ARC Review: The Killing Stones by Anne Cleaves

The Killing Stones
Author: Anne Cleaves
Series: Jimmy Perez and Willow Reaves (Book 1)
Publication: Minotaur Books (September 30, 2025)

Description: The Killing Stones marks the eagerly awaited return of Ann Cleeves' beloved detectives from the Shetland series, and a gripping new investigation with a stunning new setting, from the New York Times bestselling author and creator of three iconic detectives beloved in TV and print: DI Jimmy Perez (the Shetland series), DI Vera Stanhope, and DI Matthew Venn (The Long Call).

It's been several years since Detective Jimmy Perez left Shetland. He has settled into his new home in Orkney, the group of islands, off the northern coast of Scotland, with his partner Willow Reeve and their growing family. One stormy winter night, his oldest and closest friend, Archie Stout, goes missing. Ever the detective, Perez catches a boat to the island of Westray, where Archie worked as a farmer and lived with his wife and children.

But when he arrives he finds a shocking scene: Archie's body, on an archaeological dig site and an ancient Westray story stone with precise spirals carved into it beside him, the clear murder weapon. The artifact, taken from a nearby museum, seems to suggest a premediated murder.

But Perez is so close to the case that he struggles to maintain an objective distance from the potential suspects. He finds it difficult to question Archie's wife, whom he's known for years. Rumors swirl about the dead man's relationship with a young woman new to the island, an artist. With each new lead, the case becomes more twisted and Perez wonders if he will ever find out what happened in his friend's final days.

My Thoughts: Jimmy Perez gets called to Westray one stormy winter night where he finds the body of one of his good friends. Archie Stout's body is discovered at a closed archaeological site bludgeoned to death with a story stone carved with spirals and Viking runes. The stone and its partner were taken from the local museum.

As Jimmy investigates his friend's murder, his partner Willow is on maternity leave waiting for the birth of their second child. She can't help getting involved in the investigation because of bad weather and the nearness to Christmas which is keeping the Glasgow police from arriving. 

Then, there is a second death. A school teacher named George Riley is also found murdered and stuffed into a niche at another historical site. His murder weapon was the second story stone. 

Jimmy is working on the theory that the deaths have to do with archaeological sites and some potential plagiarism of historical research. Archie's father's research has been used by an English archaeologist named Tony Johnson who has become famous because of his publication of Archie's father's research which he has claimed as his own. George was in the process of writing a children's history book which exposed the archaeologist's plagiarism. 

Unfortunately, that theory comes to grief with Tony Johnson's body is discovered at still another historical site. 

I really enjoyed this twisty mystery. The conclusion of which was totally unexpected. I loved the descriptions of Orkney and the various islands and historical sites. I liked the relationship between Jimmy and Willow and look forward to more of their adventures. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.