English parents. The reader gets to see that some of the true Shetlanders are not exactly without issues. There are plenty of suspects.
One thing that bothered me a little was that the characters seem too chatty towards the police. Everyone who is interviewed pours out their secret thoughts and feelings (except one of course) and easily say all sorts of incriminating things. Maybe that’s supposed to show innocence, but even when they are talking silently in their heads they talk…a lot. Shouldn’t these skeptical, reticent islanders be less talkative?
Cleeves mentions John Donne’s “No man is an Island” which fittingly points out that death diminishes the community. It certainly rattles them in their small location. Shetland is beautifully depicted in winter weather and isolation.
Great start to Ann Cleeves Shetland detective series. Islands are always perfect locations for a sort of “locked room” mystery. The people on this island are remote enough from Scotland proper to live in their own world and alternately feel comfortable with themselves (no locked doors) and sometimes claustrophobic (like living in a goldfish bowl, everyone knowing her business, or thinking they did”) as Cleeves has one character say.
Then the murders…first a child some years ago and lately a teenager, both crimes assumed to be done by Old Man Tait, a convenient target who has diminished mental capacity. Detective Perez is not so sure.
Outsiders include Perez himself even though he has lived mostly here since he was a child. To really be a Shetlander one must be born and bred. Fran is another outsider only partially acceptable having been once married to an island big shot. The father of the teenage victim is headmaster at the school but from England and finally there is another teenager recently moved here with his English parents. The reader gets to see that some of the true Shetlanders are not exactly without issues. There are plenty of suspects.
One thing that bothered me a little was that the characters seem too chatty towards the police. Everyone who is interviewed pours out their secret thoughts and feelings (except one of course) and easily say all sorts of incriminating things. Maybe that’s supposed to show innocence, but even when they are talking silently in their heads they talk…a lot. Shouldn’t these skeptical, reticent islanders be less talkative?
Cleeves mentions John Donne’s “No man is an Island” which fittingly points out that death diminishes the community. It certainly rattles them in their small location. Shetland is beautifully depicted in winter weather and isolation.
September 11, 2016
I am a devoted follower of the TV series "Vera" which is based on another series by this author. So of course I was interested to read this book and I am very glad I did. The author writes well and I enjoyed her descriptions of the Shetland Isles, an area I have never visited but would like to! The book starts off a bit slowly but it speeds up as it goes along and is always interesting. A nice, unexpected little twist at the end finishes the book on a high and I was very happy to discover there are quite a few more books in the series for me to read.
September 2, 2024
EXCERPT: It was the colours that caught her attention. Often the colours on the Island were subtle, olive green, mud brown, sea grey and all softened by mist. In the full sunlight of early morning, this picture was stark and vibrant. The harsh white of the snow. Three shapes, silhouetted. Ravens. In her painting they would be angular shapes, cubist almost. Birds roughly carved from hard black wood. And then that splash of colour. Red, reflecting the scarlet ball of the sun.
She left the sledge at the side of the track and crossed the field to see the scene more closely. There was a gate from the road. The snow stopped her pushing it open so she climbed it. A stone wall split the field in two, but in places it had collapsed and there was a gap big enough for a tractor to get through. As she grew nearer the perspective shifted, but that didn't bother her. She had the paintings fixed firmly in her mind. She expected the ravens to fly off, had even been hoping to see them in flight. The sight of them aloft, the wedge shaped tail tilted to hold each steady, would inform her image of them on the ground.
Her concentration was so fierce, and everything seemed unreal here, surrounded by the reflected light which made her head swim, that she walked right up to the sight before realizing exactly what she was seeing. Until then everything was just form and colour. Then the vivid red turned into a scarf. The grey coat and the white flesh merged into the background of the snow which wasn't so clean here. The ravens were pecking at a girl's face. One of the eyes had disappeared.
Fran recognized the young woman, even in this altered, degraded state. The birds had fluttered away briefly as she had approached but now, as she stood motionless, watching, they returned. Suddenly she screamed, so loudly that she could feel the strain in the back of her throat and clapped her hands to send the birds circling into the sky. But she couldn't move from the spot.
It was Catherine Ross. There was a red scarf tight around her neck, the fringe spread like blood in the snow.
ABOUT 'RAVEN BLACK': Raven Black begins on New Year’s Eve with a lonely outcast named Magnus Tait, who stays home waiting for visitors who never come. But the next morning the body of a murdered teenage girl is discovered nearby, and suspicion falls on Magnus. Inspector Jimmy Perez enters an investigative maze that leads deeper into the past of the Shetland Islands than anyone wants to go.
MY THOUGHTS: I love Ann Cleeves writing. She certainly knows how to set an atmosphere. Set in the Shetland Islands, she has recreated the claustrophobic atmosphere of the islands and the people who live there.
Raven Black is the first book in Cleeves' Shetland series featuring Detective Jimmy Perez who, despite his name, was born in the islands.
Cleeves characters are very real. Perez has some personal decisions to make, as does Fran,who discovered the bodies. Yes, there is more than one. Everyone from Magnus, the reclusive old man accused of murdering a girl who disappeared some years earlier, to Catherine Ross, the girl found murdered on the hillside near Magnus's home, are depicted so well that I could visualise them, and hear them speak.
Raven Black is an excellent murder mystery, one that kept me guessing to the end. There are several twists and surprises along the way that enhanced the plot.
I had, some years ago, watched the TV series both of Shetland and Vera and I can heartily recommend both, along with the books.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.3
#RavenBlack #anncleeves #panmacmillan
@AnnCleeves @panmacmillan
#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #murdermystery #scottishnoir #suspense
THE AUTHOR: Ann grew up in the country, first in Herefordshire, then in North Devon. Her father was a village school teacher. After dropping out of university she took a number of temporary jobs - child care officer, women's refuge leader, bird observatory cook, auxiliary coastguard - before going back to college and training to be a probation officer.
