The Killing Stones

During a midwinter storm on the Orkney island of Westray, Archie Stout has an argument and decides to call his old friend, Detective Jimmy Perez, in the morning about a troubling problem. Before he can leave, he is confronted by a figure he recognizes.

In Orkney, Perez’s pregnant partner, Willow Reeves, returns home with their son, James, to find a note explaining Perez has gone to Westray. Archie is missing, and his wife, Vaila, is frantic. The next morning, a distraught Perez calls Willow: He found Archie’s body at the Links of Noltland, an archaeological site. He confirms it is murder by blunt force trauma.

While waiting for his colleagues, Sergeant Ellie Shearer and Constable Phil Bain, Perez begins his investigation at Nistaben, the Stout family farm. There, Vaila recounts the previous day: Archie seemed restless after a phone call, spent the afternoon delivering firewood, and then left for the Pierowall Hotel but never arrived. His car was found parked nearby. Perez recalls finding Archie’s body next to a square stone with Neolithic carvings, which he recognizes as one of two story stones from the local heritage center, where Vaila sits on the committee.

These story stones are notable for each bearing an inscription. When translated, the first stone reads, “Hear my stories and know death,” and the second reads, “I am Olaf, teller of tales” (79). Perez suspects the use of the story stone suggests premeditation.

At Pierowall Hotel, landlord Bill MacBride and his wife, Annie, tell Perez about a rumored affair between Archie and Rosalie Greeman, a jewelry maker. They also mention the hotel’s guests: Professor Tony Johnson and his wife, Barbara. Annie later calls Perez to report that both story stones are missing from the heritage center. Perez and Willow then interview Rosalie, who denies a sexual relationship but admits Archie was infatuated with her. She recalls that he seemed troubled by an “island matter” the day he died. Vaila confirms she has a key to the heritage center as a committee member.

Believing Perez is too personally involved, Willow sends him back to Kirkwall with Valia and Archie’s body, while she stays on Westray to interview hotel guests. Tony and Barbara Johnson explain their connection to the island through a past archaeological dig. They confirm their alibi for the night of the murder: dinner with Vaila’s parents, Tom and Evelyn Angel. Meanwhile, Phil Bain discovers that a well-known history teacher, George Riley, was on the ferry to Westray the day of the murder. Willow next interviews Archie’s sons, Lawrie and Iain, as well as Nat Wilkinson, a local artist who reveals that George Riley, stranded by the storm, stayed with him on the night of the murder.

George Riley returns to Orkney and arranges to meet Perez at the Maeshowe burial chamber for the winter solstice. Perez arrives to find Riley’s body stuffed in a side chamber, killed with the second story stone, the one that reads, “I am Olaf, teller of tales” (79). The investigation reveals a new motive when Orkney archaeologist Paul Rutherford reveals that George Riley believed Professor Johnson had committed academic fraud. The research on the story stones that made Johnson famous was actually the work of Archie’s father, Magnus Stout. Archie had given Magnus’s notebooks to George, who planned to expose Johnson in a children’s book.

Willow discovers Magnus’s notebooks are missing from the heritage center and that the Johnsons have fled Westray. Tom and Evelyn Angel confess to giving Vaila’s key to the Johnsons, allowing them to steal the notebooks. The next morning, Tony Johnson’s body is found at the Stones of Stenness, stabbed with a common knife. Willow finds Barbara Johnson alone and distraught in her car at a ferry terminal, having just heard the news. All three murder sites were featured in Johnson’s television series.

On Christmas Day, the community gathers in Kirkwall for the traditional street game. Many Westray residents attend to honor Archie and support his son Lawrie, who is playing. During the game, Perez receives crucial information from the grammar school head teacher, Lucy Martindale: George Riley had discovered that Lawrie was grooming and blackmailing female students at the school hostel. After the game, Perez arrests Lawrie, who confesses to all three murders.

George Riley had informed Archie of Lawrie’s behavior. During a confrontation, an enraged Archie threatened to disinherit his son. Lawrie followed his father to the Noltland dig site and bludgeoned him from behind with the story stone. Lawrie then killed Riley at Maeshowe to silence him, using the second stone to mislead the police. Finally, he killed Tony Johnson, who had seen him at the Noltland crime scene and was attempting to blackmail him into signing a letter supporting his fraudulent claim to Magnus’s research. Perez informs a devastated Vaila of her son’s confession. That night, Perez reflects on the case with Willow and, despite the emotional toll, resolves to continue his work.