The Seagull

by Ann Cleeves

Series: Vera Stanhope (8)

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479	17	51,407	(4.01)	1 / 32
Fiction. Mystery. HTML: "Janine Birkett's marvelous narration enhances this riveting mystery, part of the Vera Stanhope series, set on the majestic northeast coast of England...Listeners will appreciate Birkett's handling of the dry humor, particularly Stanhope's" �?? AudioFile Magazine /> From Ann Cleeves, winner of the CWA Diamond Dagger Award, comes The Seagull. A visit to her local prison brings DI Vera Stanhope face to face with an old enemy: former detective superintendent, and now inmate, John Brace. Brace was convicted of corruption and involvement in the death of a gamekeeper �?? and Vera played a key part in his downfall. Now, Brace promises Vera information about the disappearance of Robbie Marshall, a notorious wheeler-dealer who disappeared in the mid-nineties, if she will look out for his daughter and grandchildren. He tells her that Marshall is dead, and that his body is buried close to St Mary's Island in Whitley Bay. However, when a search team investigates, officers find not one skeleton, but two. This cold case case takes Vera back in time, and very close to home, as Brace and Marshall, along with a mysterious stranger known only as 'the Prof', were close friends of Hector, her father. Together, they were the 'Gang of Four', regulars at a glamorous nightclub called The Seagull. Hector had been one of the last people to see Marshall alive. As the past begins to collide dangerously with the present, Vera confronts her prejudices and unwanted memories to dig out the truth . . . The Seagull is a searing new audiobook by Sunday Times bestselling author Ann Cleeves, about corruption deep in the heart of a community, and fragile, and fracturing, family relationships… (more)

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Showing 1-5 of 17 (next | show all)

I was lucky enough to read this after a book event in which Ann Cleeves and Louise Penny were discussing their work. I was surprised to learn that Ann Cleeves sits down to write her first page with the novel's main characters in place, but ..... nothing else. She has no idea where her plot is going to take her. It doesn't show. This is a story with the kind of twists you might expect: Vera and team don't even necessarily know they have a crime on their hands at first. But of course a corrupt and now imprisoned police officer changes all that, as do chancers hoping to line their pockets whilst appearing to benefit the community, drug addicts both good and bad. This is an involving story, with Whitley Bay in many ways the main character. And Vera of course. Always Vera. (

)

Margaret09 | Apr 15, 2024 |

(2017) Vera is drawn into a double murder that involves her criminal father Hector and the Gang of Four (Hector, the Prof, John Brace & Robbie Marshall. GoodReads: A visit to her local prison brings DI Vera Stanhope face to face with an old enemy: former detective superintendent, and now inmate, John Brace. Brace was convicted of corruption and involvement in the death of a gamekeeper - and Vera played a key part in his downfall.Now, Brace promises Vera information about the disappearance of Robbie Marshall, a notorious wheeler-dealer who disappeared in the mid-nineties, if she will look out for his daughter and grandchildren. He tells her that Marshall is dead, and that his body is buried close to St Mary's Island in Whitley Bay. However, when a search team investigates, officers find not one skeleton, but two.This cold case case takes Vera back in time, and very close to home, as Brace and Marshall, along with a mysterious stranger known only as 'the Prof', were close friends of Hector, her father. Together, they were the 'Gang of Four', regulars at a glamorous nightclub called The Seagull. Hector had been one of the last people to see Marshall alive. As the past begins to collide dangerously with the present, Vera confronts her prejudices and unwanted memories to dig out the truth . . .The Seagull is a searing new novel by Sunday Times bestselling author Ann Cleeves, about corruption deep in the heart of a community, and fragile, and fracturing, family relationships.

derailer | Jan 25, 2024 |

Although this is book 8 of the Vera Stanhope series, it is the first book I read. I did feel like I didn't have all the background of the characters since I hadn't started at the beginning, but I felt that I could still follow it.
Vera visits the prison to deliver a talk and an inmate John Brace, a former cop, asks her for a favor. If Vera will look after his daughter and grandchildren, he will tell her the location of the body of Robbie Marshall, a former friend of her dad, and one who was mixed up in crime. When they dig up the body, they find a surprise. As Vera delves into the back story of Robbie and The Seagull hotel, there is more than expected.
I enjoyed this novel and will definitely read more. (

