Ann Cleeves Books in Order: Vera, Shetland and Two Rivers

Ann Cleeves has created several detectives worth following from their first case. But if you discovered her through television, working out where to begin on the page can be confusing. Should you start with Vera Stanhope, Jimmy Perez or Matthew Venn? And does Perez’s return in The Killing Stones change the Shetland reading order?

The easiest way to read Ann Cleeves’ books is to choose a series and follow its publication order. Start with The Crow Trap for Vera, Raven Black for Shetland, or The Long Call for Two Rivers. You do not need to alternate between the three.

This guide focuses on those three series, with the main novels listed separately from shorter companion works. It also explains where the newer books fit without revealing the solutions to the mysteries.

Reading order and publication status checked October 18, 2026. Years refer to original publication, rather than later reissues.

Where to Start With Ann Cleeves

My recommendation is to choose the setting you most want to spend time in. A detective series is a longer commitment than a single mystery, and its surroundings can become part of the reason you return.

For readers who want an island setting, begin with Shetland. For those drawn to a distinctive female investigator, choose Vera. If you prefer a shorter main-series reading list, Two Rivers offers four published novels to catch up on.

Vera Stanhope Books in Order

Vera’s investigations take her through communities in northeast England, where old relationships can complicate a new crime. Begin with The Crow Trap, which introduces her through a story involving an environmental survey and deaths around an isolated cottage.

The publisher’s Vera series listing gives the following novel order:

What Is the Latest Vera Book?

The latest published Vera novel is The Dark Wives. The next announced installment is The Final Vera, which Pan Macmillan identifies as the concluding novel in the series.

The publisher currently lists The Final Vera for October 7, 2027. Its confirmed premise involves a woman’s murder in Whitley Bay and the town’s criminal past. That date applies to the listed UK hardback; other editions may have different schedules.

If you are beginning now, keep the forthcoming book on your checklist, but work through the eleven published novels first.

Do You Need to Read Vera in Order?

Publication order is the best default. You can approach an individual case for its mystery, but starting at the beginning lets you follow Vera and the recurring characters without jumping ahead in their lives.

It also avoids a common trap for television viewers: using episode order as a book checklist. For reading, follow the novels’ sequence above.

Shetland Books in Order

The Shetland novels follow Jimmy Perez through investigations in Scotland’s northern islands. Start with Raven Black, which opens with the discovery of a teenager’s body in the snow.

The publisher’s Shetland reading guide lists eight main novels:

Read these in order if you want to follow Perez’s personal story. This is particularly useful when moving from the earlier novels into the later ones: even a brief synopsis of a subsequent book can reveal developments you have not reached yet.

Where Does The Killing Stones Fit?

Wild Fire concludes the original eight-book Shetland series, but it is no longer the last novel featuring Jimmy Perez.

Perez returns in The Killing Stones, published in 2025. The setting shifts to Orkney, where the death of someone connected to his childhood draws him into an investigation.

The publisher describes it as a standalone Jimmy Perez novel. For a reading checklist, the clearest approach is to place it after Wild Fire and identify it as an Orkney-set return. Calling it simply “Shetland book nine” obscures the change of setting and the publisher’s distinction.

You can choose it for its individual mystery, but reading the original series first preserves the progression of Perez’s personal life.

Optional Shetland Companion Books

Two additional titles are worth knowing about:

• Too Good to Be True (2016): A short Jimmy Perez mystery published in the Quick Reads program. By publication date, it fits between Thin Air and Cold Earth.
• Shetland (2015): An illustrated nonfiction companion about the islands, rather than another detective novel.

These are optional additions to the main sequence. The publisher identifies Too Good to Be True as a Quick Read, so do not mistake it for a full-length ninth Shetland novel.

For more island mysteries, explore our recommendations for mystery novels set on remote Scottish islands.

Two Rivers Books in Order

Two Rivers introduces Detective Inspector Matthew Venn in North Devon. His return to the area brings him back into contact with the religious community he left, while his marriage and police work give the series its continuing relationships.

Here is the reading order, including the optional short story:

The publisher’s Two Rivers guide confirms the four-novel sequence. The Girls on the Shore is an additional story, so including it does not make The Dying Light book five.

Is The Dying Light Available Now?

Yes. As of October 18, 2026, The Dying Light has been published. Pan Macmillan lists October 8, 2026, for its UK hardback.

The fourth Matthew Venn novel begins with a young woman’s death at a luxury holiday property and her friend’s disappearance. The property’s connection to a politician places the investigation under public scrutiny.

For a closer look at each installment, read our Matthew Venn books in order guide.

Do Vera, Shetland and Two Rivers Connect?

You do not need an author-wide reading schedule to follow these series. Each has its own lead detective and starting point.

A practical approach is to read the first book of each before committing to one complete series. That lets you compare Vera, Perez and Venn without buying a large stack of sequels first. Once you choose a favorite, continue in publication order.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Ann Cleeves book should I read first?

Start with The Crow Trap for Vera, Raven Black for Shetland or The Long Call for Two Rivers. Choose one series and continue from its beginning.

How many Vera novels are there?

As of October 18, 2026, eleven Vera novels have been published. A twelfth, The Final Vera, is announced for 2027.

How many Shetland novels are there?

There are eight main Shetland novels, from Raven Black through Wild Fire. Jimmy Perez also appears in the shorter Too Good to Be True and returns in the Orkney-set The Killing Stones.

How many Two Rivers novels are there?

There are four published Two Rivers novels through The Dying Light. The Girls on the Shore is a separate short story.

Does this cover every Ann Cleeves book?

No. This guide covers Vera, Shetland and Two Rivers, plus relevant companion titles. Cleeves’ earlier series and other standalone work fall outside its scope.

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