Here’s something a little different, a Shetland Short Story by Ann Cleeves. “Missing in the Snow” brings Jimmy Perez back to the Shetlands at Tosh’s request. She wants his help in finding a missing author, a man who disappeared from the library. As far as anyone knows, only his laptop is missing.

Even with a short story, Cleeves is able to create the atmosphere, surprising readers and the story’s characters with a surprising amount of snow in the islands. Just in twenty pages, she reintroduces Jimmy Perez and Tosh, and reminds readers of her skill in creating characters and backstory.

This is a little different. I’ve mentioned a little bit about the storyline, the characters, and the atmosphere. What I didn’t say is that Cleeves’ “Missing in the Snow” was written after the author lost her own laptop in the snow in 2022. Best of all, you can read the short story for free. All you have to do is sign up for the “Best of Pan Macmillan” newsletter, and you’ll receive the link to Cleeves’ short story. That’s a twenty-page return to the Shetland Islands. Enjoy! Here’s the link. https://tinyurl.com/yc78f8w8