BookBingeShetland Books in Order
A thoughtful island detective investigates murders in a Shetland community where everyone knows everyone, and secrets run deep.
Here is the complete Shetland reading order — all 9 books by Ann Cleeves, in the order you should read them:
Publication order (recommended)
- Raven Black(2006)
- White Nights(2008)
- Red Bones(2009)
- Blue Lightning(2010)
- Dead Water(2013)
- Thin Air(2014)
- Cold Earth(2016)
- Wild Fire(2018)
- The Killing Stones(2025)
Good news: for this series, publication order and chronological order are the same — just read straight down the list.
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Get BookBingeFrequently asked questions
How many books are in the Shetland series?
There are 9 books in the Shetland series by Ann Cleeves, beginning with Raven Black (2006) and most recently The Killing Stones (2025).
What is the first Shetland book?
The first book is Raven Black, published in 2006. That's where new readers should start.
Should I read Shetland in publication or chronological order?
Publication and chronological order are identical for this series, so just follow the list.