Ann Cleeves wrote eight Shetland novels about DI Jimmy Perez, published from 2006 to 2018. The BBC series adapted only four of them, all in its first two series. Every series since series 3 (2016) has been an original story written for television, so if youâre reading the books, youâll leave the showâs plots behind after Blue Lightning.
Series 11 starts on BBC One in the U.K. on November 12, 2026. BritBox hasnât announced a U.S. date yet; the Shetland show page will have it as soon as itâs confirmed.
The Shetland books in order
Ann Cleeves groups the novels into two quartets on her website. This is her order, with publication years from her bibliography.
| # | Book | Published | Adapted for TV? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raven Black | 2006 | Yes, series 2 (2014) |
| 2 | White Nights | 2008 | No |
| 3 | Red Bones | 2009 | Yes, the first series (2013) |
| 4 | Blue Lightning | 2010 | Yes, series 2 (2014) |
| 5 | Dead Water | 2013 | Yes, series 2 (2014) |
| 6 | Thin Air | 2014 | No |
| 7 | Cold Earth | 2016 | No |
| 8 | Wild Fire | 2018 | No |
Books 1 to 4 are the Four Seasons Quartet. Books 5 to 8 are the Four Elements Quartet. Thereâs also a Jimmy Perez novella, Too Good To Be True (2016). Ann Cleevesâs 2025 book The Killing Stones is listed separately on her website, under Orkney.
How the TV series used the books
- Series 1 (2013) was a single two-part story based on Red Bones, the third book. The show started mid-series, so it doesnât follow the reading order.
- Series 2 (2014) adapted three books as separate stories: Raven Black, Dead Water and Blue Lightning.
- Series 3 (2016) was the first series not taken from a novel, and series 4 (2018) was also a single original story. Every series since has been written for television.
Four novels never made it to the screen: White Nights, Thin Air, Cold Earth and Wild Fire. Theyâre the best place to start if youâve seen the show and want stories you donât know.
The show and the books also split on the lead. Douglas Henshall played Jimmy Perez in series 1 to 7. From series 8 (2023), Ashley Jensen leads as DI Ruth Calder, a character created for television, so the newest series have no book counterpart at all.
Should you read or watch first?
It depends on what you want.
- To read the books as a series, start with Raven Black. Jimmy Perezâs personal life develops from book to book, and a major event in Blue Lightning shapes the rest of the series.
- If you watch the show first, youâll know how Raven Black, Red Bones, Blue Lightning and Dead Water end, though the TV versions change characters and outcomes in places.
- To keep surprises intact for both, read the first five books before series 1 and 2, then watch.
Where to watch Shetland in the U.S.
Series 10 streams on BritBox, which is also available as a channel on Prime Video and Apple TV. Series 11 has six episodes and runs on BBC One from November 12 to December 17, 2026. Itâs Alison OâDonnellâs last series as DS Alison âToshâ McIntosh. BritBox has usually added new series a few weeks to two months after the BBC run starts, but it hasnât announced a date for series 11.
Sources
Found an error? Report a correction. We update dates as broadcasters change them.
