The Rising Tide is the 10th Vera Stanhope procedural mystery by Ann Cleeves. Released 6th Sep 2022 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 384 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a strong entry in a very strong and well written series. The characters are so well rendered and filled out that at this point they live and breathe. (Helped, no doubt, by the capable casting and direction of Brenda Blethyn and the cast and crew of the long running ITV series). This installment sees them investigating a hanging death at an isolated island retreat involving a group of friends and former schoolmates on the anniversary of their gathering there decades ago.

It's not long before Vera & co. discover entanglements and secrets. The isolation and undependable tides make the island more or less a "locked room" setting and render the investigation logistically difficult and somewhat dangerous.

The unabridged audiobook format has a run time of 11 hours, 28 minutes and is expertly narrated by Janine Birkett. She has a well modulated and warm voice and does a perfect job with the disparate and difficult dialects and intonations of the large cast of characters. Her voice wasn't intrusive at all, which allows readers to concentrate on the intricate plot and various characters. I wasn't previously familiar with the narrator, but she did an excellent job in this instance.

Five stars. The series is superlatively well written, and this installment fits well with the others. There are 10 books in the series as it stands now, making it a good candidate for a long binge read. One of the best modern procedurals available.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The Rising Tide by Ann Cleeves continues the cases of Vera Stanhope and her crew. This time they encounter a group of friends who have a reunion every five years on Holy Island, separated from the mainland by high tides, and the murder of one of their group. Much as I enjoy the tv show, I really like the depth of Vera's life and personality and her interactions with her crew in these books.

First Sentence: Philip was the first of the group to the island.

It is the 10th Anniversary of Only Connect, a group of friends who’ve been meeting every five years for fifty years at Pilgrims’ House on Holy Island, a place that can only be reached at low tide via a causeway. The group is down to Annie, Daniel, Lou, Ken, Rick, and Phillip; Isobel having crossed the causeway too late and having drowned several years before, and Charlotte who stopped coming. When one of the group is found hanged, Vera and her team are called in. Was it a suicide or murder?

Cleeves introduces the characters in such a way that they become fully dimensional. One learns their backgrounds and how they interconnect. Although the story is written with multiple points of view, it is Annie, the organizer and mainstay, who is the principal of the secondary characters and the one with the greatest depth of character—“The years, stretching ahead of her, seemed empty, devoid of light or fun.” Cleeves presents a myriad of suspects, trying to glean the motive, which is not at all obvious, and fully engages the reader.

The author is skilled at hinting of something coming without ever using actual portents. Nor does she resort to prologues which is such a relief. For those who both read the books and watch the television series, it must be said that it’s a pleasure to still have Joe Ashworth as Vera’s second in the books—“her surrogate son, and her conscience. … Her boy. Her favourite. Sometime, she supposed, she’d have to release him and send him out into the world beyond her sphere of influence, but not yet. She’d miss him too much.”

Cleeves’ books are strongly characters driven, and Holly Island becomes another character in this story. As Vera rarely leaves Northumberland, this is a delightful change of scene. It also sets up a barrier and threat to the investigation. Vera is such a strong, clever character. She is not perfect, occasionally vulnerable and sometimes has self-doubts. She’s human.

If there is a criticism, it is that there is considerable repetition and too much time spent on the professional competition between Joe and Holly—“She didn’t dislike Joe, but she saw him as competition.” Vera knows exactly how to lead her team to get the best out of each of them, and Cleeves doesn’t do things without having a purpose. Learning the reason for the focus is a game changer.

THE RISING TIDE is yet another example of Cleeves’ skillful writing, especially including a reference to COVID without dwelling on it. The ending is powerful, and one must applaud Ms. Cleeves for it. The story leaves one anxious for the next book.

THE RISING TIDE
PolProc-Ins. Vera Stanhope-UK-Contemp
by Ann Cleeves
10th D.I. Vera Stanhope – 374 pp.
Minotaur Books, 2022
Rating: VG/A-

This was a so-so for me simply because it was too slow for my taste in thrillers for about the first half of the book. The strongest part of this section of the book was the ambiance of Holy Island for sure. Mainly though I kept reading solely for the characters, Vera in particular, and to be up-to-date for the next in the series which I enjoy overall.

