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In the acknowledgements Ann says 'Thanks to the new team ...who have helped me look at my characters in a new way.' Is this borne out in the book. Do you think this made a difference to the book? Has it made the book better than the others?

I think her "new team" was the television people that was going to bring Vera and her team alive for millions of readers of this series. I had watched several of the television shows before I ever read the first book and that was because I liked the television Vera so much I wanted to see how she compared to the book Vera. I believe because of the new direction this series was headed in...Ann took more time developing and fleshing out the main characters, especially Vera and her team. So...yes I think this effort has made this book a step above the others.

I think this is her best Vera book so far. She did make her characters more lifelike in this book and it is a nice improvement. We got a lot more history on Vera's background. We also got more insight into Joe's character and his thought process in regards to his wife and her complaints about Joe's coming home late all the time.

I liked this book the best too. I think putting the show into production is probably helpful for Ann to see her characters in three dimensions.

>4 Olivermagnus: That must be such a great moment for a writer to see his/her characters come to life...if the producer chooses carefully. They couldn't have done better than Brenda Blethyn and David Leon.

>5 Carol420: I'd make a lousy writer, Carol, I'd be too precious about outside interference and people wanting to influence or change my writing/characterisations...

>1 Andrew-theQM: Yes, the 'new team' has totally transformed the feel of the series.
Don't think I can say that I found it a 'better' book because of this, but it certainly made it a different book.

I think it definitely helped improve the books but looking at book 3 I think Ann was already heading in that direction. I felt it was a much better book until that ending.

It definitely had a different feel to it but I didn't think it was necessarily better. Just different. I really can't compare it to the other books i've read because I don't feel I gave it the same attention.