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The Lonely Man: A Detective Jimmy Perez Short Story
New York Times bestseller Ann Cleeves' beloved detectives from the Shetland series, Willow Reeve and Jimmy Perez, move to the Orkney islands and unearth a new investigation in this gripping short story.
Detectives Willow Reeve and Jimmy Perez have left Shetland and moved to Orkney, the group of islands off the northern coast of Scotland. Their house isn't quite ready yet so they decide to rent a cottage for three months, found through a police colleague.
Davie Tait is a farmer in his seventies and owns the land on which the cottage sits. Naturally, Willow and Jimmy befriend him during their stay. When a woman named Gloria comes to visit Davie one day, Willow becomes suspicious of their relationship once she learns of the unlikely circumstances that brought them together. She can't help but suspect something is amiss . . .
Detectives Willow Reeve and Jimmy Perez have left Shetland and moved to Orkney, the group of islands off the northern coast of Scotland. Their house isn't quite ready yet so they decide to rent a cottage for three months, found through a police colleague.
Davie Tait is a farmer in his seventies and owns the land on which the cottage sits. Naturally, Willow and Jimmy befriend him during their stay. When a woman named Gloria comes to visit Davie one day, Willow becomes suspicious of their relationship once she learns of the unlikely circumstances that brought them together. She can't help but suspect something is amiss . . .
27 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 3, 2025
850 people are currently reading
317 people want to read
About the author
Ann Cleeves
133 books8,784 followersAnn is the author of the books behind ITV's VERA, now in it's third series, and the BBC's SHETLAND, which will be aired in December 2012. Ann's DI Vera Stanhope series of books is set in Northumberland and features the well loved detective along with her partner Joe Ashworth. Ann's Shetland series bring us DI Jimmy Perez, investigating in the mysterious, dark, and beautiful Shetland Islands...
Ann grew up in the country, first in Herefordshire, then in North Devon. Her father was a village school teacher. After dropping out of university she took a number of temporary jobs - child care officer, women's refuge leader, bird observatory cook, auxiliary coastguard - before going back to college and training to be a probation officer.
While she was cooking in the Bird Observatory on Fair Isle, she met her husband Tim, a visiting ornithologist. She was attracted less by the ornithology than the bottle of malt whisky she saw in his rucksack when she showed him his room. Soon after they married, Tim was appointed as warden of Hilbre, a tiny tidal island nature reserve in the Dee Estuary. They were the only residents, there was no mains electricity or water and access to the mainland was at low tide across the shore. If a person's not heavily into birds - and Ann isn't - there's not much to do on Hilbre and that was when she started writing. Her first series of crime novels features the elderly naturalist, George Palmer-Jones. A couple of these books are seriously dreadful.
In 1987 Tim, Ann and their two daughters moved to Northumberland and the north east provides the inspiration for many of her subsequent titles. The girls have both taken up with Geordie lads. In the autumn of 2006, Ann and Tim finally achieved their ambition of moving back to the North East.
For the National Year of Reading, Ann was made reader-in-residence for three library authorities. It came as a revelation that it was possible to get paid for talking to readers about books! She went on to set up reading groups in prisons as part of the Inside Books project, became Cheltenham Literature Festival's first reader-in-residence and still enjoys working with libraries.
Ann Cleeves on stage at the Duncan Lawrie Dagger awards ceremony
Ann's short film for Border TV, Catching Birds, won a Royal Television Society Award. She has twice been short listed for a CWA Dagger Award - once for her short story The Plater, and the following year for the Dagger in the Library award.
In 2006 Ann Cleeves was the first winner of the prestigious Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award of the Crime Writers' Association for Raven Black, the first volume of her Shetland Quartet. The Duncan Lawrie Dagger replaces the CWA's Gold Dagger award, and the winner receives £20,000, making it the world's largest award for crime fiction.