Thankfully the pace and tension picked up around the halfway mark and the final third of the book was really fantastic as the threads started coming together. I’m glad I stuck with it but it was very close to DNF for me for a long while. I will say that the ending was incredible, both shocking and satisfying, and I’m very eager to see how everyone deals with the repercussions of the fallout in #11 of the series.

Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

At this point, Ann Cleeves’ Vera Stanhope has become one of the most beloved crime fiction characters of all time. Vera has appeared in nine novels, many short stories, and a highly successful television series where she is vividly brought to life by the legendary Brenda Blethyn. Never one to rest on her laurels, Ann Cleeves releases the tenth Vera Stanhope Mystery – The Rising Tide – today, once again proving that it is possible to keep a long-running series fresh and to uncover new depths within a character readers cherish.

Ann Cleeves briefly introduced readers to Holy Island in the recent short story “The Woman on the Island.” Readers of that story or those familiar with the area will remember that Holy Island is connected to the mainland by a tidal causeway that routinely floods, isolating the residents on the island twice a day. Being a veteran crime fiction author, Ann Cleeves recognized this as the perfect setting for a closed-circle mystery and crafted a complex and compelling storyline centered on the location.

For fifty years, a group of former schoolmates who once spent a weekend on the island, have re-gathered again on the island every five years for a reunion. The first of these reunions was marred by a tragic accident that took the life of one of their group, imbuing this regular pilgrimage with an air of tribute to their fallen friend, but make no mistake this is also a time to let loose and have some fun. Not all of the group find the reminder enjoyable, so the group has dwindled to five regulars.

Vera Stanhope is called in when another of this group of friends dies during their most recent reunion – the victim of an apparent suicide. But Vera is not convinced, and she calls her team of DS Joe Ashworth and DC Holly Clarke to Holy Island to help her investigate. The case will lead them to the past of this particular group, even some of those who no longer attend the regular reunions – including other fellow students, spouses, and one particularly-involved teacher.

The cast of characters in The Rising Tide is huge, but Ann Cleeves is a skilled storyteller, able to distill everything down to the most essential facts to ease the reader’s consumption. The tangled threads that connect these suspects are fifty years in the making, so eagle-eyed readers will need to pay close attention if they hope to stay ahead of Vera on this case. Early chapters slowly build the framework for what will eventually become a nail-biting conclusion full of revelations and devastating losses.

The Rising Tide is perfect for both fans of the series and for new readers just being introduced to Vera Stanhope and her team. The isolated location of this crime keeps Vera from relying on those co-workers back at the station and allows her to strengthen her already formidable bond with Joe and possibly gain additional grudging respect between herself and Holly.

Like all the Vera Stanhope novels, The Rising Tide, is a first-class example of a traditional mystery with a beloved lead character; her strong, but flawed team; a host of three-dimensional suspects involved in a multifaceted crime; a distinct and memorable location; and ultimately, a satisfying and shocking resolution with long lasting ramifications. Crime readers cannot ask for much more than that.

There are few mystery series as dependable as Cleeves' Vera. She's able to curate an interesting cast of suspects and supporting characters who you have deep curiosity about as she unfurls the plot. The perfect read by the fire with a strong whiskey.


*Thank you to the publisher and #NetGalley for the chance to review this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review*

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the tenth book in the series and another great police drama with the eponymous Vera once again getting to the bottom of the mystery and solving the crime, although at great cost. The location of most of the action is so atmospheric – Holy Island, cut off from the mainland during high tide and reached only with caution much of the time.

We meet a group of retirees who are spending the weekend on Holy Island, a thing they have done every five years since they were taken on a trip there as 16- and 17-year-olds from school. The rituals and the familiarity between them are described so vividly on the page, and more and more detail is peeled back as the story unfolds. It brings out the disagreements, the sadnesses, and the importance of routine and camaraderie which binds them. This time one of them is found dead in his room.

A photo of that first trip is something which propels Vera to find out everything about the group. Enlisting her ever faithful Joe and the ever hopeful of recognition, Holly to do her bidding, she sets about proving it is a crime and who is guilty. We feel the danger creeping around the island like the sea mist, and everyone seems to have a reason... even the Police and Crime Commissioner!

I love Vera and all her imperfections – she is on fine form here. Be ready for a few twists and brace yourself for the outcome. I am already looking forward to the next installment in this engaging series.

