Jimmy Perez is the central character in Ann Cleeves’ Shetland series of crime novels. The Detective Inspector is a resident of the Shetland Islands, the remote archipelago on the north coast of Scotland. Cleeves describes the islands that she frequently has visited as “wild and bleak,” and the location creates an unusual and imaginative setting for the mysteries.

Perez’s Spanish name lends him an outsider quality despite his family having lived on the islands for centuries. Divorced and single, Perez’s ex-wife describes him as ”’emotionally incontinent,” but he is so devoted to his work that he has little kindness left for his family. Assisting him on the cases is Detective Sergeant Sandy Wilson, a police officer still learning the job but who knows the islands well.

We recommend reading the Shetland series in order. There are eight books in total in the series, typically divided into two quartets, the first four followed by the second four, with Wild Fire being the final book. Also of note, Too Good to be True (Book 6.5) was written in 2016, and this novella is meant to be read before Cold Earth (Book 7).

The Two Rivers series by Ann Cleeves features Detective Matthew Venn and his team as they uncover mysterious crimes in their close-knit North Devon community. Cleeves introduces Venn as having grown up in North Devon but becoming estranged from his deeply religious family. He returns to the fictional town of Barnstaple with a new job and his husband, Jonathan, seeking a new beginning. Venn is portrayed as a sensitive character who struggles to belong. Cleeves describes Venn as ‘by nature an outsider’ but seeking the same sense of justice and order he had growing up. Venn investigates a variety of crimes while navigating the politics and intricacies of small-town life, as well as confronting his past.

Cleeves, who grew up in North Devon, loves its complex locations, describing the region as having a mix of coziness and ruggedness that is reflected in the books. She writes the series as more of an ensemble piece, allowing readers to follow a number of characters as they develop from book to book. With her trademark attention to detail and multi-layered characters and complex mystery stories, Cleeves explores themes of identity, belonging, and community.

We recommend reading the Two Rivers series from the start to follow Venn’s personal growth and his relationships as they develop from book to book. The series currently includes one short story, The Girls on the Shore (Book 2.5), which serves as a brief interlude between Book 2 and Book 3.

The Vera Stanhope series is set in Northumberland, an area Anne Cleeves describes as bleak and wild, and “the most beautiful county in England.” Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope is often described as blunt, unconventional, and with a penchant for wearing frumpy raincoats. Her gruff and unkempt demeanour hides a compassionate, strong-willed, authoritative detective. Cleeves says that Vera “would hate to be patronised,” so she sometimes comes across as harsh and unforgiving to her team, which consists of Sergeant Joe Ashworth, Vera’s conscience and her surrogate son, and DC Holly Jackman, a young, ambitious police officer seeking Vera’s approval. The character-driven stories have a police procedural flavour, but Cleeves writes her characters with considerably more psychological depth and complexity than many conventional mysteries.

It should be noted that Vera only appears halfway through The Crow Trap (Book 1). Cleeves says that the character “blew in quite unexpectedly” when she got stuck with the story, and she has been writing the character ever since. For that reason, some readers find The Crow Trap, although a solid introduction to Vera, is less a Vera mystery and more of a standalone novel. Therefore, we recommend starting the series with either The Crow Trap or Telling Tales (Book 2). There are also a few short stories in the Vera series that can be read at any point. However, for those who wish to read these stories chronologically, Frozen is considered Book 8.5 and The Woman On The Island is Book 9.5, showcasing the setting for The Rising Tide (Book 10).

As the Vera books progress, readers gain insight into Vera’s personal history, her relationships, and the inner demons that drive her relentless quest for truth. Reading the books in order will give you a deeper understanding and enjoyment of Vera and her team.