Ann's success was announced at the 2006 Dagger Awards ceremony at the Waldorf Hilton, in London's Aldwych, on Thursday 29 June 2006. She said: "I have never won anything before in my life, so it was a complete shock - but lovely of course.. The evening was relatively relaxing because I'd lost my voice and knew that even if the unexpected happened there was physically no way I could utter a word. So I wouldn't have to give a speech. My editor was deputed to do it!"
The judging panel consisted of Geoff Bradley (non-voting Chair), Lyn Brown MP (a committee member on the London Libraries service), Frances Gray (an academic who writes about and teaches courses on modern crime fiction), Heather O'Donoghue (academic, linguist, crime fiction reviewer for The Times Literary Supplement, and keen reader of all crime fiction) and Barry Forshaw (reviewer and editor of Crime Time magazine).
Ann's books have been translated into sixteen languages. She's a bestseller in Scandinavia and Germany. Her novels sell widely and to critical acclaim in the United States. Raven Black was shortlisted for the Martin Beck award for best translated crime novel in Sweden in 200
Ann grew up in the country, first in Herefordshire, then in North Devon. Her father was a village school teacher. After dropping out of university she took a number of temporary jobs - child care officer, women's refuge leader, bird observatory cook, auxiliary coastguard - before going back to college and training to be a probation officer.
While she was cooking in the Bird Observatory on Fair Isle, she met her husband Tim, a visiting ornithologist. She was attracted less by the ornithology than the bottle of malt whisky she saw in his rucksack when she showed him his room. Soon after they married, Tim was appointed as warden of Hilbre, a tiny tidal island nature reserve in the Dee Estuary. They were the only residents, there was no mains electricity or water and access to the mainland was at low tide across the shore. If a person's not heavily into birds - and Ann isn't - there's not much to do on Hilbre and that was when she started writing. Her first series of crime novels features the elderly naturalist, George Palmer-Jones. A couple of these books are seriously dreadful.
In 1987 Tim, Ann and their two daughters moved to Northumberland and the north east provides the inspiration for many of her subsequent titles. The girls have both taken up with Geordie lads. In the autumn of 2006, Ann and Tim finally achieved their ambition of moving back to the North East.
For the National Year of Reading, Ann was made reader-in-residence for three library authorities. It came as a revelation that it was possible to get paid for talking to readers about books! She went on to set up reading groups in prisons as part of the Inside Books project, became Cheltenham Literature Festival's first reader-in-residence and still enjoys working with libraries.
Ann Cleeves on stage at the Duncan Lawrie Dagger awards ceremony
Ann's short film for Border TV, Catching Birds, won a Royal Television Society Award. She has twice been short listed for a CWA Dagger Award - once for her short story The Plater, and the following year for the Dagger in the Library award.
In 2006 Ann Cleeves was the first winner of the prestigious Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award of the Crime Writers' Association for Raven Black, the first volume of her Shetland Quartet. The Duncan Lawrie Dagger replaces the CWA's Gold Dagger award, and the winner receives £20,000, making it the world's largest award for crime fiction.
Ann's success was announced at the 2006 Dagger Awards ceremony at the Waldorf Hilton, in London's Aldwych, on Thursday 29 June 2006. She said: "I have never won anything before in my life, so it was a complete shock - but lovely of course.. The evening was relatively relaxing because I'd lost my voice and knew that even if the unexpected happened there was physically no way I could utter a word. So I wouldn't have to give a speech. My editor was deputed to do it!"
The judging panel consisted of Geoff Bradley (non-voting Chair), Lyn Brown MP (a committee member on the London Libraries service), Frances Gray (an academic who writes about and teaches courses on modern crime fiction), Heather O'Donoghue (academic, linguist, crime fiction reviewer for The Times Literary Supplement, and keen reader of all crime fiction) and Barry Forshaw (reviewer and editor of Crime Time magazine).
Ann's books have been translated into sixteen languages. She's a bestseller in Scandinavia and Germany. Her novels sell widely and to critical acclaim in the United States. Raven Black was shortlisted for the Martin Beck award for best translated crime novel in Sweden in 200
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
July 17, 2025
A short story that's a great companion to Ann Cleeves Shetland series.
Well written and interesting to read, as it's much more of a Willow than Perez story.
