The Shetland Island is a Crime Fiction / Police Procedural series by Ann Cleeves, made up of 10 books published between 2006 and 2025. It begins with Raven Black (2006), and is best read in publication order. The most recent entry is The Killing Stones (2025), spanning 19 years of storytelling.
| # | Title | Year | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | |||
| 1 | Raven Black 🏆 Gold Dagger 2006Full award history → | 2006 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 2 | White Nights | 2008 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 3 | Red Bones | 2009 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 2010s | |||
| 4 | Blue Lightning | 2010 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 5 | Dead Water | 2013 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 6 | Thin Air | 2014 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 7 | Too Good To Be True | 2016 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 8 | Cold Earth | 2016 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 9 | Wild Fire | 2018 | Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
| 2020s | |||
| 10 | The Killing StonesLatest ★ NYT 1w · peaked #11 | 2025 | Search on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia |
Shetland Island series: frequently asked questions
What order should I read the Shetland Island series?
Start with Raven Black (2006), the first book in the Shetland Island series by Ann Cleeves. Follow the books in publication order for the best reading experience.
How many books are in the Shetland Island series?
There are 10 books in the Shetland Island series by Ann Cleeves, published between 2006 and 2025.
What is the first book in the Shetland Island series?
The first book in the Shetland Island series is Raven Black, published in 2006 by Ann Cleeves.
What is the latest book in the Shetland Island series?
The most recent book in the Shetland Island series is The Killing Stones (2025) by Ann Cleeves.
About the Shetland Island series
Ann Cleeves's Shetland novels — adapted into the acclaimed BBC series — are quietly powerful mysteries set on the remote, windswept islands at the edge of Scotland. Detective Jimmy Perez investigates crimes that ripple through small island communities where everyone knows everyone, and the past is never truly buried.
Cleeves uses the stark beauty and isolation of Shetland to extraordinary effect, building slow-burning, emotionally resonant mysteries about belonging, grief and secrets. The sense of place is unmatched.
The series was conceived around the seasons, so reading in order from "Raven Black" follows Perez's arc and the islands' rhythms most rewardingly.