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    White Nights: A Thriller
    White Nights: A Thriller
    White Nights: A Thriller
    Audiobook11 hours

    White Nights: A Thriller

    Written by Ann Cleeves

    Narrated by Gordon Griffin

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    A stunning second installment in the acclaimed Shetland Island Quartet, White Nights is sure to garner American raves for international sensation Ann Cleeves. This series is the basis for the hit BBC show Shetland,starring Douglas Henshall, which attracted over 12 million viewers in its first two nights on the air.

    Raven Black received crime fiction's highest monetary honor, the Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award. Now Detective Jimmy Perez is back in an electrifying sequel.

    It's midsummer in the Shetland Islands, the time of the white nights, when birds sing at midnight and the sun never sets. Artist Bella Sinclair throws an elaborate party to launch an exhibition of her work at The Herring House, a gallery on the beach.

    The party ends in farce when one the guests, a mysterious Englishman, bursts into tears and claims not to know who he is or where he's come from. The following day the Englishman is found hanging from a rafter, and Detective Jimmy Perez is convinced that the man has been murdered. He is reinforced in this belief when Roddy, Bella's musician nephew, is murdered, too.

    But the detective's relationship with Fran Hunter may have clouded his judgment, for this is a crazy time of the year when night blurs into day and nothing is quite as it seems.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Audio
    Release dateMar 10, 2015
    ISBN9781427266439
    White Nights: A Thriller
    Author

    Ann Cleeves

    Ann Cleeves is the author of more than thirty-five critically acclaimed novels, and in 2017 was awarded the highest accolade in crime writing, the CWA Diamond Dagger. She is the creator of popular detectives Vera Stanhope, Jimmy Perez and Matthew Venn, who can be found on television in ITV’s Vera, BBC One’s Shetland and ITV's The Long Call respectively. The TV series and the books they are based on have become international sensations, capturing the minds of millions worldwide. Ann worked as a probation officer, bird observatory cook and auxiliary coastguard before she started writing. She is a member of ‘Murder Squad’, working with other British northern writers to promote crime fiction. Ann also spends her time advocating for reading to improve health and wellbeing and supporting access to books. In 2021 her Reading for Wellbeing project launched with local authorities across the North East. She lives in North Tyneside where the Vera books are set.

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    Reviews for White Nights

