Initially based upon the novels of ann cleeves, the series was brought to. Apr 11, 2020 douglas henshall who won a bafta for the role plays detective inspector jimmy perez, a oneofakind, conscientious and thorough cop who manages a small police department on the scotland archipeligo. The shetland murder mysteries, featuring jimmy perez ann cleeves. This tweeter wasnt the only person who felt the desire to put an arm round emotional wreck jimmy perez. Meet ann jarrold, the norwich store, hosts an evening with ann cleeves on monday, september 10.
Jimmy perez is an interesting central character a good, kind man but not perfect. Di jimmy perez and his team investigate crimes within the close knit island community of shetland. But there will be no more jimmy perez in fiction though there might well be on the screen. He comes from the island of whalsay and red bones was written and set there to give him more depth, more of a back story. It may be permanently dark, plagued by murder and with residents who communicate only by glaring, but the bbc1 drama is still nice at this time of year.
Meet the cast and characters of shetland series 4 radio times. Peter robinson the betrayal of those closest burns most of all. Author cleeves considers killing off shetland detective jimmy perez. One big difference between the books and the tv series is the appearance of our lead character, the doggedly determined detective jimmy perez. Detective inspector jimmy perez is the main character appearing in the bbc one adaptation of ann cleevess shetland. The series stars douglas henshall as jimmy perez, a detective inspector working for. The shetland murder mysteries, featuring jimmy perez. Bbc one shetland introducing the characters and stories. Douglas henshall who won a bafta for the role plays detective inspector jimmy perez, a oneofakind, conscientious and thorough cop who manages a small police department on. The leads vulnerability made fans feel empathy with the character. I asked if she could find a traditional fair isle tune to start it off, says cleeves. Ann cleeves is the author behind itvs vera and bbc ones shetland.
Sandy wilson, perez s junior colleague, is a character who develops a lot over the eight books. Set in the isolated scottish shetland isles, detective inspector perez and his police colleagues become entwined in the. And now, when youre writing shetland, who do you see in your mind the character you first described or doug henshall. The series is made by silverprint pictures for bbc one. Shetland detective jimmy perez knows it will be a difficult homecoming when he returns to the fair isles to introduce his fiancee, fran, to his parents. Based on the successful series of novels by acclaimed author ann cleeves, the detective drama shetland in its fourth season on the independent. Ann cleeves biography, family, husband, shetland series. Ann cleeves on writing the final shetland book wild fire.
She has two series and a number of standalones to her name. If you are fascinated by jimmy perez and his crimesolving adventures, youll love the real place. The soothmoothers, a short story about jimmy perez by ann. Louise penny on blue lightning gripping from start to finish. Sep 11, 2018 author ann cleeves talks about her farewell to the character of jimmy perez as she publishes wild fire, the final book in her shetland series. Introducing the characters and stories in the new series of shetland. Anglophiles will be hardpressed to find a more intriguing murdermystery police procedure television series than with the five seasons and soon to be seven seasons of the bbcs shetland. As a fan first of the bbc series based on the books, i took delight in the prospect of getting to know the characters cleeves had written a bit better since di jimmy perez is a. The composition, a tune for jimmy perez, was written by shetlander and musician cathy geldard. As mentioned in the ann cleeves introduction, my soninlaw andrew comes from shetland, so i had been looking out for these books for some time. Windswept british settings arent just a pretty backdrop. With all its sweeping visuals and cinematic atmosphere, you might be forgiven for thinking the crime series was conceived and written directly for television. Di perez is the lead inspector for the shetland police and works out of the lerwick police station. So she has written a new mystery featuring detective inspector jimmy perez from her bestselling shetland series.
Series five of shetland is now available to buy on dvd. As far as mystery stories go, this series definitely has readers hooked on its suspense. Jimmy perez played by douglas henshall after the death of his wife, fran, several years ago, di jimmy perez moved back to shetland to create a secure home for himself and his daughter cassie. Shetland is a scottish television crime drama television series, made by itv studios for the bbc and broadcast on bbc one, that first broadcast on 10 march 20. Raven black is the first of a quartet of books about di jimmy perez, set in shetland. An unknown englishman seemingly collapses into weeping at the opening of a shetland art show. I might kill off jimmy perez could shetlands tosh get her own spinoff. Author cleeves considers killing off shetland detective jimmy. After the death of his wife, fran, several years ago, di jimmy perez moved back to shetland to. Too good to be true is a gripping quick read which takes jimmy perez away from his home territory, all the way south to the borders. Apr, 2017 now cleeves american publisher is introducing both cleeves vera series and another featuring jimmy perez, a police detective in the shetland islands, with the simultaneous u. Various original characters pass through including a hound and some otters. He starts off as pretty incompetent and very insensitive, but he grows up over time.