)

rmarcin | Mar 8, 2023 |

Vera Stanhope 8

SueJBeard | Jan 8, 2023 |

This Vera mystery features a cold case that has ties to Vera’s father, Hector. For that reason, the case really resonates: we learn a bit more about Vera’s past. I stayed up late to finish it, which is the sign of a good mystery. And I liked how the team banded together and how they played to each other’s strength. That’s one of the things I like the most about this series, actually. Looking forward to the next book! (

)

rabbitprincess | Feb 20, 2022 |

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Vera Stanhope (8)

▾Awards and Honors

Awards

Theakstons Old Peculier Prize (Longlist – 2018)

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Canonical title

The Seagull

Original title

The Seagull

Alternative titles

Original publication date

2017-09-07

People/Characters

Vera Stanhope

Important places

Northumberland, England, UK

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Epigraph

Dedication

First words

[Prologue] The woman could see the full sweep of the bay despite the dark and the absence of street lights where she stood.

John watched the door, from his wheelchair and wondered who'd be dragged in to speak to them today.

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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

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▾Book descriptions

Fiction. Mystery. HTML:

"Janine Birkett's marvelous narration enhances this riveting mystery, part of the Vera Stanhope series, set on the majestic northeast coast of England...Listeners will appreciate Birkett's handling of the dry humor, particularly Stanhope's" �?? AudioFile Magazine
From Ann Cleeves, winner of the CWA Diamond Dagger Award, comes The Seagull.
A visit to her local prison brings DI Vera Stanhope face to face with an old enemy: former detective superintendent, and now inmate, John Brace. Brace was convicted of corruption and involvement in the death of a gamekeeper �?? and Vera played a key part in his downfall.
Now, Brace promises Vera information about the disappearance of Robbie Marshall, a notorious wheeler-dealer who disappeared in the mid-nineties, if she will look out for his daughter and grandchildren. He tells her that Marshall is dead, and that his body is buried close to St Mary's Island in Whitley Bay. However, when a search team investigates, officers find not one skeleton, but two.
This cold case case takes Vera back in time, and very close to home, as Brace and Marshall, along with a mysterious stranger known only as 'the Prof', were close friends of Hector, her father. Together, they were the 'Gang of Four', regulars at a glamorous nightclub called The Seagull. Hector had been one of the last people to see Marshall alive. As the past begins to collide dangerously with the present, Vera confronts her prejudices and unwanted memories to dig out the truth . . .
The Seagull is a searing new audiobook by Sunday Times bestselling author Ann Cleeves, about corruption deep in the heart of a community, and fragile, and fracturing, family relationships

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The much-anticipated eighth novel in Ann Cleeves' bestselling Vera Stanhope series.A visit to her local prison brings DI Vera Stanhope face to face with an old enemy: former detective superintendent, and now inmate, John Brace. Brace was convicted of corruption and involvement in the death of a gamekeeper - and Vera played a part in his downfall. Brace promises Vera information about the disappearance of Robbie Marshall, a notorious wheeler-dealer, if she will look out for his daughter and grandchildren. He tells her that Marshall is dead, his body is buried close to St Mary's Island in Whitley Bay. However, when a search team investigates, officers find not one skeleton, but two. This cold case case takes Vera back in time, and very close to home, as Brace and Marshall, along with a mysterious stranger known only as 'the Prof', were close friends of Hector, her father. Together, they were 'the Gang of Four', and Hector had been one of the last people to see Marshall alive. Vera must confront her prejudices and unwanted memories to dig out the truth, as the past begins to collide dangerously with the present... The Seagull is Ann Cleeves' searing new novel, about corruption deep in the heart of a community, and about fragile, and fracturing, family relationships.

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