Author Moves Detective Perez to Orkney's Mystical Landscapes

In her latest novel, the author has decided to transition her popular detective protagonist Jimmy Perez from the Shetland Islands to the neighboring Orkney archipelago. Drawn by Orkney's deep history, vast skies, and welcoming people, the author conducted an immersive research trip to the region in December 2023 to shape the setting and details of Perez's new life and cases.

The author first visited Orkney 50 years ago, falling in love with the romance of the islands' isolation, bleak beauty, and captivating stories. During that initial trip, she stayed with a local Orcadian named Alison, who invited the author to explore the mainland's historic cathedral, bustling streets, and breathtaking vistas overlooking lochs and the sea.

Over the years, the author has continued to visit Orkney, discovering its smaller islands, neolithic ruins, and unique wildlife. When it came time to conclude the Shetland-based Perez series with the 2018 novel "Wild Fire," the author decided to move the detective south to Orkney, inspired by a real-life police inspector who covered both island groups.

During her December 2023 research trip, the author immersed herself in Orkney's landscapes and communities, staying with a local friend and exploring sites that would feature in her new novel "The Killing Stones." From the abandoned Noltland dig to the mystical winter solstice experience at Maeshowe, the author's firsthand experiences shaped an authentic portrayal of Orkney's captivating setting.