While she was cooking in the Bird Observatory on Fair Isle, she met her husband Tim, a visiting ornithologist. She was attracted less by the ornithology than the bottle of malt whisky she saw in his rucksack when she showed him his room. Soon after they married, Tim was appointed as warden of Hilbre, a tiny tidal island nature reserve in the Dee Estuary. They were the only residents, there was no mains electricity or water and access to the mainland was at low tide across the shore. If a person's not heavily into birds - and Ann isn't - there's not much to do on Hilbre and that was when she started writing. Her first series of crime novels features the elderly naturalist, George Palmer-Jones. A couple of these books are seriously dreadful.
In 1987 Tim, Ann and their two daughters moved to Northumberland and the north east provides the inspiration for many of her subsequent titles. The girls have both taken up with Geordie lads. In the autumn of 2006, Ann and Tim finally achieved their ambition of moving back to the North East.
DISCLOSURE: I own my copy of Raven Black written by Ann Cleeves and published by Pan Macmillan. I read Raven Black for the Goodreads.com Crime, Mysteries and Thrillers March 2021 Mysteries for a cold winter's night group read. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
She left the sledge at the side of the track and crossed the field to see the scene more closely. There was a gate from the road. The snow stopped her pushing it open so she climbed it. A stone wall split the field in two, but in places it had collapsed and there was a gap big enough for a tractor to get through. As she grew nearer the perspective shifted, but that didn't bother her. She had the paintings fixed firmly in her mind. She expected the ravens to fly off, had even been hoping to see them in flight. The sight of them aloft, the wedge shaped tail tilted to hold each steady, would inform her image of them on the ground.
Her concentration was so fierce, and everything seemed unreal here, surrounded by the reflected light which made her head swim, that she walked right up to the sight before realizing exactly what she was seeing. Until then everything was just form and colour. Then the vivid red turned into a scarf. The grey coat and the white flesh merged into the background of the snow which wasn't so clean here. The ravens were pecking at a girl's face. One of the eyes had disappeared.
Fran recognized the young woman, even in this altered, degraded state. The birds had fluttered away briefly as she had approached but now, as she stood motionless, watching, they returned. Suddenly she screamed, so loudly that she could feel the strain in the back of her throat and clapped her hands to send the birds circling into the sky. But she couldn't move from the spot.
It was Catherine Ross. There was a red scarf tight around her neck, the fringe spread like blood in the snow.
ABOUT 'RAVEN BLACK': Raven Black begins on New Year’s Eve with a lonely outcast named Magnus Tait, who stays home waiting for visitors who never come. But the next morning the body of a murdered teenage girl is discovered nearby, and suspicion falls on Magnus. Inspector Jimmy Perez enters an investigative maze that leads deeper into the past of the Shetland Islands than anyone wants to go.
MY THOUGHTS: I love Ann Cleeves writing. She certainly knows how to set an atmosphere. Set in the Shetland Islands, she has recreated the claustrophobic atmosphere of the islands and the people who live there.
Raven Black is the first book in Cleeves' Shetland series featuring Detective Jimmy Perez who, despite his name, was born in the islands.
Cleeves characters are very real. Perez has some personal decisions to make, as does Fran,who discovered the bodies. Yes, there is more than one. Everyone from Magnus, the reclusive old man accused of murdering a girl who disappeared some years earlier, to Catherine Ross, the girl found murdered on the hillside near Magnus's home, are depicted so well that I could visualise them, and hear them speak.
Raven Black is an excellent murder mystery, one that kept me guessing to the end. There are several twists and surprises along the way that enhanced the plot.
I had, some years ago, watched the TV series both of Shetland and Vera and I can heartily recommend both, along with the books.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.3
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@AnnCleeves @panmacmillan
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THE AUTHOR: Ann grew up in the country, first in Herefordshire, then in North Devon. Her father was a village school teacher. After dropping out of university she took a number of temporary jobs - child care officer, women's refuge leader, bird observatory cook, auxiliary coastguard - before going back to college and training to be a probation officer.
While she was cooking in the Bird Observatory on Fair Isle, she met her husband Tim, a visiting ornithologist. She was attracted less by the ornithology than the bottle of malt whisky she saw in his rucksack when she showed him his room. Soon after they married, Tim was appointed as warden of Hilbre, a tiny tidal island nature reserve in the Dee Estuary. They were the only residents, there was no mains electricity or water and access to the mainland was at low tide across the shore. If a person's not heavily into birds - and Ann isn't - there's not much to do on Hilbre and that was when she started writing. Her first series of crime novels features the elderly naturalist, George Palmer-Jones. A couple of these books are seriously dreadful.
In 1987 Tim, Ann and their two daughters moved to Northumberland and the north east provides the inspiration for many of her subsequent titles. The girls have both taken up with Geordie lads. In the autumn of 2006, Ann and Tim finally achieved their ambition of moving back to the North East.
DISCLOSURE: I own my copy of Raven Black written by Ann Cleeves and published by Pan Macmillan. I read Raven Black for the Goodreads.com Crime, Mysteries and Thrillers March 2021 Mysteries for a cold winter's night group read. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
January 23, 2016
Raven Black......How dark is thy plot!
While I enjoyed Raven Black by Ann Cleeves and finished it as a quick read, I was left with a disconnect in regard to her character development. We hardly had a grasp of one character before the author roundhoused us with another who, may or may not be, central to the plot. "Keep 'em guessing" is at the core of all mystery thrillers, but that person/persons have to matter or peak the interest of the reader. Only bits and pieces so as not to reveal the real killer at the end. In doing so, we never cared or became attached to any of them in particular. Fear of the potential revelation of the killer too soon impedes the author from presenting a rich opportunity to bring more weight to that character. POSSIBLE SPOILERS: Magnus was put on a shelf and left to decay. He had so much depth that should have been explored and weaved into the story far more than it was. Fran seemed to be solely a reactionary to bounce off situations in the plot. Inspector Perez moved as though he were under water most of the time. He doesn't quite lay way any intrigue for future books containing his character.
