From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Raven Black (Shetland, #1)

Ann Cleeves

Start date: April 15, 2025

Finish date: May 7, 2025

Discussion: Buddy reads

Why we're reading this: First book in an acclaimed series
[close] First book in an acclaimed series

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Buddy reads

* Starting/joining in with buddy reads
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* White Nights by Ann Cleeves (Shetland #2) (August/Sept 25)
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What Members Thought

Apr 25, 2017 Nancy Oakes rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-fiction, crime-fiction-uk

On the front of my book, the words "a thriller" appear underneath the title. On the back of my book, Marilyn Stasio from the NYT says it's "chilling...enough to freeze the blood." Publishers Weekly says it's "taut, atmospheric.." I've just finished it, and it's a) not thrilling, b) not chilling, and c) definitely not taut. In fact it seemed rather bland as far as mysteries go. The ending is sort of ridiculous, actually.

I had thought that if I enjoyed this book I would possibly read the rest of ...more

26 likes · Like · see review

Sep 09, 2021 Tracey rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, islanders, mystery

Well, I sure didn't see THAT coming. The ending of this is almost enough to make me go back and listen to the whole thing again, with the ending in mind, to see if I pick up on any hints or clues. Because I sure as sure didn't pick up a single one the first time around. (It's a bit comforting to see others' reviews stating that they were thrown for a loop too.)

I love the tv series Shetland, which is why I gave this book a second chance after it didn't click with me the first time I tried listen Well, I sure didn't see THAT coming. The ending of this is almost enough to make me go back and listen to the whole thing again, with the ending in mind, to see if I pick up on any hints or clues. Because I sure as sure didn't pick up a single one the first time around. (It's a bit comforting to see others' reviews stating that they were thrown for a loop too.)

I love the tv series Shetland, which is why I gave this book a second chance after it didn't click with me the first time I tried listening, and why I bought it in the first place. I love Jimmy Perez - at least Douglas Henshall plays the character right, as far as I can tell, even though he looks absolutely nothing like the character description. (It is weird - I don't think his last name is ever explained in the series.) I'm very glad I did give it the second chance, because now I have a new author I can turn to when I want something just solid and good.

One of my only reasons for not giving this five stars - and I say this with full recognition that it may be all my own fault - is that I kept getting thoroughly confused about how old characters were - one minute Catherine is described as a schoolgirl and was treated as such, the next she comes off as a worldly and sophisticated adult, and was apparently treated as such. I had to keep reminding myself that she was 16. I thought Robert was about 18, then thought - wait, he sounds like he's in his 30's, or older? I have no idea. (That one was in part due to point of view - Sally certainly saw him as a full adult - but not entirely, I don't think.) Even the little one, Cassie, seemed like barely more than a toddler for a time, and then started presenting like a thirteen year old.

That aside, though, the characters were well-written and engaging. It was easy to both dislike and feel for the murdered girl, and to empathize with poor Fran (I hope she catches some breaks soon), and both empathize and become deeply annoyed by Catherine's and Cassie's fathers. I enjoyed the writing. And I still really like Jimmy Perez. Can't wait for more. ...more

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Feb 01, 2023 ☼Bookish in Virginia☼ rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery, my-series, 2022, 2023

Good writing and good characters. I would give this book more STARS but the conclusion is fairly awful.

Which is not to say that you shouldn't read RAVEN BLACK. I mean, I'm glad I did. Because even with its shabby ending RAVEN BLACK is a better first-in-series book than many I've read in the mystery genre.

One aspect of the story telling that I thought was particularly strong, for example, was how various members of the community fretted about the murders and tried to compile their own facts and ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Nov 09, 2019 Nanosynergy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, mysteries-thrillers-espionage, series, british, fiction-2000-2019, 2019read

First book in the Ann Cleeves Shetland Island series. Winner of the Crime Writers' Association (CWA) of the UK 'Duncan Lawrie Dagger' award for the 2006 best crime novel of the year. Love the setting of the Shetland Islands and the local culture/weather/geography that infuses the story. Makes me want to go visit on a future vacation. As a first book in a new series, it has a LOT of set up, which means slow-going in sections. While the book cover states the story is a 'thriller,' the pacing did n ...more

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Sep 13, 2024 C rated it really liked it

Shelves: 43

I did not know the same author wrote both Vera and the Shetland series. While reading this, I kept comparing it to the television series (which I saw before reading). That was entirely unfair to the books.

The characters are different and the ending was much more satisfactory than the one I remember from the show.

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Apr 12, 2014 Lillian rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery-modern-cozy

3.5 stars - A good read but the ending left me a little disappointed. The characters were well written. But the overall plot was a little dry. I like a few more twists or red herrings. The main character has potential and I will give the second in the series a try.

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