The 76-year-old actress has been playing DCI Vera Stanhope ever since 2011 when the series first aired. But with the tide rising, secrets long-hidden are finding their way to the surface, and Vera and the team may find themselves in more danger than they could have believed possible . . . Cleeves, who captures the world and its people in shades of gray tone, evokes compelling images of nostalgia, sadness, yearning, envy…and murder. She is adept at conjuring the texture of their complex relationships, their stories, and the stories they tell themselves to keep on going.

Vera herself - a chunky woman with a hearty appetite who's totally unconcerned about fashion - is my favorite character. Ann Cleeve's Vera Stanhope books are the basis for the TV series 'Vera', in which the Detective Inspector is wonderfully played by Brenda Blethyn. Who doesn’t love “large and shabby” Vera Stanhope, the blunt detective in Ann Cleeves’s Northumberland police procedurals? She is already one of the genre immortals."— The New York Times Despite my levity, I was engrossed in the story from beginning to end. I tried to slow down my reading because who knows when or if there will be another Vera book but I couldn't control myself. I had to find out "who dunnit."This series is always a sure thing for me.. Love the characters & the storylines. I just hope we don’t have to wait too long until the next 1. She finished by saying: “Never say never. Things happen, circumstances change. Enthusiasm and opinions change. So watch this space.” Is writer Ann Cleeves writing another Vera novel?

The history of this group was interesting and, of course, they all became suspects. There were other suspects as well. There were a lot of avenues to investigate and Vera's team stayed busy following all the leads. I've ready quite of few books in this series and have enjoyed them overall. Vera and her team work well together and each seem to have their own special expertise. I like the characters very much. I was disappointed by how many times the author mentioned that Vera was overweight, though. What's up with this? The ending to this was a real surprise to me. To all those who love a really good murder mystery with so many twists and turns to make your head spin and keep you guessing who did it until the end, this is the book for you!!!! I've learned a valuable lesson: beware of high school reunions,even if they are every 5 years, with all the same " friends" who you thought you knew so well, you will find out that you never really knew them at all!!! The performance by narrator Janine Birkett was fair. She uses tone, mood, and accents to distinguish characters. Her voice is a good match for the book. I could easily visualize Vera and the other characters in the book. When one of them is found hanged, Vera is called in. Learning that the dead man had recently been fired after misconduct allegations, Vera knows she must discover what the friends are hiding, and whether the events of many years before could have led to murder then, and now . . . The Sunday Times Who doesn’t love ‘large and shabby’ Vera Stanhope, the blunt detective in Ann Cleeves’s Northumberland police procedurals? She is already one of the genre immortals. Cleeves delivers some choice Vera moments in The Darkest EveningIn the tiny chapel, with its smell of damp and wood polish, he closed his eyes and he pictured her. Blonde and shapely and sparking with life. A wide smile and energy enough for them all.

From Ann Cleeves - New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of the Vera and Shetland series, both of which are hit TV shows - comes the stunning tenth Vera Stanhope novel, The Rising Tide, a powerful novel about guilt, betrayal, and the longheld secrets people keep. The engrossing plot delves into the friends' reminiscences, which seem innocuous but possess an underlying menace. Vera--blunt, intelligent, frumpy and obsessive yet deeply affectionate toward her team--continues to prove her investigative mettle. A visit with Vera--whether in the series or via the television adaptation, now in its 11th season--is always welcome."—Oline Cogdill, Shelf Awareness But although Vera is front and centre in the investigation, two members of her team also get a chance to shine in this one—Joe, Vera’s favourite, and Holly, who wants to move up in the ranks. …but [Vera] was a control freak. She’d always found it hard to delegate to the team. She told herself: It was time she learned that lesson and gave her team some freedom to act alone.Vera Stanhope. A dumpy woman with an incisive mind, a terrier-like hold on problems, and the habit of chivying her staff to get results, sometimes pitting them against each other, all in the name of solving the case. I think is the weakest of the Vera series. Ann Cleeves’ books are usually solid and well-crafted, with a decent plot that moves right along. This one, however, was much more simplistic and felt “rote” somehow. (There was a lot of interview/conversations; a lot of "telling," not much "showing.") I enjoy mysteries-with-more (the more being strong, well-developed characters) – and this series definitely fills that bill, although this one (until the twist at the end) really just tread familiar ground. I typically find Vera to be an engaging and refreshing crime-solver, and I usually look forward to a pleasant read from Ann Cleeves. The setting of this whodunnit is hugely atmospheric, cold, misty, wild and ancient….I loved it….I know the island well, and many of the other locations, so, for me, this really adds another layer of pleasure to this favourite series.

Mail on Sunday Cleeves’s Northumberland novels are strong on atmosphere, combining old-fashioned detective work with a modern take on class Just so.’ Keating gave a lovely smile. ‘Your boss was right, and will be, I’m afraid, insufferable. I think perhaps you should go and tell her, so she can be triumphant, and then start to get the investigation moving.ANN CLEEVES is the multi-million copy bestselling author behind three hit television series— Shetland, starring Douglas Henshall, Vera, starring Academy Award Nominee Brenda Blethyn, and The Long Call, starring Ben Aldridge—all of which are watched and loved in the United States. All three are available on BritBox. My favorite part of the book is the location. Interestingly, the accesibility of Holy Island is totally dependent by the tides. The causeway to the island is totally inaccessible two times per day whenever the tide is high. This timing plays a big role in the story. At the first reunion, someone died. Nevertheless, the group continues to meet over the decades. Now, once again, they are gathered--and (being a murder mystery) there is another death. This time a murder. Cleeves excels in character development. There are multiple POVs, including each of the team and some of the suspects. The almost rivalry between Joe and Holly works well and I like that this team isn’t the seamless group that other series have. The ending really caught me off guard. Third, now let's talk about ageism. How many times did Cleeves use the word “elderly” to describe the primary cast of characters? Many. Over and over and over again. So many times it made me sigh out loud each time she did it again! These characters (with one exception) were healthy, active, fit adults in their late 60s/early 70s. Elderly? Elderly? (Who do you think is the primary audience for your books, Ms. Cleeves?)