The Darkest Evening had a bit too much filler story and unneeded descriptions and backstory to hold my full attention. Sometimes the excessive descriptions pulled me out of the story, and I wanted the narrative to move faster. The mystery was good, and the ending was reasonably satisfying. I did like the main character, Vera, and I didn't feel I missed anything by not reading other books in the series. I may read other books by this author.

#TheDarkestEvening #NetGalley

I enjoyed this mystery. I loved the setting; the isolation and the odd characters. I did have to get used to some different expressions - calling everyone pet for instance. I would try more in this series and recommend to others.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

This was my first book by Ann Cleeves, but I look forward to reading many more.

The story is set in modern day England, just south of the Scottish border. It is winter and the area is beyond desolate and covered in snow. The author paints a very realistic picture of the region and its isolated inhabitants. The people all know each other, but every family has its set of secrets.

Add to this picture a murder, an abandoned baby, and a middle-aged female detective. The reader is in for a great ride.

I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery! Although this is the ninth book in the Vera Stanhope series, I had no problem reading it as a stand-alone, and I look forward to reading more in this series.

I enjoyed the British wintertime setting, and the fact that it involved a small rural town with a large manor house. I also liked that even though this was a true mystery that kept me guessing, the characters were center stage. I can see where this would make an excellent television series. I recommend this to anyone who fancies a British crime drama.

I love this series and this book was no exception a real page turner. The winter setting was so well written you could feel the cold echoing off the page. I enjoyed the exploration of Vera's feelings towards her father's estranged family who are central to the story and also her interaction with a toddler she finds in an abandoned car. A great story that will keep you guessing until the very end.

I have never read any of the author’s other novels but I would definitely give them a try after reading this one. A good old fashioned mystery that kept me guessing right to the end...I love when I can’t see what’s coming! The characters weren’t totally believable for me but that could have to do with the British setting more than anything. Overall a fun palate cleansing read.

The Darkest Evening by Ann Cleeves is another great Vera Stanhope book. I love watching the series Vera based on these books, but they can never do justice to the books. In this book you get a glimpse into the past family history of Vera and learn more about who she is. Of course the mystery has many twists and turns and you really don't know who done it until the very end.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I'm a longtime fan of Ann Cleeve's Shetland Island series, but this is my first Vera Stanhope novel and I really enjoyed it.

What I liked about the book is the main character is relatable - middle-aged, a little out of shape and set in her ways perhaps. She's smart and demanding of her team, but she respects what they bring to the table.

This mystery involves her estranged family and and the family's country estate. It adds a little tension to the story while also providing some insight into Vera's back story (which may or may not be covered in previous books).

Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

I've read several Ann Cleeves books and find them easy to read and very fast paced. This one is no exception. I really enjoyed it and didn't want it to end. This book is part of a series, so I"m going to have to go back and read some of the others. I highly recommend this book.

I received a free copy from NetGalley. Ninth in the series, I had no problems reading it without having read the first eight. A few British phrases that I'm sure I missed out on by not being familiar with British slang. A gripping mystery that kept me turning pages as I tried to figure out who was guilty of the murdered body found in the snow. The main characters were interesting enough that I would be willing to read about them again.

Vera Stanhope! My new best friend! How have I missed this series? I've read Ann Cleeves, but not the Vera series. Now I've got to go back and start at the beginning.
That being said, The Darkest Evening can be enjoyed as a stand alone novel. I liked meeting Vera and her team. Their relationship history is alluded to but does not complicate or confuse the narrative. I'm drawn to character driven novels and this did not disappoint. The story line was well drawn, free of gore and full of twists. The pacing is consistent and it is a fairly quick read.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC of The Darkest Evening. I will recommend this to friends. In fact, I already have!

Review of uncorrected galley

A snowy night. A car off the road. A toddler strapped in the back seat.

Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope, who has stopped to offer assistance to the driver, takes the abandoned child and heads for the nearest home where she hopes to use the phone. Vera’s short drive with the child brings her face to face with her past . . . Brockburn, the grand Northumberland house, is where her father, Hector, grew up. Inside, a party fills the house with music, laughter, and Christmas lights. Unbeknownst to the party-goers, a young woman lies outside in the snow, murdered.

As Vera investigates, will she learn the secrets of Brockburn? And what will she learn of her own family’s past?

Ninth in the Vera Stanhope series, this police procedural is filled with darkness and foreboding. The strong sense of place may leave readers feeling a bit chilly [along with Vera], but it’s the well-defined woods that are particularly creepy.

Nuanced and relatable, the various characters seem as if they could step right off the page; they are central to the telling of the tale. As Vera doggedly investigates Lorna Falstone’s murder, the intriguing narrative plays out. The twisting plot offers more than a few surprises and a second murder ramps up the suspense. The unfolding mystery is first-rate and the identity of the murderer is likely to surprise most readers. Weaving a tale of family, love, and betrayal and filled with relentless perseverance and commitment, this is a strong addition to the series.