The islands are every bit as spectacular as on tv, but with one of the lowest crime rates in the world. But, above all else, shetland is a really good crime. Character profile for jimmy perez from raven black shetland. Originally intended as a quartet, the series has continued on and is currently ongoing. Wild fireann cleeves wraps her story of shetland cop jimmy.
Douglas henshall di jimmy perez episodes 202020 steven robertson pc sandy wilson episodes 202020 mark bonnar duncan hunter episodes 202020. Aug 02, 2016 all the vital ingredients of a good detective series are present in these shetland books. I know from the books that fran was married to duncan hunter and they had a daughter, cassie. After the death of his wife, fran, several years ago, di jimmy. Detective inspector jimmy perez played by douglas henshall. Stories in the shetland books featuring jimmy perez couldnt have worked if theyd been set on the mainland rather than on the remote islands north of scotland, and i cant imagine. Now cleeves american publisher is introducing both cleeves vera series and another featuring jimmy perez, a police detective in the shetland islands, with the simultaneous u. Ive just finished all 8 of the shetland series by ann cleeves and really enjoyed them. A second series of books was added, starting in 20. Ann cleeves is the author of both the vera stanhope and jimmy perez novels.
Douglas henshall plays jimmy perez as a curiosity its worth taking a look at shetland and youll discover its a truly beautiful place. Bbc douglas henshall plays jimmy perez media centre. As often is the case, the books and this series differ on many points. Sep 03, 2019 jimmy perez is an interesting central character a good, kind man but not perfect. Contains plotlines from shetland series 3, episode 5. Challenging to live on at the best of times, with the autumn storms raging, the island feels cut off from the rest of the world. Wild fireann cleeves wraps her story of shetland cop. For the theme of the novel, i needed a character who was an outsider, and so jimmy perez, the fair islander.
Shetland introducing the characters and stories in the. In 2006 ann was awarded the duncan lawrie dagger cwa gold dagger for best crime novel, for raven black, the first book in her shetland series. Cleeves has commissioned a piece of fiddle music to mark the end of the shetland books. Shetland takes as its point of departure the characters and settings of anns awardwinning series of novels, but over five series has developed. Loved the main character jimmy perez, a policeman in shetland, and his quiet way of listening to and drawing out the people he interviews. It was written for radio 4s red herrings series, and broadcast on april 30th 2009, read by marnie baxter. In addition to the four novels which make up her shetland quartet, ann cleeves has also written a short story, the soothmoothers, which features jimmy perez. Detective jimmy perez comes from shetland to investigate the death. Why did you decide that wild fire would be the final shetland book.
This series features inspector jimmy perez, and is set in and around the shetland islands. Author cleeves considers killing off shetland detective. Perez and tosh find themselves being pursued by the secret service as their investigation in norway continues, but when their prime suspect, mathias soderland, is found shot in the head whilst bearing a sign reading traitor, they are forced to return to shetland. By telegraphing through his looks the appearance of new arrivals back in 1588, kind of like invaders even though they washed up, it puts jimmy in a subtle way outside the locals world. The shetland island series is a series of mysterythriller novels by english author ann cleeves. On accidentally discovering the books, elaine collins knew they were ripe for the telly treatment and everything followed from there. Hes captured the character his strength and compassion. Initially based upon the novels of ann cleeves, the series was brought to screen by david kane, who has remained a principal writer through all five series.
Filming on location in shetland will take place in 2020. Shetland stars glaswegian hottie douglas henshall primeval, collision, the silence as di jimmy perez, a widowed, downtoearth, highlyfocused, and idealistic cop who believes his hometown is a safe haven. Author ann cleeves talks about her farewell to the character of jimmy perez as she publishes wild fire, the final book in her shetland series. Her books have now sold over 1 million copies worldwide. Aug 19, 2017 as a fan first of the bbc series based on the books, i took delight in the prospect of getting to know the characters cleeves had written a bit better since di jimmy perez is a particularly attractive protagonist, and i was anything but disappointed, prepared as i was to be trifled with. Theres some light day hiking, lerwick tesco, hints at alcohol problems, a bit of alice brooks, visits to fair isle and to the lounge, and the return to shetland of. The television series is based on a series of novels by british author ann cleeves, who chose to set her police story in the sparse, cold. Before them though shetland needed to set up its main character, detective jimmy perez, played by scottish drama stalwart douglas henshall. Raven black is the first of a planned quartet of books set on the island of shetland, one of a large group of small islands to the north of scotland of which only fifteen are inhabited. He is best known for his roles as professor nick cutter in itvs primeval and di jimmy perez.
In regards to the characters, jimmy perez develops because there are tragedies in his life. Ann cleeves began her shetland island series in 1997 with raven black. With douglas henshall, alison odonnell, steven robertson, erin armstrong. He lives on shetland with his step daughter cassie when she is not away at. Ann cleeves is back with the sixth book in her shetland series featuring inspector jimmy perez, whom readers will remember from raven black, white nights, red bones, blue lightning, and dead water.
Douglas henshall will be returning in the key role of detective inspector jimmy perez, the character. In the books he is of spanish ancestry with dark hair and olive skin a black shetlander. But the book was more successful than anything else id written and readers seemed to love the shetland background, so we thought it would run to a short series. Originally intended as a quartet, the series has continued on and. Shetland takes as its point of departure the characters and settings of ann. The book series vera stanhope and jimmy perez have all been adapted for a screenplay. It didnt show the attack on the victim and it wasnt there to shock or. Doug henshall on shetland series 4, outlander, and more. Wild fire is the muchanticipated final entry in ann cleevess beloved shetland series, which is now a hit television show starring douglas henshall. The novels and the characters are so much better than the tv version, which i gave up halfway into the first episode, only to rejoin later because the shetland islands presence had overridden my prejudice against the wrongness of the characters and their stories. Sandy wilson, perezs junior colleague, is a character who develops a lot over the eight books. The bbc has announced that the hit crime drama shetland will return for two more series with douglas henshall reprising his role as di jimmy perez alongside series regulars alison odonnell and steven robertson. The soothmoothers, a short story about jimmy perez by ann cleeves.
I think it is more important to get a fine actor than to get someone who looks right. Learn more about the real shetland and the books by ann cleeves. Though, in the books, with his mediterranean looks from many generations back, it kind of was important it seemed to the character. Anns bestselling books have been turned into a primetime bbc series, starring glasgowborn douglas henshall as the central character tasked. Perez questions duncan about a videotape of a birthday party which lizzie attended in the days before her death, in which he was present. Raven black is ann cleeves 19th novel and im wondering why i wasnt aware of her before now. Jimmy perez investigates a series of homophobic attacks while sorting out his and duncans coexistence. As the name suggests the basic setting is the shetland island with the story centered on the life of inspector jimmy perez. Jimmy perez watches the flood of mud and water smash. Jimmy was born and raised on fair isle and recently moved to shetland after the death of his wife. I couldnt stop reading until i was done and have recommended the books to friends.
The featured character in the series is inspector jimmy perez. Shetland island is a series of six primary works span by well known britains duncan lawrie dagger award winning author ann cleeves. Ann cleeves shetland series collection 8 books set book 1. She has written over twentyfive novels, and is the creator of detectives vera stanhope and jimmy perez characters loved both on screen and in print. One of the best books by the author is raven black, which is the first installment in the shetland islands book series. The shetland series is a bestselling, criticallyacclaimed series of crime novels by ann cleeves, which has also been made into a hit tv series on bbc one starring douglas henshall as detective inspector jimmy perez. For more on the case, and the cast and characters, read on below. Were delighted that jimmy perez will be returning to our screens with a new series of shetland. Winner of britains coveted duncan lawrie dagger the electrifying follow up to the awardwinning an island shrouded in mist and a community with shetland detective jimmy perez knows it will be a ann cleeves returns to her critically acclaimed. Douglas, 52, was born november 19, 1965, in glasgow and is a scottish actor. The series is based on the bestselling books by crime writer ann cleeves and is now written specifically for tv. Hardcover paperback kindle shetland island is a series of six primary works span by well known britains duncan lawrie dagger award winning author ann cleeves. Jimmy perez as described in the books looks nothing like doug henshall who plays him in the shetland series.
Cold earth during winter torrential rain triggers a landslide that crosses the main road and sweeps down to the sea in shetland. Hit island crime drama shetland to return for two more. The books vs the television series shetland drama channel. As his name suggests, hes supposed to have spanish ancestry, and in the novels hes described as oliveskinned and rather swarthy, with wild black hair and a kind of exotic otherness to him which makes him stand out among the locals of shetland. No, perez isnt a typical scottish last name, but jimmy does explain how it came to be his in one of the episodes.
Meet the cast and characters of shetland shetland star mark bonnar. Again the lead character is jimmy perez, the local detective inspector. This is the second novel in a shetland islands quartet again the lead character is jimmy perez, the local detective inspector. The shetland rape episode reflected horrific reality.