    4/5

    522 ratings56 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I didn't enjoy it quite as much as Raven Black, but it could be the start of a reading slump brought on by the first days of spring. I do intend to go on to book 3.
    • 4/5
      I am on a crime reading kick at the moment and starting to work my way through the Shetland books. Enjoyable and I didn't guess whodunnit!
    • 4/5
      Set in the Shetland Islands during the Simmer Dim, when the sun barely sets, this novel didn’t work as well for me as the first one. Mostly that was because of the plot, which I found uninteresting until the very end. The characters, however, are well-developed and ima, enjoying learning more about Jimmy Perez, the detective.
    • 5/5
      This is the 2nd book in Ann Cleeves Shetland Island series which is measuring up to be a very engaging series. In this book we learn some more about Shetland Island and it's inhabitants on the far side of the island. These characters have grown up together and know each other very well. When a visitor is suddenly murdered it throws them into a tale-spin as the police are eyeing them up. Ann Cleeves is very clever in spinning this tale which leaves us wondering right down to the last page. She is a slow-paced writer who keeps the pages turning. If you like mystery and secrets then I recommend this book for you.
    • 5/5
      "White Nights" follows "Raven Black" in the Shetland Islands Quartet, but it is not necessary to have read these books in order. I didn't feel that I was missing anything by skipping straight to book two.I'm always curious about the titles of books and how they fit into the story. The phrase "white nights" refers to the constant daylight during the summer months in the extreme Northern hemisphere. Several characters mention the somewhat maddening and sleep disturbing effect that the lack of darkness has on some people and the reader is left to wonder if this will play into the murder mystery. "White Nights" is primarily a who-done-it that I found to be well crafted. I was not able to guess the identity of the murderer. The author did a wonderful job developing the story and keeping me in suspense. I was able to put a few pieces of the whole together before she revealed the identity and motivation of the murderer, but I did not guess the ultimate reveal ahead of time.The characters in "White Nights" were developed well enough to make me care about them and I hope that some of them are/will be recurring in her other Shetland Island books. Beyond the mystery, the author brought up issues regarding the place of family, community and belonging that helped further connect me to the characters.I was very satisfied by the atmosphere of the book. It reminded me somewhat of an Iris Murdoch novel that I read years ago (the title eludes me right now). The extreme Northern setting and harsh landscape of the Shetland Islands gave the novel an edge and a haunting quality that I thought suited the story as did the cloistered atmosphere of a small village where secrets are kept for many years.I've already purchased "Raven Black" and will be running out to buy books three and four in this series when they become available. I highly recommend "White Nights" to mystery lovers and those who like atmospheric reads.Advance Review Edition graciously provided by the publisher through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program.
    • 5/5
      White Nights by Ann Cleeves; (4 1/2*)I enjoy these types of mysteries and not just for the mystery but also for the development of the key characters and the sense of space & time. I am enjoying finding out more about our detective, Perez, and more about the village & its inhabitants. The description of the bleak and stark but beautiful environment intrigues me. Summers are vastly different in the Shetlands from the winters.I think Cleeves does a good job of rolling out her characters & building them. Also I like how she gives the reader hints to help one guess who our villain is. Thus far I have been surprised in both stories I have read in this Shetland series.I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
    • 4/5
      Excellent mystery. I did not see it coming, at all.
    • 4/5
      Enjoyed the story of this book, the characters continued to grow and move with time in the series. The story also has a surprised ending and everything tie together at the end.
    • 5/5
      This is the second of the Shetland series of murder stories, starring Jimmy Perez. I found this one to be more satisfying than "Raven Black", because you had more of Jimmy Perez working his way through the case. Additionally, Ann Cleeves has done a stellar job in bringing the relationships between the people of the islands to life. Her portrayal of Jimmy's and Fran's story is realistic, and you can feel them growing in their relationship. Overall, excellent.
    • 3/5
      A little better than #1; not much.
    • 5/5
      I so enjoyed the Shetland TV series that I wanted to read the books. They have been wonderful reads. This is the second book in the series. Once again, I never saw the ending coming. I love being on the edge of my seat! I also enjoy the descriptions of Shetland - I've never been to there, but I can feel the weather and the wind and see where I would be. Superb writing!
    • 4/5
      I like the characters, particularly Detective Perez. I love the setting. I was surprised by the outcome. I didn't know who the killer was, but I wasn't expecting the result. The characters, dialog, scenery and motives are so compelling in Ann Cleeves' books.
    • 5/5
      Another well written, empathetic mystery involving long held secrets in the Shetland Islands. Jimmys relationship with Fran is deepening, and this mystery centers around an Art opening for Fran and her friend Bella. 4 deaths later we find out the cause. I never would have guessed.
    • 3/5
      White Nights is book two in the Shetland series by Ann Cleeves. I am late getting acquainted with this series; this second book was published in 2010. The good news there is I can jump into the next story without the laboriously long wait for the author to release the latest book. Sometimes it’s nice to discover a series that’s been out a while. White Nights refers to the long period of daylight in the Shetland islands.Our main detective character Jimmy Perez has a starring role again. Book one left it in the air whether he was staying on the island or returning to his childhood home. I haven’t seen the television series but have seen the comparisons about the books vs TV. Seems, as always, they are different. There are quite a few characters to keep up with in the book but it isn’t confusing, unless you stop reading for a bit and then go try and pick it up again. Having been ill recently, that’s what I did and had to reread the previous two chapters.The characters are likable but I’d push Perez to be more animated. He does an awful lot of ruminating over what he should have done in regard to Fran, his love interest. As for the investigative role he’s spot on.The book starts with a person in clown mask, handing out flyers to locals and tourists from a cruise ship. I don't like clowns but that didn't put me off. then we move to an evening at artist Bella Sinclair’s manse featuring