Search This Blog

Friday, February 22, 2008

Raven Black

Cleeves, Ann. Raven Black. Set in the Shetland Islands off of Scotland, the novel provides an interesting glimpse at the insularity of the inhabitants. When Catherine Ross is found murdered, the prime suspect is an old man with limited abilities, but Inspector Jimmy Perez wants to keep an open mind.

As he begins interviewing people to find out more about Catherine, Perez is also sorting through some of his own memories of being a student at Catherine's school, the island hierarchy, and the meshing and inter-meshing of island relationships. A lot goes on beneath the placid surface of the isolated locale.

The end may come as a surprise.

The first in a quartet of novels that Cleeves plans to set in the Shetland Islands; I rather liked Jimmy Perez and look forward to the next in the series.

Fiction. Mystery. 2006. 376 pages.

6 comments:

  1. I've seen this book at our branch of the library and picked it up once or twice. I think I will pick it up again to read. Thanks for your thoughts.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kay - I did enjoy it. Hope you will if you read it!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I really liked this book too and can't wait for the next one. I was definitely surprised by the ending too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Iliana -- Another one we agree on! Good! I always feel better when opinions coincide...

    ReplyDelete
  5. This one sounds great. I'm very curious about the Shetlands and I find that a mystery novel with a good sense of place makes for excellent armchair travel.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Kate - It was an interesting little mystery with the interesting sideline concerning the Shetlands. I enjoyed both aspects.

    ReplyDelete