Big fan of Ann Cleeves' work, but this wasn't my favorite "Vera" mystery. It would be better in print (how I finished it) than as an audiobook. The setting is interesting, but the investigation is just too meticulously talky to hold the attention. Reviewed in print and online for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

I really like the Vera Stanhope series but this installment was almost a complete disappointment. The setting was interesting and well staged, the characters were fine, slightly complex well situated and juxtaposed. The story was interesting and the mystery, well it was mysterious. But Vera, well suffice it to say that I had difficulty with the way she was presented. I don’t remember coming away with the undercurrent of paranoia and negativity that I felt in this book. At certain points in the story her pettiness and mean spirited pitting colleagues against each other just seem so wrong footed that it was distracting.

Now the part that wasn’t disappointing was the “who done it” and there are a lot of suspects. They are all vetted and while the tide ebbs and flows and the island is passable and cut off there is an urgency to uncover what has happened. While not a surprise, the unveiling of the perpetrator and the unraveling of the plot was satisfying. The ending was an absolute mindf***.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for a copy.

Vera Stanhope is a character known to many crime fiction aficionados. She has been the protagonist of ten novels and has also been made popular by actress Brenda Blethyn in a TV series.

Vera is untidy in both her dress and in her environments. She has a troubled back story with her father Hector. Vera also has a loyal team, a few friends and a mind that should never be underestimated. Spending time with Vera is a joy. Readers who love mysteries should definitely get to know the books. Old readers will be delighted to see Vera again.

This was one of the very best of the novels in my opinion. At times, there was a slightly elegiac quality to the read that added to its enjoyment. Vera is getting older (although she does not want to retire) and many of the main characters in this title are in their sixties. Much of the book is set on a place called Holy Island, a place that asks for some introspection from those who visit.

A group meets when they are teens in school and are taken to Holy Island to participate in a program called Only Connect. Indeed connections are made and many in the group attend the regularly scheduled five year reunions. This time it is different as there are murders. Are they related to the present? the past? both? I choose not to say more as it is so much more fun to read without spoilers.

The characters including, Annie, Lou, Ken, Rick, Phil and Judith, are unique individuals. All have back stories and relationships with one another. Life has challenged them as have the events of the book. Each reacts in their own way.

This story is well told although it took just a tiny bit of reading before I got fully involved. Once I was immersed, I very much enjoyed this novel and was sad to see it end. I recommend this one highly.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

I really think that the Ann Cleeves Vera series just keeps getting better and better. In her latest book, The Rising Tide, Vera is drawn into an investigation of a suspicious death - a former TV celebrity has been thought to have committed suicide in dramatic fashion at a regular reunion of grammar school friends at the remote Holy Island retreat Pilgrim's House. A group of five friends have met every 5 years to celebrate their friendship formed by participating in "Only Connect" - a retreat they experienced in high school. Phillip Robson, former actor and party boy is now a priest. Ken Hampton, former head master, is now suffering from Alzheimer's disease, and is accompanied by his wife Louise - who is the younger sister of a beautiful young woman named Isobel Hall, who died tragically at the first reunion. Annie Laidler is now divorced, and the part owner of a popular deli - Bread and Olives. Her ex husband, Dan, is now an owner of a posh vacation park, and is having a relationship with a prominent police superintendent.
Vera is convinced that the mystery of Rick Kelsall's death is somehow tied to the history of the group, and that fateful first reunion when Isobel died years ago. Of course, more people die, and Vera and her team, including Joe and Holly are pulled into a dangerous situation of secrets, lie, and murder. A great addition to the series. Thank you to Netgalley for an Advanced Reader copy.

The Rising Tide is the tenth book in Ann Cleeves beloved Vera series. I fell in love with the Vera character from the BBC program, and I’ve grown to love Ms. Cleeves writing as a result of following Vera in the pages of her novels. The setting of Holy Island is as heavy with atmosphere as it is with fog and mist. It’s the perfect location for a mystery. As with any police procedural, the gathering of facts and suspects can become tedious with details. However, those details come in handy when sifting through the misinformation and misrepresentations. Vera attacks this case with her usual confidence and a little carelessness, and that creates a violent threat and grave danger for her and her team. I love Vera’s tenacity and even her unkempt look. I loved the twists and shocking reveals as the story approaches its zenith. Another Ann Cleeves mystery that kept me guessing to the end. 4.5 stars

4.5 out of 5 Stars. Anne Cleeves has written a good-paced, we’ll-told story with an easy flow. This is her best book in the Vera Stanhope series yet. So many interesting characters it’s hard to determine “who done it” The main character Vera Stanhope, Detective Inspector is under estimated and lovely. The setting, Holy Island, is a major character as well. I looked up this lovely setting in England and want to visit. Miss Cleeves could have a successful side gig as a travel writer.