a famous musician (Bella’s nephew) and artist Fran Hunter. They are displaying their work and hoping for sales and recognition.It’s not a great turnout, being as clown boy sabotaged the evening by handing out flyers stating the show was canceled. Mystery number one there. During the exhibition, an Englishman staring at a portrait suddenly drops to his knees and starts crying. Perez is at the exhibition with Fran, uncomfortably mingling as a guest and not there in his professional capacity as a police officer. Now he feels the need to get the crying man and see if he needs medical attention.What a drag for Perez, he just wants to enjoy the evening. The Englishman has no identification and claims amnesia. That’s mystery number two. While Perez is checking with other guests to see who he may have arrived with or if anyone knows him, the memory- loss Englishman disappears. Flip another chapter and he’s found hanging, an apparent suicide.Or is it?!We have another death then some old bones discovered in a cave near the cliffs (mysteries three and four!) The bodies are certainly piling up in this small island setting. Sometimes the story moved too slowly, my opinion, yet I wasn’t tempted to toss the book aside. It’s the flavor of the setting, a slower lifestyle and thoughtful conversations. There are only seven books in the series so I aim to finish the Shetland series this year. Maybe I will then check out the DVDs. This book is categorized as a mystery and thriller. More mystery, not so much a thriller.
    • 3/5
      The second entry in Cleeves Shetland series, and it is not nearly as good as the first book. I feel like she mucked up the ending - I had someone different picked for the murderer, and I think mine would have made for a better story. Also, some weird tension between the two lead detectives in this one which didn't really make sense to me since they got along fine in the first book. I like the lead characters and the setting, so I will continue with this series.
    • 4/5
      Set in the Shetland Islands during the Simmer Dim, when the sun barely sets, this novel didn’t work as well for me as the first one. Mostly that was because of the plot, which I found uninteresting until the very end. The characters, however, are well-developed and ima, enjoying learning more about Jimmy Perez, the detective.
    • 2/5
      2.25 starsA stranger has wandered into an art opening on the Shetland Islands, and makes a scene. He is later found dead – it is initially deemed a suicide, but on closer inspection, it appears to be a murder. So, the premise sounds really good. I was hopeful. But, I was also listening to the audio, and it just couldn’t hold my interest. I did follow enough at the start to get my little summary (and it’s why the extra .25 stars), but it really went downhill after that, and I could rarely focus on what was going on. It makes me not want to continue the series, but I feel like I should try the 3rd one, just not on audio, and decide from there. I don’t remember the first book blowing me away, either, though I did rate it as “good”.
    • 3/5
      Love the characterization, love the writing, love the narration, but had a hard time with the mystery itself. Thankfully, the former make this totally worth reading :)
    • 4/5
      Loved this one more than the first in the series! Oh, how I wish I could live there!
    • 3/5
      Cleeves writes characters with depth in locations that make you want to go there. This makes her books easy to read and enjoyable. In the background there is a murder plot of course, but she has a tendency to overdo the misdirection for the sake of a last chapter reveal.
    • 4/5
      Jimmy Perez is back with another murder to solve. I knew from the first book that there was probably going to be a unexpected twist but I still was surprised at the motive. There is a nice exploration of Jimmy's private life - very realistic and not without its bumps and bruises. The setting of artists and the creative world was interesting.
    • 5/5
      A stranger dies in mysterious circumstances not long after speaking to DI Jimmy Perez at a local art event, setting in train a puzzling picture of events from 15 years previously. Captures well the special life of Shetlanders and the strange "white night" in summer when it never really gets dark. Interesting, believable, sympathetic characters and a plot which keeps you guessing.
    • 3/5
      I love the location of this series and summer there, where the sun hardly seems to set. A reasonably interesting mystery here as a stranger appears at a gallery opening, only to show up dead the next morning.
    • 4/5
      Jimmy Perez (from Raven Black) is back in White Nights. Even though this is a sequel it could be read on its own. A few characters are the same but the plot is not a continuation of the first. This time it's midsummer in the Shetland Islands, a time when the sun doesn't set completely and there's always a hint of light. It's the time for insomnia and...murder. A stranger has come to the Shetland Islands to disrupt the art opening of established artist, Bella Sinclair. Crying and creating a scene, he succeeds in ruining the party and then disappears into the night. When the same stranger is found wearing a clown mask and hanging from the rafters in an old fishing shed Jimmy Perez must untangle the mystery. Who was this masked man, why did he create such a disturbance at Bella's party and why is he now dead? Jimmy is sure it's murder. Each question leads Jimmy to clues that further confuse him. When another man is found dead, this time the nephew of Bella Sinclair, it seems obvious someone wants to hurt Bella...but why?
    • 4/5
      I never realized how depressing long summer nights might be, having grown up with that darkening mood descending only in winter. But author Ann Cleeves creates a clear impression of endlessly oppressive days in her second Shetland novel, White Nights. The story can be read alone of course, but it follows pleasingly on from an unmissable first book in the series. Characters and relationships grow in depth and relevance, and for someone who has seen the television series, it’s satisfying to note how the past in these novels grows into the present on screen. There’s a pleasing balance between love and need, beauty and integrity, romance and harmony, and image and truth. Mysteries are hidden in the mists, and the everyday is as real as the crime to be solved in a story that moves with the languidly deceptive calm of secrets, art and life. Ann Cleeves' Shetland feels vividly real, and starkly lit in this haunting tale.Disclosure: It was a birthday present.
    • 5/5
      White Nights is the second book to feature Shetland Island detective, Jimmy Perez. As the book opens, Fran Hunter and a local celebrity artist, Bella Sinclair, are about to hold a joint exhibition of their work at the Herring House, a gallery/cafe in the tiny town of Biddista. Suddenly, a man bursts into tears in front of one of Fran's pictures. Jimmy takes him into the kitchen to calm down, but the man claims to have no idea of who he is, nor does he carry any identification. While Jimmy is seeing if any of the visitors know the man, he vanishes. The next morning, the crying man's dead body is found hanging in the boat shed on the beach.

