VERA
by Ann Cleeves
Vera Stanhope, dressed in frumpy uninspiring clothes, excels at solving crime in Northumberland, UK. The highly rated stories by successful mystery writer Ann Cleeves, have led to 14 seasons of a TV series known simply as VERA. The series, streamed on Britbox, ended in the US in January 2025.
An 8-Book set is a great way to enjoy a retreat from daily life. Ann Cleeves has a knack of dropping clues that lead Vera and readers turning this way and that until Vera leaps at the solution. Along the mysterious trails, this sometimes-grumpy sleuth reveals her soft side in caring for troubled souls whilst at other times she trades barbs and threats with the haughty. And, as an added attraction, Cleeves stocks Vera mind with brilliant lines that make us chuckle—if you enjoy British humour. And, if you aren’t British, you’ll pick up some slang and idioms from the North of England, which adds to your tour of life in a different subculture than most tourists sample.
The Main Characters
Vera Stanhope is a DCI (Detective Chief Inspector) played by Brenda Blethyn in the ITV series set in and around Newcastle upon Tyne.
Joe Ashworth is a young man with a family. He’s a DS (Detective Sergeant) and later a DI (Detective Inspector) played in the early series by David Leon.
The Crow Trap:
The Crow Trap marks the debut of Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope series, which has been adapted into a major ITV detective drama featuring Brenda Blethyn as Vera. Three distinctly different women gather at a remote cottage in the North Pennines to carry out an environmental survey. Each of these women understands betrayal deeply. Rachael is the first to arrive and finds the body of her friend, Bella Furness, who seemingly committed suicide—a conclusion Rachael is unwilling to accept. With another death on the scene, Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope becomes involved.
2. Telling Tales:
Telling Tales is the second novel in Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope series. A decade after Jeanie Long was accused of murdering fifteen-year-old Abigail Mantel, unsettling new evidence surfaces in the East Yorkshire village of Elvet, exonerating Jeanie. This means Abigail’s killer is still on the loose. Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope reopens the case, dragging the villagers back to a period they’d much prefer to leave buried. As tensions rise, one must wonder: are the locals more frightened of the killer at large, or their own skeletons in the cupboard?
3. Hidden Depths:
Hidden Depths is the third instalment in Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope series. On a sweltering summer night along the Northumberland coast, Julie Armstrong returns home after an evening out to find her son strangled, lying in a water-filled bath adorned with wild flowers. This elaborate murder scene piques Inspector Vera Stanhope’s curiosity. Soon, another body is found in a rock pool, similarly adorned with flowers. Vera must quickly piece together the clues to catch this killer, who turns murder into a macabre form of art.
4. Silent Voices:
Silent Voices is the fourth instalment in Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope series. When DI Vera Stanhope discovers a woman's body in the sauna at her local gym, she briefly wonders if this might be a straightforward natural death. But upon noticing ligature marks on the victim’s throat, she realises it’s far from simple. Vera takes pleasure in leading the investigation, teaming up with Sergeant Joe Ashworth to uncover a motive. While Joe grapples with balancing his home life and the case, Vera has never felt more invigorated by the hunt for a killer.
5. The Glass Room:
The Glass Room is the fifth book in Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope series. DI Vera Stanhope isn't known for her social graces, but her bohemian neighbours keep her stocked with homemade brews and good company. When one of them goes missing, Vera’s search leads her to the Writer's House, a rural retreat for budding authors. The plot thickens when a body is found, and Vera's neighbour is caught red-handed with a knife.
6. Harbour Street:
Harbour Street is the sixth book in Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope series. On a busy Metro ride in Newcastle, Detective Joe Ashworth and his daughter Jessie witness an unusual event when the train stops unexpectedly. Jessie notices that one passenger, Margaret Krukowski, remains behind, having been fatally stabbed. Despite the crowded train, no one saw the murder happen. To find answers, DI Vera Stanhope travels to the tranquil Northumberland town of Mardle, convinced that the locals are hiding crucial information.
7. The Moth Catcher:
The Moth Catcher is the seventh instalment in Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope series. Life at Valley Farm seems idyllic. The owners of a grand country house have hired Patrick, a young ecologist, as their house-sitter. However, Patrick is discovered dead by the lane into the valley. DI Vera Stanhope arrives with detectives Holly and Joe. During their investigation, they find a second body in the house’s attic. The only link between the two victims? A shared passion for moth-catching.
8. The Seagull:
The Seagull is the eighth gripping novel by Ann Cleeves. During a visit to her local prison, DI Vera Stanhope encounters an old foe: ex-detective superintendent John Brace, now an inmate. Brace offers Vera information about the disappearance of the notorious Robbie Marshall, on the condition that she takes care of his daughter and grandchildren. He reveals that Marshall is dead, buried near St Mary’s Island in Whitley Bay. But when the search team digs, they uncover not one skeleton, but two!
And there are more books:
9. The Darkest Evening
On a wintry night, Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope sets off for her home in the hills. Though the route is familiar, she misses a turn and soon finds herself lost. Ahead, a car has skidded off the narrow road, its door left ajar. Vera stops to assist, but the driver is nowhere to be found. A cry from the back seat reveals a toddler strapped in.
Vera takes the child and continues driving, arriving at Brockburn, a grand house in Northumberland now a bit rundown. It's where her father, Hector, grew up. Inside, a lively party is underway with music, Christmas lights, and laughter. Outside, unbeknownst to the revelers, a woman lies dead in the snow.
As the blizzard traps the group in the freezing countryside, Brockburn starts to reveal its secrets. Vera digs deeper into her investigation and uncovers her family's tangled past.
10. The Rising Tide
For half a century, a close-knit group of friends has convened for reunions on Holy Island, honoring the school trip that bonded them and remembering the friend who was lost to the treacherous tides five years later. When one of these friends is discovered hanged, Detective Vera Stanhope is summoned. With the revelation that the deceased had recently been dismissed due to misconduct allegations, Vera must delve into the group's secrets to uncover what they might be hiding. Could the events from years ago have sown the seeds for murder, both then and now?
As the relentless tide rises, long-buried secrets begin to emerge. Vera and her team may find themselves entangled in dangers far greater than they had ever anticipated.
11. The Dark Wives
A man’s body is discovered by a dog walker in a park near Rosebank, a home for troubled teens in Longwater. The victim, Josh, a staff member, never showed up for his shift the previous night.
DI Vera Stanhope is called to investigate, her only clue being the disappearance of fourteen-year-old Chloe Spence from the home. Although Vera doubts a teenager is behind the murder, she can't completely rule out the possibility.
As Vera, Joe, and new team member Rosie Bell delve into the case, a second body is found near the Three Dark Wives monument in Northumberland. This discovery intertwines superstition with reality. Vera realizes finding Chloe is key to uncovering the truth and the dangerous secrets lurking in their community.
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