A map of the island with the locations of the particular homes at the front of the book would have been most helpful. At some points, the characters could see into the windows of the others' homes, and at other points, there appeared great distance. Did the reader feel the willingness to revisit Shetland Island in upcoming books by this author?
All in all, Raven Black was a good read. Ann Cleeves is an extremely capable writer and a successful one as well. You will certainly toss about the storyline in your mind for some time to come.
While I enjoyed Raven Black by Ann Cleeves and finished it as a quick read, I was left with a disconnect in regard to her character development. We hardly had a grasp of one character before the author roundhoused us with another who, may or may not be, central to the plot. "Keep 'em guessing" is at the core of all mystery thrillers, but that person/persons have to matter or peak the interest of the reader. Only bits and pieces so as not to reveal the real killer at the end. In doing so, we never cared or became attached to any of them in particular. Fear of the potential revelation of the killer too soon impedes the author from presenting a rich opportunity to bring more weight to that character. POSSIBLE SPOILERS: Magnus was put on a shelf and left to decay. He had so much depth that should have been explored and weaved into the story far more than it was. Fran seemed to be solely a reactionary to bounce off situations in the plot. Inspector Perez moved as though he were under water most of the time. He doesn't quite lay way any intrigue for future books containing his character.
A map of the island with the locations of the particular homes at the front of the book would have been most helpful. At some points, the characters could see into the windows of the others' homes, and at other points, there appeared great distance. Did the reader feel the willingness to revisit Shetland Island in upcoming books by this author?
All in all, Raven Black was a good read. Ann Cleeves is an extremely capable writer and a successful one as well. You will certainly toss about the storyline in your mind for some time to come.
October 2, 2020
The Shetland Islands are remote islands 130 miles off the coast of Scotland. A landscape of great beauty; a place you may want to visit but not inhabit.
Ann Cleaves does a wonderful job evoking the harshness and grandeur of the island in this first book of her Shetland Series. The book begins with two local teenage girls, tipsy from drinking, going to the house of the much maligned Magnus Tait. This isolated, mentally challenged man is denigrated by many; some townspeople feel he was the murderer of a child eight years before. At the least, he is considered strange; the lonely man in the haunted house on the hill. In addition to this chilling foreshadowing, Magnus has a pet raven he keeps in a cage. Will he murder one or both of these girls? Will new evidence emerge to convict him of the murder from the past?
Through twists and turns the personalities of the key players are revealed: possible motives are uncovered, grievances disclosed, and the reader tries to figure it all out. Cleaves has terrific insight into human nature. Her characters, including the local detective Jimmy Perez, are very genuine.
I found this book very satisfying. It was suspenseful and well written. The setting was perfect. I loved the nordic flavor with its viking holidays. Listening to the book really helped transport me to the island's small community with its gossip but also deep concern for neighbors. I would listen to that accent indefinitely. I will be visiting the Shetlands again soon.
Thanks to my Goodreads' friend Paula for the recommendation.
Ann Cleaves does a wonderful job evoking the harshness and grandeur of the island in this first book of her Shetland Series. The book begins with two local teenage girls, tipsy from drinking, going to the house of the much maligned Magnus Tait. This isolated, mentally challenged man is denigrated by many; some townspeople feel he was the murderer of a child eight years before. At the least, he is considered strange; the lonely man in the haunted house on the hill. In addition to this chilling foreshadowing, Magnus has a pet raven he keeps in a cage. Will he murder one or both of these girls? Will new evidence emerge to convict him of the murder from the past?
Through twists and turns the personalities of the key players are revealed: possible motives are uncovered, grievances disclosed, and the reader tries to figure it all out. Cleaves has terrific insight into human nature. Her characters, including the local detective Jimmy Perez, are very genuine.
I found this book very satisfying. It was suspenseful and well written. The setting was perfect. I loved the nordic flavor with its viking holidays. Listening to the book really helped transport me to the island's small community with its gossip but also deep concern for neighbors. I would listen to that accent indefinitely. I will be visiting the Shetlands again soon.
Thanks to my Goodreads' friend Paula for the recommendation.
Read
February 6, 2017The Hook - The Author Ann Cleeves has been highly recommended to me by many crime reading friends. Of her four series The Vera Stanhope was of the most interest but the first in the series seems to be missing at our library. I read reviews regarding The Shetland Series featuring Jimmy Perez and decided to give this a try.
The Line - ”The devil makes works for idle hands.”
The Sinker - This is definitely not a fast paced mystery but a slow burn that interested me just enough to consider continuing with the series. I particularly liked the measured pacing and revealing of the character of both Perez and The Shetland Island locale. The metaphorical use of blacks and whites in plot structure gave the whole a brooding feel which added to my enjoyment. There is plenty of room for Perez to be fleshed out. I’m looking forward to learning more about The Shetland Islands, unfamiliar to me. A solid beginning to a continuing series.
Ann Cleeves won a Duncan Lawrie Dagger (now known as Crime Writers Association International Dagger) for best crime novel in 2006 for Raven Black.
Shetland, a series produced by the BBC follows the cases of Jimmy Perez. I’m going to look for these.
The Line - ”The devil makes works for idle hands.”
The Sinker - This is definitely not a fast paced mystery but a slow burn that interested me just enough to consider continuing with the series. I particularly liked the measured pacing and revealing of the character of both Perez and The Shetland Island locale. The metaphorical use of blacks and whites in plot structure gave the whole a brooding feel which added to my enjoyment. There is plenty of room for Perez to be fleshed out. I’m looking forward to learning more about The Shetland Islands, unfamiliar to me. A solid beginning to a continuing series.
Ann Cleeves won a Duncan Lawrie Dagger (now known as Crime Writers Association International Dagger) for best crime novel in 2006 for Raven Black.