The Rising Tide Earns 5+/5 Reunions…Clever & Totally Engaging Gem!

Fifty years ago, a handful of teenagers met and bonded at a team-building weekend arranged by their teacher, afterwards, they pledged to return every five years for a reunion. At their first reunion, sadly, they suffered through a tragic, yet accidental, death. Isobel stormed off after a row with her close friend Rick and got caught in the incoming tide, tragically being trapped and drowned. They still vowed to meet on the island, and now, after fifty years of friendship, the group reunites.

During their well-lubricated first night, Rick reveals his long ago escapade with their former teacher, but tells the group they’ll have to read all the salacious details in the book he’s working on. Unfortunately, the details are destined for the grave when, the next morning, he is found hanging from the rafters. When DCI Vera Stanhope and her team arrive, only Vera is sure it’s murder, not suicide, and when a second murder occurs, her investigation becomes very complicated and dangerous.

Ann Cleeves channels the best of Vera into another murder mystery for the tenth book in the series. The long-time friends are devastated by another loss, but murder? Vera recognizes several of the now suspects are closely guarding secrets requiring she, DS Ashworth, and DC Clarke to press the group for the truth. The victim had a #Metoo reputation which cost him his BBC job and causes the investigation to go beyond the small group of friends. Past and present events converge, but as with other Cleeves’ books and the television show itself, it isn’t straightforward and the final arrest, although a surprise, is filled with an intense imperative and a shocking loss. Brilliant!

The murder mystery includes the typical misdirection and surprise connections as one expects from Ann Cleeves, but unlike the television show, it’s the characters, their background, and personal motivations, that make Cleeves’ work outstanding. Vera Stanhope is a taskmaster, but in the books, her past, her struggles, and her relationship with those around her is explored. DS Joe Ashworth has a more familial relationship since he understands her moods and methods and is long past feeling insulted by her demands. The dynamic between DS Ashworth and DC Holly Clarke still resembles a bit of sibling-like rivalry, and this time, Ashworth has his own pang of jealousy when Holly is given more of a lead. Holly’s ambition is much like Vera in her youth, but unlike Vera, she recognizes the value of fitness and a real social life. The suspects, too, varied in personality and level of involvement, and weeding through their stories and answers to official questions was an absorbing journey. The characters are definitely the star of the book. Top contender for my Best of 2022!

The Rising Tide by Ann Cleeves – Great Storyteller Brings Beloved and Determined Vera Stanhope to Life


The Rising Tide by Ann Cleeves is the tenth book about DI Vera Stanhope. I’ve watched the PBS series on Vera over the years but never read a novel by Ann Cleeves. She makes the characters come alive as she reveals details about their personalities and lives while unveiling the mystery.

The Rising Tide is about a group of friends who have known each other since high school. Fifty years ago, their teacher had organized a weekend, Only Connect, where the group members bonded. They’ve been gathering every five years since. During the first reunion, one of their friends, Isobel, was killed in a terrible tragedy. On their 50th reunion, friend Rick Kelsall was found hanged. Was it suicide or murder? You can be sure that Vera and her team will not rest until they find out the truth about what happened, why, and who is responsible.

Vera Stanhope is one of my favorite characters. I love her dogged determination to solve a case and bring justice for the deceased. She is not intimidated by powerful and influential people and treats all potential suspects the same way. I especially appreciated getting a better understanding and insight into Vera’s team members Joe, Holly, Billy, and Paul.

I enjoyed reading The Rising Tide and getting to know the characters better. Ann Cleeves does a great job bringing characters to life and describing the scenes so the reader can visualize what’s happening. She’s a great storyteller and I highly recommend The Rising Tide by Ann Cleeves.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of The Rising Tide by Ann Cleeves. I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.

