Slow to start, with some characters that seemed to me to be familiar from earlier books in the series, not intentionally, but just as “types” we have seen before. For me, these characters did not come alive as individuals as much as in earlier novels in the series, in particular four of the adult characters: the Flemings and the Moncrieffs. These are all caricatures straight out of Midsomer Murders. Perez’s ward Cassie seems to have become a bit of a burden for the author, and almost a victim of neglect by Perez. The idyllic surroundings of the island take a sudden turn when the body of a young nanny is found dead in one of the family's out-buildings. All eyes turn toward Helena and Daniel. Is there a connection here with Emma? If not, then why was her body found on their property? The judging panel consisted of Geoff Bradley (non-voting Chair), Lyn Brown MP (a committee member on the London Libraries service), Frances Gray (an academic who writes about and teaches courses on modern crime fiction), Heather O'Donoghue (academic, linguist, crime fiction reviewer for The Times Literary Supplement, and keen reader of all crime fiction) and Barry Forshaw (reviewer and editor of Crime Time magazine).

In Wild Fire we see how deep a person can be damaged by his experiences and how much pain he can inflict to the people around him because of them! Deft plotting, strong characters and the masterful evocation of a rugged landscape make this a splendid ending to an excellent series."

Review

Families falling apart because of every day problems they don't know how to handle and how easy it is for a person to sneak in and mess with them and also how self centred people may force others to take actions to lead up even to murder! But also how people can overcome problems and stand up to the challenges thrown at them! Another novel from this series is The Baby Snatcher. This was published in 1997 and is the last book in the Inspector Ramsey series. As any writer, Ann’s work continues to grow meaning that The Baby Snatcher is just as thrilling, if not more than the earlier work in the series. This book is about Inspector Ramsey’s interactions with a young girl named Marilyn Howe. When she appears on his doorstep acting distressed and claiming that her mother has gone missing, he kindly invites her in. It's a long way from Shetland - but Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez is on the spot. His ex-wife, Sarah, has asked him to look into the case. The local gossips are saying that her new husband, Tom, was having an affair with Anna. Could Tom have been involved with her death? Sarah refuses to believe it - but needs proof ... Ann Cleeves sets the stage, once again, in the atmospheric wonderland of Shetland Island. Wedging your way into the confines of this close knit community is a steep challenge for newcomers. Helena and her husband, Daniel, have brought their family to a start-over home in this rugged terrain. Both young Ellie and Christopher are scrutinized by the Mom Squad as they wait each morning to enter the doors of the local school.

Wild Fire' is the eighth and final book in the international bestselling Shetland series featuring DI Jimmy Perez. Although it's preferable to have read the previous seven novels to understand the evolution of the characters and their lives, it does actually work as a standalone too. I am a huge Cleeves fan and love both her books and the TV series' that are adapted from said novels. Ann Cleeves said: "What better way to celebrate the last of the Perez books than by raising a glass of Wild Fire gin produced in the islands by the wonderful Shetland Reel?" This move may have been the most important move of Cleeves life, as it was where her love and talent for writing started. By 1987, the Cleeves family, which now included two young daughters, moved to Northumberland. This is why so many of her novels use the Northumberland as their main setting. Even though the two victims have their issues and might make you feel sad about them I couldn't bring myself to feel any sympathy for them. Winner of two Scottish Baftas: Shetland itself won best television drama, and Douglas Henshall, who plays detective inspector Jimmy Perez, was named best television actor. Director Jan Matthys (best director film/television) and Gaby Chiappe (best writer film/television) were also nominated. Series 4How did you find the experience of seeing your series adapted for television? Was there a particular story that you loved seeing come to life on screen?