Shetland, a series produced by the BBC follows the cases of Jimmy Perez. I’m going to look for these.
May 13, 2012
Quite frankly, I'm surprised this was an award winning mystery novel (2006 winner of the Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award). Makes me wonder how abysmal the competition was that this came out on top....
Symplistic/trite writing, lackluster characters (and characterization) and no sense of descriptive place (though set in the Shetland Islands, it could have taken place anywhere, IMO). The mystery was the only thing that kept me reading on - and the reveal was....ok at best.
Not recommended for anyone who enjoys a solid whodunnit. I'd try S.J. Bolton, Val McDermid or even Erin Hart for that. I think this will be my first (and last) Cleeves, although I'm willing to be swayed by my GR friends if they find a better one of hers :D
Symplistic/trite writing, lackluster characters (and characterization) and no sense of descriptive place (though set in the Shetland Islands, it could have taken place anywhere, IMO). The mystery was the only thing that kept me reading on - and the reveal was....ok at best.
Not recommended for anyone who enjoys a solid whodunnit. I'd try S.J. Bolton, Val McDermid or even Erin Hart for that. I think this will be my first (and last) Cleeves, although I'm willing to be swayed by my GR friends if they find a better one of hers :D
February 21, 2017
I really enjoyed the dark brooding atmosphere of this novel set in the Shetland Islands. The novel centres around an old man, Magnus Tait who was implicated in the disappearance of a young girl some years ago. The girl was never found and the police had insufficient evidence to charge Magnus who has since been living a reclusive life, but now another girl has been murdered near his house.
Leading the local police is Jimmy Perez, whose family (despite their name) are long time residents of Shetland. He is not sure all is as straight forward as it seems and he doggedly follows up clues as he tries to find out the secrets being kept from him.
The author Ann Cleeves is also the writer of the Vera series of books made into an excellent TV series and this first in her Shetland series suggests the plots and character will be just as interesting.
Leading the local police is Jimmy Perez, whose family (despite their name) are long time residents of Shetland. He is not sure all is as straight forward as it seems and he doggedly follows up clues as he tries to find out the secrets being kept from him.
The author Ann Cleeves is also the writer of the Vera series of books made into an excellent TV series and this first in her Shetland series suggests the plots and character will be just as interesting.
November 11, 2019
This is the first book I have read by this author and I did find it a powerful read. I have three more to get through as yet and now look forward to doing so. Having watched one or two of the TV series I was intrigued to try one of her books and was not disappointed. The book is set during the winter in The Shetlands within a small community where everyone knows everyone else or so they think. A young girl is murdered which shocks the community. Now they all begin to lock their doors for trust is in short supply. This is the second young girl to be murdered too with some years in between. so speculation is rife as to whether the two are connected.
Inspector Perez is sent to investigate the murder - no easy task. There is a common suspect due to local prejudice but no proof. The theme of ravens circling in the air gives a macabre addition to the general air of gloom and darkness. hovers in the background to add to the atmospheric atmosphere.
Throughout the book Perez moves around the community interviewing those who seem to be involved in some way. The author's characterisation is superb and she succeeds so well by concentrating on all the various residents becoming known to us through their thoughts.
The way she draws out the character of the murdered girl is the central key to the whys and wherefores. The community can look no further than the person they are convinced has killed the girl. The reason for this is made clear throughout the story. The common factor with regard to the born and bred members of the community and the inbetween characters is also explored.The difference between those who were born and bred there and the mistrust of the community for those who are not is also examined and shown with great clarity.
Attention is also given to the various traditions that take place and how important they are to the residents. The author weaves this aspect into her story.
Jimmy Perez - the character of the investigating detective who is not local but comes from a neighbouring island is woven into the story and holds the ensuing events together through his thoughts bringing the whole story to a satisfying finale.
I would this author's books again and again. I feel she is a superb writer and recommend the books 100%
Inspector Perez is sent to investigate the murder - no easy task. There is a common suspect due to local prejudice but no proof. The theme of ravens circling in the air gives a macabre addition to the general air of gloom and darkness. hovers in the background to add to the atmospheric atmosphere.
Throughout the book Perez moves around the community interviewing those who seem to be involved in some way. The author's characterisation is superb and she succeeds so well by concentrating on all the various residents becoming known to us through their thoughts.
The way she draws out the character of the murdered girl is the central key to the whys and wherefores. The community can look no further than the person they are convinced has killed the girl. The reason for this is made clear throughout the story. The common factor with regard to the born and bred members of the community and the inbetween characters is also explored.The difference between those who were born and bred there and the mistrust of the community for those who are not is also examined and shown with great clarity.
Attention is also given to the various traditions that take place and how important they are to the residents. The author weaves this aspect into her story.
Jimmy Perez - the character of the investigating detective who is not local but comes from a neighbouring island is woven into the story and holds the ensuing events together through his thoughts bringing the whole story to a satisfying finale.
I would this author's books again and again. I feel she is a superb writer and recommend the books 100%
March 28, 2022
Raven Black is book one of Ann Cleeves's series Shetland Island Mysteries. Shetland is a group of islands north of Scotland. It is a small place easily cut off from the rest of the world when the weather is bad.
Raven Black begins on New Year’s Eve with a lonely outcast named Magnus Tait who stays home waiting for visitors who never come. But that night two young, somewhat intoxicated young girls knock on his door and come in to visit Magnus.
The next morning the body of Catherine Ross, one of the visitors, is found lying in the snow, strangled to death with her own scarf. The obvious suspect is old Magnus, who everyone knows as a simpleton who lives alone in the cottage of his late mother and was the prime suspect a number of years earlier when another young woman disappeared. His only companion is a large black raven who lives in a cage in his house.
Enter Detective Jimmy Perez: A native of Shetland Island, he is the first investigator on the scene.
He begins by questioning the locals and tries to unravel the secrets to discover who killed Catherine.
(My sentiments exactly.)