It had a nice surprising end to it and I really enjoyed it.
Well written and interesting to read, as it's much more of a Willow than Perez story.
It had a nice surprising end to it and I really enjoyed it.
June 5, 2025
Not up to her usual standard. Not really even a short story-more like the outline sketch for one. I kept looking for more pages so a real story could unfold. Not Ann’s format I guess.
June 10, 2025
A Micro Story Whose Purpose I Am Not Sure
Willow and Jimmy Perez are moving to the Orkneys for new assignments. Their home is not quite ready for occupancy. A police colleague found a cottage for them to rent for a few months as renovations are being completed. The cottage was located on a farm owned by Davie Tait, a farmer. Soon, Willow suspects something suspicious is occurring at Tait’s home. From here, a very short story begins.
This novel is only six pages in length. The rest of the book consists of the prologue and first chapter of Ann Cleeves' next novel, The Killing Stones. This micro story appears to be complete and delivers a good twist. My primary question is, what is the purpose of this novel? Most prequels I have read provide helpful insight into an upcoming series, a novel in that series, or some aspect of a main character. I have read several several by Ann Cleeves that do just that. I have never questioned the value of reading them afterward as I have done here. I have not read any of the previous Shetland series, so I am unsure if this provides insight into Willow Perez’s character, though I suspect that may be the purpose. Jimmy Perez hardly appears in the short story. I searched the preview for Tait and the girlfriend, the only other characters of substance, and did not find them there.
This micro-story is way too short for any real character development and background; I believe that this aspect was left to the previous novels in the series.
There are no aspects that would cause readers to stop reading.
I was puzzled by this short story. It is the fourth short story by Ann Cleeves I have read. I have rated each one with five stars. I have read six full-length novels with ratings of fours and fives. I have purchased seven more novels. She is one of my favorite writers. I felt empty after reading this one. I found nothing compelling to recommend reading this short story except that it is free and has the prologue and first chapter of her next novel. I rate this novel with two stars, which means it has problems, and I was disappointed.
Willow and Jimmy Perez are moving to the Orkneys for new assignments. Their home is not quite ready for occupancy. A police colleague found a cottage for them to rent for a few months as renovations are being completed. The cottage was located on a farm owned by Davie Tait, a farmer. Soon, Willow suspects something suspicious is occurring at Tait’s home. From here, a very short story begins.
This novel is only six pages in length. The rest of the book consists of the prologue and first chapter of Ann Cleeves' next novel, The Killing Stones. This micro story appears to be complete and delivers a good twist. My primary question is, what is the purpose of this novel? Most prequels I have read provide helpful insight into an upcoming series, a novel in that series, or some aspect of a main character. I have read several several by Ann Cleeves that do just that. I have never questioned the value of reading them afterward as I have done here. I have not read any of the previous Shetland series, so I am unsure if this provides insight into Willow Perez’s character, though I suspect that may be the purpose. Jimmy Perez hardly appears in the short story. I searched the preview for Tait and the girlfriend, the only other characters of substance, and did not find them there.
This micro-story is way too short for any real character development and background; I believe that this aspect was left to the previous novels in the series.
There are no aspects that would cause readers to stop reading.
I was puzzled by this short story. It is the fourth short story by Ann Cleeves I have read. I have rated each one with five stars. I have read six full-length novels with ratings of fours and fives. I have purchased seven more novels. She is one of my favorite writers. I felt empty after reading this one. I found nothing compelling to recommend reading this short story except that it is free and has the prologue and first chapter of her next novel. I rate this novel with two stars, which means it has problems, and I was disappointed.
August 16, 2025
Well I never saw that twist coming! As to the naysayers who say the story was to short, that's why it's called a short story, it's right on the cover.
Excited to read The Killing Stones and see Willow and Jimmy's new life in Orkney.
Excited to read The Killing Stones and see Willow and Jimmy's new life in Orkney.
September 15, 2025
I love Ann Cleeves and have read everyone of her books but was disappointed this story was so short, I didn’t realize it when I started to read it. Looking for more!!
