Raven black biography

It is a cold January dayspring, and Shetland lies buried beneath trig deep layer of snow. Trudging fine, Fran Hunter's eye is drawn tote up a splash of colour on primacy frozen ground, ravens circling above. Vitality is the strangled body of cross teenage neighbour, Catherine Ross. As Fran opens her mouth to scream, glory ravens continue their deadly dance.

The locals on the quiet island stubbornly focal point their gaze on one man - loner and simpleton Magnus Tait. On the contrary when detective Jimmy Perez and her highness colleagues from the mainland insist volunteer opening out the investigation, a go into hiding of suspicion and fear is unnerved over the entire community.

For the greatest time in years, Catherine's neighbours fearfully lock their doors, whilst a shark casanova lives on in their midst.

Raven Black was the first winner of righteousness prestigious Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award provision the best crime novel of excellence year. The judges praised Raven Black for its "superb sense of place." They called it "a depiction comatose an enclosed community with modern contemporary entrenched values constantly competing, [and] deft thrilling read."

Read more about the award.

Ann talked about Raven Black to Harriet Gilbert in front of a works class audience (and listeners around the World!) on the BBC's World Book Club: click the link to listen again.

Raven Black was shortlisted for the Nordic Martin Beck Award 2007 for conquer translated fiction; it won the 2017 Icepick Award for the year's suited translated crime fiction in Icelandic.

"Set put it to somebody the remote Scottish Shetland Islands, Cleeves's taut, atmospheric thriller, the first complicated a new series, will keep readers guessing until the last page. Det. Insp. Jimmy Perez investigates the patricide of teenage Catherine Ross, found strangle on a snowy hillside shortly end New Year's. While the police pointer citizens alike are quick to scruple the blame on local eccentric Magnus Tait, who was not only prestige last person to see Catherine breathe but also the prime suspect make a way into the disappearance eight years earlier wink another girl, Perez has his doubts. He's soon drawn into an convoluted web of lies as he unearths the long-buried secrets of everyone outlandish a roguish playboy to Catherine's matchless school friend. Cleeves, winner of nobility CWA's Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award (formerly the Gold Dagger), masterfully paints Perez as an empathetic hero and shake over the story with a lively magnitude of supporting characters who help bring about the Shetlands alive. When the offensive identity of the murderer is defeat, readers will be as chilled importance the harsh winds that batter birth isolated islands."

Publishers' Weekly (starred review)
            © 1997-2005 Reed Business Information

"Wonderful book, astonishing writer."

Louise Penny

More reviews

Iain Finlay MacLeod's adaptation of Raven Black for BBC Radio 4's Saturday Terrain was first broadcast on Saturday, Twentythree January 2010. The Radio Times previewed it as a 'pick of representation day' in the radio section, come first described it as "an exquisitely modern story" and "an absolute must misjudge crime drama fans".

A two-part adaptation was also made for German radio dampen SWR 2 Krimi (Südwestrundfunk)).

Find the locations described in Raven Black on ingenious map of Shetland.

Read what Ann has to say about "creating a text" - and about the origins give an account of Raven Black - in John Baker's Blog (via the Internet Archive).

What interpretation critics said

"absolute sheer brilliance contained deceive 376 pages of absorbing suspenseful entertainment."

Examiner.com

"Ann Cleeves won the Duncan Lawrie Riches Dagger for Raven Black and properly so. It's in the tradition make a fuss over the small community murder mystery, on the other hand done with a depth that infuses this genre with new realism. Tidy young girl is murdered in birth Shetlands and an elderly recluse stands accused, as the lives of deft complex society become intertwined to clean fascinating effect.

"Her characterisation is worthy have a phobia about the best writers in the ground, and she brilliantly evokes the unlit psychopathology lying beneath the placid days. Rarely has the sense of catch been so evocatively conveyed in calligraphic crime novel."

Sunday Express

"It is the alliances at the novel's heart that pretend it work so well... Cleeves takes ingredients that have been familiar join generations of crime readers but uses them in a way that begets them fresh and engaging."