Magnus is eventually arrested and jailed for the crime. But, the story does not end there, and I never saw the end coming.
The characters are well-developed and the atmosphere is richly described, which makes for a dark, brutal, suspenseful page turner that will keep you guessing right up to the very end. Highly recommended for fans of Nordic mysteries.
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
Raven Black begins on New Year’s Eve with a lonely outcast named Magnus Tait who stays home waiting for visitors who never come. But that night two young, somewhat intoxicated young girls knock on his door and come in to visit Magnus.
The next morning the body of Catherine Ross, one of the visitors, is found lying in the snow, strangled to death with her own scarf. The obvious suspect is old Magnus, who everyone knows as a simpleton who lives alone in the cottage of his late mother and was the prime suspect a number of years earlier when another young woman disappeared. His only companion is a large black raven who lives in a cage in his house.
Enter Detective Jimmy Perez: A native of Shetland Island, he is the first investigator on the scene.
He begins by questioning the locals and tries to unravel the secrets to discover who killed Catherine.
The New York Times review states: "...Cleeves drapes moody descriptions of the harsh climate conditions on bare wastes of heather moorland, stark observations of the revolting instincts of birds of prey, and suggestive profiles of characters who have lived too long in these lonely parts. Never mind the murders; her study of a forgotten soul waiting for someone to come to his door and wish him a Happy New Year is enough to freeze the blood."
(My sentiments exactly.)
Magnus is eventually arrested and jailed for the crime. But, the story does not end there, and I never saw the end coming.
The characters are well-developed and the atmosphere is richly described, which makes for a dark, brutal, suspenseful page turner that will keep you guessing right up to the very end. Highly recommended for fans of Nordic mysteries.
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
September 6, 2014
4.5 stars
Thanks Mike & Minty for the recommendations for this one - very enjoyable!
I loved the characters and the setting and the mystery was really well played out - looking forward to reading the rest in the series.
It is slow paced but in a luxurious, indulgent way that I imagine mirrors the pace of Ravenswick where it is set.
I can't say that it has a spectacular twist or that it deviates from traditional murder mystery BUT there is something about the writing that I really connected with and something that made the ordinary seem so extraordinary - it's really difficult to explain - all I can say is that it felt so real and the imagery and myth element only added to the general spookiness and sense of isolation that exists within a tight-knit community - the contradictions are everywhere!
Thanks Mike & Minty for the recommendations for this one - very enjoyable!
I loved the characters and the setting and the mystery was really well played out - looking forward to reading the rest in the series.
It is slow paced but in a luxurious, indulgent way that I imagine mirrors the pace of Ravenswick where it is set.
I can't say that it has a spectacular twist or that it deviates from traditional murder mystery BUT there is something about the writing that I really connected with and something that made the ordinary seem so extraordinary - it's really difficult to explain - all I can say is that it felt so real and the imagery and myth element only added to the general spookiness and sense of isolation that exists within a tight-knit community - the contradictions are everywhere!
March 10, 2016
This is the first in Anne Cleeves Shetland series. Although I love crime novels, I had not read any of this author’s books before, but I am pleased that I finally did get around to it, as this was an excellent book, with interesting characters and a good setting.
When sixteen year old Catherine Ross is found murdered by Fran Hunter, the crime brings back old memories to the residents of the island. For eight years ago, another little girl went missing and her body was never found. At the time, Magnus Tait, an old man who lives alone, was rumoured to be guilty of the crime. Now, he is also linked to Catherine Ross and the whispers start again.
Inspector Perez is a local man, despite his Spanish name, and he is not convinced of Tait’s guilt. What follows is an interesting cast of suspects – there is Fran Hunter’s ex-husband, Catherine’s widowed father, the wealthy Robert Ibister and others. As the story unfolded, I was happy to go along and not even try to guess the murderer, which did catch me completely by surprise. If you like well written crime books, with a good setting, then this is a good series to try.
When sixteen year old Catherine Ross is found murdered by Fran Hunter, the crime brings back old memories to the residents of the island. For eight years ago, another little girl went missing and her body was never found. At the time, Magnus Tait, an old man who lives alone, was rumoured to be guilty of the crime. Now, he is also linked to Catherine Ross and the whispers start again.
Inspector Perez is a local man, despite his Spanish name, and he is not convinced of Tait’s guilt. What follows is an interesting cast of suspects – there is Fran Hunter’s ex-husband, Catherine’s widowed father, the wealthy Robert Ibister and others. As the story unfolded, I was happy to go along and not even try to guess the murderer, which did catch me completely by surprise. If you like well written crime books, with a good setting, then this is a good series to try.
April 19, 2018
Magnus Tait, a lonely old man now that his elderly mother had died, sat by the window and waited for visitors who never came. But New Year’s Eve brought two tipsy young women to his door – Catherine Ross and her friend Sally Henry. They’d been out celebrating and were heading home. But the dare to knock on Magnus’ door was what put them inside his house…
When Fran Hunter discovered the body of a young woman in the snow on her way home from taking her daughter Cassie to school, she was in shock. The immediate thought of the townsfolk was that Magnus must have killed her as he was a suspect in the disappearance of a girl who’d gone missing eight years prior. Although he hadn’t been arrested, the locals were a suspicious lot.
Inspector Jimmy Perez was on the case immediately – his investigation led him to suspect that things were not as they seemed. The secrets he unearthed took him back to the hidden past of the Shetland Islands. Would Jimmy find a satisfactory solution for this convoluted case?
Raven Black by Ann Cleeves is the first in the Shetland Island series and I quite enjoyed the mystery which was surrounded by the sense of a cold, bleak but atmospheric setting in the Shetland Islands. Plenty of twists kept the plot moving along nicely. I’ve enjoyed author Peter May’s books set in the same area – always with the same bleak setting. Recommended.
