Reading the Detectives discussion

Welcome to our August/Sept 25 buddy read of White Nights The second book in the Shetland series was first published in 2008.

Its mid-summer in Shetland, the time of the white nights, when birds sing at midnight and the sun never sets. Artist Bella Sinclair throws a party to launch an exhibition of her work and to introduce the paintings of Fran Hunter. The Herring House, the gallery where the exhibition is held, is located on the beach at Biddista, in the remote northwest of the island.

When a mysterious Englishman bursts into tears and claims not to know who he is or where he's come from, the evening ends in farce. The following day the Englishman is found hanging from a rafter in a boathouse on the jetty, a clown's mask on his face.

Detective Jimmy Perez is convinced that this is a local murder. He is reinforced in this belief when Roddy, Bella's musician nephew, is murdered, too. But the detective's relationship with Fran Hunter clouds his judgement. And this is a crazy time of the year when night blurs into day and nothing is quite as it seems.

Please feel free to post spoilers in this thread.

Did anyone guess the killer in this book? I definitely didn't, although I did think quite early on that Laurence must be dead.

I am on the second death at the moment. The writer seems a bit suss, but too obvious.

Susan wrote: "I am on the second death at the moment. The writer seems a bit suss, but too obvious."

I never check the spoiler until I am done! You're taking a chance.

Judy wrote: "Did anyone guess the killer in this book? I definitely didn't, although I did think quite early on that Laurence must be dead."

I certainly didn't either; no suspicion whatever. Nor did I suspect anyone else. I would have liked it to be the writer, but, like Susan, thought he was too obvious. And, like you, I suspected Laurence was dead.

I will miss the off-site detective if he truly disappears from the series. He was an excellent foil for Jimmy and they developed a good working relationship. (Sorry for the spoiler Susan.)

I didn't guess, but this is typical. I get "into" the book and let the author mislead me, apparently. Actually, I only sometimes try to guess, I often just let the story unfold and wait to see who it is. I don't think most mystery readers do this!

Jackie wrote: "I didn't guess, but this is typical. I get "into" the book and let the author mislead me, apparently. Actually, I only sometimes try to guess, I often just let the story unfold and wait to see who ..."

I am another who seldom even tries to guess. I'm willing to enjoy the story and characters and let the author unfold the mystery.

I did guess the murderer😎
Found this book better than the first in the series. I shall also miss the other detective.

I was trying to make a point on the other thread (I haven't finished yet) but I think I'm being too careful so it isn't making sense.

At the beginning of the book a man is handing out leaflets to people leaving a cruise ship to say an art exhibition is cancelled.

When Perez visits the ship he is told that there were no plans for those on the cruise ship to visit the exhibition.

I am confused about this - is it relevant at all? What link does it have to the plot, if any?

Susan, I think it does have some relevance but this becomes clearer when you finish the book, so I won't say more now.

Oh just realised this is the spoiler thread, sorry! I think the relevance is that he wants to threaten people and show his power over them - I get the impression he's mainly interested in Bella and her friends hearing about the leaflet and being upset by it.

OK. I am up to the part where Bella has provided the long-ago photo of her and the creepy writer and the drama guy.

I am pleased to see there is some relevance as it has really been annoying me!

I should finish this today. I think I have worked out the murderer now, will let you know if I am right. If it is who I think it is, I don't think I will be happy about it.

I have finished this now. I thought the killer was Aggie, so I was wrong. I don't think enough pointed at the killer to be honest and there was no hint that I noticed about Edith and Lawrence? Anyway, good read. I enjoyed the setting and the characters.

I wondered if it was Kenny - I would have been really annoyed if it had been though! I thought all the stuff about his relationship with Edith must somehow be relevant, but didn't work out how.

The only hint of Edith and Laurence I remember was that Laurance always wanted, and got, what Kenny had. Glad it wasn't Kenny and glad his daughter, and child, will be joining him. The Shetlands need more children.

In both books there are minor characters I would like to see again. I the first book it was suspect who 'lost' his bird. This time it is Willy in the care home.

I was wondering why Aggie didn't branch out a bit with her reading. This endless stream of books with women in bonnets! Where did they come from? I guess Amazon delivered by then, as I doubt the local library could keep her in reading material.