Thin Air by Ann Cleeves (3 stars)

Read dates: 09-31 March 2020

In Thin Air, a group of people from London come to the most northerly Shetland island of Unst for a hamefarin’. One of them disappears and is eventually found dead. While the plot starts in a promising way, the development is too long and drawn out, the conclusion very unsatisfactory. I do not believe motive or capacity for a moment. Even the last part, where traditionally the detectives meet to answer any unclear questions about the case – I love this, it is very Socratic – is a little half-hearted. The rating gets one full star just because of the repetition of the word peerie, one my favourites in the Scots language.

I was going to continue with the Shetland series, but I have just been recommended the William McIlvanney trilogy and I do fancy a change of scenery to … round the corner from me …