When Fran Hunter discovered the body of a young woman in the snow on her way home from taking her daughter Cassie to school, she was in shock. The immediate thought of the townsfolk was that Magnus must have killed her as he was a suspect in the disappearance of a girl who’d gone missing eight years prior. Although he hadn’t been arrested, the locals were a suspicious lot.
Inspector Jimmy Perez was on the case immediately – his investigation led him to suspect that things were not as they seemed. The secrets he unearthed took him back to the hidden past of the Shetland Islands. Would Jimmy find a satisfactory solution for this convoluted case?
Raven Black by Ann Cleeves is the first in the Shetland Island series and I quite enjoyed the mystery which was surrounded by the sense of a cold, bleak but atmospheric setting in the Shetland Islands. Plenty of twists kept the plot moving along nicely. I’ve enjoyed author Peter May’s books set in the same area – always with the same bleak setting. Recommended.
January 2, 2015
No one knew he had this beautiful creature to visit him.
She was his treasure, the raven in his cage.
----Ann Cleeves, Raven Black
Ann Cleeves, the award-winning British crime author, penned her first book in the Shetland series called, Raven Black , which later went on to win the The Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger in the year 2006. Raven Black cannot be compared to atypical crime novel, instead, this book promises us with a mystery that will only pull us more into its darker side, and also it promises us with one of the finest detectives in the British Literature- DI Jimmy Perez.
Synopsis:
It is a cold January morning and Shetland lies buried beneath a deep layer of snow. Trudging home, Fran Hunter's eye is drawn to a vivid splash of colour on the white ground, ravens circling above. It is the strangled body of her teenage neighbour Catherine Ross. As Fran opens her mouth to scream, the ravens continue their deadly dance . . .
The locals on the quiet island stubbornly focus their gaze on one man - loner and simpleton Magnus Tait. But when police insist on opening out the investigation a veil of suspicion and fear is thrown over the entire community. For the first time in years, Catherine's neighbours nervously lock their doors, whilst a killer lives on in their midst.
Ann Cleeves’ Shetland series has been turned into a major TV series of BBC One network called Shetland. And I’ve watched them all and loved them all, especially DI Jimmy Perez.
Honestly speaking, Raven Black is a far better book than Cleeves latest book, Dead Water. Raven Black is not only a crime novel, but it also explores the aspects of teenage friendships, past regrets and madness.
Raven Black has not many twists or turns and it is even easy to predict the killer’s true identity. Then why it is a better book? Well Cleeves writing is extraordinarily exquisite and articulate. While reading the book, you feel like the whole story is simply unfolding right in front of your eyes and that you’re standing on one of the cliffs of Shetland and watching the whole drama with your own eyes. The narration is crystal clear and free-flowing like a river- I will say easy to comprehend. The whole investigation taking place in Shetland is described intricately and vividly.
What can I say about Cleeves protagonist- DI Jimmy Perez? I’m more drawn to his loneliness. Cleeves portrayed Perez as a widower with a step-daughter, Cassie and as a brave, strong man whose determination will keep you hooked on to the story. In BBC One’s Shetland series, Douglas Henshall plays the role of DI Jimmy Perez and he completely justifies his demeanour from flaunting the local Shetland accent to always maintaining that serious look on his face.
Cleeves created rest of the supporting characters skilfully by portraying their past to let us know them on a personal basis, hence leaving room for us to judge them on our opinions. Another striking character which made me love this book wad Magnus Tait- a daft man, more like stupid man who had no idea what to say at the right moments- a loner. Shetlanders boycotted him and that made his activities more suspicious. Magnus is the suspected killer but while I was reading about him, it made me more drawn to his sorry state, rather than hating him.
I’d like to hats off to the author for painting the backdrop of Raven Black so distinctly. Shetland is a small Scottish Island where the weather remains cold, dark, windy, chilly and rainy 365 days in a year. And Cleeves captured them all with such sharpness that you can almost feel the wind on your skin and the salty taste of the breeze on your tongue. The lush green and the ocean blue landscapes will invite you into the heart of Shetland. In one word, Raven Black is an intriguing story that will keep you guessing till the very end and will compel your wits to unravel this puzzling mystery.
Verdict: A must read novel that will keep you engaged from its very first page, and if you want to explore a very English island, then you must definitely read this book.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Ann Cleeves, for providing me with a copy of her book, in return for an honest review.
She was his treasure, the raven in his cage.
----Ann Cleeves, Raven Black
Ann Cleeves, the award-winning British crime author, penned her first book in the Shetland series called, Raven Black , which later went on to win the The Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger in the year 2006. Raven Black cannot be compared to atypical crime novel, instead, this book promises us with a mystery that will only pull us more into its darker side, and also it promises us with one of the finest detectives in the British Literature- DI Jimmy Perez.
Synopsis:
It is a cold January morning and Shetland lies buried beneath a deep layer of snow. Trudging home, Fran Hunter's eye is drawn to a vivid splash of colour on the white ground, ravens circling above. It is the strangled body of her teenage neighbour Catherine Ross. As Fran opens her mouth to scream, the ravens continue their deadly dance . . .
The locals on the quiet island stubbornly focus their gaze on one man - loner and simpleton Magnus Tait. But when police insist on opening out the investigation a veil of suspicion and fear is thrown over the entire community. For the first time in years, Catherine's neighbours nervously lock their doors, whilst a killer lives on in their midst.
Ann Cleeves’ Shetland series has been turned into a major TV series of BBC One network called Shetland. And I’ve watched them all and loved them all, especially DI Jimmy Perez.
Honestly speaking, Raven Black is a far better book than Cleeves latest book, Dead Water. Raven Black is not only a crime novel, but it also explores the aspects of teenage friendships, past regrets and madness.
Raven Black has not many twists or turns and it is even easy to predict the killer’s true identity. Then why it is a better book? Well Cleeves writing is extraordinarily exquisite and articulate. While reading the book, you feel like the whole story is simply unfolding right in front of your eyes and that you’re standing on one of the cliffs of Shetland and watching the whole drama with your own eyes. The narration is crystal clear and free-flowing like a river- I will say easy to comprehend. The whole investigation taking place in Shetland is described intricately and vividly.
What can I say about Cleeves protagonist- DI Jimmy Perez? I’m more drawn to his loneliness. Cleeves portrayed Perez as a widower with a step-daughter, Cassie and as a brave, strong man whose determination will keep you hooked on to the story. In BBC One’s Shetland series, Douglas Henshall plays the role of DI Jimmy Perez and he completely justifies his demeanour from flaunting the local Shetland accent to always maintaining that serious look on his face.
Cleeves created rest of the supporting characters skilfully by portraying their past to let us know them on a personal basis, hence leaving room for us to judge them on our opinions. Another striking character which made me love this book wad Magnus Tait- a daft man, more like stupid man who had no idea what to say at the right moments- a loner. Shetlanders boycotted him and that made his activities more suspicious. Magnus is the suspected killer but while I was reading about him, it made me more drawn to his sorry state, rather than hating him.
I’d like to hats off to the author for painting the backdrop of Raven Black so distinctly. Shetland is a small Scottish Island where the weather remains cold, dark, windy, chilly and rainy 365 days in a year. And Cleeves captured them all with such sharpness that you can almost feel the wind on your skin and the salty taste of the breeze on your tongue. The lush green and the ocean blue landscapes will invite you into the heart of Shetland. In one word, Raven Black is an intriguing story that will keep you guessing till the very end and will compel your wits to unravel this puzzling mystery.
Verdict: A must read novel that will keep you engaged from its very first page, and if you want to explore a very English island, then you must definitely read this book.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Ann Cleeves, for providing me with a copy of her book, in return for an honest review.
August 1, 2016
I did not enjoy this as much as I hoped. Quite good written police procedural which held far too many slow chapters around the middle. I did like Perez, he goes into the 'very human' category of policeman characters. It was an OK read, but unfortunately I did not care for the ending either and therefore it slipped another notch. Not too plausible and with the narrative voices throughout the story, it kind of didn't add up.
June 11, 2019
This is the first of the Shetland Island series of mystery books introducing D.I. Jimmy Perez into what appears to be 2 connected killings of girls spaced years apart. The character development and psychological tension kept me riveted. The Shetland Islands are an archipelago north of Scotland which makes them somewhat remote as the weather sometimes prevents travel to and from the islands. This isolation, along with the introduction of several characters who will obviously be in the subsequent series, added to the well executed mystery.
September 29, 2022
One person's death affected them all, made them see the world differently. And perhaps that wasn't a bad thing. Why should they be protected? What made them special? (PG. 159)
Ann Cleeves... Ann Cleeves... *Sigh*.....
I think I found a new favorite author I can't shut up about. The atmosphere, the plot, the people! I felt I was involved in this mystery. Jimmy Perez is someone I want to know in the series. I will continue the Shetland series. There is no way to stop now. I am hooked. I don't know what else to say except Mesmerized... That's what I felt like reading this. It's a beautifully told psychological mystery.
It centers on a small-can't-fart-without-people-talking-about-it type town. Two missing girls with names that start with the letter C and when the third C disappears things really get anxious. Is this a serial killer or a coincidence?
Ann Cleeves reminds me not to be the town weirdo or the girl that lights up the room when she walks in.....
Ann Cleeves... Ann Cleeves... *Sigh*.....
I think I found a new favorite author I can't shut up about. The atmosphere, the plot, the people! I felt I was involved in this mystery. Jimmy Perez is someone I want to know in the series. I will continue the Shetland series. There is no way to stop now. I am hooked. I don't know what else to say except Mesmerized... That's what I felt like reading this. It's a beautifully told psychological mystery.
It centers on a small-can't-fart-without-people-talking-about-it type town. Two missing girls with names that start with the letter C and when the third C disappears things really get anxious. Is this a serial killer or a coincidence?
Ann Cleeves reminds me not to be the town weirdo or the girl that lights up the room when she walks in.....
April 25, 2017
On the front of my book, the words "a thriller" appear underneath the title. On the back of my book, Marilyn Stasio from the NYT says it's "chilling...enough to freeze the blood." Publishers Weekly says it's "taut, atmospheric.." I've just finished it, and it's a) not thrilling, b) not chilling, and c) definitely not taut. In fact it seemed rather bland as far as mysteries go. The ending is sort of ridiculous, actually.
I had thought that if I enjoyed this book I would possibly read the rest of the series, but that's not going to happen. I know tons of people liked it, but it's not for me.
I had thought that if I enjoyed this book I would possibly read the rest of the series, but that's not going to happen. I know tons of people liked it, but it's not for me.
July 23, 2024
How did I forget to write a review for one of my new favorite mystery writers?
Cleeves has a real knack for character creation and development— her new lead detective is a realistic blend of intellect, anxiety and nice guy instincts.
Totally recommend this for fans of Cleeves but also crime procedurals set in the British Isles!!
(Reviewed 6/21/21)
Cleeves has a real knack for character creation and development— her new lead detective is a realistic blend of intellect, anxiety and nice guy instincts.
Totally recommend this for fans of Cleeves but also crime procedurals set in the British Isles!!
(Reviewed 6/21/21)
April 7, 2018
A very immersive tale. Like all the other Hebridean based stories I have read of late this is another dark and, at times, oppressive story.
A small, almost, isolated community living on the edge of the world. Suspicious of the foreign imports coming to live on their Island. The trials and tribulations of the foreigners, people from mainland Scotland and England, trying to gain acceptance from the local community. It's a struggle for everybody to get along.
I just loves the way Ann Cleeves takes hold of the string that tie families and communities together and starts to tug at the string and keeps tugging until everything starts to unravel. All the secrets, that everyone knows but nobody talks about, start to come to the surface. This makes Shetland a very unpleasant place to be.
