Chapter Thirty-Five – The Killing Stones: Summary & Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Jimmy Perez drives to Finstown to interview Miles about the death of Anthony Johnson. He finds Miles digging obsessively in the walled garden, trying to stay sane after George’s death. Miles confirms that Johnson visited him the previous evening, making wild threats and demanding that George’s book be stopped. Miles refused to let him inside and soon after was visited by the island archaeologist Paul Rutherford, who stayed most of the night. Perez then informs Miles that Johnson has been found murdered at the Stones of Stenness. Miles reacts with laughter, explaining that he had fantasised about killing Johnson there with a kitchen knife – the same location where Johnson had filmed his television programme. Miles is calmer now and plans to attend the Ba’ game, where he will give a tribute to George. Perez returns home to spend Christmas Eve with his family, but receives a call from Belinda Thorne, the dog‑walker, who has remembered something important. After the call, Perez shares a new theory with Willow, and together they discuss how to find the proof needed.

Key Events

Perez visits Miles’s house in Finstown; the garden is dark, fairy lights are on the wall.
Miles admits he has been digging all day to cope with grief.
Perez learns that Johnson came to Miles’s house the previous evening, shouting and threatening George’s reputation.
Paul Rutherford arrived unexpectedly, interrupting Johnson’s tirade, and stayed with Miles until late.
Perez tells Miles that Johnson has been murdered at the Stones of Stenness.
Miles reacts with a shocked laugh and confesses he had fantasised about stabbing Johnson at that very spot.
Miles is asked to speak and throw up the boys’ ba’ at the Christmas Ba’ game in honour of George.
Perez returns home to Willow, James, and a video call with Cassie in Shetland.
Willow reports that Belinda Thorne called; Perez immediately contacts her.
Belinda’s information causes Perez to form a new, more coherent theory; he and Willow discuss a plan to find concrete evidence.

Character Development

Jimmy Perez: His suspicion of Miles intensifies when he learns of Johnson’s visit and Miles’s admitted fantasy. Yet Perez remains empathetic, recognising that grief can distort behaviour. After Belinda’s call, his investigative instinct sharpens into a focused theory.
Miles: Reveals a complex mix of raw grief, controlled anger, and dark humour. His confession about imagining Johnson’s death shows a capacity for ruthless fantasy, but his actual actions – gardening, seeking company, agreeing to speak at the Ba’ – suggest he is managing his emotions. His background as a former Foreign Office employee hints at hidden depths.
Willow: Becomes increasingly involved in the investigation, offering a practical suggestion to find proof after Perez shares his new idea.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Grief and Ritual: Miles’s obsessive digging is a physical outlet for loss. The Ba’ game, a traditional Orkney sport, becomes a ritual through which the community honours the dead (Archie and George) and allows Miles to perform a public tribute.
Deception and Appearance: Miles’s polished exterior contrasts with the violent fantasies he admits to. The motif of disguise is reinforced by Perez’s observation that a former spy would be adept at dissembling.
Light and Darkness: The fairy lights in the garden, the stark kitchen spotlights, and the winter dusk all mirror the moral ambiguity and illumination of hidden truths.
Christmas as Counterpoint: The domestic warmth of Perez’s home (video calls, hot chocolate, silver teasel “weed”) juxtaposes the grim investigation, emphasising the cost of the murders on ordinary life.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter pivots the investigation. Johnson’s murder eliminates one prime suspect (Archie’s killer) and forces Perez to re‑evaluate motives. Miles’s confession of a revenge fantasy provides a psychological but not forensic link. Most importantly, Belinda Thorne’s phone call supplies the catalyst that unifies previously disconnected facts into a fresh theory. The chapter ends with Perez and Willow planning a new line of inquiry, raising the stakes as Christmas Day begins.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Miles laugh when Perez tells him Johnson is dead?
Miles laughs because he had been imagining Johnson’s death in that exact location – the Stones of Stenness – as part of a revenge fantasy. The unexpected confirmation of the fantasy brings a release of tension, but he quickly apologises, acknowledging the reaction was unseemly.
What new piece of information does Belinda Thorne provide, and how does it change Perez’s thinking?
Belinda recalls a detail (not specified in the excerpt) that connects previously isolated clues. Perez describes the effect as “the spark setting fire,” and he shares a coherent theory with Willow, gaining momentum toward solving the case.
What role does the Ba’ game play in this chapter’s development of character and theme?
The Ba’ game serves as a communal ritual for mourning and honouring the victims. Miles agrees to participate by throwing up the ba’ and giving a speech, showcasing his struggle between private grief and public duty. It also reinforces the motif of tradition and continuity in Orcadian culture, contrasting with the violent disruptions of murder.