August 16, 2025
Short, but clever and entertaining story.
June 28, 2025
anticipating the next novel!
I can’t wait for the next book! Love Ann Cleeves and Jimmy Perez! This was a treat -I’ve read ALL Ann’s novels and absolutely love her storytelling and characters!
I can’t wait for the next book! Love Ann Cleeves and Jimmy Perez! This was a treat -I’ve read ALL Ann’s novels and absolutely love her storytelling and characters!
July 9, 2025
Short story. Not much to it. Too cute.
June 28, 2025
A good taste of the Jimmy Perez series - I can’t wait for the next novel!
This short story was good with a bit of an unexpected ending. It takes place on Orkney where Jimmy and Willow have apparently moved to.
This short story was good with a bit of an unexpected ending. It takes place on Orkney where Jimmy and Willow have apparently moved to.
September 24, 2025
This must be the shortest book I’ve ever read but so much going on, a new life for Perez and Willow with a baby on the way is this a prequel to the new book? Will there be a separate Perez series on tv?
July 23, 2025
Not a complete story.
June 4, 2025
Very short story. Half of the book was an excerpt for her forthcoming novel. The short story was nothing special. I read it in about 10 minutes. Perez was barely in it. It was more about his wife.
July 22, 2025
Totally unnecessary read. This novel is barely one chapter. The majority of the book is the prologue and first chapter of The Killing Stones.
June 14, 2025
her characters are like old friends and the stories like glamorous bits of really juicy gossip
I can’t get enough of these stories and settings. The places are exotic and familiar all at the same time and between the books, I worry about what my good friends are about up there in the Scottish islands.
I can’t get enough of these stories and settings. The places are exotic and familiar all at the same time and between the books, I worry about what my good friends are about up there in the Scottish islands.
October 29, 2025
Love the characters but super-super-short.
July 13, 2025
This was rather disappointing -little substance, even for a short story
June 7, 2025
Undecided
The writing was very good;but.... I don't necessarily like to guess the plot before the ending; but this came out of nowhere. There were no clues, or even hints, which makes it quite startling.
The writing was very good;but.... I don't necessarily like to guess the plot before the ending; but this came out of nowhere. There were no clues, or even hints, which makes it quite startling.
July 8, 2025
This was an accidental purchase, and even at the reduced price, it was a total waste of money. It’s not really a short story. It’s more like a story idea that never was fleshed out. Bad purchase. I am glad it only took 5 minutes to read—less time wasted.
June 4, 2025
a little inconsistency?
In the short story, a willow is pregnant with a boy and Cassie is 14. In the novel, the boy is 4 and Willow is pregnant again and Cassie is 14. I vaguely remember Cassie being older in the later Pérez books but I could be faulty on that
In the short story, a willow is pregnant with a boy and Cassie is 14. In the novel, the boy is 4 and Willow is pregnant again and Cassie is 14. I vaguely remember Cassie being older in the later Pérez books but I could be faulty on that
July 2, 2025
More like an ad
Shorter than short! Good thing it was a freebie. I'm trying to remember the last book and how it ended. But seriously, how does Willow get the idea that the old man is the manipulating one and not the vulnerable one? And was Willow set up in the cottage to figure it out?
Shorter than short! Good thing it was a freebie. I'm trying to remember the last book and how it ended. But seriously, how does Willow get the idea that the old man is the manipulating one and not the vulnerable one? And was Willow set up in the cottage to figure it out?
July 4, 2025
Meh.
July 2, 2025
I was thoroughly disappointed with this very short story! Not up to Ann Cleves standards. It appeared to me that this was maybe an outline for a future book.
November 2, 2025
This was a background story. It was OK. I didn't I get much from it. It told me about Willow's strength of character, but I already knew about that. If the side character who was introduced doesn't show up elsewhere, I'm not sure there was much point in bringing him in. So maybe he does appear in The Killing Stones.
June 26, 2025
Too short to be even called a short story! Very disappointed!
June 20, 2025
You get what you pay for in this case nothing. Still trying to understand the point of this short story.