As always, Ann Cleeves doesn't disappoint! Once I started, I couldn't put this one down. There were a lot of characters and suspects in this murder mystery, and I did initially have a bit of trouble keeping everyone straight, but quickly got them sorted. Vera is one of my all-time favorite detectives and she's true to form here and I couldn't love her more! Joe, Charlie, and Holly are all back as well. I have to say, the ending was brutal and I'm not too happy with it - hoping the next in the series will give us some closure with that sudden shock. If you're a fan of any of Cleeves' series, give this one a read. Like most of them, you don't have to be familiar with the series to pick this one up and jump in. Strong 4.5 stars.

Inspector Vera Stanhope returns to solve a murder mystery on remote Hope Island. A group of old friends returns to the island every five years to celebrate the school trip that started their long friendship, and remember one of their group who died after the first reunion. However, this time one of the friends is murdered in his lodgings on the island. Vera is called to investigate and learns that he had recently been fired from his job for sexual misconduct. She thinks the friends are hiding what they know.

If you like character-driven novels, you will like this novel. The surprise ending is a shock.

Ann Cleeves’s Vera Stanhope is a great character and series and The Rising Tide is now my favorite of her novels. It combines a complex plot with interesting characters who have known each other for 50 years and, naturally have a mixed history to go with that amount of time. Every five years, these former school mates meet for a reunion on Holy Island, a small piece of land that becomes a literal island at high tide. They stay at Pilgrims’ House, an austere setting and former nunnery, the scene of their initial getaway when they were teenagers.

Now they are 50 years older, all at different places in their lives, about to begin another weekend of eating, drinking, meditation, swimming, and lots of walking and talking. But plans change; one of there number won’t survive the weekend!

Vera Stanhope and her crew are called in as Holy Island is in their bailiwick. And, suffice it to say, she will find a confusing situation when she arrives. I really enjoyed the Vera presented in this episode: more introspective about those she works with (and how she treats them!), having and enjoying friends outside of work, but still headstrong in moving forward.

I highly recommend The Rising Tide to add to your Ann Cleeves collection.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

The Rising Ride by Ann Cleeves opened my eyes to Vera Stanhope. I have watched the television program but this book was so much more comprehensive, delving into Vera’s past and her life outside of her job. It was a revelation. It was a peculiar crime which took place on part of a peninsula cut off from the rest of the country twice a day when the tides came in. They were a group of people who got together once every five years to celebrate friendships that began when they were in grammar school. Then one night, one of them committed suicide, or so they thought until Inspector Vera Stanhope arrived and declared it murder. She thought is origins were in the original gathering 40 years earlier and so she and her team set about getting to know these people, who they were currently, and who they had been. I took some planning as they couldn’t simply work all day and return to their homes in the evening: there was the tide.

Vera Stanhope is the personification of the brilliant detective. She sees things others do not and combines clues to come to amazing conclusions. She lives by herself in the cottage she inherited from her father and often begins her day with a long walk, near the sea. Only recently has she made a friend, Joanna, a neighbor, who is opening up her world to Vera. Very is getting old and is overweight and dumpy. She dresses like a washerwoman and cares little for her appearance. She is the penultimate character. Cleeves does well building a character as she builds the crime. Vera Stanhope always solves the crimes set out before her. This was a good one, and as she suspected, was rooted in the past. This group of people contained examples of people we all know and include in our lives, not ending in murder most of the time. It is an extremely well-written book, doing the character of Vera Stanhope justice.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Rising Tide by St. Martin’s Press, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #AnnCleeves #TheRisingTide

THE RISING TIDE by Ann Cleeves is the latest in the Vera Stanhope mystery series. The setting is in the North of England, specifically Holy Island which is periodically cut off from the mainland when the causeway is flooded due to changing tide levels. Forty-five years ago, a young women died when she misjudged the timing of the tides. Her friends have been holding reunions on the island (it "transported them back to a time when they were young and free, and life was exciting and full of possibilities") every five years and during the most recent visit someone else perishes. Vera and her team, Joe and Holly, are assigned to investigate the apparent suicide. In addition to the group of friends (baker Annie, loyal wife Lou and husband Ken who has dementia, BBC commentator Rick, and priest Philip), there are several other local connections and some dubious links to the deceased's reputation regarding exploiting young female colleagues. Kirkus summed up THE RISING TIDE as "a character-driven puzzler that ends in a painful denouement." It is quite a tangle for Vera, her team and Cleeves’ many readers and I am already looking forward to the next installment!