Ann Cleeves

Vera Stanhope's protege, Joe Ashforth, and his young daughter Jessie are on scene when a saintly elderly woman is stabbed on the crowded Metro shortly before Christmas. Although neither of them witness the actual crime (and no one else in the carriage seems to have seen it either), it is poor Jessie who discovers that the woman is dead. As Vera's investigation proceeds, everyone's past seems to hold clues, and the dead woman's history is particularly interesting to Vera, although honestly show more not terribly surprising to this reader. There are many connections among characters, and we bite our nails waiting for the inevitable peril our girl Jessie must find herself in (nice twist on that, though). I still struggle with the author's attitude toward her main character--I feel Cleeves does not like Vera very much, and certainly does not approve of her personal habits. Yet she has created a complicated woman with emotional baggage, whose skills and talents are admirable, who recognizes her own prejudices but does little about them, and who makes some nearly earnest attempts to modify her behavior for the sake of her health, not her appearance. show less

Vera’s next case takes on a personal dimension: one half of the couple who lives next door has gone missing, and the other half asks Vera to find her. Vera tracks her down to a writer’s retreat. However, she’s not about to be able to leave that easily: one of the lecturers has been murdered, and Vera’s neighbour is the prime suspect, given that she was found with a knife in her hand. A closed circle of suspects, a close connection to the case: this has some of the trappings of a show more classic murder mystery. But Vera is not one for the cozy; she will use her own brand of policing to get the job done.

I liked the setting and could imagine it very well. It was interesting to bring in Vera’s neighbours in this fifth book in the series, well after Vera has been established as a character. That’s sometimes the problem with the cozier mysteries out there; they bring in a case with a personal connection in book 1 and then the series arc becomes increasingly improbable with each book. At least Vera has a legitimate reason for investigating (even if she is supposed to be keeping her distance more…).

This was a book I could not put down once I picked it up. I like the dynamics of Vera’s team and how their different strengths complement each other. I found myself rolling my eyes at Joe a bit more in this one given his attraction to one of the people on the writer’s retreat; it reminded me of how I sometimes roll my eyes at Jimmy Perez when he is attracted to someone. But I liked the story and the setting and found this a most diverting mystery. On to Harbour Street! show less

Any time spent with Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope is well spent, and The Dark Wives is no exception. Vera and her team are still reeling from events in the previous book (The Rising Tide). Vera is very much affected, and she finds herself not only thinking of her own mortality but also trying to work on her management style.

It will come as no surprise to longtime readers of this series that the interactions between the characters are an integral part of the book. The new detective constable, show more Rosie Bell, is smart, ambitious, and wants to get ahead. She believes that anticipating what Vera wants will be very important to her upward rise in the police force. Vera's righthand man, Joe Ashworth, doesn't react well to Rosie's methods, so the two can be a bit competitive. Kath Oliver, a woman well versed in the system of care homes for troubled teenagers, is a character I wouldn't mind seeing more of-- and neither would Vera as she found Oliver to be a kindred spirit. However, for me, the strongest character outside of Vera herself is the fourteen-year-old Chloe Spence, even though her presence is only felt through the pages of a diary she left behind.

As usual, the mystery is a strong one, rooted in the Northumberland countryside and the folklore surrounding the Dark Wives (Northumberland's answer to Stonehenge). The privatization of care homes for children plays an important part that touches Vera deeply. ("It doesn't seem right to be making a profit from troubled children.")

As always, a mesmerizing blend of characters, landscape, folklore, and mystery, The Dark Wives is another compelling addition to the Vera Stanhope series.

(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley) show less

In telling us the tale of the life, and death, of Jeremy (Jem) Rosco, this author sucks us into a place where the sea dominates everything in life. The mood is set with vivid descriptions of the sea, the storms, and the insular people who live in this small village where narcissism and obsession seem to run rampant.

As the son of a single mother, Jem Rosco had been looked down upon. He wasn’t accepted as an equal among his peers – and you’ll vacillate between thinking him a good guy and show more a bad guy. Whatever you decide about him, you will know he didn’t deserve to die the way he did or be left the way he was. Why would he return to North Devon after decades away? What drew him back? WHO drew him back? He told everyone he was waiting for someone. Was he? He was now a world-famous adventurer, television personality, and author – what in the world could he want in Greystone?

Inspector Matthew Venn is fairly new to leading his team and they are still adjusting to each other’s idiosyncrasies. Matthew had a strict upbringing as part of the religious cult, the Barum Brethren. That upbringing still causes him issues – especially in places like Greystone where the Brethren have a strong presence. Jen Rafferty is a contradiction, but a good sergeant. It took her years to escape an abusive marriage and now she’s filled with self-doubt about her parenting skills. Jen likes to drink and have a good time since she missed out on all of that by marrying too young and having babies too young. Ross May is also a conundrum. He has aspirations for finer things – he has the showcase wife (whom he actually loves) – and he dresses extremely well. Oh! And he’s the golden child of Venn’s boss – Superintendent Joe Oldham. Can such a disparate bunch ever solve such a convoluted crime as this one? You bet they can!

I’ve loved the character growth of the team over the three books of the series and I can’t wait to see where they are going. This case was a very puzzling one and each of the three on the team worked to their strengths and came up with an astounding solution. Believe me, you won’t know who the villain is – even when you start eliminating all of the red herrings.

I can definitely recommend this excellently written, well-plotted, perfectly paced story to you. I’ve just finished this one and I’m already anxious for the next one. I hope you’ll enjoy the book as much as I did. Happy Reading!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. show less