50. Raven Black by Ann Cleeves

The cold, harsh, snowy winter of Scotland’s Shetland Islands is the setting for this dark mystery. Fran Hunter is walking home after dropping her young daughter off at school when she sees a spot of red on white snow with a circle of black ravens flying above it. The red is actually from the scarf of a dead girl who Fran finds strangled to death. Teenager Catherine Ross was known throughout the small community for making a documentary about the Shetland Islands and was last seen getting off a bus with local eccentric Magnus Tait. Magnus not only was the last person to see Catherine, but was also questioned eight years ago when another local girl went missing. Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez must sort through all the clues and local characters to find young Catherine’s killer.

Setting is key for the success of this mystery novel. The bleak landscape perfectly set during the harsh winter months adds to the dark mystery surrounding the death of the young girl. The community is especially close to one another and full of eccentric characters and rituals. A popular writer in the UK, this is the first in a new series for Cleeves.