      The lives of the people who live in Biddista are entwined: they knew each other as children, being at school together whatever their social class, and there isn't much about each others past that they don't know. The atmosphere is remarkable, catching the remoteness and isolation of the islands as well as that small town claustrophobia of a place where it's very difficult to have secrets.

      This is shaping up to be a good solid series, filled with lively, fully fleshed characters and complex and well-handled plots. It kept me guessing right to the end. Quiet and gentle Jimmy Perez is a memorable and attractive character; one strongly identifies with him, his concerns and his love for the lonely but beautiful Shetlands and quite possibly, Fran Hunter. I can't wait for the next book in the series.
    • 4/5
      The White Nights refers to the phenomena in Shetland where it's Northern enough that the Sun doesn't really set during the Summer, which can lead people to be a bit off their form. It can lead to suicides which is the first assumption by Jimmy Perez when a body is found in a communal boat shed. The doctor called to check doubts this and his colleague whom he consults agrees. They bigger mystery is who the person is, he's not local.Taylor gets involved again and follows some leads around England. Jimmy is also dealing with his growing feelings for Fran and their blossoming relationship.I found it quite interesting but it was strange that this was the second book I've read recently with long winters and summers.
    • 5/5
      WHITE NIGHTS by Ann Cleeves is the second title in her SHETLAND series.Detective Inspector, Jimmy Perez, is our main character and must diligently sift through many layers of secrets in order to arrive at the truth of 2 murders and a long ago disappearance.The ‘sense of place’ in this series is incredible. The Shetland Islands Board of Tourism should pay Ms. Cleeves a commission for her brilliantly detailed descriptions of the Islands and inhabitants. If I had the money, I would be on the next ferry!The Islands and characters are described with rich detail and insights into the local culture. The threads of community and multi-generations are ‘knitted with care’ by Ms. Cleeves, just like a Fair Isle sweater.I am very impressed with this series and give it my highest recommendation.
    • 4/5
      Summers in the Shetland Isles are long long days followed by white nights, when the sun never truly sets. Old loves, old acquaintances and old fears resurface and the result: murder.Wonderful setting, which is a character all itself, and a complex mystery that kept me guessing until the very end.
    • 5/5
      Another fabulous traditional police procedural set in Shetland. This one was made into a radio play by the BBC a year or more ago and I remember it haunting me at the time, mostly because of the stress laid on how the simmer dim causes sleeplessness and irrational behaviour. I dived straight into this one after Raven Black and loved it just as much - then found, to my delight, I'd bought the fourth one, too! I haven't enjoyed a series so much for ages.