June 16, 2025
I typically LOVE Ann Cleves wonderful books, but this fell flat. Too short, no real character development & the 'twist' - not very twisty & honestly didn't make much sense.
June 12, 2025
The Lonely Man is a Detective Jimmy Perez short story by Ann Cleeves.
This is, indeed, a very short story.
It is an insight into the characters of Detectives Jimmy Perez and Willow Reeves.
A prequel of sorts to the soon to be released in September 2025, The Killing Stones, when Jimmy Perez and Willow Reeves leave Shetland and move to Orkney, the group of islands off the northern coast of Scotland.
As their house is not ready to move into yet, they decide to rent a cottage for three months. An older farmer, Davie Tait, owns the land and rental cottage. Jimmy and Willow befriend and ‘look in on’ their neighbor and landlord, but become suspicious about his character.
I like the characters and sense of place that Ms. Cleeves weaves into every story she writes.
I’m not sure how it ‘fits in’ with the new series featuring Jimmy Perez. ****
This is, indeed, a very short story.
It is an insight into the characters of Detectives Jimmy Perez and Willow Reeves.
A prequel of sorts to the soon to be released in September 2025, The Killing Stones, when Jimmy Perez and Willow Reeves leave Shetland and move to Orkney, the group of islands off the northern coast of Scotland.
As their house is not ready to move into yet, they decide to rent a cottage for three months. An older farmer, Davie Tait, owns the land and rental cottage. Jimmy and Willow befriend and ‘look in on’ their neighbor and landlord, but become suspicious about his character.
I like the characters and sense of place that Ms. Cleeves weaves into every story she writes.
I’m not sure how it ‘fits in’ with the new series featuring Jimmy Perez. ****
June 13, 2025
Not really a short story
This was more like an idea of a story, or a very rough draft. Ann Cleeves is usually pretty good at short stories. I think she rushed this one.
This was more like an idea of a story, or a very rough draft. Ann Cleeves is usually pretty good at short stories. I think she rushed this one.
October 6, 2025
Ann Cleeves wasn't kidding when she said this was a short story...only 9 pages long....!!!
Detectives Willow Reeves and Jimmy Perez have left Shetland and moved to Orkney, the group of islands off the the northern coast of Scotland. Their house isn't quite ready yet so they decide to rent a cottage for 3 months., found through a police colleague.
Davie Tait is a farmer in his seventies and owns the land on which the cottage sits. Naturally Willow and Jimmy befriend him during their stay. When a woman named Gloria comes to visit Davie one day, Willow becomes suspicious of their relationship once she learns of the unlikely circumstances that brought them together. She can't help suspect something is amiss......
I thought the story line was a good one and got ready to read what happened next, but there was no next!!
*******************
Detectives Willow Reeves and Jimmy Perez have left Shetland and moved to Orkney, the group of islands off the the northern coast of Scotland. Their house isn't quite ready yet so they decide to rent a cottage for 3 months., found through a police colleague.
Davie Tait is a farmer in his seventies and owns the land on which the cottage sits. Naturally Willow and Jimmy befriend him during their stay. When a woman named Gloria comes to visit Davie one day, Willow becomes suspicious of their relationship once she learns of the unlikely circumstances that brought them together. She can't help suspect something is amiss......
I thought the story line was a good one and got ready to read what happened next, but there was no next!!
*******************
December 28, 2025
I expected more. I had a positive opinion of Willow before this short story. She moves with lightning speed from thinking the visitor is a predator to thinking the lonely man is a predator. Which she follows by accusing him of just that. Doesn't really fit with the Willow I thought I knew.
It's also odd if it is to lead into her new book that in the short story, she is pregnant apparently with their first child and Cassie is 14 and in the the Killing Stones, Cassie is also 14 but now they have a four year-old and a new one on the way.
It's also odd if it is to lead into her new book that in the short story, she is pregnant apparently with their first child and Cassie is 14 and in the the Killing Stones, Cassie is also 14 but now they have a four year-old and a new one on the way.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews