Ann Cleeves will launch her fifth ‘Shetland’ novel, Dead Water, on Thursday 31st of January, in Mareel Auditorium at 7.30pm, in an event presented by Shetland Arts in partnership with Promote Shetland and Pan MacMillan.

The novel, which will be published in the UK by Pan MacMillan on the 31st of January, features the return of Inspector Jimmy Perez, who teams up with Willow Reeves to investigate the death of journalist Jerry Markham who was chasing a story in the heart of the North Sea oil and gas industry.

Ann Cleeves is well known in Shetland and has many friends here. She is best known for her Inspector Ramsay novels, set in Northumberland, her Shetland Quartet, and her Vera Stanhope series, which has recently been televised on ITV and stars Brenda Blethyn.

BBC One produced a two part drama, starring Doug Henshall and featuring Shetland’s very own Steven Robertson, based on Red Bones the third novel from Ann’s Shetland Quartet.

Her novel, Raven Black, the first book of the Shetland Quartet, won the inaugural Duncan Lawrie Dagger, the richest crime-writing prize in the world, awarded annually by the Crime Writers Association.

As well as readings from the novel, by a Shetland actor, the event will feature a discussion between Ann and leading Forensic Pathologist, Dr James Grieve. Dr Grieve is a Senior Lecturer in Forensic Medicine at the Department of Pathology at the University of Aberdeen and a Police Forensic Pathologist for the North East and Grampian area.

He has carried out numerous post-mortem investigations including sudden unexpected natural events, suicides, homicides and accidents, as well as deaths possibly resulting from medical mishap. He regularly gives evidence in the criminal courts and at Fatal Accident Inquiries.

Shetland Arts Literature Development Officer, Donald Anderson said: “This promises to be fascinating and a thoroughly enjoyable event for all readers of crime fiction and for anybody who is interested in the nitty gritty of forensic pathology. Ann Cleeves and Dr James Grieve are highly entertaining speakers. It is also a great privilege for us to have the opportunity to host the launch of this novel on the day of its publication.”

Tickets for the launch are free but booking is strongly recommended as the event is expected to be popular. Tickets will be available on Friday 21 December via Shetland Box Office in Mareel and Islesburgh, over the phone on 01595 745 555, or online at www.mareel.org or www.shetlandboxoffice.org

Dead Water will be published in the UK by Pan Macmillan on 31st January 2013: it is already available for advance order from Amazon (ISBN: 978-0=2307-6017-2).

Source: Shetland Arts