To make matters worse there has been two murders. The murders take place eight years apart. Both victims are female. The first victim is a young girl and the second victim is a teenager on the cusp of adulthood. On the surface there is nothing to connect these murders but there are a couple of things that perplex the police. At the time of their deaths both the girls were living in the same house, albeit, at different times. Also both of their names start with the letter C.
Does this mean anything?
The ending was a big plus for me. I'll say no more.
As I said at the start, it didn't take long for me to become fully immersed in Raven Black.
If you like to read books that exercise your brain then you'll enjoy this.
Highly recommened
A small, almost, isolated community living on the edge of the world. Suspicious of the foreign imports coming to live on their Island. The trials and tribulations of the foreigners, people from mainland Scotland and England, trying to gain acceptance from the local community. It's a struggle for everybody to get along.
I just loves the way Ann Cleeves takes hold of the string that tie families and communities together and starts to tug at the string and keeps tugging until everything starts to unravel. All the secrets, that everyone knows but nobody talks about, start to come to the surface. This makes Shetland a very unpleasant place to be.
To make matters worse there has been two murders. The murders take place eight years apart. Both victims are female. The first victim is a young girl and the second victim is a teenager on the cusp of adulthood. On the surface there is nothing to connect these murders but there are a couple of things that perplex the police. At the time of their deaths both the girls were living in the same house, albeit, at different times. Also both of their names start with the letter C.
Does this mean anything?
The ending was a big plus for me. I'll say no more.
As I said at the start, it didn't take long for me to become fully immersed in Raven Black.
If you like to read books that exercise your brain then you'll enjoy this.
Highly recommened
March 7, 2018
I love crime/mystery fiction that is set in the UK, particularly in Scotland, and even better on a remote Scottish island! Which puts Raven Black right up my alley. My three star rating reflects exactly how I felt – I genuinely liked it.
The mystery is sound, there are plenty of suspects, and Cleeves is good at dropping clues without being obvious. I do feel the writing lacks some of the depth of other great crime writers such as Denise Mina or Louise Penny, but then again, sometimes there’s a breaking in period with a new author before I start fully appreciating their style.
I’ll absolutely continue with this series. In fact, I picked up the second book from my library today, and since it’s snowing and my hubby is out of town, I do believe I’ll be gobbling up this crime fiction candy!
The mystery is sound, there are plenty of suspects, and Cleeves is good at dropping clues without being obvious. I do feel the writing lacks some of the depth of other great crime writers such as Denise Mina or Louise Penny, but then again, sometimes there’s a breaking in period with a new author before I start fully appreciating their style.
I’ll absolutely continue with this series. In fact, I picked up the second book from my library today, and since it’s snowing and my hubby is out of town, I do believe I’ll be gobbling up this crime fiction candy!
November 4, 2024
Too Many Murders!
Fran Hunter is new to Lerwick. One of the towns on the Shetland Islands. She has a little girl named Cassie. And Cassie’s father Duncan lives there already.
And so does Catherine. Catherine sometimes babysit for Fran and watches Cassie for her.
One day Fran drops Cassie off to school and on her way back home she sees a body dumped down the hill. She goes to signify and the body belongs to Catherine.
So now there is a murder to investigate. Fran is in shock because she knows Catherine and her father. Who is the murderer? He is clearly someone on the island and he is closer than we think.
Five stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fran Hunter is new to Lerwick. One of the towns on the Shetland Islands. She has a little girl named Cassie. And Cassie’s father Duncan lives there already.
And so does Catherine. Catherine sometimes babysit for Fran and watches Cassie for her.
One day Fran drops Cassie off to school and on her way back home she sees a body dumped down the hill. She goes to signify and the body belongs to Catherine.
So now there is a murder to investigate. Fran is in shock because she knows Catherine and her father. Who is the murderer? He is clearly someone on the island and he is closer than we think.
Five stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 28, 2017
Ann Cleeves is a new author to me, but one I will seek out again in the near future. This book, RAVEN BLACK, marks the first in what is set to be a promising series, set on Scotland's Shetland islands.
The story centers around the death of a girl, and is investigated by Jimmy Perez, a curious fellow I was instantly intrigued by. What made this book rather special, what made it stand out from all the other English mysteries, are the characters. Jimmy and Fran, the main characters, feel very real, for lack of a better way to describe them. Their actions and language is accessible, but Cleeves style of writing is eloquent and thoughtful. Though the plot is certainly gripping, (isn't it always especially so, when children are the victims?), the characters and the setting really make this book well wroth reading. The descriptions of the Shetland islands, a place I have never given much thought to before, is excellent, and makes the place a character in itself. The atmosphere is eerie, but not overly so, brought back to earth with relatable characters. I am looking forward to seeing how this series progresses though, because even after only one book, I am already invested in the lives of Fran and Jimmy.
My one grip with this otherwise very good book, is the ending. I will not give anything away, so those fearing spoilers need not avert your eyes, however, i found the ending rather weak and rushed, which is why I give this four instead of five stars.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
The story centers around the death of a girl, and is investigated by Jimmy Perez, a curious fellow I was instantly intrigued by. What made this book rather special, what made it stand out from all the other English mysteries, are the characters. Jimmy and Fran, the main characters, feel very real, for lack of a better way to describe them. Their actions and language is accessible, but Cleeves style of writing is eloquent and thoughtful. Though the plot is certainly gripping, (isn't it always especially so, when children are the victims?), the characters and the setting really make this book well wroth reading. The descriptions of the Shetland islands, a place I have never given much thought to before, is excellent, and makes the place a character in itself. The atmosphere is eerie, but not overly so, brought back to earth with relatable characters. I am looking forward to seeing how this series progresses though, because even after only one book, I am already invested in the lives of Fran and Jimmy.
My one grip with this otherwise very good book, is the ending. I will not give anything away, so those fearing spoilers need not avert your eyes, however, i found the ending rather weak and rushed, which is why I give this four instead of five stars.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
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