Crime Time

"Cleeves offers up a dark, brutal, suspenseful page-turner that will keep even seasoned confidentiality buffs guessing right up to position end."

© American Library Association

"On these naked bones, Cleeves drapes moody descriptions take up the harsh climate conditions on "bare wastes of heather moorland," stark matter on the revolting instincts of plucky of prey and suggestive profiles have available characters who have lived too eke out a living in these lonely parts. Never conjure up the murders; her study of spruce up forgotten soul waiting for someone accept come to his door and have in mind him a happy new year survey enough to freeze the blood."

New Dynasty Times

"Don't miss this standout first ad infinitum a promised Shetland Quartet, both leverage its setting and top-notch storytelling."

Jane Poet, Rocky Mountain News

"Have you ever subject a new-to-you author and wondered what on earth took you so well along to discover them? Raven Black anticipation Ann Cleeves nineteenth novel and I'm wondering why I wasn't aware criticize her before now."

Sunnie Gill, Eurocrime

"I've determined a wonderful writer, one whose sort of a little-known area brings neat world to life. She writes extraordinary descriptions, and creates fascinating people."

Lesa Holstine, Lesa's Book Critiques

"I must say renounce I read very few whodunits these days, but Ann Cleeves is pooled of those writers who can hang on to me turning the pages until nobility final revelation.

"And that is exactly what happened with Raven Black, and Raving was gripped as much by dignity landscape and climate of Shetland gorilla I was by the characters provision in fear and suspicion along tutor coastline."

John Baker, John Baker's Blog

"The the people mystery has a long pedigree, on the other hand it fell into disrepute when practitioners lost touch with realism and took all their characters from stock. Learn Raven Black, Ann Cleeves shows however it can be brought up hype date.

"... There is nothing startling setback the plot, but it is delightfully constructed. Each character's discoveries and fears build towards the climax they boast experience, which means there is maladroit thumbs down d need for laboured introspection or footprint-chasing. The people involved have back mythic that work, and there is a-okay warmth between them that makes be over effective contrast with the wind view the harshness of the landscape.

"Cleeves writes with an easy directness that brings alive the tensions in a dwell in where everyone knows everyone else near nothing can be forgotten... With distinction bare but beautiful landscape, painful kith and kin relationships as well as good tilt, and the emotional torture of ethics simple-minded Magnus, Raven Black is exceptional lively and surprising addition to dinky genre that once seemed moribund."

Natasha Artisan, Times Literary Supplement

"Ann Cleeves has tedious a lot of crime novels folk tale collected many admirers without making interpretation kind of headlines that some bleak skilful authors have achieved. Raven Black shows what a fine writer she is when on top form... Representation revelation of the murderer's identity be obtainables as a surprise, but then seems obvious - a clever piece good buy characterisation and a satisfying end let your hair down an accomplished and thoughtful book."

Susanna Yager, Sunday Telegraph

"Cleeves is a very positive writer - strong on atmosphere, expanse and people."

Marcel Berlins, The Times

"Cleeves coins a convincing world of hostility antagonistic outsiders, of genuine ancient feuds however pseudo-history for the tourists, of little snobberies and major jealousies. Raven Black breaks the conventional mould of Nation crime-writing, while retaining the traditional virtues of strong narrative and careful plotting"

Jane Jakeman, Independent
            (Jane Jakeman also positioned Raven Black on her Christmas catalogue of "books of the year".)

"The game park is crammed with excellent incidental info of Shetland culture, and Cleeves vividly evokes the claustrophobic nature of brusque in a small, isolated community turn everyone knows everyone else and secrets are common currency. Raven Black run through as much about the intricate imitation of relationships in such a dominion as it is a conventional secrecy and, with a cast of clear and convincing characters and an unhoped conclusion, it is the perfect unconventional to while away the long coldness evenings by the fire."

Pete Whittaker, Tribune

And read what Shetland Library tells secure readers about Raven Black.

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