I’m getting ready to read Ann Cleeves’ new book, The Killing Stones, due out at the end of the month. It’s a Jimmy Perez book, the lead detective in Cleeves’ Shetland series. So, for me, it was perfect timing to read her short story, “The Lonely Man”. It brought me up-to-date as to Perez’ life. He and Detective Willow Reeves have moved to the Orkney islands. Their house isn’t ready yet, so they’re renting a cottage for three months.

Willow is pregnant, so she’s on unpaid leave before she has the baby and becomes officer supervising policing throughout the Scottish isles. She’s made friends with a neighbor, Davie Tait. Tait is in his seventies, a farmer who has never been married. So when a much younger woman, Gloria, shows up at Davie’s house, and she’s staying there, Willow worries about her new friend. But, everything isn’t what it appears to be.

“The Lonely Man” is an excellent way to fill the gap between the last books in the series, and the new one. I had missed a few in the series, and needed a refresher as to the relationship between Jimmy and Willow, as well as catching up with Jimmy’s adopted daughter.

“The Lonely Man” is a quick read, a short story available on Amazon only for Kindle.

Ann Cleeves’ website is https://anncleeves.com/

“The Lonely Man” by Ann Cleeves. Minotaur Books, 2025. 27p.

FTC Full Disclosure – I picked up “The Lonely Man” on Amazon.