Robert Frost fans will enjoy seeing how one of his most famous poems plays into the telling of this story.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books and NetGalley
#TheDarkestEvening #NetGalley

I haven't read many of the Vera Stanhope novels (but all of the Shetland series), but I have seen all of the television series. With the characters in my mind, this novel moves quickly. It is easy to visualize the landscape which is so much a part of Cleeves' writing. With the four families we were seeing through Vera's and Holly's eyes, it felt like watching a play with different sets, but the same conflicts among husbands and wives, parents and children. The solution to the mystery was surprising, but made sense. I will recommend the whole series to my patrons. I think it is good to start earlier on so you would know the backstory of the whole crew.

The very best of Ann Cleeves. Well-rounded characters of all ages, including babies, teens, young adults, and the not-so-young (not as common as it ought to be), and a plot that kept me guessing.

Thanks NetGalley.

I enjoyed everything about this mystery. The plot had just enough twists and turns to keep me interested throughout, but not so many surprises that things got confusing. The writing was sharp and clear, and I especially appreciated the author's subtle reminders about who characters were and the progress of the investigation. The real star of the novel was the main character, Vera. I loved how fully developed she was as well as her intelligence, her independence, and her leadership. I also appreciated that the other police officers, though they had only supporting roles, were also compelling and complex.

This was the first book of the Vera Stanhope series that I have read. On the strength of this book, I will be going back to read all the previous novels.

I am so grateful that I received an advance copy of this book. Like a lot of other people, I have watched Vera but I hadn’t read one of her books until now. (I’ve read other Ann Cleves). This is awesome. It keeps you guessing, idiosyncrasies come to the fore, Vera’s not above talking to herself. What’s not to love? Vera is driving home on a snowy night and comes across a car with the door open and a baby in the back. The woman’s identity is soon sorted but not the father of the child. Lorna has overcome anorexia, and is getting on with life. Who would kill her? Read this!

I only recently discovered Vera Stanhope on Acorn and Britbox TV and was immediately taken by this smart, no-nonsense, humane detective. I was delighted to find "The Darkest Evening" in my library and read it in two sittings. The story takes place in winter, on a dark and snowy night, Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope, on her way home from the office, becomes disoriented in the blinding snow and takes a wrong turn. This leads her to a car on the side of the road, door open, with a toddler inside, alone.

Calling out but finding no adult, Vera takes the child with her, leaving a note, and arrives at a nearby great house, where her late father grew up. She knocks on the door, interrupting a holiday party. When the father of two young local women who are working as servers arrives in a plow to take them home he finds a woman's body in the snow.

The blizzard traps the group deep in the freezing Northumberland countryside, and the house and grounds begin to give up their secrets. Vera digs deeper into her investigation and also begins to uncover some of her family’s complicated past as she is forced to deal with and investigate the cousins who still live on the estate plus local workers who form part of the community. With many twists and turns, the mystery is eventually solved.

The book is well-written and the plot believable.

The Darkest Evening, a Vera Stanhope novel (Vera Stanhope #9) by Ann Cleeves. St. Martin's Press. Minotaur Books. Mystery & Thrillers. Publication date: 08 Sep 2020. 374 pages. ISBN: 9781250204509. Electronic ARC. 5 Stars.

This is my second Ann Cleeves read, and I think she’s fantastic. I liked this standalone even better than the last. Pitch perfect, I thoroughly enjoyed this latest book featuring Ann Cleeves’ superstar character, Vera, as well as her use of regional slang words like ‘cack-handed’ and ‘knaa’ and ‘hinny’ for honey… This mystery gets your attention and keeps it forever! Great tie-up at the end. Highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for providing this ebook ARC for review.

The latest installment in the Vera series does not disappoint. The addition of a family connection (Vera's) to the who-done-it aspect of the story revealed another side of this complex personality. Set in Vera's neck of the woods just before Christmas, she starts with one body, acquires another, and to avoid spoiling the mystery, I won't describe the almost-third in the set.

Ann Cleeves' writing is always worth reading. Vera fans will not be disappointed. In addition, because I am also a fan of the TV show, the story played in my head like I was watching it.

Keep those mysteries, coming, Ann Cleeves. You've got an audience for all of your series.

Ann Cleeves is a new author to me, hence, I hadn’t read any of the previous novels in her Vera Stanhope series. Still, I dove in with eager anticipation, drawn to the intriguing premise of this retro-style murder mystery. While I enjoy a good whodunit, between the quirky characters and a disjointed storyline, I had a hard time remaining totally engaged. However, if I had read the previous books in this series, my overall take might be slightly different. Still, I found “The Darkest Evening” to be decent story, overall, and I want to express my thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me the opportunity to explore a new author and series.