Can the Shetland books be read out of order?

It is strongly recommended to read the Shetland series in publication order starting with Raven Black. While the individual murder mysteries are resolved within each book, the overarching personal lives, relationships, and major life changes of DI Jimmy Perez and his family develop significantly from book to book.

Where should I start with the Vera Stanhope series?

The official starting point is The Crow Trap. However, because Vera does not appear until a third of the way into the book, some readers prefer to start with the second book, Telling Tales, or the third, Hidden Depths, which follow a more traditional detective format.

Are the TV series identical to the books?

No, the TV adaptations of Vera, Shetland, and The Long Call take significant creative liberties. Characters are altered, omitted, or added (such as Tosh in Shetland), and later TV seasons feature completely original scripts not written by Ann Cleeves.

Has Ann Cleeves finished writing the Shetland series?

Yes, Ann Cleeves has officially concluded the Shetland series. The eighth novel, Wild Fire (2018), is the final book featuring DI Jimmy Perez. She has stated she wanted to end the series on a high note before the characters grew stale.

Is the Two Rivers series ongoing?

Yes, the Two Rivers series featuring DI Matthew Venn is ongoing. The third full-length novel, The Raging Storm, was published in 2023, and a fourth novel, The Dying Light, is scheduled for publication in late 2026.

Ann Cleeves Books in Order

Where Should You Start Reading Ann Cleeves?

With dozens of novels spanning multiple decades, diving into Ann Cleeves' bibliography can feel daunting. Fortunately, her work is divided into distinct, standalone series. You do not need to read her entire catalog in order, but you should absolutely read the individual series in order to appreciate the character growth and ongoing story arcs.

If you are new to her work, here are the three best starting points:

For stark, isolated atmospheric mystery: Start with Raven Black, the first book in the Shetland series featuring DI Jimmy Perez.
For a gruff, unconventional detective in rugged northern England: Start with The Crow Trap, the introduction to DCI Vera Stanhope.
For a modern, introspective procedural set in coastal Devon: Start with The Long Call, the debut of DI Matthew Venn. (A fourth novel, The Dying Light, is scheduled for late 2026.)

The Shetland Island Series (Jimmy Perez)

Set in the remote and windswept Shetland Islands, this series follows Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez as he investigates crimes within tight-knit island communities. The series won the prestigious Duncan Lawrie Dagger (now the Gold Dagger) for its first book and was adapted into the hit BBC television series Shetland.

The Shetland series is divided into two distinct thematic quartets, followed by a final novel. Because Perez's personal life changes dramatically across the books—especially between the fourth and fifth novels—it is highly recommended to read them in strict publication order:

The First Quartet (Four Seasons)

1. Raven Black (2006)
2. White Nights (2008)
3. Red Bones (2009)
4. Blue Lightning (2010)

The Second Quartet (Four Elements) and Final Novel

5. Dead Water (2013)
6. Thin Air (2014)
7. Cold Earth (2016)
8. Wild Fire (2018)

Shetland Novella & Companion

Too Good To Be True (2016) – A World Book Night novella, typically read as book 6.5.
Shetland (2015) – A non-fiction companion book exploring the landscapes, history, and people that inspired the series.

The Vera Stanhope Series (Northumberland)

DCI Vera Stanhope is one of modern crime fiction’s most unforgettable creations: a shambolic, beer-drinking, fiercely intelligent detective who hides her sharp instincts behind a gruff exterior. The series is set in Northumberland and inspired the long-running ITV drama series Vera, starring Brenda Blethyn.

While the mysteries themselves are self-contained, reading the books in order allows you to follow the development of Vera's team and her own complicated family history. Note that The Crow Trap introduces Vera, but she does not appear until roughly a third of the way through the book, which was originally conceived as three separate narratives.

1. The Crow Trap (1999)
2. Telling Tales (2005)
3. Hidden Depths (2007)
4. Silent Voices (2010)
5. The Glass Room (2012)
6. Harbour Street (2014)
7. The Moth Catcher (2015)
8. The Seagull (2017)
* Frozen (2020) – An e-short story (often listed as book 8.5).
9. The Darkest Evening (2020)
* The Woman on the Island (2022) – An e-short story (often listed as book 9.5) that serves as a thematic prequel to the next book.
10. The Rising Tide (2022)
11. The Dark Wives (2024)

Cleeves has announced that a twelfth novel will serve as the final entry in the Vera Stanhope series, bringing Vera's story to a natural conclusion.

The Two Rivers Series (Matthew Venn)

Set in North Devon, where the Taw and Torridge rivers meet, this series introduces DI Matthew Venn. Matthew is a deeply empathetic detective who was cast out by the strict religious community of his youth, and he must navigate his past while solving complex investigations. The series was adapted for television as The Long Call.

1. The Long Call (2019)
2. The Heron's Cry (2021)
* The Girls on the Shore (2022) – A companion short story featuring Matthew Venn.
3. The Raging Storm (2023)

Early Series: Palmer-Jones and Inspector Ramsay

Before achieving global fame with Vera and Shetland, Cleeves wrote two traditional, cozy-procedural series that showcase her early development as a master plotter.

George and Molly Palmer-Jones Books

This series features an amateur sleuth couple—George, a retired home office official, and Molly, his wife—who solve crimes often connected to birdwatching, a personal hobby of Cleeves' late husband.

1. A Bird in the Hand (1986)
2. Come Death And High Water (1988)
3. Murder In Paradise (1988)
4. A Prey To Murder (1989)
5. Another Man's Poison (1992)
6. Sea Fever (1993)
7. The Mill On The Shore (1994)
8. High Island Blues (1996)

Inspector Ramsay Books

Set in Northumberland, this police procedural series is the thematic precursor to Vera Stanhope, featuring the quiet and methodical Inspector Ramsay.

1. A Lesson In Dying (1990)
2. Murder In My Backyard (1991)
3. A Day in the Death of Dorothea Cassidy (1992)
4. Killjoy (1993)
5. The Healers (1995)
6. The Baby Snatcher (1997)

Standalone Novels, Short Stories, and Anthologies

In addition to her major detective series, Ann Cleeves has written standalone psychological thrillers, short stories, and contributed to several crime fiction anthologies.

Standalone Novels

The Sleeping and the Dead (2001)
Burial of Ghosts (2003)

Short Stories & Collections

Offshore (2014) – A collection of short stories set on islands around the UK, including Shetland.
Dreaming of Rain and Peter Lovesey (2016) – A standalone short story.